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Well, I went to belly dance class yesterday afternoon and
she taught me walking hip circles. I've worked hard and my hip
circles, usually in the shower, not something I recommend if
keeping your balance is not a strong area.
So I'm trying to walk out the hip circles. I wanted to take
a step, do a hip circle, take a step, do another circle. But
I'm supposed to get two steps per circle. Half circle, step,
complete the circle, step.
Took me a while to get the hang of that. Started by just lifting
my foot without moving it forward. When I had that down, then
I started with little steps of a few inches.
This is when the problems began. I had trouble keeping balance.
I felt like I was slightly tilting to the right. Everytime I'd
try to walk them, I'd loose either the rhythm (no big deal) or
balance (big deal).
Del, the instructor, took a while to figure out what was wrong.
Then she noticed that when I started to walk the circles, my
hips would circle in a diagnal pattern as opposed to being straight
when I do them standing. My posture and technique were good,
but what was causing my balance problem? She watched me intently
for a good 10 minutes before having me walk normally back and
forth for a while.
"You're shoulders aren't even," she said after walking
toward her for the 3rd time. She stood behind me in the mirror
and showed me my own shoulders, the same ones I've had for almost
27 yrs now. Yep, the right one is lower than the left.
She asked if I had scolosis, a major injury, carried a large
heavy purse. No, no and my purse is small and on my left side
and I don't carry it half the time. My hips and knees are in
a straight line.
Then she showed me how to correct my posture and different
ways of holding my arms. It was tough, mainly because it was
toward the end of the lesson and my legs were getting tired.
After I got home I was thinking what could cause my shoulder
to be lower. Then it dawned on me, my camara bag. For years I
carried around a heavy bag filled with equipment on my right
shoulder. That might be the reason.
Anyway, Del said it is very possible that the muscles on the
right side of my back are probably shorter than the left and
that's probably causing some of my balance issues.
I'm not in pain, right now anyway, and I know that trying
to correct it and doing extra stretches is going to be tough.
last time ~ next time
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