Pushing Palms (18 Movements)
Audio File
Instructions
Begin with feet together and one hand resting inside the other, palms up, in front of the body. Draw a deep breath into the abdomen; as you exhale, step out to the left to shoulder-width; spread the hands apart, rotating the palms to face down.
Relax and place both hands at a comfortable distance in front of the abdomen as if holding a ball, the right hand 6-10 inches above the left and the palms facing each other. Make sure that the lower (lumbar) spine isn’t arched, but straight (imagine having a small weight suspended from the tailbone, pulling the back into alignment). Inhale.
As you exhale, twist your waist to the left (keeping the knees facing forward and not turning the pelvis). As you do so, drive the top right hand, fingers up and palm forward, to the left so that it pushes above and near the left elbow.
As you inhale, return your waist to the front and simultaneously slide your right hand back until it returns to its original position over the left hand.
As the hands pass each other at the end of your inhale, they rotate, equidistant from each other as if turning a ball 180 degrees: the right hand rolls right and down while the left hand comes up on the left until it’s directly above the right.
Now exhale and repeat the motion to the right, this time with the left hand pushing across the body as your waist twists, finishing in the vicinity above the right elbow.
Inhale and turn waist back to the front, drawing the left arm back to neutral and then turning the ball again (this time to the left 180 degrees) so that the hands swamp positions and the right is on top.
Continue to twist the waist and alternate the hands in this fashion, coordinating with the breath, for as long as feels good. End by coming back to neutral.
Close the exercise by inhaling and sweeping the arms up and out from the sides of the body until the hands hover just above the head, palms down. Exhale and slowly draw both hands down and towards the Dantian (the body’s energy storehouse), located one and a half inches below the navel. Align the palms and place both hands, palms-inward, over the Dantian as you take one more deep breath into the abdomen.
Step the left foot in towards the right to finish.
Modifications
Can be performed while seated in a chair, preferably with feet on the ground.
Contraindications
N/A
Parts of Body Benefited
Torso
Shoulders
Neck