Self-Correction With Exaggeration and Contrast

Forums Library Knowledge Base Self-Correction With Exaggeration and Contrast

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    Admin Mediterra
    Keymaster

    In order to more easily identify the sweet spot of some position or movement pattern you are working on, first try exaggerating the movement in ways that are on either side of the ‘correct’ position you are searching for. Try an extreme position (just one side at a time) and then compare that with a position that you think is closer to the ideal. You’ll notice much more about the difference between correct and incorrect and be set up to make more improvements by feel.

    For example, when you are trying to find the ‘neutral head’ position (which we call the ‘weightless head’ in TI) try swimming a few strokes tilting the head up, looking ahead, and then drop the head completely, turning off all the muscles. Feel the difference. Feel where the head settles by itself, between gravity pushing down and water pressure pushing up.

    Now, do the opposite – push your face deep down into the water, like trying to cause the head to sink. Feel the strain in your neck and upper back. Swim that way for several strokes until the sensations get quite distinct. Then release the head and neck completely and let water pressure push it back up to the neutral position. Search for any remnants of that ‘pushed-down’ effort and remove them.

    By exercising the movement in some extreme or exaggerated way, then switching to something more ideal your nervous system will be awakened to the contrast between them. You’ll notice sensations that appear in the incorrect (exaggerated) way that you can feel are not favorable – then when you shift to what you think is the ideal position you can search for remnants of that dysfunction, then adjust your position further to remove those.

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