Body Control

Who has more body control? A monkey or a hulk?

The Feldenkrais Method is a learning method that everyone, whether in good or bad physical condition, can use to improve their body control. 

One can use the body control for himself wherever he wants. 

The question of talent and physical potential here takes on a new dimension.  

According to the Feldenkrais view, having a lot of muscle strength does not mean having good body control.

You can have both. But building up muscles initially results in a restriction in mobility. That's why it's important to do something for mobility as well.

The expression body control is certainly readily understood as something conscious, perhaps exclusively conscious, in the way of 'I put my leg there, I do it like this.'  

There is this aspect, the conscious aspect, in the method in the exercises, and then also in the body control outside in life when you do your sport or dance or whatever. The tennis coach says keep your arm down further, and you can do it well without tension in the shoulder, for example. Or you can do a trick. You perform it. You keep your balance. The trick is considered skillful. But could you do it more smoothly? 

This would give you even more freedom to do even more tricks, to vary the trick, and so on.

Feldenkrais and performance / self-awareness in sports , Feldenkrais and Acting

More important, therefore, is probably the unconscious aspect of body control, when what has been learned makes the muscles interact differently in a way that affects us, that makes things easier for us, and that is there automatically without us having to contribute or think about it. We couldn't. The body just goes like that.

The Feldenkrais exercise is done, and the body has realigned itself, learned how to better straighten itself against gravity. That comes to mind briefly when you realize, 'Oh, I've never done it that way before.' That's going swinging, the way I get on the bike.' But how can hardly be explained. 

It just feels right and good anymore. And it looks good too, if someone would watch. It looks more integrated, that is, rounder, more harmonious, more holistic in movement.

The body always wants to do everything as easily as possible, to move its weight as lightly as possible through space, to drive over the highway in fifth gear, not in third, but with a good transmission. The big muscles do the big work, the small ones do the fine work. Then it looks light, looks beautiful and never looks old.

This also applies to the mental space, the mental organization. How do you implement your ideas? With dull uncreative approach, so that you exhaust yourself and the result is mediocre or you can't be happy about it because it cost you too much. Or did you put in the right amount of effort through the right strategy, and even had better ideas as a result?  (see also: The Psychosomatic Way)