Developing a straighter, more elongated spine while upright in the gravity field is the purpose of Door & Bar Hanging, and Postural Training Position – Back on Wall. In Door & Bar Hanging, however, the arms are held over the head, which results in a traction stretch on the spine, and greatly increases spinal lengthening. Regular practice of Door Hanging or Bar Hanging for even a few weeks will result in spontaneously improved posture, a more flexible spine, reduction of chronic back stress, and a deeper “body-understanding” of appropriate structural alignment. Door & Bar Hanging will also help you to be aware of, and consciously use, your psoas muscles to further refine your development.
The choice of Door Hanging or Bar Hanging is according to convenience and availability of a bar from which to hang. Door Hanging can be done when traveling, since it requires only a door and towel, which are always available. Bar Hanging requires a chin-up bar placed in a doorway. Inexpensive chin-up bars are available in sporting good stores. Many bars can be placed permanently in a doorway, without the need of screws or nails. If Bar Hanging is done as Full Hanging (see below), then secure attachment with screws or nails is necessary to insure safety.
There are advantages to Bar Hanging that make it worth purchasing a chin-up bar. The greatest advantage is that the arms can be widely separated, which makes shoulder adjustment details easier to apply during the exercise.
Basic Position for Door Hanging
Roll up a towel and place it over the top of a door. Lean against the narrow edge of the door, bringing the spine as flat to the edge as possible, without discomfort. Follow all position details for Postural Training Position – Back on Wall, except those for the arms.
Basic Position for Bar Hanging
Secure the chin-up bar in a doorway, so that you can lean against your back against the closed door, while reaching up to drape the fingers around the bar above your head. In the first part of the exericse, it is not necessary to grab hold of the bar. Simply drape the fingers around the bar so that the arms are being supported above the head. This is more comfortable for the hands than maintaining a grasp on the bar. If Door Hanging is practiced as Full Hanging, then the hands must, or course, firmly grasp the bar.
If holding the bar above the head is excessive stretch, then loop rolled-up towels, old ties, etc, over the bar on both the left and right, which are held by the respective hand. Be sure that the height of each hand is the same above the head. The primary practice position for the hands in Bar Hanging is with the hands as widely separated along the bar as possible, if this is also comfortable. This makes shoulder dropping and widening in the Hanging position easier to feel and apply.
Lower Ribs & Middle Back
Maintain your attention at the lower ribs, and the middle and lower spine. Bring the arms overhead without letting the spine come away from the edge of the door. Feel the lower ribs tuck in as the arms are brought overhead.
Hands, Arms & Shoulders
With the elbows at least slightly bent, grasp the towel as high as possible, so that each hand is at the same height, and there is no strain or discomfort. Continue to stabilize the shoulders by pulling them down, and widening them to the sides. Do not hang from the towel. All of the body weight is still support by the legs.
If the shoulders are strained, hold the towel lower down, to decrease the shoulder stretch. If necessary, the elbows may only be at shoulder height, or even lower. If a towel is not long enough for this, use a thick rope. Over time, you can gradually hold the towel higher-up, as your shoulders become more flexible. The first position of the Backbend over Roll exercise will also help to limber up the shoulder joints.
Breathing & Full Spinal Elongation
While maintaining this position, practice breathing up into the chest, using Spinal Elongation Breathing. Traction of the spine resulting from the arms-overhead position while practicing chest breathing, results in very powerful spinal elongation. You will often feel the spine decompressing after only a few breaths. After every five breaths or so, bring the pelvis, and the lower and middle spine a few inches away from the door edge. This allows the now-longer spine to fully lengthen along the side of the door. Again bring the spine and pelvis back to the door edge and resume practicing.
Duration of Practice
If comfortable, practice from one to three minutes, or longer. Discontinue or rest if even slight discomfort is felt. Straining or pushing beyond comfortable limits will slow down or block structural opening. Regular practice of these methods that respects your changing limitations, will lead to rapid spinal elongation and realignment.
Ending the Exercise
To leave the Door & Bar Hanging positions, bring the arms down first, then walk the feet back toward the door and stand erect. Do not stand up by first pushing the pelvis away from the door.
Full or Partial Hanging
If you are completely comfortable with Door or Bar Hanging thus far, you can end the exercise by letting your full weight hang from the towel. Slowly bend the knees, sliding the spine down the edge of the door until the arms are straight and supporting the weight of the body entirely (Full Hanging), or to whatever lesser degree (Partial Hanging) is appropriate for you. Other details of practice are the same. Hold this for as long as comfortable, which may only be a few seconds, then come up. Be sure to continue stabilizing the shoulders by pulling them down and widening them to the sides strongly. Practice of Full Hanging and Partial Hanging is very strengthening and produces strong spinal extension, but must not be practiced if it causes strain or discomfort.
DOOR & BAR HANGING –PRACTICE OUTLINE
Position for Door & Bar Hanging:
Most alignment details for Door & Bar Hanging are identical to the details for Postural Training Position - Back on Wall. However, in Door Hanging, instead of leaning back against a wall, you are leaning against the narrow edge of an open door. The arms are overhead with the hands grasping a rolled-up towel draped across the top of the door.
In Bar Hanging, you are leaning against a closed door with the arms holding a chin-up bar in the doorway above your head.
Instructions #1-4, 6, & 7 listed under Postural Training Position - - Back on Wall are identical for Door & Bar Hanging.
How to Practice
1A. Door Hanging: Roll up a towel and place it over a door. Lean against the side of the door, bringing the spine as flat to the edge as possible without discomfort. Follow all details for Postural Training Position - Back on Wall. Do not grasp the towel yet. Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for several breaths or longer.
1B. Bar Hanging: Lean against a closed door, bringing the spine as flat to the surface as possible without discomfort. A chin-up bar is in the doorway above your head, with enough space below the doorway to hold the bar. Follow all details for Postural Training Position - - Back on Wall. Do not hold the bar yet. Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for several breaths or longer.
2. Maintain attention at the lower ribs, and the middle and lower spine. Bring the arms overhead without letting the spine come away from the edge of the door (Door Hanging), or the flat surface of the door (Bar Hanging). This is accomplished by not allowing the lower ribs to move forward (and the lower and middle back come away from the edge of the door) as the arms are brought overhead.
Hold the towel or bar as high as possible, at the same height on both sides, with the elbows at least slightly bent, and the shoulders widening to the sides. If there is any discomfort, then bring the arms lower on each side until this is relieved.
Feel the spine stretch up. Do not bend the knees and sink the pelvis lower yet.
Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for 1-3 minutes or longer.
3. If necessary, maintain the position but bring the arms to the side
to let the shoulders and arms rest. Resume the position described in 2. above.
Bend the knees and sink lower, maintaining the spine firmly against the door or door edge, as in 2 above.
Do not sink all the way down, so that the arms are fully supporting the weight of the body. Instead, only sink to a point that allows you to maintain the position for 1-3 minutes or longer, without discomfort or strain in the arms or shoulders. Continue to stabilize the shoulder blades by widening the shoulders out to the sides and pulling them down.
Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for 1-3 minutes or longer.
Further Details
Instead of a rolled-up towel, an old tie or several together works well. Some types of rope may be used. Whatever is chosen must be comfortable and provide a sufficient sense of stability.
While practicing Step 3 above, occasionally bring the pelvis and lower and middle spine a few inches away from the door edge. This allows the spine to fully stretch down. Then again bring the spine and pelvis back to the door edge. If done properly, you will feel increased length of the spine without intentionally bending the knees to sink down farther. Repeat this several times while practicing Step 3.
During Door & Bar Hanging, be sure to stabilize the shoulder blades strongly and continuously by widening them out to the sides and pulling them down.
The distance the feet are away from the door may be varied according to convenience. For beginners, this will probably be farther away than during Postural Training Position – Back on Wall.
In the first position of Door & Bar Hanging (Step #2), the knees may be either straight or bent according to convenience. There should never be any discomfort in the knees, or anywhere else.
The back of the head should only touch the door if this occurs naturally when aligning the head and neck. For many persons, the head will not touch the door, particularly when the arms are down at the sides. The back of the head will usually come closer to the door when the arms are raised above the head. Practice over time may change this pattern.
At the end of the exercise, the knees may be bent until most, or all of the body’s weight is being supported by the arms, though this is done only if it is completely comfortable. This will give a strong increased traction on the spine. This will be held only for a short time.
The choice of Door Hanging or Bar Hanging is according to convenience and availability of a bar from which to hang. Door Hanging can be done when traveling, since it requires only a door and towel, which are always available. Bar Hanging requires a chin-up bar placed in a doorway. Inexpensive chin-up bars are available in sporting good stores. Many bars can be placed permanently in a doorway, without the need of screws or nails. If Bar Hanging is done as Full Hanging (see below), then secure attachment with screws or nails is necessary to insure safety.
There are advantages to Bar Hanging that make it worth purchasing a chin-up bar. The greatest advantage is that the arms can be widely separated, which makes shoulder adjustment details easier to apply during the exercise.
Basic Position for Door Hanging
Roll up a towel and place it over the top of a door. Lean against the narrow edge of the door, bringing the spine as flat to the edge as possible, without discomfort. Follow all position details for Postural Training Position – Back on Wall, except those for the arms.
Basic Position for Bar Hanging
Secure the chin-up bar in a doorway, so that you can lean against your back against the closed door, while reaching up to drape the fingers around the bar above your head. In the first part of the exericse, it is not necessary to grab hold of the bar. Simply drape the fingers around the bar so that the arms are being supported above the head. This is more comfortable for the hands than maintaining a grasp on the bar. If Door Hanging is practiced as Full Hanging, then the hands must, or course, firmly grasp the bar.
If holding the bar above the head is excessive stretch, then loop rolled-up towels, old ties, etc, over the bar on both the left and right, which are held by the respective hand. Be sure that the height of each hand is the same above the head. The primary practice position for the hands in Bar Hanging is with the hands as widely separated along the bar as possible, if this is also comfortable. This makes shoulder dropping and widening in the Hanging position easier to feel and apply.
Lower Ribs & Middle Back
Maintain your attention at the lower ribs, and the middle and lower spine. Bring the arms overhead without letting the spine come away from the edge of the door. Feel the lower ribs tuck in as the arms are brought overhead.
Hands, Arms & Shoulders
With the elbows at least slightly bent, grasp the towel as high as possible, so that each hand is at the same height, and there is no strain or discomfort. Continue to stabilize the shoulders by pulling them down, and widening them to the sides. Do not hang from the towel. All of the body weight is still support by the legs.
If the shoulders are strained, hold the towel lower down, to decrease the shoulder stretch. If necessary, the elbows may only be at shoulder height, or even lower. If a towel is not long enough for this, use a thick rope. Over time, you can gradually hold the towel higher-up, as your shoulders become more flexible. The first position of the Backbend over Roll exercise will also help to limber up the shoulder joints.
Breathing & Full Spinal Elongation
While maintaining this position, practice breathing up into the chest, using Spinal Elongation Breathing. Traction of the spine resulting from the arms-overhead position while practicing chest breathing, results in very powerful spinal elongation. You will often feel the spine decompressing after only a few breaths. After every five breaths or so, bring the pelvis, and the lower and middle spine a few inches away from the door edge. This allows the now-longer spine to fully lengthen along the side of the door. Again bring the spine and pelvis back to the door edge and resume practicing.
Duration of Practice
If comfortable, practice from one to three minutes, or longer. Discontinue or rest if even slight discomfort is felt. Straining or pushing beyond comfortable limits will slow down or block structural opening. Regular practice of these methods that respects your changing limitations, will lead to rapid spinal elongation and realignment.
Ending the Exercise
To leave the Door & Bar Hanging positions, bring the arms down first, then walk the feet back toward the door and stand erect. Do not stand up by first pushing the pelvis away from the door.
Full or Partial Hanging
If you are completely comfortable with Door or Bar Hanging thus far, you can end the exercise by letting your full weight hang from the towel. Slowly bend the knees, sliding the spine down the edge of the door until the arms are straight and supporting the weight of the body entirely (Full Hanging), or to whatever lesser degree (Partial Hanging) is appropriate for you. Other details of practice are the same. Hold this for as long as comfortable, which may only be a few seconds, then come up. Be sure to continue stabilizing the shoulders by pulling them down and widening them to the sides strongly. Practice of Full Hanging and Partial Hanging is very strengthening and produces strong spinal extension, but must not be practiced if it causes strain or discomfort.
DOOR & BAR HANGING –PRACTICE OUTLINE
Position for Door & Bar Hanging:
Most alignment details for Door & Bar Hanging are identical to the details for Postural Training Position - Back on Wall. However, in Door Hanging, instead of leaning back against a wall, you are leaning against the narrow edge of an open door. The arms are overhead with the hands grasping a rolled-up towel draped across the top of the door.
In Bar Hanging, you are leaning against a closed door with the arms holding a chin-up bar in the doorway above your head.
Instructions #1-4, 6, & 7 listed under Postural Training Position - - Back on Wall are identical for Door & Bar Hanging.
How to Practice
1A. Door Hanging: Roll up a towel and place it over a door. Lean against the side of the door, bringing the spine as flat to the edge as possible without discomfort. Follow all details for Postural Training Position - Back on Wall. Do not grasp the towel yet. Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for several breaths or longer.
1B. Bar Hanging: Lean against a closed door, bringing the spine as flat to the surface as possible without discomfort. A chin-up bar is in the doorway above your head, with enough space below the doorway to hold the bar. Follow all details for Postural Training Position - - Back on Wall. Do not hold the bar yet. Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for several breaths or longer.
2. Maintain attention at the lower ribs, and the middle and lower spine. Bring the arms overhead without letting the spine come away from the edge of the door (Door Hanging), or the flat surface of the door (Bar Hanging). This is accomplished by not allowing the lower ribs to move forward (and the lower and middle back come away from the edge of the door) as the arms are brought overhead.
Hold the towel or bar as high as possible, at the same height on both sides, with the elbows at least slightly bent, and the shoulders widening to the sides. If there is any discomfort, then bring the arms lower on each side until this is relieved.
Feel the spine stretch up. Do not bend the knees and sink the pelvis lower yet.
Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for 1-3 minutes or longer.
3. If necessary, maintain the position but bring the arms to the side
to let the shoulders and arms rest. Resume the position described in 2. above.
Bend the knees and sink lower, maintaining the spine firmly against the door or door edge, as in 2 above.
Do not sink all the way down, so that the arms are fully supporting the weight of the body. Instead, only sink to a point that allows you to maintain the position for 1-3 minutes or longer, without discomfort or strain in the arms or shoulders. Continue to stabilize the shoulder blades by widening the shoulders out to the sides and pulling them down.
Practice Spinal Elongation Breathing for 1-3 minutes or longer.
Further Details
Instead of a rolled-up towel, an old tie or several together works well. Some types of rope may be used. Whatever is chosen must be comfortable and provide a sufficient sense of stability.
While practicing Step 3 above, occasionally bring the pelvis and lower and middle spine a few inches away from the door edge. This allows the spine to fully stretch down. Then again bring the spine and pelvis back to the door edge. If done properly, you will feel increased length of the spine without intentionally bending the knees to sink down farther. Repeat this several times while practicing Step 3.
During Door & Bar Hanging, be sure to stabilize the shoulder blades strongly and continuously by widening them out to the sides and pulling them down.
The distance the feet are away from the door may be varied according to convenience. For beginners, this will probably be farther away than during Postural Training Position – Back on Wall.
In the first position of Door & Bar Hanging (Step #2), the knees may be either straight or bent according to convenience. There should never be any discomfort in the knees, or anywhere else.
The back of the head should only touch the door if this occurs naturally when aligning the head and neck. For many persons, the head will not touch the door, particularly when the arms are down at the sides. The back of the head will usually come closer to the door when the arms are raised above the head. Practice over time may change this pattern.
At the end of the exercise, the knees may be bent until most, or all of the body’s weight is being supported by the arms, though this is done only if it is completely comfortable. This will give a strong increased traction on the spine. This will be held only for a short time.
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