26/07/2025
📍 Contrology in Practice: Teaching the Principles on the Reformer
Part 2: Neck Tension, Shoulder Placement & the Breath Connection
Continuing from Part 1, we now address a common issue even experienced movers face: holding unnecessary tension in the neck and shoulders while struggling to maintain neutral.
We explore:
🔹 Why over-glued shoulders against the blocks disrupt the setup
🔹 How subtle repositioning can open the body to proper alignment
🔹 Teaching students to melt into the apparatus, not fight it
🔹 Cueing the neck to relax without collapsing posture
🔹 Guiding breath awareness as a pathway into neutral
In this moment, teaching isn’t about doing more — it’s about refining what’s already there, creating space for the student to feel, breathe, and trust their alignment.
Stay tuned — Part 3 will dive into spring changes, breath-based movement, and how Romana’s approach still influences how we teach today.