Mechanics: Stuck in Gear

This week, I went back to dance class (virtually). It had been a while. Moving is an excellent way to discover the parts of your body that just don’t wanna.

Three days in, I discovered sudden freedom low in my lumbar (spine). This led to a very surprised breath and a much better sound later in my day.

The fact is that all of us have areas that are stuck in a rut. Some of these restrictions are caused by injury or illness but often, they are just caused by a lack of attention. This is what happened to me for sure.

Did you know that the vertebrae of the sacral spine don’t articulate? They are fused, forming a triangular-shaped bone. If we sit too much (it’s me) this structure can be a bad influence on the lumbar spine. And importantly, I didn’t know it had happened until it released.

All of this is another invitation to really look at how you use your body. Consider it’s habits and limitations and shake it up (safely, please). Connect to gently stretching, do a different form of exercise than usual, or yes, dance. Really get curious about what is happening in and around your spine. Your breathing really does depend on it.

Gina Razón is the Founder and CEO at GROW Voice LLC, a full-service verbal communication studio in Boston’s Back Bay.  She has over two decades of experience as a teacher of voice and speech, is a communication and change facilitator, and is a voraciously curious voice user.  Gina has worked professionally as a classical singer for over a decade and more recently as a professional public speaker.  For more information on the studio or to book Gina visit www.growvoice.com.