Counterspiral Training
Counterspiral training uses rotational symmetry to wind the body. It comprises a simple set of movements that can be practiced in several variations. The most effective exercise in the program can be done while watching TV or working on your computer.
Counterspiral realigns the bones of your feet into the 3D spiral shapes they evolved to form, pulling the muscles and connective tissue of your lower body taut in the process. Over time, Counterspiral training will change your alignment, posture, and gait, resolving chronic issues and improving performance in all physical activities.
Supplemental Exercises
A number of supplemental exercises are described below. These exercises are designed to prepare your hands and feet for the real work of spiral-building, emphasize specific aspects of the Counterspiral variations that may be relevant at different stages of the training program, and provide some practical tips on applying Counterspiral to other activities.
Exercises for the Feet
Foot Redevelopment
Foot Redevelopment begins in earnest with the Vault, an exercise that brings the arches of the feet together to form a stable foundation for the body. This lesson introduces the Counterspiral Mechanism, which manipulates the Vault structure to drive articulation of the feet’s spiral framework.
Advanced Walking
The exercises Uphill Skiing and Downhill Cha-Cha introduce slope and slant as powerful variables in the articulation of the rotational axis and spiral structure of the feet. The focus here is on elaboration of the foot’s elastic spring mechanism and the connection between the feet and hips, two precursors of cyclic gait.
Firestarter
Firestarter combines two other exercises – the Vault for the feet and Sticky Situation for the hands – training all four limbs at the same time. Engaging both the Counterspiral Mechanism and the Spiral Seesaw, Firestarter is the most effective exercise in the program from Deconstruction through Optimization.
Exercises for the Hands
Firestarter
Firestarter combines two other exercises – the Vault for the feet and Sticky Situation for the hands – training all four limbs at the same time. Engaging both the Counterspiral Mechanism and the Spiral Seesaw, Firestarter is the most effective exercise in the program from Deconstruction through Optimization.
Practical Applications
Yoga Feet
This lesson applies the Counterspiral program and the Spiral Model to the practice of yoga, starting with the feet. The focus is on positioning, placement, and movement of the feet through a pair of basic poses – Mountain and Warrior II – reframing them to emphasize the role of the rotational axes.
Yoga Hands
This lesson extends application of the Spiral Model to yoga with the exercises Plank Dog and Crow Up, to help build the vertical aspect of your hands’ spiral structures, improve their grip and proprioception, and align your arms, shoulders, and back for efficient application of force in load bearing activities.