doug johnson and melanie sever background

BiotensegrityandBodyMapping byDougJohnson&MelanieSever Sep2018/Rev.Jun2019

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BiotensegrityandBodyMapping

byDougJohnsonandMelanieSever

BACKGROUND Duringthe2017AndoverEducatorsConference,weheardmuchaboutfascia(fromBarbaraGosselin)andwereintroducedagaintotheconceptoftensegrityasappliestothebody(RichardNichols),orbiotensegrity.Thebuzzaboutbiotensegrity,androleoffasciawithinthatparadigm,startedatthePortlandAEConferencein2015withDougJohnson’sbiotensegritypresentationandhascontinuedinthreadsonthelistserveandwithindividualdiscussionsalongtheway.Intheinterim,DougJohnsonandMelanieSeverhaveattendedconferencesandmaster-classesonbiotensegrityandthe4thInternationalFasciaResearchConferencein2015.DoughasservedontheStephenM.LevinBiotensegrityArchiveboardofdirectorssince2017.Additionally,manyotherAndoverEducatorshavebeenexploringfasciathroughself-studyandwithotherexperts.Thisisaconceptandmovementparadigmthatwecannolongerignore.Itisimportant,especially,tounderstandwhyandhowitappliestotheworkwedoinBodyMapping. Thisinformationcanbebothexcitingandoverwhelming.Let’sstartwithanoverviewandreviewoftheseconcepts.Wewillputthisinformationintoacontext,whichshowswhatitis,whyitisimportantandwhereitfitsintotheoverallBodyMappingcontext.Weperceivethisnotsomuchasanoverwhelmingnewsetofinformationtoaddontosomethingwehavetoteach,butrather,aunifyingmodelthatdrawstogetherandmakesclearerthatwhichwealreadyteach. Firstofall,weshouldrecognizethattheparadigmofbiotensegrityandtheroleoffasciaareemergingfields,andthatthissometimespresentsmorequestionsthatanswers.Asyoureadthroughthismaterial,keepinmindthatourpurposeistoseehowthisconceptfitsintoandenhancesourworkasBodyMappingprofessionals.Itmaytakesometimeofexploring,reading,andworkingwiththeconceptsbeforebeingabletoincorporatetheinformationintoyourownwork. Melaniehasreplacedmuchofthe“balancehour”ofthecoursewiththeintroduction/overviewoftheconceptofbiotensegrity.Itisalsothesessionthatshepresentsmostofteniftimeforonlya1or2hourclass.Shehasfoundthatalargeportionofstudentsintuitivelycatchontothisandbegintoviewallofthesubsequentinformationwithinthiscontext.Sheisthenabletorelatebacktothebiotensegrityparadigmfromwithineachofthesubsequenthours.Thestudentsseemtointernalizetheinformationmorequicklyandunderstandtheinformationmorereadilywhenkeptinthiscontext.


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CONTEXTFORMOVEMENT TheunderlyingprincipleofBodyMapping,asweknowisthatthequalityofthebodymapdeterminesthequalityofmovement.AsBarbaraConablestated: “Theintegrityofanymovementdependsontheintegrityofthebodymapthatgovernsit.” Thebodymap,asweknow,iscomprisedofinterrelatingmapsof

1)Structure, 2)Size,and 3)Function.

ThebeautyofBarbara’svisionisthatartistswouldteachartistsfromaplaceoftruth.Sheisadamantthatwesearchforthetruthoftheseelements. SomuchofwhatweteachasAEsisincrediblygood.Theinformationwesharecontinuestoberefinedasnewer,moreaccurate,moretruthfulinformationbecomesavailable.AnexampleoftheevolutioninorganizationalthinkingandteachingmaterialscanbeseenintheworkoftheImageCommittee.Theyhavebeenworkingtorefinetheimagesweusetomoreaccuratelyreflectanatomicaltruthandtocorrectsomeglaringinaccuracies.Understandingbiotensegrityfallsintothiscategoryofrefiningourknowledge,andmorespecificallyofrefiningourmovementparadigm. Weareallawarethatdisharmonybetweenourcognitivebeliefandtheactualdesignofthebodywillleadtoproblems;theveryleastofwhichisfallingshortofpotentialinperformanceandthemostcatastrophicofwhichcanbeacareerendinginjury. Asscienceverifiesandrefinesourknowledge,wegaintheopportunityformoreaccurateself-perception.Adoptingabettermodel,andsearchingforevermoreaccuratemodels,willleadtothemostefficientandhealthgivingmovementpossible,consequently,maximizingthepotentialforsoundproduction,technicalproficiencyandmusicmaking. AsAEs,werefineourownandteachotherstorefinetheirmapsthroughverytangiblemethods–observation,palpation,anatomy,x-rays,fMRIs,etc.…Theseworkquitewellforstructureandsize,butfallshortwithregardstofunction.Forinstance,skeletalstructureandsizearerelativelyconcrete.However,whenwespeakoffunction,wearetalkingaboutmovement,andmovementoflivingformsisincrediblycomplex.Ourunderstandingofmovementisalwaysseenthroughfilterofourbeliefsaboutmovement.Weseetheworldframedbythesebeliefs,whetherweareconsciousofthemornot.Likewise,ourunderstandingoffunctionisseenthroughthelensofhowwebelievethesystem(thehumanorganism)isdesignedtowork. Thiscognitivebelief,ormodel,directlyimpactsourunderstandingofmovement.Ourmovementcanbeonlyasgoodasthismodelwillallowittobe.Ifthemovement,or


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function,modelisnotthemostaccurateavailable,themovementwillnotbeoptimizednomatterhowaccurateoursizeandstructuremapsare. HOW OUR COGNITIVE BELIEFS FORM Fromanearlyagewelearnaboutthepropertiesoftheworldthroughinteractingwithitandobservingit.Weplaywithblocksaschildrenandlearnthatiftheblocksarestackedverticallywecanmakeatallstack,butifitisleaningitfallsover.Ifweputlargerblocksonthebottomandsmalleronesontop,thestackisstable.Ifwedotheopposite,itfalls.Weseethesesamepropertiesinthehousesinwhichwegrowup.Inadditiontotheseuniversalobservations,wealsohaveaculturalinheritancefromthe17thCenturyRenaissanceCartesianideaof“manasmachine,”acollectionofcolumns,pulleysandlevers.

SeeingthespineasacolumnthatfunctionsessentiallylikeastackofbricksconnectstoourbeliefsthatformbothassmallchildrenandasWesterneducatedadults.

Throughthelensofthismechanisticframeworkitislogicaltoseetheskeletonasourstructuralsupport,themusclesasthemotorunitsthatmovethebonesaslevers,andthefascia(ifitisacknowledgedatall)asmerelythestuffthatholdsthepartstogether.


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Asanorganization,AndoverEducatorscouldbesaidtohaveaninstitutionalmap.Thismapmakesupourcultureandincludestheteachings,publications,imagesandpedagogicalphilosophiesofmembersofthegroup.Itisremarkablethatasagroupwearewillingtodirectlyandhonestlyexamineourbeliefsandteachings.AnexampleofthisiscontinuingworkbeingdonebytheImageCommittee.TheICisactivelyworkingtoproducenewimages.Thisispartlytoreplaceimagesthatonexaminationweredemonstrablywrong.Thisexperiencedemonstratesthatevenwhencommunicatingfactualinformation(anatomicalimages)itispossibletoacceptinformationthatisnotaccurate. CONSIDERINGOURPARADIGM Beforewefindanswersweneedtoconsiderourmap. AsteachersofBodyMappingweaskourstudentstohonestlydiscovertheirownmap.Theprocesscanbequitedisorienting.Theyfirstfindoutthattheyhaveamapandinevitablyfindthatthingsthattheythoughtoreven“knew”tobetruewerenot.Theyfindoutthattheirhipjointisinacompletelydifferentplacethantheythought. Weareaccustomedtobringingstudentstothisuncomfortableplacenecessaryforlearning.Tocontinuelearning,wehavetoputourselvesinthesamestateofbeginner’smindthatweaskofourstudents.That,whichwebelieveandteachasfact,canbeseenasprovisional.Findingmoreaccuratemodelsallowsustorefineourmaps. MAPOFTHESPINE Thereareobviousdifferencesbetweenthepropertiesofthehumanformversuspropertiesofinanimateobjectssuchasmachinesorstackofbricks.Itisworthwhiletoenumeratesomeofthem.

Theterm“weightdeliveringspine,”impliesthatthebodyofeachvertebraepressesdownontheonebelow.Thistermalsoimpliesthatthebones,ontheirown,communicatethisforce.Thex-raytotheleftshowsclearly,thatcontrarytothecompressionmodelofonebrickpressingonthebrickbelow,the“bricks,”orinthecaseofthespine,thevertebrae,arenottouching.Howcanweexplainthis?


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Somepossiblemodelsofthespinearepicturedbelow.Thesemodelshavetwotypesofmaterials,thewoodenstrutsand“vertebrae”thatareundercompressionandthecablesthatareundertension.Bothmodelsconsistofaseriesofunitsthatarereminiscentofvertebraeand,likethex-rayabove,theseunitsarenotpressingontheadjacentunit.

Theimagesaboveofthemodelsofstrutsandcablesandlivingmodelshavesimilarproperties.

• Theyareflexible(unlikeastackofbricks).• Whenonepartmoves,everyotherpartmoves(unlikeastackofbricks).• Themodelscanbeindifferentorientationstothegravitationalfieldandmaintain

theirstructuralintegrity(unlikeastackofbricks).• Themodelshavetwotypesofmaterialseachperfectlysuitedtotheirfunction.One

materialisundercompressionandoneisundertension.• Themodelrequiresabalancebetweenthesetwoforcestomaintainitsstructural

integrity.(Thewoodenpiecesontheirowncouldatbeststandperfectlyupright,butwithoutthecablestherecouldbenomobility.)


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Ineachcasethepropertiesofourspinearethesameasthepropertiesofthemodel. Considersomeotherwaysinwhichourlivingorganismsarenotlikecompressionstructures.

• Compressionstructureslikebrickwalls,columns,archesandpyramidsaredesignedforpermanenceandstabilitywhilelivingthingsaredesignedformovement.

• Astackofbrickshastoremainverticallyalignedwithgravity,whilethehumanbodyisdesignedformovementthroughmanydifferentpossiblealignments.

• Ourspineiscurved.Abrickcolumnwithcurvessimilartothespinewouldnotbestable.


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Consider,also,someotherthingsthataredifficulttoexplain-thatarepuzzling.

• Mostanimalspinesarehorizontal.Theyarethearchitecturalequivalentofbeams.Howdidabeamevolveintoacolumn?

• Whileitisclearhowajointcanappeartobealever,aleverthathasfrictionlesscontact(thinkaboutacrowbarplacedonabutteredbananapeel)cannotfunctionasalever.Ourjointsarenotlevers.

Themostdramaticexampleofthisisprobablytheshoulderjoint.Considerthex-raytotheleft.Howcouldtheloadofthearmbedeliveredfromhumerustoglenoidfossa?Thegravitationalforcevectorwouldpullthehumerusdown.


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• Itisclearhowthehumanspinecanappeartobeacolumnthatdeliversweightlikea

stackofbricks.Howeveracolumnmadeofupofbricksthatarenotdirectlyincontactoneanother,withlubricationanddiscsbetweeneachvertebraeandcurves,couldnotstandonitsownandcouldnotbecontrolledinmovement.

• Considerthelumbosacraljunction.Ifthiswasacompressionstructurethentheangleofthisjointwouldcreateenormousshear,anincrediblyinefficientandenergy-wastingdesign.

• Acolumnorwallneedstobealignedwithgravity.Ifitleans,shearingforceswilleventuallytearitapart.Wecanfunctioninmanydifferentshapesandpositions.

• Inacompressionstructure,gravityiscohesive;itholdsbrickwallsandarchestogether.Yetwedonotrequiregravitytoholdustogether.

• HowdoesthisStorkskeletonpossiblymakesense?


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EXPLORINGTHETRADITIONALMOVEMENT(FUNCTION)MODEL OurconceptofbioengineeringorbiomechanicsisrootedintheEgyptian,GreekandRomanconceptsofengineeringandarchitecture–fightingthecompressiveforcesofgravitywithrigidcolumnsandmassiveblocksofstone. ModernWesternthought(intextbooksandphysicaltraining)hastraditionallyseenthehumanbodyasacompressionstructurewithaspinethatbearsweightbystackingvertebraelikebricksinabuildingandwithappendagesthatbehaveasleversystems. YoucanseethisculturalideafromthetimeoftheGreeks-ThesymbolofstrengthforwesterncultureistheGreekgod,Atlas.(AfteramythicalwarbetweentheOlympiansandTitans,Atlas,oneofthelosers,wascondemnedtostandasapillarandsupporttheuniverseonhisshouldersforalleternity.)Followingthismodel,strength,inwesternthought,ischaracterizedasarigid,unyieldingandunmovablecolumn. Whenforceisappliedtoacolumnorbuildingbuiltwithrigidmaterialsandstandinginoneplaceonsolidgroundthisconceptworks.Thecaveatisthatcompressionstructures,likestacksofbricks,needtobeverticallyalignedtohavestructuralintegrity.However,ifthereisaweaklink,acrumblingorsinkingfoundationorbrick,theystarttolean.Andiftheyleanover,theyeventuallytheyfallapart. Inahumanbeingwhoismovingwithinthisparadigm,injuryiswaitingtohappenfromthestresscausedbytryingfunctionlikeabuilding.Dr.StephenLevin,statesthat“Onlyinfailuredoesthespinalcolumnfunctionlikeastackofbricks”(http://www.biotensegrity.com/resources/1980-address.pdf).


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STRUCTURAL PARADOXES InEasternthought,however,andinmovementpracticessuchastaichi,variousmartialarts,andyoga,strengthcomesfromdeepwithinandisflexible,yieldingandmobile;itflows.NoWesternphysicalmodelhasembodiedtheseaspectsthatexistinlivingvertebratesuntilnow.

Intheimagestotheleft,weseestructurefromtheskeletalperspective,butwedon’tseeanysofttissue–nomuscles,noligaments,notendons,noconnective/constitutivetissue.Bonesalonecouldnotcreatethesestructures.Thevariousconfigurationsoftheskeletalstructureimplysomethingotherthanjustthebonesallowingthestructuretomaintainitsintegrity.

Whenwelookatmoredetailinimagingofthelivingspinetotheright,youcanseethatthecervicalvertebraearedefinitelynotpressingdownoneachotherwithbone-to-bonecontact.Lookatthespacesinbetweenthevertebrae!Thespacesarecartilageandconnectivetissue–muchsofter,lessdenseandrigidthantheboneoftheskeletalvertebrae. Whatcanexplaintheorganizationofaskeletonsuchasthetyrannosaurus?NoticetheMASSIVEskull.Noticealsothattheentirebeingisorientedonthesmallestbonesofthebodyinthefeet.Howcanweightbearinganddelivering,purelythroughtheskeletalstructure,explainanyofthesethings?


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AsAEs,wehaveexplainedtopeoplethatthelumbervertebraebecomethickerthanitisdesignedtobearmoreweightatthatpoint.Wehave,infact,foundthatcueingpeopletothinkofthespineasweightbearingtriggersadesiredresponseofreleasingholdingandfindingmorebuoyancy. Yetthespinenotonlyworksonlyintheupright“balance”orientation;itworksinanyorientation.Italsodoesnotexplainthestructureoftherestofthesystem.Itcannotexplainwhytherearesmall,delicatebonesinthewristandfingers,whentheycantaketheentireweightofthebodyhanging,orswing,ormovingoverthem(thinkofagymnast). Whyisthehumerusrelativelylarge?Itisnotattheendofthelineofbearingweight-nordoesitregularlydeliverweightintothehands.Norcanitexplainwhytherelativesizeofthetibiatothefemur,whenthetibiashouldbeaccumulatingmoreoftheweight,andthereforebethickertoreceiveit.Orfollowthatfurtherdownintothemanysmallbonesoftheanklejointandfoot.Wenoticethatattheplaceswhereweexpectthemostweighttobe“delivered”thebonesactuallybecomethinnerandsmaller.Justaswiththemassivedinosaur,ourweight-bearingconceptdoesnotexplainhowthisispossible.Somethingelsemustexplainthisbetter.Adifferent,bettermodelisneededandoneexists.

Observethex-rayoftheknee.Whatismostsurprisingaboutthis? Thejointisunderaload,yetwecanstillseespace.Dr.StephenLevinpointstotheexperienceoforthopedicsurgeonswhowitnessthisspaceduringsurgery,evenwhenforceisappliedthatshouldcompressthejoint–theywitnessthateventhoughthebonesofjointgetcloser,thereisalwaysaspacetosomedegree.WeightisNOTtransferredbonetobone.


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SUPPORTVS.WHOLEBODYINTEGRATION OneofourbasicandmostoftenrepeatedtenetsinBodyMappingis: Thebestbodyawarenessisthatinwhichthewholebodyisinawareness,asawhole,notasacollectionofparts. TheMWAI“Supportforthearms”segmentexplainstheAEbestunderstandingofhowthisoccurs,sayingthatsupportisrelatedtobalance,whichisrelatedtospecificalignmentofparts.

Thereismuchaboutthisthatisgood–talkingabouttherelationshipofthepartstooneanother.Anditislightyearsaheadofmanymodelswhenunderstandingthefreedomandfluidityofthisstructure.Whenthelineisdrawnthroughthe“PlaceofBalance”however,itallofasuddenraisesthequestionforwhathappensoutsideofthatspecificalignment. Weteachthatweare“inbalance”whentheplacesofbalanceareinalignment.Fromthethisplacewecan

“moveoutofbalanceandreturntobalance.”Whilethereareclearlybenefitstothisconception,itisalsoinconflictwiththatwhichweknowintuitively.Whenwewatchadancermovingtheyarealways“inbalance.”Bydefinitionbalanceisaprocessnotaposition.Itisdynamic.Thinkingaboutmovingindynamicbalancehelpstotriggerthebody’sdesignthatallowsustomovefluidlyandfreelyfrommanydifferentpositions.Withthisconception,ifwearemovingwell,wearealways“inbalance.” DYNAMIC BALANCE Whatexplainsdynamicbalance?Howismovementintegrated,allowingthebodytoworkfreelywhilesufficientlysupportedevenwhenaspecificalignmentisnotpresent? Intuitively,weknowthatthemovementofthehumanbodyresultsfromstructuremorecomplexandnuancedthanastackofbricksoracollectionoflevers;weknowthatitmovessupplelyfrommanydifferentpositionswithoutlosingitsintegrity. Thereisaparadigmthatexplainsthetruecapabilitiesofthebody.Ifwenameit,talkaboutit,expectitandtraintoit,thenourmovementwillgravitatetowardsmovementthatisinkeepingwiththetruedesignofthebody. Movingwithintheconceptofadynamicbalancerootedinaparadigmthatexplainshowmovementisintegratedwillallowustoexploreourfullmovementpotential.Thisfunctionalandstructuralparadigmisbiotensegrity.

MWAISupportfortheArmsClip1


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WHATISBIOTENSEGRITY? Withthedevelopmentofnewermaterials,scientistsstartedtorealizethattensionforcescanplayasignificantroleintheintegrityofstructures.Tofindacontextwhichexplainsourobservations,weneedtolookattheconceptoftensegrity.

Thestructuralsystemofcontinuoustension,discontinuouscompressionwasdescribedbyBuckminsterFullerandisseentheTensegrityTowerbyKennethSnelson(pictured,left).

ThefirsttensegritystructurewascreatedbyKennethSnelson:XModule(pictured,right). SnelsonoriginallynamedthisclassofstructureContinuousTension,DiscontinuousCompression. Tensegritystructureshavediscontinuouscompressionelementsorstruts(themetaltubes)enmeshedand“floating”inthecontinuoustensionalnetwork(thewires).Theyaredynamicandfullyintegrated(meaning,theentirestructurerespondstoanyforceonanypartofthestructureandthatnopartcanberemovedbecauseeverypartisstructural). BuckminsterFullercoinedthetermtensegritytodescribethesetypesofstructures.Thewordcomesfromcombinationofthewordstensionalintegrity. Tensegrity<<>>TENSionalintEGRITY


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Dr.StephenLevincoinedthetermedbiotensegrityfortheconceptoftensegrityappliedtobiologicalsystems,includingthehumanbody.Muchmorein-depthinformationandfurtherresourcescanbefoundatwww.biotensegrity.com. Dr.DonaldIngbertalksabouttensegrityandhowitappliestobasicbiologicalbuildingblocksatthecellularlevel.HisarticleinScientificAmericandetailsthescientificunderpinningsofthisconcept.HereisaquotefromDr.Ingberonthemacrostructure:

“…anincreaseintensioninoneofthemembers(withintheicosahedralstructure)results in increased tension inmembers throughout the structure – evenones onthe opposite side. The principles of tensegrity apply at essentially everydetectablesizescaleinthehumanbody.Atthemacroscopiclevel,the206bonesthat constitute our skeleton are pulled up against the force of gravity andstabilized in a vertical form by the pull of tensile muscles, tendons, andligaments.Inotherwords,inthecomplextensegritystructureinsideeveryoneofus,bonesarethecompressionstruts,andmuscles,tendons,ligaments(andall interconnected internal fascial structures) are the tension-bearingmembers.”

TomMeyers,ofAnatomyTrains,mappedmyofascialmeridians,whichclearlyshowtheinterconnectednessbetweenpartsofthebody.Thisencourageslookingatthewholetoseepatternsofsystemicmovementthatcanbecausinglocalizedpain. Manyresearchersindifferentpartsoftheworldhavedemonstratedevidencethattheentirefascialnetworkisinterconnectedsothatacontinuoustensionnetworkisknowntoexistwithinthebody.Wealsoknowthatatleastsomeofthejoints,liketheshouldergirdle,transmittheirloadsthroughthetensionofthesofttissueandnotthecompressionofthebones.Thereismountingevidencethatthisisthewayalljointswork. Thisisnolongerspeculation.Itisnolongerscientificallyunsubstantiated.


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CHARACTERISTICSOFMOVEMENTFORTHEHUMANBODY Thechartbelowshowsthemechanicalcharacteristicsusedtodescribeasystemof movement. MechanicalCharacteristic

BiologicalSystem(HumanBody)

LeverSystem TensegritySystem

S/Scurve Nonlinear Linear Nonlinear

StressDistribution Global Local Global

Structuraldistribution Continuum Discontinuous Continuum

Gravity Independent Dependent Independent

Directionalstability Omni Uni Omni

Energycosts Low High Low

Joints Flexible Rigid Flexible

Themechanicalcharacteristicsofaleversystem(thetraditionalmodelforbiologicalstructures),theactualbehaviorofabiologicalsystem,andthecharacteristicsofatensegritysystemareshownside-by-side.Itiseasytoseewhatthebestmatchtothehumanbodyis.Thisisexploredinmoredetailbelow. LeverSystems:

• LinearStress/StrainCurve• Localconcentrationsofstressdistribution• Functionasdesignedrelativetooneorientationtotheforceofgravityandtheyare

stableonlyinoneorientation• Theyhaverigidjoints• Highenergycoststomaintainstructuralintegrity.

Thesedonotmatchthecharacteristicsofthehumanbody.


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Bycontrast,thereisnodoubtthatthemovementcharacteristicsofthehumanbodymatchperfectlythatofatensegritysystem. Human body and tensegrity systems:

• Non-LinearStress/StrainCurve• Stressor“work”isdistributedthroughoutthesystem• Functionalandstableinanyorientationtogravity• Flexiblejoints(jointsareessentiallyfrictionlesswithnocontactsbetweenbones)• Biologicalsystemshavelowenergycosts

Sofar,thisisthebestmodelavailabletounderstandmovementofthehumanbody.Willitbethebestwewilleverhave?Probablynot.AsRichardNicholshasalreadypointedout,thereismuchwestilldon’tknowwhenconsideringhowmovementisorganized.Somethingthatisveryfamiliar,andcan,therefore,seemsimple,likewalking,isstillnotfullyunderstood.However,thespiritofBarbaraConable’sworkdemandsthatwehaveanobligationtocontinuetosearchforthebestmodelsavailabletogetclosertothetruthofourstructure,sizeANDFunction. HOWDOESBIOTENSGRITYWORKINTHEBODY? Whatarethecompressionandtensionalelementsinthebodythatallowittomoveasabiotensegralsystem?

1. Bonesarethecompressionelements,and2. SoftTissuearethetensionalelements,thefasciabeingtheconstitutiveelement

ofthesystemtyingitalltogether.

[Asasidenote,thisorganizationalsoworksatalllevelsandbetweenlevels (Body,Organ,Tissue,Cell).Ifthisinterestsyou,youcanexplorethisfurtherthroughresourcesreferredtoonbiotensegrity.com.Forourpurposes,understandingthemacro-level,orwholebodyscale,isthemostsignificanttobeginwith.] Whatdoesconstitutivemean? Fasciaresearcher,cellbiologistandbiophysicist,Dr.JamesOschmantalksaboutthefasciaasa“livingmatrix”.Thefasciaformsthelargestsysteminthebodyasitisthesystemthattouchesalltheothersystems.

Manyhaveseenthispictureofthe“suit”ofsuperficialfasciadissectedbyGilHedley.


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Andalsopicturesoflooseareolarconnectivetissue:

StrollingUndertheSkin/Jean-ClaudeGuimberteau https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky0BmGP5nbU Ascanbeseenfromthesedifferentviewsoffascia,fasciaisanetworkthatexistsin,aroundandthroughallpartsofthebody.Thewebisaroundthebody,aroundtheorgans,betweenthem,throughthemuscles;itiseventhoughtthatbloodvesselsareaformofspecificallydifferentiatedfasciaduetotheircapabilityofexpandingandcontractingwithchangingpressure.Someresearcherspostulatethatevenbonescouldbeconsideredaformofossifiedfascia. Thepervasivenessofconstitutivefasciagivesevidenceforthecontinuoustensionalpieceofthebiotensegralmodel,withtheboneconstitutingthediscontinuouscompressionelement. HOWDOESTHISRELATETOBODYMAPPING? Theimportanceofunderstandingthebiotensegrityparadigm,isthreefold:

1.Itrefinesthestructuralandfunctionalbodymapbyprovidingamodelthatmorefullymatchesthemovementscharacteristicsofthebody.2. Words Matter. 3.Ithelpsustounderstandourobservations,makingusmoreefficientinourassessmentofourstudentsandourselves.

StructuralandFunctionalBodyMap UnderstandingthemovementofthebodythroughtheeyesofabiotensegrityparadigmhasaHUGEimpactonthequalityandreliabilityofmovement–onhowweself-perceiveandhowweother-perceive.


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IfIseemyelbowasaleverIwilltryandmoveitasalever.Tomovetheelbowasaleveritislogicaltostabilizeotherpartsofthebodytosupport(isolate)thefulcrum.Seeingmyselfasamachinemymuscle(motorunit)tightensandshortenstomovethelever. Dr.StephenLevinoftenstates,“Youdon’tmoveyourarm,youreconfigureyourbody…Shorteningonesofttissueelementhasaripplingeffectthroughthestructure.Movementiscreatedandanew,instantlystable,shapeisachieved.” Ifyouperceivethebodyfromaweight-bearingleversystempointofview,overallmovementpotentialmaybelessfluidandthechanceofexcessorunnecessarytensionisgreater.Evenwiththebestintention,fatigueandinjuryresultfromperformingtaskswithexcesstensionorlocking/holding.Ifthefunctionofthebodyisunderstoodthroughtheparadigmofbiotensegrity,however,thepotentialtomovemorefluidlyishigher.Whenseenasabiotensegritystructure,thebodyisdesignedtodistributetheworkofanymovementthroughoutthesystem. Thisisaremarkablydifferentimageofstructureandexperienceofmovement.ItisinterestinghowDr.Levin’sexplanationbothcompletelyalignswithintuitionandyetisatthesametimeradicallycounter-intuitive.Intuitivelyweknowthatfluidmovementisideal.Lockingupduringmovementisaproblem.Yetwehaveallseenthispictureoronejustlikeitthatwillalmostcertainlyleadtoamapofamechanisticisolatedlever.

WordsMatter Weuselanguagetoreflectwhatweknow,andalllanguageisbasedinthemetaphorofphysicalexperience(Casasanto,Daniel.2014.Experientialoriginsofmentalmetaphors:Language,culture,andthebody.249-268.10.1037/14278-011).Thelanguagethatisinternalizedhasanimpactonhowanintentionisformed.Itisthereforecriticaltouselanguagewhichmostcloselyreflectsthetruthofthedesignofthebody.


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Inthecontextofthelanguageofbiotensegrity,wesuggestreplacingthefollowingtermswithtermsthataremoreinkeepingwiththerealityofwhatishappeninginthebody.

BMGManuals&Publications SUGGESTED

WeightBearing/WeightDelivering Load/ForceDistributing

Balance/APPs/AMRs/Micromovements IntegratedMovement WeightBearing/WeightDeliveryvs.Load/ForceDistributingAcolumndeliversitsloadverticallyandinonedirection(unidirectional).Whenstandingstillourweightisultimatelydeliveredtotheground/supportsurface.Itseemsasiftheskeletalstructureisbearingtheweightasacolumn.However,whilethelineofgravityisunidirectionalthebodydoesnotnecessarilycommunicatetheforceofgravityinastraightlinelikeacolumn.Evenifweconsiderthespineacompressionsystemthecurveswouldcreatesignificantshear,thereforeweightcouldnotbebornevertebratovertebraandsoon.However,ifweconsidertheentirebodyanintegratedwhole,abio-tensegrity,thentheload(weight)willbedistributedthroughoutthesystemfirst,andultimatelytotheground. Forcesactonthebodyinalldirections.Likewise,withinthebody,forcesotherthangravityaredeliveredinalldirectionsnotjustalongthelineofgravity(omnidirectional).Besidesgravitationalforces,thebodyalsoneedstodealwithexternalforcesandinertialforces.Everymovementofaviolinbowinvolvesaccelerations.Accelerationscreateforcesthatresultinloadsonthesystem.Becauseweneedtoaccountforallforces,notjustgravity,Dr.RichardNicholsrecommendsthatthetermloaddistributionwouldbemorecompleteandaccuratethanthetermweightdelivery. IntegratedMovementvs.Balance/APPs/AMRs/Micromovements WEMbooksandtrainingmaterialsusethefollowingwordsandphrases: AutomaticPosturalPatterns(APPs) AutomaticMuscularResponses(AMRs) Micromovement Whattheserefertoisactuallyacontinuumofmovement,otherwiseknownasintegratedmovement.Wehavebeenobservingthisallalong,butdidnothaveanadequatecontextwithinwhichtoplaceituntilnow.Itmakessensetoadoptthelanguagethatmoreaccuratelyreflectsourobservations. MovementandIntention–thePathtoIntegratedMovement Theparadigmfromwhichyouareoperatingmatterswhenforminganintention. Anintentionformedwiththeideaofanintegratedsystemwillresultinintegrated


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movement-movementwhichisfluid,easy,buoyantandefficient.Justknowingandbelievingthatthisisthewayitshouldbeisenoughtochangetheintentandthereforethequalityofmovement,favorably. Mappingthefunctionaldesignwithinthebiotensegritymodeliskeytothis–andwearenottoofaroffinourtrainingmaterials.InourBMGmaterials,thecontinual,moment-to-momentadjustmentofmovementisnotedanddescribed,althoughthereisnotagreatercontextintowhichitcanbeplaced.ThebiotensegraldesignofourbodiesiswhataccountsforwhatisreferredtoinourmanualsandbooksasAutomaticPosturalPatternsorAutomaticMuscularResponses. Whenwetalkaboutthe6placesofbalanceitisimportanttonotethattheyarethemostobviousplaces(themajorjointsalongthe‘axis’)whereadjustmentscanbemade.Buttherearenotonly6places,nordoesadjustmentoccuratonewithoutadjustmentateveryotherandinbetween.Thisistrueeveniftheadjustmentmadeisexcesstensionorlockingratherthanfreeing. Everymovement,eventhatofbreathing,causesadynamicresponse(macroormicromovements)alongeveryotherplaceofmovement.Micromovementsareliterallyacontinuousredistributionofforces.IfANYpartofthesystemmoves,EVERYOTHERpartresponds.Itcanrespondfluidly,orwithaccumulationofunnecessarytension. Unnecessarytensionpreventsthisresponsefrombeingfluid.Chronicandsignificant

tensionatapointwillsetuptheconditionforaninjurytooccurandattheveryleast,formovementthatdetractsfromthebestpossiblesoundormostefficientmovement. Imagineholdingthetensegrityspineinthepicturetotheleft.Holdingoneareacutsoffthestructureabovetheblockfromtheareabelow.Theheldareacannothelpdistributemovementthroughtheentiresystemandpredisposestheareaaroundtheplacebeingheldtostrainanddamage.Theanalogytohumanmovementisdirect.Ifapartisheldthenmovementcannotcommunicatefreely.Fullyintegratedmovementisnotpossible. Movementmustbeallowedtohappeneverywhereforintegratedmovementtooccur.Integratedmovementishealthymovement,anditismovementfromwhichthegreatestperformingpotentialcanhappen. Integratedmovementoccurswhenaclearintention,basedonanaccuratebodymap,createsfluid,efficientmovement.Integrationisallpartsworkingandrespondingsimultaneouslywithoutunnecessaryrestrictionortension.


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BODYMAPPINGANDCLARITYOFINTENT Theclarityofintentbecomesthequalityandsuccessofthemovement.Clarityofintentiscriticallyaffectedbyclarityofthebodymap,whichunderliesthecontextinwhichtheintentionisformed. Intenttoperformamovementortaskisrootedinthebodymap.Thebodyorganizes,orprepares,formovementbehindanintent.Iftheinformationthattheintentionisbasedonisaccurate,thebodywillperformthemovementefficiently,inkeepingwiththedesignofthebody.Ifitisbasedoninaccurateinformationtoanydegree,themovementwillbeperformedwithexcesstensionorholdinginsomearea,thususingmoreenergythannecessaryandlimitingthepotentialofthemovement.Ourworkisthatofrefiningthemapunderlyingtheintentforintegratedmovement. ThereforeINTENTIONisthekeytoallintegratedmovement.Clarityofintenthasanimmediateintegratingeffect. Withouttheeffortofthinkingoffiringindividualmuscles,orthinkingofasuccessionofmovesoraspecificrelationshipofparts,theintentionautomaticallyorganizesthemovement.Thereisadirectcorrelationbetweenintentionandqualityofmovement.

ClearIntention=FluidIntegration Intentioncancertainlybeconscious,butitcanalsobesubconsciousorpatterned.Thisiswhatisbeingre-trainedbythemanysomaticmodalitiessuchaswehavehere….AT,Feldenkrais,PT,NKT,C-Stherapy,BodyMapping,etc. Ourworkcontendswiththetaskofclarifyingintent,oryoucouldsayofintentionbasedonaccurateinformation.Theparadigmofmovementiscriticaltoclarityofintentiontomove.


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Ourworkisthatofrefiningthemapunderlyingtheintentforintegratedmovement. Rememberwhatwestartedwith….Inthiswaywehavecomefullcircle: Theintegrityofthebodymapdeterminestheclarityoftheintentionfromwhichfollowsthefunction(ormovement)whichtheform(orstructureandsize)serves.

Or,inBarbaraConable’swords:

“Theintegrityofanymovementdependsontheintegrityofthebodymapthatgovernsit.”

FURTHERSTUDY Oneofthebestthingstodoistoisbuyorbuildamodel.Thereisnosubstituteforholdingamodelandfeelingwhattheinterconnectionfeelslike.

ModelsforPurchase https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_1_6?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-keywords=skwish&sprefix=skwish%2Cstripbooks%2C318&crid=1I2TPIQ25CEXQ https://www.anatomytrains.com/product/tensegriteach/ https://www.anatomytrains.com/product/large-tensegriteach/ http://tensegrity-model.com/ ModelstoBuild http://www.biotensegrity.com/DanieleCM.html https://www.amazon.com/Living-Biotensegrity-Interplay-Tension-Compression/dp/3943324060 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7coSz4aiq-k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqGZjdQQSro


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Websites Dr.StephenLevinisthecreatoroftheconceptofbiotensegrity.Thisishiswebsite.Itisanextraordinarycollectionofinformationincludinghisessaysandpublications,alsolinkstootherresources. http://www.biotensegrity.com/ Thiswebsiteisaworkinprogressbutwillhavealotofinformationincludingvideos.(DougisontheBoardofDirectors) http://www.biotensegrityarchive.org/ ThisisTomFlemons’website.Heisasculptorandgeometerandhasdonefascinatingworkmodelinglivingformswithtensegrity.Hiswritingiswonderfultoo. HismostfamousdesignistheSKWISH

http://intensiondesigns.ca/ ThisisGrahamScarr’swebsite.Hisbookislistedbelow.Brilliantosteopath,biologistandwriter.(Verychallengingstuffbutgreat.) http://www.tensegrityinbiology.co.uk/ DougJohnson’sWebsitewithapplicationsoftheprinciples http://www.theintegratedmusician.com/ CoolTensegritySite http://www.tensegriteit.nl/e-xmodule.html Books GreatBasicinformationandmodelbuildinginfo https://www.amazon.com/Living-Biotensegrity-Interplay-Tension-Compression/dp/3943324060 Thisisanexcellentbutchallengingbook https://www.amazon.com/Biotensegrity-Structural-Basis-Graham-Scarr/dp/1909141216

doug johnson and melanie sever background

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