Lili Krakowski on mon 30 jul 07
My sister-in-law-the-doctor says: "There really is no point in studying
medicine; after 50 you learn all about it!"
Anyway. Get a friend to come watch your back as you throw different height
and shapes of pots. Find someone you would allow to put her hand on your
bod. Get that person to "feel" what muscles you are tensing up when you do
this or that.
I had some students who complained this or that hurt after throwing. I
tried the above--with their permission of course--and noticed they were
tensing up their necks, their lower backs--all for no good reason.
I discovered this in myself--and found that throwing standing up, AND
having the pedal on the table, so that my feet just brace me, helped a lot.
The foot pedal --sorry all wheel manufacturers-- is a bad idea. No matter
what, it throws [!] your lower body out of kilter. Just try this once when
you are sitting on a straight hard chair as at the dinner table. Place a
block under your foot, and take the foot on and off for a while, keeping
your hands on your lower back, upper butt, like that. You will see what I
mean.
My pedal is on the table, I "work" it with my hand, and of course, but then
I was raised on kickwheels, I adjust it once for centering, again for
throwing. I do NOT pump it up and down, I think the problem with foot
pedals is that people keep their foot on the pedal, rather than setting a
speed and then taking the foot OFF.
However.
I also find that throwing platforms help. These simply are small
platforms --about 18" x 18" of 2"x 4" s. One is just plain 2" x 4"s,
another, same, but raised a bit more by a couple of boards underneath.
Instead of doing more damage to my neck vertebrae by scrunching my shoulders
for taller pots, I step up on one of these....(Unlike the tall, beautiful
Elizabeth Priddy, I am the short dumpy Central European type, 5'2" at this
point!)
My wheel is raised on the following. I got three #10 cans. These are the 5
pound ones restaurants use, and will gladly give you. (The tall juice cans
are too narrow. Gallon paint cans will serve.) I got three jar lids, from
jam jars just about the diameter of my wheel legs. Filled the cans to
proper height (tested for that with wooden blocks) stuck the upside down
lids in the centers and let it all dry. The lids will rust out after a
time, but it does not matter. The indentations stay to keep the wheel
steady.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
Lois Ruben Aronow on mon 30 jul 07
My mentor used to walk around and poke your back if you were hunched over.
Straightened me right up.
> I had some students who complained this or that hurt after
> throwing. I tried the above--with their permission of
> course--and noticed they were tensing up their necks, their
> lower backs--all for no good reason.
>
**********
Lois Aronow Ceramics
Brooklyn, NY
www.loisaronow.com
www.craftsofthedamned.blogspot.com
Lee Love on mon 30 jul 07
hump throwing is good for your back too because you are working at
about heart level, not bending over at all.
My friend Toshi said throwing off the wheelhead made potters look
like vultures. haha.
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
http://mashikopots.blogspot.com/
"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts." -
Henry David Thoreau
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi
Chris trabka on thu 9 aug 07
Lili,
I have found that if I place a block the same height as the foot pedal
under the other foot, my body stays balanced. This is, I believe an
important point, staying balanced and then using your skeletal structure to
support yourself. I you use muscles to support your body, you will tire
quite quickly.
Chris
>The foot pedal --sorry all wheel manufacturers-- is a bad idea. No matter
>what, it throws [!] your lower body out of kilter.
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