Anne Pfeiffer on thu 2 aug 01
repeat throwing.....
Reading Karen Sullivan's comments including feeling relaxed through back and shoulders has reminded me of something I've been wanting to ask all of you full-time potters and instructors:
Can you talk about the physiology of proper throwing, i.e. proper height of stool, posture, etc. not only to aide in technique but to avoid body pains. For instance, seems to me that when I have stronger "core", abs, from my Pilates-style exercises (middle age has brought me to this!) that I throw with more control and focus.
I also have a problem of having quite a variety of sizes of students and have had to resort to strange adaptations of our wheels to accommodate them. I've even had a petite student who was too short for the kick wheel at its lowest position. But she handled the electric alright. Also had a bear of a student whose knees could not fit under the wheel-head/splash pan to kick the wheel, so we had to prop up the electric on big blocks so his knees wouldn't be up to his ears. I am worried that if I can't make the students physically comfortable and in correct position for proper technique, that they will give up from too much difficulty and pain.
I've never seen physiology of throwing (beyond position of hands) addressed in any book, or article, but of course I haven't read every book or article.
Thanks,
Anne
Steve Mills on fri 3 aug 01
repeat throwing.....
The two most important rules I have about throwing position are as
follows:
The first and most important one is that I have to have a 'Bum Stop' at
the back of the seat I use and that the seat has to be linked to the
wheel. This was because I found that with a stool type set-up I was
applying body weight to the clay on the wheelhead and my Bum had a
tendency to slide in the opposite direction. The result was that I was
trying to cope with both problems at the same time, which in turn put a
heck of a strain on an already dodgy back! All the wheels I have owned
have had a seat attached so fixing the 'stop' was dead easy, and hugely
beneficial to my back.
The second rule was to have a throwing position that allowed me to work
with a straight back for the same reasons as before. I used to own a
wheel called a Fitzwilliam which had a greater distance between
wheelhead and seat; this was a very comfortable place to work, and the
only one where I've got onto the wheel with backache and got off without
it!!!!!
Now these aren't going to work for everybody because we are all (thank
heavens) different, but they might help someone.
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Anne Pfeiffer writes
>Reading Karen Sullivan's comments including feeling relaxed through back and
>shoulders has reminded me of something I've been wanting to ask all of you full-
>time potters and instructors:
>
>Can you talk about the physiology of proper throwing, i.e. proper height of
>stool, posture, etc. not only to aide in technique but to avoid body pains. For
>instance, seems to me that when I have stronger "core", abs, from my Pilates-
>style exercises (middle age has brought me to this!) that I throw with more
>control and focus.
>
>I also have a problem of having quite a variety of sizes of students and have
>had to resort to strange adaptations of our wheels to accommodate them. I've
>even had a petite student who was too short for the kick wheel at its lowest
>position. But she handled the electric alright. Also had a bear of a student
>whose knees could not fit under the wheel-head/splash pan to kick the wheel, so
>we had to prop up the electric on big blocks so his knees wouldn't be up to his
>ears. I am worried that if I can't make the students physically comfortable and
>in correct position for proper technique, that they will give up from too much
>difficulty and pain.
>
>I've never seen physiology of throwing (beyond position of hands) addressed in
>any book, or article, but of course I haven't read every book or article.
>
>Thanks,
>Anne
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
Wesley Rolley on fri 3 aug 01
repeat throwing.....
Anne,=20
I think that you might find some good ideas if you go to the archives an=
d=20
search on the phrase " stand up throwing". The URL from my search is=20=
below. The results include good information on posture, how to use Yoga=
=20
to correct pain and stiffness, how to adjust a wheel for stand up=20
throwing. I found that the posting from Nils Lou, David Hendley and=20=
Tommie Humphries had good, practical info.=20
http://lsv.ceramics.org/scripts/wa.exe?S2=3Dclayart&L=3DCLAYART&q=3Dsta=
nd+up+
throwing&s=3D&f=3D&a=3DJanuary+2000&b=3D
Wes=20
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Original Message <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
On 8/2/01, 7:39:56 AM, Anne Pfeiffer wrote=20=
regarding Re: repeat throwing, repeat throwing, repeat throwing, repeat =
throwing.....:
> Reading Karen Sullivan's comments including feeling relaxed through ba=
ck=20
and shoulders has reminded me of something I've been wanting to ask all =
of=20
you full-time potters and instructors:
> Can you talk about the physiology of proper throwing, i.e. proper heig=
ht=20
of stool, posture, etc. not only to aide in technique but to avoid body =
pains. For instance, seems to me that when I have stronger "core", abs, =
from my Pilates-style exercises (middle age has brought me to this!) tha=
t I=20
throw with more control and focus.
> I also have a problem of having quite a variety of sizes of students a=
nd=20
have had to resort to strange adaptations of our wheels to accommodate=20=
them. I've even had a petite student who was too short for the kick whee=
l=20
at its lowest position. But she handled the electric alright. Also had a=
=20
bear of a student whose knees could not fit under the wheel-head/splash =
pan=20
to kick the wheel, so we had to prop up the electric on big blocks so hi=
s=20
knees wouldn't be up to his ears. I am worried that if I can't make the =
students physically comfortable and in correct position for proper=20
technique, that they will give up from too much difficulty and pain.
> I've never seen physiology of throwing (beyond position of hands)=20
addressed in any book, or article, but of course I haven't read every bo=
ok=20
or article.
> Thanks,
> Anne
>=20
________________________________________________________________________=
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> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription=
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