Tommy Humphries on fri 23 nov 01
You have to take the strain away from your shoulders by bracing your arms
against something solid.
I throw at a stand up wheel where the wheelhead is surrounded by a wooden
box (see the pictures in the link below). To simulate this with a regular
wheel with a splashpan, you will need to construct some sort of frame in
front of the wheel...kinda like a sawhorse or something, to brace your arm
against.
With your arm firmly braced on this frame during centering your upper arm
will not move...your arm is not being forced down by the muscles of the
shoulder, but by leaning your body weight on it. It is important to have the
wheel and brace adjusted to just the right height for you, so that there
will be no undue back strain from stooping over. To find the right height
let your arms hang loosely at your side then raise your left hand so that is
pointing forward. The top of the brace should be right at this level, the
level of your elbow, or slightly lower. the final position should be almost
like leaning on your forearms at a bar...very relaxed. Experiment and find
the perfect height for you.
Good luck!
Tommy Humphries
Photos here http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=939179&a=6869600
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cindy Strnad"
To:
Sent: Friday, November 23, 2001 8:55 PM
Subject: Throwing with minimum effort
Hi All,
I've been noticing how I tense up my shoulders and neck when I throw. (I
throw standing up.) Silly of me. I'm not throwing with my neck. No wonder I
walk around with a sore neck and shoulders most of the time. I tried all day
to center and throw without tensing my muscles unnecessarily. If you're
centering 10 lbs., I suppose it's inevitable that you'll tense your
shoulders, but I was making two-piece goblets, for Pete's sake. No need to
kill myself. I think I'm getting there, but it's amazing how difficult it is
to avoid this bad habit. Any tips? Comments? Commiserations? Anybody else do
this?
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
cindy@earthen-vessels-pottery.com
http://www.earthen-vessels-pottery.com
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Jeremy McLeod on fri 23 nov 01
Cindy Strnad wrote:
> I've been noticing how I tense up my shoulders and neck when I throw. (I throw standing up.) Silly of me. I'm not throwing with my neck. No wonder I walk around with a sore neck and shoulders most of the time. I tried all day to center and throw without tensing my muscles unnecessarily. If you're centering 10 lbs., I suppose it's inevitable that you'll tense your shoulders, but I was making two-piece goblets, for Pete's sake. No need to kill myself. I think I'm getting there, but it's amazing how difficult it is to avoid this bad habit. Any tips? Comments? Commiserations? Anybody else do this?
It amazes me how my body works differently when I remember to breathe into my lower abdomen
and soften my stance (bending knees slightly). I walk more fluidly, sing with better support,
lift more easily. Betcha it would apply to throwing while standing as well (I'm seated at my
wheel). I know it helps when I'm wedging/etc. Basic yoga/tai-chi stuff. Because this isn't
an inerrantly ingrained habit for me it takes conscious reminding to breathe more deeply
and bend/soften the knees. When I do remember (when I'm not caught up in a time-crunch or
succombing to some other pressure/stress) this little trick makes a lot of things easier to do.
Jeremy McLeod
Cindy Strnad on fri 23 nov 01
Hi All,
I've been noticing how I tense up my shoulders and neck when I throw. (I =
throw standing up.) Silly of me. I'm not throwing with my neck. No =
wonder I walk around with a sore neck and shoulders most of the time. I =
tried all day to center and throw without tensing my muscles =
unnecessarily. If you're centering 10 lbs., I suppose it's inevitable =
that you'll tense your shoulders, but I was making two-piece goblets, =
for Pete's sake. No need to kill myself. I think I'm getting there, but =
it's amazing how difficult it is to avoid this bad habit. Any tips? =
Comments? Commiserations? Anybody else do this?
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
cindy@earthen-vessels-pottery.com
http://www.earthen-vessels-pottery.com
Charles on sat 24 nov 01
I also throw standing up and the funny thing is I have left all that tension
behind. I used to be quite tense while throwing, now I have no
after-throwing soreness problems at all. Perhaps the stress of everyday life
is sneaking into your studio solitude? Treat yourself to a massage and some
chamomile tea and do some warm up/stretching before you begin throwing. It
will remind you that pottery should be a relaxing experience...what is that
Hamada quote... something like... (making pottery shouldn't be like climbing
a mountain...it should be like walking downhill in a breeze) or something
like that.
Good Luck,
Charles
Visit my webpage...
http://www.thecreativeoasis.com/Hughes/hughes.html
----- Original Message -----
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Marek & Pauline Drzazga-Donaldson on sat 24 nov 01
Dear Cindy,
I was going to write about relaxing when throwing (I throw standing up =
at a very low wheel with 40 - 80lbs of clay), and to breathe deeply, but =
dear Jeremy McLeod beat me to it.
Well said Jeremy=20
"It amazes me how my body works differently when I remember to breathe =
into my lower abdomen
and soften my stance (bending knees slightly). "
Weight of clay, stance or positioning are always different depending on =
our bodies and our emotions, what does not change (in my opinion ) is =
the importance of deep breathing to relax. When you are relaxed most =
things are not only possible, but easier, and therefore better.
Cindy learn to breathe, and do it as a matter of course whatever you are =
doing - makes life easier.
Happy potting Marek http://www.moley.uk.com
John Baymore on sat 24 nov 01
I've been noticing how I tense up my shoulders and neck when I throw. (I =
=3D
throw standing up.) Silly of me. I'm not throwing with my neck. No =3D
wonder I walk around with a sore neck and shoulders most of the time. I =3D=
tried all day to center and throw without tensing my muscles =3D
unnecessarily. If you're centering 10 lbs., I suppose it's inevitable =3D=
that you'll tense your shoulders, but I was making two-piece goblets, =3D=
for Pete's sake. No need to kill myself. I think I'm getting there, but =3D=
it's amazing how difficult it is to avoid this bad habit. Any tips? =3D
Comments? Commiserations? Anybody else do this?
Cindy,
One thing that might help you..... that sounds silly at first glance.....=
it to make sure that you are BREATHING as you are working. Try the old
"Lamaze" type breathing bit . As you are centering....... breathe in
deeply and slowly thru your nose, and exhale fully through your mouth.
It is amazing how many people stop breathing when they start to center. =
A
little gasp of inhaled breath and then .,.......... hold it.
This causes all your muscles to tense up, and decreases the flow of
oxygenated blood to those muscles.
Best,
..............................john
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752 (s)
800-900-1110 (s)
JohnBaymore.com
JBaymore@compuserve.com
John.Baymore@GSD-CO.com
"Earth, Water, and Fire Noborigama Woodfiring Workshop 2002 Dates TBA"=
Jennifer F Boyer on sun 25 nov 01
Noone has mentioned throwing with a mirror in front of you. This
eliminates the need to bend sideways to look at the pot. My
mirror produced a great improvement in my posture and comfort
level.
Take Care
Jennifer
Cindy Strnad wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I've been noticing how I tense up my shoulders and neck when I throw. (I =
> throw standing up.)
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
--
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jennifer Boyer mailto:jboyer@adelphia.net
Thistle Hill Pottery
95 Powder Horn Glen Rd
Montpelier, VT 05602 USA
802-223-8926
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/
Never pass on an email warning without checking out this site
for web hoaxes and junk:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Carole Rishel on sun 25 nov 01
I learned to center by bracing my left elbow against my left inner thigh,=
then lean into the clay with the hips rather than straining my shoulders=
. If I tense up, I can't center. That tense vibration travels down the =
arms into the clay and it won't center.
I like the suggestion to breath into the abdomen. I've read about that t=
echnique when dealing with panic attacks.
Carole Rishel
Smithville, Tx =20
=20
----- Original Message -----
From: Marek & Pauline Drzazga-Donaldson
Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2001 7:29 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Throwing with minimum effort
=20
Dear Cindy,
I was going to write about relaxing when throwing (I throw standing up at=
a very low wheel with 40 - 80lbs of clay), and to breathe deeply, but de=
ar Jeremy McLeod beat me to it.
Well said Jeremy =20
"It amazes me how my body works differently when I remember to breathe in=
to my lower abdomen
and soften my stance (bending knees slightly). "
Weight of clay, stance or positioning are always different depending on o=
ur bodies and our emotions, what does not change (in my opinion ) is the =
importance of deep breathing to relax. When you are relaxed most things a=
re not only possible, but easier, and therefore better.
Cindy learn to breathe, and do it as a matter of course whatever you are =
doing - makes life easier.
Happy potting Marek http://www.moley.uk.com
_________________________________________________________________________=
_____
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclin=
k.com.
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