How to practice Katsugen undo?

Katsugen undo 活元運動

Hi there I’m Kanade! In my blog & Youtube channel, I introduce “Noguchi seitai” which is one of Japanese traditional manipulation therapies.

This video shows the details of how to practice Katsugen undo.

Katsugen undo is a very unique and comfortable exercise, it’s something like automatic yoga or moving meditation.

I recommend you to watch my previous video “What is Katsugen undo”  before practicing it.

“Seiza” the normal position for Katsugen undo

For Katsugen undo, there are two preparatory exercises and an inducing exercise. 

Sit like this, called “seiza”.

If you find it difficult to sit in this way, you can sit on the floor in another way or on a stool. But this is the normal position.

First preparatory exercise: exhale

First preparatory exercise.

About three fingerbreadths down from the bottom of the sternum, you will find the spot your fingers stopped.

Place your first three fingers on the area softly, the tips overlapped, the middle fingers lie just on the spot.

First, inhale deeply, place the fingers on, exhale slowly through your mouth and bend forwards as much as you can, your fingers are gently pressed into the area. 

Your hip should be kept on the sole of your feet.

When you have completely breathed out, suddenly relax your fingers so that your body also relaxes.

At the same time, naturally breathe in, return to the original position.

Relax the solar plexus

It’s important to relax the solar plexus for relaxation.

If it’s stiff, energy stays up and doesn’t go down, you can’t be “Pokaan”.

If your shoulders are stiff, solar plexus can’t be relaxed. You can release the tension by tensing once and relaxing.

So first, put your shoulders up with tense and then push forwards, relax and back to the position. 

Second, put your shoulders up and then pull backwards, relax and back to the position.

Third, put your shoulders up, closer to your ears, relax and back to the position. Now your shoulders are relaxed.

Until yawning begins

Again, inhale, place the fingers on, exhale and bend forwards, imagine open between your eyebrows.

Abruptly relax.

One more time.  

Do this several times until big yawning naturally begins, that means your body is ready.

Yawning helps your eyes, shoulders, and solar plexus relax.

Second preparatory exercise: twist

Second preparatory exercise, exhale and twist the body alternately to left and right.

Stabilize the lower part of the body so that you can twist a waist between the lumbar vertebrae second and the third, which is located at the back of the navel.

First twist to the left side.

Exhale slowly through your mouth, twist your head and body as you look at the backbone over your shoulder. 

Abruptly relax.

Next, twist to the right side.Exhale, and twist as much as you can, strength is  poured into your lower back. 

Abruptly relax.

For more flexibility

If your lower back is stiff, pinch your sides.

First, pinch your sides just under the ribs, incline the body from side to side, let it slide aside with picking it up.

Flip them and relax.

Second, pinch a bit lower sides from the precious points, incline the body from side to side, flip them.

Third, pinch a bit lower sides, incline the body several times, flip them.

Now you can twist more flexibly.

Twist several times

Exhale, twist to the left side, abruptly relax.

Right side.

Stabilize your lower body and twist your upper body.

Abruptly relax, at the same time breathe in naturally.

By means of these two preparatory exercises, your solar plexus is relaxed.  

Inducing exercise

Finally inducing exercise.

Stimulating the body for adjustment

It does so by stimulating the body in an unnatural way so that the body itself feels obliged to correct the distortion as explained in the previous video.

In normal breathing, when inhaled, the spine bends backwards and tense, on the contrary when exhaled, it bends forwards and relaxes.

Reverse it.

When exhaled, bends backward and tense so that your body can realize there’s something wrong, then unconscious movement will start automatically for adjustment.

Do this exercise just three times because It has a burden to your body, never do it more than three times.

How to induce

As you breathe in naturally, raise your arms and hold your thumbs between your index fingers.

Exhale slowly, push your arms backwards, as soon as the point of maximum tension is reached, abruptly relax.  

Second time, inhale, raise your arms, as exhale, your upper arms are roughly parallel with your shoulders, bring your shoulder blades together.

Abruptly relax.

Third time, raise your arms as inhale, push your arms backwards as exhale, bite your back teeth.

Abruptly relax.

During Katusgen undo

Let it proceed naturally

Close your eyes, lay your hands palms upwards on your thighs, completely relax the upper body and be “Pokaan ” think of nothing in particular.

You don’t need to try to move, just stay neutral and wait for the movement from your body. 

Once it begins, don’t try to control it, just let it proceed naturally.

Stop Katsugen undo

In order to stop the movement, take in a deep breath, then exhale very slightly and force the breath down into the lower abdomen, making a sound like “Hmmmp”.

While maintaining the tension in the lower abdomen, open the eyes one by one and then breathe out slowly.

In order to return to the normal mode, inhale and bend backwards on the contrary to the inducing exercise.This is a normal movement, so your body will return to the normal mode.

Inhale naturally, raise your arms and hold your thumbs between your index fingers.

Exhale and down your arms.

Do this two times.

Rise your arms as inhale, down as exhale.

Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy Katsugen undo.

It looks strange and may be a bit difficult for beginners, but I’m sure it helps you to improve your health and quality of life.  

If you have any queries, do not hesitate to post a comment. Enjoy!

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