Spiraldynamik - intelligent movement - English

Info

Spiraldynamik® is an anatomically based movement and therapy concept.

Geschichte

The origin of Spiraldynamik®

Spiraldynamik® is an anatomically based movement and therapy concept. It was founded by the physiotherapist Yolanda Deswarte, and the Dr. med. Christian Larsen. During the time that he was professionally active as a pediatrician, Christian Larsen repeatedly wondered: “is the universal principle of organization, the spiral, also embodied in man?” Observing the babies and toddlers that he worked with inspired him to research further into movement sequences.
International interdisciplinary research communities in medicine, physiotherapy, pedagogy, yoga, fitness, sports and dance have been working together researching this question since 1981. Their main preoccupations have been the connections between anatomy, the three-dimensional system and the laws of nature (i.e. gravity), using the spiral as a basic building block.
Starting from the observation that many spirals are found in nature, Christian Larsen and the other researchers considered the idea of the spiral as a universal structural principle. One finds the spiral in nature in the form of spiral nebulae, tornadoes, whirlpools and in shells, for example. But it is also found in the body in bones, muscles, ligaments and in the double helix of DNA, the carrier of genetic information. Who is surprised, then, to find that movement also follows these spiral patterns?

The spiral

Spatially, the spiral structure dominates as a place saving and stable structure. The temporal dimension of motion is defined by wave movement and rhythm. Time and space are united in the spiral and in dynamism. Coordinated movements are three-dimensional, using the anatomically given corporal structures. Only the three-dimensional joining of the spiral structures throughout our body makes harmonious movement possible. The form of the body’s joints and bones and the arrangement of the ligaments and muscles, indicate the body’s preferred movement and rotation directions. Since a spiral has basically two directions of rotation, it is a matter of turning in the direction set forth by the given structure of the body. This anatomical understanding trains precise three-dimensional movement coordination and permits an unexpected variety of movement to emerge.

Spiraldynamik® practice

Spiraldynamik® enables one to develop an expanded awareness of familiar movement patterns. The three-dimensional use of space as a design element is well known and familiar to dancers and movement educators. The perception of three-dimensional movement possibilities in the joints, however, is barely known.
If not used correctly, muscles and ligaments lose elasticity and dynamism and the range and diversity of movement is restricted with time. This results in false movements and overloads of the joints that eventually lead to injuries and pain. Anatomically correct movement in the daily training and professional life is important to injury prevention and is necessary for long-term performance and the durability of the body.