Level 1
Vibrate in place with your head held upright. Vibrate your body up and down while standing upright and remaining completely relaxed (arms and upper body loose; knees «loosely» extended).
Gait Programming Exercises
Main features and effects of natural balanced walking
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Balanced walking: This activates all of your small balancing muscles and calls on them to support the joints. This not only relieves strain from over strained large muscles, tendons and ligaments, but also protects your joints and optimises movement.
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Natural hip mobility/opening of the pelvis: Naturally balanced walking mobilises the hips and pelvic area in all directions. This releases tension caused by walking on flat everyday surfaces. The small muscles are in constant motion, which keeps them lastingly elastic and mobile. Moreover, activating gluteal and pelvic floor muscles also aligns your hips and therefore your posture.
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Swinging arms to relax back muscles: Actively rocking your foot keeps you standing upright while you walk. This triggers 3D hip/pelvic motion, which in turn initiates the upper body rotation and lets your arms swing, which is important because it relaxes your back.
Important for all exercises
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When carrying out the exercises, follow the instructions as closely as possible
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Keep practicing until you can perform the rhythm in a relaxed and harmonious manner
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The speed can be adjusted:
Faster: The exercise becomes easier and has a relaxing effect
Slower: The exercise becomes difficult and trains muscles -
Let the shoulders hang loosely
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Increasing the level of difficulty: Complete all exercises with the eyes closed
1 - Bouncing
Level 2
As with «Level 1», also turn the upper body alternately to the right and left. The head rotates with the upper body. Let your arms hang freely.
Level 3
As with «Level 2», but the head remains in the middle (does not rotate).
Important
Make your shoulders, hips and the middle of your foot form a vertical line. The entire sole of your foot should touch the kybun mat. Maintaining an even rhythm is very important. Utilise the springy, elastic element (trampoline effect) of the kybun mat. Your entire body must remain extended but ‘loose’.
2 - Rocking
Level 1
Take small steps from left to right across the entire kybun mat and then do the same backwards. Keep your arms crossed. The whole sole of the foot steps deep into the kybun mat. Keep your leg straight.
Level 2
As with «Level 1», but emphasize the natural rotation of the upper body (slight rotation) (pelvis and shoulders turn forward on the side of the side).
Level 3
As with «Level 2», but first step into the kybun mat with your heel and roll off the entire foot. Keep your head centered on the kybun mat (there may be a pulling sensation (stretching) in the pelvic area on the standing side). The hip is fully extended forward on the standing leg.
Level 1 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Level 2 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Level 3 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Important
Shift your weight significantly onto one leg, press your foot deep into the kybun mat and stretch your leg. As soon as the load (significant weight transfer) on this leg increases, the pelvis and shoulder on the loaded side begin to rotate forwards. The head, pelvis and heel of the weight-bearing side form a vertical line.
Please note when walking backwards
Simply allow the upper body to rotate naturally.
3 - Stepping
Level 1
Step on the spot and place your foot flat on the floor. Extend the weight-bearing leg and pull the knee of the other leg up slightly. Keep your arms crossed in front of your chest.
Level 2
As with «Level 1», but make sure that the shoulder of the standing leg turns forward in the direction of view (slight upper body rotation).
Level 3
As for "Level 2", but balancing on the spot on the heel (heel balancing on the spot). Press your heel firmly into the kybun mat and make sure that your weight is clearly on your heel. If possible, pull your toes slightly upwards. Keep your head centred on the kybun. There should be a pull (stretch) in the pelvic area on the standing side. The hips are fully extended forwards on the supporting leg.
Level 1 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Level 2 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Level 3 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Important
Shift your entire body weight to the supporting leg. Shoulder rotates forwards on the side of the supporting leg in the direction of gaze (rotation of the thoracic spine). The head, pelvis and centre of the weight-bearing foot are in a vertical line.
4 - Bobbing
Level 1
Rocking, shift your entire body weight from the back leg to the front leg and back again and again. Arms crossed, shoulders swinging, head raised, body completely stretched.
Level 2
As in «Level 1», but let your arms hang loosely. The right shoulder then rotates forward when the load is on the right foot. Use only the heel at the front instead of the whole foot.
Level 3
As with «Level 2», but the entire back sole of the foot must always touch the kybun mat (it shouldn't take off). Always keep your head over the centre of the kybun mat – looking straight ahead. There is a pulling (stretching) in the pelvic area. Keeping the head in the middle will cause the hips to swerve, which looks extreme. This is just a consequence of the slow, balancing walking (slow motion), which requires a larger track width. When walking at normal speed, this extreme swerving is automatically eliminated.
Important
Always look straight ahead. Never fall into a hollow back (stabilise your pelvis!).
5 - Power trotting
Level 1
Lightly jog on the spot, keeping your arms crossed on your body. Use the full sole of your foot for a strong push-off and let your other leg hang loosely without lifting your knees.
Level 2
As in «Level 1», but despite the complete extension, let the shoulders and hips rotate against each other very loosely. Take advantage of the trampoline effect of the kybun mat.
Level 3
As with «Level 2», but now increase the speed without drawing your knees any further.
Level 1 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Level 2 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Level 3 (Variant)
Each exercise can be performed with swinging arms.
Important
Jump on one leg at a time - but with the whole foot surface, instead of just the forefoot - upwards, while you should not pull up the knee and hip of the other leg at all, but just let it dangle. Let go of your shoulders so that the upper body can rotate freely.
6 - Balanced walking
The prerequisite for exercise 6 is the safe execution of exercise 4 (Bobbing).
Basic movement:
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Stand at the edge of the kybun mat in a lunge position.
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See-saw several times from the front to the back foot. Take one step with the right and one step with the left leg and then stand still (feet parallel) at the end of the kybun mat.
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Turn round and start with your left leg.
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Repeat the exercise several times.
Level 1
It is the same exercise as «Rocking Exercise 2» but instead of going forwards and backwards, place one foot in front of the other and walk across the entire kybun mat. Maintain tension in the shin muscle for as long as possible.
Level 2
As in «Level 1», but the pelvis and shoulders rotate forward on the standing side (natural upper body rotation).
Level 3
As with «Level 2», but always keep your head above the centre of the kybun mat – looking straight ahead. If the head is held in the middle of the kybun mat, there is a pulling (stretching) in the pelvic area on the side of the base.
Important
The steps should be performed slowly while balancing (the slower the more difficult). Always look straight ahead. Never fall into a hollow back (stabilise your pelvis!).
Explanation
Keeping the head in the centre causes the hips to swing out, which looks extreme. This is only a consequence of slow, balanced walking (slow motion), which requires a greater track width. When you walk at normal speed, this extreme hip extension is automatically eliminated.