[Tango-L] Women's technique: obliques

[Andrew RYSER SZYMAÑSKI]

 Hi Trini,

I must say that 95% of the time I agree with what you
say, in this discussion as well as in previous ones,
since we both agree that the "traditional" way of
teaching tango has created more damage that good.
However, when you say:-
--- "Trini y Sean (PATangoS)" <patangos at yahoo.com>
wrote:
> Trini, here.  Actually, in moving efficiently, it's
> muscles
> deeper than the obliques that produce rotation. 
> Here's a
> quote from my Dance Kinesiology book, which is used
> as a
> textbook in many university dance programs.
> 
> "For example, turning the shoulders to face the left
> is a
> joint action involving a maintenance of extension
> and
> active rotation to the left.  (Remember that gravity
> is a
> flexor of the spine in an upright position.)  This
> would
> require a static contraction of the extensor muscles
> (extension fibers of erector spinae, deep posterior
> muscles
> and semispinalis) and shortening contraction of the
> left
> rotators (left rotation fibers of the erector spinae
> and
> the deep posterior muscles, and the right side of
> the
> semispinalis.)"
> 
> Nowhere does she mention obliques.  The erector
> spinae is a
> group of vertical muscles that attach to various
> points of
> the ribcage and spine.  Deep posterior muscles go
> from
> vertebrae to vertebrae.

this is just not true.

1) Extracting a quote out of its context, especially
when it is but an example, makes it sound like
gobbledygook; but even from this quote, it is evident
she is talking about turning the shoulders: be your
ouwn guinea-pig & try it for yourself. If you only
turn the shoulders, keeping the chest immobile, you
will not feel any tension below it, only around the
back of the upper spine. Now try turning the ribcage
as well and you will feel contractions of the
abdominals.
2) The paragraph you have taken the quote from makes
it clear that she is only discussing "rotation
provided by extensor muscles" i.e. muscles at the back
of the spine. The abdominals are flexor muscles. The
previous, as well as the following paragraph
specifically mention the obliques involved in rotation
of the spine; furthermore, the table [10.1 Muscles of
the torso] on the following page lists both obliques
as being involved in rotation [well, I've got the
second [1996] edition].
3) The obliques, being further away from the axis are
much more instrumental in the rotation of the trunk
that the erector muscles, which are much closer to the
spine, and therefore need more effort. The extensors
work on the Class 1 lever principle, where the
resistance arm is longer than the effort arm,
requiring therefore much effort to achieve very little
[as in rotating the shoulders only]. The flexors, on
the other hand are basically Class 2 levers, with the
resistance close to the axis [fulcrum], requiring
therefore much less effort.
[See Kinesiology, Lutgens & Hamilton, 1997, Brown &
Benchmark, or
http://www.spinalfitness.com/Demo/123%20effective%20lever%20arm%20course.pdf]

4) The rotation takes place in the thoracic & cervical
spine, not the lumbar part, due to the shape of the
articulating facets of the lumbar vertebrae [Fitt,
p67, or any basic anatomy handbook].

I have found Fitt often very illuminating over the
years, but you can't always take what she says for
Gospel. What concerns us most as tango dancers &
teachers is posture; she correctly debunks the turnout
[p62] but does not mention that with 95% of the
population it will lead to hyperlordosis [p.245] since
most common mortals cannot, & should not be forced to,
do a 180 degree turnout [the ambition of all ballet
beginners] leading eventually to damage to individual
vertebrae [p.72] & permanent misaligment of the spine.

The greatest problem with women's technique is that it
usually is taught by individuals whose rump is
screaming out for a saddle [usually the younger ones,
who put ballet in their CV, but obviously couldn't
last too long doing it]. Their student copy their
posture yes, by osmosis, eventually becoming cripples
themselves, leading not only to chronic low back pain,
but upsetting the communication within the couple. For
more on that:
http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~jdouglas/S03art1.pdf

Cheers,

Andy.

Andrew W. RYSER SZYMAÑSKI,
23b All Saints Road,
London, W11 1HE,
07944 128 739.


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