100 Days of Franklin: Introduction
Welcome to 100 days of Franklin. Committing to doing things as a group is often more motivating and effective than trying to do them on our own. Which is why I’ve asked you guys to join me. (If there isn’t currently a Facebook event, welcome! Feel free to read through and try out different weeks/days at your own pace).
Franklin Method is a collection of tools based on imagery, embodiment and anatomical knowledge that aim to help change and improve the function of your body, and that are notoriously difficult to describe concisely.
If you haven’t done any Franklin before, Dynamic Alignment through Imagery is a pretty heavy read, but is incredibly value for money. Along with Pelvic Power and Relax your Neck, Liberate your Shoulders, it’s the main “textbook” we are following. Some Franklin balls will also help. And maybe a yoga mat and some books.
Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with or certified in Franklin Method (R)
Every week I’ll propose a theme. And every day I’ll propose an exercise. But the goal is to work on something every day - so if you want to work on something else, feel free to - and keep us posted on what you’re doing.
The schedule for the upcoming weeks is something like
- Week 1. Constructive rest and tapping
- Week 2. Sitting and standing
- Week 3. Plié movements
- Week 4. Shoulder girdle
- Week 5. Spine
- Week 6. Foot and Ankle
- Week 7. Neck and Head
- Week 8. Breathing (guest week with Vera Salvisberg, with some work based on “Anatomy of Breathing” by Blandine Calais-Germain)
- Week 9. Pelvic floor
- Week 10. Real Life Franklin (guest week with Gilles Cherix, applying previous weeks to everyday movement)
- Week 11. Hands and arms
- Week 12. Floors and ceilings (sole of the foot, pelvic floor, diaphragm, roof of the mouth)
- Week 13. Different kinds of imagery
- Week 14. Balance
- Last two days. Reflection
If you do an exercise, don’t hesitate to post - did it work? did you try something else? What was easy? What was hard? We will all benefit from your experience and advice. And we’ll virtually pat you on the back - we all know that our day’s achievement is measured by the number of virtual back pats we get and if you stick out 100 days (or even just 50) that’ll be pretty darn impressive.
Don’t get discouraged by the overachievers who are able to do 20 minutes every day and then go on to boast about how they can simultaneously tap a different rhythm with each friggin’ toe (overachievers, we love you, at the very least because you teach us not to compare ourselves to others so damn much). If you fall off the wagon, jump back on at any time. It’s better to take one minute every day than 7 minutes, once a week.
7 minutes a day, 7 days a week, for 14 weeks. Go!
(I’ll schedule facebook posts at 7am european time. Plus an introduction to the upcoming week’s theme some time on sunday evening, as well as the link to the blog post with the whole of the upcoming week written up, including bonus pictures and stuff.)