3. PRINCIPLE RIBCAGE PLACEMENT

The abdominal wall attaches to the lower ribs. The abdominal muscles must often be recruited to maintain the rib cage and the thoracic spine, in proper alignment. Often the rib cage will tend to lift up in the supine position or deviate forward
in a sitting position, extending the thoracic spine. Pay particular attention while inhaling or elevating the arms. Engagement of the obliques will ensure proper alignment at all times.

When supine in neutral, maintain a sense of the weight of the ribs resting gently on the Mat, neither lifting away nor pushing into the Mat. Emphasize breathing three-dimensionally into the rib cage and abdomen during inhalation.

EXPERIMENTING WITH RIB CAGE PLACEMENT

Start supine, with pelvis and spine neutral. Knees flexed, feet abducted hip-distance apart on the Mat. Arms long by sides, palms down.

Arm Raises

Inhale Reach arms to the ceiling, palms facing one another.

Exhale Reach arms overhead, only as far as abdominal connection and contact between the rib cage and Mat can be maintained.

Inhale Reach arms to the ceiling. Exhale Lower arms down by sides.

Stabilizing scapulae on the rib cage is as important as contracting the abdominal muscles during the initiation of every exercise. When stability is absent, there is a tendency to overwork muscles around the neck and shoulders.

Be aware of scapular stabilization at all times, whether there is movement of the arms and spine or not. Since they lack a direct bony attachment to the rib cage and spine, the scapulae have a great deal of mobility. In making a greater range of motion available to the arms, the scapulae can glide upward, downward, inward and outward, and can also rotate upward or downward.

Through the whole shoulder girdle, a sense of stability, not rigidity, should always be maintained. A sense of width should be maintained across
the front and back of the shoulder girdle.
The shoulders should not be allowed to overly round forward or squeeze completely together. The scapulae should lie flat on the rib cage and glide across it without coming away from it.
Keep in mind that the scapulae will react to movements of the arms and thoracic spine.
For example, the scapulae will naturally elevate during overhead arm movements and protract during thoracic flexion.

Be aware that an individual’s neutral placement
of the scapulae may be slightly different from their natural resting position. An ideal working alignment must be established for each individual.