Ruthie Fraser

**This book was reviewed for The Experiment via Netgalley

Fraser's Stack Your Bones evolved out of the author's work with Structural Integration, a type of bodywork that focuses on manipulating body tissues to realign and strengthen the body’s framework, leading to improved flexibility and resilience. Fraser says, among other benefits, these 100 snack-size 'meditations/exercises’ will help:
*cultivate and maintain comfortable, healthy body alignment and posture.
*improve muscle coordination and overall movement patterns
*improve body awareness and proprioception
*heal and transform muscle and posture patterns in the body that cause discomfort

There are four distinct parts, looking at different aspects. Structure teaches you about your body, natural posture, and how things work together. Basic Movement covers how to move your body easily and with more fluidity and grace, as well as how to begin really unknotting some of the movement (and posture) patterns you hold. Approach takes a look at how things such as digestion and diet affect the body and it's framework, cultivating an attunement to the subtleties of your body and learning to do body scans, as well as to be gentle and efficient in tending to your body. I found the 'Floss your fascia’ exercise neat, and quite useful. The last section, Contemplations, looks at how emotions and human tendency can affect our bodies, and how to gently work out emotional blocks, and we carry our experiences. Thinking of the body in dendrochronology terms appealed to the anthropologist in me for sure!

The exercises can be taken in any order. I found them to be fun, and many gave me new ways of thinking about my body, and of hopefully beginning to correct serious hip issues. My hips cant to the side, with the right sitting higher than the left. Not good at all! I loved that she used the words sitz bones. It made me laugh every single time I read it.

📚📚📚📚📚 Highly recommended… (mehr)

In spite of practicing yoga on and off for many years, I recently found a new teacher whose cues have helped me to realize that I haven't really been understanding many of the basic poses. The difference has simply been to have a teacher explain the postures and how they are supposed to look and feel in a way that I understand them better or more thoroughly. This volume by Ruthie Fraser is a great look at the way in which we feel and align our bodies for the better. Most of her explanations are easy to understand for me and a great way to improve my posture and alignment. This is a great volume to add to your toolkit if you are interested in fitness, well-being or yoga. My only complaint is that I am not sure how best to use these micro-lessons to progress through the book or incorporate these lessons as some sort of practice. Most useful as a reference rather than a workbook.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!… (mehr)