Before Your First Session

Want to get the most out of your session? Start with this: focus on your breath. Feel it expanding 360° around your torso. If you have pain in your lower back or hip, try breathing into those areas as if you're inflating a balloon with each inhalation. Imagine the tension releasing and the area gently expanding. This simple practice alone can provide some pain relief, so dive in and give it a try.

In western society, we often underutilize our diaphragms. But the diaphragm does so much more than just help us breathe—it plays a vital role in posture. It initiates the process of "uprighting" the spine and supports ideal pelvic floor function, which is crucial for proper hip alignment. By "hips," I mean the ball-and-socket joints where your legs connect to your pelvis. And when your hips are functioning well, they create a positive ripple effect on the joints above and below, like your lower back and knees.

Your diaphragm works together with your pelvic floor and abdominal wall to form a cylinder—the foundation of how infants naturally begin supporting their spines as they grow. This same mechanism can help you reclaim strength, alignment, and ease of movement.

You can also use your breath as a tool to release tension throughout your body. I often say, "Feel your breath like a river running through your body," because it can help dissolve areas of built-up tension or "knots" where energy feels stuck.

If you’d like, you can even imagine your energy as a tall, strong tree—grounding with roots (or toes) spreading wide, while simultaneously reaching upward. It might sound a little woo-woo, but holy cow, does it work! When we pair these visualizations with targeted exercises and muscle activation in specific vectors, the results are profound.