Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from July, 2016

Marimba Body: Loose Jaw, Loose Fingers

If you attended my class last year at PASIC, you may recall beginning with a simple exercise.  I asked everyone to find something to grasp - in most cases it was mallets or sticks, but some used a water bottle or wallet. Then, we all grasped those items tightly.  While gripping, I asked everyone to "check in" with their jaw.  Laughs and chortles filled the room as we all realized that they were tight as well. Further examination showed that the neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists were tightening as a result. It's tempting to investigate why this tandem tightness occurs, but what's more important is simply that it does , regardless of the reason. A loose jaw is a shortcut to relaxation.  Free it and you will automatically feel relief along the arm. Temporal-mandibular Joint It's easier to free the jaw if we know exactly what area should receive focus.  To that end, here's a little info about the skeletal and muscular structures of the jaw. sourc