Core Muscles

I think the psoas also is important with breathing, since it's close to the diaphragm. I think it is your major source of power for entire body. For dance we studied the "X" axis of movement, where right arm connects all the way down across the body to left leg, all governed by central power of psoas. Actually I might be making that part up but it seemed that all we talked about if we weren't dancing were the psoas and the X axis, and keeping those diagonals connected fingertip to toe. I think that could apply to swimming. Yes, I believe God or whatever is an amazing engineer. When I was learning about movement mechanics for dance, and how efficient the body is if we can prevent gravity/bad habits from bending us out of shape, I was also taking a class in Samuel Beckett's plays, where every character is pretty much paralyzed. Interesting combo. Also interesting in that Beckett's uncle was champion Irish swimmer. I *suppose* the paralysis of his characters was perhaps metaphoric. I can identify with the play Happy Days where at first the characters can move their arms, necks, and heads, yet are reminiscing about former times of greater freedom, and at the end of the play they are buried up to their chins and can only move their eyes, and still they reminisce. Cheerful class, yah! Glad I danced before and after! Actually was glad to dance and forget about stupid psoas and X axis because sometimes so much self-conscious thinking got in my way. There are times to let it go and just feel the motion, I think. True with dance technique, true with swimming technique, though some on this forum may disagree.

I think the psoas also is important with breathing, since it's close to the diaphragm. I think it is your major source of power for entire body. For dance we studied the "X" axis of movement, where right arm connects all the way down across the body to left leg, all governed by central power of psoas. Actually I might be making that part up but it seemed that all we talked about if we weren't dancing were the psoas and the X axis, and keeping those diagonals connected fingertip to toe. I think that could apply to swimming. Yes, I believe God or whatever is an amazing engineer. When I was learning about movement mechanics for dance, and how efficient the body is if we can prevent gravity/bad habits from bending us out of shape, I was also taking a class in Samuel Beckett's plays, where every character is pretty much paralyzed. Interesting combo. Also interesting in that Beckett's uncle was champion Irish swimmer. I *suppose* the paralysis of his characters was perhaps metaphoric. I can identify with the play Happy Days where at first the characters can move their arms, necks, and heads, yet are reminiscing about former times of greater freedom, and at the end of the play they are buried up to their chins and can only move their eyes, and still they reminisce. Cheerful class, yah! Glad I danced before and after! Actually was glad to dance and forget about stupid psoas and X axis because sometimes so much self-conscious thinking got in my way. There are times to let it go and just feel the motion, I think. True with dance technique, true with swimming technique, though some on this forum may disagree.