Holding Your Center Line

When do you resolutely hold your center, and when do you allow yourself to be moved? This question is as relevant in mace flow as it is in life - a symmetry that I find quite beautiful!

In this week's video, I taught the Arrow Swing Drill, which requires us to actively hold our center line rigid despite the tremendous centrifugal force pulling on us during the swing. Not only is this incredible for building a functionally strong core, but it also is an opportunity for us to choose a stance and remain rooted despite the pull we feel to change position.

I'm sure you can think of a good metaphor in your own life that connects to this!

Now practically speaking in mace flow, here's how we hold our center line:

1. Feel your starting position. Before the mace moves, know where your body is in space relative to the mace. Intuitively feel where you are strongest, weakest, in balance, and out of balance. This is a skill you develop with time and practice - another word for it is Proprioception. In simple terms, you need to know where you are before you can know where to go or how to get there.
2. Root up so you can root down. Actively grip the ground with your feet and move that awareness up through your ankles, knees, hips, core, back, shoulders, and neck. Hold this strong posture throughout your whole body so that the grip of your feet is more effective. A good cue for this is to lengthen your spine and activate your core as you would in a plank.
3. Use your breath to retain your posture while the mace moves. I especially like a slow exhale, since the it cinches the core in more tightly. If you are new at applying intentional breathing to mace flow, I recommend exhaling as you move, and inhaling once you've reached your landmark.

Interestingly, these three steps are also applicable in mindfulness. Honestly accept where you are, bring awareness to your alignment, and breath intentionally.

Whether it is in mace flow, mindfulness, or life, sometimes we must hold our center to remain in balance.

The trick is knowing when to hold the line and when to move with the current!

Carpe Diem,

Coach Lochlainn