Franklin Method Fellowship

Episode 4: Breathing and the Diaphragm

In this episode we continue with breathing and look more closely at the diaphragm. Have you ever wondered how to train your diaphragm? In this episode we look at the location, where it attaches, the qualities, how it moves and exercises to encourage mobility and a good range of motion in your diaphragm. Your diaphragm is like any other muscle in the body that needs to be trained.
Timeline of Episode 4:
“My feet are adaptable, my heart is elastic, my lungs are strong” ~ Solange Ross
3:30 Swimming imagery,
5:35 Model of expandable sphere as the lungs and frisbee and the diaphragm.
6:30 Say SHH during exhalation to restore more of a parasympathetic response.
“Breathing is very important for the fundamentals of life” ~ Debora Chasse
8:00 Why do we breathe?
The diaphragm drives the movement of the lungs as the lungs go along for the ride.
11:15 What negatively affecting our breathing?
15:00 Drawing of Diaphragm movement during respirations.
20:03 Shake arm for about a minute.
25.36 Shake your diaphragm.
29:24 Bounce your diaphragm.
31:00 Jump rope with your diaphragm.
31:55 Check in, notice and feel your body, notice your diaphragm.
34:33 Stretching your diaphragm with your FM bands. Spine pushing into the band with your back, Extending your spine as you use the band for to increase your extension forward. Side bending your spine as your arm stretches the band in the opposite direction. Rotate your spine as you pull the band in the same direction you are rotating.
Following today's practice do you feel coordinated and more organized?

Episode 2: The Lungs Patron Content

This is a 20 minute exercise practice for the lungs and part of our patron only content. It includes exercises from Episode 2 on the lungs. In this practice we explore tapping the lungs and how it improves our proprioception. We use imagery for the lungs as we move our spine through flexion, extension, side bending and rotation. We also show the relationship of the heart and lungs with imagery in these movements. Enjoy this bonus practice!
Episode 2: The Lungs Timeline
7:10 mins Why do we breathe? Does your posture affect your breathing?
14:26 mins What are the qualities of the lungs?
19:60 mins Anatomy of the lungs.
23:13 mins Notice how the top of the lung goes above the collar bone.
26:25 mins The lungs are two mountains with snowy peaks at the top above the first rib.
27:13 mins Check in. Posture, breathing, presence. Compare your right side of your lung to your left side. Is it easy to breath into both lungs.
30:00 mins Tapping mechanoreceptors, sensory organs found under the skin to increase proprioception.
36:40 mins Imagine the lungs as delicate laced butterfly wings and the body as the sternum. or Birds flapping their wings.
38:30 mins Flex and extend your spine. Imagine the lung flexing with it during spine flexion on one side.
40:30 mins Side bend your spine to one side as you notice your spongy lung on the opposite side is sliding up and over your heart.
54:18 mins Swing your arms around your spine. Imagine swinging your lungs around your spine as your lungs follow the same direction you are swinging to.
58:10 mins Take 3 breaths as you notice the air coming in to the airway trees, coming in from your nose to your trachea, into your entire lungs, resting onto your diaphragm.

Episode 3: Breathing - Lungs and Diaphragm

In Episode 3 we focus on our lungs and diaphragm with breathing exercises. We feel how the movement of the diaphragm influences the lungs and that the lungs are spiraling with breathing. We feel the 3 dimensional expansion of the rib cage during inhalation and the spiraling of air into our nostrils. 
"Embodying function, improves function." ~Eric Franklin
Timeline of Episode and Exercises
8 mins Check in.
16.5 mins-Image of the lungs.
22.0 mins- Shh exhalation.
30.45 mins- Feel expansion of lungs and ribs.
33.0 mins- Imagine a fan. 
37.4 mins- Ribs expanding.
40.3 mins- Umbrella (3d) demonstration for ribs
47.30 mins - The 2 hemispheres of the diaphragm.
51.0 mins-Pleural ligaments and Lung Spiraling.
59.40 mins-Increase your efficiency of breathing.
"Bless others with your breathing practice." ~Debora Chasse

Episode 2: The Lungs

Welcome to the Franklin Method Fellowship! Episode 2 is on the lungs. In this episode we look at the functions of the lungs, the qualities of our lungs, we sense and feel the location of the lungs with tapping, and we move our spine in all directions using imagery for the lungs. After each exercise in this episode, we notice improvements in breathing, posture, balance, and feeling calm. Enjoy the episode and please share your experience and images as you go through the practice.
Episode 2: The Lungs Timeline
7:10 mins Why do we breathe? Does your posture affect your breathing?
14:26 mins What are the qualities of the lungs?
19:60 mins Anatomy of the lungs.
23:13 mins Notice how the top of the lung goes above the collar bone.
26:25 mins The lungs are two mountains with snowy peaks at the top above the first rib.
27:13 mins Check in. Posture, breathing, presence. Compare your right side of your lung to your left side. Is it easy to breath into both lungs.
30:00 mins Tapping mechanoreceptors, sensory organs found under the skin to increase proprioception.
36:40 mins Imagine the lungs as delicate laced butterfly wings and the body as the sternum. or Birds flapping their wings.
38:30 mins Flex and extend your spine. Imagine the lung flexing with it during spine flexion on one side.
40:30 mins Side bend your spine to one side as you notice your spongy lung on the opposite side is sliding up and over your heart.
54:18 mins Swing your arms around your spine. Imagine swinging your lungs around your spine as your lungs follow the same direction you are swinging to.
58:10 mins Take 3 breaths as you notice the air coming in to the airway trees, coming in from your nose to your trachea, into your entire lungs, resting onto your diaphragm.

Episode 1: The Heart

Welcome to the Franklin Method Fellowship! Today's practice, Episode 1, is on the heart. We will look at the functions of the heart, the anatomy and sense the location of the heart in our body. We experience movement around the heart, using reaching forward and backwards and moving our spine in all directions. We share our experiences after doing the movement on one side of the body, to notice positive changes in posture, balance, flexibility and strength. This comparison is important to notice that it is possible to change and that it doesn't take a lot to see big improvements. Practice along to experience positive shifts in your mood, outlook, and sense of well-being.
Episode 1: The Heart Timeline
“I have peace and love in my heart, my heart radiates peace and love” ~ Solange Ross
1:30 Why do we have a heart?
6:32 Check in
8:12 What are the benefits of checking in?
11:50 Where is the heart located in our body?
15:27 Check into the rhythm of the heart and diaphragm during breathing.
22:32 Flex forward with your spine and notice how it rests (provides support) on your sternum. As you extend your spine, your heart now rests on your esophagus and spine.
24:55 Side bending your spine to each side with reference to the heart. resting on the lung of the side you’re bending to and the other lung covering the heart like a soft cozy blanket.
27:27 Rotate your spine. Imagine your heart swinging around your spine.
29:46 Check in to compare the difference with movement practice.
31.49 Reach forward with one arm and imagine the heart is moving back. Reach back with the same arm and imagine the heart is movement forward.
36.09 Move both arms forward. Imaging lungs are the clouds covering the sun/heart. Open your arms and the clouds part way for the sun/heart to emerge forward.
“Home is where the heart is” ~ Roman author Gaius Plinius Secundus.

Franklin Method Fellowship Intro

Welcome to the Franklin Method Fellowship! Meet your cohosts Solange Ross and Debora Chasse. Learn about our backgrounds and passion for the Franklin Method. The Franklin Method is a therapeutic approach using imagery in daily movement and exercise. In the video podcast we share how we use the Franklin Method in our physical therapy practices and also in daily life, sports, and exercise.