Clean Run - May 2012 - 67

your partner is trying to, but is unable to, bend your arm. The true test is if you can keep your fingers supple while your partner puts pressure on your arm trying to bend it. If you can experience a measure of success with this exercise you will know you can apply the Four Basic Principles and clear intent to your dog agility training and competing with an understanding of what flexible, elastic energy and strength feels like as opposed to rigid, nervous energy. The Dance of Hands Communicating intent with use of self. This is a lovely exercise developed from the martial arts exercise called Push Hands and it helps you to develop your ability to communicate with a clear intension and correct use of self. When we delve deeper into the idea of “use of self” we find the essential components of this phenomenon are: 1) The three ways of learning (auditory, visual, and kinesthetic); 2) Good use of self is an educated body language; 3) Through correct/good use of self you learn an improved way of movement; and 4) This new educated body awareness assists with your mental game through the mindbody connection. You’ll need a partner again. Stand facing your human partner. Each of you should place your feet as if on opposite corners of a square; then move one foot back slightly to improve balance. Decide which one of you is going to be the “leader” of the dance. Touch the palms of your right hands together. Allow them to feel as if they are held together by magnets but not glue. The connection should be complete but soft. The leader now moves her hand smoothly in any direction she desires, creating a kind of pattern of her own choosing. The leader doesn’t move too fast or knock the following partner out of balance but instead moves slowly, deliberately while engaging the proper soft eyes, breathing, connecting to center, and building blocks imagery. The leader should use clear intent prior to beginning to move to allow the energy that clear intent fosters to complete the connection with her partner and allow for true communication. The movements can be small at first and gradually become more dramatic. The leader can move her hand forward and back, from side to side, in a circle, past the plane of her partner’s body and/or her own. In other words, the movement of the hands can express whatever pattern the leader decides with her clear intent. Remember, both partners need to use the Four Basic Principles while moving through this exercise. When you are able to do this exercise smoothly, try changing roles and using your left hands or both hands. Experiment and have fun!
May 12 | Clean Run

Square Dancing Enhancing communication with a partner. The purpose of this exercise is to help you deepen your connection with your dog by teaching you to envelop a partner with your energy while moving/dancing and practicing the Four Basic Principles. Even though our connection to our dogs in dog agility is a “broken” one, meaning we don’t touch them, it’s possible to project an aura of energy that creates an invisible tether of communication. Undoubtedly this takes time and practice. But with the help of this type of exercise you’ll begin to understand just how powerful the mind-body connection is and how truly possible it is, with clear intent, to project your desire and energy to your dog as you run on course. That this type of focus assists you in overcoming nervous tension is indisputable. Once this reeducation of your mind and body becomes natural to you, that awful “choking” feeling will be eliminated from your competitions. Start by establishing your inner balance with the Four Basic Principles. You are going to be the leader in our Square Dance so stand with your partner on your left. Put your left hand on your partner’s waist, stretch your right hand in front of your body and hold your partner’s right hand. Make sure you and your partner have connected to your centers and that you pull up from the top of your head with the imaginary string we discussed in the first article. This pulling up with the imaginary string will elongate your spine without lifting your feet off the ground and unbalancing you. Use your soft eyes and breathe deeply into your center. Alert your partner that you are about to move. Any signal is fine, like a squeeze of the hand or a deep audible breath in and out. This signal is like a “half halt” in horseback riding or like a “pre-cue” or maybe even like saying “ready ready ready” in dog agility. All these little components need to be clear in your mind. This is the reeducation of mind and body. This is where you break it down and create clear intent and good use of self. When you are ready, alert your partner that you are going to move and begin your dance. You should have established the clear intent of where you want your dance to take you and your partner prior to moving off. You may begin with a simple circle to the right or left. If you go at a swift walk or skipping pace, this might make your partner swing out away from you. If so, make your circle smaller and slow down. Feel the energy connection build between you. Continuously rebalance, finding center, breathing, and being conscious of the aura of energy you are enveloping your partner with as you move through your dance.
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Clean Run - May 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - May 2012