How to Use your Ankles and Knees is the fourth article in the EasyFitness series . It is about   re-aligning your lower joints and make you more grounded, flexible and better balanced. The series is a course in Movement Awareness and physical intelligence where you get a chance to re-shape your body from scratch and get rid of unnecessary weight.

In the last few hubs I wrote about a new approach to the problem of obesity and began working on Posture from the base, your feet. Here I am offering you a new approach to fitness and exercise. You may actually have noticed that I don't like to use the word "exercise" very much as it implies mindlessly repeating an action. I prefer to use the word "move". A good move always comes in handy when you are stuck with a physical problem. Good moves can become a part of your natural, day-to-day body language.

Most people's day-to-day movement vocabulary consists of a limited number of actions ranging from sleeping, getting dressed, sitting, perhaps a little walking to the car, being at work (usually sitting), shopping, cooking food, watching TV or a computer, and sleeping again.

Now that won't do to satisfy the body's inherent need to be a healthy mover throughout it's lifetime. And this is why the fitness industry is booming with their expensive torturing, body-unfriendly, hard-metal exercise machines. It seems people want to be punished for being inactive. But there is another way: increase your natural day-to-day movement vocabulary and bingo, no more need for gyms or diets.

First of all step out of your self and see yourself as others see you. You need a tall mirror in which you can see your whole body. With an additional small mirror held at an angle you can also find your profile and your back view. This is not vanity or narcissism but the only way to correct bad habits and achieve great change.

Coherence of action, breathing and timing is shown below. An exercise is like a wave of energy, breath and rhythm. Try this now just by squeezing a fist.

Secondly, find enough space to move freely. Enough space means lying on the floor on your back with your limbs stretched out to make the largest possible X shape without hitting the furniture.

Once your space is all set, get ready to move. With some of the moves you learned in the previous hub, The Feet You Walk On, plus the new ones below for your ankles and knees you are well on your way to being a better mover.

1. Sit with your back straight against a wall and legs straight out in front of you.

2. Flex and point your ankles 8 to 16 times.

3. Rotate outwards for the same number of counts.

4 Rotate inwards ditto.

Make sure you go slowly and explore the furthest range of movement your ankle joints can achieve in each rotation. You will find the circles become looser as you progress. Any little clicking noises are welcome and nothing to worry about. Just keep doing it until all the noises stop. It's just like a rusty hinge door. By moving the joints, you are "oiling" them with a fresh blood supply and soon they'll stop squeaking or cracking.

1. Stand with your heels touching a wall, feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing straight forward.

2. Bend the knees as far as possible but without lifting the heels off the floor (demi plié).

3. Straighten the knees.

4. Rise up on your toes (relevé).

5. Bring the heels down again.

Try to keep your heels, bum, spine and back of the head (chin down) in contact with the wall throughout the sequence. Repeat a few times until you can feel the calf muscles working.

In addition, instead of giving you a classical "grand plié" I recommend you work on achieving the Heart Squat as shown in this video. Hold onto something in front of you if you are a beginner.

No Pain, Just Gain

And don´t go too far at first. Remember I'm not insured against this and you are responsible for your own body.

Now that you are more aware of how to use your ankles and knees, we can move on to the next level of your body, the pelvis, and find out how to instantly get rid of a hang belly just by the way you carry yourself. You will also discover what exactly happens when you are sitting on a chair.

So come back frequently to the EasyFitness Series and follow the progression all the way up to the neck and head with a Natural Facelift for topping.

You may leave a meaningful comment or ask a pertinent question which I shall be glad to try and answer.

See you here or there (at your profile) soon,

Sue

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