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Get younger by movingthe correct way

SHARON SULLIVANSSULLIVAN@GJFREEPRESS.COM

To a newcomer, Carol Welch’sBioSomatics class appears some-what like yoga, only it’s more subtleand less strenuous. Welch refers toit as “the missing link in fitness.”

Welch, who has a background indance and yoga, developedBioSomatics based on the work ofThomas Hanna, who taught thatmost chronic muscular pain couldbe alleviated by teaching the brainto re-learn (because we used toknow how) to relax, and movemuscles properly.

Welch refers to that memory lossof how muscles should feel, alongwith our ability to control them, as“sensory motor amnesia.”

BioSomatic movement helps peo-ple unlearn and reverse harmfulresponses, Welch said.

“What we do in here is purelybrain work,” Welch told a classrecently at the Academy of Yoga,where she’s held her quarterlyclass series.

The goal is “to have so muchawareness in the body, that we canself-correct,” Welch said.

“It’s about the health of ourjoints, it’s about loosening, and sta-bilizing rather than stretching andstrengthening.”

Colleen Jones, 58, said she findsBioSomatics complementary to theyoga she also practices. She’syounger physically than when shefirst started attending Welch’sclasses five years ago, she said.

“I used to be very stiff — very dis-connected from my body,” Jonessaid. “Probably most of my life Ihave been.

“I really notice now, when I seepeople move awkwardly, they lookolder,” Jones said.

At 63, Welch moves like a personless than half her age. When lead-ing an exercise, she sagely address-es the group as “intelligent bodies.”A part of the re-education processis to reacquaint people with their“inherent capacity to remain agile,”she said.

According to Welch, practicingBioSomatics improves posture, andhelps create a full range of motionin all body joints.

Jones said she can now do yogapositions previously unavailable toher.

“It’s true physical education,”Welch said. “It keeps us awake inour sensory self. With this as afoundation, you’re more likely to besuccessful with yoga, pilates, oreven the gym.”

Welch has worked in neuromus-cular therapy since 1979.As a ther-apist, Welch wanted to give clientsa way to help themselves aftertreatments. She sought to empowerpeople to help themselves tochange pain patterns, and tochange postures, she said.

In 1993, she began studying the

work of Hanna and MosheFeldenkrist, both pioneers in thestudy of the brain and the way inwhich it senses and organizes mus-cles and movement.

Catherine Wilson, 54, has beenattending Welch’s quarterly class-es, as well as private sessions forabout a year. Wilson suffered neu-rological damage in her legs after abad fall four-and-a-half years ago.BioSomatics was one of the thingsshe did to recover, Wilson said.

“I tell you it really has done enor-mously good things for me. It was abig key to me getting better,”Wilsonsaid.

Nancy Don learned aboutBioSomatics from her yoga teacher,Chris Coburn, who incorporates alot of the techniques into her yogaclasses. Coburn learnedBioSomatics from Welch.

In January, Don began attendingWelch’s classes for additionalinstruction.

“I don’t have pain anymore,” or“when I do I don’t even think — Ilay on the floor and start moving,”Don said.

Welch has taught BioSomaticsseminars in Virginia, Wisconsin,California, Texas, Hawaii, Seattleand Canada.

“Whereas traditional exercisesmake muscles stronger, somatic

movements make the brain moreintelligent in sensing and control-ling the muscles,” Welch said. “Itreally is brain work, based on earlymovements.”

Toward the end of Tuesday’sclass, it was time for the final exer-cise — a guided relaxation led byWelch, while a CD of local harpistKate Ellis played perfectly in thebackground.

“What I like the very best is drop-ping into deep relaxation and let-ting go of things,” Jones said.

SSPPEECCIIAALL CCLLAASSSS

Welch will teach a BioSomaticapproach to “Unshackling the Neckand Shoulders” Saturday andSunday, Nov. 3-4.

For more information, contactWelch at 970-245-8903, or emailat cwelch@biosomatics.com

The next BioSomatic movementclass series will be held Jan, 8, 15,22, 29 in 2013.

Classes are held 4:30-5:45 p.m.and cost $90. Call Welch for loca-tion and more information.

Re-educating the brain, musclesHEALTH

PHOTOS BY SHARON SULLIVAN | FREE PRESSBioSomatics instructor Carol Welch helps students refine their movements during a class lastweek at the Academy of Yoga. BioSomatics is movement designed to reeducate adult neuro-motor functioning.

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