The Correct Stand on the OSFLOW®

The upright loose standing position on the OSFLOW® is the most important exercise position of all, it is the basis for all other starting positions.

In the OSFLOW® therapy, standing is used before the treatment to assess the findings: misalignments, tension imbalances and a lack of flow balance become clear. And after the treatment for the functional integration of the treatment results and storing the new posture possibilities.

The stance is a functional position because the muscles can only be released and relaxed to the extent that strength and tension are still required for optimal straightening. We call this average of necessary tension “well-being tension”. When standing “against gravity”, complete functionality is given between the soles of the feet and the apex, all joints should be loosely “open”, i.e. potentially mobile.

The spine should be loosely erect and fluidly mobile. The pelvis should be like a buoy on the surface of the water, free to move, yet grounded. The weight of the body always falls to the centre of the foot, even during movement. The fascia, muscles and bones should be stretched in a common network (as in the tensegrity model).

Proper standing on the OSFLOW® is divided into two exercise phases

First, in the basic position, the user learns to connect with the bones via gravity in the so-called “bone pressure”. In the second phase, the so-called neutral position, the fasciae are activated via a conscious, direct control and the whole body is stretched.

The vibration of the OSFLOW® refines the perception to feel the differences in the activation of muscles and fasciae.Feel free to let one of our OSFLOW® consultants introduce you to the stand and feel the difference.

Below you can see two checklists for the correct stance: (You can also find the checklists in the downloads section for printing).

Checklist for the correct stance on the OSFLOW® in the basic position (bone pressure)

Proper standing on the OSFLOW® is done according to the principles of natural posture and movement and the OSFLOW® method.
The basic position is the first phase and is characterised by the so-called “bone pressure”, by “standing in the bones”.
The first phase is the “rooting”.

  • Stand on the OSFLOW ®with your hips to shoulder width apart.
  • Feet parallel to each other, toes pointing straight forward.
  • During the entire exercise, keep balancing yourself in the middle of your feet, evenly distributed on the left and right.
  • Put equal weight on the ball of the foot, the heel and the outer edge of the foot so that the weight falls into the middle of the foot.
  • Now “open” all joints and stand loosely so that your bone skeleton “connects” and the so-called “bone pressure” is created.
  • Relax your muscles and balance yourself in your centre.
  • Straighten your pelvis by lowering your sacrum and tailbone to your feet. This will flatten and free the lumbar spine.
  • Straighten your entire spine relatively straight like a hanging string of pearls, loose and free to move.
  • Relax your chest and breathe in and out into your abdomen throughout the exercise.
  • Let the shoulders be loose and the shoulder blades sink towards the buttocks.
  • Neck and throat are also loosely aligned.
  • The whole body sinks loosely and relaxed into the bones towards the centre of the feet.
  • Only the head should float lightly upwards, like a balloon filled with gas, balanced centrally on the top cervical vertebra (atlas).

What else you should consider:

  • Stay with your attention and perception in the body and correct yourself more and more finely into your centre and into your flow balance.
  • During the entire exercise, make sure that your body feels comfortable and relaxed.
  • We recommend 3 – 5 minutes daily for the beginning, if necessary twice daily. The exercise duration can be slightly increased later according to subjective feeling.

If they have any questions, would like a competent correction/review of their posture or would like to know other starting positions for practising, they are welcome to talk to their OSFLOW® consultant.

Checklist for the correct stance on the OSFLOW® in the neutral position (activation of the fascial system)

Proper standing on the OSFLOW® is done according to the principles of natural posture and movement and the OSFLOW® method.

The neutral position is the second phase and is characterised by the targeted activation of the fascial system or the “pulling of the elastics”. By actively pulling against gravity, the forces are neutralised and the subjective feeling of weight decreases to a feeling of weightlessness and “being stretched out” between heaven and earth. Fascia and bones form an elastic network as in the tensegrity model.

  • Stand on the OSFLOW® at hip to shoulder width.
  • Feet parallel to each other, toes pointing straight forward.
  • During the entire exercise, keep balancing yourself in the middle of your feet, evenly distributed on the left and right.
  • Put equal weight on the ball of the foot, the heel and the outer edge of the foot so that the weight falls into the centre of the foot.
  • Now “open” all joints and stand loosely so that your bony skeleton “connects” and the so-called “bone pressure” is created.
  • Relax your muscles and balance yourself in your centre.
  • To activate the fasciae, start to pull up the pelvic floor like a suction until you feel the movement along the spine.
  • This automatically straightens the pelvis, the back opens and the lumbar spine becomes flatter and longer.
  • Feel the pull along the fasciae through the legs to the feet.
  • Pull the soles of your feet – as well as the pelvic floor – upwards in a suction, as if you wanted to suck on the OSFLOW® with suction cups.
  • When the pelvis/centre and feet are connected via the activation of the fascial system or the so-called elastic band, they pull the elastics further up along the WS through to the head.
  • The arms are spread from the body to horizontal in the neutral position, palms facing forward.
  • When the longitudinal elastics (fascia) are elongated from the bottom of the pelvis to the feet and up through the head, they bring the pull through the shoulders and arms to beyond each fingertip.
  • The whole body is now lengthened, vertically and horizontally, through the activation and lengthening of the fascia.
  • Be careful not to work with muscles but to use the fascia specifically.
  • The whole body and the joints are pulled apart like an accordion and the fascia and connective tissue network is activated.
  • The whole body should feel flowing and light, connected with the earth and the sky.
  • Switching off the OSFLOW® should be done during the active elastic pull in order to enjoy the lightness and weightlessness with simultaneous flow equilibrium and to take it into everyday life.

Further details of the activation of the fascial system and instructions, as well as a correction, can be obtained from your OSFLOW® consultant. Ask also about the movement exercises with “elastic” (activated fascia) or about the “long and short pulling” of the fascia.