HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I reviewed human anatomy tonight. This is the first time in 2019.

First I did a quiz on what I learned about muscle anatomy last year, namely the muscles of the upper and lower arm. I knew the major muscles names and actions, but I really didn't understand these muscles' origins and insertions or their direction (for Swedish massage). The human body is so complicated, especially when studying it in English rather than my native Japanese! My husband, who is a retired physician, reviewed these muscles on his arm and said that for every muscle, there is another that does the opposite (opposition). This is a basic concept, because muscles can do only one thing: squeeze (contract). Sometimes, like Pronator Teres and Pronator Quadratus, two muscles have only one in opposition (Supinator). Ahh! I quickly remembered this information, but I want to learn it in Japanese, too! Very challenging! 

Today''s study:

Biceps Brachii (flexes the arm) and Triceps Brachii (extends the arm)  
Pronator Teres (and Pronator Quadratus) both pronate the forearm, and the Supinators supinate the forearm.
Usually hand is used in pronation so two muscles are used for that. Usually hand is relaxed in supination, so only one muscle is needed for that.

Lying the stomach (face, or in this case, hand palm is down) called PRONE.
Lying the back (face, or in this case, hand palm is up) called SUPINATE.  (helpful memory clue: Eating soup requires one to be face up, so SUPINATE). :-)

Supinator and Pronator muscles are opposite. Both muscles fibers are perpendicular, in X or cross. 

I gradually am interested in organized human body. I appreciate to learn this in English (a little bit satire)!

By the way, I taught a group lesson this week on International Rumba stressing basic figure, Cuban motion, connection, lead and follow.

After that, I took a group dance lesson this week on Quickstep and International Cha Cha with Mr. Albert Franz. To make Quickstep look right, the quarter turn to the right requires early ankle rise, the progressive chasse requires gradual rise, with "over the mountain" lowering between 4 and 1. Another Waltz/Foxtrot/Quickstep/Vienese Waltz tip:  All except Tango follow a slow counter-clockwise circle (to the left). Also another Foxtrot/Quickstep tip: all natural (right) turns need contra body movement position (CBMP) shape before moving, while all reverse (left) turns move, then need CBMP. This is because lady is on man's right side in his right arm frame. That is also to help lady execute a left turn (more difficult than right turn).  Interesting. All this really does make our Quickstep look better!

Cha Cha tips: Always remember that timing, tempo and rhythm are different! Timing is 4/4 (four beats to a measure: 1, 2, 3, 4), tempo (speed - 31 to 35 bars per minute), and rhythm has movement on 2, 3, 4-and or 2, 3, cha-cha). The movements are crisp, with the break (change from forward to backward or vice versa movement on the 2, leaving 1 for settling the hip to create Cuban motion). We learned a new pattern: Half a basic, followed by Natural Top going directly into an Alamana into Hand-to-Hand. Tricky!