Deep Sapling Stance With Arm Extensions (Patreon)

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Begin by spreading your feet apart, then gently sink deeper into the sapling stance. Let your flesh melt down while your bones lift up. For effortless movement (wu wei), we must first establish ease. Ensure your knees don't collapse inward.

As you inhale into your diaphragm, release tension in your hips, lower abdomen, and upper trunk. Let the crown of your head rise toward the sky, while your feet and knees soften, rooting into the ground.

Once you feel safe, rooted, and at ease, you can begin to lengthen. We are all more flexible and coordinated than we realize when we feel secure and relaxed. Unlike the colonial model of education, which starts with mistrust of the learner, LMA fosters growth by removing obstacles and trusting the practitioner's ability to grow. Trust and respect are foundational to the LMA approach. When practitioners recapture their stolen confidence, they can self-direct their progress—with guidance and support to help them flourish. When the approach is not self-directed, it becomes about control rather than growth.

In this stance and movement, you're not just lengthening your legs but your entire internal body. Begin by holding your hands loosely at your waist. Gradually extend one arm at a time, feeling the stretch travel from your feet all the way to the ends of your hands. This elongation connects your internal body with the external world. When it comes to your body, rely less on your eyes and self-consciousness, and more on your sense of feel and self-trust. Eyes face the world; senses face the body. Every LMA movement sharpens both external and internal perception.

In the LMA Learning Lab, the deep sapling stance with arm extensions is a foundational warm-up before competitions. It helps cultivate a sense for your stance. The beauty of this stance lies in its symmetry—both sides of your body mirror one another, promoting balance and relaxation.

By focusing on safety, ease, and removing obstacles, while restoring ourselves from trauma, oppression, and pain, we can rely on simple movements and concepts to become better movers. With this approach, LMAists at the Learning Lab have competed in kickboxing multiple times with only thirty to sixty days of practice. LMA is not just liberatory; it's a materially better approach in every way. Full stop.

– Sam