Hi Yahya,
thanks for your post!
I'm afraid I dont have any definite ideas for you - I would be curious how the Gokhale ideas compares to the Vance ones.
Below some more comments re the Gokhale way of things
If you stand such that your spinal vertebrae stack in alignment then gravity holds you up (making every movement a weight-bearing exercise), releasing the muscles (saving energy), increasing circulation, and just making a person more comfortable.
-M. Dahlen
Remember in all stomach exercises to keep your hips firmly on the ground and your knees bent at a 45-degree angle, otherwise the downward pull on the spine can damage discs.
-digitalzen
a point here - Gokhale's method involves aligning the vertebrae and head correctly so that you are balanced. But it also involves using muscles that run across the top of the abdomen, just below the rib cage - they actually go around to your back. (sorry dont know the name of them - see video link above, they're mentioned there, obviously in her book too).
When these muscles are used it contains the torso, almost like a corset (I think she calls it them the "inner corset").
This has the effect of lengthening the spine, thus protecting the vertebrae and whatever's in between them (I'm very scientific..but you get my meaning!). When you breath in, the back gets stretched upwards even more as the torso is "contained".
These muscles would traditionally (in most less "developed" cultures, and in some western ones too) more or less constantly be in use, protecting as long as you are walking, standing, sitting up straight, lifting. [edit/ - jogging as well - basically all the time except when resting]
That and the angle of the hip are crucial to her "method".
Another thing she says is the back is traditionally kept straight at almost all times. When bending you can bend at the knees but more often people would "hinge" at the hip, keeping the back straight.
Dont try this unless you've learned how to use the "inner corset" muscles mentioned above. Even then, it takes time to learn and to strengthen the back muscles.
The back muscles (along the spine I presume) actually contract when the back is kept straight. I'm already finding that this makes it uncomfortable to slump (after a month or two of practicing this method) which makes it so much easier to learn the new posture!
This would make me wary of doing any exercises that involve stretching the back muscles but I've always been a lazy beggar exercise-wise so no problem here
I'm trying this (the "hinging") a bit - I like cooking, your average kitchen seems to be designed for someone about 6 inches smaller than me so find myself stooping a lot - good opportunity; also brushing teeth is another - it really stretches those hamstrings if you can bend over while keeping your legs straight - not necessary - but the knees can need a break too!
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