Skyscrapers and You.
Yes, this works. There are similarities between tall buildings and the body- both balance on relatively small bases and both must be flexible; the building, in order to absorb the shock of wind and earthquakes, and the body, in order to move and to maintain balance during limb motion.
The body has an additional issue- the head, which weighs about 10 pounds, is perched precariously atop the neck. But here, studying tall buildings, we find a way to work the head placement to our advantage.
Yes, this works. There are similarities between tall buildings and the body- both balance on relatively small bases and both must be flexible; the building, in order to absorb the shock of wind and earthquakes, and the body, in order to move and to maintain balance during limb motion.
The body has an additional issue- the head, which weighs about 10 pounds, is perched precariously atop the neck. But here, studying tall buildings, we find a way to work the head placement to our advantage.
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Modern tall buildings often have a heavy weight- a slab, sphere, or column of water- placed near their roofs, called a tuned mass damper. This weight moves in opposition to the swaying of the building, providing a counterbalance to its motion and stabilizing it, as seen here: |
The 1,671-ft. Taipei 101 building in Taipei, Taiwan, showing the spherical tuned mass damper near the top.
Notice that when the weight is allowed to sway, as on the left, the structure is more stable than the one on the right, which is rigid. |
We have a tuned mass damper- our head. It sits atop a flexible stalk- the vertebral column. It can sway back and forth, providing counterbalance to our arm and shoulder motions, and offering us added stability.
Try this- put your body in playing position, without the instrument. Lean your head slightly back, towards your left ear. Notice that your left arm moves slightly forward, toward the position needed for shifting. The head counter-motion helps with the left arm shifting motion, with no effort from the arm itself.
However, the benefits of the head motions fall to us only if the head is free to move. If the neck and shoulder muscles are flexed due to holding the head in an out-of-balance position, the head will be unable to perform this counter-action freely, and one must use extra effort to relocate the arms into the desired spots.
If, however, the muscles are allowed to soften and lengthen because the head is in its correct balance point, these compensatory head movements happen naturally and easily.