Don't Be a Tightass

(from unpublished manuscript: Napoleon’s Bathtub)  

        Wilhelm Reich’s bioelectrical investigation of sexuality and anxiety discovered that tensing muscles of the pelvic floor makes sexual climax almost impossible. This should be of special interest to women who have never experienced the electrical charge at climax.   
         The pelvic floor is a group of large muscles that create a floor at the bottom of pelvis. The rectal canal transverses this floor. When the rectal muscles tighten, the spine is pushed upward, creating a feeling of internal pressure in the chest associated with stress. Releasing the rectal muscles creates a feeling of internal space. The pelvic floor drops and expands,allowing energy to flow into the lower half of the body. This release is essential for diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation and sexual climax.               

          I recall standing on a subway platform observing two women, both wearing skin-tight pants, involved in a heated argument. Rectal muscles gripped in strained tension. As anger accelerated, spincter muscles became tighter and tighter. Brief moments of reconciliation allowed the muscles to relax.Who coined the term tightass for uptight individuals? Did the discovery come from personal experience or observation?  It’s a great term, very descriptive of the process.  The center of the pelvic floor, at the base of the spine is one of the first places to grip in the contraction cycle.
      

Exercises:
     It helps to know if you’re a chronic tightass. In a standing position tighten the rectal muscles super tight. Hold for a count of 5 and suddenly release the muscles. Do the tight/release several times until you’re sensitive to the two very different feelings. Which feeling are you most familiar with?
      Stand for a few minutes with pelvic floor muscles relaxed. Do you feel the muscles trying to return to the tightass position? This indicates a chronic condition. We are creatures of muscular habit and always want to return to what we’re most familiar with.
     1) Massage both flanks vigorously. Focus on pressure points located at the outer tips of the pelvic bone. The muscles should have a slight give when finger pressure is applied.                                                 
     2) Lie on your back with feet flat on the floor, knees pointing toward the sky. Make a fist with each hand and place them thumb-up under the pressure points. Rock onto one fist at a time and rest all the body weight on the fist. Pressure is always applied at a 95 degree angle to the center of pressure point (or discomfort) as illustrated. Stay in this position until discomfort lessens, then rock onto the fist on the other side. 
    Exercise can be performed on wooden rollers. If unavailable use golf balls, juggling balls or croquet balls. Place roller or ball under pressurepoint and rock hips until weight of body rests on top of the ball.
     3) Lean back on your hands in a seated position. Rock hips back and forth against the floor. Release pelvic floor muscles and pound one flank at a time against the floor. Hang loose.

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