"Soft ribs"

[LaMusicienne]

My teacher constantly reminds me to keep my ribs "soft" and relaxed, because I noticed that I tend to tense up the upper body. I know you're supposed to keep tight legs, tight hips, and tight abs, so naturally I also tighten my chest. I kind of understand what my teacher's telling me, but I've a bizarrely difficult time disengaging the upper body from everything below, especially when I konw I have to lift up, so the tendency is to tighten and lift everything.

 

 

Ah, and I just noticed that this post makes me a senior member

[Mel Johnson]

A proposed solution: Don't think of it as "tightened", think "lifted" and in some places you can add "pulled in" as with the abs.