How to Use your Octaband® 

Check out this awesome video on
how to use your Octaband!!

Moving the Octaband® to Music - An Activity!

This activity is appropriate for people of all ages, easily adapted for all abilities.

Use music with a lively, moderate beat, appropriate for your specific age group and culture.

Participants begin sitting in a circle with knees about 3" from one another.

You might say the instructions, or simply have them mirror you.

Instructions: 

• Slip your hand through the loop at the end of the Octaband® leg.
  (If participants need assistance, you might slip your hand through the loop, and moving around the circle, shake each participant’s hand, slipping the loop from your hand over each participant’s wrist. Then weave the strap between participant's thumbs and forefingers, wrapping the strap loosely around the hand, closing participant's thumbs and forefingers over the band. They can easily let go if they like.)

• Pull your band lightly and feel your connection to the group. Let's move with awareness of each other and so that we don't tear the Octaband®.

• Make small bouncy movements in time to the music.

• Coordinate breath with movement as everyone raises arms up on the in-breath, brings arms down on the out-breath.

• Shake arms to release tension.

• Swing arms from side to side.

• Cross both arms in front and then out to the sides.

• Bring one arm up while bringing the other arm down.

• Lift arm up diagonally across the body, and bring it down. Repeat with the other arm.

• Pull on the arms, bending your elbows, and release, extending your arms.

• Lean your body toward the center, as you grasp the arm, one fist in front of the other.

Once the group is cohesive and you have a good sense of control, and depending upon participants' ability level, you can have participants stand and: 

• In a circle, walk to the music clockwise.

• Reverse directions, walking to the music counterclockwise.

• Change the pace of walking.

• Stand still, and repeat the movements done while seated. 

• Vary the pace of moving together up and down, sometimes suddenly, sometimes slowly.

• If participants are following instructions and working together as a group, have them move freely while still holding on.

• Experiment with following the impulse of individual group members.

Benefits:

• awareness of others 

• collaboration

• flexibility

• expanded range of motion 

• attention 

Moving in rhythmic synchrony helps foster empathy.

the Octaband® in action...