THE BCPTI BLOG

Over my years of training, prescribing exercise and studying innovation, I’ve either a) forgotten certain exercises I used to love, b) have developed better ways of doing something a lot people already do, or c) have serendipitously stumbled onto really innovative ways to functionally align & set people up for functional success. Each exercise included below is grounded in 3 dimensional movement science, rehabilitation or myofascial anatomy and has the ability to help people “Prepair” for any upcoming workout or sport. Whether it’s a professional athlete or a 70 year old grandmother, the foundation for movement capacity is movement ability.

The ability to move well is predicated by the ability to mobilize the tissue and stabilize the joint(s) being loaded. Gary Gray refers to this as mobile – stability:

https://www.grayinstitute.com/blog/post/271/afs-principle-mobile-stability-for-all-joints

I refer to this as “Prepair2Perform”. Another way to think about this concept is joint stacking. In figure 1, there are two diagrams:

1. Illustrating how the human body stacks its joints and 2. Systematically stacks stability over top of mobility.

There are a few key concepts to consider against when “prepairing2perform”:

1. The picture on the right in fig 1. Illustrates how alignment is associated muscles that are either equally active (balanced and of equal length), overactive (shortened) or underactive (lengthened).

2. When all the contractile & passive fascial element tensions around a joint are properly distributed (or aligned) joints function to perform daily and athletic tasks with efficiency.

3. Balanced joints and their associated muscles are much more resistant to most non-contact injury.

4. Mobility without stability is inefficient way to improve flexibility!!!! Regardless of the specific joint designation, all joints are capable of both mobility and stability.

•  Meaning, while the knee generally loses its ability to stabilize, the attached muscles / fascia can also create or restrict mobility leading to increased stress on the stabilizers. If any tissue is loaded too much, too fast or too frequently, acute and chronic problems can develop.
•  If a mobility joint loses mobility due to overuse, underuse or injury, a joint above or below is forced to contribute to the lost element. Similarly losing stability can lead to mobility joints attempting to function with stability. For example people who suffer from low back pain often have reduced stability of the local and global stabilizers in that area. Other muscles in the joint below (i.e. the hip) which also attach to the pelvis take over to help stabilize. As a result of robbing Peter to pay Paul the hip flexors & rotators begin to act as stabilizers, and therefore lose range of motion in favor of compensatory lumbo-pelvic (low back) stability. Furthermore, I could stretch those muscles as much as I want but the brain / CNS recognizes instability and quickly sends signals to turn those muscles back on. The nervous system is a highly tuned machine that will not allow long-term instability of the pelvis or spine. The solution won’t be more yoga, more stretching, more machine, more range of motion. A better solution will be incredibly well executed bridging, side planking & bird dogging (i.e. level the pelvis & create mobility over top of stability) therefore the goal of any training program should be stabilize. The exercises I have chosen do a great job of creating mobility over top of stability for each of the joints listed.
• Cervical Mob, Scapular Stab, Thoracic Mob, Lumbo-Pelvic Stab, Hip Mob, Knee Stab, Ankle Mob

This video highlights some of my favorite exercises I prescribe to achieve 3D alignment from the core out. This recent Prepair2Perform Blog post http://prepairtoperform.blogspot.ca/2015/09/maximize-your- flexibilty-stretching.htmlexplains this concept and the required core components further. Another simple method for leveling the pelvis is to ensure every client can perform the following with neutral lumbopelvic & spinal posture:

o 2ft Bridge (+ 1 ft variant), Plank (+ 1ft variant), Right & Left Side Plank

•  Muscles do not end up tight or weak without cause. Muscles become tight or weak due to daily habits, previous injury or activities. Tightness results from use through a shortened ROM via overused and active muscle. Weakness results from non-usage, altered usage, or tightness in the muscle opposing the movement / antagonist muscle. For example the biceps oppose the triceps. If the biceps are worked too often, the triceps become weakened and the joint unstable during functional activities like push-ups and getting up from the floor.
•  While others exist, due to life and fitness dominances North Americans tend to have 3 different postural distortion patterns 1. Upper Cross 2. Lower Cross 3. Postural Distortion Syndrome. All of which are outlined by Vladamir Janda http://www.jandaapproach.com/the- janda-approach/jandas-syndromes/and in the NASM CPT course and often lead to the following outcomes:

o Weak Cervial neck flexors, upper back, low abs / core stabilizers, Glutes / GM, Rectus femoris, VMO, Tibalis Anterior

o Tight neck extensors, low back, quads, medial hamstrings, adductor magnus, calves.  Functional movement & strength training should always begin with a P2P assessment plus

corrective exercise. The early phases of training should integrate / level the core & create segmental stability. Once segmental control is exhibited, customers are progressed to kinetic chain, and loaded movements.

•  Train pain free, not fatigue free at all times. Remove tissue restrictions, avoid painful ranges of motion. Always refer to a specialist if pain persist or worsens during a workout.
•  Introduce specific self-myofascial release (SMR) exercises and isolated P2P movements for the mobility stability spectrum shown below. Our preferred myofascial release tools are the TP Massage Ball, the TP Grid & the STK (this is my personal favorite travel & SMR tool). This site is full of useful information using these tools.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR5n_lHTkkwEFc5Aaaf-U4A