FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT
Even though I was taught anatomy in school (origin, insertion, action, blah blah blah...), it did very little to help me understand how the body moves as a whole.
Studying functional movement fills in the blanks. Our bodies are beautifully complex structures, nothing works alone, everything is working together, all the time.
By understanding the patterns and systems of movement we can see more clearly a global picture of function (or dysfunction).
NEUROMUSCULAR ASSESSMENT
Neuromuscular assessment is an assessment process "that allows us to have a conversation with the nervous system" (as described by one of my mentors, Joseph Schwartz).
Using functional movement screens, manual muscle testing and therapy localization techniques, we are able to ask the body questions to uncover the root cause of pain and compensation patterns.
The amazing part of this process is realizing that most of our compensations are not purely structural (pain and limited ROM are quite often just the symptom).
Emotions/energies and physiology are also possible causes of movement dysfunction and with these assessment techniques we can tap into our bodies innate wisdom to begin asking the right questions.
The first movement system that needs to be assessed is the intrinsic core. Learning the importance of optimizing breath will help you to regulate your nervous system as well as gain core stability (something that is necessary to decrease pain or dysfunction in ANY area of your body!)
- Learn how to use your breath to activate your intrinsic core. (Its the ONLY way!)
- Learn proper cueing for a neutral spine (and why we should never "pull our belly buttons to our spine" to brace).
- Learn a variety of movements to train core stability (This applies to EVERYONE, not just athletes).
- Learn why we can throw sit ups out the window and replace them with far superior movements.
"You can't own your movement until you own your breath"
Basic Anatomy of Breathing