Method
Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach. We will focus on correcting the following 6 areas:
Breathing basics
"As we free our breath, we relax our emotions and let go of our body tensions."
Gay Hendricks
Shallow breathing caused by our fast-paced life can overstimulate our sympathetic nervous system (called fight or flight). This breathing pattern leads to compensation by using our accessory muscles (neck, pec minor and serratus anterior) which causes upper body stiffness, neck pain and headaches.
Deep breathing (different from belly breathing) stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (called rest and digest ) and the vagus nerve (runs from the brain stem, along the back of the throat, before branching into the gut). The vagus nerve influences our heart, lungs and digestive system and regulates our nervous system by deep breathing. A deep breath is the full expansion of the diaphragm, rib cage, core and pelvic floor.
Breathing should be the unconscious inhalation of oxygen for energy and the exhalation of waste products. Correct breathing is the life force for a healthy body.
Correct breathing:
- 360 pattern
- Nose breathing
- Exhale fully
Common issues:
- Shallow breathing, rounded shoulder posture
- Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Stressed feeling
Video:
- 360 pattern
- Lateral breathing
- Deep squat
Posture
"Habit is either the best of servants or the worst of masters."
Nathaniel Emmons
There is no perfect posture, only better alignment that may put the muscles and joints in a more advantageous position for efficiency. The body functions most effectively when the joints are stacked from head to feet. When we change posture alignment for the better, we change the mechanical pull of the muscles. Changing the mechanical pull puts the muscles at a more advantageous angle for function. The body feels balanced and moves with ease and efficiency.
Common misaligned postural habits:
- Forward head and jaw clenched
- Shallow breathing
- Ribcage gripped or flared
- Thoracic kyphosis
- Glute clenching
- Sway back posture
- Body weight not centred evenly over both feet
- Standing on the outside of feet or feet collapsed in
Focus:
- Breathing
- Feet alignment
- Hip alignment
- Thoracic mobility
- Neck alignment
Core & pelvic floor
Core strength is built from the inside out.
The core consists of the diaphragm, pelvic floor, abdominals and back muscles. Functionally they surround the spine from various directions, keeping the spine stable and support movements in all planes. The core muscles divide into stabilizers (deep layers) and superficial mobilisers. Correct breathing and activation are crucial parts of a strong core.
Correct alignment:
- 360 breathing pattern
- Equal right and left strength
- Neutral pelvis
Common issues:
- Shallow breathing and lack of pelvic floor activation
- Overactive upper abdominals
- Rib cage alignment
Video:
- Deep breathing
- Firing sequence
- Brace core
View Video
The pelvic floor seems like a forgotten muscle group between the tailbone and the pubic bone, but with an important function. Functionally it supports our bowel, bladder, and internal organs and controls our bowel and urinary functions. The pelvic floor and diaphragm form a canister to regulate abdominal pressure and spine stability.
Correct function:
- Relax on deep inhale
- Activate first on exhale
- Support bowel and urinary function
Common issues:
- Urine leakage with movement
- Heavy feeling(prolapse)during and post-pregnancy
- Lower belly pooch
Video:
- Find pelvic floor
- Relax pelvic floor in 90/90
- TA activation
Back to basics
"First, move well and then move often."
Gray Cook
The back consists of 5 regions, forming an S shape curve. The thoracic is the middle portion of the spine, consisting of 12 vertebrae and is mainly responsible for safe spinal rotation. Mobility in the thoracic spine is essential for the proper function of the back, shoulders and neck. Our sedentary lifestyle reduce mobility in the thoracic spine, causing stiffness in areas above or below. Lack of mobility and muscle tightness leads to compensation in the neck or lower back, the common cause of back pain.
Correct alignment:
- Natural S curve, most prominent in lumbar
- Neck, shoulders, hips, knees and feet stacked
- Thoracic mobility
Common issues:
- Forward head posture, neck pain
- Stiff upper back, shoulder pain
- Big anterior pelvic tilt, lower back pain
Video:
- Neck stretches
- Thoracic sequence
- Seated side breathing
Healthy Hips
"Motion is life."
Hippocrates
The pelvis and hip joints are the main junctions where the lower body joins the trunk, the steering wheel that directs motion. The pelvic girdle consists of 3 joints and functionally supports locomotion, childbirth and the abdominal organs. The sacroiliac, pubic symphysis and hip joints create articulation for the sacrum, right and left pelvis and femur. A healthy hip consists of an aligned pelvis with smooth femur articulation, vital for the efficiency of gait and motion.
Correct alignment:
- Level pelvis, ASIS markers
- Neutral pelvis, equal anterior or posterior tilt
- Hip flexor flexibility and equal gluteal strength
Common issues:
- Anterior tilt, tight hip flexors
- A lateral shift in the pelvis, weak lateral core
- Overactive paraspinals, back pain
Video:
- Hip flexor sequence
- ITB side stretch
- Deep squat
Functional Feet
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
Lao Tzu
Feet are mostly the forgotten body part, stuffed into various ill-fitting shoes and taking us from A to B. Feet are our foundation, our only contact point to the floor. The feet consist of 26 bones and 33 joints, a specialised platform for efficient movement and shock absorption. Every step we take equals one and half times our body weight on each foot during walking and up to three times our body weight during running. The feet directly links to our deep core and pelvic floor, a web-like fascia spiral, the foot to core connection. We build our stability from our feet up, the foundation for efficient movement.
Correct alignment:
- Foot tripod, 3 points of contact
- Arch engaged and toes evenly spread
- Feet face forward
Common issues:
- Loss of tripod, unstable foundation
- Arch constantly collapsed, and knee pain
- Feet turned out, and tight hips
- Stiff ankles, lacking dorsiflexion
Video:
- Roll feet and calves
- Dorsiflex using a floor or against a wall
- Short foot
Unique to you
Each person's Movement MAP is unique to them. No two are exactly the same. We have different dysfunctional patterns, asymmetries and misaligned joints. Thus, any corrective measures must be tailored to you, meaning that the order and choice of exercises will be very specific to you.
Mapping your movement helps to define your exercise order and selection, developing a systematic, individualised approach. We will always target mobility first, then stability and then strength. Mobility is key to achieving stability, thereby supporting good function.
The aim of the method is to restore and support efficiency of movement. When all the above systems are functioning well, not perfect, the body will feel dynamic, strong and stable.
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