The demand for elite health and fitness professionals trained in corrective exercise training has never been greater. In fact,
the following research suggests that musculoskeletal pain and injury is more common today than ever:
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Nearly 80% of adults suffer from lower-back pain
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An estimated 100,000+ ACL injuries occur in the general U.S. population each year
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Ankle sprains are reported to be the most common sports-related injury
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Many fitness participants and athletes suffer from chronic neck, shoulder and knee pain
Traditionally, training has focused on training specific body parts, often in a single, fixed plane of motion. Training focused almost exclusively on uniplanar, concentric force production. Anatomy was taught in isolated, fragmented parts. However, isolated muscle development does not play a major role in motor pattern development. Muscles function synergistically in force-couple relationships to produce force, reduce force and dynamically stabilize the entire Human Movement System. Now the new way is to present anatomy from a functional, integrated perspective. The human movement system is a well –orchestrated system of interrelated and interdependent myofascial, neuromuscular and articular components. Modern science tells us that the brain does not recognize individual muscle activities-it is not necessary since many of these independent activities overlap and are interrelated so instead the brain looks at movement patterns and creates coordination between all these muscles and thus forms a motor program. The functional integration of each system allows for optimal neuromuscular efficiency. Optimal alignment and functioning of each component of the HMS depends on the structural and functional integrity of each of its interdependent systems. This structural alignment is Posture.
Posture is the position from which movement begins and ends. Athletic movement is first and foremost about human movement. Human movement is the means by which we are able to perform all activities of daily living, exercise and sports. Our ability to move is one of the most important aspects of our existence as it allowed our ancestors to carry out their primary roles as gatherers and hunters. Today , however, we live in a society where the amount we move is directly driven by our jobs and activities of daily living .This has resulted in poor movement quality, increased orthopedic injuries and the development of a variety of diseases and disabilities. It is therefore imperative that the rehab and fitness professional be able to identify optimal movement quality and factors that may contribute to its development.
An individual who sits for prolonged periods of time, especially at a computer, is prone to a postural imbalance of rounding of the shoulders and a forward head. Too often we are guilty of slumping forward causing our pelvises to tilt backward, drawn into that position by tight hamstrings and by bucket-shaped chairs and car seats with no lumbar support. This encourages our upper backs to round, shoulders to roll forward, our chests to collapse and head juts forward causing shortening of the cervical spine .Having hands on a keyboard or steering wheel only exacerbates this position.
Movement is ultimately what defines great athletes. Isolated muscle development does not play a major role in motor pattern development. Weight training with muscle isolation is popular in bodybuilding because bodybuilding is about form. Muscle size and symmetry are the goals. Most sports are about movement. Speed, quickness, agility, power, control, coordination and stamina are the keys to success. The goal of training is improve how the body moves not how the body looks. Therefore, sport training should focus on movement patterns rather than individual muscles. The focus is on FUNCTION- great form is just a by-product. You build fitness through technique. Bruce Lee once said “Training for strength and flexibility is a must. You must use it to support your techniques. Techniques alone are no good if you don’t support them with strength and flexibility’’. His words demonstrate how fundamental movement supports specific movement. Mobility and stability are the fundamental building blocks of strength, endurance, power and agility. When these building blocks are not in place, the athlete develops bad biomechanical habits and therefore compensates and increases the chances of poor performance and subsequent injury. Great athletes develop efficiency through mobility, stability and motor programs that use the least amount of energy with the greatest possible result. This allows the athlete to stay focused and relaxed while functioning at a very high level. Poor biomechanics not only affect performance but creates unnecessary stress often resulting in injury.
Physical performance is about movement. Physical performance is about integration. Simply speaking, if you train the muscle you will not completely develop the movement, but if you train the movement the muscle will develop appropriately. Thus, it is impossible to gain any valuable information by doing tests that isolate specific muscles or muscle groups. It is more appropriate to test and train movements and therefore you will learn to understand the basic movements that demonstrate mobility and stability that will enable you to develop greater awareness and subsequently refine your training. With all this being said, it is critical to develop advanced specialization to provide the education, systems and solutions needed to assist clients with movement impairments, muscle imbalances and those recovering from injury. Realizing this allows one to view muscles functioning in all planes of motion throughout the full spectrum of muscle action (eccentric, concentric, isometric).
It is on this premise that The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the global leader in personal, sports performance training and corrective exercise, launched the Corrective Exercise Continuum to integrate into today’s exercise program.
Corrective Exercise is the systematic process of identifying a neuromuscular dysfunction , developing a plan of action and implementing an integrated corrective strategy. This systematic plan is known as the CORRECTIVE EXERCISE CONTINUUM and it involves 4 phases:
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Inhibitory techniques
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Lengthening techniques
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Activation techniques
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Integration techniques
All of these phases are used to design a Corrective Exercise model that is designed to reflect the biomechanical, physiological and functional principles of the HUMAN MOVEMENT SYSTEM.