Principal #4 Natural vs. Invasive
Invasive procedures, conforming clothing or environments force you to have a certain posture or movement and can lead to poor movement habits.
Simply put, movement is not any specific pattern that is right or wrong. Not being able to explore your natural range is unnatural and can lead to pain, injury or weakness.
An example of conformity vs. “free range of motion” is machine exercises vs. body weight exercises. Machines have plenty of great benefits but also have limitations in variety for movement. Body weight movements are usually various and with less load, allowing the various patterns to be very safe and self limiting.
When in doubt try to figure it out before looking for invasive or conforming solutions that may just lead to more weakness or pain.
Screening/Correctives
Good posture, when you are standing, is the straight vertical alignment of your body from the top of your head, through your body’s center, to the bottom of your feet.
From a side view, good posture is seen as an imaginary vertical line through the ear, shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle. In addition, the three natural curves in your back can be seen.
From behind the back, the spine and head are straight, not curved to the right or left. The front view of a good posture shows equal heights of shoulders, hips, and knees. The head is held straight, not tilted or turned to one side.
Screening someone in motion is way different and can be deconstructed in a way to “catch” inefficiencies. There are various screening methods to determine the mobility, stability and motor patterns of the body. Categorize these patterns in a competent range while in motion and that may lead to corrective strategies that can allow for variety and consistency while training.
ACTION STEP: Explore. Move. Screen yourself or seek a professional grade screening from a certified health professional.