In the fitness world today, there
are many different systems and techniques. Go into any gym and you will see a
guy at the squat rack that swears by a powerlifting method he read about online,
a guy that thinks he knows everything about Crossfit, and yet another person
that swears by yoga. There is literally A TON of ways to get fit. I am the
first to tell you that there is no perfect way or answer to getting fit. It’s
not simple. If it were easy, everyone would do it! As I got into fitness and
training, I wanted to find away or system that encompassed everything I saw at
the gym--a system that the power-lifters would drool over and a way that Crossfit
and yoga enthusiasts would stand on their head (literally) for. It was about
this same time when the PT clinic I work at, Peak Performance In Motion,
started using Functional Movement
Systems (FMS).
Developed by physical therapists, athletic trainers and doctors, The Functional Movement System is a performance system designed to help people move better. Essentially, it was created to provide therapists and trainers with a way to identify movement asymmetries and limitations. Finding these limitations or deficits can help people of all ages and fitness levels move more and move better. The Selective Functional Movement Assessment, a 10 point movement analysis, identifies movement patterns that are painful. It is a great tool to predict and prevent injury. The Functional Movement System Assessment is designed for athletes and individuals who do not have pain but still have movement limitations.
Now, that was a lot of big words
and different principles. To bring it down a level, the FMS, essentially, is a
tool to help you move correctly. Let’s go all the way back to when you were an
infant. I have a 3 year old nephew that is a little ball of energy. I have
loved watching how he develops and learns about the world. But let’s think
about his movements. The very first movements you learn as an infant are on
your back and stomach. This is where you start to develop movement patterns
(rolling, the first signs of hip hinging, etc). After that, you come up on to your hands and
knees and you crawl. If you were anything like my little nephew, you crawled
everywhere! That’s where we learn to use our core muscles (abs and back) and
our shoulders and hips learn how to stabilize. Then we start to pull ourselves
up and we begin to walk (or run in my nephew's case!). It’s an entire process.
So what is the difference between how my nephew moves and how we, as adults,
move? The answer is simple: he hasn't developed
the same compensations that adults have. He hasn't sat at a desk for 8 hours a
day typing on computer or hunched over a desk crunching numbers. He hasn't had
the same injuries that we put off getting repaired. He doesn't have that same
wear and tear. So, my next question is this: How can we move like my nephew?
You might be saying to yourself, "I'm not going to get on the ground and
crawl again. I'm way too old for that". My answer to you…Yes, you are
going to crawl and no, you are not too old.
I'm not saying you are going to
crawl around your office or the grocery store. What I am saying is that in
order to reteach ourselves correct movement patterns and muscle activation we
have to go back to where our movement life started. We have to go back down to
the ground, literally, and build ourselves back up.
The FMS has opened my eyes to
correct movements. If you want help with your squat depth or you have pain when
squatting, I can fix that. If you have pain in your hip while running, I can
fix that. If you sit at your desk and your back gets tight and is painful, I
can fix that. With the FMS, we have the tools to correct movement as well as
predict and prevent injury.
Now, I will be the first to say
that the FMS in not the end-all be-all. It takes a lot of focus and work on
your part to reteach your body and maintain correct movement patterns after
learning them. But that is the great thing about the human body. It is one of
the most adaptable machines we have.
That's all I have for today! Come
see me at the MVP Annex and let’s take your movement to a new level!! Now...go
get on the ground and crawl around!
