Does your body have a restriction in movement? If so please read on…..
One of the most important factors during training is to consider how to move well, and how to include a full range of movement without it being inhibited. Mobility, stability, and motor control play a critical role in your ability to perform and stay injury free. Mobility is the degree of uninhibited range of motion around a joint, and stability is the resistance offered by muscles, ligaments, and tendons surrounding that joint to protect it against injury. Motor control refers to the body’s capability to take sensory input from your environment and execute the proper muscle co-ordination in response. Mobility, stability, and motor control are all inter-related in the human body and body control is, very simply, the ability to get your body to do what you want it to do – although this can be easier said than done.
Too often as trainers we see compromised movement which means other body parts such as muscles, ligaments and bones are forced to over compensate for the lack of movement elsewhere - which in the long term will lead to imbalances, overuse, poor posture and inevitably - injuries. The good news is that you can build your body control up, systematically, and doing this makes pretty much every physical activity easier and more fun.
Efficient and safe movement is achieved where there's good posture, decent balance, proper gait and having the ability to demonstrate a full range of movement. Proper concentric (muscle contraction in which muscle shorten) and eccentric (muscle lengthen) movement, which extra focus on eccentric movement please as this needs more recruitment of muscle fibres which means when you control this movement properly there’s less risk to get injured.
Where does restricted movement come from?
To understand the answer to this, we need to consider how our bodies have evolved over the years, and how our increasingly sedentary lifestyle has impacted on our bodies. We generally move too little and sit too much, which in turn over time causes more than just some postural problems and weakened muscles.
Most of us know that when we sit we reduce our movement, thereby reducing blood flow to areas as we are not moving well enough. The consequences of this vary from person to person but in time you (might) see weaker body parts such as the lower limbs, glutes, lower abdomen, tighter hip flexors, overuse on lower and upper back, and neck. This leads to imbalances, overcompensation, postural issues, stress, headaches, weakened metabolism, and poor functional movement which in time effects your total wellbeing!! It doesn’t have to be like this!!!!!
As we slowly get older our restrictions in movement will inevitably worsen, and when we get to retirement age we are often struggling to move normally. A depressing consequence of (sedentary) working life, putting up with niggles and old injuries which became chronic, poor diagnoses and/or rehabilitation, in-adequate prioritisation and insufficient self care. There is, however, always a choice! We can limit the effects of our lack of movement by moving more, moving better and by taking control of our own bodies. We need to look after and take responsibility for our bodies. This means not putting up with, or settling for any restriction or lack of movement any part of our body may have!!
Our own body is the only place you will always have to live in!! Health is wealth!! If we can't look after our bodies ourselves, then seek advice from a health professional such as a doctor, chiropractor, physio or a decent personal trainer with a good understanding of physiology or physiotherapy. As a personal trainer/physiologist I see the lack of proper alignment and movement by people on a daily basis which needs to be addressed if we want proper functional movement and decent longevity.
It is never too late to address your restrictions of movement.
For bespoke assistance and to regain control of your body do not hesitate to get in touch and/or see my website for further information. As ever, I am here to help.
You can be Fit For Anything
Roel