Postural Stability and Exercise Technique Part 1
Exercise technique has long been one of the more difficult aspects to teach accurately in a fitness centre.
Limited contact time and the pressure to achieve results with clients have often forced instructors and trainers to progress clients programs more quickly than is ideal.
This accelerated progression is often detrimental to the client's performance of specific exercises or movement patterns and consequently achieving the desired results.
Teaching clients to achieve good postural stability in the early phases of training is difficult.
It has the reverse effect to the accelerated approach mentioned previously.
Progression is only allowed once control of a position or a specific movement is achieved rather than once the client feels comfortable with a specific weight.
Clients will always ask is 'why do this, why train for stability first?' As instructors and trainers, we can appreciate the need for good muscle balance and stability, but we often fail to educate our clients on this philosophy.
Here are some reasons why we should include postural stability as the main phase of training prior to any other when writing a periodised plan.
Referrals from physiotherapists and rehabilitation programs are generally based around the correction of these problems even if you don't appreciate it at the time.
Here are some common indications of problems with postural stability and muscle balance.
Stability is derived from the trunk and all the muscles that hold the trunk in its ideal or normal position.
The limbs should be able to move through normal dynamic range without altering the stability of the trunk.
This is taught initially with the trunk remaining still.
Once static stability is achieved then dynamic stability needs to be taught.
Clients can often hold a position isometrically, but ask them to move and they lose stability immediately.
Think of Carl Lewis, recognised as one of the most technically correct sprinters of the modern era.
If you have seen him sprint, his legs and arms are moving at incredible speeds whilst the trunk remained in a very erect and stable position.
As sprinting is basically a sport of deceleration - who ever slows down the least wins - Carl Lewis was able to maintain his technique and control his movements to effectively have a smaller reduction is speed.
This ability was due in part to the excellent dynamic stability and control he could sustain even while his body was being propelled along at approximately 37 km/hr.
Research by Mittelstaedt uncovered new Graviceptors situated in the trunk.
"Postural information is to a considerable extent, gained by sense organs in the head..
...
it is shown that the perceived relation of the visual world to the vertical is exclusively determined by sense organs in the head, whereas body posture is also directly measured by recently discovered graviceptors in the human trunk" These proprioceptors seem to mediate the perception of the position of the trunk indirectly to posture.
This tells us that the trunk in particular has proprioceptors that indicate its position to the rest of the body thus assisting it with adjustments in various positions.
When teaching exercises for stability, as instructors and trainers we need to be aware of not only the position of the head, as this is what most of us use to adjust position, but also of the trunk.
Educate clients to adjust trunk position and become aware of the position of the trunk and the use of its stabilisers during each exercise.
As trainers and instructors, we need to be able to program exercises to enhance the ability of the postural stabilisers to control the position of the trunk in both static and dynamic positions.
These muscles include -
You need to convince the client (and yourself) of its importance and be prepared to work at it over the first few months of training.
Good communication is critical and lots of positive reinforcement is needed.
Here are some guidelines for training postural stabilisers.
Each person will take a different amount of time to learn these patterns.
Be prepared to spend the time with them, the results at the end are fantastic.
Don't just limit this type of training to new clients.
If you have a client who has reached a plateau or who is not getting over an injury this type of training can be just the change they need to take that next step.
Limited contact time and the pressure to achieve results with clients have often forced instructors and trainers to progress clients programs more quickly than is ideal.
This accelerated progression is often detrimental to the client's performance of specific exercises or movement patterns and consequently achieving the desired results.
Teaching clients to achieve good postural stability in the early phases of training is difficult.
It has the reverse effect to the accelerated approach mentioned previously.
Progression is only allowed once control of a position or a specific movement is achieved rather than once the client feels comfortable with a specific weight.
Clients will always ask is 'why do this, why train for stability first?' As instructors and trainers, we can appreciate the need for good muscle balance and stability, but we often fail to educate our clients on this philosophy.
Here are some reasons why we should include postural stability as the main phase of training prior to any other when writing a periodised plan.
- Good muscle balance creates a more normal spinal curve
- Muscles work in correct motor patterns that is they work smarter not harder
- Increased core stability increases strength potential and maintains higher residual strength
- Higher motor coordination
- Exercise and movement techniques are more easily learned and corrected
- Superior level of health and function
- Less prone to injury
Referrals from physiotherapists and rehabilitation programs are generally based around the correction of these problems even if you don't appreciate it at the time.
Here are some common indications of problems with postural stability and muscle balance.
- Phasic muscles tight from attempting to stabilise the joint when tonic muscles are unable to do their job.
Eg Upper Traps - Instability of hip, shoulder, neck and lower back
- Inability to maintain good form during an exercise eg knees collapsing medially during squats, or step ups
- Change in spinal alignment, position of shoulder girdle and pelvic girdle tilt.
- Inability to transfer strength and power to the limbs
- Lack of improvement in training, performance, correction of technique and difficulty in learning a new skill.
- Injury or recurring problems
Stability is derived from the trunk and all the muscles that hold the trunk in its ideal or normal position.
The limbs should be able to move through normal dynamic range without altering the stability of the trunk.
This is taught initially with the trunk remaining still.
Once static stability is achieved then dynamic stability needs to be taught.
Clients can often hold a position isometrically, but ask them to move and they lose stability immediately.
Think of Carl Lewis, recognised as one of the most technically correct sprinters of the modern era.
If you have seen him sprint, his legs and arms are moving at incredible speeds whilst the trunk remained in a very erect and stable position.
As sprinting is basically a sport of deceleration - who ever slows down the least wins - Carl Lewis was able to maintain his technique and control his movements to effectively have a smaller reduction is speed.
This ability was due in part to the excellent dynamic stability and control he could sustain even while his body was being propelled along at approximately 37 km/hr.
Research by Mittelstaedt uncovered new Graviceptors situated in the trunk.
"Postural information is to a considerable extent, gained by sense organs in the head..
...
it is shown that the perceived relation of the visual world to the vertical is exclusively determined by sense organs in the head, whereas body posture is also directly measured by recently discovered graviceptors in the human trunk" These proprioceptors seem to mediate the perception of the position of the trunk indirectly to posture.
This tells us that the trunk in particular has proprioceptors that indicate its position to the rest of the body thus assisting it with adjustments in various positions.
When teaching exercises for stability, as instructors and trainers we need to be aware of not only the position of the head, as this is what most of us use to adjust position, but also of the trunk.
Educate clients to adjust trunk position and become aware of the position of the trunk and the use of its stabilisers during each exercise.
As trainers and instructors, we need to be able to program exercises to enhance the ability of the postural stabilisers to control the position of the trunk in both static and dynamic positions.
These muscles include -
- Abdominals and Pelvic Floor
- Erector Spinae and Multifidus
- Latissimus Dorsi and Serratus Anterior
- Rhomboids and Lower Trapezius
- Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus and external hip rotators
- Quadratus Lumborum
You need to convince the client (and yourself) of its importance and be prepared to work at it over the first few months of training.
Good communication is critical and lots of positive reinforcement is needed.
Here are some guidelines for training postural stabilisers.
- Establish a neutral spine first.
If the exercise is done standing then look for neutral position of the hips.
If you are doing the exercise in a supine or prone position then establish a 'pressure pattern' on the floor or bench on which you are lying.
This allows you to achieve good position prior to the exercise and the 'pressure pattern' will indicate changes in the normal or neutral position during the exercise.
Examples of this would be lying leg curls, isometric abdominal exercises; etc these exercises are renowned for changes in spinal position. - Even when doing a lower body exercise ensure the upper body remains in good postural positions.
Eg shoulder and neck - Integrate breathing with all exercises
- Teach control of movement before you increase the resistance or level of difficulty of the exercise.
Partial movements are often required prior to full range if the person is having difficulty with stabilising the position for the exercise. - Establish a sequence of contraction of stabilisers prior to each exercise until it becomes habitual.
- Teach the muscles that move the limbs to contract without changing the position of the trunk.
Then teach them to move the limbs whilst the trunk is moving yet remaining stable.
Each person will take a different amount of time to learn these patterns.
Be prepared to spend the time with them, the results at the end are fantastic.
Don't just limit this type of training to new clients.
If you have a client who has reached a plateau or who is not getting over an injury this type of training can be just the change they need to take that next step.
Source...