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Corrective Exercises

Corrective Exercises are specific exercises targeted to improve your identified movement dysfunctions.  

How do you identify a movement dysfunction?

Your individual results from the Functional Movement Screen dictate your corrective exercises.  

 

Click on the FMS image to learn more about it

 Why is this important

  • Asymmetries = predictor for injuries!

  • Dysfunctional patterns = predictor for injuries

  • Pain = sucks

 Weak links need to be addressed through corrective strategies...

The FMS will identify your weak links.  Your weak link could stem from a mobility issue, stability issue or a movement pattern issue.

Corrective strategies to improve those weak links can include:

  • Individualized daily exercises targeting the weakness

  • Individualized warm ups proir to training

  • Indvidualized strength and conditioning plan 

  • Individualized recovery plan

  • Clinician care (ie -athletic therapy)

Basically you need to put the missing puzzle pieces back into the picture!

Photo Credit - Michael Boyle

Common Tendencies

I'm not saying everyone is the same. However, over the many FMS I have completed, there are some common tendencies.  For example, typcially, individuals need to improve a mobility dysfunction.  Due to our current day to day living - escalators, computers, occupations - everyday people = poor hip and thoracic mobility. 

Then typically as a result of a limited mobility pattern, stability also suffers the consequences.  Muscles that are meant to have a primary function to "stabilize" take the role of being a "prime mover".  

Referencing Coach Boyles, Joint-by-Joint approach (diagram above), you will notice the hips and upper part of the back are primarily meant for the purpose of "mobility".  If you loose an acceptable range of motion, the joints "in between" are forced to compensate.   In this case it just so happens to be the "lower back" or lumbar.  In my experience, this is why so many people experience low "back pain" 

Pyramid of Function

 

Gray Cook's Performance Model has become very popular with in the strength and performance world.  

 

Bottom line, athletes need to make sure the foundation of the pyramid is solid to ensure both injury prevention and optimum performance.  

 

While it is often exciting to take on new challenges.  Just remember to master the basics....ie take the necessary steps with a qualified professional to confirm that you have adequate mobility and stability!

 

Primitive Patterns

When thinking about exercise progressions, people often automatically simply think of adjusting reps, sets and load.   For corrective exercises, it is important to also think of adjusting your body position so that you gain the greatest benefits of the exercise to make your weak links stronger.  These progressions bring us back to our primitive patterns.

Supine/Prone

Quadruped

Half/tall kneeling

Standing

Stability Dysfunctions bottom line about the CORE!

Society imposes certain expectations for image.  So when people think about the "core" they want to look like this guy.......

I'm not saying that this is not how your "core" should look.  However, when thinking about the function of the core we can't loose sight of two important things:

 

  • The core should be able to stabilize the spine.  Essentially should act like a "brace".

  • The core should be able to act as a pathway for energy transfer.  ie imagine a push up, volleyball player spiking, baseball player throwing a ball, hockey player taking a slap shot. 

 

As a result of the modern North Amercian culture and the common overtraining of hip flexion and shoulder pressing movements, we are starting to see some major deficiencies of "efficient core function" in populations.  Specifically, the "posterior" chain.  

 

What does this mean?

 

Try to remember these two things when training the core:

  • The core is meant to resist movement rather than create it.

  • Rather than think of your core as consisting of your six pack abdominals, think of the core as an entire tube from your neck to your butt.  Both the front and the back.  There are four quadrants.

 

 

 

 

 

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Think of the core working in diagnol patterns.  Left hip with right shoulder and right hip with left shoulder.  

So next time you hit the weight room, instead of the traditional sit ups and crunches.  Think outside the box and target your weakest quadrant with:

  • Anti - extension - lift variations, plank variations, farmers walks

  • Anti - flexion - chop variations, bridging variations, loaded front carries

  • Anti- lateral flexion - side plank, suitcase carries

  • Anti-rotation - pallof press variations

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