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In the previous blog, we covered three of the basic movement patterns – stable position, dynamic movement, and hip movements. It's time to review the other four patterns and make sure you are moving correctly.


Pattern 4 - squat

You can recognize an experienced gym goer by the way they squat, and do they even do it at all? For those who do not know how to do it, they generally avoid this exercise as much as possible. The squat technique is actually a great, quick way to test your overall fitness. No wonder that personal trainers often start with a new client with this. The squat requires mobility in the joints (hip, knee, ankle), stability and the correct sequence of tensing individual muscles. Children squat every now and then and can stay in this position for a really long time. The older we are, the less often we squat, mainly, because we are simply uncomfortable due to various contractures, e.g. in the ankle joint or within the hip joint.

We forget about the squat because ... we sit down. From an early age teachers tell the children to sit on the carpet. Why not squat? And in school, there is no other option at all than sitting in a chair for a long time. And so, this useful movement pattern fades quickly, unless ... we start working out at the gym.

Learning to perform the squat correctly is worth spending time on. Do not give up just because we feel the discomfort of cramped muscles.


Pattern 5 – Chest Pulls

Something a little easier than a squat. And equally useful, not only during training. The movement of grabbing something and pulling it toward your torso has many applications. As an easy version, it is to pull a not too heavy object with both hands to the height of the chest. In the more difficult version, it is a pull-up performed while hanging from a bar. It's the same movement, but the positioning of the shoulder joints is slightly different. For children who love to play on climbing frames and monkey bars, this is a breeze. For an untrained adult, it can be torment after only a few seconds.

Without mastering the chest pulls, you will not learn to properly pull up on the bar or climb.

The ability to hang freely allows you to relieve tension on the spine and better nourish the intervertebral spaces thanks to their better blood supply.


Pattern 6 – Push Exercises

The reverse of pattern 5, the movement can be performed in a horizontal position (e.g. push-ups) or vertical position (lifting something above the head, e.g. pressing dumbbells). It is an activity that requires a stable position and consistent work of both upper limbs.

Involved in this effort - depending on the position - are the muscles of the shoulder, chest and, of course, the muscles of the arms.


Pattern 7 - trunk twist

How often during the day do you turn your torso to look at what is going on behind you or to reach for something? Really. Most often, we only turn our heads (if too sharply, it is to the detriment of the cervical spine) or we turn the whole body, moving our feet. Neglecting the movement of turning and rotating the torso, we make the abdominal muscles lazy and greatly reduce the mobility in the thoracic spine. In the future this can lead to all sorts of ailments.

Dancing, yoga, but also team games - practically most activities require a lot of mobility in different sections of the spine.


Why do we forget about movement patterns?

Activities performed every day, such as walking, bending, or sitting, become habit. And this means that we subconsciously strive to reduce the effort put into these activities. That is why we slouch when sitting, we certainly do not tense our abdominal muscles when walking freely, we put our feet as we feel comfortable, and not as we should. Long years of such underestimation of the way of performing these day-to-day activities leads to the fact that we neglect the correct movement patterns. And each activity should be performed in a specific, healthy way for our body. Simply picking something up off the ground should not overload your spine, and taking your dog for a walk shouldn't result in back pain. If this happens, it means that the body has completely forgotten about the movement patterns.

It's time to reset; get back to the right patterns. Even if it hurts a bit at first.


Improve the patterns - you will improve your training!

All the described movement patterns are reflected in training, not only strength training. Skiing, running, recreational volleyball… the list goes on. Consider whether all your patterns are satisfactorily controlled. If not, maybe this is the reason for the lack of progress in your training or discomfort during exercise?

Tags: helpful exercise