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22ndCenturyMedia.com education Guide
22nd century media | August 8, 2019 | 5
TheraCORE helps benefit
fitness, overall health
and performance
Ever look at a child sitting
with their hips on their
heels playing with a toy
and say, “Wow, I wish I
can do that.” Do you feel
as if the floor is moving
away from you, your ability
to perform general tasks
or moving yourself up and
down seems daunting?
Well, one reason could
be that a fundamental pattern
for life and development
we refer to as a squat
has slipped from our vocabulary.
The squat: you can love
or hate it, but it is one of
the most misunderstood
movements in our modern
world, as well as in the fitness
industry today. With
the overwhelming number
of chronic orthopedic issues
and the rise of obesity,
we have to get back to the
fundamentals of what our
elaborate and resilient bodies
were meant to do.
Knowing the origin of
something is vital to fully
understanding how it
works and why we need it.
If one has lived in America
for any number of years,
having the luxury of modern
chairs, cars and plumbing
has allowed for a suboptimal
relationship of full
range of motion of one’s
hips, knees and ankles.
In short, we have lost the
global definition or the
meaning and purpose of
the squat.
To clarify, the squat is
not an exercise. It is a position
that a human expresses
to live and function through
their life. We can take that
position and express it
more fully with speed,
power and strength with a
variety of applications, but
it should always go back to
the root fundamentals, as
the maintenance of mobility
is vital.
We can start with a brief
definition: “pelvis between
heels.” This expression
is seen in a baby as they
develop, a person in a developing
country waiting
for a bus or the strongest
Olympic lifter with a barbell
overhead. All three expressions
are the same, so
how do we in America get
it wrong?
So, where do we start?
Well, you could walk to
work, do not use modern
lavatories or sit on the floor
with legs crossed, but that
might seem extreme, so lets
start with a little positional
awareness. Try this: put
something on the floor in
front of yourself, feet wider
than the shoulders, thinking
athletic position. Lower
yourself down with arms
in between your knees and
pick up the object. Congratulations,
you have performed
the task, you picked
up an object with your legs,
not your back. If you noticed,
the instructions did
not say squat down and
pick it up.
A basic test to see how
you expresses the back
of the body and has much
carry over is a simple toe
touch. Lock your legs and
flex forward. Can you
touch your toes, can you
palm the floor, can you get
your chest to thighs? Your
ability to have full range of
motion through the backside
of the body is essential.
One drill one can start
with is a lying leg raise
with knee pull. Lie on your
back and extend one leg up.
If you cannot get the leg to
90, bend your opposite leg.
Put a shoe or block on the
foot, keep the toes pulled
toward your knee and pull
the knee toward your chest,
press the leg back up and
repeat.
Remember the squat is
the test, so if you cannot
perform it properly, then
you have to break it down
to tasks or drills that will
help you build up the capacity
and then the competency
of moving in and out
with control.
This is what we do at
the TheraCORE Fitness
Center. Our coaches break
down movements and exercises
as skills to benefit
not only fitness, but overall
health and performance.
The focus is on tasks,
which gives a numerous
variety of movements with
advancing movement and
complexity to build your
skill as you train.
Give us a call to schedule
a free, 30-minute, complimentary
session. We can
screen you through movements
to see where you can
focus to build a resilient
and efficient moving body.
Submitted by TheraCORE,
16622 W. 159th St., Suite 503
in Lockport. For more information,
call (815) 838-5070,
or visit theracorept.com.
Train smarter,not harder.
Going above and beyond your standard personal training.
Come in and see our beautiful new studio
and have your complimentary consultation today!
Fitness Coaching
Complimentary Fitness Screening and Consultation.
Private, Couples, and Semi Private-workouts.
Classes
Pilates and Yoga classes.
Sports Enhancement Sessions.
Hours available Monday-Saturday.
Questions?
Contact Drew Gallagher at drew@theracorept.com
Fitness coaching packages and class packages are available.
Schedule your complimentary consultation today at www.theracorept.com.
We look forward to helping you achieve your health goals!
16622 West 159th Street -Suite 503 -Lockport- 815.838.5070
www.theracorept.com