Elite Physique The New Science of Building a Better Body

4 Elite Physique
There are postural compensations that make the
subject fall out of proper alignment in the key areas
just covered. Common causes of stiffness that correspond
with the compensations from top to bottom
are as follows:
•
Anterior head position: stiffness in the suboccipitals
•
Anteriorly rotated shoulder: stiffness in the
pectorals
•
Anterior knee position: stiffness in the soft
tissue of the posterior knee (i.e., posterior joint
capsule or popliteus)
Finally, when having the aforementioned photos
taken, it is imperative to stand as you normally would
without any cues. If you stand more erect than you
normally would, with your shoulders pulled back, it
can hide your true orthopedic issues.
There’s a third possible viewpoint, from overhead.
That view of the transverse plane is not necessary
since the frontal and sagittal planes reveal what
needs to be corrected from our basic assessment.
FIGURE 1.2 Sagittal plane
ideal posture.
Balance
Balance is an essential aspect of life and performance, controlled by three systems
within the body (see figure 1.3). First, the visual system transfers information from
your eyes to your brain’s cortex to regulate body orientation and self-motion.
Input
Visual
Vestibular
Integration
Somatosensory
Cortex
Body orientation
and self-motion
Brain stem
Output
Coordination of eye
and head movements
Cerebellum
Control of posture
and gait
FIGURE 1.3 Three systems that control balance in the body.
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