Holistic Corrective Exercise For Fitness Professionals

As fitness professionals we’re well schooled in proper exercise form and the importance of core fitness training . When it comes to performing exercises involving rotation of the spine we’ve heard all the typical theories like:

• “Don’t EVER perform rotation of the spine while sitting”

• “ALWAYS perform exercises involving rotation of the spine in a slow, controlled manner”

• “NEVER do any twisting or turning movements with a flexed spine”

And, I used to preach these principles to my clients over and over giving myself the proverbial ‘pat on the back’ for–what I thought at the time–might save my clients from possible injuries

Little did I know back then that I was actually INCREASING the likelihood that my my clients would injure themselves by following  my ‘rules of core exercise’ as if they were the 10 commandments

Many of the movements we perform on a daily basis are much like an illusion in that we don’t actually see what’s really happening…

…many movements we think occur in the sagittal plane are actually dominated by the transverse plane

A great example is walking

When viewing a person walking we see movement occuring only in the sagittal plane (assuming the person hasn’t a few too many cocktails…then that might be a different story entirely)

However, other muscle actions and movements occur that we cannot see

If we could actually see what’s going on ‘behind-the-scenes’ we would notice that walking involves movement and muscle actions in the sagittal, frontal & transverse planes

In fact, 87.5%  of the major core muscles are oriented diagonally or horizontally and include rotation as one of their actions yet much of today’s popular core exercises like stability ball crunches, the plank and back extensions do not train trunk rotation

World-renowned fitness expert and educator Juan Carlos Santana brought to light the ‘Serape Effect’ (originally published by Logan & McKinney) that describes the human body’s natural mechanism of using integrated muscle actions to produce rotational movement

So, with all this being said we can now expose 3 popular core exercise training myths:

• Myth #1: Performing movements involving spinal rotation while sitting can injure the low back

Fact: The vertebrae of the thoracic spine is actually designed to allow rotation to occur. Trunk rotation is a natural and much needed movement that comes almost entirely from the thoracic spine not the lumbar spine and is safe to perform utilizing light and even moderate loads in an unsupported environment (not in a machine)

• Myth #2: Always perform rotational movements in a slow, controlled manner

Fact: Most injuries occur at high speeds and during the eccentric phase of muscle contraction yet most training protocols only focus on performing movements including trunk rotation exercises in a slow, controlled manner focused mostly on the concentric phase

Movements aren’t the cause of most injuries but lack of preparation and physical conditioning to perform those movements effectively is

• Myth #3: Avoid twisting with a flexed spine

Fact: If you look closely at the movements involved in golfing, tennis, wrestling, bowling, throwing and many other movements and activities you’ll notice how they all involve rotation of the trunk with a natural kyphotic posture of the spine at the upper back.

A healthy thoracic spine has a natural kyphotic curve that it is meant to perform a number of movements within which poses no real threat of injury to the spine

I’ve also mentioned some very valid reasons why you should lift with a rounded back in a previous post

By now, we can understand the importance of core training exercises involving rotation and why they are needed to improve functional movement and performance

And, more importantly why these movements need to be trained in a capacity beyond just the traditional ‘slow & controlled’ environment

Our bodies are designed to twist and turn in different angles and at high speeds we encounter in a number of movements outside of the gym and the best way to minimize the potential for injury is to physically prepare for those movements rather than trying to avoid them

Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think

Do you agree? Do you think I’m a total nut case who’s cuckoo for coca puffs? Would you like me to demonstrate some unique rotation exercises in a future post? What are some rotation movements you’ve used with positive results?

I’d love to hear all your feedback

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