Gina Jackson Personal Fitness

Corrective-exercise techniques have developed over the years thanks to the work and influence of many people and methods. Here is a sampling of some of these influences. My work with clients, as we grow older and wiser, has tended toward the use and integration of many of these techniques.

Yoga poses are designed to facilitate an inward focus on breath and movement. This focused self-awareness is a fundamental tool used by experts today to retrain patterns and create movement awareness. Similarly, Tai Chi is based on softness of movement and on learning to yield to external forces. Tai chi also focuses on movement awareness, and it strives to teach the student to slow down the force of gravity so that movements flow and interact softly with the contact surface of the ground.

Joseph Pilates drew from studies in Eastern practices, such as yoga and Zen, and was well trained in anatomy and physiology. He promoted the idea of a body-mind connection with an emphasis on breathing, control, precision and concentration. His methods stressed quality rather than quantity of movement. The exercises focused particularly on muscles such as the abdominals, pelvic stabilizers, gluteals and spinal extensors—much of the musculature that he referred to as the “powerhouse” and is commonly referred to today as “the core.”

As Pilates was gaining popularity, a technique developed by F.M. Alexander was also becoming known. Alexander, an Australian-born actor, suffered from respiratory ailments as a child, and in an attempt to cure his physical limitations, he began paying close attention to his body and breath. He noticed that under stress the body reverted to unconscious movements that restricted breathing and other motor functions. Alexander was well educated in the workings of the brain and nervous system. This helped him develop a technique for consciously reprogramming movements by focusing on sending the right signals to the right muscles.

Moshe Feldenkrais developed an exercise system to retrain and correct movement imbalances. Feldenkrais practiced jujitsu and judo, and also devised his own self-defense techniques. His method, based on “awareness through movement” taught people how to retrain injured or dysfunctional body parts by first becoming more mindful of their movement patterns. Feldenkrais had studied with Alexander and undoubtedly incorporated many of the Alexander principles into his own work.

In the 1950s Margaret Knott and Dorothy Vass developed an advanced stretching technique called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), which helped improve flexibility and strength. a When coupled with massage, PNF is a great technique for correcting movement imbalances and/or restrictions in the soft-tissue structures of the body.

One such popular form of massage used for corrective means today is “self myofascial release.” This technique can be credited in part to Janet G. Travell, MD, White House physician during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Kennedy credited Travell with helping eliminate the terrible myofascial pain he experienced during his political career. Self myofascial release involves using a foam roller, a ball or some other specialized equipment to pinpoint and alleviate restrictions, pain or dysfunction in the muscular and fascial systems of the body.

Here are three very popular corrective exercises that may help you achieve better alignment and function as you heal your body.

Foam Roller for Gluteals
Massage has long been used to help heal the soft-tissue structures of the body. So it’s not surprising that self myofascial massage techniques performed with a foam roller are very popular in the corrective-exercise setting. The increasing amount of time we spend in a seated position each day means we no longer fully extend our hips and legs as nature intended. Consequently, the posterior hip and gluteal musculature gets used incorrectly—some muscles are overworked, while others atrophy. Using a foam roller on the gluteal complex can rejuvenate this area and keep it healthier.

How to Do It: Sit on the foam roller with one ankle balanced on the opposite knee. Roll weight onto the buttock that’s on the side of the lifted leg and apply pressure to any sore spots in that buttock. Perform this exercise once per day for 1–2 minutes each side.

Hip Flexor Stretch (With Rotation)
Hip flexor stretches have appeared in corrective-exercise programs since the origination of yoga and kong fu. For example, the warrior poses in yoga emphasize hip flexor flexibility as the student progresses through various planes of movement. Hip flexor stretches are particularly important in corrective-exercise programs because of the excessive amount of time we spend in hip flexion sitting down. Stretching the hip flexors can reduce the forward pull on the lumbar spine, thus reducing the possibility of excessive lumbar lordosis (a common cause of back pain).

How to Do It: Kneel on one knee with the other foot in front for balance. Tuck the pelvis under, using the gluteal muscles and abdominals to assist with the movement. Raise the arm on the same side as the kneeling leg to increase the stretch. Hug yourself around the shoulders, and rotate the torso over the front leg. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds and repeat 6–8 times. Do at least one set per day on each side.

Single-Leg Squat
Body-mind programs emphasize balance, coordination and weight transfer to correct movement deviations. Science has helped us better understand the body’s systems and the degree to which muscles need to coordinate with one another to facilitate balance and weight transfer. A good example of this is seen in the single-leg squat.

When one squats on one leg, the gluteal muscles of the standing leg work eccentrically to slow down both hip and leg motion. As the person begins to rise out of the squat, the glutes extend the hip/leg complex in order to return the body to an upright position. At the same time, when the person lowers into a squat, weight is transferred forward in the foot and ankle, and as he stands up, weight settles back into the heel. It is imperative that you understand the coordination and timing of this movement so you can help clients learn to transfer weight properly—as is necessary, for example, when walking.

How to Do It: Stand on one leg and squat down by bending at the ankle, knee and hips. Slow the foot motion down with the muscles of the foot and calf, and the hip motion down by engaging the gluteal muscles. Extend the hips and legs and raise the arch of the foot back to its neutral position as you return to the starting point. Perform 1–10 repetitions, 1–5 times per week, depending on the goal. Using the ball, as shown here in the video supports the spine while performing this challenging exercise.

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Content Source: IDEA Fit