Understanding the Bodies Software

The entire nervous system, is a single continuous tract, so it follows that if any part of this continuous tract is trapped or tethered (as with an injury for example) then it also follows that there will be some restriction of the mobility of other parts of the nerve system. So a problem with one part of the nerve can cause pain in another – this is the clinical application. However, we have discovered that this is not always represented by pain but also by a reduction of joint range of movement and altered joint biomechanics which can affect a whole host of problems that can cause restricted performance and may ultimately lead to injury. Moreover, with the increased muscle spasm and associated factors, local fatigue increases and so understanding these principles can lead to benefits not only in human performance but also fatigue relief.

Research
We know this happens from research performed at Liverpool Hope University College and studies their demonstrate astonishing results. One experiment showed that a muscle can increase its force output by 14% after a brief preliminary warm-up (just one 15 second workout using this concept). Another experiment showed that by following the same concept a 2 minute programme performed daily for 10 days increases muscle output by over 50%. By understanding the importance of the interaction of individual body systems with each other, we have established the worlds largest database of its kind and have included the outcomes of the auditing of this information in our Biomechanics Coaching Courses.

On the courses you learn how to test your ‘nerve tension’ and prescribe movement patterns to enhance the coordinated output of your body’s systems. In terms of fatigue relief, it has been demonstrated that after 15 seconds of the programme, muscle fatigue is reduced by up to 14% immediately and sustained use led to significant and prolonged increase in muscle output. These studies have been validated at the highest level. A paper was submitted at the 6Th Asian Biomechanics Congress (one of the worlds most credited) and was enthusiastically received. In a practical sense the programmes have been rigorously tested by people such as Olympic athletes through to workers on a product line and hospital health trusts.

Remember in most cases we are not even aware we have a problem, but even so you can still achieve these remarkable results. Just imagine what these figures could do you for your performance in your sport or indeed, on a sedentary level, how the fatigue relief can help after a hard day at the office.

Terminology
So when it comes to exercise programming our holistic approach, which is commonly described but rarely understood and demonstrated, takes into consideration all of the body’s systems, and it has a deep understanding of how they interact and are guided by our nervous system. Description terms such as strength and power in this model are inadequate, so when we talk about exercises in these terms, we should be talking in terms of Movement Acquisition Patterns (or MAPs) which are used to enhance a given set of functional movements, not stretches or strengthening exercises, as the latter do not give credit for the full implications of the programming.

Example
Lets take a hamstring stretch as an example, we are not trying to stretch the hamstrings when we extend the leg out in front of us, we are trying to improve the range of hip flexion and knee extension by stretching the structures on the back of the leg and back. This brings in more than just the hamstrings, it can also be limited by a tight sciatic nerve, a rotated sacro-iliac joint in the lower back, tight gastrocnemius, tight spinal cord and indeed almost any nerve in the chain given the continuum concept described earlier. How many times have you stretched your hamstrings using the generally accepted methods only to find that their flexibility continues to be stubborn and often returns to their standard length very soon? Many people experience this phenomenon. The reason is often due to them stretching only one of the structures that limit the movement, i.e. the hamstrings. If they do not stretch the other structures as well, of course they will not be affected and so the limited range will usually return. So we are trying to acquire a pattern of movement, not just stretching the hamstrings.