A child is taught the
ABC’s for the first time. They are shown
how to write the letters and recite the alphabet in order. From there, the child is allowed to let it
absorb. They may have to be re-taught
and reminded a few times, and they will be expected to practice! It would be unheard of if a teacher taught
ABCs one day, and the next day expected the students to form words and spell,
and then the next day to read, and the next day to write a 5-page research
paper integrating all of their reading comprehension and writing skills. The body, similar to the mind, needs time to
digest new information.
Cory and I were training a client together and teaching her
the hip-hinge. For her, it was so unfamiliar
in her body and she finally exclaimed, “I feel like I am learning how to write
again!”
YOU ARE
She was learning movement ABCs. It is important to teach the foundations
before adding speed and weight. We want
to help you reach your greatest potential by mastering the basics first, and
these are often the hardest to get. Once
you master the basics, and know how to find those positions quickly, a whole
new world opens for you.
When you are learning
a new movement skill, there are four stages you will pass through.
Four Stages of
Skill Development
i.
Unconscious incompetence: You are bad at
something, but don’t know it,
ii.
Conscious incompetence: You are bad at something, and know it.
iii.
Conscious competence: When you think about it, you can do it.
iv.
Unconscious competence: It’s how you are now! Proper movement has been trained in to your
body so you don’t have to think about it.
A lot of group classes skip these steps and assume that
participants will figure it out as they go.
Some people can, and do. But not
everyone does. Without a good instructor
who is constantly watching and assisting, some poor movement patterns can go on
for years as possibly lead to injury. The
four stages of skill development is a cycle that is constantly repeated every
time a person learns new ways of moving. This is why having private yoga
instruction or personal training provides faster progression of skill
development. In a group class, an
individual may be corrected once, but unless the body practices a new pattern,
chances are the individual will return to the same, compensatory movement
patterns the next time they go to class, especially if it is with a different
instructor who may not realize they need to work on correct said movement
pattern. The same thing occurs with
organized sports. From a young age, only
the skill of the sport is taught, no general movement principles. Youth are put into the game and it is
expected that they should know how to run, start, stop, jump properly and
safely . The result of a poor training
program, especially in high school, is a bench full of sad, injured kids. Eventually, Cory and I would love to see
these principles integrated into sports at a very young age!
So, what is a progression plan and how does one get started?
Step 1: Know where you are when you begin. There are many different types of movement
assessments that may be administered to find out where your strength areas of
movement are, if there are asymmetries, if there is any major dysfunction in
the body (where a movement can’t be performed without pain), and where an
individual’s growth areas are. More
about movement assessments to come in Part IV of this series.
Step 2: If looking to begin personal training
sessions or join a fitness program, a good movement assessment should come with
a consultation to discuss action steps that are measureable.
If you are trying a little do-it-yourself revamping of your
fitness routine, look at the activities and identify the goal of the activity
(biking, yoga, strength training, etc.).
Answer very specifically. What? Why? How? After that, look to see if you are
integrating these points into your life.
For example, if you are strength training to manage back pain (and your
trainer has taught you to properly hip-hinge), are you changing the way you pick
up something even as light as a TV
remote by loading your glutes and keeping your spine neutral? Another example is if you are using yoga to
manage stress, is that translating into your daily life? If these things don’t translate outside of
the activity itself, then make a change!
Step 3: Take those bigger goals and break them down
into measureable steps that make sense for YOU and will keep you
MOTIVATED. In the act of your movement,
whether it is yoga, or training, or something else, set aside those goals and
competitiveness, and be present with what you need to do THIS MOMENT. Maybe it is breathe. Just breathe in each pose today. Or if your goal is weight loss, don’t think
about that while you are working out or just how many calories are being burned
or whatever. It is more important to
make sure you are moving well and mindfully.
If the body gets injured, a good trainer can help you keep moving around
the injury, but there will be setbacks and limitations. Take care of you body and don’t PUSH through pain
(Stay tuned for the upcoming article “Don’t Pride Through Pain.”
Step 4: In athletics and yoga, there are times when
you need to let go of the desired training effect. A sense of flow where time is irrelevant and there is a sense of freedom in
the body, is necessary for you to look inward and tap into your own unique way
of creating and expressing through movement.
Games are important to athletic training to have this effect where you
don’t necessarily focus on coaching the movement. In yoga, it is important to balance alignment
focused classes out with ones that focus on energy and flow. They complement each other beautifully. One of the most powerful teachings I have
experienced is from Alex Pfeiffer (http://www.madisonyogateachertraining.com/)
who teaches:
“Align physically to
align with your true nature.”
This had a profound impact on my life and changes I’ve made
over the last 10 years. There are many
truths out there, and it is important to find yours and trust the experience in
your body. One of my favorite quotes is
by Khalil Gibran:
“Say not, 'I have found
the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.' Say not, ' I have found the
path of the soul.' Say rather, 'I have met the soul walking upon my path.' For
the soul walks upon all paths. The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it
grow like a reed. The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.”
Always be open to a experiencing a new truth!
Step 5: Know when to regress in your progression
plan. Yes, you do not get to move
forward non-stop and never look back.
You should stop and further refine a movement here and there, and not
force it because you think you should be in a certain place. Lateral
steps can help, for example if your squats are a struggle, maybe you need
to mobilize your ankles and perform squats with your heels elevated in the
meantime to nullify out the influence of the ankles.
Step 6: Check back in periodically as your goals
change or are reached.
1.
With any major change, you may want to have
another assessment.
2.
Athletes may want to seasonally assess.
3.
You can constantly test throughout your training.
4.
Your goals will evolve, and so make sure your
methods do also. If you work with a
trainer, that is their job. You just
communicate how your goals have changed.
If you enjoy the blog and like what iGO Fitness & Yoga is about, like our facebook page
Stay tuned for more on movement assessments in Part IV, coming soon… or soonish. I am amidst planning a wedding J
