Author: Tanya Thompson
With so many methods of movement in the industry and with countless principles that need to be adhered to, there is one principle that is still unknown. This principle encompasses the fundamental law for all stability of some of our main functional movements i.e walking, the action of sitting down, climbing stairs, extending our knees and performing safe spinal rotation.
This principle is Conscious Initiated Muscular Resistance.
You may ask what on earth this might be? Well this is a principle that takes all exercise and training to a level that will make the EMG monitor ‘beep’ often.
This concept can create substantial body resistance in an exercise whereby muscles create resistance within the movement for primary movers. Sending Muscle contractions soaring.
Below is a table that depicts first the use of CIMR on the Lumbar Extensors to increase the activation in the Rectus Femoris. How was this achieved? Correct cueing!!!!
What did they do to obtain CIMR? They consciously activated their lumbar back extensors slightly to maintain pelvic stability. And so we can do the same for many other areas of the body.
CIMR can be applied to spinal rotation, hip flexion, hip extension, hip abduction and spinal extension to name a few.
The results are:
- Increased activation of the primary mover
- Increased activation of the movement stabilizer
- No compensations
- Improved form for toning
- Efficient rehabilitation
- Injury prevention
- Better Isolation of primary mover groups
We can do all kinds of exercises for all kinds of reasons but the success of these exercises lies in;
- How to do them efficiently.
- The principle of CIMR.
- Instructors cues.
- Instructors teaching style
- Application of client specific training.
DO NOT JUST GIVE AN EXERCISE, TEACH AN EXERCISE and ensure that your knowledge is evident in your teaching. Bring the science into your work. This principle is applied to so much of our work and our courses, and naturally one of our newest releases which you can see here.
MAKING EVOLUTION in movement happen and keeping it simple.
