2573: Foundational Movement Patterns: The Ultimate Path to a Solid Training Foundation by Eric Leija on Physical Fitness

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[00:00:57] This is Optimal Health Daily, Episode 2573. Foundational Movement Patterns. The Ultimate

[00:01:04] Path to a Solid Training Foundation by Eric Lea of ericlea.com and I'm Dr. Neal,

[00:01:10] your very own personal narrator. Happy Saturday and welcome back to another weekend edition

[00:01:16] of Optimal Health Daily. This is where I read to you from some of the best health and fitness blogs

[00:01:21] on the web and always with a bit of my commentary at the end. And with that,

[00:01:26] let's get right to the post as we optimize your life.

[00:01:34] Foundational Movement Patterns. The Ultimate Path to a Solid Training Foundation by Eric Lea of

[00:01:40] ericlea.com. Most people want quick results to look good or feel better about their bodies.

[00:01:47] They want to jump right into tough workouts and lose weight or add muscle quickly, an attitude I

[00:01:53] admire but advise against because most people don't move well when performing foundational

[00:02:00] movements. If you're like me, you might enjoy trying new things in your workouts. But here's

[00:02:05] the problem. Too much variety and fancy exercises can mess with your progress. It can also make you

[00:02:12] pick up bad habits instead of reinforcing quality movement. The best way to get stronger, build muscle

[00:02:19] and avoid injuries is by learning and practicing the foundational movement patterns. This will

[00:02:25] allow for a resilient and enduring physique that serves you throughout your life. It's time for

[00:02:32] you to refine these six movement patterns to get stronger, more mobile and resilient so you can do

[00:02:38] the things you love both in and outside of the gym for a long time. What are foundational movement

[00:02:45] patterns? When it comes to smart strength training programs, there's a consensus among fitness

[00:02:51] experts regarding the importance of the six foundational movement patterns – squat, hinge,

[00:02:57] lunge, push, pull and loaded carry. Regardless of individual differences, every person is encouraged

[00:03:06] to develop, load and master these patterns, fostering a holistic approach to fitness and

[00:03:12] well-being. You may not remember how you used to move when you were a kid, but if you observe kids

[00:03:18] playing, you'll notice that they easily perform all types of movements that can be a struggle for a lot

[00:03:24] of us as adults. They squat to pick things up or duck, they bend over at the hips easily to grab

[00:03:30] things off of the floor and they even fall to the ground and get back up as if nothing happened.

[00:03:36] What happens as we get older is that we tend to develop dysfunctional movement patterns,

[00:03:41] either through disuse or moving the wrong way for too long or sitting hunched over at a computer

[00:03:47] most of the day. And since these movements form the base of every other movement we attempt,

[00:03:53] not getting them right can severely impact how well we perform, the results we achieve and even

[00:03:59] how many injuries we may encounter. By refining and mastering these patterns, individuals not only

[00:04:06] fortify their bodies against injuries but also unlock a multitude of positive effects.

[00:04:12] Improved stability, range of motion, strength and agility are just a few of the advantages that

[00:04:18] result from dialing in these movements. Moreover, the interconnected nature of these patterns

[00:04:23] fosters better posture and alignment, amplifying the efficacy of every exercise and movement.

[00:04:31] What foundational movement training can do for you?

[00:04:34] Mastering the foundational movement patterns can have positive ripple effects across every

[00:04:39] aspect of your training, daily life and health. Let's take a look at one foundational movement,

[00:04:45] the hinge. The hinge is the movement we make when we bend over to pick something up off the floor.

[00:04:52] We tend to take this movement for granted unless we're dealing with back issues.

[00:04:56] However, mastering the hinge is not only about bending over properly so you don't injure your

[00:05:01] back. It's also about strengthening the posterior chain or the muscles and structures found on the

[00:05:07] backside of your body so that you improve your posture, which then improves every single lift

[00:05:13] or movement you do. Consider that in order to execute maximum power through a lift or a jump,

[00:05:20] you need to be executing from the proper position. If that position is off because of bad

[00:05:25] posture, you just lost a percentage of your power. So, what lies in the hinge,

[00:05:31] a basic foundational movement? The source of your power. And that's just one movement.

[00:05:37] Benefits of refining foundational movement patterns also include

[00:05:42] 1. Improved stability and range of motion. This is beneficial across the spectrum of activities,

[00:05:49] from sports to real-life situations. Improving your stability allows you to handle higher levels

[00:05:55] of weight, to jump, catch a ball and land more smoothly, and even carry more grocery bags into

[00:06:01] the house easier than before. And we know this is a biggie. 2. Improved performance.

[00:06:08] When you have a solid and strong foundation of movement, then executing more complex movements

[00:06:13] becomes a heck of a lot easier. After all, imagine if you had crappy tires on a race car.

[00:06:18] That foundation of the car would limit its performance big time. And 3. Can increase

[00:06:25] strength gains. Foundational movement patterns improve range of motion and mobility, which can

[00:06:31] result in more strength gains. This is because the deeper you can move into a movement, the more

[00:06:37] muscle fibers you activate, which equals more strength potential. For example, a person who

[00:06:42] can squat deeply, the squat being a foundational movement, with correct form, will activate more

[00:06:49] muscle fibers and end up with superior gains than someone who can only squat shallowly due to lack

[00:06:55] of mobility or not performing the squat with correct form. In short, refining foundational

[00:07:01] movement patterns reaps a multitude of benefits that extend far beyond the confines of a workout

[00:07:06] routine. The precision and mastery of movements contribute to enhanced biomechanical efficiency,

[00:07:13] fostering a more resilient musculoskeletal system. Through this refinement, individuals cultivate

[00:07:19] heightened body awareness, resulting in improved posture and reduced risk of injuries in both

[00:07:25] fitness endeavors and everyday activities. You just listened to the post titled

[00:07:34] Foundational Movement Patterns – The Ultimate Path to a Solid Training Foundation by Eric Lea

[00:07:40] of ericlea.com and I'll be right back with my commentary. We're driven by the search for better,

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[00:09:23] So, how can you make sure that you're creating these foundational movement patterns correctly?

[00:09:31] That's where recruiting the help of a certified trainer becomes so important. Now, we might be

[00:09:37] thinking, Dr. Neal, isn't there a free resource, oh I don't know, called the internet that could

[00:09:43] show me how to perform these foundational movements which would save me the time and money from having

[00:09:49] to hire an expensive personal trainer? Yes, of course, I am aware that the internet exists.

[00:09:55] And finding credible fitness resources on the internet and watching instructional videos

[00:10:00] from these credible resources is a great start. But the advantage of having a certified trainer

[00:10:06] watch you perform these movements is they can correct you if you're doing them wrong.

[00:10:11] They can help you make adjustments to your form before bad habits start to develop or,

[00:10:17] even worse, an injury starts to develop. So, how do you find someone with the right

[00:10:23] skills and credentials? Be sure to ask them about their training certifications.

[00:10:28] If they have a certification through the American College of Sports Medicine,

[00:10:32] the National Academy of Sports Medicine, or the American Council on Exercise, that's a good start.

[00:10:39] Then, ask them questions like, have they helped others like you before? Can you reach out to

[00:10:45] their former clients? If they start to hesitate or can't answer these questions, then keep looking.

[00:10:52] But if you really want to get those foundational movements perfect, again, I highly recommend

[00:10:58] hiring a certified personal trainer. Alright, that'll do it for the Saturday episode. I hope

[00:11:04] you have a great weekend if you're listening in real time and I'll be back here tomorrow as usual

[00:11:09] where your optimal life awaits!