ering how much rotational power is needed for running and rope climbing , this spells doom for athletes looking to crush multimodal PRs .
An athlete who has an excessive |
thoracic curve will often complain |
of shoulder impingement , |
tennis |
elbow , |
and |
mid-back |
pains . |
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Neck
A forward head carriage is the most common postural deviation seen at the head and neck . The head weighs 8 to 11 pounds . We need to remember that the spine is one piece . If the neck is out of position , the rest of the body either follows it or is taxed excessively to hold it in place . One of the muscles over-worked by a forward head carriage is the levator scapula . A short and overactive levator will pull up and forward on the scapula and make movement of the shoulder dysfunctional .
The sport of fitness is incredibly dynamic and requires explosiveness , coordination , flexibility , and stamina . Often overlooked is the importance of maintaining a center of mass . Having a forward carriage displaces this
center of mass to a forward position . Almost as if a person is constantly falling , the athlete ’ s brain will need to recruit additional muscle to maintain alignment and good positioning . This is counter-productive for an athlete who is trying to be faster , stronger , and go longer because muscle gets trained to do a job . A muscle that is easily stimulated can be recruited when it is not needed . This is the concept of synergistic dominance and reciprocal inhibition . Poor alignment for an athlete leads to muscle imbalances and movement impairments . A forward head carriage is an example of this . If we go back to our functional anatomy , we know the levator scapula muscle attaches from the base of the skull to the top of the scapula . A forward head carriage will shorten the levator scapula and the upper trapezius . Proper shoulder function and rib cage positioning will be very difficult to achieve because the lower trapezius will be inhibited and the scapula will be hard to depress .
A forward head carriage is associated with shoulder impingement , neck pains , and headaches .
In most parts of life , becoming great has very little to do with what you already excel at and everything to do with the little parts we hide . Functional training has revolutionized the capacity of the human body . Our “ engines ” are stronger , faster , and fitter than in any time throughout history . The only thing that will slow us down is failure to take care of our smallest hidden parts .
About the Author
Jeremy McCann is a pain relief exercise expert , master trainer for The Biomechanics Method and owner of Range of Motion Fitness in Riverside , Calif . In addition to his advanced certifications from The BioMechanics Method , he also holds numerous corrective exercise specialty certifications from some of the industry ’ s most prestigious institutions , including the Gray Institute , National Academy of Sports Medicine , PTA Global and FMS .
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June 2016 | METCON
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