Functional Path Training: Corrective Exercise

The Functional Path is a path that had been traveled many times before but had fallen out of use in favor of smoother paved roads that promised faster and easier results. Seeking to follow and better define the functional path is a continuing journey, fortunately it is a journey that many have traveled before. Functional Path training is getting back to the basics of movement. It is learning to tune into the body and it’s inherent wisdom to produce rhythmic flowing movement.

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GAIN Apprentorship

Coaching athletic development from design to implementation

http://www.thegainnetwork.com

The mission of this program is to develop a cadre of experts to define the field of Athletic Development by educating professionals in foundational principles and methodology. Apprentorship = Apprenticeship + Mentorship, combines the features of both into a unique interactive blend of theory and practice in a five-day residential coaching school. This is an opportunity to observe, question, and explore the application of the Gambetta Method - Systematic Sport Development Model of training and injury rehabilitation.

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February 22, 2010

Corrective Exercise

The latest buzzword is corrective exercise. Is corrective exercise the latest fad like “drawing in “ was a few years ago? What exactly is corrective exercise? I think I know, but it is a misleading concept. What exactly are you correcting? It sounds to me like another reductionist approach to the human body based on pseudo scientific principles and marketing. The exercises that I see labeled as corrective are remedial exercises that should be part of a training progression, not separated into a category all their own. I think we are forgetting the most important principle of training and rehab which is progression. Exercises should be set-up in a hierarchical progression from the most simple and remedial to the most difficult and complex. Not every athlete starts at the same place in the progression but they are all expected to end up the same destination – the competitive arena fully fit and ready to compete free of any physical limitations. I do not think the “corrective exercise’ approach does this. In many situations I have seen athletes with perceived deficiencies who are taken out of normal training to do “corrective exercise, “ yet they are still expected to participate in practice and yes, play the game. The end result of all this madness is the plethora of injuries we see today. The so called “corrective exercises’ need to be a transparent part of training, not separate. Each athlete can and should expect individualized programs based on their ability to perform certain movements. For example today with volleyball it is squat emphasis day. I have 24 girls’ of widely varying ability. Some are squatting with a mini band above their knee, some not, some squat full others to parallel and some will not squat yet. All of this is based on a Physical Competency Assessment. This PCA is not just a one off process, the movements are part of warm-up and I evaluate daily to assess readiness to train and progress to the next step in the progression. Once again I implore you to keep the big picture in mind and do no harm.

Posted at 09:20 AM in General Training, Injuries, Strength Training, Testing & Evaluation | Permalink

Comments

The latest buzzword is corrective exercise. Is corrective exercise the latest fad like “drawing in “ was a few years ago? What exactly is corrective exercise? I think I know, but it is a misleading concept. What exactly are you correcting? It sounds to me like another reductionist approach to the human body based on pseudo scientific principles and marketing. The exercises that I see labeled as corrective are remedial exercises that should be part of a training progression, not separated into a category all their own. I think we are forgetting the most important principle of training and rehab which is progression. Exercises should be set-up in a hierarchical progression from the most simple and remedial to the most difficult and complex. Not every athlete starts at the same place in the progression but they are all expected to end up the same destination – the competitive arena fully fit and ready to compete free of any physical limitations. I do not think the “corrective exercise’ approach does this. In many situations I have seen athletes with perceived deficiencies who are taken out of normal training to do “corrective exercise, “ yet they are still expected to participate in practice and yes, play the game. The end result of all this madness is the plethora of injuries we see today. The so called “corrective exercises’ need to be a transparent part of training, not separate. Each athlete can and should expect individualized programs based on their ability to perform certain movements. For example today with volleyball it is squat emphasis day. I have 24 girls’ of widely varying ability. Some are squatting with a mini band above their knee, some not, some squat full others to parallel and some will not squat yet. All of this is based on a Physical Competency Assessment. This PCA is not just a one off process, the movements are part of warm-up and I evaluate daily to assess readiness to train and progress to the next step in the progression. Once again I implore you to keep the big picture in mind and do no harm.