We have all been there. A new client comes in for an evaluation with a list a mile long of injuries, medical history and aches and pains. Before you even begin with this person, your strategy immediately changes. You throw out the “normal” stuff and try to gather as much information about their movement baseline as possible. The mindset goes from “What are the weaknesses, restrictions, and assymetries” to “What can they do safely and comfortably?”
You leave the session confused and wondering how the heck you are going to help this person. In the past I would hit the books, ask mentors, other coaches, consult physical therapists etc. They normally had some good advice but I still felt as if something was missing.
In my training career I have goofed up a lot, but I have learned something new every single time. As I matured as a coach I noticed a reoccurring theme when I had clients that were “tough” to work with.
I had the most success when we started on the floor. I wasn’t sure why, but it just worked.
Several years later….
HE CAN BE TAUGHT!!
I am grateful for all of the classes and courses I have taken but nothing turned me on to understanding the nervous system quite like Z-health. While I don’t practice much of the Z-health system, their information regarding the CNS is top notch. I learned that are wired for survival and our CNS dictates if something is a threat or not a threat. If we put our body in a threatening situation a whole onsalught on crazy things can happen. Muscles will tighten, heart rate increases, breathing patterns will alter, and last but not least, we will find ourselves in pain.
What does threat have to do with exercising? Everything! Let’s take the “squat like a toddler” situation for example. We all agree that toddlers squat with perfect form and it would be great if we could all do the same thing, but guess what? We can’t. In fact, a squat might be a high level and threatening exercise for a specific client. If you take a client that hasn’t moved in 10 years and ask them to squat like a toddler, it will likely pose a serious threat to their CNS. If they experience what I mentioned above, no amount of foam rolling, band assisted stretching and ankle glides will fix the situation. This is a situation when the floor is your new best friend.
For some, the floor is the least threatening place to start re-learning how to move. For a large portion of my clients, starting on the floor seems to take the neurological brakes off. It’s a very safe position for them which in turn allows for better movement. It’s really quite simple, if your CNS isn’t scared or sensing a threat, you move more freely with less limitations.
What does this look like? A great start would be to buy Becoming Bulletproof by Tim Anderson. This book will give you some deeper insight as to why we should start on the floor.
Here is one of my favorite progressions I use with clients:
Quadruped rocking 10-15 total- * I will also change foot positions while rocking. You can add in a plantar flexed or dorsiflexed ankle while rocking. You can also use the 3 position toe pulls from Z-health.
Neck nods– basic cervical flexion/extension
Quadruped hip extension
Quadruped hip hydrants
Quadruped hip circles
More Quadruped rocking
Bird dogs– focus on a midline touch underneath. If the can not reach with their elbow, have them use their forearm or hand.
Cat/Camel
Quadruped T-spine rotation
Egg Rolls– I got these from Becoming Bulletproof. You basically tuck your knees up to around 90 degrees and support your knees with your hands. Roll side to side and let your neck lead the movement.
Table plank– I use this as a precursor to the plank. Begin in the quadruped position with your knees directly under your hips and your hands a bit more narrow than shoulder width. Your ankles will be dorsiflexed and you will load the ball of your foot. Lift the knees off the ground 1 inch and hold. It’s a great way to work on spinal stability without all of the compensations that are usually brought on when using a traditional plank.
So there you have it, a nice little recipe on how to start your clients safely and effectively on the floor. Try it out and see how it goes!!