Comrades,This weekend has enlightened me in so many ways. Just when you think you have a pretty good understanding of training principles, the FMS throws a wrench in it, in a good way. The Functional Movement Screen Workshop that I attended has changed the way I train and initially screen a client. Think of it this way, we all develop movement patterns that over the long term, if not corrected end up giving us lumbar pain, knee and hip issues. What if there was a way to correct these movement patterns, allowing everyone to train with no imbalances? As stated in my FMS manual, "The focal point of this program is that significant limitations or Right and Left imbalances exist in some individuals at very basic levels of movement."
So what does this mean to you? Why should I go through the screening process?
I don't know about you, but I don't want to lift weights, run and press a bell when my body has a dysfunction. What am I doing? I'm inevitably going to create an injury. I want my body screened and corrected, bringing me to an even level so I can build upon it. Brett Jones, Master RKC Instructor said, "What we are doing is building fitness on dysfunction." I don't want to train around a pre-existing condition, not fixing the root problem. The idea is to individualize a training program based on a client's weakest Link.
This brings me to my next point, BOOTCAMP training. Since, all of us have some sort of imbalance, how can we train a group of 20, 30 even 40 people at one time and focus on their individual weaknesses? Everyone has a different weakness and corrective exercises for that weakness. So, we are essentially building fitness on dysfunction and not making anyone better.
This weekend I and my fellow RKC Instructors were the 1st group of RKC's to learn how to properly screen clients and find their weaknesses. They gave us the corrective movements and conditioning exercises to create a healthy-symmetrical client. I will be screening each and every client of mine over the next 3-4 weeks. I look forward to the process and making my clients healthier and stronger.
Phil Scarito, RKC
