Yesterday I was asked by someone, stumped by the lack of interest by the local coaches in attending an upcoming MovementU event in their area, to write a short note about MovementU specifically to these coaches. Here's what I wrote.
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Hi Coaches!
Here's a bit of candid insight into MovementU. Let me preface by saying its written from the perspective of the endurance sports culture as a whole and not on your individual knowledge which I'm not privy to of course. Thanks for reading!!
What is presented at MovementU is nothing earth shattering. People finish the class saying, "that was common sense wow" and "thanks for teaching me what I didn't know I needed to know" while also saying "that was the best use of my Saturday I've had in a long long time." It is also not as much about the time spent in class as about the perspective it presents about movement for health and performance in the rest of ones life AND BONUS - in sport. It's an investment which also has an immediate impact, or return, on that investment.
Athletes owe it to themselves, coaches owe it to their athletes, to have a concrete understanding - of at least the BASICS - about the control one has over eliminating chronic injuries. It's also paramount to understand where one's performance is coming from, the integration of all the systems of the body that create performance (mindset, cardio, biomechanical, nervous system, etc) and what the body craves and requires in order to perform most efficiently. If a coach or athlete is not 100% confident in their ability to train in such a way as to avoid chronic injuries for the entire upcoming season - that's a problem. It's one thing to CHOOSE not to train that way but to work within a culture that still thinks its normal and just a part of the sport is simply insanity (re: doing the same thing over and over and getting the same result) in this day in age.
Spinal stability, posture, rotational stability, glute activation, hip extension, thoracic mobility, lat length, shoulder stability etc are not something that should be discussed only at the physical therapist's office. They can and should be normal daily speak, cues, and focuses in training. It takes training with a purpose to a whole other, necessary, level. When presented as basically as is done at MovementU along with simple smart strategies you can implement immediately, they can become part of a culture and reality for those who truly respect the body and the commitment they've taken on to compete at their sport.
Whether at MovementU or elsewhere I urge you all toward this super empowering understanding which makes for even more fun and more smiles in the long run!!
All my best in life and sport,
