Total Clawmination
No, this is not an article about the total domination the White Claw Brand is having in the hard seltzer category. This is an article about compensation patterns in the body. Exciting- right?! Our bodies prefer homeostasis, the path of least resistance, and will do anything in its power to accomplish this objective. Sometimes that means cheating- in any way possible.
Notice the claw-like position of my left hand as I complete a high step up. This is my body cheating. What this tells me is there is a weakness in the chain of command that allows me the strength to step up onto the box. My body recognizes this weakness and knows by gripping my hand, making a fist, I can override this weakness.
Awesome Lisa, but what does this have to do with me?
Great question, and here’s my answer:
You know the saying “only as strong as the weakest link” -well that applies to the human body as well. If the muscles and nervous system aren’t functioning optimally, compensation patterns develop, the body starts cheating and many times this is when injuries happen.
Are you an athlete? Do you play sports? Just think about this-if you gain strength and function optimally by closing your fist-what is going to happen when you go up for a layup, extend your arm outward to catch a ball or reach for a puck? Not an athlete? Cool. Do you ever walk on uneven surfaces, catch yourself slipping on the ice, or catch yourself tripping over something? In these positions your hand is loose or even open and extended, weakening the body and putting you in a vulnerable position for injury.
Do you golf? Do you lift weights? Do you find you have a death grip on your clubs or weights? Are your fists balled when in a plank? Your body is cheating. A common body part to suffer in an upper body cheat-the elbow ie: golfers elbow, tennis elbow, or tendonitis of any kind.
Don’t seem to find yourself gripping your fists like me? Do you ever clench your jaw? Do you chew gum when you play a sport or workout? Your body most likely is cheating. Some of us lucky ones do both-clench our jaw and fist.
Luckily there are easy ways to get our body back in balance and help our nervous and muscle systems to override the cheat and work more efficiently. Simple breathing and myofascial release techniques by certified Be Active and RPR Practitioners can help to correct these issues. Today many Chiropractors, Physical Therapists, Athletic Trainers, and Personal Trainers practice these specific myofascial release techniques.
Once I started implementing this specific protocol with my clients-game changer! We saw an immediate increase in strength, function, proprioception, and mobility. Some improved their golf game instantly, others went up ten pounds in weights with lifts, post-injury clients noticed a dramatic improvement in function and decrease in pain.
The body is a never-ending fascinating machine providing us new information each and every day. Pay attention to what your body is telling you. The more love you provide your body, the more it will give back generously.