PHASE 2: PART 1 - MOVEMENT: WEEK 6

"EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT." I TELL THIS TO MY CLIENTS ALL THE TIME WHEN THEY START COMPARING THEIR EXPERIENCE OR PROGRESS TO SOMEONE ELSE'S. 

AS I MENTIONED IN WEEK 4,  MUSCLES TAKE WEEKS TO HEAL, CONNECTIVE TISSUE TAKES MONTHS TO HEAL, AND POSTURAL ISSUES TAKE YEARS TO CHANGE. DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR PRIMARY GOAL IS, YOU  COULD BE LOOKING AT A YEAR OR MORE TO COMPLETE A TREATMENT PLAN. THEREFORE, INCORPORATING IT IN A VERY MANAGEABLE AND SEAMLESS WAY IS CRUCIAL TO YOUR SUCCESS.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, MOST TREATMENT PLANS SHOULD GO AS FOLLOWS

• 1-2 WEEKS ALTERED NEURAL DRIVE
• 1-3 WEEKS ACUTE PAIN RELIEF
• 2-4 WEEKS MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT (BEGINS)
• 4-8 WEEKS ALTERED GAIT
• 6-8 WEEKS CHRONIC PAIN RELIEF
• 3-5 MONTHS STRUCTURAL CHANGES (JOINT ALIGNMENT)
• 6-24 MONTHS STRUCTURAL CHANGES (SPINE REPOSITIONING) 

RE-ASSESSING EVERY MONTH LETS YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND HELPS YOU STAY THERE.

CONSISTENCY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A TREATMENT PLAN. IF YOU AREN'T CONSISTENTLY PERFORMING YOUR EXERCISES AND STAYING ON TOP OF YOUR AMENDED MOVEMENT PATTERNS THEN YOU WILL SLIP BACK INTO THE FAULTY ONES YOU ARE TRYING TO RECTIFY. YES, SOMETIMES THE PLAN IS TEDIOUS AND BORING. YES, YOU WILL GET ANNOYED AND HAVE SETBACKS. YES, IT IS ANNOYING HAVING TO FOLLOW A STUPID TREATMENT PLAN IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE YOU HAVE NAGGING PAIN THAT IS LIMITING YOUR ACTIVITIES AND IMPAIRING YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

HOWEVER, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS TREATMENT PLAN YOU WILL BE STRONGER, MORE AGILE, MORE MOBILE, AND MORE BULLETPROOF THAN EVER. 

BE PATIENT AND STAY DEDICATED. THE GOOD STUFF COMES IN TIME.

WHEN YOU'RE STRUGGLING THROUGH A MOVEMENT, RE-ASSESS IT. WATCH THE VIDEO BACK IN SUPER SLOW MOTION AND TRY TO ASSESS WHAT THE STICKING POINT IS. THEN, TRY AGAIN AND RE-FILM IT UNTIL YOU FEEL SATISFIED WITH YOUR PROGRESS.

IT TAKES AT LEAST AS LONG TO UNLEARN A MOVEMENT AS IT DID TO. PERFECT IT; OFTEN LONGER. THE MORE YOU CAN PRACTICE THE PROPER MOVEMENT THE EASIER IT WILL BE TO IMPLEMENT IT DURING A WORKOUT. PRACTICE USING PROPER MUSCLES IN ALL YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES AND IT WILL HELP YOU IMPROVE A TON FASTER.

ONCE YOU RE-ASSESS AND FIGURE OUT WHICH MUSCLE ISN'T PROPERLY FIRING, DO YOUR BEST TO ISOLATE THAT MUSCLE AND FORCE IT TO WORK. ARRANGE YOU BODY IN POSITIONS THAT FORCE YOU TO REACTIVELY USE THE MUSCLE, OR HOLD THE MUSCLE UNDER TENSION FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME UNTIL YOU REALLY BUILD A BRAIN-BODY CONNECTION WITH IT, AND REALLY FORCE IT TO FIRE. MUSCLES THAT OFTEN CAUSE A GOOD DEAL OF DIFFICULTY ARE THE LATS, THE SERRATUS ANTERIOR, THE INNER HAMSTRINGS,  THE GLUTE MAX, AND THE INTERNAL OBLIQUES.

IT'S EASY TO GET DEFEATED WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE AN EXERCISE ISN'T GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN, OR YOU FEEL LIKE YOU JUST CAN'T GET IT RIGHT. REMEMBER TO BE PATIENT. YOU  DIDN'T COME TO THIS PLACE OVER NIGHT.  IT IS GOING TO TAKE TIME AND PERSISTENCE TO GET DORMANT OR LAGGING MUSCLES UP TO SNUFF.