#FAQF... "Umm.. what? You want me to roll around on the floor? What the heck is the point of this?"

#FAQF… “Umm.. what? You want me to roll around on the floor? What the heck is the point of this?”…Remember a few weeks ago when I posted about how important breathing correctly is? Well hopefully you have been practicing and are now ready for stage two.  

 

Rolling. 

 

Go ahead. Try it.  

 

Lie on the floor. Hands up over your head. Legs straight. Using only one arm, try and get your entire body to roll over. Stop! Don’t use your other hand or your legs! You can only use the muscles of the one arm. Did you do it? Can you roll back over? Try the other arm. Now one leg. Now the other leg. 

 

What did you find? Easy? Hard? Arms vs Legs? Right vs Left? Interesting…

 

So why is this important? Rolling is the first large scale gross motor skill that human beings accomplish and it is a key to motor development for both reflexive and intentional movement patterns.  The action requires coordination and appropriate timing of muscular engagement of your upper body, lower body, and core in a multiplanar fashion.  It requires motor planning, righting responses, control, balance, proprioception, and so so much more. All of these skills are fundamental for dynamic movement which is why I spent a few hours helping a little 7month old learn to roll this week (yes, I treat babies too).

 

Rehab specialists often lose the forest for the trees and neglect to consider factors outside of the single plane musculoskeletal world.  Sure ROM and MMT can give you some insight but look at how much we can observe the quality during rolling.  This gives me a much more wholistic and comprehensive view into your functional capability.  And after all, isn’t that what we are hoping to accomplish? Functional Freedom? 

 

If you are someone that seems to always have one body part not feel quite right despite working out regularly and doing your home exercise program, it might be time to dig a bit deeper.  Your standard exercises will no doubt help you get stronger, but most will not challenge your body in a multidimensional way thus having minimal impact on your overall motor control i.e. quality human movement. There is a reason the strongest player usually isn't the best athlete on the team. So do NOT stop strengthening, but DO strengthen smarter.  

 

Check out www.functionalmovementsystems.com to help you find a qualified specialist or look into Gray Cook.  He is the rolling guru!!

 

Now lets Rock n’ Roll.  Happy Weekend! 

 

Anique Walters