Category Archives: stability

When It Becomes Sensory

Feels

In my athlete days, which ended about 15 years ago, the goal was to NOT feel and just complete the tasks put to paper.  It was something I was given or sought out — “more” was agreed upon by all… Read more ›

Christine
awareness, brain, control, coordination, developmental, environment, identity, learning, load, Mental, mobility, motor control, observe, pain, pelvic floor, perspective, Physical, physical education, pressure, problem solving, relationships, school system, spine, stability, technique, tension

A Different Way to Use, Train, & Treat the Knee (Part 3)

3.2

Part 1 of this series explained how knee should not be used as a load-bearing joint. Part 2 showed how pressuring the knee can help build safety, alignment, and desired force at the desired time.  This third and final segment… Read more ›

Christine
acl, Adarian Barr, ankles, arches, calf, compression, coordination, foot, hamstrings, heel, hips, knees, pressure, problem solving, rotation, shins, squat, stability, technique, tibia, toes

A Different Way to Use, Train, & Treat the Knee (Part 1)

20240203 090559

There are three hinges on the feature photo door.  It’s a strong front door, solid and meant to take some battering.  The cheaper, lighter, all-have-problems-closing-and-opening doors inside the house have only two hinges.  Weight-load divided by two, or weight-load divided… Read more ›

Christine
acl, assessment, back pain, calf, down leg, extension, feet, flexion, glutes, gravity, hamstrings, heel, hip extension, hips, joints, knees, pain, pelvic floor, Physical, pressure, problem solving, relax, shins, squat, stability, technique, tension, tibia, toes, up leg

To Twist or Not To Twist

Twist

Torsion.  We all have it: a particular line of twist running through our carriage, gripping us in a certain way and keeping us upright.  Each fold and joint tells its story, whether you realize it or not.  It’s how we… Read more ›

Christine
compression, control, coordination, core, down leg, extension, feeling, flexion, hamstrings, heel, hinge, hip extension, hips, joints, knees, load, locomotion, Mental, mobility, motor learning, movement, neck, observe, pelvic floor, pelvis, perspective, posture, power, pressure, problem solving, reflexes, relax, ribs, rotation, spine, sprint, squat, stability, technique, tension, tibia, toes, up leg, xiphoid

All the Taboos in One Post

20231009 125811

  This feature photo shows an unstaged photo of the top drawer of my filing cabinet in my locker room office.  Note the bounty of certain items (that aren’t snacks).  Shorts, pads, some extra underwear — all tell tale signs… Read more ›

Christine
Adarian Barr, anxiety, assessment, awareness, bladder, compression, down leg, jump, motor control, pees, pelvic floor, pelvis, pressure, problem solving, relax, stability, technique, tension, up leg, xiphoid

Why the Bricks Are Genius

Bricks

While walking through the streets of Europe last Spring, Adarian Barr wondered why his feet felt so good.  He traced it back to the cobblestones.  The lift, the variability, the multiple points of potential folding.  This was the impetus behind… Read more ›

Christine
Adarian Barr, ankles, arches, feet, fifth metacarpal, foot, gravity, isometric, joints, load, motor learning, movement, pinky, rotation, shins, squat, stability, technique, tension, tibia, toes

Calming an Irritation (Fixing a Foot-Hip)

Jenga

This post serves as a follow up to: A Path Towards Harm.  Otherwise titled: The things I did wrong when I didn’t pay attention or have compassionate patience.   The tag to this blog used to read, “fix yourself.”  But… Read more ›

Christine
abduction, ankles, arches, assessment, awareness, balance, compression, concepts, connection, control, coordination, core, dorsiflexion, elbows, feet, glutes, hamstrings, heal, hips, joints, knees, learning, mobility, motor control, motor learning, movement, Nicole Uno, pain, pelvis, perspective, posture, problem solving, relax, ribs, rotation, scapula, shins, shoulder, squat, stability, technique, tension, toes

A Path Towards Harm

Eggsmash

Some context.  I have been learning to be sensitive to signals of and mitigate pain for about a decade now.  My training revolves around feeling things out, noticing any off-ness, spending some time and attention there, and finishing the session… Read more ›

Christine
anxiety, assessment, compression, connection, feeling, feet, foot, glutes, hamstrings, heal, knees, learning, load, Mental, pain, pelvis, perspective, power, problem solving, reflexes, shortfoot, squat, stability, tension

Knee Findings: Hinges and Rotation

Kneepistol

  Joint ‘popping’ is a curious thing.  It alarms without hurting.  Especially when you realize it wasn’t there before.  You notice something is different when you do that particular thing in that particular way.  The different becomes ‘less than’ when… Read more ›

Christine
acl, ankles, balance, extension, feet, hamstrings, hip extension, hips, joints, knees, lunge, motor learning, movement, pain, Physical, problem solving, rotation, squat, stability, technique, tibia, toes

The World of Fighting Monkey (part 2)

Fighitngmonkey2

Engaging with your work demands a certain degree of ownership.  There must be a benefit to the challenge presented, beyond just a hard-to-apply confidence.  A task can serve as a test of will, a test of adaptability, and/or a test… Read more ›

Christine
brain, concepts, conditioning, control, coordination, creativity, fighting monkey, goals, joints, Mental, mobility, motor control, motor learning, movement, perspective, physical education, play, problem solving, stability, technique, tension, workshop

The World of Fighting Monkey (part 1)

Fmfeature

Doing without knowing.  Playing, creating, learning.  Adjusting and adapting.  Describing Fighting Monkey is an act in organizing verbs.  Everything overlaps and intertwines and is a wonder.  The only certainty you are left with is that you have experienced something good… Read more ›

Christine
awareness, balance, beginning, coaching, concepts, conditioning, confidence, control, cooperation, coordination, core, creativity, developmental, dynamic, environment, feet, fighting monkey, grips, knees, Mental, mobility, motor control, motor learning, movement, perspective, Physical, play, problem solving, relax, rotation, stability, technique, tension, workshop

A Purpose and Description of Exploratory Movement

Maps

“I’m going to explore the depths of the ocean.” “You’re gonna what?” “I’m going to get into this magical pressure suit, close myself off to the known world, and look for cool stuff.”   “Why would you want to do… Read more ›

Christine
assessment, awareness, concepts, confidence, control, coordination, creativity, mobility, motor learning, movement, perspective, play, problem solving, stability, technique, tension

Learning Acrobatics and Developing Elasticity

Acro

Movement overlaps. Brain work = joint work = speed, power, strength, and coordination work.  We have structures and we have capacities.  Our practice establishes the abilities of both.  There is a general consensus that if your parts work better you’ll… Read more ›

Christine
balance, control, coordination, dynamic, gravity, hamstrings, hands, mobility, motor learning, movement, Physical, reflexes, scapula, shoulder, stability, technique, tension, throw, wrists

Dynamic Movement as An Extension of Control

Speedcars

Body control is all the rage.  A popular want is increasing active range of motion.  People want to get there so they can do stuff there.  Functional Range Conditioning uses slow, controlled movement to examine individual joints, build capacity in… Read more ›

Christine
balance, concepts, control, coordination, creativity, dynamic, frc, joints, mobility, motor learning, movement, Physical, power, reflexes, stability, technique, tension