I am struggling to explain clearly to clients what it is that I want them to do when performing the crook bracing screen. Has anyone got a simple way of explaining this that the clients understand each time.
The crook lying brace is more of a progression as part of an exervise continuum rather than a direct screen, but i know what you mean (sorry to be pedantic!).
the great verbal and visual queues are:
Imagine someone is about to punch you in the stomach, cough, sneeze, imagine your were performing a No 2.
In addition, you need to tell them to suck in their pelvic floor and also it helps for them to know they shouldnt allow their abnomen to raise or hollow (draw in) when they are bracing.
Lastly, ensure they do the reps and sets when they are holding and NOT holding their breath.
that may be be more thna you asked for, belt and braces as they used to say!!
Thanks for that, I am still a bit confused was there something on the training about checking they were evenly bracing on each side - or had I gone into info overload by then!
Also the crook bracing is listed on the main screening form, if its a progressive exercise which I understand do we do the check with the initial screening or not?
Thanks for all your help with this, just trying to get it straight in my head.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by some of these question to be honest and i want to make sure we get the right information to you. do you have time to call us in the office tomorrow (Wednesday 16th Jan or even thursday)? either Rach or i can chat to you.
Thanks for that, I will try to skype this morning, I am in France so phonecalls are expensive. I think your and Rach's skype addresses are on the main website contacts.
Guys, if we can deal with questions on this forum so everyone can learn from them thats the ideal, but if we do need to skype to get clarity on particular questions, we're more than happy to do that too.
I have to say that for me as a Pilates teacher, the term brace in my mind equals maximal contraction of the muscles, in my training i have understood that stability should be a sub maximal contraction of the core muscles (with no one muscle working harder than another?) pelvic floor definitely included in this. I'm sure you hear this a lot Martin? :)
Yes absolutely Tor. Different professions and different languages makes life for the exercise professional more diffficult than it really needs to be!
Bracing should really be defined as sub maximal or maximal, because it can be either, it should always be combined with pelvic floor engagement and as soon as they have the capacity to engage or fire up TVA and multifudus, as you rightly say, all muscles should be engaged 'equally' - whether it be max or sub max. And of course clients need to be able to do both max and sub max contractions (high and low threshold training).
