Super Human Performance Is Possible
Just another WOD. This time though something feels different. Earlier in the day you had a Functional Therapy Session for your "Niggley Shoulder" as it was limiting your progress and performance. You got way more than you expected. This FEELING now is unreal. You feel SUPER HUMAN. So what happened?
Is This Real?
This was surely some kind of voodoo witchcraft! Nope. Just functional neurology. Assessing the body in a systematic way understanding how it moves and what it does, aswell as what it doesn't like, the practioner begins gathering an understanding of where you are at. You see. The BRAIN has one priority. Survival. So if it percieves a threat. Your body will do what ever the brain wants.
Nothing Changes Until Your Brain Does
If you find yourself stuck, limited in range, maybe you are not able to perform as well as you want! Let's say you simply can't open your shoulders enough, snatches, muscle ups, handstands they all suffer. You stretch and stretch, nothing changes.
It's all about protection
In your assessment the practitioner shows you exactly why. Your anterior muscles are weak and your rotator cuff muscles have "locked" causing a problematic shoulder as it simply can't hold your arm in place central in the shoulder socket. All these tight muscles are doing is protecting you...though it might not feel like it.
Finding the solution
You place your hand softly over the front of the shoulder and you are asked to hold strong with your arm extended in front of you testing your chest. It was previously weak. You couldn't hold it. Now, it's super strong. Something has been found that when corrected will resolve everything else in the shoulder. The practitioner explains how there are generally 4 ligaments around the shoulder that can commonly cause this, he stretches one and again tests the chest...everything is strong. He stretches another one of the 4, and now, things are weak.
Solution Found, Now Treatment
He tests a few more times, noting the changes. Ending in a stretch of two ligaments and the practioner hitting a reflex, correcting the faulty movement pattern. You are asked to perform a movement that normally is a challenge on the shoulder. You find it comfotable. You stand up moving the shoulder, wondering what has happened. How does that feel so much better? Neuro Science.
Your body is optimised
You now are receiving the correct information. Your body is optimised. You can now perform better. The brain no longer perceives a threat. And that's right you Feel Super Human.
