For day 2 we discuss more and more the areas that help support ZOA establishment. Read on comrades.

For day 1, click here

Neutral

Neutral can be described as a position in which certain muscles are disengaged; those that make up chains in the human system (i.e. left AIC, Right BC, right TMCC). It is neutrality that allows us to function out of an unbiased non-lateralized position.

We will never be fully symmetrical because we are neither built as such nor function cortically as such. But being able to be as symmetrical as possible may allow our bodies to function favorably.

Achieving neutrality is only step one in the process. It allows for someone to accept triplanar movement. Once one can reach neutral, then you may teach them how to move with the left and right sides of the body.

Is it possible to be too neutral? The answer is it depends. Mike Cantrell, one of PRI’s instructors, discussed a sprinter he was treating. Mike was able to get him neutral, but once this occurred his times worsened. This result goes back to part 1’s discussion regarding variability. In this case, being neutral, being too parasympathetic, made him slower. We could akin this to almost parasympathetic overtraining.

The crazy thing? This sprinter’s sister had died earlier in a week he was scheduled to see Mike. The guy came in as neutral as could be. His nervous system shifted him towards this state as a way to disengage, thus leading him to difficulty reengaging the requisite sympathetic tone needed for sprinting.

As we can see, there are multiple influences present that can affect one’s body position. Whatever inputs that your nervous system receives will influence system outputs. It could be nociception from a facet, your foot contacting the ground, an altered visual system…

“Or maybe, maybe, maybe, you need a new wife” ~Ron Hruska

PEC-Speak

We talked a little bit about PEC-patterns, which Ron likes to now call bilaterals. This nomenclature means that both sides are relatively symmetrical positionally. When talking about these individuals, much discussion revolves around the pelvic inlet and outlet. But I will save that talk for next month once I attend pelvis 🙂

We also discussed a little bit more regarding the nebulous Hruska adduction lift test with this clientele. And basically, someone who presents with a PEC pattern may not be able to truly alternate until they score 2/5 (bottom-leg can internally rotate) on either side. Any score lower and the low back will likely compensate.

We are Some Families

We spent a great deal of the day discussing the different planar PRI families, which when combined beautifully illustrate the systematic approach this organization utilizes. Here are the families that we go after in order:

1. Sagittal plane (stoplight – help turn off chains): left hamstring, right iliacus, right lower trapezius/tricep, right rectus capitis posterior and obliquus capitis superior, right rectus femoris and sartorius
2. Frontal plane adduction (the organizer – puts us into the opposing chain): Left IC adductor, right psoas major/minor, right serratus anterior, left iliacus
3. Frontal plane abduction (the strength builder): right obturator internus & externus, right abductor/glute med, right upper trapezius, right rectus capitis lateralis, right SCM, left obturator internus and iliococcygeus
4. Transverse plane (Does the work): Right pec major, left pleura, right glute max, left middle trap, right rectus capitis posterior major, Right obliquus capitis inferior and superior, Left lateral pterygoid, Left SCM, left gluteus medius
5. Internal rotation (closes the deal to triplanar function): anterior left glute med, left iliacus, right subscapularis, left serratus anterior, left anterior temporalis, left lateral pterygoid, posterior right glute max, right piriformis, coccygeus, and inferior glute max.
6. Integration (opposition maintainers):  Left transversus thoracis, left abdominals

So the activities that we learn in the basic courses are really just taking pieces of these families to progress movement. These activities are well and good no doubt, but ultimately we want to utilize as many of these muscles as possible.

Take the sagittal plane for example. In the Myokinematic Restoration course we learned specific activities to turn on the left hamstring. Here we only have one sensory input in the family helping us achieve our goal. In more advanced courses, we would perform activities that incorporate many, if not all the muscles in the sagittal family. Progressing in this fashion significantly increases the amount of sagittal input that the brain receives. Summating this input may compel the brain to respond in some way, hopefully quieting down overactive muscle chains and facilitating triplanar movement.

(In)Famous Ron Quotes

• “You can’t stand on both feet. If you could you’d be a corpse.”
• “Do you want GERD? Do I want GERD? I don’t want that.”
• “I kinda think Lady Gaga is cool sometimes. I dressed up.”
• “Physiological is psychological.”
• “It is impossible to have a neutral spine. It’s constantly in fluctuation.”
• “Everything you bring to your body is either used or expelled.”
• “Every time I see a high heel I worry about their enamel.”
• “They’re [people in high heels] oral butt clenchers.”
• “Abduction is Lady Gaga.”

Cantrellisms

• “If we can make you worse, we can make you better.”
• I won’t put some of his famous similes, namely because I can’t remember the context and may steal some of his magic 🙂