<h2><b>What Does The Term 'Weak' Mean Anyway?</b>  </h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In our industry we are taught that if something is weak we should strengthen it, right?</span>   <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet here we discuss the true definitions of weak and the term injury and maybe we shouldn’t take these words too literally.</span>  </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">First we should consider what is CAUSING the apparent ‘weakness’?</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Because often weakness doesn’t want strength work immediately. It may require some preparation first, to enable its capacity for strength work and improve the effectiveness of the strength training. </span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This can make both subtle and huge differences in terms of how our clients perform and feel. </span>  </p>
<h2> </h2>
<h2><b>But How Do We Know What Is Causing The ‘Weakness’? </b>  </h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let me let you into a secret that altered my whole view of the complexities of the human body and improved my confidence and coaching model in application…..</span>   <span style="font-weight: 400;">...no one </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">knows!</span></i>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">HAHAHAHAHA Yes its true NO ONE </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">KNOWS!!</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At least not until they TRY something and see a change in performance of movement or strength. (<a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/ever-heard-of-occams-razor/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">see Occam’s Razor Blog</a>) </span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ok bear with me and let me explain…</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We can use our FMS screens or biomechanics tests or sit and reach or 1 Rep Max BUT these only identify WHAT and we want to know WHY, right?</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember back while learning your level 2 &amp; level 3 qualifications and we were taught generic stuff like:</span>  </p>
<ul>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">If it's short, lengthen it</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">If it's weak strengthen it</span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do squats for legs </span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bench for chest </span></i></li>
<li><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hamstrings start at the tibia and finish at the ischial tuberosity </span></i>  </li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do you also remember any of my past blogs that encouraged you to challenge everything?</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ok well in the education world (amongst other environments) it is recognised that if you are not ready to receive information, for whatever reason, its a tough deal comprehending and maybe, therefore, understanding complex subjects like </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">how the body works.</span></i>  </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the beginning of every workshop/lecture/course or day of delivery, I will always ask my group </span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">‘</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Why are you here? What is it you want to gain?</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">”</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most common response is….</span>   <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">‘I want a deeper understanding of how the body works</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">’.</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then we re-learn L2/3 anatomy and vocabulary BUT we add in the concept of challenging what we </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">heard</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the first time.  </span>  </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><b>What Am I Getting At?</b>  </h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ok lets explore layered learning here and give you a better understanding of what I mean.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">At L2/3 when we hear the term ‘weak’ we </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">hear</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that it needs strengthening. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, when we get out there into the world of actually working with real bodies we realise this doesn't always work. We might also wonder if something else is going on… right? So let’s consider what the term ‘weak’ actually means in relation to the human body….</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Definition from the internet…</span>  </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Weak:</b> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">lacking the power to perform physically demanding tasks; having little physical strength or energy</span></i> <span style="font-weight: 400;">frail</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">feeble</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">puny</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">fragile</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">delicate</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">weakly</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now let us consider some of the intrinsic things that can result in our client’s </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">appearing </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">‘weak’ in the realms of our specific remit..?</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tight Muscle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inhibited Muscle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Subclinical Muscle Spasm</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stiff Joint</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lax Joint</span></li>
<li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tethered Nerve</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How many of the above require ‘strength’ training to address them? None of them!</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If it’s tight, the muscle cannot contract in the way it’s supposed to. So </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">appears</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> weak.</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If there is a subclinical muscle spasm it has </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">forgotten</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> how to fully contract and relax and so </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">appears</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> weak.</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If the muscle cannot contract properly, then attempting to strengthen it will have limited or zero effect.</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Think of your client who has ‘weak glutes’, and yet no matter how much strengthening you do, the glutes don’t seem to improve.</span>  </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once you know what’s causing the glutes to be ‘weak’ and you address that, the glutes suddenly, as if by magic, start working. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chances are if they haven’t been working for a while, they will need strengthening but at least now they can actually be strengthened.</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it’s important that you as the coach know and understand the WHY, behind your clients' movement issues. Then, and only then, can you truly take their results to the next level.</span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of course strength training is often ultimately the goal for a PT programme. However, there is often a preparation period to improve the chances of that strength work due to the ‘state’ many clients come to us in. </span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once their body is prepared THEN strength work is likely to a). Be more effective b). Reduce risk in the future </span>  </p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ok so shall we challenge other commonly used and possibly ambiguous terms that we are taught at L2/3 but should probably challenge in application. </span>   <span style="font-weight: 400;">So the real question is HOW, how do we test for those things I mentioned?</span>  </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well there are a whole series of screens that we teach on our 2 day pelvic biomechanics workshop. So I would obviously highly encourage you to jump on that, and if you would like to find out more, <a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/pelvic-biomechanics-workshops/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">then just click here and get in touch.</a> In fact here are the upcoming dates:</span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><b>Scotland Aug 2nd/3rd/4th Pelvic &amp; Spine Biomechanics Workshop</b></p>
<p><b>Nottingham Aug 10th/11th Pelvic Biomechanics Workshop</b></p>
<p><b>London Aug 29th/30th Pelvic Biomechanics Workshop</b>    </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Start With Project Squat</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you aren’t ready for that straight away, <a href="https://biomechanicseducation.clickfunnels.com/project-squat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">then check out Project Squat, just click here. It’s a FREE series</a>, all based around the squat, teaching you some of the screens and exercises we teach on the diploma. </span>  </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Next Week - Injury</h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next week I am going to talk to you about another common misunderstanding that is sooooooo important for us as exercise professionals… Injury.</span>   <span style="font-weight: 400;">So make sure you come back next week to see that one.</span>  </p>
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<h2>Would You Like To Be Able To Reduce Your Clients Risk Of Injury &amp; Help Them Get Even Better Results?</h2>
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<p>Then <a href="https://biomechanicseducation.clickfunnels.com/biomechanics-coach-l4-low-back" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">click here to find out more about our Biomechanics Coach Diploma</a> and how it could help you become an even better personal trainer. Our diploma now includes a Level 4 Low Back Pain Qualification as well!</p>
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