2 Questions about Warrior Wellness intermediate

[Matt Schwartz]

Hi there,

I am digging the WW program but I have 2 questions: one theoretical and one practical.

Theoretical question:
In the spinal flexion/extension/rotation exercises in WW intermediate one bends and twists the spine simultaneously. This spinal torsion is said to be "bad" by many "authorities". It works great for me and gets the kinks out very well but, to explain it to others I would like more logic to back it up than that "it feels great; try it you'll like it." My explanation is threefold:
1) It is torsion, but with no added load so the spine is strong enough to handle it if it's largely healthy.
2) It gets the kinks out because it moves the spine in ways that it doesn't get moved often.
3) Torsion happens in daily life so it's important to train for some "unsafe" movements and ROM so that you can deal with them when they pop up.
Any comments on all this?

Practical question:
I like WW and joint mobility exercises in general for greasing me up and getting my energy going in the AM. However, I find that doing the 4 corner balance drill at the end of WW does the opposite for me. It is static and seems to tire me out a bit, brings my energy back down, and tightens my hip flexors up pretty good when done. I have to do some more dynamic stretches, especially for my hip flexors and glutes after the 4CBD to counteract this sort of tiring/de-energizing effect. It is the only exercise in WW that does this to me.
So, any comments on this one?

Thanks very much for your time. You guys rock!
Matt

[Scott Sonnon]

Matt,

Could you please state the specific source of this argument? No reason to answer the wrong question.

In the initial stages of Warrior Wellness, the FCBD is so challenging that it can lead to a 'training effect'. Choke back on height of the leg, and duration in any one position.

[Jay76]

'training effect'.

What do you mean???? :roll:

[Scott Sonnon]

Jason,

Most people think that the FCBD is a strength building exercise. However, the goal is to release tension through Performance Breathing, continuous movement and structural alignment. As a result, many people experience FCBD as a pseudo- dynamic tension exercise like a "pistol"

[Matt Schwartz]

Matt,
Could you please state the specific source of this argument? No reason to answer the wrong question.

Hi coach,
I wasn't making an argument but I was asking a question and making an observation. I was probably vague in my questioning so I'll be more specific.

If you are referring to my first question then I'll rephrase it as "if spinal torsion is generally a 'bad thing to do' then why is it ok in Warrior Wellness?" The source of that question is based on the teachings of Pavel Tsatsouline, Steve Maxwell, Paul Chek, as well as others. Please note that I am a fan of this movement as performed in WW and just trying to understand it.

If you are referring to my observation about the 4CBD having a de-livening effect on my movement at the end of WW, then that's based on my own experience having done WW for 3 months. But you are correct, I do treat it more like a dynamic tension exercise with performance goals. It just seems to me that standing and holding one pose for 10 seconds (total of 50 seconds for 5 poses each leg) makes my body kind of wind down rather than wake up in contrast to the relaxed vigor of the other movements. My question would be "how do I keep the liveliness when going through 4CBD?"
Hope this refers to what you were asking. Thanks!

Matt

[Jay76]

Coach

Thats true. The endurance needed to hold the positions, espically in the feet and holding one's leg up is tough, since myself cannot bring up leg up that high, i just concentrate on holding the position while again concentrating on my breathing, trying to breath through the movement.

[JasonE]

Matt -

With regards the 4CBD:

I often do the 4CBD right after my hip circles. Then I continue with the rest of the Intermediate series and end nice and loose. See if that solves it for you.

[Matt Schwartz]

Jason, you're reading my mind. That's what I was thinking of doing after writing this thread. Putting the drill more near the beginning of the lower body work. Thanks for the tip!
Matt

[Connie Brown]

Might sound kind of weird but what I do to un-tense the 4CBD is forget the leg and think about relaxing everything else.

It might sound weird - if you ignore the leg won't it fall down? but, no. It's amazing how much all-over tension I discover this way.

[Jarlo Ilano]

Matt,

The "danger" of combined spinal movements is situation and individual specific. Blanket, generalized statements like "don't twist and bend at the same time ever", are always going to have holes in them.

Here is a little information on the benefit of combined movements, I wrote awhile ago (and I realize that maybe I should update...)

http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/f...pic.php?t=2632