Movement is incredibly complex, but there's one big overlooked reason for this. Even 2 people with similar mobility restrictions can move differently. But why?

Think your inability to squat deep is because of limited ankles or deep hip sockets?

Think again!

While structure can influence your squat, there are also factors within your control.

This 🧵 will show you how to improve your squat mobility. Hot take.

Squat is a ROTATIONAL exercise.

Let me explain.

If you feel upper back tension or have tight shoulders, then you need to look at your upper back mobility.

Consider this 🧵 the guide. Many know the sides and front of the ribcage expand as we breathe. But did you also know the backside does too?

The upper 6 ribs (dorsal rostral) area moves backward and upward as you inhale.

Foam rollers were all the rage, then fell out of favor.

But for me, they're making a comeback.

Just not in the way they're traditionally used.

This 🧵 contains 5 ways I've been using a foam roller to get MEGA gains with my patients and clients. 1️⃣ Foam roller decompression

This study () showed that sidelying increases front-to-back dimensions. Throw in a foam roller, we may be able to magnify that more.

I've found this useful for improving rotation. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28210033/

2 ankle surgeries. Any dorsiflexion and squatting hurt.

2 exercises, IMMEDIATE change in motion & pain (after trying exercise on his own & conventional rehab)

Here's what we did 👇 🔬 Objective findings - Narrow ISA

Active Straight Leg Raise - 60º per side
Hip ER L 45º R 35º
Hip IR L 40º R 45º

Shoulder flexion L 120º R 125º
ER L 55º R 60º
IR L 40º R 25º

Dorsiflexion L 10 R 5
Plantarflexion L 45 R 35

If your mobility routine has:

❌ Thoracic extension drills
❌ Standing tall with shoulders back

Let me stop you right there ✋

Because you are missing a MAJOR piece that influences neck, upper back, shoulder, scapula, and more.

Check out the 🧵 to learn what it is Because if you've been told that arching over a foam roller is the key to shoulder health...

YOU'VE BEEN DUPED! 😱

You’ve been missing out on LEGIT thoracic spine mobility gains

Anterior pelvic tilt.

Good for cover photos in glamour magazines, but is it an undesirable posture otherwise?

Read this 🧵 to learn. Anterior pelvic tilt (APT) is NOT just to make your daily selfies pop.

Some degree of APT is normal & may help force production.

It’s only a problem if there is an associated motion loss.

But NOT everyone has this posture.

To fix rounded shoulders, should we simply stand up straight & pull our shoulders back all...the...time?

NO!

That's because that does NOT address the biggest contributor to rounded shoulders.

Read this 🧵 to learn what that is. Rarely do we ask:

"Why are rounded shoulders useful?"

This posture keeps the upper airway open because it pushes the head forward, just like when you give someone CPR.

But there are tradeoffs when this posture is all you have.

Improving your ankle mobility can help a TON of movements–squatting deeper, cutting better, walking–but is the answer to ONLY work a bunch of dorsiflexion drills and calf stretches?

NO

This 🧵 explains the major 🔑 to improving your ankle mobility. The ankle dorsiflexes a fair amount depending on context. Up to 16.5º in nonweightbearing and in some cases 34.7º weight bearing!

It's an important motion to have, but there are other things that must happen at the foot-ankle complex to express the full range.

Would you have this person deadlift from the floor?

NO!

This 🧵 will explain why and what you should do instead. If you have very little money, you ideally wouldn't try to buy things that are WAY out of your budget.

You'd want to save up the funds so you can buy what you want to buy.

What does this have to do with deadlifting?

Flat feet.

High arches

They aren't good or bad, just different movement strategies.

But what if that's the ONLY foot shape you have?

What if a high arch can't flatten? Or a flat foot can't arch?

This 🧵 will explain what you should do to improve your foot mobility. During gait, the foot NORMALLY arches and flattens.

Arch = supination

Flat = pronation

Gait has 3 phases:

1. Early stance - supination
2. Mid stance - pronation
3. Late stance - resupination

If you want to improve your overall body mobility and loading capabilities, then learning how to attain the STACK is 🔑

But it's not a posture you force yourself into.

It's a movement strategy that maximizes movement in your body.

This 🧵 will show you the keys to getting it. 1. Head position

This dictates how the rest of the spine moves. Head up will arch. Head down will round.

The 🔑 here is to differentiate eye & head movement. Here's my framework:

1. Standing - horizon
2. Hinging - 5-7 ft
3. Prone - 1-2 ft (switched from slide)

As we breathe, the ribcage changes shape based on air amount.

This influences scapular positioning.

This quick 🧵goes into the scapular mechanics during breathing First, we must know the resting position of the scapula:

1. 11º Anterior tip
2. 41º internal rotation
3. 5º upward rotation

ref - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19181982/

Do you coach belly breathing?

If so...STOP

And that's because the ribs SHOULD move as we breathe.

This 🧵 explains how the ribs move during breathing. There are 2 rib movements during breathing:

1. Pump handle - Mostly the sternum and upper ribs
2. Bucket handle - Mostly lower ribs, though occurs at all.

During inhalation:

1. Pump handle - ribs move forward & upward
2. Bucket handle - ribs move outward & upward

Many people have similar movement restrictions.

Is there 1 exercise that can hit these better than the rest.

I think so!

This 🧵 goes into what that is and why it works. To deal with forces, a common strategy we use is ⬇️ available rotation & pushing our center of mass forward. This ⬆️ stability, but comes at a cost:

Focal force absorption

Areas that contribute to this are the posterior lower pelvis & superficial abs.