Mobilize and Move Series: The P.U.M.M.P. Process, First “P”

 What’s up, movers!

Thanks for tuning in to Part 2 of the Mobilize and Move series.  These next several episodes are dedicated to going through each phase of the P.U.M.M.P. Process to enhance mobility, so you have a good grasp on the content and can apply it appropriately to your fit your needs.

The start of this process may seem too simple, but I assure you, it’s monumental.  Consider this quote: “You’re only as solid as what you build on.”  And the “P” of the P.U.M.M.P. Process couldn’t be more aligned with this quote.

“P” stands for Proper Position.

I saw a great Instagram post by Dr. Aaron Horschig of Squat University.  If you haven’t checked out his stuff, you should.  Man is right on!  His post said, “every single lift starts with two simple steps…. A breath and a brace.”

I loved it because it seems so elementary, yet, I know most people don’t understand what bracing is or how they should breathe during exercise.  And not just training, but in everything you do.  I’ve talked about this so many times before, so I wouldn’t be surprised if some of you guessed what this first phase was.

Our position should be kept in constant check to create good movement habits with less restriction, imbalance, or discomfort.

What’s the point of doing on these other mobility techniques if we just undo it all because we’re consistently in bad positions, just reinforcing imbalance and tissue restriction?  

When I mention bracing, most people envision contracting every muscle in their abdomen, turning red, and veins popping out of their forehead.  Better yet, when I say a neutral spine, most stiffen up like a board, as if a neutral spine means straight.

That’s why the first phase of the process is Proper Position.  As I said earlier, in everything you do, we should be conscious of our spinal position.

Why is that important? 

If we do not have a neutral, braced spine, we decrease our stability, limiting force production and leading to muscle imbalance and dysfunction. Further, you mitigate shear forces that can lead to injury.  What are shear forces?  Those are unaligned forces that push the structure in one direction while another force pushes the opposite direction.

Think of a running back getting tackled by defenders from his right and left simultaneously, with the one on the right hitting his upper body and the one on the left taking out his legs.  I think there is an old movie that had a scene like this, and the player’s body was ripped into two pieces for comedic effect.  Though that was a bit dramatic, it paints a picture of shear forces.  Now picture those forces at your lower back.  If you are squatting and start to arch your back, you begin to lose that spinal alignment and increase shear forces, causing the tissue to strain to maintain integrity.  This may lead to injury but will definitely disrupt your ability to produce force.

So what is a neutral spine? 

I mentioned it in my go-to shoulder assessment episode, but to remind you, you want a “stacked” posture, with the ears in line with your shoulder and your shoulders in line with your hips.

But how do we achieve it?  Here’s the problem.  Most people stiffen up like a board to straighten their backs and pull their shoulders back but neglect to notice that they usually arch their lower back and stick their butt out when they do it.  What they have done is exaggerated the neutral spine and put themselves into spinal extension.

We achieve it by understanding how to brace the body so that we are in the proper position for everything we do.

Again, bracing should be done all the time.  When we stand, when we sit, and of course, when we lift.  We want to train the body always to stabilize and support.  If we create those habits, we will see many of our discomforts and movement issues subside. 

Try this as often as you can:

1. Screw your feet into the ground, as if you are trying to turn your feet out.  This creates external torque at the hips, which is vital for stability.  I’ll discuss torque later because the topic is so essential it deserves its own episode.
2. Squeeze your glutes to get your hips in a neutral position
3. Breathe in, then, as you breathe out, engage your abdominals.  I always say, “tummy tight!”  This creates pressure around your spine, increasing stability.  That’s why it is so important to breathe with your diaphragm—more on that in a bit.
4. Finally, you want your shoulders aligned, so with your arms by your sides, turn your hands, so your palms face out, making sure the movement is initiated at the shoulders.  Once your shoulders are aligned, keep them there as you move your hands and arms.

You should feel engaged and stable but relaxed.  This should not make you lightheaded because you are squeezing your muscles so hard.  You should be able to stay engaged and go about your day.  As I am sitting here recording this, I am braced.  It takes a lot of repetition before this because natural, but the only way to get there is to do it often.

Obviously, the intensity of this braced position will change based on what you are doing.  If you are getting ready to squat 200 kilos, then your engagement should be turned all the way up.  But, if you are sitting at your desk typing an email, the engagement will be significantly less. Using the volume analogy, if a max lift is a blaring 10, your daily activities should be 2 or 3.  You should notice it, but it shouldn’t be taxing.  Exercise can range between 4 and 8 but can be cranked up for all our effort.

Here’s where breathing comes in.  As I mentioned, breathing the right way through your diaphragm ensures that we have the intraabdominal pressure necessary for spinal stability and integrity.  Unfortunately, most of us are in bad positions all day, which forces us to take shallow breaths. 

Try it. Slump forward at the shoulders and take a deep breath. You probably felt your breath in your chest.  Now, go through the bracing process and breath in. You’ll notice the breath moves down.  This is diaphragmatic breathing.

So here are some takeaways for you to get started on implanting the Proper Position.

#1: Set a reminder on your phone to go through the bracing sequence five times a day:

• When you wake up
• Mid-morning
• Mid-afternoon
• Evening
• Before bed

Go through the sequence twice, maintaining the position for five breath cycles.  What we are trying to do is create the habit of this position.  If you want to do it more, then go for it!  The goal is to set the foundation and build.  After doing this for several days, you’ll think of it more often, and you can begin to implement the sequence more frequently.  The goal is to do as often as possible.  I’m super aware of my position and am constantly bracing.  It will be difficult to remember at first, but the more you do it, the more habitual it becomes.  Movement Mindset, anyone?

#2: 90/90 Breathing

A great technique to improve diaphragmatic breathing is called 90/90 breathing.  Lie down on the ground on your back, flex your hips and keeps to 90 degrees, and support your lower legs on a couch.  This will put you in the appropriate90/90 position.  Place one hand on your stomach and practice breathing deep, so you feel your stomach rise and fall with every breath.  Focus on slow, controlled breaths.

#3: Crocodile Breathing

With this one, you want to lie down on your stomach and put your arms in front of you so you can rest your forehead on your forearms.  Then, with slow, controlled breaths, inhale deep, so your stomach pushes against the floor, then exhale and let your body sink into the floor.  This is one of my favorites for training diaphragmatic breathing.

Alright, so you have the first phase, the P of the P.U.M.M.P. Process.  Proper Position is the essential first step for effective and efficient mobilization.  Getting in the proper position gets us off the hamster wheel of correcting the same problems.   Like I said earlier, why go through all this trouble mobilizing tissue if we just undo it all because we’re consistently in bad positions just reinforcing imbalance and tissue restriction?  Fix your position so you can make some headway with your mobilization efforts.

Next time, we’re jumping into the next phase of the P.U.M.M.P. process, and you don’t want to miss it! If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast, so you’re the first to hear it as soon as it goes live.  I’d appreciate it!

I also appreciate you listening to this episode and spending some time with me. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!  I look forward to chatting with you soon.

Take care of yourselves and each other, and remember, wherever you are, keep moving.