{"id":53867,"date":"2016-11-11T07:15:52","date_gmt":"2016-11-11T12:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=53867"},"modified":"2022-04-27T07:15:53","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T11:15:53","slug":"functional-movement-patterns-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/functional-movement-patterns-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ultimate Functional Movement Patterns Trainers Want You to Master"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"7
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Squat, lunge<\/a>, push, pull, hinge, twist, and walk: These make up the seven movement patterns that your body relies on to get ish <\/em>done every day. And not just during a workout. Think about how you pull a box off a shelf, squat down<\/a> to pick something up, or\u00a0walk around all day.<\/p>\n

But these movements have deeper roots in our wellbeing, says holistic coach and certified strength and conditioning specialist\u00a0Jator Pierre<\/a>, CSCS. To get the full picture, you\u2019ve got to go back \u2014 way back. \u201cIf you look at it from an evolutionary perspective, we\u2019d have to use all of these movement patterns<\/a> to survive,\u201d he says. Lunging to hunt, squatting to make a fire, or pushing to throw a spear. Today, life looks, well, very<\/em> different. You probably spend much of your day hunched over at your desk, which compromises your ability to perform these very movement patterns.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The 15 Most Underrated Exercises, According to Trainers<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can\u2019t perform these movements correctly, your body thinks you have a lower ability to survive,\u201d explains Pierre. Obviously, that\u2019s not the case any longer. No one is asking you to spear your dinner when you could just get Whole Foods hot bar tonight. Still, because your body hasn\u2019t yet caught up to modern day times, the inability to correctly move boosts stress<\/a> \u2014 and thus inflammation<\/a>. So, yeah, it\u2019s a big deal.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no time like the present to get these movement patterns on point. How do you fare? Try\u00a0the seven self-assessment tests below, plus get tips to help you\u00a0step your game up.<\/p>\n

7 Functional Movement Patterns to Master STAT<\/h2>\n

1. Squat<\/h3>\n

Test Yourself: <\/strong>Lower into a squat, hips back, knees tracking over ankles and heels planted on the ground. Ideally, you would be able to lower into a full squat<\/a> with your hips almost touching your heels. If you feel joint restriction as you go down, you may have a musculoskeletal imbalance, like tight calves.
\nMake It Better: <\/strong>Put a stability ball behind your back against a wall for support and lower down (it should feel pain-free). Also, tell yourself to \u201csit\u201d instead of \u201csquat,\u201d which can help you maintain the right position throughout the move. (Also check out these seven tips to improve strength, depth and mobility in your squat<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>6 Squat Variations for Total-Body Strength<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Lunge<\/h3>\n

Test Yourself: <\/strong>For the forward lunge<\/a>, step forward with one foot and bend your back knee until it\u2019s almost touching the ground. Are your knees and ankles stable \u2014 or are they shaking around? Does your knee drop in or out away from your body? Are you hunched over and unable to hold your chest or head up? Those are all indications that something is wrong with your lunge.
\nMake It Better: <\/strong>Watch yourself in a mirror to look for the deficiencies above, and practice lowering only half way down. Once you\u2019ve mastered that, you can practice the bottom half of the movement \u2014 then put it all together. Also, be sure to stretch tight hamstrings, glutes and calves on the regular. (For starters, here are 15 stretches you should do every day<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

3. Push<\/h3>\n

Test Yourself: <\/strong>Get into a push-up position, lower your body to the ground and push back up. If you crunch over (head jutting out and shoulders rounding over) or your lower back sags, that\u2019s a sign of lack of stability in your core and weakness in the stabilizing muscles of your back and pelvis.
\nMake It Better: <\/strong>First, work on holding high plank position (the top of your push-up) to build strength and stability. (When in doubt, check out these form tips<\/a>.) From there, you can progress to a variety of push-up modifications \u2014 from wall push-ups<\/a> to knee push-ups<\/a> \u2014 before moving on to your toes.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>This Is How to Do the Perfect Push-Up (Even on Your Knees)<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Functional
Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. Pull<\/h3>\n

Test Yourself: <\/strong>Now, for the ultimate bodyweight challenge: the pull-up. Find a bar at the gym and try a pull-up (palms facing out) or chin-up (palms facing in). Chances are, if strength isn\u2019t an issue, this movement will reveal some postural issues, too. \u201cPeople tend to go into a dysfunctional posture<\/a>,\u201d says Pierre. That means at the top of the movement, shoulders are forward, spine is rounded, head is tucked in. (Not too different than what poor posture looks like seated at your desk.) This, to say the least, is the wrong mechanics, and it can reinforce this \u201chunching\u201d position in your everyday life. Not only can that contribute to back pain, it can also inhibit breathing.
\nMake It Better: <\/strong>Start with other pulling exercises to build strength. For example, do horizontal bar reverse pulls (also called an inverted row). Using a bar that\u2019s close to the ground, lie under the bar with feet straight out in front of you. Grab the bar and pull your chest up to the bar.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> How to Do a Pull-Up (Or Add More Reps)<\/a><\/p>\n

5. Hinge<\/h3>\n

Test Yourself: <\/strong>It\u2019s one of the toughest movements to master, but for that reason it can be the most rewarding. Grab a weighted bar or a dumbbell in each hand and attempt a deadlift<\/a> (here\u2019s how<\/a>). Your feet should be wider than shoulder-distance apart as you hinge forward from your hips with a straight back to pull the weight up from the floor. Many people perform this with straight legs, but your knees should be bent 15 to 20 degrees in order for glutes<\/a> to turn on and support your pelvis and spine, says Pierre. If you don\u2019t feel this move fire up your glutes, your knees aren\u2019t bent enough. It can also reveal a muscle imbalance, most commonly too-strong quads and weak glutes<\/a>.
\nMake It Better: <\/strong>Start by practicing hip extensions on the floor (get on your hands and knees and raise one leg up behind you) to build up glute strength. These five glute bridge variations<\/a> are also worth working into your routine.<\/p>\n

6. Twist<\/h3>\n

Test Yourself: <\/strong>To assess your trunk rotation, start with a bodyweight wood chop. Stand with feet a bit further than shoulder width apart, bending knees slightly and keeping your chest up. Lift arms diagonally across your body toward the ceiling and bring them down to the opposite side of the body. Look at your ankles: Are they stable with feet flat on the floor or does the ball of your foot roll up? Can you maintain proper posture (chest up, spine straight) throughout the move? Do you feel any pain? (You shouldn\u2019t.) If any of these issues rear their ugly heads, a rotational deficiency is likely to blame.
\nMake It Better: <\/strong>First, go for a lateral ball roll. Lay with your back on a stability ball<\/a> with feet wide on the ground, holding a very lightweight bar across your chest. Take one step to the right with your right leg and step in with your left (you should roll slightly to your right). Repeat on the left side. If you feel the stabilizer muscles in your core light up, you\u2019re doing it right.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> The Ab Moves You Aren\u2019t Doing (But Should!)<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Gait<\/h3>\n

Test Yourself: <\/strong>Sure, you walk every day \u2014 but how\u2019s your posture while you do it? Is your head pushing forward from your collarbones? Are your shoulders rounded forward? Walk forward in front of a mirror. Does one foot flare out to the side just a bit? Or do your hips shake from side-to-side (particularly when you run)? That can signal an imbalance, a problem with hip mobility<\/a> or a dysfunction in your core.
\nMake It Better: <\/strong>Awareness is half the battle with this one. As you move through space, draw your attention to bringing your shoulders back, chest up and feet pointed forward with each step.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Is Your Mobility Holding You Back? The Functional Movement Screen<\/a><\/p>\n

Making Every Movement Count<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Since these essential movement patterns have such deep roots in your health and how you feel every day, Pierre suggests going back to the basics. He recommends Paul Chek\u2019s book, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!<\/em><\/a> because it provides additional tests you can take, such as a stretching and core test. By relearning how to move properly, not only will you help protect your body from injury, you\u2019ll take strides toward reducing undue stress and inflammation. We\u2019ve only got one body \u2014 so why not make moves to treat it right?<\/p>\n

Not a Daily Burn member? Sign up at\u00a0dailyburn.com<\/a>\u00a0and start your free 30-day trial today.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You think you know how to move \u2014 but you have no idea. See how you fare on the seven functional movement patterns, and where you need to step your mobility up. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":71,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,14],"tags":[32,206,281,145,341,343,154,99],"class_list":["post-53867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-bodyweight","tag-mobility","tag-strength-training","tag-stretching","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-training","tag-weightlifting"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/71"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53867"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53867\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}