When I first started functional patterns the same way any new client comes to me, it is the best way to describe it, overwhelming.
It’s overwhelming in the sense of that, I feel like a stranger in my own skin. So perfect example, the best way would describe functional patterns is looking at fundamentals from every dimension period.
You walk everyday right?
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, mid stride while walking:
“What are the fundamental principals that allows me to move like this as a bipedal human creature?”
That’s a strange thought to have for sure but its a thought of great self awareness to the fundamental ways your body moves.
The important thing to take away here is:
You desk walking period. Question for you how many of you walk on a daily basis period if any of you answered? No, unless of extenuating circumstances, I’m going to take a guess that we all walk. Correct period. Now let me ask you another question.
Have yours. Have you ever stopped and asked yourself? How are the muscles helping me walk and literally pause mid-stride and feel out with the muscles are doing period. That’s essentially what functional patterns does. Is it takes you to the fundamentals and get to the deepest root of how our body functions period?
Now you may laugh and say walking what do you talking about? Well let me tell you from personal experience and also experience as a trainer thus far, I will never look at walking the same and any movement for that matter period.
I will never look at walking the same, or any movement for that matter.
Todd Mueckenheim aka Skippy Dynamite
So you start thinking to yourself, what else don’t I know about the most fundamental things like basic movement?
So, let’s take grappling for example, right? So if walking is a fundamental movement then grappling is definitely considered as more more of an advanced level of movement.
I can’t help but laugh at myself from my experience as a grappling teacher and now I wish I could speak to some of my first time students.
There was this one particular student who came to me one day when I was teaching the triangle choke technique and he was like: “yeah, no problem”.
You just got a scoop, grab the shin lock, the leg up. Make sure you have the angle at, just the right place and you’ll get it.
Needless to say later on down the road, he told me:
“Hey coach, remember that one day when you taught me the triangle choke? I won’t lie to you; I was completely an utterly confused.”
Which now from my new perspective I realize that, yeah, that’s because a movement like that is complicated and there’s a lot of different motions happening .
Now, if you’re let’s say a very athletic person or advanced Jiu Jitsu practitioner you might scoff at this, right?
But hear me out, we’re always preaching learning the fundamentals, right?
And that can carry over into your business, you’re livelihood, your family relationships.
This is why I enjoy functional, patterns thoroughly because it gives you a lens to look deeper.
That is why I believe functional patterns is a value to anyone of any age.
Because if you believe that the pain that you’re feeling is irreversible,
I would contest that with the right mindset and looking at something from multiple dimensions,
you two can find yourself pain free and then asking for how much more capable can you be with your own body?
