article on PNF, thanks Bode!

[DavidCC]

In another thread Mr. Bode posted a link to this article:
http://www.sportsci.com/SPORTSCI/JAN...ing_system.htm

and I found these quotes to be very intersting:

Probably the most neglected aspect of PNF by coaches is the employment of specific patterns of joint and limb movement to recruit and condition muscles in the most efficient or appropriate manner. ... The importance of these patterns cannot be overestimated, since they can enhance the effectiveness of any training session.

index set anyone?

PNF offers an enormous repertoire of patterns including those for sitting; sitting up; sitting up and rotating; standing; kneeling; crawling; raising the head; moving the arms from above to below and vice versa; raising and lowering the legs; moving the trunk in flexion, extension and rotation; and raising or lowering the body. There are distinctive patterns for actions with straightened limbs, flexed limbs and extended limbs.

patterns vs a right punch, a left punch, 2 punches, a punch and a kick, a push, a grab, a push and a grab with a punch LOL

Positions and postures are an integral part of the use of PNF patterns. The body and its limbs have to be held in carefully prescribed postures, with the joints and limbs maintained in certain positions or moved from position to position to establish stability of some systems and mobility of others in order to enhance neuromuscular development and safety.

sounds familiar...

Normal timing or pacing refers to the timing of the phases of a movement or series of movements which occur naturally in an uninjured, healthy person carrying out a prescribed activity efficiently and safely. The optimal timing of each phase of any movement is vital for all neuromuscular conditioning, functional strength development and perfection of motor skill.

speed kills technique.

... it is not incorrect to employ patterns of movement which may deviate significantly from those stipulated in PNF. . . . There are times when forceful or rapid movements have to be executed with the distal extremities far from the relevant joints, thereby imposing large torque on these joints. . . . .
As in engineering, one must plan for a certain safety factor which allows the athlete to manage even larger forces than those which may be encountered in competition. For example, a safety factor of 1.2 means that a system can cope with a maximal loading of 0.2 or 20% greater than normally expected. The appropriate use of heavy supplementary resistance training ('cross training') can be especially valuable in this regard, provided that it does not alter the neuromuscular patterns needed in the given sport . . . .
Far too many athletes believe that increase in strength and bodymass will automatically protect them from injury. If one executes a movement in an inefficient manner or reacts too slowly to produce adequate force, then even gigantic strength or structural bulk can be inadequate to prevent injury.

unless you have a stabilizing, correcting or enhancing Mechanism for creating Alignment in the Body ??

Firstly, it is sometimes desirable to deviate from strict PNF principles to achieve a specific goal. Secondly, there are other movement disciplines such as Feldenkrais, Alexander, yoga, Tai Chi and Laban which offer invaluable additional methods of conditioning the body. Thirdly, PNF might not only involve neuromuscular processes, since contractile activity in a muscle may be facilitated by local after-discharge of the same muscle. Fourthly, the PNF repertoire includes methods which may not be classified accurately as proprioceptive, such as cognitive, perceptual and other sensory mechanisms. Finally, the term Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation is too technically daunting for the average coach or athlete...

...or Sensei?

[Bode]

The article is really fantastic and shouldn't be overlooked. I find this is the best summary of PNF for training purposes. I'm sure there are great textbooks and such out there, but in 15 min you can get the general idea (aside from it being technical).

Hope everyone enjoys it. DavidCC seems to have found a few of the hidden gems.

In case anyone is wondering... Doc uses PNF extensively in lecture and application. In fact, it's a major technical component of SL4.

[DavidCC]

In fact, it's a major technical component of SL4.

I didn't realize how much this is true until I read this article... now I've got more reading to do

[Doc]

Cut the crap, you guys know I'm crazy. Many kenpo people say that all the time. There' s no real science in kenpo, just the study of motion. Where's the double blind study?

I can't believe I've been publicly talking about this for over a couple of decades, and you guys have to find some dumb article and blow my cover.

The bigger question is how instructors separate a physical activity from body mechanics, and substitute unstructured "motion."

[Bode]

The bigger question is how instructors separate a physical activity from body mechanics, and substitute unstructured "motion."

It's the difference between a personal trainer at your local gym and the high end, sports specific trainers who's every waking moment is spent studying a specific physical activity. Learning from the local gym PT is enough for most people and yields good results. Seeking out the Olympic caliber trainer will cost time much more time and money, in addition to the potential ego thumping.

Hell, there is a guy who developed a whole training program for teaching people how to run properly. Why? Because the government of Russia asked him to come up with a definitive "how to run". He figured there was plenty of information out in the open, but to his surprise most people just ran. No one taught them. No one coached them. And you know what? They almost always ran incorrectly. Some called him a quack and said their is no proper way to run. Now the US Triathlon team uses the Pose running method. Who woulda thunk it?

Does running the old way get you by? Yes. Does it provide a solid foundation? Yes. Is it the best... nope. sorry. Not biomechanically as sound.

Somehow, someway, martial "arts" have, in general, been excluded from biomechanics. Mabye the "art" gets in the way and let's peoples opinions filter into a place where none should be allowed.

[Doc]

It's the difference between a personal trainer at your local gym and the high end, sports specific trainers who's every waking moment is spent studying a specific physical activity. Learning from the local gym PT is enough for most people and yields good results. Seeking out the Olympic caliber trainer will cost time much more time and money, in addition to the potential ego thumping.

Hell, there is a guy who developed a whole training program for teaching people how to run properly. Why? Because the government of Russia asked him to come up with a definitive "how to run". He figured there was plenty of information out in the open, but to his surprise most people just ran. No one taught them. No one coached them. And you know what? They almost always ran incorrectly. Some called him a quack and said their is no proper way to run. Now the US Triathlon team uses the Pose running method. Who woulda thunk it?

Does running the old way get you by? Yes. Does it provide a solid foundation? Yes. Is it the best... nope. sorry. Not biomechanically as sound.

Somehow, someway, martial "arts" have, in general, been excluded from biomechanics. Mabye the "art" gets in the way and let's peoples filter into a place where none should be allowed.

That was a great politically correct answer, and way to kind when it comes to martial arts. At least most personal trainers actually have some real training.