The functional Integral Technique is a Revolutionary approach to how you move and exist in your body. We've based the method on recognizing neuro-dysfunction in the human movement system. Through various techniques, we unveil where the body is not functioning optimally and how to correct those patterns of dysfunction.
The initial sessions at HPC will begin by breaking down each of the phases listed below so we have a common dialogue to work with. Depending on where someone is in the pain/movement dysfunction spectrum, we assess and determine how best to move forward so function can be obtained. This allows your body/mind to start to integrate perceived sensitivity to where movements originate.
These 6 phases are how we progress someone into an optimally healthy body.
- Flexibility is the first phase of finding the connection to your core structure and gaining higher function in your overall movement function.
A flexibility practice is a crucial part of the re-education phase in our F.I.T. protocol. One has to unwind the neural loading tension in one muscle group to be able to communicate healthily with another. The brain moves through the path of least resistance to make a movement. This is how dominance patterns begin. Time (high repetition), injury, and traumas are all ways we start to compensate for something. Unless you are aware of your compensatory pattern and you re-teach your body the correct way of moving, you will stay in that dysfunctional pattern of movement. Over time those compensations start to wear down or wear out our soft tissue and bony structures resulting in pain
2. Stability. This is where the integrity of our connective tissue has the health to withstand the forces of our natural movement patterns.
Through time, injury, and other neural tension-loading experiences the integrity of our connective tissue can become compromised resulting in a compensatory pattern. One must become aware of where movement stability originates so optimal movement patterns can be supported.
3. Balance. Balance is the body's ability to maintain a center of gravity with its own base of support.
Inhibited muscle or connective tissue function decreases our brain's ability to know acutely where our bodies are in space. With reduced awareness, we are susceptible to injury and chronic pain syndromes. Gently stressing our body through subtle and not-so-subtle balance exercises, we can stimulate or "wake up" areas that have been "turned off."
4. Mobility is where your brain/body connection is synchronized in a balanced way to have control through a specific range of motion.
Control through an optimal joint range of motion is how we obtain mobility. If you are limited in the range of the movement, because of pain or stiffness, you are in a dysfunctional movement pattern, and something else will have to take over the function of what should be working. The body is amazing in how it supports us through the initial phases of compensation, but it can only perform in that state for so long before it gets tired and whatever is "over" compensating starts to give out resulting in a pain pattern.
5. Strength is where we use resistance training to further our ability to support the posture and healthy movement patterns we are trying to create.
Stimulating our muscles, connective tissues, joints, and nervous system through resistance training; We increase our ability to withstand foreseen and unforeseen forces in our natural environment.
6. Function is where we train the body/brain/nervous system to work optimally. Combining multi-planar movement patterns with strength training on an unstable surface, we prepare the body to be able to safely move outside the "controlled environment" without feeling vulnerable in an integrated way.
The strategic importance of how we lead someone out of movement dysfunction and back to optimal, functional movement is crucial. The starting place will be unique to each individual, however, everyone falls on a spectrum of movement capability and we help each person progress from where they are to the next level of function.