In the 3D Movement Analysis and Performance System (3DMAPS), there are 6 primary movements that drive the entire body into (and out of) 6 vital Transformational Zones. These provide the foundational analysis movements that then can be tweaked to provide a systematic training and/or treatment progression. These movements, called Chains, can be modified to shift from a plane emphasis to a single movement 3D emphasis depending on the client, their activities, and the goal of training.
When the goal is to lengthen and load the fascial connections throughout the entire body, it is relatively easy, based on the Principles of Applied Functional Science, to create movements using the same strategy of legs, arms, and head drivers. The subject of this blog is movements that create tension/lengthening in a spiral fashion from the toes to the fingertips. These specific movements are called Rotational Spirals. Consistent with the 3DMAPS nomenclature, the lunges utilized are in the transverse plane: Same Side Rotational and Opposite Side Rotational. The specific arm swings/reaches that are combined with the rotational lunges are designed to lengthen the soft tissues around the body while maximizing the vertical distance between the lunging foot and the reaching hand. The Rotational Spirals can either focus on the stance leg or the lunging leg.
The Rotational Spiral movements, like the Diagonal movements, use a single arm driver, as a tweak to the bilateral arms swings in the foundational chains of 3DMAPS. Which arm is chosen as the driver will be determined by whether the movement is directed towards the stance leg or the lunge leg. The arm not being used as the driver can be pre-positioned to create additional lengthening and loading. Since the movements create tension in a spiral pattern, the lengthening will occur in the anterior aspect of the leg and the posterior aspect of the back and arm (or vice versa). Since these movements are based on principled strategies, the important relationships between the trunk and the pelvis in the transverse plane are same as the Diagonal movements. Whenever the movements are focused on the stance leg, the trunk and pelvis rotate in the same direction. The trunk and pelvis will rotate in the opposite direction in the transverse plane if the connections between the lunge leg and the arm are being targeted.
As stated above, the lunges are the transverse plane Same Side Rotational and Opposite Side Rotational. In order to “see” an example, let’s start with a right foot same side rotational lunge (rotating to the right). The lunge lengthens the anterior tissues of both the left stance leg and the right lunge leg. The pelvis rotates to the right. To focus on the stance leg, the arm driver will need to rotate the trunk to the right while lengthening the posterior aspect of the trunk and arm, all while maximizing the vertical separation between the foot and hand. So to complete the lengthening and loading from the left (stance) leg in a spiral pattern, the left hand would perform a right rotational at overhead (max vertical) swing/reach. To focus on the lunge leg with the same right same side rotational lunge, the right hand would drive with a left rotational at overhead swing/reach.
Now let’s use the right leg Opposite Side Rotational lunge to lengthen the posterior aspect of both legs. To create the spiral tension, the anterior aspect of the trunk and arm need to be lengthened. Since the lunge will rotate the pelvis to the left, if the movement is directed at the stance (left) leg, a left arm left rotational at overhead swing/reach will be added. A right arm right rotational at overhead swing/reach is added to the same lunge to focus on the lunge leg. The mobility – stability strategy of 3DMAPS is applied to these movements as well.
There will be two videos linked to the Rotational Spirals: one for the stance leg and one for the lunge leg. There are consistent strategies to look for. When creating the lengthening and loading of the fascia from the stance leg to the hand, the leg and arm drivers will be opposites (left–right, right-left). The leg and arm drivers will be the same when the tension is directed at the lunge leg.
These movements, which are “tweaks” of the 6 Chains of 3DMAPS, can be tweaked further if the movement practitioner takes advantage of the variables contained in the Performance System component of 3DMAPS. Consider becoming certified in 3DMAPS to enhance and augment your existing skill set.