Basic Movement Patterns

Basic movement patterns are realistically just a way of categorising exercises based on their biomechanical demands. Classifying exercises into these categories makes it easier for us coaches to identify which exercise is most appropriate for the client.

For decades gym-based training has revolved around the concept of training muscle groups in isolation (e.g. Monday chest). Though nobody knows exactly why, I believe it's commonly agreed that the concept has stemmed primarily from bodybuilding.

How to train clients and how to make it 'functional' for their sport/ lifestyle has really accelerated particularly in these recent years.

Functional, by definition, means something that is 'designed to be practical and useful, rather than attractive'.

'Functional training' has become a huge buzzword in recent years with trainers and gyms using any form of 'fancy' or 'attractive' equipment they can get their hands on, but it refers to any training methods that are applicable and useful for that sport regardless of complexity or attractiveness.

For example, a simple barbell deadlift is practical and useful for both athletic development and an every day person picking something up off the ground, therefore this may be referred to as 'functional'.

Basic Movement Patterns

Basic exercise movement patterns are, quite simply, exercise classifications. Once a coach can determine which basic movement pattern is essential for the client they will create a catalogue of exercises forged from those basic movement patterns.

For example, a primary movement pattern of a rowing athlete is a horizontal pulling action, so an exercise selection may be, prone rows, which inherently may become a vital component of their training programme. Whereas a leg extension exercise would be classified as a 'knee dominant' movement, as the knee joint is the prime lever.

Now although there are thousands of different exercises, a large majority of them can be categorised into the following movement patterns:

• Hip Hinge (RDL-Romanian Deadlift and its variations, kettlebell swing)
• Hip Dominant (glute bridges, RDL, KB swing, leg press, high-box step ups, squats- however it's not either hip or knee dominant- it's both).
• Knee Dominant (single leg squats, low box step up, lunges, leg press, squats- however it's not either hip or knee dominant- it's both).
• Vertical Push (military press, overhead presses, shoulder press).
• Vertical Pull (pull ups, lat-pull downs, plank rows).
• Horizontal Push (bench press, chest presses, single arm dumbbell press, kneeling single arm press).
• Horizontal Pull (inverted rows, bench rows, bentover rows, t-bar row, seated row, kneeling single arm rows).
• Rotational and Diagonal (russian twists, cable rotations, woodchops, barbell torques, lateral medicine ball throws).
• Anti-Rotation (single arm dumbbell chest press, single arm rows, horizontal palov press).
• Anti-Flexion (squat, deadlift, bentover rows).
• Anti-Extension (planks + its variations, supermans, press ups, commando & crocodile crawls).
• Anti-Lateral Flexion (vertical palov press, single arm overhead press, imbalance lunges/ step ups/ farmer walks).

Now any selected exercise is classified by common rules of thumb and adhere by any one of three things:

1. Movement direction of the exercise (flat bench press is a horizontal press).
2. Primary joint lever (during knee extension, the knee joint is the primary lever).
3. Or, by the joint experiencing the largest 'relative' force

Functionality simply refers to practicality and usefulness. Therefore, during programme design, it is essential that exercises are selected based on the function and usefulness to the client and not on the attractiveness or difficulty of the movement. Although coaches may select their exercises using a different catalogue of movement patterns, or perhaps none at all, a large number of coaches currently use those principles presented in this newsletter.