About a week ago, I had just gotten home from an incredible two days at the Gray Institute’s Chain Reaction: In Action event and it has taken me all of that time to wrap my head around everything I learned. The experience was nothing short of amazing. It opened my eyes to aspects of movement I had never thought of and also tied up a lot of loose ends that I couldn’t seem to put together on my own.
Taking it back a few years, I was first introduced to the principles of Applied Functional Science  during my internship at the Fischer Institute in Phoenix, AZ. If I knew then what I was really learning, I would have asked about 10,000 more questions. Well, hindsight is always 20/20, but the lesson learned? ASK QUESTIONS. Anyway, I saw 3D movement applied on a daily basis in unique, functional ways. A year later, I started working at ActiveSpine in Sioux Falls, SD, helping out the genius Dr. Huber with his functional rehab program. He started the GIFT program while I was there, so I had a great opportunity to learn along with him. I barely scratched the surface of AFS, but it really shaped my future as a sports performance coach. Without either of those experiences, I would not be where I am today. So, with all of that being said, here are my top 5 takeaways from my weekend at the Chain Reaction:

5. It’s all about the talus.
Who would think that one bone in your foot could do so much for us? Who knew that all the muscles in your body want to help the talus when we are walking? Even the sternocleidomastoid? Yes. That is pretty amazing. Without the “dropping down and in” movement of the talus, everything up the chain is affected. The more time I spend watching people move, the more I realize that the talus can be the culprit of a lot of issues. Additionally, it can get locked up pretty easily from ankle sprains, poor footwear, or poor mechanics…which leads me to the question:

4. Maybe it’s all about the thoracic spine? (What about the hips?)
The chicken or the egg?
The foot, hips, and thoracic spine all work in synergy, which is why we must look at the body as a whole, not a segmented structure. By doing so, we can find the root of the issue and help our athletes achieve optimal function and performance.

3. The GTO and it’s friends.
For the entire day on Saturday, I had to wear a green hat that said “Golgi Tendon Organ.” Eight other people were in the same boat, playing the roles of the proprioceptors. The proprioceptors are pretty hard workers in our bodies and they only need one thing to work: the right movement. This was a huge “ah-ha” moment for me, as I have been trying to understand the nervous system more in depth. If we train our bodies through the movements we do in our daily lives or sports, our proprioceptors will be able to respond to those movements accordingly. Then, when we go through those movements in our daily activities or sports, our body knows how to respond efficiently.

2. Laughter heals all.
The “tweak train” was pretty hilarious and exactly what all of us needed at the end of two days drinking from a fire hose of 3D movement knowledge. It reminded all of us that we can laugh at ourselves and our athletes should also have fun when they are with us. We all want to help people function better, and function should definitely be fun. Let’s be honest, we could all use a little more fun and laughter in our lives.

1. We have all been given an amazing gift.
The best feeling is when you see a look of relief, ease, and a smile on your athlete’s face. That’s what gets us out of bed in the morning, knowing that we have the opportunity to positively impact someone’s life today. We have the opportunity to reach all aspects of the person – mind, body, and spirit – all through movement. Now that is a pretty incredible gift.
To top off this amazing gift we have to share is the Free 2 Play program. I met an inspiring group of physical therapists from the Quad Cities who had been implementing Free 2 Play in elementary schools in the area. Not only are they teaching children that they are all athletes, they are “playing it forward” by raising money for a child with cancer. I’m sure the event was incredible and touched many lives in the process.

Coach Cota