Dr. Kelly Starrett

A good way of thinking about this, and I think your sit-up is a good analogy. Really, a book that makes the rounds from time to time is a book called The Spinal Engine by Serge Grakovetsky. And he really talks about the trunk as a driver of power, not just as a chassis of which the big engine moves. And that really is a nice conceptual way of simplifying movement. But

A good way of thinking about this, and I think your sit-up is a good analogy. Really, a book that makes the rounds from time to time is a book called The Spinal Engine by Serge Grakovetsky. And he really talks about the trunk as a driver of power, not just as a chassis of which the big engine moves. And that really is a nice conceptual way of simplifying movement. But

A good way of thinking about this, and I think your sit-up is a good analogy. Really, a book that makes the rounds from time to time is a book called The Spinal Engine by Serge Grakovetsky. And he really talks about the trunk as a driver of power, not just as a chassis of which the big engine moves. And that really is a nice conceptual way of simplifying movement. But

If we define functional movement, most people agree it works in a wave of contraction from trunk to periphery, from core to sleeve, from axillary skeleton to peripheral skeleton. But that means, boy, there are positions where I'm really effective and can generate a lot of force and there'll be positions where I can't. But if my spine can't handle flexion, it's not a spine.

If we define functional movement, most people agree it works in a wave of contraction from trunk to periphery, from core to sleeve, from axillary skeleton to peripheral skeleton. But that means, boy, there are positions where I'm really effective and can generate a lot of force and there'll be positions where I can't. But if my spine can't handle flexion, it's not a spine.

If we define functional movement, most people agree it works in a wave of contraction from trunk to periphery, from core to sleeve, from axillary skeleton to peripheral skeleton. But that means, boy, there are positions where I'm really effective and can generate a lot of force and there'll be positions where I can't. But if my spine can't handle flexion, it's not a spine.

If it can't extension, it's not a spine. If it can't rotate and be into these complex position shapes, I'm like red flag. So how are you training that thing? And if your only rigid dogma is straight up and down, which is a great reason to do mobility work, is suddenly we can side bend and we can twist. And am I exposing myself to some of those shapes?

If it can't extension, it's not a spine. If it can't rotate and be into these complex position shapes, I'm like red flag. So how are you training that thing? And if your only rigid dogma is straight up and down, which is a great reason to do mobility work, is suddenly we can side bend and we can twist. And am I exposing myself to some of those shapes?

If it can't extension, it's not a spine. If it can't rotate and be into these complex position shapes, I'm like red flag. So how are you training that thing? And if your only rigid dogma is straight up and down, which is a great reason to do mobility work, is suddenly we can side bend and we can twist. And am I exposing myself to some of those shapes?

And so we call that work, borrowing from one of my Olympic friends, Stu McMillan, spinal engine work. Putting PVC, side bending, playing with the different shapes. And again, if you get into the David Weck ropes, if you threw medicine balls, you would suddenly see you're like, you're right, I can't be a rigid piece. How am I training the functionality of my trunk beyond just my six pack?

And so we call that work, borrowing from one of my Olympic friends, Stu McMillan, spinal engine work. Putting PVC, side bending, playing with the different shapes. And again, if you get into the David Weck ropes, if you threw medicine balls, you would suddenly see you're like, you're right, I can't be a rigid piece. How am I training the functionality of my trunk beyond just my six pack?

And so we call that work, borrowing from one of my Olympic friends, Stu McMillan, spinal engine work. Putting PVC, side bending, playing with the different shapes. And again, if you get into the David Weck ropes, if you threw medicine balls, you would suddenly see you're like, you're right, I can't be a rigid piece. How am I training the functionality of my trunk beyond just my six pack?

Because straight curling will certainly give you a six pack. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to surf with power, run with power, punch with power, et cetera. I mean, look at what just happened with those fights, right? With the women, you know, fighting, just the rotational power that they have. You can't get that from just crunches with your legs.

Because straight curling will certainly give you a six pack. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to surf with power, run with power, punch with power, et cetera. I mean, look at what just happened with those fights, right? With the women, you know, fighting, just the rotational power that they have. You can't get that from just crunches with your legs.

Because straight curling will certainly give you a six pack. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're going to surf with power, run with power, punch with power, et cetera. I mean, look at what just happened with those fights, right? With the women, you know, fighting, just the rotational power that they have. You can't get that from just crunches with your legs.

Everyone watch this women's sports. That was really great. So I think what's great now is if we can get people to start to be curious and to play and, you know, I'm not saying you need 10,000 different movements, but instead of just hanging from the bar and doing knees to elbows or toes to bar, what happens if you brought your right leg foot to your left hand.

Everyone watch this women's sports. That was really great. So I think what's great now is if we can get people to start to be curious and to play and, you know, I'm not saying you need 10,000 different movements, but instead of just hanging from the bar and doing knees to elbows or toes to bar, what happens if you brought your right leg foot to your left hand.

Everyone watch this women's sports. That was really great. So I think what's great now is if we can get people to start to be curious and to play and, you know, I'm not saying you need 10,000 different movements, but instead of just hanging from the bar and doing knees to elbows or toes to bar, what happens if you brought your right leg foot to your left hand.

And you started adding in a rotation to that. And suddenly you're like, I suck at this. And ultimately what I want to do is I want to uncover every deficiency in this play because I'm still going to deadlift. I'm still going to swing. I'm still going to lunge and do all the things that I know that makes me feel robust and makes me ride my bike better and be a better kayaker.

And you started adding in a rotation to that. And suddenly you're like, I suck at this. And ultimately what I want to do is I want to uncover every deficiency in this play because I'm still going to deadlift. I'm still going to swing. I'm still going to lunge and do all the things that I know that makes me feel robust and makes me ride my bike better and be a better kayaker.