P.A.S.T.® Functional Fitness Method & Core Training System

Balanced Muscles, Happy Joints

It’s probably not a surprise that muscle balance is when there is equal tension on both sides of a joint. Perhaps even less surprising is that muscle imbalance will typically alter joint motion and, ultimately, entire movement patterns (1). It’s safe to assume that a muscle imbalance has a short (over-active) and long (under-active) component on either side of the joint (2). It’s also not a stretch (pun intended) to state the shortened muscles will likely become structurally short and lose the ability to lengthen in a normal fashion (3). Accordingly, it’s to be expected that a lengthened (under-active) muscle will lack the ability to shorten in a correct manner, because of reciprocal inhibition from the functional antagonist muscle that is structurally short and preventing proper muscle contraction/shortening (4). Of course, the matter is further confused with the possibility of deloading effect where neuromechanical dysfunction doesn’t allow a lengthened muscle to contract; basically, not performing weight-bearing activities causes certain postural "core" muscles to lose the ability to sense how/when to contract (5). Lastly, this well thought out paradigm is shot out of the sky during extreme instance of muscle atrophy (wasting away) due to traumatic injury or extreme sedentary lifestyle and this situation a person might bend, let’s say, their elbow and the contracting/shorted muscles are actually weak as well!

Conclusion:

The Power that Be are still at odds, and arguing over the exact merits of altered joint mechanics with limited ROM and/or excessive ROM, altered proprioceptive input to the joints, and thus, programming of the CNS that change total body movements. One thing is for certain – strive for muscle balance and most of this will work itself out in a postive fashion.

Does The P.A.S.T.® Corrective Exercise Program Help?

YES! We've personally seen it works over and over again. Also, the testimonials from both "regular folks" and professionals in the field are unanimous - it works!

References:

1. Edgerton VR, Wolf SL, Levendowski DJ, Roy RR. Theoretical basis for patterning EMG amplitudes to assess muscle dysfunction. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;28(6):744-51.