reflexive stability

Reflexive Stability: Regained. (Video Proof)

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It’s taken me 3 years to get here, but I think I can safely say that I’ve fully regained my reflexive stability. Not a bad trade off considering I never fully developed it as a kid and went for 36-37 years without it.

For a time investment, I’ll take that any day. It only took me 3 years to recapture and reclaim what I never fully developed as a child and compensated for under the heavy weights for years.

How exactly did I do it?

I’ll tell you that in a minute, but first, I wanted to show you video proof.

In my last couple of posts, I showed you me squatting 275lbs for 9 and 275lbs for 14. But there are a couple of things I left out.

First, here’s a video of me doing a Power Snatch from above the knee (Hang Power Snatch) with 100kg (220lbs) after a high pull with the same weight. I did it the day after the 275/9. Here’s what’s significant about it: I haven’t trained the Olympic lifts for 2 1/2 years. And the last time I snatched that weight from that position at 205lbs was… Can’t remember – maybe never. When I quit WL I was 215/220lbs – a weight I had maintained for about 5 years.

Here’s the second video. It’s me doing a set of squats with 315 for 10 reps about 5 minutes after that 275 for 14 I showed you in the last post. I haven’t done that weight for those reps in 10-15 years, again, at a bodyweight of 205.

Now I don’t show you those videos to show off or brag, because certainly those numbers are nothing to brag about. They’re average strength numbers, maybe slightly below. BUT, they are significant because I haven’t hit those numbers in at least a decade, and when I did them I was at a heavier bodyweight. Now I’m 40 and I’m supposed to be “declining.”

The Truth is just the opposite: I’m getting stronger day-by-day and feel better than I have since my 20s, heck, maybe even my late teens.

Now for the REALLY cool video that will blow your mind…

This is a video of my good friend (like a brother really) Tim Anderson. Tim weighs a whopping 155lbs soaking wet. In this video, he does a Get Up – a BARBELL Get Up – with 135lbs. And he did it on the spot – I called him and asked him to shoot some video of it. Now here’s the kicker – he hasn’t been training the Get Up at all.

Pretty freaky, right?

I think so.

Here’s the video and then we’ll discuss some more…

OK, you have to admit – THAT was IMPRESSIVE, right?

So how’d Tim get the strength to do that?

And more importantly, what does that kind of strength show?

Well, in order to do that kind of strength feat, Tim has to have all his reflexive stability – his Original Strength. Which he does.

So how did he regain it?

Simple.

He behaved like a child. (As did I.) He did “childish” things. Stuff that many “experts” would look at and dismiss because they are “too simple.”

But the fact of the matter is both Tim and I have used the complex for long periods of time. We regained some ground, but never all of it. So I guess we’re both either too stupid (probably not Tim – statistics major with a photographic memory, maybe me) or the systems we were using were too complex (quite possibly) or some combination of the two.

Regardless, reclaiming your reflexive stability – your Original Strength – is simple, easy, and fun. Best of all, it can be done without “precision” anywhere, anytime, with no special equipment in as little as 5 minutes a day.

Sound too easy, too simple?

It is.

To quote a lady who attended one of our seminars, “It’s stupid simple.”

Tomorrow I’ll show you what I mean by behaving like a child and EXACTLY how to reclaim your reflexive stability – your Original Strength – your God-given birthright of movement.

A Test So Easy A 2 Year Old Can Pass It…

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So we’ve been talking about about the concept of reflexive stability and its impact on your strength training and your results.

Specifically, I put forward the argument that all your aches, pains, and injuries – and all movement dysfunctions and compensations – come from a lack of reflexive stability.

Then we looked at the primary cause of reflexive stability loss – sitting.

I then showed you just a taste of what I’ve accomplished since having identified this loss and have been specifically addressing it over the last 3 years.

Today, let’s do a simple test – two actually – that will give you an idea of whether or not you have lost some of your reflexive stability.

Don’t worry – they’re easy.

In fact, the first one, my two year old son can pass with ease.

Here it is:

The Bodyweight Squat.

The bodyweight squat tests your lower body reflexive strength or rather, lower body dominant reflexive strength – whether or not you can move your lower body easily and effortlessly.

Here’s a quick video demo from Tim. (He did it on the fly – it’s kinda “ghetto”…)

A couple of quick pointers here:

1. You shouldn’t have to pressurize, power breathe, or use tension to get down into the squat. If you do, you’re using feed-forward (conscious) techniques to accomplish a subconscious (reflexive) activity.bodyweight squat

2. You should be able to hold yourself in the bottom comfortably, again, without using any feed-forward strategies.

3. You should be able to maintain your balance in the squat without falling forward or backward.

4. Same thing to stand up – it should be effortless: No grunting, power-breathing, abdominal bracing – nothing. Just stand up with ease.

If you can’t squat without meeting those criteria, you’ve lost some of your reflexive stability.

(Don’t worry – it’s VERY simple to get back – and very natural too – nothing complex either. The “fixes” are easy to do and VERY powerful in their effects/results. More on them in a bit.)

Ok, test #2 (Which I don’t think my 2 year old can pass yet…)

The Push Up.

Ah, yes, the lowly Push Up. How many ways can we screw you up? Let me count the ways…

But I digress.

The Push Up is a great way to check your upper body dominant reflexive stability.

But, there’s a way to do it and a way not to, so don’t discount this humble little “test” right off the bat.

Here’s a video from Tim (also “on the fly”):

Now, Tim gave some good basic cues.

Let’s go deeper.

There are some other things you need to be aware of here:

1. Just like the Bodyweight Squat, stay away from feed-forward tension. So no abdominal bracing, no buttcheek squeezing, no power-breathing, etc. Just push yourself off the ground.

2. Like Tim said, the body should remain as one piece. No sagging, twisting, or turning.

And, yep, it’s that simple.

So What’s It Mean If You Can’t “Pass” These “Tests”?

It simply means that you should devote some of your attention – a whopping 5, maybe 10 minutes out of your entire day – to regaining your reflexive stability. Again, it’s easy to do – nothing complicated.

Why Should You Reclaim Your Reflexive Strength?

Quite simply, it’s your birthright.

You were made to have it and use it. And now that you’ve lost it, you’re physically leading a sub-par life. If you’re ok with settling for less than the best, which is very easy to have, by the way, then ignore this stuff. Go watch Real Housewives Of Wherever-ville or American Idle… That’s your perogative.

However, if you’re interested in moving and living a vibrant, healthy, fulfilled and joyful life, free from aches, pains, and movement restrictions, then reclaiming your reflexive stability (or as Tim said in the videos – reflexive strength – the words are interchangeable) will help you do it.

Not only that, but all your results depend on it – fat loss, conditioning levels, strength gains. Think about it: If you’re body isn’t moving the way it’s designed to, you’re automatically leaving results on the table that you shouldn’t. If you can’t move the way you originally were designed to, then you’re compensating, which means you’re not as efficient as you should be. And that means slower progress, regardless of the goal.

As I’ve said before, at 40 years old I have more energy, more strength, and move better than I ever have. And it’s all because I reclaimed my reflexive stability.

Here’s a quick video of some more of what I’ve been able to accomplish since I’ve been focusing on this.

This was taken two days after the video I posted in the last blog. It was also filmed after performing 30 minutes of grueling advanced reflexive stability work. There’s 275lbs on the bar and I do 14 reps with it (I thought I did 15 at the time but apparently I can’t count – same thing happened last video – did 9 and thought I did 10…) – something I haven’t been able to do in 15 years – since my mid 20s. Again, my bodyweight is around 205lbs.

When you focus on reclaiming your reflexive strength, you’ll be able to perform again like you used to – or in Tim’s and my case – better than you used to.

Now go ahead and raise your hand if you wouldn’t want to do that…