Firstly let me state that Guy is not big on principles. In fact, when I asked him for key principles to help understand his approach, he asked if I knew who Descartes was and suggested I was too Cartesian. He did not know how right he was, as I start every review I do so by writing down Descartes’ four precepts!
Despite Guy’s abhorrence of principles I will lay down some of the key principles I draw from studying his work so far.
1. To work a muscle or specific part of the muscle put it under tension.
E.g. to work the pectineus take the hip from abduction in to adduction.
2. To length a muscle strengthen it in outer range. To shorten a muscle, strengthen it in inner range.
E.g. For the rhomboid major, in prone start with the shoulder in flexion and approx 160 degrees abduction. From here take the shoulder in to full flexion and work the muscle in inner range.
3. Typically mobile joints often require coaptation. Typically stable joints require decoaptation.
E.g. Strengthen a typically unstable shoulder in inner range and a typical osteoarthritic hip in outer range.
4. In scoliosis strengthen both sides at the same intensity to even out the scoliosis over time.
E.g. Do unilateral rhomboid major and quadratus lumborum strengthening equally on both sides to the same intensity.
5. To work a muscle more distally, fix it proximally. To work a muscle proximally, fix it distally.
E.g. Triceps push down = distal, triceps dips = proximal
6. Alternatively, to work a muscle distally increase the lever arm. To work the muscle proximally decrease the lever arm.
E.g. for the tricep work with elbow extension from a vertical position of the humerus as opposed to elbow extension from a horizontal humerus.
7. To work a muscle more superficially put the fascia under tension. To work a muscle deeper relieve the tension on the fascia.
E.g. Shoulder abduction with wrist flexion = superficial. Wrist extension = deep
8. To increase the stability of a joint by shortening and strengthening muscles start by working on the muscles closest to the joint.
E.g. Rotator cuff first in the shoulder
9. To increase the stability of a joint by increasing ligament proprioception start on the most superficial ligaments of the joint.
E.g. Medial and lateral collateral ligaments of the knee before the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
As always if you have any questions around these topics feel free to email me on kieran@kieranmacphail.com
Tags: Guy Voyer
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