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It was the weekend before the Mr. America contest in 1965. My training was going well, as far as I could tell. Truth was I didn’t yet know how to tell. I looked okay, but compared to what or whom? I was working hard, eating hard, braced with hard discipline and felt hard. My first months at Muscle Beach were a crash course and I established training methods I would follow forever; but I learned the essentials quickly and settled into private, unmitigated early-morning workouts. They were silent, undistracted and unrelenting: no compromise and no competition. How sweet it is.
Two years of isolated training and I wasn’t sure who I had become. I moved with three different training partners at different stages and the reinforcement and friendship were priceless. They knew the Mr. A was on my mind and stood by my side; they were too close, however, to offer the critique and subjective counsel I now sought. Only an outsider could provide an evaluation and dare to place it in my hands. Who could I trust? I needed to know if I was ready for the competition in New York City only eight days away. I also needed a pair of posing trunks. Did I mention—procrastination was one of my specialties, followed by irresponsibility and dimwittedness? Nobody’s perfect.
If you got on Washington Boulevard and followed it east for five miles you’d find yourself in East Los Angeles and standing in front of Bill Pearl’s Gym. If you walked in the front door at 6 p.m. you’d find Bill, forearms pouring out of a cut-off sweatshirt, sitting behind a wood desk, chair tilted against the wall. If you arrived at 6 a.m. Bill Pearl was under a bar, bench pressing or squatting some absurd weight for a lot of reps. His training partners would be exuding energy, zeal and perspiration. For my first visit I chose the evening hour after a gentlemanly phone call to assure he would be there. Didn’t need to go to East Los Angeles if he wasn’t. Bill was the man I could and would trust with the deed of critical analysis; thumbs up or … er … thumbs down.
A legend at thirty-five, Mr. America, Mr. Universe — twice, served in the Navy, built and owned several gyms over the years, the man was known for his incredible power and ability to bend coins and tear license plates and phone books in half. “Hi, I’m Dave. Can you tell me if I have muscles? I don’t know.” “Sure, Dave. Why don’t you come here tomorrow morning at six when my huge partners and I can stand you under the skylight and take a good look. Bring your posing trunks.”
Me and my mouth. How could I say, “Never mind” or “I don’t have posing trunks?” There are the tough times, Buster, when you can’t go forward and you can’t go back and you can’t lie. The only thing left was the truth. I was right on time, my big grin and my big gym bag and my big feet. I found the skylight on my own but couldn’t find my posing trunks. No problemo, Big D, you can borrow mine. Bill’s generosity is also overwhelming. I didn’t ask for music. Silence was loud enough.
I hit a few shots like Joe Weider, The Master Blaster, had taught me. Joe could pose a molting ostrich and he’d win “the overall” and “most muscular” hands down at any pro show on the globe. The gold metallic trunks offered by Bill fit perfectly and I felt pumped by the end of my routine. The guys were excited and full of suggestions, which further warmed me up and put the disabling self-consciousness to rest.
A few more run-throughs with additions and deletions, a change in timing and tempo, posture, facial expression and attitude adjustments and I was a different animal. You can win this thing, Draper. I’m tellin’ ya.
Human movement is a complex thing. The many systems of the body that assist us in growing, developing and becoming movement-learning machines are a literal miracle by no stretch of the term. Understanding human behavior will never be an exact science whether we look at emotional, social, group dynamic, or human behavior as it relates to movement patterns.
The book I wrote on movement titled Movement is 408 pages, and that’s intimidating. My point with such in-depth work was not to intimidate readers or scare people out of the movement professions. It was to make them consider everything that goes into movement-learning function and dysfunction, and then de-complicate the process with a systematic checklist approach to common movement behaviors and tendencies.
In a previous article on function, I mentioned a new book introduced to me by Mike Boyle called The Checklist Manifesto. This book has a consistent and parallel theme to the other books Why We Make Mistakes and Blunder. It talks about how the more complex a human endeavor becomes and the more technical and skillful a job becomes, the more it’s necessary to rely on a systematic checklist approach for structure and consistency.
I spent the first part of the Movement book talking about the complexity of the human movement learning system and going over some motor learning principles as well as musculoskeletal limitations. But my point, by the time you get to the middle of the book, was to distill these rules and principles down to a movement-based checklist that allows the user to take immediate and consistent action following systems and principles that promote movement change.
In a way, you could say I got real complex in my own paranoid attempt not to leave anything out. In contrast, the functional movement systems should be simple, effective and inexpensive to use so a majority of users can benefit. It can be an effective part of physical education, personal fitness, strength conditioning and rehabilitation in the future.
Since I wrote Movement, it has been my mission to make sure my lectures show a different side of functional movement systems. Where the book seems very in-depth and technical, I want my lectures to demonstrate the logic and consistency of following a system when we develop exercise programs or try to change or improve the way people move.
As I’ve said before, the purpose of the movement screen is not to legislate or enforce movement perfection. It is to make us all agree that there must be a tipping point, a point of minimal functional competency. Anything below this level will probably require a different technology than simple conditioning if movement is to improve.
Therefore, I went on a journey and shared my idea with Lee Burton, my business partner, and Chris Poirier of Perform Better, the key sponsor for the majority of our Functional Movement Screen workshops. We devised the idea of a pre-conference symposium at the three Perform Better summits in 2011—Rhode Island, Chicago and Long Beach.
In a nutshell, this was our idea: We wanted to do a quick overview of the system for people who were both certified in the movement screen or just learning about it, and then pull people from the audience and have them screened right there. From this, we took their data and put these on a score sheet. We then projected each score sheet onto the screen for everyone to see, and then we discussed programing for the individual while considering their movement screen alongside the other information they provided. For those who were unable to attend the events, we turned the cameras on… and did not turn them off. We knew we would have some great spontaneous examples, and we captured the whole thing.
The reason I call this Functional Movement Improv is because we felt like an improvisational comedian who takes a topic and immediately spins it into a funny skit. We attempted to create a training program for an individual from a screen and a few questions. This was ambitious to say the least, because we were not creating programs for just any client or athlete. We were challenging the current programs of fitness, performance and rehabilitation professionals. To put it a different way, we were programming the pros. Our secret weapon: The movement screen.
Each time someone from our audience came to the stage, the new program was constructed following a movement-based checklist. The rules of movement are simple and easy to follow, but cannot be overlooked. Each time we did this, the people onstage learned they should be doing something they currently were not doing. They also learned they should not be doing something they currently were doing.
Our point in the drill was if we can improve the programming of exercise professionals with a 10-minute movement profile, imagine what you can do for your clients, athletes and patients with the extra information.
Assisting me at each Summit were some of our functional movement screening instructors, along with our functional movement staff. On the last two events including the Summit in Long Beach, I had my long-term co-pilot, Brett Jones, helping me.
Certainly without exception, every person who was screened who then came onstage to have the screen exposed to the world learned something they did not already know about movement, and discovered something to add or subtract from their exercise programs.
The attendees for this Summit were some of the best of the best trainers, strength coaches and rehabilitation professionals I’ve met. They had done their homework and knew their stuff. They were also a surprisingly fit group of people who not only taught and learned training, but lived it as well.
My source of pride here is that our little system introduced these people to holes, inconsistencies and insights into their own programming. The point of the drill was not to demonstrate that I’m a good exercise programmer, because I didn’t do anything that wasn’t already exposed as simple movement logic in the Movement book. I followed my own 10 principles and basically questioned them about movement patterns they were or were not doing in their exercise programming.
When the movement screen showed us a dysfunction, we questioned any conditioning exercise pushing against that dysfunction. When the movement screen showed the need for a correction, we introduced corrective strategy. If the movement screen did not find dysfunction in a pattern, we didn’t find a problem with conditioning that pattern.
In a very improvisational open format, we turned exercise program design into a systematic process—not simply based on a person’s goals, available equipment or my background or preference of exercise. We turned it into a process that started with the individual’s own unique signature or thumbprint of movement.
People learn faster when we figure out the way they like to learn. Some are introverts. Some are extroverts. Some want to learn in auditory format. Some are kinesthetic learners. Some need to read, practice and then read again.
If we know the way someone learns, we can design learning systems that address their needs in a more efficient manner. Taking a movement profile does the same thing for physical movement.
Watch the following excerpts from this four-hour presentation where we built a case for movement screening, demonstrated how efficient the model can be, and then closed the day by revisiting the principles that allowed us, all from different exercise and rehabilitation backgrounds, to find common ground in a movement profile.
Dr. Craig Liebenson is an icon in the world of chiropractic and rehabilitation. He is a pioneer in the field of understanding movement dysfunction and corrective exercise strategies to alleviate pain. His primary mission is to help people and restore their quality of life. He is a true giver in every sense of the word by teaching, sharing, and educating clinicians on his techniques. Needless to say, I really, really like the guy! Lol He is not only a trusted mentor, but a dear friend as well who has been an inspiration in helping me become a better doctor. It is my honor and privilege to review his latest contribution to the world. An impressive 3-Disc DVD Series which includes:
1. Functional Performance Training DVD
2. Core Stability Training DVD
3. Flexibility, Yoga Training and Ergonomic Postural Advice DVD
Triple Threat of Knowledge
I see people suffering in pain everyday at my Pain Laser Center. They are searching for answers. Searching for hope. Searching for an alternative to traditional therapies that are grossly inadequate. They come to me for help. By learning from experts like Dr. Liebenson I am able to provide my clients with a system that is based on sound principles that deliver maximum results. This DVD collection has been an invaluable asset in my goal of teaching clients how to move better to feel better. It’s all in how you move!
Dr. Liebenson’s DVD series is high quality with easy to follow exercise selections. There are clear camera angles with ideal distance for optimal learning. The audio is impeccable since Dr. Liebenson has chosen to voice over the videos by adding an audio track separately. This makes his explanations and instructions easy to follow and understand. So many DVD’s are published on the market that have low quality sound and bad camera angles. Not these DVD’s. No expense spared here.
The Chapter selections are easy to navigate and are divided into subsections so you can select a specific exercise you want to do. The overlay music is relaxing and smoothing. Not a distraction at all. Very easy to remain focused on the exercise and what Dr. Liebenson is saying. You have the option of purchasing the videos individually or as a set, which I highly recommend. They complement each other nicely and the levels of learning are integrated so you can continue from one DVD to the other.
Dr. Liebenson builds a solid fundamental foundation of movement and expands exercises in difficulty and challenge level based on your individual needs. Exercises are broken down into easier options for the novice and more challenging exercises for athletes or advanced users.
Functional Performance Training DVD
This DVD helps to re-educate your body. Dr. Liebenson reviews exercise basics and fundamentals so you can ‘own’ the movements. The section on ABC’s of Long Term Athletic Development was very enlightening. You learn principles of pushing, pulling, rotations and reaching as they relate to movement.
The end of the DVD covers Advanced Performance Training, agility and plyometrics (which can be very difficult to master unless you have a skilled coach like Dr. Liebenson). He also has an informative section on speed development which is built on functional power. Overall an excellent DVD to get you primed for functional movement training.
Core Stability Training DVD
This DVD is jam packed with awesome information. There is so much here to learn regarding the true techniques of core training. Core training is a popular buzzword now in the weight loss and fitness industry. Due to that popularity there inherently arrives a plethora of misinformation. Dr. Liebenson sets the record straight on the truth about Core Training.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first section on ‘Health Club Tips’ teaching you how to perform popular machine based training correctly. My pain relief clinics are located inside fitness centers and I constantly see people doing gym equipment exercises wrong. They are setting themselves up for injury and are not maximizing movement for metabolic fat burning.
Dr. Liebenson covers ‘Abdominal Bracing’ which is a SECRET WEAPON to core stability and injury recovery. This section teaches my all time favorite movement, ‘The Dead Bug.” You have to see it and then you will know what I mean! There are sections devoted to quadraped patterns, side bridges, The Superman, hamstring curls and bridges, and the McGill Abdominal Curl Up.
Section 6 on the Dying Bug is worth the entire price of the DVD in my opinion. This exercise alone can transform your body. Plus it’s the coolest name ever. Lol Section 14 is on the Shoulder/Upper Back Training which is critical to muscle balance and alleviating common pain complaints in the head and trapezius region. The ending track has a good example of a fully functional core routine that you can perform. It teaches you the thought process behind designing your own program.
Flexibility, Yoga Training and Ergonomic Postural Advice DVD
Besides having a really cool title, this DVD integrates many strategies for overall body balance. The Yoga and Respiration section is priceless in teaching proper breathing for a fundamentally optimized core. You learn assessments and techniques for maximizing diaphragmatic breathing required for relaxation and core control. Ergonomics sections demonstrate little tricks you can do at work for alleviating tension and soreness. There is an extensive section on learning to hinge with your hips for stability and reducing the risk of lower back injury.
Balance tactics are covered in detail to ensure proper stability and asymmetry from one side of the body to the other. You will find this section rather challenging. However, implementing balance training can make fast improvements in how you feel and move. Get more active with a Dynamic Warmup section showing you various ways to get your heart pumping and body moving.
The Brugger Postural Correction exercise is a gem. Stretching and mid-back postural corrections are included since this is a common area for abnormal postural referred pain. The DVD ends with another complete sample core functional routine that helps tie everything together.
The short and sweet of it is, this series is a MUST HAVE! Investing in yourself and your education is a win-win combination. Dr. Liebenson is sharing techniques learned in the trenches over the course of his distinguished career and these exercises are selected because THEY WORK! When it comes to corrective and functional exercise more is not better, better is better! It’s about precision of movement and quality over quantity. When you move better, you feel better.
This DVD series will teach you how to move better, without the risk of getting hurt. These are not your traditional hum drum boring exercises you have seen before. These are unique and effective. You will notice a positive change in your body with this program. Stay focused and don’t get discouraged. It takes time to master movements. But when you do, oh my you will feel incredible. That is a good thing! What are you waiting for? Click below to purchase them on AMAZON.
Now that all of our books are on Amazon and Barnes & Noble as ebooks — other than Stella’s Kitchen, which has too much formatting to work on a simple e-reader — I got to thinking: Why not offer all formats for the same price? Why make a person buy twice just because they want to read on a different device? That would be like making a person buy two copies of a print book because they want to read at home and also on the train. Makes no sense, right?
So that’s what we did. When you buy an ebook from our sites (davedraper.com or otpbooks.com), you’ll get an immediate download link to a ZIP file that contains all the available formats, usually meaning PDF, Kindle and Epub. Regular users have the convenience of ordering on Amazon.com or BN.com for instant access on their devices, but the tech savvy who want to read on multiple devices or the person who just wants the PDF to read or print off the computer can get the full package for the same price as a single format as found on the Kindle or Nook sites. Amazon and Barnes & Noble have a reason to protect their territory, but our interests are the opposite. Let’s read these books however we want to!
I haven’t made my way through the Apple iBook, Google Books or Kobo seller sign-up mazes yet, but those sites all use the Epub format, so you’ll be able to drag those files over to your iPad or email them to your phone if you want a headstart. Setting up publisher accounts with the various resellers is a struggle, and honestly, not worth it other than to support individual readers. Financially, our On Target experience anyway, Kindle outsells Nook about 50 to one, and the other players are farther behind if the rumors are true. Still, while as a customer I appreciate Amazon, as a publisher I want to support the other distributors and will finish the seller applications and uploads. You’d think they’d try to make it a little easier on us if they actually want more books, though. Just saying.
Now we come to the part where you go take a look at what I’m talking about. Here’s our downloadable books page at On Target, and here’s the downloadable page at Davedraper.com. And, of course, these great books are all available on Amazon.com or BN.com as well: Advances in Functional Training, Bill Pearl & Dave Draper: A Conversation, Mass Made Simple, Movement: Functional Movement Systems, Never Let Go, West Coast Bodybuilding Scene, Your Body Revival, Brother Iron Sister Steel, Iron On My Mind, To Grad from Dad.
If you have thoughts on digital book selling, let’s have a conversation. What a fascinating time to be a publisher… or a writer… or a reader.
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