Kinesiology THURSDAY – Loading Your Cannon

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Center of gravity in biomechanics is defined as the point of a movement system where forces are concentrated. Your center of gravity is just anterior to S2 (or just behind and below your belly button). That means when you are running, jumping, pulling or pushing, the ground reaction forces move up the biomechanical chain to this point, reaching upwards of 7x your body weight. That is a lot of force that needs to be dissipated! It isn’t by accident that the biggest muscle of our body, the gluteus maximus (butt muscle), is located in this region. 

The best (and safest) movers are the ones that power their movement from the center, or as we like to say, “load their cannon” to absorb the ground reaction forces and transfer them to get things done. Every small muscle in the body works in concert with a gluteus maximus to perform everyday tasks. If the big muscle doesn’t come to play, the small muscles take a hit. 

I have yet to see a gluteus maximus strain. Instead, what I see is tennis elbow (this tendon works with your opposite butt), biceps tendonitis (same side butt), supraspinatus tendonitis (opposite butt), golfer’s elbow (same side butt). Get the idea?

It might sound complicated, but there is one simple rule you can follow to make sure you are loading your butt correctly for proper movement: Load the butt on the side you are reaching towards.

Focused tennis player sliding to hit a backhand on a sunlit clay court during a competitive match.

  1. Notice the picture above. He is reaching to his left, so his weight is shifted to his left leg. 
  2. Notice the picture below. He is reaching to his right , so his weight is shifted to his right leg. 

This applies to all movements in your day: loading the dryer, picking up socks, opening a door, working in the garden. Notice how her weight is shifted to her right leg as she is reaching towards her right. 

Here are some clues that you are loading your butt:

  1. When you plant your foot, the ball of your big toe is on the ground
  2. Your knee is in line with and slightly behind your second toe
  3. There is a crease formed in your groin, indicating your hip is in flexion and  internal rotation

If you are shifting your weight correctly and you don’t feel your butt muscles working, one of these things might be missing, causing you to lose power or place small muscles at risk.

Conventional thinking says: Muscles work in isolation.

Real World Thinking says: Muscles work in integration and the best friend (synergist) of any muscle should be one of the biggest muscles of your body, the gluteus maximus. Learn to shift your weight to the correct side to power your every day movements. It’s a small thing that can make a big difference.

Because nobody has time to be in pain. 

Until next time…

Kind Regards,
MoveWell Academy
[email protected]

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