Posts by Nicole Ross

Sean Bailey75 said:Have you perhaps considered how much time it actually takes to explain just one single exercise properly so you can be sure everyone truly understands? I noticed you caught my explanation on squats, and maybe even the bridge technique to get there, but honestly, I’ve mostly just been giving straightforward answers to questions asked in good faith. If that helped someone, then super! If it doesn't help or fails to explain everything, it's likely because explaining every single detail would take an enormous amount of time. Plus, it's hard to tell sometimes whether someone is asking maliciously or if they are genuinely interested. Who has the sense to answer every single question, including the trolls and the seriously curious ones? When I see a discussion turning into unconstructive nonsense, I usually head off to do something more productive, which is probably why there are only a few proper explanations on how to execute certain moves.

Regarding Richard Cook2, I think he’s doing a great job, and he’ll definitely reach a high level of quality over time if he fixes those elements that might injure people who follow those types of recreational internet videos. I probably wouldn't have reacted if I hadn't received a few private messages about injuries popping up among lifters who were following those or similar online video tutorials. Isn't it better to prevent an injury than to treat one? That's what they used to teach us, right? If a bit of well-meaning criticism can prevent someone from suffering a herniated disc or tearing critical ligaments, isn't that worth the effort of typing it out? Besides, most of these posts end up lost in the void of the internet anyway.

It would be difficult to say definitively which exercises are appropriate since not every lifter is built or developed the same way. However, I can mention a few things that help with understanding how to maintain proper posture for those who are well-developed. A classic example is developing balanced motor patterns. For instance, if someone is doing pull-ups, it's good for them to work their shoulders too (the overhead press is just one type of shoulder movement). If they are doing the bench press, then it's good to include at least one type of rowing (exercises like the incline row or seated row). If they are doing dips, then it's good to incorporate pulling movements, whether it's deadlifts or partner rows on the floor. If they are doing seated stretches on the left, they should do them on the right too. If they do push-ups and dips, they should work their back and bridges, and so on.

Plagiarist? Why such harsh words? 😁 Moshe was a student; Kano was his teacher. That is a simple fact. And the reality is that the first things Moshe learned came directly from the books Kano wrote—it's not some mystical wisdom.

In the exact same vein, I believe there are plenty of recreational athletes who are perfectly capable of grasping how to perform an exercise correctly. Those who are genuinely interested will seek out the answer—they'll read the book, watch the video, or find another way to educate themselves. Anyone expecting everything to be handed to them on a silver platter via the first Google or YouTube result is truly risking missing the forest for the trees.

Because of that, I wouldn't underestimate recreational lifters; they are far sharper than you're implying with your post. The real issue is that there actually isn't much quality content out there showing proper squat technique, mainly because the internet has been flooded with "quasi-fitness" garbage. There are brilliant tutorials out there, but they are much harder to find, and you really have to dig through the digital noise to locate them. Furthermore, the main reason we don't provide explanations here is that insisting on "perfect" form can often breed resentment among those who are already training correctly, rather than it being an impossible task.

You still haven't answered my question about what you actually learned from watching his videos online. My point was to highlight the absurdity of posting videos about things that are meant to be learned through personal, hands-on contact. Anything you can pick up from watching those clips, you could probably understand much better by reading high-quality texts on the subject.

Personally, I believe any bright amateur will go looking for a solid teacher who can show them the ropes—and I think I've explained quite clearly why I feel that way.

Sean Bailey75 said:Forest or trees aside, my question was actually very straightforward, so I’ll rephrase it to make it even clearer:

Is there a video out there somewhere where I can see exactly what you do to correct a hunched back?

Even just one single exercise. Even Moshe used to demonstrate things this way, so there really shouldn't be any reason to keep anything hidden if it isn't a secret.

one single move isn't going to change a thing
Fixing a hunched posture is a whole process—usually involving 3 or 4 active therapy sessions and about 30 minutes of daily somatic movements, using the insights you pick up during those actual therapy sessions.
That means roughly 5 to 6 hours of hands-on work and talking things through with a therapist, plus about 24 hours of practicing at home over the course of a month and a half.
The payoff? A straightened posture, restored proprioception, and having learned everything necessary to maintain it for life (if you want to), not to mention performing everything else much better.

So, yeah—one clip isn't going to do anything smart.

Here’s an email from a weightlifter I spoke with yesterday after just three active therapy sessions:

Hey Nicole Ross!

Greetings. Everything is going great. I'm doing the exercises every time before my workouts and so far, so good.
I feel super, and even when I really overdo it at the gym, I only feel a slight tightness... which is a massive improvement over my old neck stiffness and stuff like that. Take today, for example—I really pushed it too hard with the weights... it caught up with me. Mostly, I felt some discomfort under my left shoulder blade and thought I'd be completely locked up after the workout, but I feel excellent. Before this, after pushing myself like that, I definitely would have been dealing with a stiff, painful neck for days...

Sean Bailey75 said:Forest or trees aside, my question was actually very straightforward, so I’ll rephrase it to make it even clearer:

Is there a video out there somewhere where I can see exactly what you do to correct a hunched back?

Even just one single exercise. Even Moshe used to demonstrate things this way, so there really shouldn't be any reason to keep anything hidden if it isn't a secret.

It was perfectly clear enough, though I did give you my take on that massive issue you're dealing with (even if you didn't ask for it)—which, let's face it, is holding back your progress quite a bit. You have to realize that physiotherapy and sports medicine have basically hit a wall; they need to change at their very foundation if they want to actually achieve why they exist in the first place. If they stick to the current way of looking at things, they'll just be left behind.
Walter Ross10 laid that out beautifully in the post above. But honestly, you guys know as well as I do that nobody on this forum can give specific "how-to" instructions on exact movements—it’s just too dangerous and irresponsible. No matter how hard you try to explain, draw, or link a video on how to do a perfect squat, you simply cannot learn it without someone physically present to watch your form and make real-time corrections. Otherwise, you aren't learning anything except how to cause yourself an injury. Especially when you consider how many people today suffer from diminished proprioception—which, let's be real, is basically 99% of people living in the developed West anyway.
That's why it makes zero sense, and frankly, it's not okay for me to be dropping exercises or videos here. A person won't actually feel or understand them on their own, so they won't learn a thing. They'll just end up concluding that nothing works—kind of like how people decide deep squats are "bad" for the knees because they don't understand the mechanics.

And what have you actually managed to get out of those Moshejev videos, other than claiming Mr. Kano is a plagiarist?

It’s not about secrets—it's because anyone being worked on is fully conscious and aware.

Sean Bailey75 said:There are actual instruments used to pinpoint deviations from proper posture. To a trained eye, major imbalances are often obvious just by looking. These tools look like large protractors with scales and gauges, mostly measuring angles and ratios of specific body parts.

When it comes to checking yourself, there are several ways, but perhaps the best starting point would be simple observation—just using your own eyes. 🙂 Here, you can spot certain postural deviations (see the image all the way to the right):


Then, you have geometry issues (kind of like a car's alignment; if the alignment is off, you wear down your tires, wheels, and bearings), along with balance and symmetry issues in most vital parts of the body.


Finally, there's the range of motion for most motor functions; essentially, you can measure someone's reach or flexibility in fundamental strength or mobility exercises. This, in short, is what every trainer and trainee should know when they start working out, because certain exercises carry the risk of causing distorted posture or improper alignment.

There is more to it than that, but these are the basics that can help people track their own progress through training.

Kudos to your effort! I assume you know your profession well, but it might be a good idea to look into the terminology you're using, because in American, English, French, and German, differentiation carries different meanings than your interpretation.

My question is: is there a video that demonstrates the differences between your method and the work of other physical therapists? If not, there's a risk that people might think it's just the same thing (like physical therapy) but with different packaging (using "differentiation" instead of "physical therapy").

I use that specific word because, in my experience, it’s the best way to describe the result. It’s about getting a better sense of what’s happening inside the body—better resolution of the internal picture, so to speak. This leads to a heightened ability to feel subtle movements or slight shifts in force, which ultimately translates to better fluidity, balance, and efficiency. Essentially, the brain gets a much more finely differentiated map of the muscles and joints. That’s why I call it that.
I notice a really intense tendency with you guys to miss the forest for the trees. Honestly, it’s been obvious for a while—there's this habit of getting bogged down in minor details and losing sight of the big picture (or maybe just refusing to see it?). I think it's common among most physical therapists; they’re trained to obsess over a knee, for instance, without realizing the client's actual issue stems from the opposite shoulder.
All I want to say is that focusing on spelling errors, or deciding my use of "technical" terms is wrong, or making these—whether conscious or unconscious—attempts to discredit what I write... it feels unnecessary. If you use common sense, you won't find many "errors" in the logic of what I'm saying.

Like I mentioned before, I usually work with people who have already been through the ringer with physical therapy and didn't get the results they needed. They come to me because I don't work like a physical therapist, a chiropractor, or a massage therapist. It would be incredibly silly to explain the mechanics of how differentiation works, only for them to come to me and ask for the exact same stuff their PT did.
Just something to think about.

Walter Ross10 said:Thanks a lot to everyone for the replies.
I mentioned earlier that my question might be a bit naive, mostly because I have absolutely no clue if most people live with some level of postural deviation that’s just considered "normal" within reason, or if these issues are strictly reserved for the sick and injured—or perhaps it's so widespread that most people aren't even aware they have it.

Should every recreational athlete seek out a professional for an assessment?

What are the actual red flags for posture problems? Could it simply manifest as having a specific weak point, like lower back weakness, for example?

Nicole Ross, I was looking through your site, and the reason I'm asking these questions is that the case studies you feature involve people dealing with headaches or other obvious symptoms, which leaves me a bit confused.
By the way, I would send a photo, but honestly, I don't think I'd make the trip out to Brezice for a consultation right now; money is a bit tight at the moment, so I'm not sure what the cost would be.🙂

Reviewing photos doesn't cost anything, but through that process, you can actually discover how your various issues link back to your posture—things you might have just gotten used to and therefore don't even realize are causing trouble. Headaches are usually tied to tension in the muscles along the front and/or back of the torso. There's an article about that on the site.
Usually, the big indicators for posture and movement problems are unexplained chronic pain, a sense of stiffness when moving, or general fatigue. And yes, unfortunately, a massive majority of people deal with these exact issues today.

wearyotter81 said:So, in short, are we talking about progressive muscle relaxation techniques here?
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is such a fascinating concept, isn't it? It’s one of those tools that sounds almost too simple to work, but when you actually sit down and try it, you realize there is some serious science behind how we hold tension in our bodies. Basically, the idea is to systematically tense and then release different muscle groups throughout your body. You start at one end—usually your feet—and work your way up to your face. You squeeze those muscles tight for a few seconds, feeling all that built-up strain, and then suddenly let go. That moment of release? That’s where the magic happens. It’s about teaching your brain to recognize the physical difference between a state of high tension and a state of actual relaxation. It’s actually a pretty heavy hitter in the world of stress management. It’s used by therapists and clinicians all over the US to help people deal with everything from general anxiety to chronic pain and even insomnia. If you're someone who carries the weight of the world in your shoulders or finds your jaw clenched tight after a long day at the office, this kind of thing can be a total game-changer. Think about it: how often do we actually check in with ourselves to see if we're physically stressed? We just live in that constant state of "go, go, go" without realizing our muscles are basically screaming for a break. PMR forces you to slow down and reconnect with your physical self. It’s a way of reclaiming control over your own nervous system. If you haven't tried it yet, I really think it's worth a shot. It doesn't require any fancy equipment, it doesn't cost a dime, and you can do it anywhere—whether you're sitting in a chair in Chicago or lying in bed at home. It’s just you, your breath, and your muscles. Isn't that sometimes exactly what we need?

If they aren't, then what's the actual difference?

How exactly are you measuring that—say, that 30% muscle tension versus dropping down to 0% later on?
Is there actually any scientific research out there on this topic?

@Walter Ross10, well, it’s a bit of both, isn't it? Yes and no.
If you know exactly what you're looking for, you can actually figure out quite a bit on your own just by using your eyes or even a bit of touch. I mean, for things like your feet, ankles, knees, or hips, you can usually spot the issues yourself, right? You can even snap a few profile shots of yourself to get a general idea of your alignment. But honestly, for everything else, you really need a second pair of eyes. It’s just not practical to be your own therapist when you need someone to check your posture from behind or actually perform some manual palpation to feel what's going on under the surface. Sometimes you just need another person there to see the full picture!

That’s kind of like saying the bench press is the only weightlifting exercise in existence.

Based on the method mentioned above, the difference lies in the fact that the client performs all movements under direct guidance and specific resistance from the therapist—the whole point being to help them rediscover that sense of proprioception they once had and ultimately boost systemic efficiency. That’s how you achieve the essential requirement for a healthy body: efficiency. Unnecessarily tense muscles just aren't efficient.

It's measured via palpation.
Of course—everything in neurology deals with this, just from a different angle, but the fundamental principle remains the same.

Walter Ross10 said:A question for everyone here... maybe a bit foolish (likely) 😁
But how can one actually observe their own posture to see if there's an issue? Is that even possible?

By the way, I really enjoy these discussions; regardless of how heated the arguments get, you can still learn quite a bit. 🙂

It’s definitely possible using a mirror, though it's tough to be self-critical about something you're used to seeing as "normal."
If you want, take some photos and email them over—I'd be happy to give you my take on what's going on.
Everything is laid out in this link

In this context, differentiation basically means having a better ability to distinguish which muscle groups are actually firing during a specific movement. It’s about using only the precise muscle you need—rather than letting some other muscle jump in and get in the way when its activity isn't actually helping you achieve what you're trying to do right now.

The whole point of differentiation is to overcome that subconscious muscle tension we deal with during therapy. That tension is caused by SMA. Because of that, you end up with slow, non-essential, and non-lasting changes in how you perceive posture and movement across all the levels those muscles or muscle groups involve. It leads to this constant state of tension that we just get used to—we don't even notice it anymore, except that over time, we start noticing the consequences in the form of chronic pain and worn-out joints.
It makes the muscles hypertonic. Since they're constantly tense as part of the process, they build up lactic acid, which makes them sensitive—and in stronger or longer cases, downright painful. These tensions are unconscious, unnecessary, and persistent; they stem from the subconscious parts of the brain. The focus of therapy is to teach the person how to regain that sensory feeling over the muscles that were subconsciously tense. In doing so, they regain conscious control over the portion of regulation they lost due to SMA.
If, for example, someone has lost 30% of their muscle control, causing that muscle to be constantly "on" at 30%, active therapy can help bring that 30% back. In practice, this means the person can now relax that muscle to almost 0% when they don't need it. This allows the muscle to actually rest and be ready for exertion when needed, rather than getting in the way with useless contractions during movements it shouldn't be part of—or knowing how to linearly relax again when its antagonist pulls.
You can feel this quite beautifully under your fingertips by checking the muscles before and after therapy. And that relaxation comes from one single thing: the return of control. A person feels it even when lying completely still—they can sense themselves differently, like that part of the body feels larger, more alive, warmer...
Then, they can take a muscle from 100% tension down to 0% relaxation, whereas before that range was stuck between 100% and 30%. That's where the reduction and disappearance of pain and movement restrictions come from—things they felt before but didn't know how to change.
You can maintain that regained control through movement. But without active therapy—if you're just doing the same old exercises—you won't get that relaxation below 30%; you'll just stay stuck in that 100% to 30% range. That’s the real difference between differentiation and other therapies. It all boils down to things being able to move freely, which is what ultimately results in freedom.

English isn't my first language, but I think what I'm trying to say is clear enough, and that shouldn't be a reason for any misunderstanding. Another thing is that the site is mainly intended for people who have already undergone active therapy, so it might be a bit harder to follow for someone who hasn't gone through it yet.

wasn't meant for you specifically

thanks for the kind wishes
same goes for you

😉

"So, you think the books Body & Matura Behavior or Case of Norah won't help anyone with a hunched back?"

If you had actually read them, you wouldn't be making claims like that—mostly because they contain everything you need to understand why someone ends up with a slumped posture in the first place. And once you truly grasp the underlying cause, finding a better —though not necessarily the only —solution becomes possible. Even if you'd spent time skimming reviews on Amazon, you wouldn't have written that bolded part above, because you would've realized it just isn't accurate.
Of course, they don't give you a literal, step-by-step manual on exactly what to do—because honestly, that’s impossible. That kind of "quick fix" approach might lead to some temporary improvement, but it doesn't provide a lasting solution, which really should be the goal of any therapist (though, sadly, that's quite rare when you consider the profit margins)
.
What bugs me most, though, is how you're jumping to these definitive conclusions about things you clearly don't understand. It really casts a different light on everything else you're writing.

I wouldn't be the one to sit here and debate who’s actually philosophizing and who’s just arguing—honestly, if you're reading what I've put down, it should be pretty obvious where the issues with posture stem from and how to tackle them most effectively. Since my approach isn't quite the same as the classic methods out there, I figured it was worth breaking it all down properly. From that point on, though, the choice is entirely up to you.

Sean Bailey75 said:Hey, could you please dive a bit deeper into Moshe for me? I really appreciate the recommendation to check out his later works. However, the fact remains that while Kano was still around, this man was in his thirties and was referring to his teachings as the Kano Method in most of those French sources. After Kano passed away in 1938, he actually had a coach named Mikinosuke Kawaishi, so it makes sense that he wrote about the Kawaishi Method. Then, once he got older and moved away from active training, he started writing about all sorts of different things.

Kudos to Moshe for bringing the awareness of therapeutic gymnastics to people in France, and later taking those concepts to the USA and even Israel. However, he wasn't truly the founder of the therapeutic gymnastics idea—that was passed down to him by Jigoro Kano. And honestly, looking at what happened after Moshe passed away in 1984, it’s a bit disheartening. You see practitioners today who will spend an entire hour performing a single five-minute exercise just so they can charge people by the hour. It feels more like a business tactic than actual healing. Furthermore, he stripped away the entire system of therapeutic massage and pressure points that used to exist within Jiu Jitsu, which he had previously introduced under the Kano Method. As a result, you rarely find a modern Jiu Jitsu master, physical therapist, or doctor who actually understands how to physically manipulate a nerve or a muscle—how to use their hands to adjust tissue when someone is physically healthy but struggling with functional issues or pain. Nowadays, most experts just pass the responsibility off to a massage therapist. But maybe that’s exactly why we see so much chronic pain in the lower back, hips, spine, or neck—areas that are nearly impossible for a person to reach and treat themselves. There are countless people who are technically "healthy" but constantly battling back spasms, hip issues, neck tension, or headaches. Because Kano gathered doctors back in the 19th century, they were able to document the most common causes of these pains and propose methods to solve them with a double effect: eliminating the root cause while simultaneously improving muscular functionality.

To put it simply, Moshe didn't actually uncover a whole new world of information; he’s quite honest about that in the earlier editions of his books. He expresses such deep gratitude toward Jigoro Kano for helping him resolve the pain and physical setbacks caused by a soccer injury—back then, he was writing some truly excellent material. You can really sense how much he missed Kano in his later works after his passing, largely because the Kawaishi Method just didn't carry the same depth of knowledge that Kano possessed. I truly respect him for everything he did to promote and popularize therapeutic gymnastics. If anyone out there is looking to learn more about maintaining healthy backs and improving posture, my advice would be to go straight to the source: read Kano’s original works. For those interested in Moshe's perspective, I’d suggest reading his writings from the period when Kano was still alive and providing recommendations or forewords. It’s a great way to see the consistency in his writing before he aged and things shifted. While I have immense respect for Moshe, I do harbor a small grievance: I wish he had put more effort into popularizing the original Jiu Jitsu to the rest of the world. But, to be fair, it makes sense. Moshe’s connection to Jiu Jitsu was always rooted in his own health and recovery, rather than a desire to develop the discipline into a full-blown way of life.

Jiu Jitsu is fundamentally an incredible discipline for building up those who feel weak or frail. It proves that anyone—from a three-year-old kid to a hundred-year-old woman—can engage in contact sports. It shows that people can be healthy and, more importantly, that there is a way for them to help themselves. I absolutely agree that issues like spinal misalignment can be addressed with just four or five sessions or training bouts, combined with about thirty minutes of personal practice daily over a set period. At the end of the day, it really just comes down to who actually wants to put in the work; that’s the whole point of recreation. Because if someone with back issues isn't willing to actually train, they aren't going to see any results.

I'm glad I could help.
You analyzed his work in a couple of those long posts of yours—reducing everything down to just copying Mr. Kano—and then you have the nerve to say you haven't even touched his three most important books? Those books are basically the foundation for actually solving people's postural issues, and honestly, they don't even have much to do with Judo. You wrote that with such absolute certainty, too—as if you're 100% sure—but you're actually missing a huge chunk of what he discovered and how it can actually be used in practice to help a client.
That’s not really fair, is it?

And I see this pattern all the time—people using a bunch of massive, overly technical jargon just to confuse a client and make them believe the whole thing is incredibly complicated, takes forever, and requires an insane amount of willpower and effort.

Which isn't even true, because at its core, therapy for postural and motor problems should follow the same principles a baby uses to learn how to sit, crawl, and walk—without any coaches, weights, or stretching involved.

ps. If you actually sit down and read Case of Nora, you'll see exactly how he utilized Functional Integration to deal with the aftermath of a stroke (which is what you're looking for) ;-)

all good

Of course there isn't just one way to do things—there are plenty of paths. I just laid out what I see as the root causes of postural issues for the original poster, specifically focusing on the traps people fall into when they follow the traditional route of just cranking up strength training or stretching. It’s all about how those methods fail them, and how my approach offers a way out. Since there were some reactions to that, I figured I’d weigh in again.

As for you, wearyotter81, I honestly think it would be a massive help if you picked up at least "Awareness Through Movement, Body & Matura Behavior" by Moshe Feldenkrais. Once you dive into that, you'll realize that Judo was really just a tiny fraction of what he uncovered—it was actually the catalyst that allowed proprioceptive therapeutics to flourish. That body of knowledge has been refined ever since, making the processes faster and more lasting; eventually, the therapist isn't even needed anymore once the foundation is set.
The approach Moshe pioneered is becoming more vital by the day because so many people lose their intuitive sense of how their bodies move while they're still incredibly young. They end up performing exercises and training regimens designed for an era when kids were still climbing trees and crawling around on the ground. The fallout? By the time they hit their early 20s, they're already dealing with the same physical struggles their parents didn't face until they were 50 or 55. And let's be honest—that age threshold is dropping every year.

What I wanted to show the OP is that there is a way to resolve these issues in just 4 or 5 sessions—roughly 8 hours of work total—combined with just thirty minutes of daily practice at home. That's enough to restore a balanced posture and give them the tools to maintain it for life. After that? They can go lift weights as much as they want.

cheers

Honestly, trying to debate anything related to the core issue that started this whole thread with someone who deals with posture problems and holds such a specific view on Mr. Moshe Feldenkrais is just... well, it's pointless.

The real question here is how an expert can possibly relax a tense muscle if the person actually owning that muscle can't seem to do it themselves.

Sean Bailey75 said:Look, we could go on like this until tomorrow. I'm saying that constant muscle tension leads to cramping and chronic inflammation, which eventually exhausts the muscles and prevents any real progress. You disagree because you think the muscle will become hyper-tense, get too fatigued, and lead to constant muscle fiber breakdown—but you argue that this constant contraction originates in the brain. Essentially, we are saying the same thing, but you won't agree with me because you insist the command comes from the brain.

Let's be clear: I'm not interested in debating or "winning" anything here. You asked a question, and I answered it. I respect physical therapy and any therapist who does great work. However, the internet isn't always the best place for people to truly understand one another; you have to read carefully, and even then, there's no guarantee you'll fully grasp what your interlocutor means. Emphasizing our disagreement just because, for example, motor commands originate in the brain, is honestly just unnecessary discourse.

I am searching for a top-tier physical therapist with solid references for someone who has suffered a stroke and needs to fully regain motor function. In recent months, he has managed to walk again with some excellent therapists at a wellness resort, but he has absolutely no sensation in his arms. It is not easy at all to find a high-quality, skilled specialist. If anyone knows a premier expert who could work in the Chicago area near the 2014 vicinity, let me know so I can arrange a consultation. The patient is very determined and demanding; he pays well, but he is extremely strict about criteria (meaning one mistake or one wrong approach, and it's goodbye). So, this is an appeal not just to you, but to anyone who might know a specialist capable of helping this man become motorically capable again, just as he was before.

So, I'll say it again: I'm not looking to judge or argue if there's nothing to be gained from it. I'll just suggest that perhaps it would be better to offer advice to people struggling with back issues rather than wasting keystrokes on this. Maybe I'm wrong, but allow me to step away from this debate, as I don't think I can contribute anything more intelligent to the topic. Cheers, and thanks for understanding.

Well, look,
I've worked with stroke recovery before, and the situation can definitely be improved. That said, they really need to meet someone in person and actually talk things through. The potential for help depends heavily on the state of his CNS. If that isn't functioning properly due to injury or illness, then differentiation alone won't do much for him, because we're essentially talking about an educational process here. I only practice in Brežice.

As for helping people through this forum via specific exercises... it's a bit of a tricky one.
I've tried coaching people remotely via email before, but it just doesn't work. First, they have to regain sensation through active therapy and personal movement learning—basically figuring out what they've lost due to poor proprioception. That requires hands-on contact and direct feedback from my side, which allows the person to feel things differently and consciously release those tight muscles.
There’s no other way. Once they can consciously feel and understand that, *then* I can work with them via Skype to provide new progressions and tools. Without that initial step, they simply won't "feel" it, and everything else becomes pointless.

It's the same reason you can't learn a kettlebell swing just by watching YouTube or reading a forum. Without direct feedback from a coach, everything ends up being technically incorrect, and you lose all the actual value and effect.

I'm mentioning this just so they have a different perspective on rehabilitation and solving the problem, but they really do need to come in and relearn what they've lost over time.

Sean Bailey75 said:I don't think so, mainly because we aren't seeing that kind of scenario very often. Kyphosis and that general roundedness in the back tend to pull the hips inward rather than actually shifting the center of gravity itself. While that sort of compensation might make sense if you were looking at a machine, it just isn't how the human body operates. In people dealing with kyphosis, it’s actually much more common to find their weight shifted heavily toward their heels—and that happens precisely because they are compensating through the hips, which ends up causing even more damage to the hip joints. This is especially true for older individuals; you see such significant atrophy in the hips that they can actually fracture from minor falls. It isn't just a matter of osteoporosis, either; it's the sheer weakness of the hip and groin muscles that really leaves them vulnerable.

While that first assumption isn't quite hitting the mark, this second one actually makes a bit of sense. However, we have to consider that constant loading without significant amplitude in contraction and relaxation leads to the exact opposite result: muscle exhaustion. In that scenario, the muscles aren't becoming "more developed"—they’re just seizing up. When you operate that way, true muscle development isn't just difficult; it's effectively impossible, which is why you eventually run into muscle atrophy.

Look, I’m a healthy individual, and I have absolutely no intention of mimicking the exact posture of someone dealing with kyphosis. Kyphosis isn't just a simple thing; it's a long-term, progressive process that shapes a person's physical makeup so deeply that they simply can't correct themselves or achieve the same range of motion that I can. Because of that, my body is going to react and compensate for movement entirely differently than the body of someone struggling with pronounced kyphosis or excessive weight. It's just basic biology.

When muscles get cramped up, they actually trigger an inflammatory process, which shows up as that persistent, localized cramping sensation. If someone just gets used to that constant back pain, that spasm becomes permanent, and it starts messing with your circulation. Once circulation drops, you run into muscle atrophy. On a microscopic level, the body essentially decides to weaken that specific muscle to cut down on energy consumption—this adaptation can kick in after just 72 hours. It’s actually a "normal" physiological response to the cramp, which is exactly why you need to address it immediately before these other structural changes take hold. On a side note, it would be wise to distinguish between raw strength and actual muscular toughness, but that's a whole different conversation for another time.

5. Absolutely spot on—that’s an excellent observation. And that is exactly why it results in a loss; because total muscular tension just isn't the natural state of the muscular system.

You know, when dealing with kyphosis, it isn’t actually necessary for the chest and abdominal muscles to be overdeveloped. We see this happen all the time with gym enthusiasts who go way too heavy on what people call "bench pressing" while completely neglecting their back work. It results in that hunched-over posture, and honestly, you see it constantly here in the States. It usually stems from guys staring at themselves in the mirror, obsessing over building up their pecs, abs, and biceps, while barely putting any effort into the antagonists—you know, the back, shoulders, and neck. It really comes down to a perception problem. People jump into training without much experience, trying to DIY their way through a routine, and end up with all sorts of unpredictable results. Are their backs atrophied even if they seem strong? Absolutely. Because those muscles aren't actually functional or truly strong; they’re just chronically tight and tense, while the opposing muscle groups are further weakening them by pulling in the opposite direction. On the flip side, for someone who hasn't been active for a long time, you won't see any significant development in the chest or abdominal muscles unless they are specifically trained. Similarly, the back muscles won't develop regardless of how much tension or tightness is present. You have to actually train them to build real strength.

The questions you’ve raised really demonstrate that you have the capacity for critical thinking, along with the genuine will and desire to learn. All of those assumptions serve as a solid foundation for expanding your knowledge base. However, it would be wise to test those hypotheses against a much larger sample size. If we were to conduct any kind of observation or study based on just one single case or individual, it would be nearly impossible to gain a true perception of what the general condition looks like across a broader population. Of course, it can certainly feel baffling when you see strong muscles suffering from atrophy, but that is a far more complex issue that might not actually offer much help to people specifically struggling with poor posture. Therefore, perhaps it would be best to focus our efforts on helping those who are truly grappling with how to correct their own posture.

But here’s the thing—that hip tucking? It’s basically just a compensation maneuver the brain pulls to fix an imbalance and try to dial down the tension in the toes and the posterior chain. The hips end up taking the hit because the person gets all tight through the back and abdomen, losing that crucial pelvic mobility. Then, you get those hip flexors and glutes contracting like crazy, jamming the femur into the pelvis. Eventually, they just collapse because of the instability and the total inability to react when their center of gravity shifts. Seriously, just look at people who carry their head too far forward, or those whose balance is thrown off by a larger midsection—you'll almost always see their toes curling inward like claws. Why does that happen? It's all connected.

While that first assumption isn't quite hitting the mark, this second idea actually holds a bit of logic—if you look at it closely. However, here’s the thing: constant tension without significant amplitude in contraction and relaxation leads to the exact opposite result—total muscle exhaustion. So, those muscles aren't becoming "more developed"; they're just stuck in a permanent state of cramping. In that scenario, muscle growth isn't just difficult—it becomes physically impossible, which is why you end up seeing muscle atrophy instead.

I have to disagree on this one. Look, when a muscle is hyper-tense, sure, it feels stronger—but because that tension never actually lets up, the muscle just burns out. You end up stuck in a state of constant muscle fiber contraction, which most people experience as pain. Since there isn’t always an obvious physical injury or a direct reason for the discomfort, people usually end up wandering into a doctor's office totally confused, wondering where the hell the pain is coming from. But the real culprit? It's that non-stop contraction triggered by commands straight from the brain.

And again—if we’re actually buying your reasoning for point two regarding why a crushed and fatigued muscle would somehow make training and extra loading even harder... wouldn't that just lead straight to total exhaustion? I mean, wouldn't you end up facing complete loss of control and that dreaded lack of sensation in your back?

Just a quick reminder—those back muscles end up in that state because they’re basically working overtime just to compensate for the hyper-tense muscles in the front of the body—all in a desperate attempt to help someone actually maintain an upright posture.
The most straightforward, easy way to fix this—really, just keeping it simple—is to focus on ramping up the sensation in the front of your body. It’s all about heightening that awareness to gain better control, while simultaneously letting go of those muscles that are just holding onto unnecessary tension. Why fight against yourself when you can just relax?

Look, I’m a healthy person—completely different situation here—so I won't end up with the exact same posture as someone dealing with kyphosis. Kyphosis isn't just a quick thing; it’s this long-term, structural process that shapes a person so deeply that they simply can't correct themselves or move through the same range of motion that I can. My body would react and compensate for those movements in a totally different way than someone struggling with pronounced kyphosis and excessive weight. It's just biology, right?

It would be pretty eye-opening if you could actually feel all the compensations your brain has to pull off just because you decided to shove your head forward and slouch. It’s one thing to know it's happening, but it's another to truly grasp the sheer amount of work your nervous system is doing to stay upright—and then realize exactly what kind of damage you're inviting by living in those compensations 24/7. And honestly? Once you feel that tension, you start asking yourself: where is the command for this posture even coming from in the first place?

When muscles get cramped up like that, they essentially trigger an inflammatory process—which is why you feel those persistent, nagging spasms. The real danger is when a person just gets used to the pain in their back; that cramp becomes a permanent fixture, and it starts choking off your circulation. It’s a bit of a downward spiral, really. Because the blood flow is compromised, you end up looking at muscle atrophy. On a microscopic level, the body actually weakens that specific muscle just to cut down on energy consumption—this can start happening after only about 72 hours. It’s a completely normal biological adaptation to the spasm, which is exactly why you need to address it immediately before these secondary changes take hold. By the way—it would probably be useful to distinguish between raw strength and actual muscular toughness, but that's a whole other conversation entirely.

Sure, but you have to realize—he simply can’t afford to let those muscles relax or drop energy consumption after 72 hours. Why? Because doing so would require him to simultaneously relax his entire anterior chain just to stay balanced. But since he lacks the ability to actually release that front side—because it's subconsciously locked tight—there's no other way out except to persist with tense back muscles, or resort to brain compensations to cut down on the effort... you know, leaning on elbows or a rock using one or both hands, putting hands on the lower back, sitting in a hunched posture, resisting upward stretching—like when playing the bassoon or tennis—or gravitating toward sports that favor a cramped posture, like cycling or cross-country skiing... or else just faceplant into the floor.

5. Absolutely spot on, excellent observation. And that’s exactly why it’s a bad thing—because total tension isn't a natural state for the muscular system.

Of course it isn't, but ask yourself: why can't he, or his CNS, change this unnatural state?
Let me make it easier for you: it's because his CNS thinks everything is fine. It's become so used to being under tension that it considers it "normal."

6. Chest and abdominal muscles don't necessarily need to be developed in someone with kyphosis. This happens, for example, with gym rats who go way too hard on what people call "bench" while neglecting their "back work," resulting in a hunched posture. It's an incredibly common scenario in the US, mostly because guys look in the mirror and focus solely on building up their pecs, abs, and biceps, while barely touching the antagonists—the back, shoulders, and neck. It’s a perception problem; people start training without much experience and end up with all sorts of weird results. Are their backs atrophied even if they seem strong? Yes. Because those muscles aren't actually functional and strong; they're just chronically tense, and the opposing muscle group further weakens them by pulling in the opposite direction. However, in people who haven't been active for a long time, there wouldn't have been any development of the abdominal or pectoral muscles if they hadn't trained them, nor would the back muscles have developed, no matter how much they were cramping up.

True, but you're mixing up cause and effect here.

They have back problems because of a tight anterior side that they can't release.
And people try to fix it by stretching the front and strengthening the back, instead of teaching the person to actually *feel* that they are tight in the front—teaching the CNS to shift back to normal tension levels. The current approach is highly impractical, inefficient, and long-winded, making it extremely prone to setbacks and injuries.

The questions you’re asking just show that you have the capacity for critical thought, the will, and the desire to learn. All these assumptions provide a solid foundation for advancing your knowledge. That said, it would be wise to test these assumptions against a larger pool of cases. If we were conducting observations or research based on just a single case or individual, it would be difficult to gain a true perception of what the general condition is for most people. Sure, it can be baffling sometimes how powerful muscles can still be atrophied, but that's a much more complex story that might not help people specifically struggling with postural issues. So, perhaps it would be better to focus on helping those who are actually tormented by the question of how to correct their posture.

It would be wise not to judge the experience or the quality of knowledge of people you don't know, based merely on a few posts that you're now interpreting differently. I've been working in physiotherapy for many years and have successfully resolved a huge number of cases. I've confirmed every single one of my claims through practice with over 600 people—most of whom had already gone through the usual failed attempts at traditional rehabilitation and typically tried my method for chronic pain before opting for surgery.
So, you can assume I haven't just been working with young, healthy people; it's been a bit of everything.

definition:
The somatosensory system is essentially the sensory network dedicated to somatic sensations.

These somatic feelings come from all sorts of sensory receptors—things that trigger sensations like touch or pressure, temperature (whether it's hot or cold), pain (which, let's be honest, includes itching and tickling too), and those deep-seated sensations tied to muscle and joint movement—including posture, motion, and even facial expressions (all of which fall under the umbrella of proprioception).

From this, it’s crystal clear that they only actually use it if you're in a vegetative state.

It’s just so obviously

🤷

Look, I'm not just talking at you—I'm trying to explain that there is another way, one that's actually faster, more sustainable, and much healthier than the standard approach to fixing posture.

That’s exactly why forums like this exist—to share different perspectives and methods. It’s honestly baffling how anyone in this age of the internet and YouTube can be so incredibly certain that there’s only one "right" way to solve anything, much like Richard Cook2.

People who are actually interested in—and embrace—my way of tackling postural issues and the chronic pain that comes with them have already reached out to me via private message, since I'm not even supposed to be running direct advertisements here on the forum.

At the end of the day, everyone owns their own body, so they can do whatever they want with it if they feel like it.

Cheers,

If you're right, then my bad—I apologize for wasting your precious time. You’d probably be much better off spending it reading up on neurology, how the brain actually functions, or the development of motor skills during growth. You might actually pick up something useful that way.

Cheers

Question

Does the CNS control our hands and legs, or do our hands and legs control the CNS?

It’s probably the latter, right?

Which means—get this—the CNS actually changes through movement. The desire for movement comes from consciousness, and if you change the stimulus, you change the movement itself. This shift happens in the conscious part of the brain because that's where we learn new movements and new motor combinations. And, importantly, there aren't reflexes in that specific part of the brain.
So, if a body gets stuck in a hunched-over posture, it basically means the CNS has developed "wrong" proprioception regarding how it holds itself.
And you can actually fix that by changing that proprioception—effectively correcting the CNS commands via different stimuli. By doing that, you alter the feedback loop of the sensorimotor circuit. It’s a way to change posture in a fast, easy, and painless way, which in turn fixes the issues caused by suboptimal posture. Most people don't even realize they're hunched over because, to them, that's just their "normal" state—they only feel the consequences when they hold it too long.

Have you ever seen cases where a child's motor skills and range of motion are altered by placing electrodes in the brain, or is there another way to achieve that?

Sure, you could try to fix posture through strengthening and stretching, but that takes forever—plus, the margin for error is huge. There's a very real chance you'll just end up stuck in a constantly tense, hyper-toned body as you get older.