Primal Movements
By Rob Wilson, CMT

When it comes to human movement, nothing is more basic than the squat and the deadlift. These movements are as fundamental as walking. In daily life we all sit and stand, and picks things up. Squat and deadlift training is nothing more than the application of biomechanics to ensure these most primal of human movements are painless and effiecient. No two movements have more power to enhance your health and vitality when practiced regularly. Both of these exercises have intrinsic “biomotor” qualities that transfer over to virtually everything we do. Biomotor literally means “life movement”. These movements were not created by any trainer, coach, or exercise specialist. They are part and parcel to every human being. Increase longevity, enhance healing through the neuroendocrine response, booster athleticism, maintain functional independence for the elderly, prevent and rehabilitate a whole host of biomechanical disorders. If these benefits appeal to you, squat and deadlift.

Part One: The Squat

The chair being a relatively recent invention (anthropologically speaking of course), squatting down is the way our ancient hunter-gatherer ancestors performed many of their daily functions. This includes but is not limited to: deficating (more on this later), foraging for food, starting fires, preparing meals, using tools, and even just resting. What may be surprising is that in many modern and aboriginal cultures, squatting is still a primary part of every day living. In fact, I was recently having a discussion with a Marine who was deployed in Somalia and he told me about how to this day men gather on the corner, squat down and have a chat about daily life, politics, whatever. Can you imagine the average American meeting up with some friends and squatting for a couple of hours to play some Yatzee!

As an exercise the squat has incredible benefits for flexibility, balance, neuromuscular coordination, total body strength, and even gastrointestinal health. When the squat is performed correctly, virtually every muscle in the body is moving in a coordinated effort. The powerful muscles of the hips and legs generate force that is then transmitted into the functional core of the body. Once sound squat mechanics are developed intensity levels can be increased to illicit an incredible endogenous (created from within the body) neuroendocrine response. When this happens the body will naturally produce more testosterone, insulin-like growth hormone, and human growth hormone (HGH). Bone density increases and muscles and connective tissue get stronger.

Additionally, squatting can benefit gastrointestinal health. The interior muscles of the abdominal wall and pelvic floor become toned increasing your body’s natural ability to rid itself of waste without straining. The strength and flexibility that are developed from being able to squat will mechanically help to push waste materials through the colon. This is important because we bipeds are the only animals who push fecal matter against the flow of gravity. Americans spend millions of dollars a year on over the counter and prescription laxatives. With constipation and back pain being two of the most common reasons for visits to the doctor, the squat can offer cheap relief with far reaching side benefits.

Squatting regularly has an incredible gamut of health enhancing effects. Anyone who practices the squat with focus and regularity will see far reaching health benefits.

Part Two: The Deadlift

The deadlift, once known as the “health lift” is nothing more than the biomechanically correct way to pick things up. This movement effectively teaches us how to stabilize the core of our body (pelvis and spine), while the strong muscles of the hips and legs transfer force directly to the object we are trying to lift. Due largely to the relative ease of our physical existence, people of industrialized culture often have very tight, but deconditioned back muscles and contorted connective tissues. Unfortunately, much of this can be traced back to sedentary jobs where we sit at poorly designed chairs for what amounts to about a third of our daily existence. Human beings, for the most part have adapted to what up until the last 200 years was a very harsh physical existence. Hunting and gathering, and later agriculture required the aforementioned squatting, as well as lifting and carrying objects of various size, shape, and weight. So, because our DNA has not yet adapted to deskwork it’s imperative that we use exercises that most closely simulate our most basic geneticprogramming. The deadlift is arguably the most efficient exercise at doing this, tied only with the squat.

Often in the course of my career as a therapist I’ve had clients come in and complain of injuries from lifting. Many times this was not due to an object being extraordinarily large or heavy, but because the clients were often very deconditioned and were using poor lifting mechanics (rounding their spines and lifting using primarily the muscles of the back). Becoming proficient in the deadlift conditions the body to work in the most efficient manner possible by essentially allowing the powerful hip extensors to generate force while the muscles of the back and abdominals act to prevent shear in the spinal column. Shear is when two vertebrae slide transversely. Repetitive movement of this nature can lead to disc, ligamentous, and muscular injury especially if there are already postural predispositions present. The deadlift will effectively condition the muscles in the back to maintain fixed intervertebral relationships while under load, i.e. your back stays locked and safe while you pick stuff up. Also because virtually every muscle in your body is working together the deadlift has incredible benefits for coordination, flexibility, and balance.

Practicing the mechanics the deadlift can rehabilitate and prevent back injuries and a whole host of other common biomechanical problems. Like the squat, regular and focused practice will be a potent addition to any rehabilitation or exercise and conditioning program.

References:
Chek, Paul. You Should Squat. 5/14/05. www.chekinstitute.com
Chek, Paul. What is Functional Exercise? 2/09/01. www.chekinstitute.com
Glassman, Greg. The Deadlift. The CrossFit Journal. 08/03
Glassman, Greg. Squat Clinic. The CrossFit Journal. 12/03