A whole industry has been created to teach people how to move. This is very good to prevent injuries, get sedentary people to move and fit people to try new challenges. However, what often results is a lingering dependency on teachers for further progression.
Being a money making machine, the fitness industry thrives on this dependency. Students usually are not taught to observe carefully the components of movement patterns. As such, they are left hanging, waiting for a teacher to unleash them from "mover's block" until the next lesson.
Mover's block is a term I use when people seem to be unwilling or unable to learn new movement patterns without assistance and explicit instruction. It is similar to writer's block, in that a writer becomes stuck in a paragraph.
In the 21st century, we are in the golden age of movement thanks to youtube videos and other online sources. We have the luxury to learn for free when we want, what we want, and at our own pace, simply by keen observation and beginning with easy movements. The secret is to simply watch for the structure of a position and how to transition into the next structure of a position. Start with repeated observation and then practice integrating one position into the next while moving slowly, before integrating a third position (if any). The pause button and slow motion button (if available) are valuable tools.
As a sample video for this learning technique, watch "Sprinter's Block." Ask yourself, "What are all the joints doing for each structure and transition?" and "What is the alignment for each structure?"
Teaching yourself new movement patterns is a rewarding experience and weans you off complete dependency on the fitness industry. However, keep in mind that sometimes mover's block is a reasonable choice. For example, you shouldn't jump into complex movement patterns without first knowing and being able to do the prerequisite movements and the progressions, in which you may have to be taught by an instructor.
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