Why we love Kneeling & Half Kneeling PWR!Moves
by Jennifer Bazan-Wigle, PT, DPT, CEEAA
Hello PWR! Professionals,
As we reflect on the power of the PWR! Retreat and finish out a month of balance-focus in our group classes, a few of our participants and my clients have commented on how challenging it was to perform the PWR!Moves in kneeling and half kneeling. It’s been great to talk with them about the all the amazing benefits of these expanded PWR!Moves positions:
– Improvements in lower body strength and mobility
– Hip extension for gait and hip strength
– Trunk stability
– Better posture
– Improvements in balance & coordination
– Improves flexibility of tight hip flexors
– Better technique with squatting and single leg exercises
We talk about “functional mobility” and how these developmental positions are fundamental to vertical mobility. This is how we played and learned to get up and down off the floor as children.
These positions can also address the asymmetries that most of our clients are managing. We should be finding interesting and challenging ways to target the more impaired side of the body, and half kneeling may be the ticket!
With practice and modifications, balance will improve, as it’s easier to stabilize your body in these positions. And think about it – you are much closer to the ground, so challenging your client(s) in half kneeling or kneeling may increase balance confidence which translates to standing.
Our clients also have or experienced impaired kinesthesia/proprioception, causing lots of faulty perceptions and inefficient movement patterns. I’m always amazed to see what happens (sometimes our clients are too!) when we “take their feet away.” Exercising in the half kneeling and kneeling positions eliminates certain movement options making it difficult to compensate for impairments in the trunk and proximal lower extremities, but with practice, you will notice an improvement in their body awareness as they improve their stability. Don’t forget to try these positions with their eyes closed as they develop their proficiency/expertise in these positions!
And who doesn’t want to see more posterior chain activation? These positions target antigravity extension – yay posture!
Below are videos of PWR!Moves done in each position, along with ways to modify for success and decrease knee discomfort. Enjoy and share your stories of success with us as you incorporate these PWR!Moves into your activity regimen!