Breathing is the central mechanism of power and timing, due to the relationship between the respiratory apparatus, core muscles and those muscles related to the spine. Proper breathing technique is critical for optimal performance. It is amazing how many people, including highly skilled athletes, take for granted the breathing mechanism and its role in performance. Developing this mechanism in relationship to movement is accomplished by integrating proper breathing techniques into the training regimen. Each movement has its own breathing requirements, dependent on exertion levels. Without a finely tuned respiratory system, you will never reach your potential as an athlete, always a step behind… a split second late. The solution is simple: unlock your body’s potential by learning how to breathe.

Core-dinator - basic rotation loaded Sequences rotation from the arch of the foot to the core region of the body.

Incorporating the above restoration work into your schedule can neutralize the negative effects of super intense training and help maintain an extreme level of fitness for extended periods of time. Top athletes rely on rest and regeneration to help maintain extreme levels of performance for many years. It is not unusual to see professional athletes competing into their late 30’s and early 40’s. For these athletes, rest and regenerative techniques are the key. Their importance becomes apparent to anyone routinely exercising past the age of 35. As a training priority they move to the top of the list with time.

Core-dinator (short board configuration with primer board) - destabilized rotation. Improves neuromuscular control.

To illustrate, imagine carrying a small child up or down a flight of stairs. For most people, this is a fairly simple task whose familiarity requires very little concentration. Now let’s make each stair a different height and depth to destabilize the environment. What happens? The familiar becomes unfamiliar and the entire dynamic of the task changes. To perform it effectively, we must: (1) visually evaluate each step for height, depth and distance; (2) estimate the amount of physical exertion required to climb the step; (3) maintain our balance to ensure the safety of the child; (4) position our body correctly; and (5) execute the step. This process will be repeated with each step, in varying degrees of concentration, depending on the variance of the step in relation to the one previous.

6. Neuromuscular Coordination
To perform a movement accurately, the motor or contractile units controlling our muscles must fire in sequence. This requires a consistent and timely flow of neural impulses transmitted to the contractile units across the many muscle groups involved in the movement. If a particular movement is unfamiliar, the contractile units will not be prepared to execute the desired movement. Smooth, consistent muscular contractions depend on the health and efficiency of the individual sarcomeres that make up the muscle and contribute to the tension generated throughout a contractile range of motion. The purpose of neuromuscular conditioning in the L.I.S.T. Balance System is to educate these contractile units to optimize the muscle-firing sequence.

Core-dinator (split platform) - friction-free rotational base-split squat. Improves hip, knee, ankle and core stability.

The destabilized environment of the L.I.S.T. Balance System enhances results. The unstable base of support requires significantly greater mental concentration and an expansion of the muscle groups involved in each movement. The L.I.S.T. Balance System produces great results because of the demands placed on the body’s mind and musculature.

10. Psycho-Physical Challenge
One of the problems with traditional training programs is boredom. How many times have we quit training because it is simply not enjoyable? For a training program to be successful, it must provide an adequate amount of mental and physical challenge that is interesting, positively stimulating and demanding.

In the L.I.S.T. Balance System this is accomplished through the addition of balance. Each exercise presents an exciting combination of balance, movement and load (resistance) that will challenge your mental and physical abilities. You will experience firsthand the importance of biomechanics and neuromuscular coordination. As your balance improves, you will begin to feel the difference of a fully functioning neuromuscular system. This is the L.I.S.T. difference.

11. Spatial Awareness and Proper Integration of Senses
Human beings live in a three-dimensional environment that consists of hundreds of constantly changing variables. In order to develop acute spatial awareness, it is essential that we constantly gather and integrate information from all five of our senses. Through sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing we are able to interpret our surroundings and respond with the appropriate action.

In everyday life we take these sensory perceptions for granted. For the athlete in training, it is an entirely different scenario: only through intense sensory training can an athlete perform at his or her optimum level of performance. For example, let’s take a look at the sensory perceptions of an athlete taking the final shot in a championship basketball game with one second left in the game. The athlete’s team is down by two points requiring a three-point shot from the arc, or three-point line. First, there is an understanding of the importance of the game. This adds an element of emotional pressure, or stress, to the situation. Second is an awareness of the time remaining in the game creating a sense of urgency. The athlete must take the shot with virtually no time to think. Third, the athlete must be aware of the position of each member of the other team to assess how they are going to defend the shot. Next, the athlete must interpret the distance to the basket. Finally, in the midst of the intensity of cheering and jeering fans, the athlete takes the shot. The athlete’s body must be in near-perfect alignment if the shot is going to be successful from the three-point line. If the athlete’s senses are finely tuned, he or she will evaluate all of these variables correctly and make the basket. If not, the athlete will be left with the memories of a championship lost. It is the refinement and integration of the senses that makes the difference between a good and great athlete, between success and failure.

12. Proprioceptive Stimulation
The brain plays an integral role in the body’s ability to respond to external stimuli. As the body moves, the brain gathers vast amounts of information from proprioceptors in the muscles, joints and tendons. It processes this information and attempts to align the body and position the joints to accommodate the desired movement. If the athlete has trained his proprioceptive system properly, the brain will receive and interpret the information correctly and the body will respond accordingly. If the athlete has an underdeveloped proprioceptive system, his brain will not interpret the stimuli it is receiving accurately and the body will not respond as effectively as with the finely tuned athlete.

The L.I.S.T. Balance System provides the athlete or, “you” with an opportunity to stimulate the body’s proprioceptive processes through the addition of balance into the exercise regimen. Since each exercise engages significantly more muscle groups and requires greater neuromuscular control, the brain receives significantly greater stimuli from the proprioceptors in the joint, muscles and tendons. As a result, the brain is trained to respond to conditions that traditional training programs do not provide.

13. Ambidexterity
Ambidexterity represents the single greatest potential for increased athletic performance. Every body has a strong or dominant side, i.e. left-handed or right-handed, and an off hand or weak side. The dominant side will dictate every action of the body. For instance, a right-handed person will naturally bend down and pick things up with their right hand. This repetition creates imbalance in spinal mechanics and muscular habits. Decreasing the disparity between the dominant and weak sides of the body will improve overall neuromuscular harmony and performance.

The skilled athlete, who is highly conditioned, is probably using 80% to 90% of their strong-side potential (i.e., coordination and strength). With continued training, they can improve this strong-side performance to 100%. Their weak side, however, is probably functioning somewhere in the neighborhood of 40% to 50% and represents the greatest potential for overall improvement. Let’s take a look at a simple overhead press. If the dominant arm is performing at 80% and the weak-side arm at 50%, it is obvious that the athlete is nowhere near peak performance. The press is ultimately limited to the strength of the weak-side arm. The same could be said for functional athletics such as throwing a baseball. The throwing motion of the strong side will be fluid and natural. On the weak side, however, the same exact function will be uncoordinated and unnatural with greatly diminished performance. While a baseball player may never throw with his off hand, working to develop offhand throwing mechanics will greatly improve strong-side performance as the body moves towards neuromuscular balance. Creating total mind-body fitness demands consistent regular stimulation of both sides of the body with a heightened awareness of the weak side. Bringing the body into functional symmetry will: (1) greatly improve strong-side performance as the body moves towards neuromuscular balance; (2) dramatically improve total body coordination; (3) improve balance; and (4) reduce the likelihood of injury. Training the weak side to move towards neuromuscular equality with the dominant side represents the greatest potential for physical improvement and performance.

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Copyright 2004 Karl List, All Rights Reserved