Your spine is made up of about thirty-three different separate pieces. This centrally located piece of real estate of our anatomy is ground zero for all human movement. Spinal position sets the foundation for every bit of human movement, even that of the extremities.
Application of force whether in a jump, a punch, during a lift, or otherwise demands control of these thirty-or-so pieces to work in concert as one. Like I’ve said before, unifying the spine is critical across many different domains from throwing a baseball to squatting a barbell. Since there are obvious draw backs to having a fused spine all the time, human beings are blessed with the mobility of a multi-joint spinal column. However, they’re cursed with the tall order of organizing these pieces to perform functions in through space. 
Enter: Trunk stability
Humans have an entire muscular system designed to stabilize and protect the snake like nature of the spine. It’s these deep core muscles, spinal erectors, abdominals, and obliques that form a giant Chinese finger puppet for your spine. Little engagement allows for free flow motion and manipulation of the spine, while aggressive engagement of this system can unify the spine and the hip to transfer enormous power and bear heavy loads.
There are fewer concepts more important in the breadth of human movement than trunk stability. And, tomorrow you’ll have an opportunity to train and feel this with the Turkish Get Up. This slow moving movement places the load (in hand with a locked out arm) as far away as possible from the movement’s prime movers (the legs) throughout a long movement while under tension for a considerable amount of time. The space between the weight and the prime movers (the trunk), then, must be unified to transfer power from the legs to the load being moved overhead. It’s the type of practice that is the root of all functional movement.
Control your spine, control your potential.
Logan Gelbrich
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Tuesday’s Workout:
Complete the following for Time:
2 Mile Run
30 Turkish Getups (2/1.5)
