Discover how to integrate archaic reflexes into your CrossFit training to enhance performance and injury prevention.
Hello everyone and welcome to this neuro quarter! This week, we address an essential question from Guillaume for CrossFit practitioners: which archaic reflexes can we integrate into this discipline? We will answer this question based on our experiences as physical trainers and neuro-postural reprogramming practitioners, aiming for a balance between performance and human development.
CrossFit, originally designed as functional training, sometimes tends to focus on pure physical performance, concentrating on heavy loads and primarily sagittal movements. This approach often neglects the diversity of movements and the exploration of multidirectional planes essential for natural locomotion and human motor development. Emphasis is placed on bipodal movements, while daily life demands significant agility on one foot, which is crucial for balance and coordination. This lack of integration of archaic reflexes can lead to imbalances and injuries.
Functional training, as it is often perceived in current CrossFit, focuses on achieving high physical performance, such as lifting heavy loads. However, this specialization in the sagittal plane and bipodal movements limits motor exploration. True functional training should integrate more natural movements, such as unilateral locomotion, and engage the arm-leg opposition, which is fundamental for humans.
Many CrossFit programs deviate from the initial goal of truly functional training, which is to simulate everyday movements. The movement patterns developed in CrossFit can sometimes be too specific and do not engage all muscle chains in a balanced manner. A comprehensive and balanced training approach is essential to prevent imbalances and injuries. The foundation of any training should be human development, reintegrating the fundamental motor skills we have developed over thousands of years of evolution.
Shoulder and back problems are common among CrossFitters. These dysfunctions can be related to unintegrated archaic reflexes. For example, issues at the hands (grasping reflex) can affect the shoulders, as the shoulder primarily serves the needs of the hand. Similarly, reflexes like Galant or Babinski may be involved in back pain.
It is crucial to reintegrate these reflexes to allow for harmonious motor development. Training should not be limited to superficial movement patterns but should instead strengthen neurological foundations. By working on the reintegration of archaic reflexes, we develop more stable and resilient movement patterns, thereby reducing the risk of injury and improving overall performance.
It is possible to integrate exercises based on archaic reflexes into the warm-up, "fillers" (rest time between sets), and recovery at the end of the session. This does not require significant additional time but greatly optimizes training effectiveness.
During rest periods, instead of remaining inactive, incorporate movements that engage reflexes. For example, the "tiger" or "cat-cow" in quadruped position allows work on the Galant reflex by engaging the back and hips.
Most CrossFit practitioners are not aiming for the Olympics but are looking to exert themselves and improve their well-being. That’s why it is crucial to prioritize human development over performance at all costs. By integrating archaic reflexes, we maximize the benefits of training, as they activate the motor system more efficiently. A warm-up that incorporates these principles can be shorter and more effective than a traditional warm-up.
Neuroplasticity ensures that reintegrated reflexes will be anchored durably, offering superior and more lasting results than techniques like self-massage, which are often temporary. Training the neurological foundation guarantees better progress and more stable development across all sports disciplines.
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