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Beyond the Core to Whole Body

by Carolyn Richardson PhD

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GravityFit: Beyond the Core to Whole Body

Carolyn Richardson PhD

Copyright © GravityFit Pty Ltd 2014. All rights reserved.

GRAVITYFIT: BEYOND THE CORE TO WHOLE BODY

Beyond the Core to Whole Body

ISBN: 978-0-9806382-1-9

Copyright © GravityFit Pty Ltd 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written

permission of the publisher.

i

gravityfit.com

PrefaceLow back pain is an increasing problem in modern

society. During the 1990s and early 2000s, our

Physiotherapy Research Team at the University

of Queensland developed effective diagnosis and

treatment strategies for the rehabilitation of low

back pain. The focus of this ‘Motor Control’ exercise

approach was to use specific exercise techniques to activate and

facilitate the Core muscles, so that they could function as a single unit

to stabilise and protect the lumbo-pelvic region.

Over the years, attempts have been made by others in the health field

to transfer these ‘rehabilitation’ techniques to more general exercise

programs to increase athletic performance and prevent conditions such

as low back injury and other musculo-skeletal injuries in sport.

As a result, many different types of abdominal ‘bracing’ manoeuvres

have been developed. Unfortunately these techniques have, in general,

been ineffective and unsuccessful in preventing low back pain and other

musculo-skeletal conditions in the active population.

The unprecedented increases in ‘musculo-skeletal’ healthcare costs

occurring in the 21st century have been caused, not only through people

becoming sedentary and overweight, but equally by many very active

and otherwise healthy individuals, who, unknowingly, are not using the

most appropriate methods of exercise to prevent these conditions.

The GravityFit Exercise Model (GFEM) has been developed to explain

and guide the process of improving bone and joint health for the whole

body and maximising overall muscle performance.

The GFEM was based on Space (microgravity) research which showed us

that being in a ‘weightless’ environment (with no gravity), people can

exercise vigorously every day and still experience deterioration in their

muscle, joint and bone health (including muscle wasting, low back pain

and osteoporosis).

Copyright © GravityFit Pty Ltd 2014. All rights reserved.ii

From further research on the neuroplasticity (ie changing function)

of the nervous system, which occurs when the body loses the feel

(or ‘sensory’ effect) of gravity, it has been possible to develop a new

paradigm for the process of joint degeneration and pain. The GFEM is

based on this paradigm and aims to reverse the muscle imbalance and

changes to the nervous system caused by a loss of Gravity Sensory

Information to the body.

The GFEM promotes muscle, joint and bone health and extends the

Core Stability concept to the whole body. More specifically, the GFEM

is designed to develop strong bones as well as strong, fatigue-resistant

muscles to support and stabilise the spine and other joints and enhance

overall muscle performance. It therefore aims to prevent injury and

other painful conditions that occur with age and living each day with the

forces of gravity.

This book provides a general introduction to GravityFit and forms part of

a wider educational program devised to reduce the incidence of chronic

musculoskeletal conditions, improve community health and improve

overall physical performance. It explains the development of the GFEM

and its underlying principles and then gives specific examples and practical

advice on taking responsibility for your own musculoskeletal health and

becoming GravityFit (including the GravityFit Walking Program).

Education on the GravityFit Exercise Model and the benefits of

GravityFit will be disseminated throughout the community – visit the

GravityFit website at www.gravityfit.com to find more information

regarding our education and training programs.

I hope you enjoy learning about the GravityFit Exercise Model on your

way to being fit for Gravity Fit for life.

Carolyn Richardson

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iii

Acknowledgements

The GravityFit Exercise Model was developed over many years, starting

with my PhD in 1987 (UQ) which studied exercise in relation to Gravity

and the ‘sensory effects’ of Gravity on human muscle function.

For this, special thanks to Professor Margaret Bullock, my mentor

and PhD supervisor; Associate Professor Yvonne Burns and Professor

Vladimir Janda, for guiding me with their extraordinary knowledge of the

human sensory-motor system; and Prue Galley who encouraged me to

do my PhD, when it was not common in Physiotherapy.

The development of new exercises for Low Back Pain resulted in

the text: Richardson CA, Hodges PW, Hides JA (2004). Therapeutic

Exercise for Lumbopelvic Stabilisation: A Motor Control Approach for

the Treatment and Prevention of Low Back Pain, 2nd edn. Edinburgh:

Churchill Livingstone

For this, special thanks to Professor Julie Hides and Professor Paul

Hodges; past PhD students, Joseph Ng, Ruth Sapsford, Sally Hess, Alison

Grimaldi, Daniel Belavy, Soraya Pirouzi, Joanne Bullock-Saxton, Gwen

Jull, Kevin Sims; and members of the UQ Joint Stability Research Team,

Rowena Toppenberg, Quenton Scott, Sue Roll, Helen Flemming, Linda

Blackwell, Chris Hamilton and Warren Stanton.

Space Research with the European Space Agency (ESA) allowed us to

demonstrate the importance of Gravity for human health, by studying

human muscle function when the effects of Gravity were removed

(i.e. microgravity).

For this, special thanks to:

l Professor Chris Snijders of the Netherlands, for his wonderful,

innovative Biomechanical research and for including me in ESA’s

Topical Team of International researchers studying Low Back Pain

in Astronauts;

l Benny Elmann-Larson for providing the incentive for us to become

involved in Space Research;

Copyright © GravityFit Pty Ltd 2014. All rights reserved.iv

l Dr Daniel Belavy, my former student, for his mastery of research

measurement techniques and continuing involvement in ESA’s Space

research program; and

l Dr Steve Wilson, our brilliant Biomedical engineer.

Most importantly, thanks to my good friend and colleague, Dr Julie

Hides, who has changed the rehabilitation of low back pain with the

introduction to the world of real-time ultrasound in therapeutic exercise,

and whose research is continuing to lead the world in the management

of low back pain.

And finally, a special thanks to Shane Watson, for helping to put this

book together.

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TAblE oF ConTEnTS

PART 1: The GravityFit Exercise Model 11. Gravity and your Health 1

Introduction 1

The role of muscles in gravity 2

2. The Antigravity Muscle System: Countering the Effects of Gravity 4

Movement muscles 5

Antigravity muscles 6

Antigravity Kinetic Chains (AKCs) 7

The Spinal AKC 9

The Stable Core 11

3. Gravity Sensory Information: optimising the Antigravity Muscle System 12

Gravity Sensory Information (GSI) 12

4. A new paradigm: How decreasing GSI causes joint degeneration and pain 17

Situations, exercises and activities on Earth that decrease GSI 17

Muscle Imbalance and Gravity Related Medical Conditions (GRMCs) 20

Process of Joint Degeneration and Pain 21

The basis of the GravityFit Exercise Model (GFEM) 23

5. The GravityFit Exercise Model (GFEM) 25

GravityFit Exercise Model (GFEM) 25

Elements of the GravityFit Exercise Model 26

PART 2: Applying the GFEM in Practical Ways to Improve your Core body Strength 291. Maintaining a Strong and Stable Spine 30

Copyright © GravityFit Pty Ltd 2014. All rights reserved.vi

A. Maintaining the neutral Spine Position 30

b. Maintaining the Stable Core 32

The Antigravity Postural Cue 34

2. lifestyle Activities and Exercises to improve your Core body Strength 36

SPInAl AKC and STAblE CoRE Activities 38

(1) Standing Upright 39

(2) Sitting Upright 40

(3) Sitting leaning Forward 41

(4) Standing leaning Forward 41

Increasing GSI for the Spinal AKC and Stable Core 42

SPInAl AKC, STAblE CoRE and loWER lIMb AKC Activities 43

(1) Walking 43

(2) Getting in and out of low chair 43

(3) lowering the body towards the ground 44

(4) Climbing activities 44

Increasing GSI for the Spinal AKC, Stable Core and lower limb AKC 45

SPInAl AKC, STAblE CoRE and UPPER lIMb AKC Activities 46

(1) Pushing down activities 46

(2) Pushing forward activities 46

(3) Pushing up activities 47

Increasing GSI for the Spinal AKC, Stable Core and Upper limb AKC 47

3. The GravityFit Walking Program 48

The Program Steps 49

APPEnDIX 1: About the Founder 54

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Part 1: The GravityFit Exercise Model

1. Gravity and your Health

InTroducTIon

With increasing community understanding that being overweight and

sedentary is closely linked to disorders such as cardiovascular disease

and diabetes, most people realise that regular physical activity and

general exercise are essential for health and wellness.

However, just being active is not enough to prevent other types of

medical conditions, particularly those related to bone and joint health.

In fact, conditions such as chronic low back pain, osteoporosis (a loss

of bone density and strength) and osteoarthritis (deterioration of

joints such as the hips and knees) are increasing at such a rate in the

industrialised world that the World Health Organisation designated the

years 2000 – 2010 as the Bone and Joint Decade and has now continued

this initiative indefinitely.

The GravityFit Exercise Model (GFEM) is a new exercise concept

based on Space research to optimise bone and joint health as well as

providing excellence in physical performance. It focusses on improving

Core Body Strength, which ensures strong bones, stable joints and

a co-ordinated muscle system to support our bodies against the

compressive force of Gravity. It was developed by Professor Carolyn

Richardson who pioneered the Core Stability concept which is now the

foundation of modern exercise training (see Appendix 1 for further details

on Professor Richardson).

The GFEM takes Core Stability to the next level through sensory

feedback and postural awareness focussing on whole body well being.

This is accomplished by activating the Anti-Gravity muscles through

three Anti-Gravity Kinetic Chains which are interlinked through the

central Stable Core. This significantly enhances stability of joints and

strength of bones as well as minimising risk of injury and improving

overall muscle performance.

Copyright © GravityFit Pty Ltd 2014. All rights reserved.2

Part 1 of this book outlines the key principles behind the new exercise

model and provides an understanding of how:

l muscles work in Gravity and the Anti-Gravity Muscle System;

l joint stability is optimised in Anti-Gravity Kinetic Chains;

l muscle imbalances occur causing Gravity Related Medical

Conditions; and

l the GFEM guides the process of restoring muscle balance and

joint stability.

In Part 2, we apply the GFEM principles in practical ways and explain how

to activate and strengthen your Anti-Gravity muscles to improve Core

Body Strength. Part 2 also introduces the GravityFit Walking Program

designed to activate your Core muscles and strengthen your low back

and spine while you walk.

THE rolE oF MusclEs In GravITy

In simple terms, Gravity is the force responsible for

‘keeping our feet on the ground’ – imagine Gravity

as a giant magnet drawing us towards the

centre of the Earth.

An understanding of the effect of Gravity

on our bodies emerged from observations

of astronauts on the International Space

Station, where Gravity is not present. In this

zero Gravity or ‘microgravity’ environment,

there is no such thing as body weight – the body

floats and heavy objects seem as light as a feather.

This illustrates the most obvious effect of Gravity on Earth – it gives

us body weight. Because we have to lift and support our body weight

in Gravity, we have developed a unique musculoskeletal system with

strong bones, as well as a strong and co-ordinated system of muscles.

When working optimally, this system of muscles allows us to easily lift

our body weight and protects the joints of our body from injury. When

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this muscle system is not working optimally, we find it difficult to lift

our body weight (e.g. walk up stairs) and we can suffer from chronic joint

pain and disability.

Below are some common examples of activities where, with an

inadequate muscle system, Gravity can cause damage to our joints

leading to painful symptoms.

1. sitting for long periods of time without a back support (e.g. at a computer)

In this position, the downward push of Gravity

is likely to cause the spine to go into poor

‘slumped’ postures. These kinds of poor

postures are known to lead to low back pain,

neck pain and stiffness, and shoulder pain.

2. lifting heavy objects the wrong way

Gravity not only gives weight to our bodies, it also

gives weight to the everyday objects that we lift

or carry. Lifting heavy objects the wrong way puts

a huge strain on the low back and is likely to cause

acute and chronic low back pain. A lifetime of poor

lifting habits will contribute to painful osteoarthritis

from joint wear and tear.

3. running on hard surfaces

In running and jumping activities, Gravity gives

you body weight which is met with an ‘equal and

opposite’ force (called a ground reaction force) as

the heel of the foot hits the ground. This is high impact

and jarring. This situation can easily cause heel soreness, shin splints,

ankle injuries, knee and hip problems, even back pain. Running on hard

surfaces with inadequate foot support can be especially harmful.

You can see, therefore, that Gravity can be responsible for chronic

injuries to bones and joints particularly when our bodies (and more

particularly our muscles) are not working optimally.


2. The anti-Gravity Muscle system: countering the Effects of Gravity

Another way to think of the effect of Gravity is like a giant sandwich

toaster with us (the ‘human sandwich’) being compressed between two

horizontal plates.

In this analogy, the

top plate of the toaster

represents the invisible force

of Gravity pushing us down

to the Earth’s surface. The

bottom plate represents

the ground or surface we

walk on.

This concept of Gravity makes us realise that strong bones and a strong,

co-ordinated muscle system are necessary on Earth to counteract the

force of Gravity.

If we moved to the Space Station or another planet with no Gravity, we

would not require strong bones and muscles to support our body and

importantly, they would slowly deteriorate.

So, while living in Space without the burden of body weight might be

pleasant, if you stayed there for long enough it would become difficult

to ever return to Earth. While away from

Gravity, changes would occur to your bones

and muscles and on your return, Gravity

would compress your ‘unstable’ joints

– especially the spine – like a sandwich

in a toaster and your body would not

be supported.

Many people, especially in modern societies, do not realize how

important Gravity is for maintaining musculoskeletal health. They often

‘give in’ to the invisible force of Gravity and allow it to push their body

into a more slumped posture.

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The good news is we do have some control over how bent over we become

during our lives. Using the co-ordinated action of our unique muscle

system, we can push our joints in an upwards direction, standing up

against the compressive force of Gravity and with more upright posture.

To better understand how we hold our bodies upright in Gravity it is

important to be familiar with the different types of muscles in our body.

The muscles in our body form basically two groups – the Movement

muscles and the Anti-Gravity muscles – and each has a specialised

function and anatomical form. These two muscle groups need to

properly work together to maintain healthy bones and joints.

MovEMEnT MusclEs

Movement muscles make up about half the body’s skeletal muscles.

They are long and streamlined, crossing over several joints (i.e. ‘multi-

joint’ muscles) and are responsible for efficiently moving the spine and

limbs of the body.

They are not designed to stabilise joints, but rather they work best in

groups to do fast and repetitive muscle work.

Movement muscles often get tight – they are the ones we commonly

feel the need to stretch after hard work, sporting activities or


prolonged static postures. You may have seen athletes doing these

common stretches:

Position a is the stretch for the thigh muscle, Position B aims to stretch

the hamstrings, while position c is a stretch for the calf muscle.

These long movement muscles are neither deep nor close to the joints

and, therefore, are not well designed to protect the joints lying underneath

them from the high joint forces that can occur with movement.

anTI-GravITy MusclEs

While half of the muscles of our body are Movement muscles, the other

half are Anti-Gravity (or ‘against Gravity’) muscles. These muscles have

the role of constantly “pushing” the plates of our imaginary sandwich

toaster apart, to counteract the force of Gravity and prevent our body

becoming bent over.

These Anti-Gravity muscles form the ‘Anti-Gravity Muscle System’ and

are specifically designed to keep us upright, allow us to lift and move

our body weight safely, protect our joints from injury and keep our

bones strong.

To cope with Gravity forces and help protect the joints from injury, our

Anti-Gravity muscles have a specialised anatomical form. These muscles

are usually deep (i.e. close to the joint) and cross over one joint or only

a

B

c

7

gravityfit.comone part of the spine. This makes them capable of holding and

supporting single joints or a single region of the spine.

The Anti-Gravity muscles work in co-ordinated groups to push the bony

skeleton upwards and make our body ‘push-up’ against Gravity.

This co-ordinated pattern of muscle action is called an ‘Anti-Gravity

Kinetic Chain’ (or ‘AKC’).

anTI-GravITy KInETIc cHaIns (aKcs)

The Anti-Gravity Muscle System is made up of three separate

Anti-Gravity Kinetic Chains (AKCs) – the spinal aKc, the

upper limb aKc and the lower limb aKc.

To better understand

this concept, see the

diagram below of the

Lower Limb AKC.

This position with the knees and hip bent (a) uses particular Anti-

Gravity muscles behind the hip, in front of the knee, and behind the

ankle (B) to work as a lever system to ‘push-up’ against and counteract

the force of Gravity. This system also allows the co-ordinated ‘spring-like

action’ of the Anti-Gravity muscles (c) to cushion the effects of Gravity

on the lower limb joints.

a B c


This mechanical lever system and spring-like action of the AKCs can be

illustrated for the other AKCs:

By working in mechanical lever systems, the Anti-Gravity muscles control

the weight of the body in Gravity through the three AKCs. The Anti-Gravity

muscles behave like small motors to move each joint within the AKC and

provide some dampening of axial force running through the AKCs.

The AKCs are therefore responsible for:

l pushing the body up to counteract the compressive force of Gravity;

l holding the body position steady in Gravity; and

l controlling the lowering of body weight in Gravity (e.g. so you can

carefully lower yourself into a chair rather than ‘free fall’ into it).

These three separate AKCs all interconnect

through the Stable Core located in the centre

of the body. The Stable Core is formed by the

most important deep Anti-Gravity muscles in the

body, the Core muscles. It becomes the common

central support for the integration of all three AKCs.

This deep group of Core muscles is responsible

for holding the centre of the body (i.e. the lumbo-

pelvic region) stabilised and strong to cope with the

compressive forces of Gravity.

spinal aKc

upper limb aKc

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A properly functioning Spinal AKC, together with the Stable Core, provide

a strong frame for the operation of the Upper Limb AKC and Lower Limb

AKC. Therefore, the function of the Upper and Lower Limb AKCs rely on

the healthy function of the Spinal AKC and the Stable Core.

THE sPInal aKc

The bones of the upright spine have surprisingly little stability without

muscles. It is the co-ordination of the Anti-Gravity muscles of the Spinal

AKC – on both sides of the spine, neck and pelvis – which holds the spine

stable and ‘pushes it up’ against Gravity.

The vulnerability of the human spine to injury in Gravity is more readily

understood if we compare the support of our spine and pelvis with that

of apes. Apes can walk on two legs but generally remain in a rounded or

bent posture, so that they can also use their knuckles on the ground for

weightbearing i.e. to support their body against Gravity.

9


As humans do not use their upper limbs to support their weight,

the human spine itself needs to be strong enough to do this. So in

comparison to apes, we need a very strong and stable spine, to maintain

an upright posture in Gravity as well as to support the many joints of the

spine during a wide range of functional movements.

Our spine must cope with:

l the constant vertical force of Gravity running through the top of

our heads;

l the high forces on the spine during all types of bending, lifting,

pulling and pushing activities; and

l the very high ‘impact’ forces which send shock waves up our whole

body when our heels strike the ground e.g. during walking and

jogging activities.

It is the specific Anti-Gravity muscles around the spine (within the

Spinal AKC) that provide the ability to maintain the upright posture in

humans and help minimise the impact of these forces on the spine.

Functional twisting and bending movements can

be performed by the Movement muscles of the

trunk; however, these Movement muscles offer

very little stabilising support to the trunk. We

need to rely on the independent function of the

Spinal AKC to support and protect the spine.

The Spinal AKC is required to:

l align the head on top of the spine in good

postural form (i.e. with the ear in line with

shoulder joint and hip joint when viewed

from the side);

l maintain the three spinal curves (i.e the

Neutral Spine Position) to withstand vertical

stress and allow the spine to function like a

long spring;

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l strengthen the connection between the pelvis and the lower limbs

during various movement and bending activities; and

l provide a stable frame, together with the Stable Core, for the

operation of the Upper Limb AKC and Lower Limb AKC.

THE sTaBlE corE

The Stable Core plays a crucial role in the healthy function of all three

Anti-Gravity Kinetic Chains, particularly the Spinal AKC.

The Stable Core stabilises the Spinal AKC in weightbearing exercise.

Forces passing through the Spinal AKC and the other AKCs meet, and

need to be controlled, at the Stable Core.

The ‘Core’ can be described as a cylinder of muscles forming a wide

muscular corset around the low back and pelvis and continuing around

the abdomen (known as the “Deep Muscle Corset”).

When the Core muscles are activated, the Deep Muscle Corset contracts

and tightens. Well toned and properly working Core muscles allow the

Deep Muscle Corset to act like a wide rubber band around the abdomen

and low back. This muscle action specifically stabilises the low back and

pelvis and stabilises or ‘anchors’ the base of the Spinal AKC.

Details of how to activate and strengthen the Spinal AKC and the Stable

Core to support and strengthen the spine, low back and pelvis are

described in Part 2 of this book.


3. Gravity sensory Information: optimising the anti-Gravity Muscle system

Serious problems caused by deterioration of muscles, joints and bones

can occur when humans are exposed to low Gravity situations (e.g.

with astronauts in microgravity). In such low Gravity situations, it is

the loss of Gravity Sensory Information (GSI) which is responsible for

this deterioration.

The GravityFit Exercise Model is based on the principle that by gradually

increasing GSI to the three AKCs, this process of joint degeneration can

be reversed to restore joint stability.

In order to understand the GravityFit Exercise Model, it is necessary

to understand GSI, how the sensory system of the body detects and

responds to Gravity and how it is responsible for optimising the function

of the Anti-Gravity muscles.

GravITy sEnsory InForMaTIon (GsI)

To explain GSI and its importance, we will use the specific example of

the Anti-Gravity muscles of the lower limb.

When we walk, particularly on uneven surfaces, there is a tendency for

the joints of the lower limb (and the joints of the connected pelvis and

spine) to slip and slide in unwanted directions. Over time, the joints

and structures around the joint (e.g. ligaments) can start to wear out.

This process of ‘wear and tear’ often leads to inflammation, instability

and pain.

To minimise the slipping and sliding, humans have a specific sensory

system, designed to increase the ‘tone’ of the Anti-Gravity muscles in

the Lower Limb AKC where required. The sensory system works with

Anti-Gravity muscles to perform the following functions to help protect

the joints from wear and tear:

l Increase awareness of the position (alignment) of the joints,

especially the spine and pelvis (a, following page);

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l Increase co-contraction of the deep Anti-Gravity muscles

surrounding a joint, especially the Core muscles – to stop the joints

‘slipping and sliding’ during movement (B, above); and

l Increase ‘tone’ (or stiffness) of the Anti-Gravity muscles so that they

can work like stiff springs, acting like shock absorbers to dampen

the high forces on the joints caused by Gravity (c, above).

The sensory system is also responsible for the same ‘protective’

functions in the other AKCs.

a B c

a cB

spinal aKc


The human body has special sensors in the joints and muscles called

“sensory receptors” which detect that the joints are being disturbed by

Gravity forces and are being subjected to ‘slipping and sliding’. These

disturbances (and the signals created) are known collectively as Gravity

sensory Information (GsI).

The main concentrations of these sensory receptors which register GSI,

lie within the lumbo-pelvic region, including its deep Core muscles, and

where the deep Anti-Gravity muscles hold up the arches of the feet.

GSI is picked up by these sensory receptors and the sensory system relays

information to the central nervous system (cns) about the muscle

activation required to counteract the disturbance. The CNS then sends

messages to increase tone (or stiffness) of the Anti-Gravity muscles of the

AKCs to stabilise the relevant joints, and to increase the co-contraction

of the Anti-Gravity muscles to stop the joints slipping and sliding.

a

B

c

upper limb aKc

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At the same time as messages are sent to increase the function of

the Anti-Gravity muscles, the CNS sends messages to relax the often

already highly toned and tight Movement muscles. This feature corrects

the balance between Movement muscles and Anti-Gravity muscles

which must be achieved (as described in more detail later).

The process of maximising anti-Gravity Muscle activation with GsI

High concentration of sensory receptors

GsI (Gravity sensory Information)

GsI (Gravity sensory Information)

cns (Brain and spinal cord)

The CNS increases the tone of the

Anti-Gravity Muscles which then push

and hold the entire kinetic chain up like

a stiff spring i.e. good posture


This increased Anti-Gravity muscle action also leads to an increase in

bone density – therefore, increased Anti-Gravity muscle function also

keeps the bones strong.

So, in review, the detection of disturbances or changes in Gravity related

forces triggers the body’s sensory receptors. The sensory receptors

detect this as GSI, which is relayed to the CNS triggering:

l An increase in tone of the stabilising Anti-Gravity muscles of the AKCs;

l A reduction in activity (relaxation) of the Movement muscles;

l Increased awareness of the position (or alignment) of our joints

and limbs;

l Messages that lead to increased bone density; and

l Co-ordination of action across the Anti-Gravity Muscle System.

17

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4. a new paradigm: How decreasing GsI causes joint degeneration and pain

It has been through Space research that a new paradigm has been

devised to explain how reduced GSI on Earth can cause deterioration in

muscles, joints and bones.

It has been the total absence of GSI in Space that has allowed scientists

to discover what happens to the nervous system when Gravity is

removed. When a person is floating in microgravity (Space), there are

no disturbances caused by Gravity, and therefore no GSI reaching the

sensory receptors.

Where there is no GSI and no need for the Anti-Gravity muscles to

counteract the forces of Gravity, the nervous system automatically

adjusts to the reduced requirement for activation of the Anti-

Gravity muscles. Through a natural physiological process known as

‘neuroplasticity’ of the nervous system, this adjustment leads to

reduced Anti-Gravity muscle function and decreased bone strength.

It is not just in Space where problems can occur - there are many

situations on Earth that cause a reduction of GSI to the body and the

associated reduced requirement for Anti-Gravity muscle function.

sITuaTIons, ExErcIsEs and acTIvITIEs on EarTH THaT dEcrEasE GsI

While people travelling in Space (or in

simulated microgravity) may experience

significant loss of Anti-Gravity muscle

function within one week, there are

many different situations, exercises

and activities on Earth which gradually

reduce GSI and Anti-Gravity muscle

function over time.

Even though the changes may occur more slowly than in Space (e.g. over

several years), they are similarly detrimental to your health.


1. low Gravity activities

Low Gravity activities are often associated with humans ‘giving in’ to

the invisible force of Gravity, leading to reduced GSI and decreased

Anti-Gravity function.

The following are examples of low Gravity situations

or activities:

l Sedentary lifestyles;

l Extended bedrest (e.g. in hospital);

l Habitual poor posture, especially spending time in

‘slumped’ sitting or standing postures; and

l Using robots and machines to carry out the Anti-Gravity

muscle work involved with lifting or moving (e.g.

escalators, lifts, trolleys).

Technological advances generally mean that people in

modern societies are doing less physical work and are

gradually losing Anti-Gravity strength and joint stability. The

less we do, the easier we succumb to injury!

2. avoiding the natural environment

Due to changes in the way we live our daily lives, people in modern

societies have increasingly less contact with the natural environment.

The following are examples of how these changes lead to a reduction

in GSI:

l Less walking as a means of transport;

l More walking on cement paths or other hard surfaces and less

walking on ‘giving’ or ‘sliding’ surfaces with no bounce (e.g. soft

grass or sand);

l Less walking up or across gradual slopes;

l Less walking with bare feet to feel ground variations; and

l Fewer pushing and lifting activities.

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3. Fast ballistic movements

There is evidence that Anti-Gravity muscle activity is reduced and

activity of the Movement muscles is dramatically increased when

performing fast, repetitive ballistic activities – for example, activities

such as:

l riding an exercise bike or other cycling activities over long periods,

especially at high speeds;

l activities and sports involving fast, ‘swinging’ movements of the

arms (e.g. tennis, golf);

l repetitive running and jumping activities on a bouncing surface (e.g.

trampolining); and

l swimming for long periods (where your feet are not touching

the ground).

While these fast, repetitive activities may be excellent for many aspects

of health, they tend to reduce the tone of the Anti-Gravity muscles and

to increase the function of the Movement muscles, resulting in joints

being exposed to wear and tear and possible injury and pain.

This is caused by the muscle imbalance that develops between the two

groups of muscles.

Fast ballistic upper limb movement Fast pitching, throwing and bowling activities


MusclE IMBalancE and GravITy rElaTEd MEdIcal condITIons (GrMcs)

Where GSI and Anti-Gravity muscle

function is reduced, the Movement

muscles overcompensate and

dominate. This leads to a further

reduction of GSI and Anti-

Gravity muscle funtioning,

leading to the development

of muscle imbalance. The

problem is compounded

as these imbalances are

perpetuated by a vicious cycle.

This cycle of muscle imbalance

leads to:

l Loss of muscle tone in all the

important Anti-Gravity muscles,

especially the Core muscles;

l Joint instability, with resultant increase in ‘wear and tear’ and injury;

l Movement muscles getting tighter and tighter (in their vain attempt

to compensate for loss of tone in the Anti-Gravity muscles), making

them prone to injury;

l Resultant loss of bone density; and

l Resultant loss of posture awareness.

These outcomes gradually lead to Gravity related Medical

conditions (GrMcs).

GRMCs resulting from activities and situations that reduce GSI can

manifest in many ways. Many arise in vulnerable anatomical structures

where we tend to ‘break down’ – most often the back and neck.

Some common examples are:

The Vicious Cycleof Muscle Imbalance

DECREASED tone and stabilizing capacity of Antigravity Muscles

INCREASED tone and tightness of

Movement Muscles

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l Joint ‘wear and tear’ with pain and injury:

– low back pain;

– osteoarthritis (e.g. in the hips, knees, neck or other parts of the spine);

– ligament strains (e.g. knees, ankles); and

– shoulder impingement.

l loss of tone, then strength, in anti-Gravity muscles:

– osteoporosis or osteopenia (bone density problems);

– pelvic floor problems (e.g. urinary/stress incontinence);

– posture related headaches;

– neck and shoulder pain (e.g. from sitting at computers);

– elbow and wrist overuse problems;

– hip and groin region problems (e.g. trochanteric bursitis or groin muscle strain);

– foot and heel pain (e.g. plantar fasciitis); and

– shin splints.

l Tears or strains of Movement muscles, often related to

sporting injuries:

– long head of biceps;

– adductor longus (inner thigh);

– hamstrings; and

– gastrocnemius (calf).

ProcEss oF JoInT dEGEnEraTIon and PaIn

The process of joint degeneration and pain as a result of activities or

situations that reduce GSI can be summarised as follows:

l sensory receptors do not work properly and may even disappear

resulting in a decrease in sensory signals sent to the Central

Nervous System;

l there is a decrease of crucial tone and consequent weakness of all

the Anti-Gravity muscles;


l there is an increase in

undesirable tone and

then increased strength

and tightness of the

Movement muscles;

l loss of awareness

of joint position and

alignment occurs i.e. you

cannot accurately feel

the position of

your spine

or your

limbs (and

therefore

control

over them

suffers);

l postural

changes

result, leading

to a more flexed and

unsupported spine;

l the gradual development of

muscle imbalances; and

l joint instability and the

gradual development

of painful Gravity

Related Medical

Conditions.

As a result of this new paradigm, a new model of exercise was developed

to reverse this process of joint degeneration and pain – the GravityFit

Exercise Model (GFEM).

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THE BasIs oF THE GravITyFIT ExErcIsE ModEl (GFEM)

The GFEM has been designed to explain and guide the process of

restoring muscle balance to the body, preventing joint degeneration and

pain, and generally improving community health.


The basis of this model is that gradually increasing GSI and Anti-

Gravity muscle function leads to restoration of muscle balance and

joint stability, substantially reducing the risk of GRMCs developing and

improving overall muscle performance.

The GFEM explains how this gradual increase in GSI should be delivered

to the body – through the three Anti-Gravity Kinetic Chains – by way of

progressive levels of Anti-Gravity Exercise.

summary

l The new paradigm has explained how, through a process of

neuroplasticity, lifestyle factors can cause muscle imbalances to

gradually develop.

l This process leads to joint degeneration and pain, the development

of low back pain and many other Gravity Related Medical Conditions.

l The neuroplastic changes (and therefore the muscle imbalance) can

be reversed through Anti-Gravity Exercise and increasing GSI for all

three Anti-Gravity Kinetic Chains.

l The process of reversing adverse neuroplastic changes and restoring

muscle balance forms the basis of the GravityFit Exercise Model.

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5. The GravityFit Exercise Model (GFEM)

GravITyFIT ExErcIsE ModEl (GFEM):

To improve Core Body Strength, Anti-Gravity Exercises (at all levels)

focus on maintaining the Stable Core while exercising the three

Anti-Gravity Kinetic Chains (AKCs) in Good Postural Form.

Exercises are progressed through:

1. Gradually increasing the Effective Weightbearing Load (EWL)

through the AKCs;

2. Gradually increasing Gravity Sensory Information (GSI) for each level

of EWL; and

3. Gradually achieving Optimal Holding Endurance (OHE) at each level

of EWL.

GSI (GRAVITY SENSORY INFORMATION)

OHE OPTIMAL HOLDING ENDURANCE

EWL

(EFF

ECTI

VE

WEI

GH

TBEA

RIN

G L

OA

D)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10


The GFEM has been developed for overall community health and has

three exercise tiers:

(A) Remedial levels – for those with musculoskeletal problems

requiring expert diagnosis and treatment – administered by

Physiotherapists or other Rehabilitation Specialists.

(B) Li festyle levels – for the ‘well’ community at large – aimed

at preventing Gravity Related Medical Conditions and promoting

overall wellness. Higher levels should be supervised by suitably

qualified health or fitness personnel.

(C) High Performance levels – for athletes and sports people

– aimed at maximising physical performance. This level should be

supervised by suitably qualified health or fitness personnel.

ElEMEnTs oF THE GravITyFIT ExErcIsE ModEl

1. Anti-Gravity Exercises (at all levels) focus on maintaining the stable core while exercising the three anti-Gravity Kinetic chains (AKCs) in Good Postural Form.

The Stable Core and the three Anti-

Gravity Kinetic Chains (AKCs) are

maintained in Good Postural Form by

applying the following specific exercise

technique (as further described in Part 2):

1. Focus on postural awareness and maintaining

safe Neutral Spine Position with the Anti-Gravity

Postural Cue (APC);

2. Ensure Core muscles are activated (i.e. feel them

drawing in the waist);

3. Bend at the hips (and not the spine) during

forward lean exercises;

4. Maintain good alignment of the limbs

during exercises;

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5. Complete exercises slowly in a steady, mindful and

controlled manner;

6. Do not include high load, or high speed, trunk rotation exercises;

7. Do not exercise when the Core muscles are fatigued (progression

is based on the ability to maintain contraction of the Core

muscles); and

8. Where possible, all three AKCs (plus the Core) should work together

(i.e. whole body exercise).

2. Exercises progress through gradual increases in Effective Weightbearing load (EWL) through the AKCs.

remedial levels start with very low EWLs through the three AKCs

(i.e. less than standing erect) and involve gradually progressing from

non weightbearing (NWB), partial weightbearing (PWB) and to full

weightbearing (FWB) loads.

lifestyle levels begin with walking (i.e. the GravityFit Walking Program)

and then involve gradually increasing the EWLs to all three AKCs by

changing body position.

High Performance levels increase the EWLs to all three AKCs to maximum

(but safe) levels using weight vests and additional body weights.

Ideally progress to the next level of EWL only once you have mastered

the previous level of load.

3. Exercises progress through gradual increases in Gravity sensory Information (GSI) for each level of EWL.

remedial levels involve gradual increases in GSI which are first aimed at

increasing postural awareness and ‘getting the feel’ of low-level EWLs

through the three AKCs. It involves increasing levels of muscle and joint

control suitable for safe progression to higher levels of EWL.


GSI may be increased using a variety of specialist skills e.g. muscle

facilitation techniques using hand pressure, use of the GravityFit exercise

tools, Pressure Biofeedback Unit (Stabilizer), real-time ultrasound,

electrical stimulation and low levels of Whole Body Vibration.

lifestyle levels involve further increases in GSI to the three AKCs by

exercising on more natural surfaces (e.g. soft, uneven, ‘giving’ surfaces

or sloping surfaces) using bare feet (where possible), carrying, lifting and

pushing activities, or through the use of a variety of GravityFit exercise

tools, including the Gravity Sensory Mat which replicates natural

surfaces (see www.gravityfit.com).

High Performance levels have an emphasis on increasing GSI to very

high levels, through high load, weight vests, high performance GravityFit

exercise tools, as well as Whole Body Vibration.

4. Exercises progress through gradually achieving optimal Holding Endurance (OHE) at each level of EWL.

remedial levels involve an emphasis on improvement of endurance and

holding capacity for each level of EWL. Though the EWLs are necessarily

low, the expected holding endurance is mostly high.

For higher exercise levels, with the gradual increases in EWL and

increases in GSI, Optimal Holding Endurance will gradually decrease - in

other words, higher exercise levels cannot be maintained for too long

(e.g. exercise on Whole Body Vibration may only last a few minutes

before fatigue occurs in the Core muscles).

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Part 2: Applying the GFEM in Practical Ways to Improve your Core Body Strength

In this section, we apply the GFEM principles and explain how to

activate and strengthen your Anti-Gravity muscles through the three

AKCs and how to improve your Core Body Strength in practical ways.

In modern society, exercises involving lifting and lowering body weight

with the legs or arms are usually considered difficult, especially if people

are overweight and sedentary. In fact, many people avoid activities such

as carrying heavy items upstairs, sitting then standing from low chairs,

sitting on the ground, playing with small children on the floor or walking

on soft sand.

Some of the activities and exercises described in this section may seem

easy and rather simple. However, if performed correctly, they can be hard

work. You should also note the activities become particularly challenging

and difficult to perform correctly

where Gravity Sensory Information

(GSI) and Effective Weightbearing

Load (EWL) are increased.

You should start with the

easiest activities and slowly

progress to more challenging

activities only where you feel

comfortable doing so.


1. Maintaining a Strong and Stable Spine

Maintaining a strong and stable spine plays a fundamental role in

improving your Core Body Strength.

To understand the specific type of activities and exercise which will

improve the stability and strength of the spine, it is important to review

two essential factors:

A. maintaining the Neutral Spine Position; and

B. maintaining the Stable Core.

A. MAIntAInInG thE nEutrAl SPInE PoSItIon

The 24 vertebrae of the spine are grouped into three separate

functional parts:

l 7 cervical (neck) vertebrae

l 12 thoracic (thorax) vertebrae

l 5 lumbar (low back) vertebrae

Each part is controlled and held in position by a separate group of Anti-

Gravity muscles. These Anti-Gravity muscles form a separate curve or

shape for each part of the spine (cervical, thoracic and lumbar curves)

and, together, hold the spine in an ‘S’ shape.

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The three continuous curves of the spine forming an ‘S’ shape is referred

to as the neutral Spine Position. This is the natural and most effective

and efficient shape for shock absorption of the spine and to counteract

the forces of Gravity. The Neutral Spine Position uses the Anti-Gravity

muscles behind the neck, in front of the thoracic spine and behind the

low back to work like a coiled spring allowing the spine to act as a shock

absorber and the ‘push up’ against Gravity.

Holding the Neutral Spine Position is important whether standing,

sitting or leaning forward. Therefore, when you need to bend forward the

spine must remain in the Neutral Spine Position and you should bend at

the hips and knees and not at the spine.

Maintenance of neutral spine in the sitting position

Maintenance of neutral spine in the lean forward position


Situations where the spine is in a slumped

position (i.e. where the Neutral Spine Position

has been lost) must be avoided. The Anti-

Gravity muscles of the neck, thorax and lumbar

spine (i.e. the Spinal AKC) will quickly weaken

and lose endurance where significant amounts

of time is spent out of these three curves (i.e. in a

slumped position) resulting in the low back being

unsupported and vulnerable to injury.

This slumped position can occur if you sit for long periods in activities

such as driving a car or sitting on the couch watching television. For

all seating activities extended over long periods, the spine should be

supported in the Neutral Spine Position by a suitable lumbar support or

pillow. This is because once the muscles that normally hold your spine in

the correct posture fatigue, the spine will slump and you can lapse into a

position of spinal strain.

B. MAIntAInInG thE StABlE CorE

The Stable Core is formed by the deep Core

muscles of transversus abdominis, lumbar

multifidus and the pelvic floor muscles

(including the diaphragm). These muscles work

as a single unit to form the Deep Muscle Corset

which goes around the waist including the low

back. When the Core muscles are activated, the

Deep Muscle Corset contracts and tightens to

form the Stable Core.

It is known that the activation of the Deep

Muscle Corset is responsible for the following

important functions of the lumbo-pelvic region:

l supporting and stabilising the joints of the

low back and pelvis and protecting them

from injury; and

Slumped position at a computer

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l maintaining the tone and endurance of the pelvic floor muscles

which are responsible for holding up the abdominal contents against

the constant force of Gravity.

Importantly, in the GFEM, the activated Anti-Gravity muscles of the

Deep Muscle Corset (forming the Stable Core) become the vital central

support for the proper function of all three AKCs.

Well-toned and properly working Core muscles allow the Deep Muscle

Corset to act like a wide rubber band around your abdomen and low back

to specifically stabilise your low back and pelvis.

You may like to think of the ‘tone’ or stiffness of the Deep Muscle Corset

as a battery that holds continuous charge (or tone) during the day.

When this Corset battery charge is high, the muscle tone responsible for

maintaining the stiffness of the Deep Muscle Corset is also high. When

this battery charge is low, muscle tone diminishes and the protective

ability of your Deep Muscle Corset is reduced or even lost.

We do not automatically have strong Core muscles in our modern

society. The tone of your Core muscles – or the Corset battery charge –

can be lost during many normal daily activities, particularly when you

allow the force of Gravity to put your body into a ‘slumped’ position,

such as:

Your waist narrows when your Deep Muscle Corset contracts properly

When the Deep Muscle Corset becomes slack, the waist widens


l driving the car;

l prolonged sitting (e.g. watching TV, writing, drawing or using

a computer);

l other situations where your spinal posture becomes ‘slumped’ (e.g.

standing with a flexed spine at work or sitting in an unsupportive

chair); or

l sustained reclined rest (e.g. being bed-bound due to illness)

and when doing repetitive non-weightbearing activities especially at a

fast pace such as:

l riding exercise bikes or cycling for long period;

l sports involving fast ‘swinging’ movements of the arms (e.g. tennis,

golf);

l repetitive fast running and jumping activities (e.g. trampolining); and

l swimming for long periods in deep water (i.e. where your feet are not

touching the ground).

NOTE: Although these activities may be beneficial to your health in many

ways, they can reduce the tone of the Deep Muscle Corset.

By properly activating the Core muscles, the Stable Core effectively

provides the central support for the function of the three AKCs.

The Spinal AKC and the Stable Core must be activated in a co-ordinated

way to push upwards and hold the Neutral Spine Position to counteract

the force of Gravity and stabilise the spine.

This is achieved by consciously performing the Anti-Gravity Postural

Cue (APC).

thE AntI-GrAvItY PoSturAl CuE (APC)

The co-ordination of the Anti-Gravity muscle function of the Spinal AKC

and the Stable Core occurs when you ‘lengthen’ your spine using the

Anti-Gravity Postural Cue (APC).

35

how to Perform the Anti-Gravity Postural Cue

l Slowly stretch tall from your feet through to the top of the head (the

crown), trying to lengthen your spine.

l ‘While stretching tall, keep your chin gently tucked in, eyes facing

forward, and relax your shoulders down to get rid of ‘hunched’

shoulders.

l Try not to rush or force things. Breathe calmly and allow your spine

to ‘grow’.

l Lengthening the spine also activates the abdomen’s

Deep Muscle Corset (the Core muscles), so you should

feel your lower abdomen gently pull in (flatten) and

your waist narrow as you lengthen your spine. This

should occur automatically.

l Do not tilt your pelvis forward or back to try to attain

the Neutral Spine Position; the natural curves will be

created by the activation of the spinal Anti-Gravity

muscles.

l When the APC is performed correctly, you should feel

taller and lighter with a decompressed spine.

CB

A

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2. lifestyle Activities and Exercises to improve your Core Body Strength

There are many simple modifications that you can immediately and easily

introduce into your daily activities to improve your Core Body Strength.

Apart from introducing new ways to do your normal activities, this

section aims to inspire you to introduce new activities into your lifestyle

to improve your general levels of Core Body Strength and enjoy the

associated health benefits.

As a general rule, to integrate Core Body Strength activities into your

lifestyle, you will need to modify your daily habits whenever you see an

opportunity. You should generally seek and pay attention to activities

during the day which involve using the three AKCs.

To understand the type of exercise required to optimise Anti-Gravity

muscle function, the three AKCs are considered here separately, even

though in real life functional movement would normally involve two or

three of the AKCs working together.

For each of the lifestyle activities and exercises described below, it is

important to apply the following principles of the GFEM:

l focus on performing the APC and maintaining good posture during

the activity;

l maintain activation of the Core muscles (feel them drawing in the

waist) and stop when the Core muscles get tired;

l during lean forward and lifting activities, always bend at the hips and

not the spine while maintaining the APC;

l maintain good alignment of the limbs during the exercise;

l perform these activities mindfully, carefully and in a controlled manner;

l perform these activities slowly*; and

l never attempt any activity that causes pain in your back, pelvis or

other parts of the body.

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* The faster you go, the more the Movement muscles take over the activity

and the less the Anti-Gravity muscles are used – and as the Movement

muscles take over the activity, they become even stronger and tighter at the

expense of the protective Anti-Gravity muscles.

Important note: Do not continue in the presence of pain! If you find that

any of the activities are very difficult or painful at any stage, you should

stop immediately as it is likely that your Anti-Gravity muscles are too

weak to perform such activities or that you already have a Gravity Related

Medical Condition or ‘GRMC’ (e.g. low back pain, osteoarthritis etc).

The activities and exercises described in this section are definitely NOT

suitable if you have a GRMC or any other painful or disabling condition

which has caused you to visit a Doctor, Physiotherapist or other health

professional recently. In that case, you should consult your health

professional before proceeding with these activities and exercises.

Without advice from your Doctor, Physiotherapist or other rehabilitation

specialist, do not attempt these activities if you have any of the

following conditions:

l Strong mid or low back pain;

l Strong pain in your hips, buttocks or running down your legs;

l Pins & needles or numbness in your feet or legs; or

l Osteoporosis or osteoarthritis.

If you already have low back pain, osteoarthritis or other GRMC that is

affecting your lifestyle, it is important to visit your Physiotherapist or

other Rehabilitation specialist so that they can help you get your spine

strong and Core muscles working properly and relieve the pain first.

[For Physiotherapists or other Rehabilitation specialists who are not

familiar with the new GravityFit Exercise Model visit www.gravityfit.com

for further information.]

The following lifestyle activities and exercises apply the principles of

the GFEM in a general and non-prescriptive way. It is important to note

that although many of the activities are common daily activities, the


activities can be difficult when performed correctly and progression

through the activities should be made very slowly, particularly where

increasing GSI.

If you find that the described lifestyle exercises are making you feel

stronger then they will be good for maintaining your bone and joint

health. However some may find them difficult to do, not because of

pain, but because they have difficulties maintaining good posture and/

or feeling that the Core muscles are working.

[If you are having difficulties, visit the GravityFit website

www.gravityfit.com to (1) contact your Health and Fitness professional

who is familiar with the GravityFit method and use of exercise tools

which facilitate good posture and an effective Core contraction, or

(2) you can obtain the GravityFit Exercise Tools – Gravity Cap, Core

Awareness Belt and Thoracic Pro – with an exercise poster for

prescriptive exercise].

SPInAl AKC AnD StABlE CorE ACtIvItIES

The Spinal AKC is gradually strengthened

by using body weight as the exercise load.

This means that by changing body position

you can increase the level that the muscles

have to work against Gravity.

You should do activities and exercise for

your spinal Anti-Gravity muscles with the

trunk in an upright position (see Activities

1 and 2 following) before progressing to

exercising in a lean forward position

(see Activities 3 and 4 following),

since the leaning forward position

constitutes a much higher load for

your spine.

gravityfit.comBy way of contrast with the upright position, when you adopt a lean

forward position, your Anti-Gravity muscles – particularly your

Core muscles – are required to support the weight of the whole

trunk (from the hips) and the Effective Weightbearing Load (EWL) is

significantly increased.

Strain on the back is at its highest and

most hazardous when the spine is in the

rounded (flexed) forward position – for

example, when you incorrectly bend to lift

an object, particularly something heavy.

This flexed leaning forward position

particularly strains the area where the

lowest vertebra of the spine meets the pelvis.

Strain on the low back is up to 10 times higher

during bending activities compared to standing

upright with good posture. The forces can be doubled

(or even more amplified) in bending activities

when you are carrying something heavy.

(1) StAnDInG uPrIGht

If done correctly, standing upright puts far less strain on

your back compared to other activities as the trunk is upright

and the legs are in line with the trunk. Therefore, the effect

of Gravity on the low back is minimised compared with

sitting activities and lean forward activities (described

later) which require a bend at the hips.

The main emphasis is maintaining good posture with

the APC when you are standing. As previously mentioned,

good spinal position requires the spine to be ‘S’ shaped in

the Neutral Spine Position. This is the position of strength

for the spine and is required to correctly stabilise the spine

during daily activities.

Try to remember to maintain good posture whenever you

are standing throughout the day.

unsafe lift – poor posture

39


(2) SIttInG uPrIGht

When sitting on a firm chair with your feet firmly on the floor,

perform the APC and see how long you can hold the optimum

good posture position.

If you work in an office, try stretching tall and maintaining

good posture while working on the computer. Keep

stretching tall while turning from side to side to retrieve

files or when reaching up to shelves in front of you.

GooD standing posture Poor standing posture

Good upright standing posture is achieved when the ear lobe is in line with the shoulder, hip and ankle. In this position the back of the head, the upper back and the buttocks are

touching when you stand against a wall.

When you stand with your back to a wall with your eyes looking straight ahead, your head

should be directly above your trunk.

You should feel your abdomen gently pull in when you

perform the APC and get into this good postural position.

Poor posture such as this is a classic sign of weak Anti-Gravity muscles (i.e. they are not holding you upright against Gravity).

Poor posture is usually associated with:

l excessively arched lower back

l protruding belly

l rounded or elevated shoulders

l forward head position

l with the chin poked forward

If you find yourself standing in this position try to perform the Anti-Gravity Postural Cue and stand up as straight as you can during the day.

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41

If working for longer periods, sit back in your chair, ensuring the low

back is supported and the spine is in a neutral position (i.e. support your

lumbar curve).

(3) SIttInG lEAnInG ForWArD

Lean forward from sitting, then slowly stand up and slowly sit down again

while maintaining the Neutral Spine Position and the APC.

Place your feet firmly on the floor when doing this

exercise. To maintain the Neutral Spine Position,

stretch tall and then bend the trunk forward from

the hips (not the spine). Focus on keeping your weight

passing through your feet as you slowly stand up.

This will be more easily done from a high chair, although a

kitchen chair is also good.

This activity is also important for the Lower Limb

AKC. Remember, the Spinal and Lower Limb AKC are

functionally linked through the Stable Core.

A simple exercise routine to start with would be:

l Slowly move into the ‘lean forward’ position for five seconds and then

slowly stand up while maintaining the neutral spine;

l Sit down slowly to the lean forward position; and

l Finally, sit tall and upright.

Repeat this exercise slowly five times.

This becomes harder (by increasing the EWL) if you are overweight or

carrying an additional load (e.g. carrying a child).

(4) StAnDInG lEAnInG ForWArD

Perform the APC while standing and tilt forward from the hips, not

through your spine. The knees should be slightly flexed.

This activity can be practised while leaning forward during all kinds of

daily ‘leaning forward’ tasks – for example, leaning over a workbench,


lifting items from tables, ironing, doing mechanical

repairs on a car, leaning towards patients on

hospital beds or in dental chairs, leaning forward to

address a golf ball and so on.

As a simple exercise to start with you could try holding

the lean forward position for five seconds and then

slowly standing up straight (stretching tall and

maintaining the neutral spine) and then repeating this

slowly five times.

InCrEASInG GSI For thE SPInAl AKC AnD StABlE CorE

If you can perform these activities correctly without pain or discomfort,

try to gradually increase GSI and challenge your spinal stability.

If you stand on soft and ‘giving’ surfaces such as sand or sit on soft

and unsteady surfaces such as exercise balls while holding the APC

and breathing normally, you will increase the GSI via changes and

accelerations from that surface.

This will increase the tone and stabilising function of the Spinal AKC and

the Core muscles.

You can increase GSI during these activities by:

l Standing on soft grass or sand;

l Sitting on soft seats or ‘exercise balls’;

l Moving the limbs in a controlled way while maintaining the APC;

l Gently rotating the upper trunk or hips; and

l Using bare feet or wearing socks.

Remember: These activities with increased GSI levels can be significantly

more difficult to perform and progression should be slow. You should not

continue if you feel pain or discomfort in your spine or pelvis.

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SPInAl AKC, StABlE CorE AnD loWEr lIMB AKC ACtIvItIES

The Spinal AKC is required, together with the Stable Core, to provide

a stable frame during activities involving the operation of the Lower

Limb AKC.

(1) WAlKInG

Maintaining upright spinal posture while walking is relatively simple

compared to other movements that use the Anti-Gravity muscles.

Walking not only provides excellent cardiovascular benefits, better

circulation and improved lung function, it can also be a valuable way to

improve your Core Body Strength.

Everyone should try to walk for 30 – 45 minutes each day while maintaining

good posture, stretching tall and focussing on holding the APC.

the GravityFit Walking Program has been specifically designed to

increase the tone, endurance and strength of the Spinal AKC, Stable

Core and Lower Limb AKC while walking with good posture on a variety

of surfaces. The GravityFit Walking Program is explained in detail in the

final section of this book.

(2) GEttInG In AnD out oF A loW ChAIr

The lower the chair, the more flexed the legs become, increasing the

work done by the Anti-Gravity muscles of the lower limbs together with

the Anti-Gravity muscles of the spine.

When sitting on a low chair with feet firmly

planted on the floor, perform the APC and

slowly lean forward – be sure to lean forward from

the hips, not through the spine.

Next, slowly move up to the standing position.

Concentrate on the spinal position and activating

the APC during the entire movement.


Then gently pushing through your feet and bending at the hips (i.e. with

the buttocks pushed back), slowly resume the seated position.

Remember throughout this activity your spine should not have changed

shape but simply moved into a lean forward position both to sit up and

sit back down again.

You may like to try performing this activity from different heights and

with chairs of varying softness. You will find lower, softer chairs the

most difficult.

(3) loWErInG thE BoDY toWArDS thE GrounD

During the day you often need to bend the

knees (by squatting or lowering the body with

one leg in front of the other i.e. a lunge) to

reach down towards the floor.

With the feet firmly planted on the floor, perform

the APC and slowly lean forward and bend the knees –

be sure to maintain the Neutral Spine Position and lean

forward from the hips, not through the spine.

To stand up again, slowly reverse the movement up

to the standing position. Concentrate on the spinal

position and activating the APC during the

entire movement.

This type of activity can be practised during many

routine, daily tasks including picking up toys from the floor, gardening,

sports such as lawn bowls or lifting any heavy objects from the floor

(ensuring you hold the object close to your body).

(4) ClIMBInG ACtIvItIES

Walking up and down stairs or steep hills is an excellent opportunity

to improve your Core Body Strength, particularly where it is performed

slowly and deliberately. Conversely, running up stairs or hills quickly on

your toes does not properly use your Anti-Gravity muscles.

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l Lift your body weight up the stairs, one step at a time;

l Maintain the APC and good spinal posture; and

l Place the full length of the foot on each step.

Where possible, you should incorporate the use of stairs, rather than

lifts or escalators into your daily activities.

InCrEASInG GSI For thE SPInAl AKC, StABlE CorE AnD loWEr lIMB AKC

If you can perform these lower limb activities correctly without pain or

discomfort, try to gradually increase GSI and challenge the stability of

your lower limbs and spine.

If you walk on soft, uneven surfaces – and particularly on sloping ground

– while holding the APC and breathing normally you will increase the GSI

via changes and accelerations from the surface of the ground.

This will increase the tone and stabilising function of the Lower Limb

AKC. This activity, when performed properly, will also increase the tone

and stabilising function of the Spinal AKC.

You can increase GSI during walking activities by:

l Walking on soft grass or sand;

l Slowly increasing the slope of the walking surface;

l Moving the limbs in a controlled way while maintaining the APC;

l Gently rotating the upper trunk; and

l Using bare feet or wearing socks.

You may like to try other challenging activities such as jogging barefoot

on a beach or soft grassy areas, beach volleyball, mountain climbing or

bush walking on uneven sloping surfaces.





SPInAl AKC, StABlE CorE AnD uPPEr lIMB AKC ACtIvItIES

The Spinal AKC is also required, together with the Stable Core, to

provide a stable frame during activities involving operation of the Upper

Limb AKC.

Activities for the spine, shoulder blade and upper limbs involve pushing

down, pushing forward and pushing upwards with the upper limbs.

(1) PuShInG DoWn ACtIvItIES

Pushing down activities are those activities

where you are using your upper limbs

to push down to lift or hold

your own body weight

or push down objects.

These activities could include

performing a horizontal

push-up, cleaning the floor,

pushing clothes down into a suitcase or sitting on the floor and moving

to different positions on the floor using your arms.

(2) PuShInG ForWArD ACtIvItIES

Pushing forward activities are

those activities where you are

pushing forward. They must be

performed in a slow controlled

manner while maintaining

good spinal posture. These

activities could include

wall push-ups, pushing a

shopping trolley, pushing

a pram, pushing a mower

or sliding furniture

across the floor.

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Throughout these activities your spine should not change its ‘S’ shape,

but simply moves into a lean forward position. It is important to ensure

the Neutral Spine Position is maintained, avoiding the rounded (or

slumped) spine position.

(3) PuShInG uP ACtIvItIES

Pushing up activities are those activities that require you to push up to

lift or hold objects above your head with your upper limbs. These activities

could include lifting a book up to a high shelf, lifting boxes on top of

cupboards or pushing up on ceiling structures when building a house.

InCrEASInG GSI For thE SPInAl AKC, StABlE CorE AnD uPPEr lIMB AKC

If you can perform these activities correctly without pain or discomfort,

try to gradually increase GSI and challenge the stability of your upper

limbs and spine.

You can increase GSI during these activities by performing the activity on

an uneven giving surface or on sloping ground. If you are performing wall

or horizontal push-ups, you can do the push-ups with a ball under your

hands.

You can also move the body forward, backward or sideways using the

upper limbs during these activities to enhance the effectiveness of the

Anti-Gravity exercise.




To find out more about the application of the GFEM including advanced

exercises and specific GravityFit tools to enhance the function of the

AKCs and improve your Core Body Strength, you can visit the GravityFit

website at www.gravityfit.com.


3. the GravityFit Walking Program

The range of lifestyle activities and exercises

described above to improve your Core Body Strength

have been explained so that you can integrate

these into your existing lifestyle.

In addition to this, the GravityFit Walking Program

is a simple yet valuable way of increasing the tone,

endurance and strength of your Anti-Gravity

Muscle System.

The GravityFit Walking Program is a very easy way to get started

towards higher levels of Core Body Strength. It is as simple as can be – it

involves a 30-45 minute daily walk including a posture check beforehand

and a short upper limb exercise routine after the walk.

All walking programs, including the GravityFit Walking Program, provide

excellent cardiovascular benefits and other benefits including better

circulation, weight loss and improved heart and lung function. Walking

is also great for decreasing stress and enhancing emotional well-being.

The GravityFit Walking Program provides additional benefits essential to

your well-being including:

1. decreases the risk of low back pain by:

– improving the strength and stability of your spine; and

– increasing the tone (activation and firmness) of your Core muscles;

2. provides an ideal ‘weightbearing’ exercise to help prevent

osteoporosis;

3. helps keep the pelvic floor muscles toned and healthy – of particular

benefit to those people with mild pelvic floor problems e.g. stress

incontinence; and

4. combines with a weekly record of your waist measurement (which is

strongly related to general health) to help monitor progress.

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The GravityFit Walking Program helps to activate the Core muscles and

maintain the Neutral Spine Position while you walk.

Preferably, the GravityFit Walking Program should be done first thing in

the morning to start the Anti-Gravity muscles working early.

The idea is to slowly increase the length of time that you can maintain

this activity, resulting in an increase in the tone, endurance and strength

of the Core muscles and AKCs.

Start walking on flat hard surfaces (e.g. footpaths) with supportive

walking shoes. After mastering the ‘flat’ walk, you can try slowly (and

progressively) increasing GSI by:

l walking on soft, uneven or ‘giving’ surfaces (e.g. walk in a park or on

the beach);

l increasing the slopes of the walking surfaces (e.g. up hills or sand

dunes); and/or

l using bare feet.

thE ProGrAM StEPS

Step 1

Check you can activate the Core muscles properly with the APC

Stand in a good upright posture (with the earlobe in line with the

shoulder, hip and ankle).

l Slowly lengthen your spine up through the crown of the head, eyes

facing forward;

l Relax your shoulders down;

l Think of lifting the spine straight up out of the pelvis and gradually

narrowing your waist;

l Maintain relaxed breathing.

Contract the Deep Muscle Corset

l Hold this gentle contraction and good spinal posture while breathing


normally. The idea is to hold this position throughout your GravityFit

Walking Program.

l Make a weekly note of your waist circumference. This way, over time,

you can monitor improvement in the activation of your Core muscles

(and contraction of the Deep Muscle Corset) by a gradually reducing

waist measurement. A gradual reduction in your waist measurement

is a good and healthy change.

Step 2

Stand against a wall to check your posture

Stand with your back against a wall while

in good spinal posture* and activate your

Core muscles.

* Remember: you have good upright spinal

posture if the ear lobe is in line with the

shoulder, hip and ankle. In this position, only

the back of the head, the upper back and the

buttocks are touching the wall when you

stand against it.

Step 3

While still standing against the wall, slowly lift both arms above your head

l Focus on maintaining your good

spinal posture and activating the

Core muscles while slowly lifting

your straight arms in front of you

until they are above your head

l Do not arch your low back or allow

your chin to poke forward

l Repeat this 5 times

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Step 4

Start your walk while maintaining good spinal posture and activating the Core muscles

l Start with a flat surface (e.g. a footpath) wearing supportive

walking shoes

l If you can hold good spinal posture, it is preferable to combine the

walk with some upper limb activity, for example,

– a ‘push forward’ activity (e.g. pushing a pram, shopping trolley or

mower); or

– a ‘push down’ activity for the arms (e.g. using ‘walking poles’).

NOTE: For what you are trying to achieve in this program, holding and

swinging hand weights is not suitable.

l After mastering the ‘flat surface’ walk without any fatigue or pain,

you should attempt the walk on soft, uneven surfaces incorporating

some gentle slopes (e.g. walking in grassy or sandy areas like parks,

farms, or beaches). You should also try walking with bare feet if this

can be done safely in the particular environment.

Step 5

Walk for approximately 15-20 minutes while maintaining good spinal posture and activating the Core muscles – then turn and head for home to complete your GravityFit walk

l Remember it’s what happening inside that counts! This exercise

should be hard work if performed correctly and therefore walking

for 30 – 45 minutes each day is adequate when this activity is done

correctly.

l You may begin to feel waist widening as your Deep Muscle Corset is

weakening and your abdomen starts to protrude. Also, your muscles

may feel tired and begin to ache – especially the muscles in the low

back region. It may also feel difficult to maintain relaxed breathing

which can be a further symptom that the Deep Muscle Corset is

weakening. This is a sign that the Core muscles have been working


hard and the spine is starting to strengthen. Even very fit and strong

athletes may experience tired and weak Core muscles after their

GravityFit Walk.

l Do not continue in the presence of pain! When you feel the Core

muscles getting tired, rest your abdomen for a minute or so. After a

rest you may try to activate your Core muscles again – but if this is

not possible, or if it causes any pain, again relax your abdomen and

head home.

l Take note of how long you held good posture, so that you can

gradually improve this time.

Step 6

on return from the walk, do 10 Wall Push-ups … slowly

lMaintain activation of your Core muscles during this exercise using

the APC.

l Perform the wall push-ups very slowly and ensure your spine does

not change its ‘S’ shape. Your body should simply be lowered into a

lean-forward position while maintaining good posture.

l Ensure you are still maintaining your good posture and narrowing

your waist, while breathing normally.

l This activity is important as it coordinates the activation of the

Core muscles with a ‘weightbearing’ exercise for the upper body

(shoulders and arms).

IMPORTANT NOTE: If the weak Core muscles are still fatigued (especially

if aching) on return from the walk, the wall push ups can be left until

next time.

NOTE: If you need to lift any heavy items during the day, ensure you

take extra care because when the Core muscles are fatigued, the Deep

Muscle Corset is temporarily weaker and, therefore, cannot properly

protect your spine.

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Some mild and temporary muscle soreness can occur as an indication

that you have challenged your muscles enough to improve their strength

over time. However, if this soreness is strong enough for you to consider

it painful, this is a sign you may have overdone things. If so, subsequent

walks should be of a shorter duration, until your muscles begin to cope

and their response to the exercise can no longer be classed as painful.


Appendix 1: About the Founder

The GravityFit Exercise Model was developed by

Professor Carolyn Richardson who has been at the

forefront of musculoskeletal research for over 20

years and pioneered the concept of Core Stability.

When the theory of two functionally different

muscles of the knee was applied to the low

back and pelvis to reveal that the stabilising muscles do not perform

adequately when low back pain is experienced, the ‘Core Stability’

concept of exercise was born. Her work in the 1990s on ‘lumbar

stabilisation’ (core stability) was considered ground-breaking and forms

the basis of many modern approaches to overall health and fitness.

Professor Richardson is author of a number of text books on lumbar

stabilisation including ‘Therapeutic Exercise for Lumbopelvic

Stabilisation: A Motor Control approach for the treatment and

prevention of low back pain’ (Richardson C. Hodges P. Hides J (2004) 2nd

edition. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, New York)

the development of the Principles of exercise for the new GravityFit

Exercise Model (GFEM) and the GravityFit Exercise tools have been

developed, not only through years of research on the Core muscles,

but also through working directly with the European Space Agency

(ESA). Professor richardson’s work with ESA led to extensive research

into Gravitational Science as well as types of exercise that would

most effectively increase Gravity Sensory Information to the body.

GravityFit builds on the existing knowledge of Core Stability and

combines it with the more recent understanding of Gravitational

Science to produce a complete system of whole body exercise. this

includes the safe and effective use of Whole Body vibration which was

invented by Space scientists in order to efficiently increase the Gravity

Sensory Information to the body.

For further information refer to the GravityFit website at www.gravityfit.com.

Professor Carolyn richardson

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