Chuck Wolf Insights into Functional Training

Product Description

Chuck Wolf Insights into Functional Training — New book by Chuck Wolf

Principles, Concepts, and Application

“Chuck’s time-tested, simple, and honest evaluation and performance principles, continue to lead the way toward a better understanding of human performance both before and after injury. His thoughtful and meaningful concepts have given me a broader and bolder understanding of the value of less traumatic surgical techniques and have given countless patients the optimization of recovery that previously was not possible in the field of complex spinal reconstruction and orthopedics at large.”
~ Robert Masson, MD, Neurospine Institute—Foreword, Insights into Functional Training

While studying human function is an evolving and continuous process, comprehension of function will help you view movement from a new perspective that will lead to a paradigm shift in your exercise program design. This book will help you develop consistent skills based on human movement and help you enhance function through creative latitude while adding multiple tools to your productive toolbox.

We study functional anatomy to understand how motion is a product of the cause and effects of movement, limitations, compensations, and the resultant actions. Based on an understanding of the continuous thread of connective tissue, adjacent muscles, and soft tissue, we can view motion and begin to ask the very important questions of what?…how?…when?…why?

The answers to those questions will guide us in treatment and exercise programming for your clients and patients.

“Chuck Wolf is an honest workman with decades of experience. Here he has assembled a simple to apply, solidly built program of connected exercise for the athlete who doesn’t want hypo-movement in one part of the body to end up as hyper-movement—repetitive stress injury—in another. Train as a whole, until evenly strung like a good tennis racquet. Let this book help.”
~ Tom Myers, author of Anatomy Trains

From Chuck’s introduction to Insights:

This book is organized in a progressive fashion.

• First, we discuss the principles and characteristics of efficient human movement.
• We will then delve into the joint-by-joint approach to movement within a three-dimensional environment.
• The chapter on functional anatomy, unlike a traditional anatomy book, compares the anatomical anatomy to functional anatomy and can be used as a quick reference to view the three-dimensional action of these muscles.
• The six Flexibility Highways you will learn about involve the six cardinal pathways in which I view movement. These movement pathways relate to the fascial connections that involve the tissues forming an integrated relationship within those fascial lines.
• The chapter Blending Tradition with Functional Integrated Training is where we blend movement principles into conceptual applications.
• Exercise and movement strategies are an art based on science determined by the limitations, compensations, and idiosyncrasies of those we serve. The programming chapters are really a hybrid of not only the giants in the fitness, rehabilitation, and sporting worlds, but also include a blend of concepts from my years of practice.
• The impetus for this book lies in the chapter called Pre-Programming Insights. I have been blessed to work with thousands of clients and patients throughout my career. Many times, I felt they were my living labs who allowed me to try applications of techniques. I wish I could say all were successful; however, that is not the case. Success is not only derived from positive outcomes, but also from the lessons learned from conceptual applications that were not effective. I was able to learn from those less-than-effective moments and have built that education into the book you are considering.
• Those pre-programming insights are lessons learned through repetitive-scenario concepts and the associated applications to improve the function of the client based on the usual principles that should have been present but were not.

Our goal is to apply these concepts to create an environment for success.

Chuck Wolf

“Chuck overseeing my workouts has helped me in so many ways. My overall health has been better, my range of motion as well as strength have increased, and my understanding of my own body has improved while working together. His knowledge of the body and its bio mechanical functions have also helped me do much more on the golf course. Chuck is a life-changer.”
~ Paula Creamer, LPGA Professional

What’s Covered in
Insights into Functional Training?

• The interdependence of the systems in the human body
• The functional anatomy journey
• Identifying function and functional training
• Discovering your client’s wants vs needs
• Characteristics of human motionEccentric before concentric
• Muscles stabilizing joints
• Distal vs proximal—what does it mean?
• Chain reactions in joints
• Tri-plane reaction of the hip, knee, ankle, and foot
• Adaptability, integration, and isolation
• Compensations during movement
• A 3-D approach to movement
• Open vs closed chain
• Movement efficiency
• Book anatomy vs functional anatomy
• Three phases—deceleration, transition and acceleration
• The major muscles—functional actions, origin, insertion and book anatomy
• Muscles of the feet—pronation, supination and propulsion
• Lower extremity muscles—book and functional anatomy
• The hip region—book and functional anatomy
• The abdominal complex—book and functional anatomy
• The back—book and functional anatomy
• The shoulder complex—book and functional anatomy
• The upper extremity—book and functional anatomy
• Working around the joints
• The impact of the foot on the human movement system
• Planes of motion and joint action
• The foot and ankle complex
• Understanding the gait sequence
• How knee action fits in movement
• Mobility in the hip complex
• Dissecting gait from the bottom up
• The lumbar spine—nemesis of fitness professionals
• The spine reactions during gait
• The shoulder girdle—mobility and impingement issues
• Shoulder function—where the scapula goes, the humerus will follow
• Transverse plane motion in throwing
• Internal rotation—hip and shoulder needs
• The cervical spine uniqueness
• The navel and the Beacon of Life
• Fascia—the universal webbing
• Fibers of fascia
• Collagen and extracellular matrix
• Stimulating fascia
• The Flexibility Highways description
• Going deeper:
  • The Anterior Flexibility Highway
  • The Posterior Flexibility Highway
  • The Lateral Flexibility Highway
  • The Anterior X-Factor Flexibility Highway
  • The Poster X-Factor Flexibility Highway
  • The Turnpike
• Flexibility Highways in motion
• The Big Movement Rocks—foot and ankle, hips and t-spine
• Blending traditional training with modern functional training
• Using the Action Pyramid in workout programming
• The layers of the Action Pyramid—Function, Fitness, Skill and Technique
• The functional assessment
• Gait analysis
• Motion analysis
• The foot assessment
• Using the Functional Testing Grid—examples
• Preprogramming insights
  • Biomechanical issues
  • Cueing
  • Industry observations
• The variability of program design
• Muscle Energy Techniques (MET)
• Choosing exercises in the Action Pyramid
• Periodized program hybrid models
• A modern concept of periodization
• Using the 4Q Model
• Movement training for special populations
• Low back issues
• Examples of training phases for low back clients
• Exercise choices, photos and descriptions
• Various exercise modalities—True Stretch, hurdles, TRX, ViPr and others
• Programming around knee issues
• Understanding shoulder issues in workout programming
• Hip and knee strengthening progression (program example)
• Shoulder reconditioning progression (program example)
• …and much more

“In this book, Chuck does what he does best: shares powerful knowledge, accumulated throughout 40 years of practice in a humble and positive manner. This collection of principles, concepts, and their application will empower you with a perspective of life and what the human being needs to be safe and effective in movement. This incredible man has helped thousands of people to be the best they can, but just as importantly, he has mentored professionals of all philosophies to achieve success on many levels. Thanks for your friendship and brilliance, Chuck… you make our lives far better.”
~ Ian O’Dwyer, OD on Movement

Author Bio

Chuck Wolf, MS, FAFS, is the Director of Human Motion Associates in Orlando, Florida. He consults with clients ranging from the rehabilitation setting to professional athletes of the highest level. Chuck works extensively with many of the top 50 PGA players and has worked with numerous professional baseball players and other high-level athletes. Chuck presents at national and international conferences and has written numerous articles in the areas of human motion, sports science, and human performance.

More about Chuck

“Having a better understanding of human movement and functional anatomy will help with programming, periodization of training, injury prevention, injury care, rehabilitation, health, and performance outcomes. For this reason, Chuck’s insights serve as a fundamental guide for the care practitioner and health coach to better serve their clients and patients.

“Chuck has broadened my perceptions of human movement and provided context for a body in motion. His insights have helped me understand biological force distribution and biomechanics. His solutions have provided me and my team with tangible and practical strategies to help people move and feel better. Pay close attention to his insights into how body segments affect each other. These concepts inform a perspective that will help you create suitable training environments to challenge and authenticate joint function and tissue adaptations.”
~ Michol Dalcourt, Institute of Motion

To learn all this and more, order your copy of Insights into Functional Training today.