Carolyn’s “Soap Box” moments

Linkage v Leakage

One of my favorite RKC-isms, the concept of “linkage versus leakage”, can be an amazingly powerful tool for effective technique. Maintaining all the complicated connections in the body is no easy task. However if you aren’t actively pursuing this end , you can have some sad consequences. The most common example of leakage and the easiest to see is in the Trunk. If you visualize a plank, the sagging middle back is the “leakage” holding the trunk straight and solid is beautiful “Linkage”. Planks that are performed without this connection are really a waste of precious workout energy, and can cause symptomatic back pain. A poorly loaded plank can actually weaken the body for the rest of the workout. Of course one can see leakage of the trunk in any exercise bodyweight or kettlebell. How many times have I seen a rounded or eccesive swayed back during a swing, a Turkish get-up, a snatch, a burpee.  Truly in my mind the linkage of the trunk is the number one priority, as nothing else works if this is not solid.

So how does one approach the all important trunk to establish a well “linked” center? Well this is the million dollar question isn’t it? How many thousand of articles and exercises are marketed as “Core Training”. The truth is it is an individual issue. No one “core”, trunk  exercise fits all. In all cases of “leakage” in this area it is a complicated  but worthwhile endeavor to understand the balance for the individual in this area.

I will tell you that the first step is to return the pelvis to the gravital line, then to reorganize the proper balanced tension of the iliopsoas, and finally  to work through a series of systematic and progressively more trunk loaded positions.

To learn more about how you can find your loaded trunk, make sure you join us for a Foundations class, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday’s at 10:30. Also check in with the blog regularly for more information.