T.O.’s Corner: Helping Handballers Become Fitter and Recover More Quickly
WPH Press, Tucson, AZ
By Travis Owen, MS, CSCS, PN1
When you see great athletes move, it’s easy to be in awe of how smooth they seem. Michael Jordan…Usain Bolt…Paul Brady…Killian Carrol. Their movements are a combination of power and quickness, without seeming to “muscle” the movements- even though they produce incredible force. This smoothness and flow is the result of an efficient kinetic chain.
We’ve all heard that term, but what exactly is the kinetic chain and how does it work? Basically, the kinetic chain is the body’s way of producing movement. Biomechanically, it’s using leverage and muscles (which pull on bones) to move joints in an orderly fashion, affecting other joints, until the desired motion is achieved.
Not only does having efficient kinetic chain development help with power, but it also helps with balance, quality movement (speed/agility), and can also help minimize injury risk if the chain is mobile and stable in the right places.
The full kinetic chain encompasses all joint movements starting with the foot hitting the ground (with the exception of course for swimming or other non-ground related sports) and ending with whatever movement is required to either start the motion again, or finish the motion.
For example, in a handball swing, while the “wrist snap” ends up as the final movement in the kinetic chain as the ball leaves the hand, if you were to only hit a handball with your wrist and no actual arm or torso movement, you of course won’t be able to hit it hard at all. The swing itself is part of the kinetic chain. As the elbow leads (as far as the arm is concerned), it then decelerates as the remainder of the arm extends, and finally, the wrist finishes the movement.
Taking this further down the chain to the initial starting point, the movement begins with a strong foot “gripping” the ground. This is what’s called foot stability. If the foot isn’t strong enough to allow the rest of body to move from a stable base, it will be difficult to develop efficient kinetic movement in the overall swing.
So while foot stability is important, for example, does this mean every joint should be stable? Of course not- stability means minimal or no movement. Mobility is also important, and interestingly, for the body to produce power throughout the kinetic chain, each joint alternates in its function of either mobility or stability. For example:
Foot: Stable
Ankle: Mobile
Knee: Stable
Hip: Mobile
Lumbar Spine (Lower Back): Stable
*enhanced with a strong functional core, as these muscles attach to the spine:
Thoracic Spine (Upper Back): Mobile
Now, mind you, this mobility and stability is relative. The ankle for example should also have some stability (strength), but it should have much more mobile than the knee (which shouldn’t really be mobile at all). And the hips for example, while stability is also important, should be more mobile than again, the knee, and also the lower back (i.e. so that our hips rotate/move, more so than the lower back, to developing power).
Generally then, it’s a good idea to train those joints for either mobility or stability based on what they require. E.g. T-Spine mobility exercises are some of the most important mobility exercises for any type of rotational athlete, because if we’re too tight in that area, our rotation, power, kinetic chain movement, will all be limited, potentially also leading to risk of injury in the surrounding joints (e.g. lower back, shoulders) which will then need to take on the movement that the T-Spine does not have.
T-Spine Mobility: T-Spine Rotations:
This is also a good time to reiterate that posture dictates function. And that lifting weights helps with both stability (strength) when we’re performing full, athletic, movements (even as simple as a good squat pattern), as well as mobility, if we’re achieving a full range of motion in the joints that require mobility.
So, in the squat example, we wouldn’t want to achieve a full range of motion (or any range of motion, really) at the lower back- which should be stable. Instead, it’s important to have the hip mobility to “reach” the hips back, while staying strong on the foot (foot stability), and keeping our chest/torso tall (T-Spine mobility). Additionally, if you have trouble keeping your foot on the ground during a squat (i.e. the heels come up), this is a sign of tight ankles (poor ankle mobility) since they can’t dorsiflex enough to allow the foot to stay strongly planted on the ground. Of course, tight ankles can also lead to knee problems since as we move/plant/cut, the knee will then take on the force that the ankle cannot absorb due to immobility.
Ankle & Hip Mobility: Downward Dog Ankle Mobilizations:
Finally, it’s important to note that good mobility has some default stability. This is the difference between mobility and simply, flexibility.
Flexibility is passive- how far can you move a certain joint? What length is available in that particular muscle? Not that it’s unimportant, but it’s not really functional. Flexibility just gives you feedback; feedback that tells you whether your joint and muscle(s) can reach a certain range of motion.
Mobility then on the other hand requires active movement. This is more functional- your muscles are pulling the joint to move it. There is of course some stability involved in this movement, rather than simply flat out flexibility. So, while passive static stretching has its place, it definitely does not substitute for actual mobility exercises and maintaining movement throughout an active range of motion.
It’s pretty common for example for someone to have the flexibility to lay on their back, bend their legs to a 90-degree angle, and reach their arms straight overhead. However, if you were to do this standing up, squatting low, keeping the hands straight over their head and the back perfectly straight (like it was on the ground), this is much more difficult due to the stability and mobility required, rather than just flexibility.
So, whether you want to take your game up a notch, or simply keep your body moving well to lower your injury risk, know that it’s important to have an efficient kinetic chain, and proficient relative mobility and stability in the proper joints.
Travis Owen is the founder of his training service Travis Owen Performance (T.O. Performance) and has been involved with handball since picking it up in college in 2005. CSCS Certified through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and having earned his Master’s degree in 2011, Travis has been training individuals of all types for over 10 years. With an initial focus on softball & baseball athletes, Travis is starting to expand his reach to handball players and would like to elevate the game by providing articles and videos, as well as program design or training for anyone interested.
If you are looking for exercise programs or have any questions, contact Travis by email at owenperformanceTO@gmail.com, or visit travisowenperformance.com