We're all different so why do we expect movement to look the same?

Two separate pelvis’ with different hip insertion points - Source unknown

Human movement is a complicated subject. We categorise a sequence of joint movements into a squat or a hinge or a press etc. We don’t tell someone to perform individual motions to create the movement, instead we summarise all of it into one word, rightly so too.

In these exercises there are certain criteria we need to hit to make sure the movement is performed safely and optimally. The lines get blurred when we expect two different people to perform the same task visually identical.

For instance, when looking at a squat pattern there’s often checks that I do I to make sure the person is doing the exercise correct.

But, how many times have you heard the cue “bum down, chest up” whilst you’re struggling to keep your chest up, confused?

The same goes for deadlifts, have you been doing conventional deadlifts and it just doesn’t feel right? Then you proceed to try sumo deadlifts and it just clicks. But you heard that sumo deadlifts don’t work so you’ve retracted back to the uncomfortable conventional style?

source @bretcontreras1

Above are two females, they’re not my clients but clients of Bret Contreras (who made a great post on this subject). Although the same in height these two females have a difference in the length of their femur (the big bone in the tight).

With this difference can we expect them to perform the squat the same? Let’s see below…

source @bretcontreras1

The answer is no, they won’t squat the same. For Bret to put both females under a squat bar means he cleared them for the prerequisites for them to squat. So we know ankles, hips and spine would of had sufficient movement to allow them to barbell squat.

Due to the female on the right having longer femurs, for her to keep balance and perform the squat correctly she would need to have her chest lower. If we asked her to keep her chest up, she would fall due to balance.

The big question is, are both squats safe? yes.

Are they both able to load up weight safely? yes.

Because the female on the right can’t create the same angle as the female on the left with her spine, should she not squat? No.

Source unknown

Now that we’ve cleared the squat, lets talk about hip placement and the deadlift. Above are two separate pelvis’ with different placement for the hip socket (I’ve highlighted in red).

The structure on the left, we can expect the hips to sit forward, the structure on the right, we can expect the hips to sit more to the side.

If we look at a conventional deadlift position, the pelvis and hips on the left would be better suited as once we begin to take hips into flexion they wouldn’t be crammed into excessive internal rotation.

The structure on the right however would be the opposite and would be much better suited to sumo.

When it comes to exercise selection, there’s no right or wrong answer. The best exercise is the one that would suit the individual best but we can’t expect to fit someone to an exercise, instead we have to fit the exercise to the person.

This is why I place so much value on assessments and watching how a person moves before throwing exercises as someone. Something as small as hip placement can have a huge effect on exercise selection.

As we see from all the pictures above, we’re all different in shape and size. We cant expect to complete a movement like a squat, that requires numerous joint functions at once to look the same as the next person. Instead, find whats comfortable and safe for you. Experiment with stances, positions and exercise selection that works for you, don’t assume because your movement pattern doesn’t look like the next persons that you’re wrong.