How to improve your CARs (controlled articular rotations)
CONTROL YOUR INTERNAL CAPACITY FIRST AND EXCEL FROM EXTERNAL MOVEMENTS AFTER
There is a very fine line when it comes to performing a CAR well and throwing your limbs around in space with no intent. Here are some of my top tips to improve your cars and get the most out of your training!
1: ADD BLOCKS
By this I don’t mean yoga blocks but rather blocks to your body so that you don’t over compensate. Struggling with hip CARs? why not perform them within a rack and have the side pressed against the opposing pelvis? That way you stop the dreaded sway when taking it through IR. Hiking or leaning during shoulder CARs? Why not do them quadruped against the wall so that you physically cant sway any further into the wall? The great thing about CARs is they’re an endless puzzle that everyone can do to try and figure out how to improve upon. My best suggestion would be to video yourself and see what needs improving, from there back engineer the process and find the solution! There are no rules when it comes to this!
2 : SLOW IT DOWN!
‘‘ I want this rep to take 20 seconds’’ - This is what my clients usually hear when I tell them to do a rep, ok, they usually do it quicker but at least they made the effort to slow down. Taking a rep slower will allow you to feel where you might be overcompensating or even give you a better opportunity to correct the movement. It also allows you to maintain greater tension throughout which is an overall win for CARs.
3 : ADD STABILITY
Quadruped position can work great for Hip and Shoulder CARs. Due to more stability points this is a great way to take a level of balance out of the equation and really focus on controlling the joint through space. An added advantage is you’ll be fighting gravity through different points of the CAR rather than the standing version making it a great option to add variety to your routine.
4 : RECORD OR PERFORM INFRONT OF A MIRROR
Having feedback has helped nearly all my clients improve their CARs and have that lightbulb moment on how they should feel when performing them. Recording yourself or watching yourself perform your CARs in front of a mirror will allow you to see how you move and if you are overcompensating, which if you’ve never checked you’ll be surprised! We all have our own tendencies when it comes cheating in CARs but being aware of them will make it easier to eradicate it!