Introduction to Base-Line Theory of Human Health and Movement.

Feel how to heal.

A body with a full range of natural movement - one that is dynamically balanced and aligned, using the ideal posture for whatever you are doing - is free of tension and pain.

Working with the right muscles is the way to achieve this.

It takes time and focus to learn to use your body correctly. Little by little progress is made.

The mind-body wants to heal - give it the opportunity to do so.

Everything starts from Base-Line.

pelvic floor Base, rectus abdominis Line

Our Base-Line muscles are the body's core pillar of strength. They are central to healthy movement and the most important muscles to focus on using correctly.

Base-Line muscles

Finding my Base-Line changed my life.

I feel better than I ever have before.

human figure seen from an angle, front-side view. Showing the base-line muscles, pelvic floor the base of the body, like a basket of muscles. And the rectus abdominis muscles, side by side from base to chest. The base-line muscles are linked by the pubic symphysis of the pelvis. The rectus abdominis muscles are like two stacks of panels of muscle, the body's core pillar of strength when activated and elongated. These muscles are central to healthy movement and developing your sense of conscious proprioception.

Our Base-Line muscles are two of the five main muscles of movement, the main muscles to work with to improve our physical health.

5 main muscles of movement

Working with the main muscles of movement reduces the 'myalgia of imbalance' that occurs when the wrong muscles are used and allows us to learn to release the physical restrictions that are the source of so much pain.

What if I don't use my
main muscles of movement?

Summary of Base-Line Technique.

1. Find your Base-Line.

Base-Line muscles

Think: Stronger and longer with every in-breath, activating your pelvic floor and rectus abdominis muscles from pelvis to chest.

breathing technique

Base-Line muscles in a human figure seen from the front, angled upwards. Base pelvic floor muscles are like a basket between your legs, the foundation at the base of the torso. The rectus abdominis muscles either side of the midline linea alba from pelvic symphysis to the chest wall. The rectus abdominis muscles consist of multiple sections of muscle tissue, panels side by side extending up the front of the abdomen. Active your Base-Line, thinking longer and stronger with every in breath starting from base, then section by section of the rectus abdominis.

the anatomy of alignment. human figure from the front with 5 markers on the midline. The 5 markers are parts of our midline anatomy which should align on the median plane, the cut that splits the body into equal left and right halves. From bottom to top: 1. The pubic symphysis of the pelvis, the bony bit midline between the legs at the front. 2. The navel/belly button. 3 and 4. The bottom and top of the sternum midline where the ribs meet at the front. 5. The back of the head, midline bump known as the external occipital protuberance.

'Breathing with your Base-Line' builds the connection between muscles and mind and will increase your awareness of the relative positioning of your midline anatomy.

midline markers for alignment

Find your midline markers and ask yourself: How balanced and aligned am I?

body alignment and balance

2. Move from your Base-Line.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, think of your Base-Line muscles at the core of all movement, from where the rest of your body extends.

Do what is easiest - find positions where you can feel these muscles activating and work from there.

Be inspired by tai chi, Pilates, yoga, movement in water - whatever appeals to you. Don't force anything. You can only do what your body is currently capable of. As you work with the correct muscles you'll find yourself being able to do more.

Use the roll-down action whilst thinking of your Base-Line being as 'strong and long' as possible.

the roll-down

Move as feels natural, the rest of the body being supported by your Base-Line muscles and imaging your midline becoming more aligned.

Base-Line:

Like ribbon anchored to a rock.

From where all movement

should originate.

human figure seen from the front, looking up the body with the baseline muscles shown. The pelvic floor muscles like a basket at the base of the body that should be solid and secure. The rectus abdominis muscles extending from pelvis to the ribcage. The body's core pillar of strength either side of the linea alba. The rectus abdominis muscles should bend and flex in all directions, supporting the rest of the body through a full range of movement.

3. Think about the other main muscles of movement.

Once you have some awareness of your Base-Line, start thinking about the other 3 main muscles of movement and how you use them.

human figure seen from the front and the back showing the 5 main muscles of movement. The trapezius muscles extend from mid-back to the back of the head, extending out towards each shoulder, like a kite-shaped blanket of muscle over the back of the body. The nuchal and supraspinous ligaments midline between the trapezius muscles. The rectus femoris muscles of the legs attach to the pelvis and shin, crossing both the hip and knee joints. When fully engaged along their full length the rectus femoris muscles correctly align the hips and knees to the body. The gluteus maximus muscles are at the back of the pelvis, big ass muscles that work together with the rectus femoris to support the legs through a full range of movement.

The gluteus maximus and rectus femoris muscles work in tandem, linking the legs to Base-Line support.

Base-Line to legs

The trapezius muscles connect the head and arms to Base-Line support.

Base-Line to upper body

4. Develop the connection between body and mind.

Focusing on your Base-Line muscles provides the sensory feedback necessary to increase awareness of your sense of position, motion and balance - your sense of proprioception.

conscious proprioception

Becoming more conscious of the relative positioning of your main muscles of movement allows to develop a sense of where your natural range of movement should take you - instinctively knowing how to move to improve your posture and work towards a full range of natural movement by releasing the physical restrictions and pain you have been carrying around - "stored trauma".

good posture

full range of natural movement

5. Feel better.

The mind-body wants to heal - give it the opportunity to do so by working from Base-Line.

the key to healing

How long to heal?

It takes time and focus to utilise the main muscles of movement if you are not used to using them. Try to keep these muscles in mind whatever you are doing.

Your "healing time" will depend on:

The level of deficiency in the usage of your main muscles of movement.
The length of time you have had a deficiency. The effects on body and mind increase over time.
The amount of trauma your body has stored.

individual trauma imprints

The time and effort YOU put into working with your Base-Line.

DISCLAIMER

There are many idiopathic (of unknown cause) symptoms and syndromes associated with chronic pain.

No known cause means no effective treatment. No relief for those who suffer.

I believe that only when the main muscles of movement are being used correctly can their dysfunction be ruled out as the cause of the otherwise mysterious, painful symptoms experienced by so many.

What can you do to help yourself?

1. Read this website and find the muscles on your body.

2. Breathe with your Base-Line.

3. Imagine your first 3 midline markers (pubic symphysis, navel, xiphoid process of sternum) forming a straight line.

midline markers

4. Move and adjust as feels natural.

5. Keep working at it. Little by little progress is made.