The original SQUARE 1 JAR map article.

This blogpost originally appeared on theresetsytem.com blog on 3.14.16.
Written by: Shawn Sherman

In recent years there seems to be an increased interest in movement patterns. From what I have heard about and read for myself, most discussed patterns are rather vague and there also appears to be an almost limitless number of patterns in which to ponder, discuss, and train. In most people’s eyes, as long as at least 2 joints are involved, it is a pattern. That view will lead to literally trillions of patterns. Obviously, trillions of patterns would render those patterns non-foundational.
I wrote this article for the purpose of simplification when it comes to defining foundational movement patterns. Hopefully upon reading this article, your understanding of movement patterns will have increased to the point that your patients, clients, or athletes can be more impacted by your involvement with them.

To me, the following list of criteria are necessary for a movement pattern to accurately be considered foundational.

It must involve every single joint of the body.
Outside of the single joint actions that comprise it, it must be irreducible.
It must be logical and sensible in light of joint structure and function and it must take into account that we live on a gravity-governed planet.
When discussing human adults, a foundational movement pattern can not be one that is a developmental pattern that we dropped out of necessity to mature physically into adolescence and adulthood.


Additional considerations:
1. Please keep in mind that most human beings have one spine and four appendages (2 arms, 2 legs).
2. Two concepts that you will also need to be familiar with in order to fully understand movement patterns is pronation and supination. Pronation is what occurs from a movement perspective as our joints succumb to gravity and supination is what should occur as joints overcome gravity.


RESET’s Foundational Movement Patterns

1. Getting upright
2. Gait


Getting upright has 2 phases. Sit and Stand are those two phases.

Sit: All four appendages and the axial skeleton pronate or collapse with gravity.
Stand: All four appendages and the axial skeleton supinate or overcome gravity.


Gait has 2 phases. Right-Step and Left-Step are those two phases.

Right-Step: Lower right bodily quadrant and upper left bodily quadrants pronate while lower left and upper right bodily quadrants supinate.
Left-Step: Lower left bodily quadrant and upper right bodily quadrants pronate while lower right and upper left bodily quadrants supinate.


That’s it. Simple.

Now I will go a step further and give you specifics. Here are all of the joint movements that go with each phase of both fundamental movement patterns:

Sit
Flexion, Internal Rotation, Adduction throughout all joints

Stand
Extension, External Rotation, Abduction throughout all joints

Right-Step       
Eyes right         
Eyes up                                                
Eyes down                                                 
Jaw deviate right                                      
Jaw open                                                 
Jaw clench                                                  
Capitis flexion                                          
Capitis extension                                     
Capitis left lateral flexion                       
Cervical left rotation              
Cervical flexion                               
Cervical extension                                 
Cervical right lateral flexion                
Left scapular elevation                           
Left scapular protraction                  
Left scapular upward rotation                
Right scapular depression                      
Right scapular retraction                  
Right scapular downward rotation            
Left gleno-humeral flexion                           
Left gleno-humeral internal rotation           
Left gleno-humeral horizontal adduction        
Right gleno-humeral extension    
Right gleno-humeral external rotation           
Right gleno-humeral horizontal abduction    
Left elbow flexion                                            
Left forearm pronation                                   
Left wrist flexion                                              
Left wrist radial deviation                                  
Left palm flexion                                                 
Left fingers flexion    
Right elbow extension
Right forearm supination
Right wrist extension
Right wrist ulnar deviation
Right palm extension
Right fingers extension                                            
Thoracic left lateral flexion                     
Thoracic flexion                                               
Thoracic extension                                             
Lumbar    right lateral flexion                  
Lumbar flexion                                                  
Lumbar extension                                             
Right pelvic rotation              
Right hip flexion                            
Right hip internal rotation             
Right hip adduction                                   
Left hip extension                                          
Left hip external rotation                           
Left hip abduction                                            
Right knee flexion                                 
Right tibia internal rotation                         
Left knee extension                                       
Left tibia external rotation                              
Right ankle dorsiflexion                             
Right arch collapse                                       
Right heel eversion                                      
Right toes flexion                                    
Left ankle plantar flexion                               
Left arch raise                                                
Left heel inversion                                          
Left toes extension                                         

Left-Step:
Eyes left
Eyes up
Eyes down
Jaw deviate left
Jaw open
Jaw clench
Capitis flexion
Capitis extension
Capitis right lateral flexion
Cervical right rotation
Cervical flexion
Cervical extension
Cervical left lateral flexion
Left scapular depression
Left scapular retraction
Left scapular downward rotation
Right scapular elevation
Right scapular protraction
Right scapular upward rotation
Left gleno-humeral extension
Left gleno-humeral external rotation
Left gleno-humeral horizontal abduction
Right gleno-humeral flexion
Right gleno-humeral internal rotation
Right gleno-humeral horizontal abduction
Left elbow extension
Left forearm supination
Left wrist extension
Left wrist ulnar deviation
Left palm extension
Left fingers extension
Right elbow flexion
Right forearm pronation
Right wrist flexion
Right wrist radial deviation
Right palm flexion
Right fingers flexion
Thoracic right lateral flexion
Thoracic flexion
Thoracic extension
Lumbar left lateral flexion
Lumbar flexion
Lumbar extension
Left pelvic rotation
Right hip extension
Right hip external rotation
Right hip abduction
Left hip flexion
Left hip internal rotation
Left hip adduction
Left knee flexion
Left tibial internal rotation
Right knee extension
Right tibial external rotation
Left ankle dorsiflexion
Left heel eversion
Left arch collapse
Left toes flexion
Right ankle plantar-flexion
Right heel inversion
Right arch raise
Right toes extension


At RESET, we believe that we are the first organization to bring an understanding to how each and every tri-planar movement of the axial skeleton fits in with the appendicular skeleton within these various foundational movement patterns. The RESET system is predicated on all of these puzzle pieces (single joint movements) fit into the larger puzzles (foundational movement patterns). Others, most notably Janda, have offered explanations of movement patterns that include various slings, chains and loops but again, we believe that we are the first to offer a tri-planar joint by joint breakdown of foundational patterns of movement.


(c) Shawn Sherman
This article represents copyrighted material and may only be reproduced in whole for personal use. It may not be edited, altered, or otherwise modified, except with the express permission of the author.