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Movement Builds the Brain

  • Dana Luebke
  • Mar 26, 2020

by Dana M. Luebke, Movement Exploration and Brain Gym® Instructor/Consultant

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Movement is our first language. – Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

Movement is the source of joy and learning; it helps us to comprehend and to anchor the new experience. – Svetlana Masgutova Ph. D

The title of this article is a quote from Dr. Paul E. Dennison, founder of Educational Kinesthetics, commonly referred to as Brain Gym®. We are born with billions of neurons, but with few network connections. It is our movement and sensory experiences which stimulate the development of our “intranet”. We gradually develop intention, control and coordination of our movement, as well as our relationship to ourselves and to the world; Eventually we are able to use our executive function to control our actions, to be creative, and to fulfill our human potential.

It should be noted that first senses to develop, and most important to our early development and survival, are the vestibular (balance), proprioceptive (movement) and tactile senses. They are stimulated by touch, rocking, and making movements, and this causes the brain to mature.

Our journey to intentional control of our movement is guided by our genetic program. This begins with reflexive movements which help develop neural networks in the brain, neuromuscular co-ordination, muscle tone, and core stability.

Primitive and Postural Reflexes

We are all born with reflexes. They are the automatic, non-voluntary responses to stimuli from our senses or movement. They are our earliest teachers, and each reflex has its own ‘teaching’ time, with a lesson we must learn and practice until we’ve mastered it. They appear in a programmed order, however the time spent on each reflex is unique for each of us.

Reflexes are the primary building blocks for our movement vocabulary. When a reflex is no longer in charge, it becomes part of something more complex:  the Developmental Movement Patterns. As reflexes are integrated into movement patterns, we gradually gain control of our movement.

When reflexes are not sufficiently practiced and integrated into the movement patterns, they remain active and will control aspects of our movement and behaviour. Examples include using your tongue to “help” you write and the inability to keep a car or bicycle going straight if you turn your head. Retained reflexes cause stress, necessitating the development of coping strategies which require extra energy and make learning more difficult. Retained reflexes are often present in children with learning and behavioural challenges.

In some cases, a reflex may not show up, leaving a missing block, a gap, in the foundation, and we develop compensations.

Fundamental Developmental Movement Patterns

Each of the Developmental Movement Patterns comes to the forefront in sequence. As it is explored, practiced and integrated into the movement system of the body, the patterns which have already been integrated play a supporting role. As each pattern emerges, the others are revisited to create an efficient transition, provide a broader base of support, and increase the depth of their integration.

These patterns developed with the evolution of species through time, and each of us revisits this movement evolution during our own development. Each movement pattern explores connections and relationships: of the parts of our body to each other, and of ourselves to others, to space, and to the world.

Developmental Movement Patterns require hundreds of thousands of repetitions over time to integrate into our movement vocabulary. We need to continue practicing these movements into our twenties, as it takes that long for our central nervous system to fully mature.

Let us look at each of these movement patterns in more detail.

Whole Body Breathing: the breath of life

Whole Body Breathing is the first pattern, the foundational process for life. It is our first movement upon being born and our last before we die. It includes both the external respiration of the lungs and the internal respiration of our cells. It brings life and energy to all we do.

Breath supports the dynamics and ongoing flow of our movement and provides the first experience for inner, three-dimensional volume. Awareness of external breathing gives us information about our overall state at any moment.

Navel Radiation: connection and differentiation

Navel Radiation is the predominant pattern in utero.  The navel is a centre of both connection and survival; we receive our nourishment through the navel in-utero. The limbs experience integration with the navel individually and with the other limbs through the navel. It is our foundation for understanding connection and differentiation.

At this point of our movement development there are six limbs, including the head and the tail. Connection starts at the centre (navel) and radiates out through the limbs, head and tail.

Navel Radiation introduces a way motion can flow through the body. It facilitates our “core” becoming stronger and connected and awareness of our distal environment and beyond.

We begin to experience and explore flexion and extension, me/not me, going out into the world/coming back to our centre, intrapersonal intelligence/interpersonal intelligence.

Mouthing: nurturance and expression

The Mouth is the first limb to seek, reach, grasp, hold on and let go. Movement control through the mouth is the basis for patterns of searching with the head (eyes, nose, mouth) and reaching with other limbs. The instant we are born we are in search of a nipple to latch on and feed.

Mouthing introduces rotation – rotating the head while reaching for food is the first component of rolling over. Mouthing helps us to seek, reach, grasp, hold, assimilate, let go, be nurtured, and express ourselves.

Spinal: Attention

Spinal is the first locomotive pattern; movement after birth is primarily spinal. This pattern helps us to develop a strong, flexible, dynamic spine and organizes the whole body to move. We differentiate the front and back of the body and establish a bodily base for our internal vertical axis and core support.

This pattern facilitates the ability to attend and generate a sense of becoming an individual. We gain sensation of connection of one end of the spine to the other and begin to sequence movement. It provides essential support for the locomotor patterns of the other limbs.

The Spinal pattern corresponds to the Focus Dimension in Brain Gym®, relating to attention, participation and comprehension.

Homologous: Moving into action and the movement of emotion

The Homologous pattern differentiates between the upper and lower body, allowing us to organize the body to move in an independent action of one or the other. It activates our upper body to reach into space and relate/connect to others without losing our connection to the earth. It activates our lower body to move through space. The upper usually precedes the lower in development.

This pattern is characterized by symmetrical movement of both arms or both legs at the same time. (Think of a hug, jumping for joy, a temper tantrum.) It allows us to support ourselves and stand on our own two feet. We develop the ability to yield and push which provides support for reach and pull. Reach and pull provides access to space.

The Homologous pattern corresponds to the Centring Dimension in Brain Gym® and relates to the development of the limbic brain, also. It helps us to set boundaries and reach for goals. It develops muscular strength and connectivity enabling us to act, increasing stability through grounding and mobility in locomotion. We can now move beyond our personal space and into relationships.

 

Homo-lateral: Intention, shifting weight and changing directions

The Homo-lateral pattern differentiates one side of the body from the other, allowing us to stabilize one side so the other side can be more mobile. We experience the connection between upper and lower on each side and establish a vertical midline. We can now practice shifting weight laterally, gaining mobility and the ability to change direction.

This pattern lays the foundation for mouth-hand and eye-hand coordination. We develop dominance of hand, foot, eye and ear. Crawling at this stage is in a one-side-at-a-time manner on the belly. It is a yield and push movement.

This pattern corresponds to the Laterality Dimension in Brain Gym®. We perceive and experience opposites and gain the ability to intend.

Contra-lateral: Synthesis of intention, action and attention

The Contra-lateral Pattern activates both sides of neocortex and stimulates communication across corpus callosum. It sets up the relationship between opposing upper and lower quadrants of the body and emphasizes these diagonal connections. Our body gains efficiency by coordinating the opposite shoulder and hip (opposite arm and leg). This provides the coordination for walking, running, leaping, etc. Spinal rotation and the rotary function of joints is employed allowing us to do complex, three dimensional movements such as spirals.

Our first experience of contra-lateral movement should be creeping forwards and backwards on hands and knees to gain the strength and coordination needed to support movement standing up. Creeping is a reach and pull movement. It is also important for visual development because head position when crawling leads to the development of muscles that stabilize the base of the skull.

This pattern is foundational for crossing midline of the body. It Integrates all previous patterns as movement is beginning to be integrated in all 3 dimensions (front/back; up/down; right/left).

This is the zenith of early childhood movement skills. We gain the ability to integrate our attention, intention and action. A rich store of movement possibilities is open to us – and complex brain connections are established!

This article is based on the wonderful Movement Exploration work developed by Carol Ann Erickson, and the work of Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and Peggy Hackney. Special thanks also go to my Movement Exploration colleagues Marjie Citron and Mari Miyoshi. ©2020 by Dana M. Luebke

A Special Note: Dana M. Luebke will also be the guest for the April CanBeWell webinar on Thursday, April 23, 2020. The webinar will be a continuation of the material in this article. Please join us in this exploration of movement. CLICK HERE for more details and to register for this webinar.

  • Author: Dana Luebke