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Baseworks KB

Micro- and Macro-Movements

Created 2026-03-18
Tags coredefinitionsconcept

A key conceptual distinction in Baseworks is between macro-movements and micro-movements.

Macro-Movements

Section titled “Macro-Movements”

Macro-movements are visible movements that result in a visible change of body position. Examples include “bend your knees,” “lift your arm,” or transitional movements between positions. These are the movements typically emphasized in conventional movement practices.

Micro-Movements

Section titled “Micro-Movements”

Micro-movements are movements that are almost invisible, involving subtle adjustments that maintain or refine a position without obvious positional change.

Although not a rigid classification, micro-movements can be subdivided into three subgroups:

  1. Contraction: Micro-movements that result in isometric contractions with no change in limb position (e.g., drawing the shoulders down)
  2. Position: Reaffirms and refines the current position (e.g., ensuring the torso is extended in line with the back leg)
  3. Relaxation: Signals to relax specific muscles (relatively rare in Baseworks; e.g., ensuring the neck is relaxed)

Baseworks vs. Other Practices

Section titled “Baseworks vs. Other Practices”

Baseworks instructions disproportionately focus on micro-movements, dedicating approximately 60% of instructional time to them (compared to 27% in Feldenkrais and only 1% in Pilates). Within micro-movements, Baseworks emphasizes Position (70%) and Contraction (27%), with minimal Relaxation (3%), while Feldenkrais is focused on Relaxation (64%) and Position (36%).

This relative emphasis on micro- vs. macro-movements is a signature of a practice’s narration and philosophy.

Functions of Micro-Movement Emphasis

Section titled “Functions of Micro-Movement Emphasis”

The unusual emphasis on micro-movement in Baseworks serves multiple functions:

  • Enhances conscious muscular mechanosensation, increasing sensory input to the brain
  • Reduces instructional ambiguity by anchoring attention to specific sensory experiences
  • Supports the development of refined sensorimotor discrimination

The Interplay

Section titled “The Interplay”

The interplay between micro- and macro-movements in Baseworks creates a pedagogical structure where students develop perceptual skills through micro-movements (primarily targeting proprioceptive awareness) while applying spatial principles through macro-movements (targeting Spatial Awareness).

Note — Micro Movements (principle) vs. micro-movements (category): The Micro Movements principle (MM) specifically refers to continuously re-applying DA-type contractions. This is a subset of the broader micro-movements category (which also includes Position and Relaxation types).

Section titled “Related”