05.07 Key Points: EQUATE — Summary
05.07 Key Points: EQUATE — Summary (English)
Section titled “05.07 Key Points: EQUATE — Summary (English)”Transcript: View Transcript
Lesson 5.7: Key Points – EQUATE
Section titled “Lesson 5.7: Key Points – EQUATE”Lesson Summary
Section titled “Lesson Summary”This comprehensive lesson introduces the EQUATE Focus, which uses opposing movements that compete with each other to create Distributed Activation while finding symmetry. The lesson breaks down two forms with EQUATE Focus, demonstrating the flexion-extension-flexion dynamic and emphasizing that all transitional arm movements occur during the flexion phase while leaning back.
Key Takeaways
Section titled “Key Takeaways”1. Understanding EQUATE: As the name suggests, EQUATE means to equalize something. We’re talking about situations where several movements oppose each other. For example, pressing two arms into each other—one arm pressing, another pressing, together they equalize so there’s no visible movement but muscles are engaged. This use of opposing forces is a common strategy in Baseworks to create Distributed Activation.
2. Symmetry Challenge: When pressing arms into each other, it’s easy to keep symmetry—very unlikely one arm will “win.” However, if it’s not arms but other body parts pressing into each other, sometimes it’s not easy to keep symmetry, especially without a mirror. EQUATE Focus is about finding symmetry in movement dynamics where several movements compete with each other.
3. Starting Position: Start from sitting on heels (or cross-legged if uncomfortable). Pelvis is upright, bring arms forward to offset weight. Then lean back. Pelvis tilts back and upper body tilts back. Tilt back as much as you can with arms being forward. Spread fingers, draw shoulders down. Arms are very active—not just hanging, but actively pressing out from the shoulder.
4. Arm Movement Quality: Move arms with extra attention to quality: slow, controlled, no snapping, no momentum. Continue to spread fingers and move from the shoulder. One arm goes behind head, then with same quality the other arm goes behind head. You’re still leaning back so shoulders are a little forward in relation to chest.
5. Elbow Hold Position: If possible, hold the elbows. If not possible, hold arms in any way you can manage. From the position where you’re still leaning back, head is tilted forward. Spine and neck are not in one line—they are rounded. Working with the flexion-extension-flexion dynamic here.
6. Critical Center of Gravity Point: If you imagine where center of gravity is, it’s still pretty far back, basically around sit bones. A common mistake is leaning forward. This is NOT like flexing forward when legs are forward. In these forms, you want to be leaning back as much as you can, even though you’re rounding the spine.
7. Extension Movement: Try to extend spine—you come into position where rib cage and pelvis are stacked, as is the head. But spine doesn’t arch very much. This movement requires a lot of shoulder mobility, so it may not be possible to have spine extended while holding arms like this with chest coming forward.
8. The EQUATE Mechanism: Look for the stacked position. To return rib cage to stacked position, pull lower part of rib cage back while pressing head back and forearms forward. Three movements fighting: arms pressing forward, head pressing back, ribcage being pulled back to oppose being lifted by head going back. All three movements need to equalize at a point where you find completely straight pelvis, ribcage, and head.
9. Modification for Limited Mobility: If it doesn’t work, let go of arms a little, draw shoulders down, then hold whatever you can hold while you can still extend spine. Move the ribcage—feels like lower back is almost liquid. Ribcage can move above pelvis. Continue to press head into arms, arms into head, ribcage pulled back.
10. Exit Transition: When you exit, first lean back so head will go a little forward. You’re leaning back, NOT leaning forward—this is a very big difference. When you release arms, don’t snap out. Movement is away, as much away from shoulder as possible to create as much space in joint as you can. Very controlled movement. Imagine all these movements are done in water—with fingers open, you cannot make movements sloppy and fast.
11. Second Form – Starting Position: Do other side. Lean back, arms forward, right hand first begins to turn in, then twist from chest—no momentum. Twist back as much as you can. Try to bring right hand between shoulder blades or maybe on lower back.
12. Return to Center: Return to center while still leaning back. Very important to still be leaning back. With limitation in shoulder mobility, when you return from twisting, tendency is to come more upright because it leaves more space for right arm to be behind back. Don’t do that. If too much compression in shoulder, bring arm a little lower on lower back. Should be absolutely no compression in shoulder.
13. Circumlinear Arm Movement: Left arm moves slowly several times in shoulder circumlinear motion. No momentum, no snapping, no throwing. Then if possible, bind the hands. If hands can’t reach, make two fists.
14. Second Form Extension: Extend spine trying to find position where pelvis and ribcage are stacked. Head presses into top arm, ribcage lower part pulls back so you can have completely straight spine.
15. Second Form Exit – Part 1: When coming out, first lean back. If holding hands, first release them. Left arm goes high up first. Then twist to the right—don’t just let arm go out. Twist right so you have more space for arm to move. Arm reaches out back. Left arm wants to go in one direction, right arm in opposite direction. Really pulling arms away from each other. Watch the right hand—shoulder is still twisted in.
16. Second Form Exit – Part 2: As you turn arm out, first turn it out. Right shoulder was in, turn right shoulder out. From this point, imagine holding something like a log. If viewed from front, right shoulder is a little forward and back shoulder is a little back. But you want to return to position where arms are symmetrical. As you return from twist, arms return to symmetrical position and at the same time arms want to go away from shoulder. That’s the quality of movement to achieve here.
17. The Flexion Principle: Whenever performing these transitions between forms, remember you’re constantly leaning back unless you’re coming to the extended spine position. It’s flexion, extension, flexion, and all transitional movements are done at stage of flexion. If imagining legs and spine, flexion doesn’t look vertical—flexion looks like leaning back. This is very important.
18. Ankle Release Sequence: Because you spend so much time sitting on ankles, do release movements. Then come to Reclining Transition in the end, which allows extending ankles, spreading toes, pushing balls of feet. Through Suspension, come to Reclining Transition. As you’re sitting on feet, they might be tired, so activate feet, then cross legs and stop.
19. Core Principle: Watch quality of movement as you perform all arm transitions. Because these forms have EQUATE Focus, your goal is to use opposing movements together to create Distributed Activation while looking for one straight line in relation to gridlines and symmetry.
Why This Matters
Section titled “Why This Matters”EQUATE Focus teaches you to create stability through opposition rather than through bracing. By learning to balance competing forces—head pressing back versus arms pressing forward versus ribcage pulling back—you develop a sophisticated understanding of how the body can be simultaneously active in multiple directions, creating strength and alignment through dynamic balance rather than static holding.
Tip: The single most important point to remember in EQUATE forms: you’re ALWAYS leaning back except during the brief moment of spinal extension. If you find yourself coming forward during arm transitions, stop and consciously lean back again before continuing. This backward lean is what creates the space and challenge that makes the EQUATE mechanism work.