05.01 The Basic Science of Movement Transitions — Transcript

05.01 The Basic Science of Movement Transitions — Transcript (English)

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Transcript

Welcome to the segment dedicated to movement transitions.

And let me first explain what we mean by movement transitions in general.

And then in the next lesson, we’ll talk about transition in Baseworks more specifically and about how this topic relates to what we have been learning in the previous segments.

So what do we mean by movement transitions?

We mean the process by which a body moves from one stable position to another or from initial position to the final position.

For example, I’m sitting, I want to stand up, and all the movements and postural adjustments I need to do to achieve that goal will be collectively called your movement transition.

So, for example, lifting an arm is a relatively simple movement.

On the other hand, going from standing on two feet to a lunging position is a transition that involves multiple movements.

Moreover, we have to manipulate our center of gravity so that we don’t fall in the process, which is not a concern when we just want to lift an arm.

So there are a few very important insights from movement science in relation to movement transitions.

First of all, transitions are pre-programmed by the brain as optimal trajectories to get from point A to point B.

In some ways, the movement is planned before it has begun.

This is why the planning stage is so important.

It’s like, for example, you open your Google Maps.

And let’s say you’re here and you want to be here, and then you press “Directions” and the map plans the optimal route for you based on all the data it has about the roads, road conditions, real-time feedback from other road users and so on.

Same with movement transitions.

You know your initial position, you have an idea of the final position, and the brain handles most trajectory planning unconsciously, keeping the cognitive load low and allowing smooth execution.

So when we want to relearn to modify our movement habits and ingrained movement programs.

What we have to essentially do is to add more stops.

Then every additional stop will become an additional final position that we can be more aware of.

This is why, as you might have noticed in Baseworks, we don’t just say “bring the leg back”, but we add all these additional intermediate checkpoints, like bend the knees, hinge in the hips, transfer the weight on one leg, then slowly, without momentum, bring the leg back, and so on.

Another important point about movement transitions is that, similar to how the routes in your map application are constrained by the roads and various traffic rules, your movements are also constrained by various biomechanical limitations and a prime directive to avoid falling.

If you try to fall from standing position, it’s very likely that either you won’t be able to do it at all, or your fall will look very artificial.

Because your brain will insert all the unconscious movements to keep you safe.

So when we work with transitions, we need to pay extra attention to cues related to stability, such as where our center of gravity is at any moment, and how we can use our limbs and trunk position to move our center of gravity.

So even in static positions, it’s often difficult to be fully aware of what the body is doing and how it is positioned in space.

But in transitions, it is even easier to sleep into the autopilot mode, so we have to be even more aware.

And the last thing I want to mention here is that we keep talking about this idea that our movements are mostly unconscious over and over.

So why talk about it again here?

Because there is a methodological difference.

When we are in a stable static position, we develop understanding, awareness, and control by applying various movement patterns that create Distributed Activation and by applying micromovements.

The thing with transitional movements is that we’re limited in how we can use the Distributed Activation in micromovements in transitions.

If the leg is in the air, we cannot use it to grip anything, right?

Of course, whatever we can do, such as, for example, spread the fingers or push the pose of the feet, we make sure to do it diligently.

We also have to partially let go of certain grid lines and symmetry in transitions, and we cannot effectively use the Fixing-Separating-Isolating.

So these movement transitions truly are transitions between states where we can effectively utilize the Baseworks movement principles.

But this doesn’t mean that we stop doing Baseworks when we are in transitions.

In fact, we have a specific focus called TRANSIT, which is all about the quality of movement in the transitional movements.

So let’s move on to the next lesson and look at the details of movement transitions in Baseworks.

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• Transcribed by: Auto-import
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• Date: 2026-02-03