A Point of Fixation

Having a point with which to fixate on is key for how you move. The fixation point can be a psychological point of focus or literally fixing a body part and using it as a point of reference. Movement relies on this principle maybe more than any other. There must be a point with which everything else is centered around. This creates the concept of relativity and may be the most fundamental aspect of everything we do.

Let’s take a suitcase carry as an example. The weight being held by one hand is our fixed point in space. Yes, it does move with us, but in reference to our body, that point is less moveable than any other. That characteristic, the fixation, propagates to the side holding the weight to varying degrees. This means that if I am holding the weight in my right hand, my right side is now momentarily slower than my left. My reaction will be the opposite over time, in that I will push harder to overcome that slowness and slow down my left side in the process.

We can think of it like the flail that was used as a weapon in medieval times. The end of the flail where the ball resides is attached the handle which serves as the fixation point. Movement originating at the handle drives a delayed movement of the ball on the other end. A weight in hand does the same thing to the body. We create a point that moves slower one end, allowing for greater movement on the other.

Movement is complex and it requires focused attention to change it or identify how it is being produced. There does seem to be simple physical principles that determine what is possible and how it can be achieved. Once you see those principles in action, it allows you to create in ways you may not have thought possible before.

Austin Ulrich, Physical Therapist