383: Mat Boulé and Jeff Moyer on A Neurological Approach to Posture and Athletic Movement

Today’s podcast is with Mat Boulé and Jeff Moyer. Mat Boulé is an osteopath and posturologist educated in functional neurology muscle activation techniques, and is the founder of the IP institute. Mat combines innovative and well-known techniques such as Posturology and Functional Neurology elements to balance the body. Jeff Moyer is the owner of DC sports training in Pittsburgh, PA. Jeff has been a multi-time guest on the show, appearing as a solo guest in three shows and on three roundtables. His expertise includes elements such as Soviet training systems, motor learning, skill acquisition, pain reduction and reconditioning, in addition to neurological concepts as they relate to athletic performance and human movement proficiency. Human beings are complex organisms. Movement is a multi-faceted action, made up of muscular actions, fascial tensegrity, connective tissue transmission, pressure and fluid dynamics, and of course neuromuscular control that is also connected to one’s senses and the outside environment. To have a complete understanding of athletic movement and performance, it is helpful to have a working knowledge of the neurological components of movement, including foot skin sensitivity, vestibular function, vision, and sided-ness to name a few. Today’s podcast digs into those neurological elements that can contribute to performance. Mat and Jeff discuss how they assess and train clients and athletes with these principles, discussing the use of sensory tools, rolling and rocking variations, balance and foot training, as well as the role of a well-functioning neurological apparatus in skilled athletic movement. Today’s episode is brought to you by Lost Empire Herbs, TeamBuildr and the Plyomat. 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Timestamps and Main Points 2:30 – The Pyramid of Learning, and the main neurological pieces that help athletes and humans to move freely and without restriction in their environment 8:13 – How to determine that reflexes, vestibular, or basic neurological issues are keeping individuals for being good skillful movers 18:10 – Eye contact as it relates to psychology and neurological/visual elements 29:56 – Neurological competency generalities based on level of performance an athlete can reach 35:36 – What to look for in crawling and crawl-based work for athletes and human performance in general 44:34 – Athlete balance in light of not only foot sensation, but also one’s vestibular and overall balance abilities 55:37 – How Jeff triages his neurological training elements in a practical setting Mat Boulé and Jeff Moyer Quotes “You can see that in kids in how they crawl, how one leg works better than the other, since that is where tone is first developed” “For kids who have been labeled “motor morons” that can’t figure out where their butt and their elbow is, the Pyramid of learning has been a great guide (for helping them)” “People who struggle knowing their right from their left (is a neurological/visual red-flag); can they mirror me?” (Moyer) “Being able to take instruction… those athletes where it’s like a new session every day, but you’ve been doing the same things (may have a neurological issue)” “Can you show me that you can feel your foot? That goes for coordination, and athletes who have chronic injuries, who are rolling their ankle; I’ll touch their toes, and they have no idea what toes I touched” “One-sidedness (is also a red-flag)” “If the individual has a hard time perceiving their left or their right, they are going to have a hard time protecting themselves in the environment” “The athletes who are bench pressing and only look at one hand (may be one sided neurologically)” “In less industrialized countries, kids start crawling much earlier, and perform (rhythmic roll-based movements) earlier… and that even starts happening in utero” “In terms of choosing different exercises, we need to make sure the person feels both of their feet” “With athletes, we start with rocking movements, and rolling out the feet (with spiky balls)” “With kids that struggle with right from left, or kids who struggle with proprioception, and how to know where their body is in space, that’s where we start getting into the IP (neurological) stuff” Show Notes Spiked balls used to stimulate the nerves of the feet, hands and skin Ground Based Neurological Exercise Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Ir3h_MTNw Romburg Proprioception Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzQGIOtBLrs Rhythmic movement training example (pre-crawling sensory work) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBadglR4Miw The Pyramid of Learning About Mat Boulé Mathieu Boulé is an osteopath (COQM – 2009) and posturologist specialized in global postural reprogramming since 2002. He is, as well, a graduate of the University of Montreal in education (2001). He has cumulated over 170 hours of education in Functional Neurology from IAFNR. Mat is also certified in ART (Active Release Techniques - 2007) as well as in MAT (Muscle Activation Techniques – 2007). More recently, he is the founder of Institute IP, a learning playground where neurology meets movement and performance. Courses have been held in both Canada and France, at this point and soon in the USA. The human body fascinates Mat, and his purpose is to improve the operation of it and get results quickly! To do this, he combines innovative and well-known techniques such as Posturology and Functional Neurology elements to balance the body. About Jeff Moyer Jeff Moyer is the owner of Dynamic Correspondence Sports Training, whose motto is, “We Build Better Athletes.” At DC Sports Training, athletes work on the physical, mental and visual aspects to the sports. Their goal is to deliver the athletes of the greater Pittsburgh area the highest, most efficient results year after year of training with us. We will exhaust our means in order for our athletes to achieve the highest results, and to create a system model that will develop our athletes both physically and intellectually. Education must be the road to which will help us set this standard. Our results will be the vehicle which to drive us. Jeff graduated in 2004 from Hartwick College where he was a two sport athlete (Football & Track & Field). Jeff has been a sport coach (Basketball & Football) at the youth, JV, Varsity and College level for football for over 10years. Jeff has been in the strength in conditioning industry for over a decade, having worked in the medical, private, team, high school and collegiate settings, training clients from youth development, to rehabilitation and sport performance. Jeff has a relentless passion for all things physical preparation. His pedagogy is heavily influenced by Eastern Bloc sport science, while apprenticing under Dr. Michael Yessis and Yosef Johnson of Ultimate Athlete Concepts. Jeff has also been fortunate enough to extensively study with and work with Dr. Natalia Verkhoshansky, Mike Woicik of the Dallas Cowboys, Louie Simmons of Wesitside Barbell and Fellowship under Dave Tate of EliteFTS.