Asking a Higher Quantity of Quality Questions

Image courtesy of truespiritualawakening.com

Over the last six or so weeks I have started spending a lot more time with each client going through different CAMs before I dive into the AMC&S tests and then the PICs or DFAMATs.  And part of this increase in time is due to performing more CAMs, or asking a higher quantity of questions, and part of it is the amount of time I try to spend setting up each CAM to make sure I have an apples to apples comparison, or asking a higher quality of questions.  Ultimately, this has lead to a reduction in the amount of time I have needed to spend doing the PICs or DFAMATs.

I think if we want the body to point us in a direction of quality answers, we need to be asking quality questions.  Additionally, if we are looking for answers that are potentially closer to some type of possible source, we need to continue to ask quality questions over and over again.  Just like if you are interviewing a potential client and you ask them why they are looking for a personal trainer, do you accept their first answer of, "Because I want to lose weight," and be done with your questions, or do you keep digging and asking "Why?" and keep trying to find other possible reasons as to why they have come to you?

The CAMs are something that I used to definitely not take as much time with.  Part of this was due to a lack of a developed thought process--I'm not sure I would have known what to do with the extra info had I actually had it.  Part of this was due to me seeing that time as somewhat less important than the PICs or the DFAMATs.  I would still go through some CAMs and try to piece together a mechanical relationship, but I know I was not setting them up to compare apples to apples.  I'm not even sure if I still am 100% of the time, but I am certainly trying to more and it is now in the forefront of my mind when I am with a client.

It really wasn't until I realized that, much as in life or conversation, asking quality questions is a skill that needs to be practiced in order to be done really well.  Furthermore, stringing together a series of quality questions to make for a substantial dialogue is even more of a skill.

So that's what I've been spending a lot of time with as of late, trying to asking a higher quantity of quality questions by trying to be meticulous in setting up apples to apples comparisons.  I've been looking at things such as active hip and knee flexion before setting up a 90/90 hip external rotation CAM, pelvic position while supine on the table, and even trying to work through in my head how/if differently-shaped medial arches between the right and left foot would change how I set up different CAMs for the lower leg and foot and how that might affect everything else.

This process is by no means even remotely complete, or correct for that matter, but I think there is something to be said about if you are wanting better answers, you may need to start by asking better questions, and continue to ask better questions at that.

Are you getting the answers you are looking for?  Perhaps you need to start your pursuit by asking better questions.

Inter­ested in find­ing out more? Check out the “Mus­cle Acti­va­tion Tech­niques™” page.

Inter­ested in set­ting up an assess­ment time or dis­cussing this sub­ject fur­ther? E-mail Char­lie at charlie@selfmadefitness.com.

Your body.  Your training.

Want to use this arti­cle in your blog, newslet­ter, or other plat­form? You may, but be sure to include all of the bio­graph­i­cal infor­ma­tion found in the yellow box below!