Compensatory Threshold Training™

Compensatory Threshold Training™ (CTT) is a revolutionary way to exercise, train, strengthen and rehabilitate the lower extremity in closed chain that like the training of a Ballerina, focuses on core primary muscle engine function while preventing the activation of compensatory muscle engine patterns that are the precursor seeds for pathological tissue stress, reduced performance and downwardly spiraling quality of life.

Compensatory Threshold Education and Training, like Yoga, focuses on the weighted foot as the foundation for all active function.  The concept is that every foot has an Optimal Functional Position (OFP) from which it functions from in closed chain that when compromised sets up pathological compensatory patterns of function that destine the feet and posture to health, fitness and performance issues that are both destructive and progressive.

OFP is impacted by the forces of gravity, hard, unyielding ground surfaces and hard, unyielding shoe boxes upon the inherited Functional Foot Type® of every individual.  These allow pathological Juvenile and Adult Expansion to occur, Functional Foot Type-specific, which renders the foot longer, wider and lower vaulted in its architectural structure.  This is visualized by collapse or flattening of the rear or forefoot, or both, over the course of one’s Biomechanical Lifetime.

As we stand, walk and perform on our feet, in closed chain, there are primary muscles whose job it is to perform tasks.  If these muscles are weak, poorly leveraged or overused, they perform less efficiently and eventually, at some point, are no longer able to perform their intended function.  At this moment, called The Compensatory Threshold or CT, secondary muscles, that already have primary functions, take over  to perform the job of the exhausted muscles and compensatory patterns of performance are established.  This taxes other structures including muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints that support the secondary muscles to over stress and over work, leading to foot and postural weakness, degeneration, deformity and pain and suffering along the posturereal chain.

Until now, closed chain practitioners have not identified the primary and compensatory muscle groups that are involved when The Compensatory Threshold is broken.   Exercise and Rehabilitation Programs pass the CT creating new locations of weakness, tightness, fatigue, injury, degeneration and deformity that is dealt with as “collateral damage” in care. 

Stretching programs and the diagnosis and treatment of transfer areas of pathology have become a part of the accepted protocols for exercise, training and rehabilitation.

Dr. Shavelson has invented a new platform for exercise, training and rehabilitation that he has named Compensatory Threshold Training or CTT.   In Compensatory Threshold Training, muscles are trained without being allowed to pass The Compensatory Threshold.  This prevents compensatory patterns from being created.  CTT reduces the overuse of secondary muscles and their supporting tendons, ligaments and joints while allowing the primary muscles and their supporting structures to become stronger and more efficient at doing their jobs.  It eliminates the need for stretching programs and fosters feet and postures that are more centered and balanced.

CTT has become possible due to the ability of Wellness Biomechanics® to place feet closer to their Optimal Functional Position than ever before.  This means that primary muscle groups perform their tasks longer before coming to their CT.  They become stronger when trained with CTT and pathological compensatory patterns of function can be avoided.  Secondary muscles relax because they are not overworked and the system becomes more efficient, healthy, balanced and centered.  This means that until the feet are centered near Optimal Functional Position with Patented Foot Centrings®, the feet and posture must find inner strength to find balance and centering on its own or they must be supported by temporary Centrings that can be weaned away once they have gained enough inner strength to support themselves in OFP.

Compensatory Threshold Training will revolutionize all fields of closed chain practice and lead to a healthier, more fit and better performing population.  

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