Hi everyone,
Welcome to my third newsletter & the first hosted via my new website.
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This month’s newsletter focusses on approaches to thinking about human movement, and why in recent years I have started favouring systems thinking over reductionist thinking.
Let’s go!
What is systems thinking?
Systems thinking is an approach to problem-solving and decision-making that considers the interconnected and interrelated elements of a system as a whole.
For example, applying this to human movement.
Systems thinking can be used to analyse the movement pattern of a task as a system made up of the various interacting components of the body.
Considering the entire movement as a system and analysing the interrelated elements, leads to several positives:
- a more comprehensive understanding of technique by considering the entire system and the interactions between its elements
- more effective and sustainable solutions which address the root cause of the problem
- encourages collaboration between practitioners and experts to solve problems due to the interconnectedness of the elements within a system
- promotes innovative thinking and solutions to complex problems which have previously not been resolved
- improves longer term outcomes and more sustainable solutions due to their improved alignment with the entire system
In general, systems thinking provides a wide and comprehensive approach to problem-solving and decision-making, which can lead to improved outcomes and more sustainable solutions.
What is reductionist thinking?
Reductionist thinking considers problems by breaking them down into smaller, simpler parts, and examining each part in isolation.
For example, applying this to human movement.
Reductionist thinking can be used to break down the movement patter of a task into smaller, simpler parts prior to analysing them.
Reducing the entire movement into smaller, simpler parts and analysing them has several negatives associated including:
- a limited perspective on how the problem affects the bigger picture
- incomplete or ineffective solutions which fail to identify and address the root cause of the problem
- over simplification of the movement system which promotes a limited understanding of the problem and available solutions
- a narrow focus (cognitive tunnelling) that the solution to the problem lies within this individual component
- missed opportunity to improve by linking potential individual component problems to a wider issue
In general, reductionist thinking can provide valuable information about individual components, but is limited in addressing complex problems and achieving sustainable solutions.
Why is this a problem in human movement science?
In human movement, reducing movement patterns into smaller, simpler parts helps with gaining valuable information and identifying potential problems.
It is however, very limited and arguably dangerous to adopt this approach to base technique interventions.
Why?
It fails to consider what effect a change within this individual component has on the wider movement pattern.
That is before we consider the potential effect on performance.
It should not be surprising that this very often therefore leads to incomplete or ineffective movement patterns most of which have elements which are associated with increased injury risk.
Nevertheless…
This approach in coaching is quite common.
Social media is awash with reductionist approach coaching advice.
For example, posts advocating that pace bowlers just need to run-up faster and/or keep a straighter front leg to bowl faster…
This fails to consider the bigger picture and the effect on the whole movement pattern and task.
What happens if I sprint in?
The movement pattern in other parts will change and almost certainly for the worse.
Why does this still gain traction?
Because for some people it will work.
And this creates an issue, because social proof is the best kind of advertisment.
It is similar to personal trainers posting images of their client’s bodies before and after their intervention… how many do you see where the intervention has failed?
But what’s more, you only see those that have the intervention has been successful for.
Those it failed, often walk away from the sport with a catalogue of injuries behind them.
My approach…
I utilise systems thinking in much of the research and consultancy that I undertake.
This does not mean I do not reduce movement patterns into smaller, simper parts.
I do.
For example, I often break bowling actions down into phases consisting of:
- the run-up (pre bound)
- the preparation phase (bound to front foot contact)
- the delivery phase (front foot contact through ball release to the follow through)
The key however, is that these phases are linked and so are the components within them.
For example, the movement position at the end of the run-up is the movement position which begins the preparation phase.
If there is a problem in the run-up phase it is likely going to impact the preparation phase, and most likely the delivery phase as well.
It is therefore very difficult to technically remediate something in the delivery phase using a reductionist approach (e.g. a front knee angle) if what happens in the preparation phases is the cause.
To identify the problem, I may use a reductionist approach to analyse individual components and generate knowledge, but to solve the problem and make a decision on potential technique intervention I will return to a systems thinking approach.
This has lead to more effective and sustainable solutions.
It also allows for the consideration and questioning of the interconnections and interdependencies within the system.
This also provides a good basis to develop knowledge and understanding, as well as reviewing interventions and understanding unexpected outcomes.
That’s all for this month
To recap this edition:
- Systems thinking is an approach to problem-solving and decision-making that considers the interconnected and interrelated elements of a system as a whole, rather than reductionist thinking which focuses on the individual components in isolation.
- Reducing human movement patterns using a reductionist approach can lead to ineffective and unsustainable solutions which often result in negative changes in performance and injury risk.
- Using systems thinking to analyse human movement can lead to more effective and sustainable solutions by allowing the consideration and questioning of the interconnections and interdependencies within the system. This provides a good basis to develop knowledge and understanding of the whole system, as well as reviewing interventions and understanding unexpected outcomes.
Thanks for reading this.
Paul
The Cricket Biomechanist 