The athlete on the right is Brock Purdy, the star quarterback on the San Francisco 49ers (currently injured). I don’t know the other player, but I assume he is the backup quarterback. Both are incredible athletes, or they would never have gotten to pro status.
But to my eye, Brock Purdy stands out in this photo as the superior athlete. The telltale difference is in the position of his pelvis. Brock’s pelvis is slightly anterior as evidenced by the prominence of his buttock bones and a slight indentation in his lower back. The other player’s pelvis is tucked and his buttock bones round down and under. His lower back is flat.
Due to the position of Purdy’s pelvis, his hamstrings, which attach to his buttock bones, are stretched. That stretching allows a full contraction for strength when he walks or runs forward. The stretch in the hamstrings can be compared to a bowstring being drawn back to create power for the forward thrust of the arrow.
However, because the pelvis of the other quarterback is tucked, his hamstrings are slack, and his muscles sag toward his knee. His hamstrings are less able to contract because they are already shortened. His tucked pelvis makes him less efficient. I think people would describe Purdy as being a more “natural” athlete. Because of his body mechanics/Balance he performs at a higher level.
Good coaches may not understand the anatomy behind an efficient position of the pelvis, but they certainly must teach it if their athletes are to be successful. The images below illustrate the difference.
Both people have inefficient stances. The main problem is that each pelvis is tucked, not centered. Because their pelvis is not centered their joints are misaligned. They appear weak – as though the weight of the rackets is pulling their arms out of their sockets.
Compare their stances to the person in the image below. For whatever reason, whether natural ability or good coaching, she demonstrates a well-balanced position for any sport she might play. Her body is consolidated, centered because her pelvis is. She looks as good, if not better, than the star quarterback Brock Purdy.
Anyone can learn to have an anterior, centered pelvis. It’s really the basis of Balance. And everyone, at any age, in any health, can benefit from learning how to live with a well-turned anterior pelvis.
