Systematic Kinesiology Deep Dive: What it is & How it Works

Systematic Kinesiology is a type of holistic therapy, but what does that mean exactly? Holistic therapy involves approaches that are outside of conventional, mainstream treatment, taking a whole-person approach to healthcare. This means not just looking at any one aspect of a person’s health, but instead, improving and treating all the aspects of a person's life. Kinesiology is a specialised form of holistic treatment. Other examples of holistic treatments include (but are not limited to):

• Acupuncture

• Homoeopathy

• Meditation

• Reflexology

• Reiki

• Yoga

All of these practices focus on harnessing the power of the body to heal itself, in different ways. In recent years Kinesiology has seen an increase in popularity due to it being a complete therapy that is safe, non-invasive, drug-free and unique. Here you’ll find a breakdown of how Kinesiology works, its many benefits, and what one can expect from treatment.

Systematic Kinesiology: history and where it came from

Dr George Goodheart, a chiropractor from Detroit Michigan, is the founder of Kinesiology. In 1964 he made the outstanding correlation between finding a weak muscle via muscle testing and employing chiropractic therapy to make the muscle stronger. However he did not stop there, looking beyond the chiropractic profession, he expanded into the realms of biomedicine, biochemistry, osteopathy, acupuncture, dentistry and nutrition; taking elements from all fields and combining them to increase the health and well-being of clients. Thus, Applied Kinesiology was born; focused on using the body as a diagnostic tool, to heal clients.

Brian Butler was taught Kinesiology by Dr Goodheart in 1975 and thus proceeded to bring Kinesiology to the UK. The name Systematic Kinesiology was chosen due to the systematic way Kinesiology practitioners work through the body in order to bring about balance. TASK UK (The Academy of Systematic Kinesiology) founded by Brian Butler has taught thousands of practitioners since. 

What is Systematic Kinesiology?

Systematic Kinesiology (SK)  is a form of therapy that uses muscle testing (biofeedback) to look at imbalances that may be causing disease in the body. SK finds the imbalances and aims to bring the body back into harmony. To do this, Systematic Kinesiology takes a whole-person approach, focusing on 4 key areas/realms known as MCPE: Mental, Chemical, Physical and Energetical. These are broken down as:

Mental:  

• Emotions

• Feelings

• Stress

• Trauma

Chemical:

• Air pollution

• Chemicals

• Drugs

• Food

• Medication

• Preservatives

• Water

Physical: 

• Bones 

• Exercise

• Muscles 

• Posture

• Sleep position

• Tendons

Energetical: 

• Acupuncture meridians 

• Auras

• Chakras

• Chi

• Prana 

But what exactly is muscle testing? It is where the Kinesiologist applies gentle pressure against muscles to determine if the muscle is strong (and healthy) or weak (and needs restoring to balance). If the muscle is strong, it will effortlessly lock into place, whereas when weak it will feel spongy and wobbly. Once a weak muscle is identified it can be linked to any of the MCPE listed above. The practitioner will apply fixes to restore strength in the muscle and in turn, the body.

How does Systematic Kinesiology work?

Systematic Kinesiology focuses on 4 main techniques for fixing imbalances. These are:

• Lymphatic massage: the lymphatic system is the body's sewerage system’. It is responsible for clearing out all of the body's waste and toxins that the blood is unable to filter. However, unlike blood, which is pumped around the body by the heart, the lymphatic system relies on bodily movement to flow. Lymphatic massage enables the release of all of the stagnant, built-up lymphatic fluid in the body, draining away any excess toxins.

• Meridian tracing: meridians are a system of channels through which vital energy (also known as Qi/Chi and Prana) flows. These channels have been used for thousands of years in both Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Traditional Indian Medicine (TIM). It is believed that energy can become blocked or depleted, causing imbalances and leading to disease. Running meridian points from start to finish helps give energy back to the meridian.

• Contact points: contact points are specific areas on the body that if touched lightly, send blood to organs, increasing blood supply and oxygen. This helps to aid healing and remove toxins. An example of this working is during stressful situations where people automatically put their hands to their foreheads, in the hope to relieve tension and aid the process of thinking clearly.

• Supplementary remedies: in order to bring the body back to homeostasis it often needs additional support in the form of supplements. Systematic Kinesiologists work with a range of supplements to help restore balance in the body, such as: 

  • Flower essences

  • Homeopathy

  • Nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals etc)

Why would someone see a Systematic Kinesiologist?

Systematic Kinesiology is now used to treat a range of physical disorders and mental health conditions, including (and not limited to):

• Anxiety 

• Autoimmune conditions

• Back pain

• Breast pain

• Constipation

• Chronic fatigue

• Depression

• Fungal issues

• Hormonal imbalances

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Migraines and headaches

• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Phobias

Systematic Kinesiology is powerful because it aims to cure the root cause of symptoms, restoring the body to balance and harmony and enabling a healthier, happier life. It targets the root, rather than simply masking the symptoms. With this in mind, it is not surprising that Kinesiology is gaining a lot of popularity and traction with the likes of celebrities Holly Willoughby and the tennis star Novak Djokovic singing its praises. Novak Djokovic has even written a book ‘Serve to Win’ where he reveals how a Kinesiology tested diet transformed his health and his tennis game, taking him to the world’s number 1 player.

Systematic Kinesiology and food testing

Another powerful tool in Systematic Kinesiology is the ability to test food sensitivities in people. What are food sensitivities? One of the biggest misconceptions is that food sensitivities are the same as allergies, which they are not. Food sensitivities are different to allergies because with an allergy, once a food is ingested, the body will automatically trigger an immune response resulting in noticeable side effects such as rashes, hives, difficulty breathing, temperature etc. Whereas, with food sensitivity, the intolerance can go unnoticed for a long time, due to the side effects being less severe. However, it still accumulates, resulting in your body not working at its optimum and contributing to ill health. This brings to mind the saying ‘the straw that broke the camel's back.’ Just because you are not aware of something, does not mean there is not an underlying issue. Systematic Kinesiology enables the practitioner to test and identify any food sensitivities and thus help clients to live a healthier, happier life.

Other considerations when thinking about Systematic Kinesiology

Systematic Kinesiology is an effective way to become healthy and stay healthy, however, there are some considerations to keep in mind:

• Accreditation and certification. Since Systematic Kinesiology is a highly specialised form of treatment, you must seek treatment from an accredited professional. You can find a Kinesiologist near you, using the TASK online tool Find a Kinesiologist. (I am based in Falmouth, Cornwall and also offer remote sessions).

• Cost. The cost of Systematic Kinesiology can vary depending on the experience of the practitioner. The cost can also increase if the body requires additional supplements. Purchasing these supplements is completely at the client's discretion, however, it is advised, to aid the body to heal quicker and become stronger. 

• Lifestyle changes.  Whilst the work that is completed during a Systematic Kinesiology session is transformative, clients will be given information and advice on how they can stay healthy by making some lifestyle changes. For example, to heal, clients may be advised to avoid certain food types that don’t agree with them. Before starting treatment, clients should consider if they are ready and willing to make any lifestyle changes that may be suggested.  

Summary

In summary, Systematic Kinesiology is an extremely effective therapy that aims to heal the root cause of symptoms and issues in the body. It can help with a host of different ailments (physical, mental, chemical and energetical) and anyone can benefit from it (people of all ages, including babies). If you want to make a change and start to live a healthier, happier lifestyle then Systematic Kinesiology could be a good option for you. The change starts with you. Please contact us for more information.