06.09.08
shrugs
why shrug with weights? most people are already TOO TIGHT to begin with. remember, not all exercises are mandatory and should only be done for a purpose.
06.05.08
foot pain (part one)
don’t look at the foot. instead look at your hips. if your hips aren’t level and de-rotated it’ll effect your foot/ankle complex. for instance, if your hip rotates externally and you walk like a duck it’ll force your feet to over pronate (flatten) at rest in order to contact the ground. so, part of your strategy is to focus on the linkage of the hips, knees, and feet all at once during exercise.
06.04.08
core training system
i was asked about the core training system and core training via email. yes, the core training system (CTS) can be used to directly train the core. however. i use the term Core Design to describe your “perfect” total body posture. its the ideal posture for your body. your Core Design gets violated by poor postural habits and it’s what we used the CTS to help restore. see the difference?
06.02.08
Low Back Pain 2
I’ve received some emails asking for me to elaborate. So, here goes. Low Back Pain is not hard to find. It’s in your back. The culprit is hidden a tad better. Try to squat and notice what happens at your feet. Do they turn in/out. Does your heel lift off the ground. Next, what about your hips. Do your legs rotate in/out. Unless the foot/ankle and hips are working your back doesn’t have a chance.
05.30.08
Calf Raises
Why do so many people do calf raises? After all, having TIGHT calves is a problem for most people!
05.29.08
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain does not happen in isolation. The problem rarely starts in the rotator cuff (RC) muscles. The RC muscles attach to the shoulder blades. The function of the shoulder blades depends on upper body posture. Upper body posture depends on the pelvis being level. The pelvis being level is reliant upon the feet/ankles working properly. It’s all connected.
05.27.08
Low Back Pain
It seems EVERYONE has a couple of episodes of back pain per year. Why? It’s a lack of total body postural awareness. The low back does not exist in isolation. Relearn how to move (proper function), restore your posture, and relieve pain.
05.22.08
sports training for young athletes
i walked by a high school yesterday and observed a warm-up of sorts for baseball players. there were a bunch of high school kids stretching out before practice. it appeared they were stretching random parts of their body or in other words it wasn’t systematic and the durations were sporadic.they switched back and forth from static (hold) to dynamic (moving) stretching. rested in between “sets” with poor posture that defeats warming up. chatted with friends. so, is it any wonder so many young athletes get hurt?
05.21.08
nba playoffs
i’m a celtic’s fan. so, i’ve been watching a lot of games lately. what i find interesting is that the players statically stretch out prior to playing and then sit on generic foldable chairs when not on the floor. this is not functional. one, why stretch unless there’s a muscle imbalance. next, what about dynamic stretching as part of a warm-up. lastly, why do player still sit with rounded lower backs while on the “bench” during games? how come nobody has created a better chair for NBA players? it’s been proven in a variety of research studies that static stretching diminishes athletic performance and sitting with poor posture does the same. so, why the same old same old?
05.20.08
functional fitness routine
there is no cookie cutter approach to functional fitness, per se. sure, there might be general routine to follow, but the key is to realize that each exercise is also an assessment. for instance, i’ll have everyone start with the same basic exercises. however, each person will reveal different imbalances and need to correct “personalized” faults during the exercises. next, each person will need to add/subtract exercises based on their current level and personal progress. the starting routine is a rule of thumb, but it must always be designed to evolve with you.
