05.30.08
Calf Raises
Why do so many people do calf raises? After all, having TIGHT calves is a problem for most people!
A critique of all things related to functional fitness
Why do so many people do calf raises? After all, having TIGHT calves is a problem for most people!
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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
first piece of advice. don’t follow the leaders. a large percentage of bodybuilders and athletes, are on drugs. hopefully you’re not. next, they have time to workout for 2-3 hours a day. also, they have access to manual therapy, massage, and the best doctors in the world. so, should your workout routine mirror what they do?
OK. You want a strong core. Why? Are you in pain? If so, you want core stability. Are you an athlete? If so, you want to progressively train for core performance. Do you understand the difference?