𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙁𝙪𝙣 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚!
Let’s have some fun on this Friday, shall we?
See if you can hold this pose for one minute! (Make sure you are on a non-slid surface or wearing non-slid socks like me!)
You might shake abit, that’s ok!
You’re working your quad (front thigh) and soleus (calf) muscle here.
Your soleus muscle is one of the most important muscles used in running.
If you are a runner: you are going to want to eventually progress this exercise to other calf exercises utilizing external weight since the soleus muscle generates forces 6-8x your body weight when you run!! It needs to be able to tolerate heavy load!
If you are a masters athlete or older individual: As we age, we tend to lose muscle mass and strength especially in our calf muscles- this is one reason you may see older people shuffling when they walk or run.
So, this exercise knows no age limits! (Mom and Dad now that I know you see these videos after your dismay with yesterday’s post- make sure you give this exercise a try)
Everyone give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Let’s slide (just not when you are doing this exercise) into the weekend stronger, both physically and mentally!
Happy weekend, everybody!! 🎉 🎈 🎊
Squat•hinge•𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝•pull•carry
Exercises in the “push” category include push-ups or any type of presses. Basically, any exercise that 𝙥𝙪𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 weight away.
My least favorite category!
Why? Because I suck at them 😜
Isn’t that always the way? We avoid what we hate, so we never get any better at it, which makes us hate said exercise/activity even more!
It’s a vicious cycle. 😠
I can not do a full push-up, or at least not very many in a row with proper form.
That’s where these eccentrics come in! They can help to build strength when you are still struggling to do a full quality push-up or quality reps.
The focus of this exercise is on lowering the body slowly to the ground. The rate of the descent should be ~ 8 seconds.
You can then get on your knees for assistance in the pushing up part, until you gain the strength to do regular push-ups.
🔑 your thumbs should be in line with nipple line, hands corkscrewed into floor.
🔑Maintain your cylinder throughout exercise- think plank pose-your ribcage should be stacked directly in line with your hips the entire time.
🔑 I prefer to keep my shins on the floor vs feet off ground when pushing back up because it helps to maintain that cylinder and avoids overarching of the low back.
Do you ❤️ or 🤬 push-ups?
What’s your favorite push exercise?
Squat•𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚•push•pull•carry
Bridges and all their variations are listed under the 𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙚 column of “designing your own exercise program” (see earlier posts)
I like to start people off with this version of the bridge because it helps them to feel the 🍑 working by taking the low back out of the equation.
Often times, people will “cheat” by arching their low back to get higher up into the bridge.
Keeping your opposite knee pulled in towards your chest prevents the back from extending, so that the extension comes purely from the hip.
🔑 when performing any single- legged bridge is to always make sure that the pelvis stays level. Imagine a straight line across your stomach from hip bone to hip bone. Do not let the unsupported side drop down.
There are sooo many ways to perform bridges. Tell me which one is your favorite👇
Cause doesn’t everybody stop and do airplanes during their morning walk? 🤷♀️
When training body awareness and proprioception (the ability to feel where your body is in space) we are training the brain, not the muscle.
We can’t train the neuromuscular system 🧠 the same we do the musculoskeletal system 💪
So, when it comes to practicing stability and control it’s best done frequently in short doses vs. training to fatigue (progressive overload) ~2-3 times week, as when training muscle.
So that’s why you may see me doing some funny looking stuff during my morning walks or when waiting for dinner to cook. 😃
Even though running is mostly done in the sagittal plane (front/back) there are small rotational demands that are required of your hips, foot/ankle and trunk.
Have your ever seen a race picture of yourself with your hips and pelvis is a collapsed position?
Yeah, me too! 🙋♀️
Airplanes are a fun way to work on the rotational control of your hips and feet, in a similar way to the demands of running.
Learn to control your body well = a more durable athlete.
Want to also work on improving hip internal and external rotation mobility?
Here’s one way to do it!
On Mondays in March...
We March! 😃
Loading the march up today with some weight for a Farmers March.
The farmer’s walk is one of the best ways to recruit the lateral hip musculature, especially the infamous gluteus medius, and the erector spinal muscles of the lumbar and thoracic spine.
Developing strength and endurance in these muscles is important since running involves maintaining an erect position for extended periods of time on one leg or none.
By taking it from a walk to a March, we further challenge coordination, single leg balance and trunk control.
Challenge hip and trunk control even more with either weight only in one hand (suitcase carry) or with two dumbbells of varying weights.
You can use dumbbells, kettlebells, water jugs, buckets of water, grocery bags, weighted backpacks, small animals or babies 😜kidding!
Go slow! Perform in a controlled manner, concentrating on staying tall throughout without sinking down into the hip of the stance leg.
Try not to hold your breath or grip your toes. 🦶
Load up as heavy a weight as you can, maintaining a wobble- free zone.
If grip strength is a limiting factor for heavier weights (as it is for me) you can try using a weighted vest of backpack.
So many fun ways to perform these marches! 😀
Give some a try and let me know which one is your favorite!
𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭•𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦•𝑝𝑢𝑠ℎ•𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑙•𝑐𝑎𝐫𝐫𝐲
Starting off this series with one of my favorite squats!
Rear foot elevated split squat (RFESS) 💫
When working with runners, I tend to have them perform the RFESS with their trunk in a more upright position. This targets more of the quadriceps muscles.
Usually outshined by their sexier cousin, the glutes, the quad muscles are often overlooked even though they are one of the most important muscles we use when running.
For general fitness and other purposes, this can be a great exercise for the 🍑 as well simply by bending more at the waist.
Remember it’s always important to understand the intention of the exercise to get the most out of it.
If your physical therapist or other health care provider gives you a set of exercises to be doing at home, make sure your know the purpose of each exercise, what muscles are being targeted and why it’s important for 𝐲𝗼𝐮𝐫 individual rehab.
This is just one of several ways you can add squats into your weekly strength training program. Added bonus; this exercise also checks off the at least one single legged activity per session box. (Refer to last weeks post on how to design your own strengthening program easily)
Once you feel comfortable, add external load. Holding a weight on the opposite side of front leg (as shown) will challenge the hips of working leg abit more. Weight in the same hand as working leg will require more strength on that side.
Mix it up, try both ways out, but always remember what the intention of exercise is.
What is your favorite way to squat? Comment below. 👇
A little spin off of the #runnersmatrix from last week.
Sorry for the video quality.
Adding upper body movements adds more of a challenge to trunk and hip stability and balance. The weights also help to assist in achieving greater range of motion during the single legged deadlifts and providing more resistance throughout the movements.
I used this little routine for my hamstring and hip flexor “stretching” post run cool down today as well as a way to challenge my single leg stability and control.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
When did we stop being able to get into a deep squat???
Did you ever notice how your children play freely in a deep squat position?
Our ancestors use to squat on a daily basis to perform chores and take care of personal business.
Now we spend the majority of our day with our hips and knees flexed to 90 degrees, very rarely every taking our joints past 90.
Think about it, when was the last time you got yourself into a deep squat position?🤔
Do you think you can still do it?
Take five and try it now!
Do it with your kids, your family members, take a break with your co-workers over zoom 😜
Tag me in your videos, I want to see!! Let’s make it a mission #makeamericadeepsquatagain
Don’t worry no physical therapists were hurt during this exercise. 😂
Stay tuned for some tips on how we can all get back to doing deep squats and why it’s so important to do so anyway!
Some weeks I find myself using a certain exercise throughout the week on a variety of different clients. I find it kind of cool how you can manipulate a certain exercise to meet different needs.
This week I seemed to obsess over the pallof press.
During this time when alot of people are exercising or doing PT at home through telehealth, it is important to find ways to make it work for the client, working within their environment and with the equipment they have.
The pallof press is a core and back strengthening exercise used for different reasons.
Exercise 1: The traditional pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise designed to work the deep core stabilizers, working to limit rotation of the spine. This exercise can be performed in many different positions, starting in tall kneeling, half kneeling and standing.
Exercise 2: Pallof press in a “runners pose”. Excessive rotation of the torso while running can deplete power and propulsion forward, creating energy leaks and less efficient running.
Exercise 3: an anti-flexion version of pallof press. I used it with a client to help address a forward pitch during squatting due to motor control/ faulty movement patterns. The band is trying to bend you forward, you have to resist flexing at the spine.
Exercise 4: a fun way to spice up a dead lift on a Friday, forcing a bit more from the hips rotators on a single leg.
Ideally you want the band to be pulling in line with your hands for exercises 1,2, and 4. The bands I had kept sliding down the pole- c’est la vie. (After 10 months, we know we just need to go with the flow with what we got) For exercise #3, the pull should be coming from the bottom so that you feel as though it’s trying to bend you forward.
Who says working out at home can’t be fun? 🙂
Want to get in on the fun? Click on the “book now” button above to schedule an appointment. Offering Telehealth PT services in NY and Massachusetts. Virtual Fitness/wellness training in all states.
Master Athlete Monday!
One of the first things your body starts to lose as you age is your power output, followed by your strength.
Master athletes tend to demonstrate decreased calf muscle volume and decreased ankle power and propulsion. In fact, concentric ankle power has been shown to drop nearly 50% between the ages of 20 and 80.
We are also at increased risk for Achilles tendinopathy 🙄
For these reasons, I have begun adopting isolated calf strengthening exercises into my weekly strength training sessions.
When running, peak forces of the soleus ms can reach up to 8x your body weight.
For that reason, it can be hard to strengthen the calf complex adequately at home due to lack of heavy enough weight and optimal positioning.
If you have access to a gym, the seated calf raise machine is probably your best option for attacking the soleus muscle, arguably the most important muscle for running. (55% of running comes from the muscles of the calf complex!)
@jpgloria demonstrates some ways to strengthen the calf complex at home. I tried this one for the soleus (bent leg on the box) from him.
By performing this exercise in standing vs sitting, it allows you to work the soleus in 10-15 decreases of dorsiflexion to 10 degrees plantarflexion.
For the gastrocnemius (straight leg in the video) I used a book to create a~ 10 degree incline (10 degrees of DF)
These range of motions are important to incorporate into your exercise because they mimic the peak forces seen when running.
Continue to add weight as tolerated. A weighted vest works great here!
Think slow and controlled motion: 3 second count up, hold, 3 second count down.
Do you regularly target your calf complex when strengthening?
A fun little exercise for static core stability and reinforcing that “rib cage stacked over pelvis” position.
Find a weight heavy enough that you feel like it wants to try to take you out of that optimal position and simply try to hold for 60 seconds.
Easy peezy! 😜
Actually if it doesn’t feel challenging enough, you might need to add a heavier weight.
Give it a try and let me know if you could feel that core 🔥
Ahhh... a good hip flexor stretch does feel oh so good! 😊
Just remember though, stretching only provides TEMPORARY relief!
In fact, often times that feeling of “tightness” isn’t actual muscle tightness at all, but rather indicates weakness or a lack of motor control/stability.
In the case of “tight” hip flexors, it can be related to muscle weakness (especially in eccentric or lengthening phase) or poor lumbo-pelvic stability.
By pushing down through the dowel, you are creating stability throughout the body.
When the body can prove it is safe to allow more movement (ie its stable enough), the brain will grant it permission to move further, ie lengthen. 🙏
Moral of the story..mobility is always earned.💫
Obviously we can’t move around all day pushing a stick through the ground. We need to create that stability on our own through proper exercises.
This is why it is so important to always get to the root of the cause!
If an area has been tight for a while and no amount of stretching seems to relieve it, you need to dig deeper!
Why might your body be seeking this tightness? 🤔
The million 💵 question!
You might not be able to answer this question, but you know who can?
A physical therapist! 😀
Want to “turn on your 🍑 ”?
Good news: if you are standing (or in this case half kneeling I’m pretty sure they are already “turned on” or else you would be in the floor 😂
What might be lost, however, is your connection to them.
Want to feel your gluts 🔥? Give this exercise a try.
Yes, this exercise is typically used for improving thoracic rotation. It still does, but like most exercises, you can alter positions to change intent of exercise.
I use this one to help improve pelvic stability and also just to start getting people use to loading their hip again when returning from injury.
By taking the feet out of the equation we really need to rely on our core and hips to prevent ourselves from falling over.
By changing our foot placement, we change the difficulty of the exercise. The narrower the base of support, the harder the exercise and the more you are asking from those gluts.
Make sure your ribcage and pelvis are stacked on top of one another to prevent your back from arching too much (a swayed back is a common compensation often seen when the gluts aren’t contributing as much as they should) or rib cage from flaring.
Give this one a try! Make sure to do on both sides, and let me know which side felt abit more wobbly.
Let’s Start this week off on a good note!
I know the holidays can be stressful!
Use this exercise daily this week as your secret weapon against stress, anxiety, or any aches and pains that may be creeping up.
This exercise can also aid in digestion, to help with all those holiday meals!
What is this 🪄 exercise, you ask?!
Only one of the most basic and fundamental functions of the human body...breathing!
This week I challenge you to incorporate breath work into your daily routine.
It’s the perfect snack in that it takes less than 5 minutes of your time to perform!
Here’s how:
Lie on the floor, preferably somewhere quiet and comfortable.
Bend your knees up, rest pillows underneath if that feels more comfortable, and place your hands on the lower ribcage.
Take a 2-4 second slow breath in through your nose, feel your ribcage expand into your hands as well as down into the floor and up towards the ceiling.
You want to feel like your ribcage is expanding 360 degrees.
Exhale 6-8 seconds out through your nose or pursed lips (like you are blowing into a balloon).
Make note if one side is expanding less than the other. If so, try to breathe more “into” that side on your next inhale.
Squeezing your rib cage gently as you inhale can help provide input to help you breathe into that area better.
Breathing helps to stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system, the system responsible for rest, relaxation, and digestion. It can help to relax muscle tension and decrease spasm. (For for all those complaining recently of increased neck, shoulder and back pain!)
It helps to de-regulate our sympathetic nervous system, suppressing that fight or flight response!so can help with stress and anxiety too!
As you had into your week and the height of the holiday season, just remember to breathe!
Happy Monday Everyone!
(Sorry for blurry video, something is wrong with the camera in my phone 😬)
Here’s a fun 3 for 1 exercise for activating and lengthening your hamstrings while also challenging your balance after a long day of sitting.
I do this exercise after a run as well as a sort of cool-down. It’s a way for me to actively stretch my hamstrings while simultaneously working on strengthening my intrinsic foot musculature and challenging my balance. All things that I probably wouldn’t otherwise make time for 😬
When the goal is to really strengthen my hamstrings, I will opt for a heavier loaded deadlift.
Often times when first performing this exercise, people will tell me they couldn’t get through 10 reps without their foot cramping or ankles hurting- all signs that you should be doing some kind of barefoot single leg exercises more often!
Were you able to get through 10 reps without any cramping?
Let me know how it went!
Black Friday Deal: Commit to just 15 minutes right now. Feel better for the entire rest of the day! No equipment necessary. This magic pill has shown to provide enough energy to get through a day of shopping, putting up the Christmas decorations, or cleaning up from the day before. The best part, it’s completely free! No added preservatives or artificial sweeteners, just good ole’ fashion exercise! 😊
Today we’re whipping up more than just a movement snack.
This is a whole platter full of goodies:
10 air squats
10 burpees D’jour
10 curtsy squats each leg
10 lateral hops
10 marching bridges each side
10 dips
10 shoulder tap planks
10 side plank rotations
15 minutes. As many rounds as you can.
Ready. Set. Go
