CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Program Design

Part I: Correcting the Shoulders

Last week my good friend and author of Day by Day: The Personal Trainer’s Blueprint to Achieving Ultimate Success, Kevin Mullins, wrote an introduction of sorts to the state of “corrective exercise” in the fitness industry.

To summate: Stop it. Just stop. People still need to train in order to get better.1

Today, in Part I, Kevin peels back the onion on the shoulder.

Grab a cup of coffee.

This is good.

Copyright: remains / 123RF Stock Photo

Shoulders, Yo

Excellent strength coach, and outstanding Canadian, Dean Somerset once stated in an internet post, or maybe it was a blog, “there is always a cost of doing business.” He meant it as a point of emphasis when talking about the various effects of training programs and specific exercises. But he also could have extrapolated it outwards to reflect the stresses of our daily lives.

Poor posture while seated for twelve hours is going to have a cost associated with it just as German volume training.

Note From TG: OMG, German Volume Training brings back the worst memories. I don’t know which was worse: getting kicked on the balls or GVT?

For this reason, the fitness industry has made a major shift towards corrective exercises. Once seen as the tools of progressive physical therapists – these mobility, stability, and integrated exercises have become critical elements in training programs for elite athletes, nimble geriatrics, and the average Joe and Jane alike.

The growth of corrective modalities in conventional personal training is a good thing overall. However, as I pointed out in the introduction to this article series – HERE – there exists a very big downside to the obsession with movement perfection and body correction.

There needs to be a better way of correcting people’s movement flaws, overcoming their specific weaknesses, and getting them to a place where they can safely train hard. Far too many coaches are “under-training” their clients because they are investing too much time “correcting” things. At some point we need to get people training hard towards their actual goals.

Using Your Head For Their Shoulders

There may be no part of the body more susceptible to under-training than the shoulders. With multiple skeletal structures, a bunch of muscle attachments, and a relationship with the spine – there are a lot of reasons that someone wouldn’t be “allowed” to train hard with their shoulders.

Training them includes more than the traditional bodybuilding approach too.

The glenohumeral joint is involved in all upper body pushing and pulling motions as well as the specific isolation exercises that are popular in bodybuilding programs (such as lateral raises or chest flyes). The scapula and clavicle are too, but their positioning on the body also impacts movement such as the deadlift and squat.

Because of their high level of integration with every exercise we do, the shoulders are often the most banged up part of a client’s body. Our poor postures and ill-advised training programs aren’t helping us. Often the two compound each other and only worsen any dysfunction that exists.

Hence the need for correctives.

Really though, the shoulder itself is a bit of a miracle joint – with all the muscles that cross it, the fascia, the nerves, blood vessels, and obvious skeletal structures – it is amazing that it functions as well as it does.

But there can be a whole host of issues going on, or there can be just one. And that is what is most challenging about assessing and correcting shoulder dysfunctions.

  • It could be as simple as improving someone’s ability to retract and depress their scapula, such as when someone’s posture isn’t where we’d like it.
  • Or as complex as improving external rotation of the humerus while also stealing more extension from the thoracic spine and stability from the scapula during upward rotation and elevation, such as when a client wants to get better at pull-ups.

No matter how intense the problem is it is important that we as coaches keep our processes simple.

Removing the Restrictions

Yet, simple is not how most coaches approach shoulder health.

In fact, if you were to follow many of the conventional prescriptions that are floated through the industry, then you’d avoid many of the things that produce big results for your clients in favor of small correctives that make small changes. While some clients do need more intervention with these corrective methods – most simply need enough to create an opportunity for more intense training.

If you were to follow many of the guidelines that accompany something as notable as the Functional Movement Screen (the FMS), then many of your clients would not be allowed to press, or pull vertically, or load up abduction or adduction in the frontal or transverse planes until they were able to get a “2” on the shoulder mobility assessment.

While Gray Cook and Lee Burton did an incredible job creating a screening tool that helps coaches discover dysfunction and lack of movement prowess – they also created a system that is preventing a lot of clients from actually getting better.

Note From TG: For anyone interested (I.e., everyone) I wrote about my experience taking the FMS and what I took from it HERE.

The protective measures and governing principles of systems put the fear of God in personal trainers who use them. Many are afraid of loading anything until they see a two on the scoreboard. It is a steady dose of low intensity or no intensity correctives until that day.

Which is where the problem with corrective exercises starts:

Low to no intensity corrective exercises aren’t why clients improve over time. Instead, it is the strengthening exercises that come after these correctives that matter most.

If we are to improve how we utilize corrective exercises in our programs, then we must be willing to accept that what we now know isn’t perfect. We must be willing to entertain the idea that there is a better way of doing business. It is this exact mentality that drives innovation in technology.

It will drive innovation in fitness if we let it.

—-

(It is important to pause here and make a statement – this article is not meant to treat, diagnose, or prescribe methods or modalities for someone who is dealing with diagnosed injury or dysfunction in their shoulders. Traumatic injuries, conditions such as frozen shoulder, cervical kyphosis, and others require a finer touch from qualified medical professionals.)

If Not This, Then What?

Corrective exercises are like the bore that drills tunnels in the side of a mountain. They create the space for the construction to take place, but they aren’t the construction. You wouldn’t want to drive through a tunnel that hasn’t been reinforced with steel supports and millions of pounds of concrete, so why do you think that corrective exercises are enough to create a finished product in fitness?

The mobility and stability exercises that we define as “correctives” simply create the space for more optimal change to take place. They create the opportunity for well-selected strength exercises to change the tissues for the better.

For shoulder health we find that the classic approach of wall-angels, thoracic roll-overs, and cat-cows are simply creating the opening for which exercises like loaded carries, supinated pulldowns, and banded retractions fill with strength and stability. Our goal needs to be to do enough to get to the exercises that stimulate adaptation and create positive change; in the shoulders and in the rest of the client’s body.

Our responsibility as trainers is to help our clients overcome dysfunctions and improve their movement quality – sure. But our job also implies that we help our clients burn calories, build muscle, and come just short of conquering the universe.

Before diving into the actual corrective exercises that will open the gates for us to train with the intensity our client’s want and need, let’s ensure that everyone reading is on the same page on the anatomy and physiology of the shoulder joint.

The Basic Anatomy and Physiology – Skeletal

When looking at the shoulder joint you are presented with three major bones: the clavicle, the scapula, and the humerus.

  • The clavicle (or collarbone) is the most stationary of all of these structures, but its lateral aspect does elevate and depress in reaction to movements of the other bones. The humerus, the upper arm bone, is designed for external and internal rotation within the socket – known as the glenohumeral joint.
  • The humerus can move through flexion, extension, abduction and adduction, and horizontal abduction and adduction by rotating around the glenohumeral joint in each of the three planes (sagittal, frontal, transverse). These movements are aided by the function of the scapula.
  • The scapula (or shoulder blade) is the large bone in the back of the body. It is capable of six motions: elevation, depression, upward rotation, downward rotation, protraction, and retraction. These movements are also correlated to the three planes of motion too – sagittal, frontal, and transverse respectively.

The spine is also involved in shoulder mobility and stability is often left out when looking at function. We will explore this relationship in the next section when we begin looking at how core function can impact shoulder mobility as well as how thoracic extension is necessary for optimal function of the shoulder joint.

The Basic Anatomy and Physiology – Muscular

The human shoulder functions as incredibly as it does because of the incredible number of muscles that are involved. Some control the humerus, others control the scapula, and others control the spine.

Most of these muscles are found in the back.

When looking at the muscles that contract at the shoulder, we must separate the muscles that control the external rotation and internal rotation of the humerus from the muscles that create the six motions of the scapula. While some muscles share functions – it is important to identify its primary action and what it acts upon in order to better understand how the shoulder wants to function.

The four muscles of the rotator cuff are most responsible for the external and internal rotation capacity of the humerus.

  • There is evidence to support that the triceps are involved in external rotation, especially under load (just turn your arm around as far as you can right now, and you’ll feel the lateral head of the triceps contract). Therefore, the triceps join the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor as external rotators of the humerus.
  • With that claim we can also ascertain that the biceps and pectoralis group are involved to some degree in internal rotation (although there is significantly less IR available at the shoulder joint). The subscapularis is the internal rotator of the cuff.

When examining the muscles that move the scapula, we are simply looking at the muscles of the upper back; the lats, teres major, rhomboids, trapezius, levator scapulae, the serratus and the three external rotators of the cuff. Each of these muscles have specific functions on pieces of paper, but it is imperative as coaches that we realize that most exercises performed in a gym setting involve more than just one of these muscles doing one of these functions.

It is easy to point at the traps and say “oh, they are elevators and contribute to upward rotation.” It is less easy being able to look at a flawed motion and know exactly what is wrong:

For example, many coaches will point at someone having issues with retraction and think “ah, the upper traps are overactive and the teres major/minor need strengthening.” They could be right and probably are in a population of people who sit with rounded thoracic spines and internally rotated shoulders.

Add in forward neck and shrugged shoulders and this “diagnosis” seems spot on.

However, getting just the teres group to fire without activating the infraspinatus or supraspinatus is nearly impossible in a traditional training setting. Getting someone to stay out of their upper traps sounds like a great coaching cue, but that requires getting them to fire the muscles that contribute to scapular depression; the lower traps, pectoralis minor, and latissimus dorsi at the same time – something most clients (or you) can’t do consciously.

In fact, a lot of scapular depression comes from the ability to put the thoracic spine into extension. Doing so involves activation the lowest fibers of the traps, the lats, the upper abdominals, and a whole host of muscles that are so deep and connected to the individual vertebrae that considering them in training is pointless.

When these muscles contract and thoracic extension takes place, you find that the scapula better slide into the depressed position.

The Core Connection

Yet, thoracic control isn’t completely isolated either.

It is very hard to contract the thoracic muscles without some level of core control. In this instance, the core includes the anterior muscles of the core that we know (rectus and transverse abdominals, internal and external obliques, and Psoas Major.

It also includes the muscles of the posterior core: the quadratus lumborum and the erector spinae.

Conscious contraction of these muscles allows for the core to hold tension, which better stabilizes the lumbar spine, which better allows the thoracic spine to go into extension, which better allows the scapula to depress, which better allows the humerus to externally rotate. As you can see, everything is connected, which is why we can’t use such generic correctives to solve complex problems.

A Less Important Factor?

You’ll notice that we haven’t yet mentioned the deltoid – the most known shoulder muscle. For all the attention it gets in bodybuilding circles its function is not as critical to shoulder function as you’d believe. The anterior fibers assist in internal rotation and drive flexion of the arm while the posterior fibers aid in external rotation and initiate horizontal abduction. The lateral fibers function to create abduction of the arm in the frontal plane.

From a corrective standpoint, it is very rarely an issue with the deltoid that proves to be the problem. In fact, it is often the overdevelopment of the deltoids and upper traps and underdevelopment of the rotator cuff muscles that create impingement issues in dedicated lifters. Great corrective exercises keep the deltoids involved and avoid shutting them out.

The Hidden Gem

In recent years we’ve come to learn that the fascia in our bodies is more than just a covering and more than just extra tissue that gets cut through in surgery. It is a living tissue that is involved in our function on a day by day and minute by minute basis.

In fact, research from Michol Dalcourt and the team at the Institute of Motion have proven that the fascia can communicate information across the body faster than any muscle tissue. Its ability to compress and expand is crucial for athletic development.

Unfortunately, many fitness professionals see it as tissue that is addressed with foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and other release methods. This isn’t wrong of course as these implements can do well to increase blood flow, increase hydration of the fascia, and improve mobility of the joint in question. However, we can also train our fascia just as we train our muscles. We must look to incorporate the variety of slings that Thomas Meyer’s discusses in his text Anatomy Trains.

In our solutions section we’ll explore a few ways to do that to improve the function of the shoulders and truly correct any issues that exist.

But first, we must identify a few of the most common problems.

Common Problems

1) Desk Posture (UCS)

The most common problem that a client will present in regard to their shoulder health is the classic “desk posture”. The scapula sits in protraction and elevation while the humerus’ are internally rotated. This posture is held for eight, ten, and twelve hours a day. Over time the pectoralis muscles get tighter, the trapezius muscles lengthen, the muscles of the scapula and glenohumeral joint get weaker, and the client continues to worsen.

The most advanced form of this condition is known as Upper Cross Syndrome (UCS) – a severe condition of immobility that usually involves additional intervention with physical therapists, and sometimes, orthopedic surgeons. This posture often presents forward neck as a well – a dangerous condition of the cervical spine.

The treatment for individuals in this position is to correct their posture and work to move them in better retraction, depression, and external rotation. However, many of the common methods do not provide enough intensity to stimulate muscle growth or strength adaptations in the muscles of the upper back. It is crucial for trainers to invest time in building their clients upper backs and coaching optimal patterns if the corrective interventions are ever going to stick.

2) Poor Scapulohumeral rhythm

For many people the pain they experience in their pressing and pulling motions is a result of a poor pattern being present. Of course, there are others who have legitimate issues such as shoulder impingements, strained muscles of the rotator cuff, or overactive trapezius muscles that make doing certain movements nearly impossible. The rest though, simply need help reworking their patterns and an emphasis on strengthening the muscles that control those patterns.

 

The scapulohumeral rhythm refers to the quality of movement that occurs when we consider the scapula and glenohumeral joints interaction. People with great rhythms typically an exercise pain-free while people who lack control and patterning struggle to accomplish even the most basic tasks.

This topic is quite deep, but in short realize there is a relationship between the position of the humerus and where the scapula “should” be.

For example, in a traditional dumbbell overhead press the scapula should be upwardly rotating and elevating as the humerus adducts towards the midline at the top of the press. Many people will execute their press and have little to no movement out of their scapula, thus causing increased stress on tissues that shouldn’t need to encounter them.

3) Lack of External Rotation

One of the issues many clients face is the inability to rotate their humerus back. This is more than just the presence of too much internal rotation (such as with U.C.S.). The muscles responsible for external rotation of the shoulder are powerful muscles that also engage in the motions of the scapula. Lacking strength in these tissues can cause someone to become more internally rotated, but also makes it incredibly hard to achieve external rotation at the glenohumeral joint.

This matters for more than just mobility.

Popular exercises such as pull-ups require a person to own a certain amount of external rotation in order to execute the motion. So too does the overhead press. Lacking the ability to achieve optimal end range of E.R. makes both movements, and so many others, hard to accomplish.

It is important to understand that the exercises we use to improve external rotation put the humerus in a greater rotation than we would normally encounter in traditional lifting. But, this sort of work is necessary to strengthen and stimulate the muscles that create E.R. and maintain it in an isometric contraction (such as during a overhead press).

4) Weak Core and Poor Thoracic Extension

As stated earlier, the core and spine play a major role in whether the shoulders function optimally. A lot of lifters never develop optimal shoulder health because they create mobility by overextending their lumbar and thoracic spine to compensate. This is especially prevalent in ego lifters performing an overhead press with a massive amount of “layback”.

Lacking the ability to contract the anterior core and stabilize the lumbar spine makes it significantly harder for someone to master true thoracic extension. The ability to lift the ribs and extend the thoracic spine allows for better depression, retraction, and downward rotation of the scapula. These motions are direct opposites of the posture that many fall into as a result of upper cross syndrome or “desk posture”.

Strengthen the abdominal wall and muscles of the T-spine is imperative to optimizing shoulder function. Much like the foundation of a skyscraper must be firm and set underneath the construction, so too does our core and spine for our shoulders.

5) Weak Upper Back and Lack of Awareness

In a lot of cases, especially in individuals who do not regularly engage in an exercise plan, there is simply a lack of proprioception and strength in the muscles that control the scapula and glenohumeral joint. Often, there is nothing “wrong” with this population other than their lack of sensory awareness and force production capabilities.

Clients like this require more exposure to well-coached patterns and a progressively overloaded strength program that allows their muscles to adapt over time. It may be beneficial to use low intensity correctives to prime a specific pattern and create mobility in the joint prior to loading the muscles with traditional methods.

It is critical that we stop seeing all clients as wrecked when they are unable to perform a specific task. For many people, especially with something as obscure as the FMS, it is simply an unfamiliarity with their body and the demand you are placing upon them. Increase their exposure to well-coached exercise instead of trying to fix something that isn’t broken.

New Solutions

As we dive into the specific movements it is important for us to realize that these are just a few examples of great movements that can be used to strengthen and stabilize the shoulder joint. Some of these movements are common and others are painfully boring (in a sense that we aren’t shaking the Earth).

However, simplicity is often the fasted route to success.

A few of these movements are going to be outside the realm of normality for some coaches. Many traditional strength coaches would look at Animal Flow as a weird form of yoga and dancing, but it is that arena that brings the fascia into the fold. Other movements are simply manipulations of variables in the training arena, such as the angled press, that most people aren’t considering.

1) Dual Kneeling Band Pull Apart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rrHNDcVa9s

 

The band pull apart is nothing new.

However, adding in the kneeling position asks us to contract our core and our glutes – two major parts of our foundation. In doing so we can better extend our thoracic spine, which in turn allows for better retraction of the scapula.

2.1) The Full-House (2 Cables/3 Motions)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COSRT7nPTPc

This multi-pattern movement asks for retraction of the scapula, then retraction into downward rotation and depression (with external rotation of the humerus). Lastly, the overhead press asks for elevation, upward rotation, and forces the external rotators to fire hard to prevent the arms from collapsing forward of the line of gravity.

This sort of movement is incredible for grooving the scapulohumeral rhythm, improving upper back strength, and increasing external rotation of the humerus. It is quite the challenge and needs to be done extra light. Five pounds was the resistance in the videos.

2.2) Second View

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt8ex9TL8GQ

 

3) External Rotated T, Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Juj1iYiJFE

 

A simple variation of traditional T and Y – this a movement that can be used to improve retraction of the scapula while strengthening the external rotators. It forces the trainee to own their humeral position and originate movement from the glenohumeral joint while remaining set onto stable scapula.

This exercise also promotes additional thoracic extension.

4) Angled Press

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVPsVXWXds0

 

Far too many people contraindicate the overhead push pattern when someone is dealing with shoulder dysfunction. If we were to listen to the FMS, no one who can’t get a two on the shoulder mobility exam should ever press overhead. Yet, tons of people can press pain-free without getting a two.

This exercise helps bridge the gap between overhead pressing and not. The slight angle (about 15 degrees) allows you to load up the deltoids a bit without creating a perfect opposition to gravity. The neutral grip, forward elbow, and emphasis on tempo allows us to focus on scapulohumeral rhythm. Use this as a primary exercise after preparing clients for their workouts. This will correct a lot of flaws so long as the movement remains pain free.

5) Supinated Pulldowns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbIy3pH0nlo

 

At first glance this looks like a standard, boring pulldown.

Yet, it is the dramatic emphasis on depression and elevation of the scapula that makes this one stand out. Far too many folks get on the pulldown and just start yanking on the bar to get their set done. The motion becomes about completion instead of optimization.

The supinated hand grip helps keep the humerus in a slightly more externally rotated position while also prevented much of the internal rotation that happens with heavy pronated pulldowns. The focus here is to emphasize absolute end ranges. Feel the scapula elevate while maintaining control and then drive them downwards into full depression at the bottom.

6) Simple Animal Flow (Beast Hold to Scorpion to Alternating Crab Reaches)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x27wT-nxUkg

 

A lot of you will look at this and wonder – why in the heck am I going to do all that flailing? Yet, animal flow is an incredible discipline that emphasizes loading of a lot of our passive structures – the fascia, the connective tissue, the skeletal system. Strengthening these things is imperative to the absolute realization of healthy shoulders. Specifically, the external rotation of the humerus in set crab position is a great tool to have in your arsenal.

7) BONUS: New Way to do Chest Flyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcRTVz4aWOE

 

Lastly, I want to share the new best way for you to execute chest flyes.

See, the chest flye is one of the most favorite exercises in bodybuilding culture. It causes a tremendous stretch of the pec fibers and can help the person doing them build the muscle they crave. Yet, there is a ridiculous amount of sheering force placed upon the shoulder joint when the dumbbells reach the bottom of a traditional flye.

So, instead of using dumbbells and pissing off your shoulders – integrate this band only variation. The key is to press out into the band for the entirety of the movement, thus keeping a high level of tension on the working muscles without stressing the shoulder joint against gravity. As you fatigue shorten the range and focus on the squeeze.

Putting It All Together

You can correct someone’s shoulders and move their fitness forward at the same time. Your job as a fitness professional is to drive your clients towards the results they want and the results they didn’t know they need. You can still use low intensity correctives in your programs, of course, but it is imperative to go forward understanding that they are simply a very small piece of a much larger puzzle. Your client, if they are to improve, must begin strengthening the muscles by training the appropriate patterns that address shoulder health.

Next: The Lower Back and Pelvis

In the next article we’ll explore the lumbar spine, pelvis, and anterior core and how we can better correct chronic low-level back pain, coach better hinge patterns, and improve our client’s ability to move with confidence.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/25/19

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – 2019 Locations & Dates

Philadelphia, PA: April 27-28th

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: May 25-26th

Sydney, Australia: July 13-14th

Singapore, Republic of Singapore: July 20-21st

This workshop will piggyback on the material Dean Somerset and I covered in the original Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint.

With this iteration, though, we’ll be going a bit deeper into the coaching and programming side of things:

  • How to program around common injuries.
  • How to “connect” the appropriate exercises to the client/athlete.
  • How to squat and deadlift like a boss.

Find out more details HERE.

2. Coaching Competency Workshop – Raleigh, NC

I’ll be making my first appearance – ever (<— how’s that possible?) – in the wonderful state of North Carolina this coming March to put on my popular Coaching Competency Workshop.

Full details (date, location, itinerary, how to register) can be found HERE.

EARLY BIRD rate is currently in effect ($50 off regular price), so make sure to take advantage of it while you can.

3. I Was Memed

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

Twitter

Instagram

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Factors Affecting Squat Stance and Form – Ryan DeBell

Not only does he pull off wearing a bowtie, but Ryan also pulls off always providing consistent, actionable content that I appreciate.

This was a recent podcast he recorded, however the link above does provide a bullet point list of all the factors discussed.

Awesome stuff.

How to Use Public Speaking to Establish Authority and Grow Your Business – Mark Fisher

Not many people know this but I almost dodged out of my first public speaking event. It was back in 2009 and I was slated to speak at a local college here in Boston to a bunch of incoming freshman on “better nutritional choices in the cafeteria.”

I woke up at like 3 am that morning terrified, telling my girlfriend (now wife) that I was thinking about calling in sick.

Can you even do that?

Anyway, she talked me out of it and no one died.

Since then I have spoken well over 50+ times all over the world and I’m 100% convinced that it’s helped me grow my business.

Mark Fisher is THE best public speaker I know and you should read this.

Even Flow: Your Menstrual Cycle and Your Workouts – Jennifer Blake

I work with a lot of women and I’d be lying if I said I took this into heavy consideration.

This article made me a better coach.

Thanks Jen!

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Exercise Technique

The Big Toe and the Squat

Two things with regards to the title of today’s post:

  1. I’m thinking it could pass for the title of the next big children’s book.2
  2. Searching stock images for “big toe” pretty much made me want to throw up a little in my mouth. I’d place it  somewhere between kipping pull-ups and gonorrhea in terms of stuff I’d rather not see with my eyes ever again.

There’s a lot to consider and that can go awry when discussing the squat. To say there’s a plethora of moving parts – not to mention positional considerations (hand position, stance, bar position, etc) – would be an understatement.

One of the last things you’d probably ever consider when it comes to your squat performance is your big toe. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s a pretty damn important and something you should consider considering.

Also, this is about as non-pukey of a picture as I could find of a toe.

Copyright: alfredhofer / 123RF Stock Photo

The Big Toe & the Squat

What inspired this post was an interaction I had with a new client recently. During his initial evaluation I had him show me his squat because he had mentioned the movement has always bothered his lower back.

He’d worked with previous trainers in the past who had attempted to “fix” things, more often than not resulting in him stretching this, smashing that, performing a cornucopia of positional breathing drills while repeating the Elvish alphabet backwards, and otherwise being over corrective exercised to death

The next step was to bring in an exorcist.

I didn’t do any of those things.3

Instead I did something revelatory.

In fact, I’d be surprised if I’m not nominated for a Nobel Prize for how revelatory what I did was.

Are you ready?

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

I watched him squat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

 

I’m flummoxed as to why this seemingly obvious “intervention” is often overlooked. I think a lot of it has to do with something John Rusin spoke about during his keynote talk at the SWIS 2018 Symposium:

“We’re in an industry that gets too distracted by bright, shiny objects.”

Watching someone squat is boring.

Having someone stand in a zero gravity chamber while a bunch of lasers attempt to release their psoas isn’t.

We’ve become infatuated with gadgets and gizmos so much so that it’s become much harder to galvanize the masses into trusting what it is they do best……

………..COACH.

To that point, I’m old school and I just wanted to watch my man squat.

I had him take off his shoes and pants, and it’s here where I noticed something.

I watched his feet and saw that with every repetition his toes would come up off the ground, like so:

FYI: this is a picture of me doing a reenactment. See you in a few weeks at the Oscars.

Now, for the sake of brevity, it is a conversation to have as to whether or not he was cued into lifting his toes off the ground or not? I’ll nip this in the bud and say for the record that he wasn’t.

He was just never coached on how to squat properly.

As such, it became glaringly clear why his back had always been flipping him the middle finger whenever he attempted to squat (Goblet, front, back, all of them).

When your toes – most often the big toe – comes off the ground you lose your core.

 

Bullet Points (for those of you too lazy to watch):

  • When toes come up, you lose canister position (ribs stacked on pelvis) and thus lose your core and stability.
  • When toes comes up, you crank into lower back.
  • Think more about foot pressure (pushing into floor and even weight distribution on big toe/metatarsal, small toe, AND heel).
  • Cement toes to the floor.
  • Take your clients’ shoes off when they squat. It will tell you a lot.
  • My biceps looks amazing in salmon colored t-shirts.

But Wait Tony, Some Coaches Cue People to Squat With Big Toe Up on the Way Down, and Then to Push It Into the Ground on the Way Up. Are You Saying They’re Assholes?

No.

Coaches such as Mark Cheng and Cal Dietz  – who are both the shit – often advocate the big toe stays up on the way down during a squat (but the ball/metatarsal still stays glued to the floor) and then press the toe down on way up.

I find this to be okay – and far be it from me to say they’re wrong. They’re both developing outstanding athletes and making people better.

I just find that with all the other mental gymnastics that come along with the squat – big air, ribs down, sit down, not back, spread the floor, drive your chest into the bar, hips through, don’t poop your pants – that it gets a little crowded when you add in the “toes up on the descent, toes down on the ascent” cue.

As I note in the video above I like to cue the idea of foot pressure – with three points of contact – and to cement the toes down during the squat.

Moreover, the objective is not to grip or dig into the floor with your toes.

As Lexington, KY based coach, Drew Watts, notes:

“I don’t like “digging” because you don’t want to press the tip of the toe to the ground, more the pad of the toe. Big toe, ball of the foot, 5th metatarsal, heel. Pressing big toe helps the windlass mechanism as well.“

Here’s a nice demonstration of everything in action by Essex, Vermont based strength coach, Jess Voyer (who was kind enough to refer to me as a genius in her IG post. 4,000,000 points to Gryffindor):

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs-xYyEHdmy/

All of This to Say

Don’t be shy to take people’s shoes off.4

Having a keener eye on what their toes are doing during their squat can give you a lot of information and insight.

Toes down = core on = sexier squat.

CategoriesCorrective Exercise personal training rant

The State of Corrective Fitness: 2019

This is going to be neat.

My friend and colleague (and author of the brand spankin new book, Day By Day: The Personal Trainer’s Blueprint to Achieving Ultimate Success), Kevin Mullins, reached out to me recently and asked, “Tony, why don’t you wear pants when you coach can I write a series for your site that covers joint/segment-by-segment breakdown and how to train to improve those regions WITHOUT going too far down the corrective train?”

Kevin understands people don’t have 40 hours per week to train and he’s found a sweet spot with his clients that improves function, hacks away at pain and immobility, and delivers results.

And, he wants to share that shit with the world (<– my words, not his).

Today’s post sets the tone on the over-inundation of corrective exercise (something I wrote about recently HERE), and each week (or two) after that, he’ll discuss a part of the body – shoulders, mid & low-back, and ankles, knees, & hips – and smack everyone in the face™ with how to improve function in that area.

Cool?

Cool.

Copyright: tammykayphoto / 123RF Stock Photo

The State of Corrective Fitness: 2019

Every year seems to bring a new set of ideals into the world of fitness. On one hand it is exciting to see that there are constantly new ideas, concepts, and tactics being brought into play. Much like living in a city with a lot of construction going on – it’s a good sign when the economy can support growth. The fitness industry, like a budding metropolitan area, is on the upswing.

Demand couldn’t be higher for products in the health and wellness field – as the modern world continues to gain weight and lose function. Millions of people around the world are ready to spend their hard-earned money on anything that will be a solution. It doesn’t matter if the goal is to lose weight, build strength, improve athleticism, get out of pain, or simply recreate the dance battle from the end of Step Up 2 – there is a product out there for them.

Having “money-on-the-table” is key in commercial real estate; a contractor must be confident that someone can afford the building project that is being proposed. When a company, such as a wealthy investment firm, wants to build a high rise and can prove they have the capital, the flood gates open and the contractors start fighting each other for a seat at the table.

In fitness, the “money” is on the table and the eager fitness professionals out there know it.

Personal websites and social media profiles have made “internet-fame” possible for anyone with a camera, microphone, and a desire to make money and be heard. This sort of opportunity has brought forth a litany of incredible fitness professionals that we might not know of otherwise. Just as the music industry found Justin Bieber on YouTube, many great coaches have been found in blogs and videos.

(I know this because I’m one of them).

Yet, with all things that are good in this world there exists the potential for them to turn bad. In this instance the unflinching availability of fitness advice makes it easy for bad information to get out, poor ideas to propagate, and for biased, and unfortunately dense, coaches to steal the spotlight.

In 2018 that spotlight was on all things corrective exercise.

It seems like everyday brought a new way to mobilize this joint, stabilize that segment, and improve breathing capacity by .00002ml.

Coaches from the furthest reaches of physical therapy school began talking about the need to invest hours on mobility, stability, and corrective work each week. Products began flowing into the industry like candy out of torn bag of skittles. Before long everyone was tasting the proverbial rainbow with their favorite flavors in hand: foam rollers, lacrosse balls, Theraguns, foot straps, mini-bands, mobility towels, and specialized assessments derived from the ancient wisdom that powers the Iron Fist.

Note From Tony: ^^^ This show is not as good as Punisher, DareDevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, or watching a dog take a shit in a yard for that matter.

It’s open season on corrective exercise in the fitness industry – a modern day gold rush of fitness equipment designed to drain your wallet and decorate your home with odd instruments of pain and pleasure.

What a glorious time it is…

Let’s Be Clear Though:

Developing one’s mobility – especially in troublesome joints such as the shoulders, thoracic spine, hips, and ankles is never a bad thing. Most people spend twelve hours a day sitting at desks, in cars, and on couches, all in poor posture that stresses their spine, weakens their bodies, and causes long-term health risks to take hold. Every person reading these words can benefit from working on their mobility, except for Kelly Starrett (if he’s reading this) since the guy is a Supple Leopard.

 

Improving your segmental stability is also important.

Many people struggle with maintaining tension in their core, their mid-back, and their hips and legs. This lack of tension correlates to weaknesses that cause posture to degrade over time. Lifting heavy gets harder too. Weak muscles and poor neural connections make force production elusive.

Specific corrective exercises have their place too.

We are all a little messed up.

Some people have whacky shoulders, while others experience low back pain. Runners often have achy knees and tightened fascia in their shins and ankles. Other folks are pretty jacked up head to toe. For any and all of these people there are certainly movements and therapies that can be done to improve their condition and inch them closer to optimal performance capacity.

But:

A personal trainer’s job is to accomplish these things while also moving the ball forward in terms of their client’s fitness level. Far too many coaches obsess over the missing ten degrees of mobility in someone’s scapular downward rotation and depression while ignoring the additional forty pounds hanging out in their midsection.

Other coaches refuse to load a client even a little until their form in a movement is beyond perfect.

Even then they’ll question whether the client can repeat the performance in future sessions and insist on three more workouts with just an unloaded barbell to make sure. Meanwhile, no sweat has been released and no forceful stimuli are placed against the body. The client might end up with the best looking back squat form in the world (with a forty-five-pound bar), but that is about it.

 

This sort of absolutism and obsession is not good for a client and not good for the fitness industry either. If a client’s issues are so severe that any sort of intensity causes a series of negative events in their kinetic chain, pain, or lingering discomfort, then they must be referred out to physical therapist, or whatever medical specialist could heal their ailing.

Again, on one hand it is awesome to see so many coaches taking their client’s joint health, core strength, breathing quality, and fascial integrity so seriously. It is much better than an undereducated jack-wagon haphazardly throwing intensity at people in hopes that it gets them in shape and they keep paying. Nothing is more disturbing than a coach who lets their client put themselves at risk of serious injury repetition-after-repetition and session-after-session.

Yet, the coach who spends forty minutes of a sixty-minute session on a variety of implements meant to “improve” a person’s health is still quite the foul. People are paying for the results they want while also experiencing the growth that they don’t know they need, and our job is to give it to them.

Our job is not to force our obsessions upon them while completely ignoring their goals and needs.

A great fitness professional is someone who understands that self-myofascial release and zero-intensity correctives are just tiny pieces of a much larger puzzle that they must solve.

This series of blogs aims to bridge the very gap that has formed in the industry over the last few years. Over the next three installments you’ll find very specific methods of integrating new and better corrective strategies in each of the important joint segments of the body.

Those segments are:

  1. Scapulothoracic Region and Glenohumeral Joint (Shoulder/Shoulder Blades and T-Spine)
  2. T-Spine, L-Spine, and Pelvis
  3. Ankle to Knee and Knee to Hip

Each one will work to answer the following question:

“How do we as a profession properly apply all of the information and modalities that emerge while still honoring the primary function of our profession (deliver a fitness stimuli to create a fitness result)?”

Our job as fitness professionals is to deliver the results our clients want while also giving them what they don’t know they need. As stated earlier, this sort of juggling act is hard to accomplish in a world where some trainers are exchanging thrash for cash and others are acting as extensions of physical therapy (when they aren’t qualified to do so).

The fact that you are already here on Tony’s site demonstrates that you aren’t like a lot of the “noise” of the industry. You realize that heavy things need moving, that the body needs a little oil and grease every now and again, and that hard work is the only pathway to really cool results. The fact that you clicked on this article demonstrates that you are looking to improve your methods, clean up your practices, and deliver better results for your clients.

Some of you might be shaking your head and clenching your fist right now.

via GIPHY

You are thinking, “who is this Kevin Mullins guy and why in the hell does he think he can tell me that corrective exercises are a waste of time.” If that is you, then I want to say that I’m sorry if that is how you are reading this – it certainly isn’t my intention.

My goal is to help, in whatever way I can, move the ball forward so that we can continue to deliver better results to our clients in a variety of ways. In my opinion, absolutism is never good practice. It doesn’t work in politics and it doesn’t work in fitness. We must be willing to accept that there is always a better way to do something or else innovation will cease to exist.

Others of you might be wondering where I’m going with this piece.

Heck, you might even be a little irritated that you’ve read this much and didn’t access the secrets to hacking the body and winning the lottery every day. I apologize to you too. I just wanted to set the table for the first of three mega articles that are going to dive into the anatomy, physiology, and practical exercise and program design.

And so, I conclude our teaser with this important quote that I’ve taught every client, and fellow trainer, since I concocted it a few years back:

“It is important to always remember that strength causes stability – stability allows for mobility – and mobility improves the speed and accuracy for which strength can be executed.”

See you next time for a deep dive into the scapulothoracic region, the glenohumeral joint, and the core.

About the Author

Kevin Mullins, CSCS, is a personal trainer and group exercise instructor at Equinox Sports Club in Washington D.C.

Kevin utilizes a listen first, coach second strategy to ensure his clients, and programs, are exceptional…and not his ego.

When he isn’t training clients or writing content Kevin can be found deadlifting, Bicep curling, or finding new, corny ways to emphasize squeezing the glutes. Kevin maintains his own personal site HERE.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/18/19

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – 2019 Locations & Dates

Philadelphia, PA: April 27-28th

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: May 25-26th

Sydney, Australia: July 13-14th

Singapore, Republic of Singapore: July 20-21st

This workshop will piggyback on the material Dean Somerset and I covered in the original Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint.

With this iteration, though, we’ll be going a bit deeper into the coaching and programming side of things:

  • How to program around common injuries.
  • How to “connect” the appropriate exercises to the client/athlete.
  • How to squat and deadlift like a boss.

Find out more details HERE.

2. Coaching Competency Workshop – Raleigh, NC

I’ll be making my first appearance – ever (<— how’s that possible?) – in the wonderful state of North Carolina this coming March to put on my popular Coaching Competency Workshop.

Full details (date, location, itinerary, how to register) can be found HERE.

EARLY BIRD rate is currently in effect ($50 off regular price) and ends soon.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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Instagram

STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist (Self Study) – Dr. Sarah Duvall

If you train women, you owe it to yourself to consider taking this course.

What I LOVE about Sarah’s approach is that not only does she provide a thorough deep dive into the realm of postpartum training and considerations, but she ADVOCATES strength training as an integral component.

In her words:

“You need to lift shit, to fix shit.”

I’ve recently been re-acquainting myself with the material and it’s really helped to open my eyes to knowledge gaps  in this area in addition to appreciating just how much ATTENTION TO DETAIL is required when working with this population.

My wife is two-years postpartum and has been dealing with right sided hip pain for a while now, and it just so happens I watched the section on glute clenching and femoroacetabular movement this morning and it punched me in the mouth.

I had several light bulb moments.

Sarah currently has this course on SALE for $150 off the regular price, but it ends this coming Monday (1/21).

Go HERE, you won’t be sorry.

Cleaning Up Thoracic Rotation – Dean Somerset

Dean’s not one of my best friends for nothing.

Sometimes I hate him so much he’s so smart.

The Missing Lower Body Exercises For Strength – Nick Tumminello

It’s not just about squats and deadlifts, yo.

CategoriesProgram Design Rehab/Prehab Strength Training

Using Fillers In Your Programs: Squats

Last week I wrote about “fillers,” what they are, why I’m a big fan of them, and how I include them into my programs on deadlift day(s).

You can catch up HERE if you happened to miss it.

The post seemed to resonate with people so I decided to expand the concept to include how I go about utilizing fillers with other common exercises.

Today: squatsssssss.

Copyright: spotpoint74 / 123RF Stock Photo

Filler’up

The beauty of fillers is that, much like tv shows based in the city of Chicago – Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago Justice, Chicago Sanitation, Chicago Teacher’s Union5 –  there’s an endless array to pick and choose from.

What follows isn’t close to an exhaustive list.

What’s more, fillers can serve as a splendid opportunity to individualize someone’s program to hone in their unique injury history or their unique mobility/stability deficits.

QUICK ASIDE: When it comes to writing training programs for people, there are more similarities across the board than there are differences.

Far too often I find coaches/trainers making things more complicated than they have to be. Mike Boyle spoke to this not too long ago on social media:

  • Squat
  • Hinge
  • Carry
  • Push
  • Pull
  • Single Leg
  • Core

Training programs, more often than not, revolve around these movement patterns, and the individualization generally comes down to what iteration of said movement pattern best fits the goal(s), injury history, and ability level of the athlete/client.

More to the point, instead of focusing on the facade of “sport specific training,” the better moniker should be centered on “people specific training.”

But that’s a hefty conversation for another time.

In the end, like I said, fillers are an ideal way to provide some semblance of customization into a program.

Fillers For Squats

Much like the deadlift, there are many moving parts to a squat which the body requires access to.

Starting from the bottom-up:

  • Ankle Dorsiflexion
  • Hip Flexion, in addition to Hip Internal Rotation
  • T-Spine Extension
  • Shoulder Mobility (specifically glenohumeral external rotation with regards to back squats)
  • Core stability, lumbo-pelvic control
  • Expecto Patronum spell6

Here are a handful of fillers for your consideration:

1) Hip Flexor Mobilization with IR/ER

 

The plain ol’ vanilla Wall Hip Flexor Mobilization is still one of my all-time favorite fillers, but this variation, which I stole from my boy Dean Somerset, adds another level to it.

Squatting requires hip flexion, and deep(er) hip flexion also requires hip internal rotation. Adding this in between sets of squats will make your hips feel nice-n-juicy.

The key, though, is to actually get motion from the HIP and not just crank through your lumbar spine. I like to put my hand on my ASIS and then “drive” that towards and away from my opposite (up) knee. In short, I think about opening and closing my pelvis.

There isn’t a ton of range of motion with this drill, but serves as a nice way to “unglue” the hips.

5 reps per direction/side is money.

2) Seated 90/90 Hip Switch (Progressions)

 

What I like most about this drill is that it hits both hip INTERNAL and EXTERNAL rotation simultaneously. The objective is to keep your chest up as best you can, along with your feet staying cemented to the floor.

1st Progression = Supported (hands)

2nd Progression = Unsupported (no hands)

3rd Progression = Adding in additional  end-range Hip IR on the trail leg (be sure not to crank through your QL).

4th Progression = I don’t know, blindfolded? A new Bird Box challenge?

Shoot for 5-8 repetition per side (depending on which progression you’re doing). Hands Supported = high(er) reps. End Range Hip IR = you’ll hate life.

3) Side Lying Open Book

 

This one is pretty self-explanatory, and a great drill to help open up the chest and work on mid-back mobility.

Lie on the floor with a foam roller (or yoga block) underneath your top knee to prevent you from falling into excessive lumbar rotation. With your hips & shoulders starting stacked, “open” your top side by following your hand with your eyes.

BE SURE YOU’RE BELLY BUTTON DOESN’T GO ALONG FOR THE RIDE (it should stay put).

5 reps/side.

4) Pec Stretch with End Range Lift Off

 

This one comes courtesy of the Prehab Guys.

Unlike the Front Squat the Back Squat requires much more shoulder mobility; particularly humeral abduction and external rotation.

This is a nifty drill to help with both (along with helping to improve the ability to posteriorly tilt the scapulae).

3-4 reps/side should do the trick.

CategoriesExercises You Should Be Doing

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Anti-Flexion Squats

“It’s official,” I thought to myself.

“I’m a moron. Why have I never thought of that?”

On an almost daily basis I read or watch something one of my colleagues posts on the internet and I am not-so-subtlety reminded of how inadequate I am.

I mean, granted, I have a deadlift most guys covet, and pecs that can cut diamonds, but even still…it’s not enough.

My brain just doesn’t work in the say fashion as some of my fitness brethren.7

Today’s installment of Exercises You Should Be Doing is a gleaming example of this fact.

Copyright: gekaskr / 123RF Stock Photo

Exercises You Should Be Doing: Anti-Flexion Squat

 

Who Did I Steal It From? – Friend, colleague, and coach, Robert Linkul, owner of Be STRONGER Fitness in Sacramento, CA.

** No fluff here, Robert is an outstanding coach and someone you should be following (especially if you work with older clients).

What Does It Do? – When I first saw this exercise being performed on Robert’s Instagram feed I instantly thought of my IN-SEASON high-school basketball players. They were coming in to train at CORE the following day and I knew they were going to be a bit beat up from a hectic week of games and practices.

I wanted them to come in and get a good training session in, but I also wanted stay cognizant of the fact they would have likely given me the look of death if they walked into the studio and saw “squats” on the docket.

With this iteration I was able to still have them squat, albeit with minimal axial loading on their spine. Too, as I found out myself after performing a few sets, it torches the anterior core.

I receive a high training effect with minimal joint stress with this exercise, and like I said, for in-season athletes this is money.

In reality, though, this is a great exercise for anyone: athlete, non-athlete, in-season, off-season, centaur, whatever.

Other things to note:

– The added “pull” of the band during the eccentric phase of the exercise provides a unique training stress in that the trainee must now learn to CONTROL the lowering portion and not just let the band take over.

– Moreover, I see some value in using this variation with beginners. Getting a beginner to appreciate TENSION and body position during a squat (abs on, ribs down, hips tucked under) is paramount. Far too often they’re “loosey-goosey” and have a hard time comprehending the concept. Here, the band gives them all the feedback they need to FEEL what it is I’m after.

– Lets quit it with the formalities shall we? You know and I know that there’s one thing, and one thing only, we’re both thinking of when it comes to this exercise.

We’ve finally figured out a way to combine squats and bicep curls, baby!

via GIPHY

Key Coaching Cues: I’m using  an EZ Curl bar in the video, but if you wanted to up the bad-ass factor you could use a straight bar or, I don’t know, an ax.

I’d err on the side of conservative here.

A 1/4″ band will be more than enough resistance for most people, but I can see a case being made for 1/2″ band for stronger individuals.8

Programming wise this exercise fits well with high(er) rep schemes (8-15) so don’t be bashful.

SIDE NOTE: Grip will be the limiting factor for the bulk of trainees with this exercise, so please take that into consideration. The last thing you want is someone letting go of the barbell from the top position due to fatigue and then they break their foot.

Jerk.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 1/11/19

Copyright: wamsler / 123RF Stock Photo

BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT

1. (Even More) Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – 2019 Locations & Dates

Philadelphia, PA: April 27-28th

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: May 25-26th

Sydney, Australia: July 13-14th

Singapore, Republic of Singapore: July 20-21st

This workshop will piggyback on the material Dean Somerset and I covered in the original Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint.

With this iteration, though, we’ll be going a bit deeper into the coaching and programming side of things:

  • How to program around common injuries.
  • How to “connect” the appropriate exercises to the client/athlete.
  • How to squat and deadlift like a boss.

Find out more details HERE.

2. Coaching Competency Workshop – Raleigh, NC

JUST ANNOUNCED.

I’ll be making my first appearance – ever (<— how’s that possible?) – in the wonderful state of North Carolina this coming March to put on my popular Coaching Competency Workshop.

Full details (date, location, itinerary, how to register) can be found HERE.

EARLY BIRD rate is currently in effect ($50 off regular price) and ends soon.

SOCIAL MEDIA SHENANIGANS

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View this post on Instagram

 

FILLERS: . Low grade, low threshold, easy, activation, mobilization, stabilization, and/or stretches that target a problematic area that can be performed during rest periods of strength exercises. . 1. Great way to include more “correctives” that most people skip during their warm up anyway. In this sense the correctives are PART of the program and not the program itself. . 2. Also a fantastic way to compliment specific exercises to help “gain access” to ranges of motion needed to perform said exercise well. . Here are FOUR fillers I like to include or pair with deadlifts. . 1. Split Stance Adductor Mobilization. . 2. Monster Walks. . 3. Bench T-Spine Mobilization. . 4. Brettzel Mobilization w/ Exhale. . Instead of stalking people on Tinder between sets of deadlifts, perform one of these fillers. 5 reps should suffice.

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STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK

What 3 Hybrid Physical Therapists & Strength Coaches Want You to Know About Pain, Exercise, & Movement – Physio Network

This was a fantastic read, and what I like best is that it involves three physical therapists who actually lift weights. It’s like three unicorns talking about lifting heavy things.

Functional Power Training – Dr. John Rusin

John sent me a copy of his new training resource and it’s outstanding. But, what else can we expect from him? The foreward alone, written by Dave Tate, was enough to prompt me to want to punch through a brick wall.

If you want to train like a beast AND intelligently AND not get hurt in the process this is something you’ll want to look into. It comes with a 300+ page training manual along with 12-weeks of programming, a detailed exercise library, and training logs.

About the only thing John doesn’t provide is the post-workout shake.

FYI: I receive ZERO kickback or affiliate income for directing you to this resource. I like pointing my readers to good information and this definitely falls under that umbrella.

Reconceptualizing Youth Athleticism: Deceleration For Performance & Injury Prevention – Kevin Larrabee

Coaches are enamored with ACCELERATION.

Kevin makes a case (actually, several good ones) why placing more of a priority on DECELERATION training should be more of a thing.

CategoriesProgram Design Rehab/Prehab speed training

Using Fillers In Your Programs: Deadlifts

I had a gentleman come in for an assessment recently who, upon arriving, provided me with a laundry list of injuries and maladies that have hampered his ability to workout for quite some time.

The list he handed over would have prompted fist bumps from Tolstoy or Tolkien from its grandiosity in description and length.

Some were legitimate – an old athletic injury to his shoulder, along with some nagging low back pain.

Some were, shall we say, a bit of overkill – “my left Sternocleidomastoid gets a bit tweaky whenever I rotate my head more than 17.22 degrees. It’s even more profound when the Dew Point dips below a certain level. Or if I wear red on Thursday.”

Copyright: spotpoint74 / 123RF Stock Photo

The Power of Fillers

Okay, that last part did NOT happen. Rather, it was meant as an allegory of sorts, an attempt to showcase how some people can often fall into a trap of believing they’re broken and that the only way to “fix” themselves is to put under a microscope every tweak, niggle, and bump that rears its ugly head.

To be clear: It’s NOT my bag to discount people’s past or current injury history. I respect and take into account everything (injury history, goals, ability level, favorite Transformer9) and use that information to ascertain what will be the best, safest and  most efficient path to dieselfication possible.

That said, I often have to play “bad cop” and help people come to an understanding.

That they’re not broken, that they can train, and that they don’t have to spend 30 minutes foam rolling and activating their Superficial Dorsal Fascial Line.

The drawn-out, overly complicated warm-up is my worst nightmare as a coach.

Actually, back up.

Kipping pull-ups are my worst nightmare. With a close second being anytime someone asks me about keto. Oh, and mushrooms.10

Sometimes when I start working with a new client – especially one coming in with an extensive injury history – they’re often riddled with fear and trepidation with regards to training. They’ve been stymied by an endless array of setbacks (and overly cautious physical therapists11) and are reluctant to push past the “corrective exercise” rabbit hole.

Their warm-up often takes longer than it takes to complete the Boston Marathon, to the point where every inch of their body is meticulously foam rolled and every muscle is painstakingly activated.

Yes, it’s important to activate “stuff.”

In fact, I’m often flummoxed some people still don’t understand the importance of taking themselves through a proper warm-up.  Getting the body and nervous system primed for physical activity is kind of a big deal, and I won’t belabor the point here.

You should be doing it.

Don’t get me wrong: the warm-up is a splendid opportunity to individualize someone’s program and to have him or her dedicate some additional TLC to areas of the body that need it.

To that end, however, I do feel – at times – people baby themselves to the extent the warm-up becomes the workout.

This is where I find a lot of value in fillers and implementing them into my programs.

I love it, I love it, I LOVE it.

via GIPHY

The idea is to address common “problem areas” by tossing in some low-grade activation/mobility drills during one’s rest intervals…as part of their training program.

The key point here is LOW-GRADE.

Filler exercises can be anything from glute activation and scapular upward rotation drills to, I don’t know, a particular stretch (hip flexors?) or naming all the members of Wu-Tang Clan. The premise is that they’re low-grade, low-demand, easy, and address something that won’t sacrifice performance on subsequent sets of iron work.

Performing 400m sprints or Tabata anything does not constitute as a filler, and defeats the point. We’re trying to turn stuff on and/or address common mobility/stability issues, not challenge Jason Bourne to a street fight.

via GIPHY

All that said I wanted to share some insights on how I implement fillers into the programs I write, and in particular which ones I like to pair with certain exercises.

First up, deadlifts of course…;o)

Filler For Deadlifts

There are a lot of moving parts to the deadlift and to perform it in a safe manner requires “access” to a number of things:

  • Ample T-Spine extension
  • Ample hip flexion
  • Depending on the variation (I.e., sumo style) requisite adductor length
  • Scapular posterior tilt (hard to do if someone’s in excessive upper back kyphosis).
  • Lumbo-pelvic control/stability
  • The cheat code for unlimited lives in Contra (very important)12

If none of these things are in play or even minimally addressed many lifters are going to have a hard time staying healthy in the long run.

Alright, enough of my jibber-jabber. Lets get to the drills.

1) Split Stance Adductor Mobilization

 

Now, admittedly, if there was a Wikipedia page for “ordinary and unremarkable exercises,” this one would be right at the top. However, this has always been a staple filler exercise for me and one that I don’t forsee taking out of the rotation anytime soon.

What I like most about this exercise is that it targets the adductors in both hip flexion and extension. The key, though, is attention to detail with regards to anterior core engagement.

A common mistake I see people make is “falling” into their lower back when they walk their hands forward; it’s important to avoid this. Too, another common mistake is allowing the lower back to round as they sit back. The main objective should be to maintain as “neutral” of a spine as possible throughout the entirety of the set.

One other teeny-tiny thing to consider is scapular position. This drill can also be a nice opportunity to work on a bit of Serratus activation by actively “pushing” into the floor so that there’s a bit of protraction and the scapulae “set” or adhere to the ribcage.

Aim for 5-8 repetitions/leg during rest periods.

2) Monster Walks

 

All I can say about this exercise is that when it’s done properly it’s Glute O’clock.

In the video above I’m using Nick Tumminello’s NT Loop which I have found work really well for this drill.

FYI: I receive zero kickback from Nick – maybe a tickle fight? Fingers crossed – in recommending his band.

The idea here is to lock the ribs down and to keep the hips level so they’re not teeter-tottering back and forth during the set. Walk it back using the hips/glutes until the band is fully stretched and then control the return (again, making every effort not to let the hips teeter-totter).

I prefer to use anywhere from 5-8 repetitions here.

3) Bench T-Spine Mobilization

 

This is a money filler for those people stuck in flexion hell all day, in addition to those who have chronically tight/short lats.

Some key things to note:

  • Holding onto a stick (or anything similar) helps prevent the glenohumeral joint from going into internal rotation.
  • As you sit back towards your ankles, try to maintain a neutral back position throughout (keep those abs on, actively “pull” yourself back).
  • Perform a pseudo bicep curl at the bottom to help nudge you into a bit more thoracic extension.
  • Be careful not to induce excessive thoracic extension here. It’s easy to think the more ROM here the better, but that’s not necessarily the case.

4) Brettzel Mobilization w/ Exhale

 

Stolen straight from Gray Cook and Brett Jones this is easily one of my favorite fillers OVERALL, and not just for deadlifts. We’re locking down the lumbar spine by holding the bottom knee down (you can also place a foam roller here if you’re unable to get this low) in addition to adding a nice hip flexor stretch on the opposite side.

The goal, then, is to take in an inhale through nose and EXHALE (out the mouth) as you rotate and drive your top shoulder towards the floor.

Indeed, this is a fantastic drill to work on more thoracic extension, but again, be judicious with ROM here. More is not better. All I’ll say here is stay cognizant of your belly button (innie or outtie?) and where it’s pointing. As you extend back it should not point towards the ceiling. Instead, it should stay relatively motionless and pointing towards the wall your chest is facing.

As you exhale with each subsequent rep, you should notice you’re getting closer and closer to the floor.

3-5 repetitions per side should suffice.

And That’s That

There are a plethora of options here, but all I wanted to do was highlight a handful of my favorites. Choose ONE drill to perform during your rest periods. Also, depending on the total number of sets you have on the menu you could also alternate between 2-3 drills.

There’s no golden rule.

Hope this helped and gave you a few ideas to work with.

Categoriespersonal training Program Design Strength Training

Glute Training For Athletes

If you’re a personal trainer or strength coach you likely work with clients and athletes who 1) have glutes13 and 2) are looking to up their glute game.

Today’s guest post by strength coach, Menachem Brodie, goes a bit further down the rabbit hole than just giving you a bunch of glute-centric exercises to consider. There are a plethora of factors to consider when trying to ascertain what exercise will be the best fit for any one individual’s derriere.

What’s more, simpler is often better…;o)

Copyright: dolgachov / 123RF Stock Photo

Glute Training For Athletes

What is it about glutes that has made them the “back to the future” of strength and performance training?

Was it Bret Contreras creating the Barbell Hip Thrust and spreading the Gospel of Glutes?


Was it the invention of Yoga Pants?

Or maybe it was Mike Jureller going on his “International Tour of CrossFit gyms” that made them popular… The world may never know.

What is undisputed, is that glutes (and mid & lower traps) are signs that someone is an athlete, or at least training like an athlete.

Today we’ll grab our Glute Dolorean’s and head back to the past, to help us understand why glutes are so important, why squats are not enough, and what you need to consider when programming glutes for your athletes and clients.

The glutes, all three of them: Glute medius, Glute minimus, and Glute maximus, need to be developed in proper proportion to allow the hip joint to sit more properly. As the glutes lose strength they tend, like every muscle, to lose their optimal resting length.

This in turn affects performance, and in the case of the hip joint, can lead to the head of the femur sitting at a poor angle in the acetabulum, which as I found out, over time can lend to bone growth in paces we don’t want it, leading to impingement, or other mechanical issues.

One such issue that can arise, is what has been called “gluteal amnesia,” which simply put is the glutes losing the ability to execute hip extension, leaving the hamstrings to do all the work and can cause the head of the femur to clunk around in the acetabulum like a drunkard in a demolition derby.

Putting Down a Great Base

In order for us to have the best chance of fully expressing our athleticism, we have to have a solid base.

via GIPHY

Now while (especially) the average client, cyclists, and triathletes tend to think of “core” as being the base, this is not the full truth.

The base involves the Axial Skeleton (Spine & rib cage) + the Pelvis. This is of critical importance, as failure to stabilize these two together can sap power and strength. There are of course sports that are exceptions to this, such as rowing, but it’s this author’s opinion that this is why we tend to see disc injuries in that population.

Butt, developing your glutes REQUIRES that you have a stable and strong midsection: the rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, the pelvic floor, and quadratus lumborum all work together to stabilize the pelvis from the top & middle. I won’t go into these items in this post, but you can read more and learn a few exercises to help address your midsection in this great post from Sarah Duvall, DPT.

You should also read Tony’s piece “Stack the rings for better Squat Performance” , and check out his friends’ Dr. Sarah Duvall, Kellie Hart, and Meghan Callaway’s stellar product Glutes, Core, and Pelvic Floor Online System.

Note From TG: It’s stellar!

It’s often necessary to break down movement(s) into their respective parts to make certain we’re getting motion from the right areas and that we’re using/engaging the areas we want to use/engage to perform exercises well, which is what we’ll dial in on next.

Cycling and Sitting: The Bane of Gluteal Existence

When glutes are strong and full and the diaphragm, ribs, and pelvic floor all move properly for breathing, EVERYTHING works better: Squats are more full range, your back feels like a titanium beam, and jumping and sprinting tend to be out of this world (for a 6th grader).

Butt (<– haha, I see what you’re doing there Menachem) when one starts spending more time in a seated position where the glutes are partially stretched, but not used, and the diaphragm is out of alignment with the pelvic floor, these muscles tend to lose some of their abilities, as they are essentially being told to shut off in those static positions: We don’t need them to work because we are slouching and hanging off the ligaments/connective tissues instead.

Cyclists and triathletes also suffer this problem due to the inherent position of their sport.

You lose power potential in a muscle that cannot stretch, or is in a stretched position for so long. This is an issue many cyclists, triathletes AND our clients/ athletes face, due to the long periods of time that we spend sitting with our glutes in an elongated position, and “the rings” (pelvic floor + diaphragm) out of alignment.

Glutes Are a Keystone to Performance Oft Neglected

While the running joke is that “I got glutes cuz I squat a lot,” Squats actually are NOT enough to fully and properly develop the glutes. There is far more that goes into developing glutes than being able to perform the 30+ something squat variations.

I know what you’re thinking:

But this is important, as it relates to an oft-missed portion to training the glutes: PELVIC CONTROL.

Pelvic stabilization and control is extremely important if we are to get true hip extension, and not extension from places not intended to work “like that”, such as the lumbar spine.

If I had a dollar for every time I saw a trainer or coach working on “Hip extension” with a client/ athlete who was getting movement from the lumbar spine, I’d be a very rich person.

In order for us to build up the glutes properly, we have to begin by thinking about giving stabilization to the pelvis through teaching the hamstrings, internal obliques, the deep hip rotators (pelvic floor), rectus & transverse abdominus, and Quadratus lumborum to all fire in good sequence and with great strength.

This is a challenge for many, as we tend to perform our front planks by hanging off the hip flexors, we work our hamstrings by laying down on the machine, and often don’t include many anti-rotation exercises (although, you ARE reading Tony’s blog, so you’re officially “one of the smart ones” who does in fact train rotary stability).

Getting to Work

Glute work isn’t simply throwing a few exercises into your dynamic warmup and main routine, there is much more that needs to be done to maximize your athletes results.

We MUST think about the different positions the athlete will be required to perform in their sport:

  • Do they include deceleration and change of direction?
  • Is it a fixed motion similar to cycling or rowing, or is their sport more dynamic, such as basketball and rugby?
  • Is the athlete in anterior pelvic tilt for their sport, such as hockey, bowling, or cycling?

Each of these questions must be answered, as they help us understand the joint positioning of the hip….and as we all know:

JOINT POSITION DICTATES MUSCLE FUNCTION

If we’re actually to train the athlete and their glutes to perform in their sport, we MUST know how the muscles will be asked to work in the “real world”-  that of dynamic movement and uncertainty required by their sport.

This is one of the things many of us forget as we write programming: What positions are the joints going to be in, and due to these changes in joint position, how will the muscles ACTUALLY be responding/used for movement?

  • Stabilizer?
  • Prime mover?
  • Prime mover through full range of motion?

Next we need to answer:

What kind of lever arm should you use for the athlete when training the glutes?

Weighted at the lower leg? (Reverse Hypers)
Weighted at the shoulders? (Barbell good mornings)
Weighted at the hip? (Barbell Hip Thrust)

 

Weighted long fulcrum? (Deadlifts)

Weighted medium fulcrum? (Sumo Deadlifts)

Resistance bands at the knees?
Resistance bands at the shins?
Resistance bands at the feet?

Resistance band at the crotch? (Band Pull throughs)

 

Bodyweight weight-bearing? (Hip lifts)
Bodyweight non-weight-bearing? (Side lying straight leg lifts)

The answer to this can and should vary throughout the training year, but there should always be one or two lever arms which are staples to that athletes program, to help combat the movement deficiencies that their specific sport, AND POSITION in that sport, entail.

After all, you wouldn’t train a pitcher as you would train a shortstop.

Programming Glutes for Your Clients & Athletes

Every single warmup we do here at Human Vortex Training starts with some form of the hip series, depending on the athletes ability to recruit the glutes & stabilize their midsection. This doesn’t mean that these exercises are the only warmup, that would be poor planning. Rather, we should be looking to include at least 1-2 of these moves in our dynamic warm up to help the athlete/client connect with, and utilize their glutes.

Here are the foundational warm-up exercises which I’ve used a mix of over the years:

1) Side Lying Straight Leg Lift

1 @ 8-15 each

 

2) Hip Lifts

1 @ 15-30

 

3) Clamshell Variation

Side Lying Clamshells (beginners)

1 @ 8-15 each

 

Side Lying Half Clamshells (intermediate/advanced)

1 @ 8-15 each

 

4) Side Lying Straight Leg Adduction

1 @ 8-15 ea

5) Birddog Variation or Regression

1 @ 5-8 each

PLEASE Don’t butcher the Birddog exercise! Our affable, giant-triceped host, Tony Gentilcore, has a great video about this and how to better teach it here:

 

6) Single Leg Hips Lift

1 @ 8-15 each

 

7) Banded Lateral Walks

 

8) Banded Monster Walks Forward/ Backward

 

Along with 2-4 of the above exercises, we would get 1-2 breathing exercises, and 2-4 other dynamic warm-up exercises to prepare for that specific days session.

Burnout Session at the End of Your Lift for Glutes? No Problem!

At the end of a session is a great place to add in some more sport-related fatigued state specific glute training. These are usually done bodyweight only, as we’re looking to help improve the athletes resilience and strength-endurance in sport-specific positions, although it’s best to find what works for YOUR athlete….Some respond better, or actually need weighted or resisted variations.

Use your best judgement to find what’s best for your athlete at that time.

1) Back on Bench Single Leg Hip lifts (Rotary Stability)  (Sprinters, Track and Field, Triathletes)

 

2) 45 Degree, Duck footed Glute Back Extensions  (Cyclists, Triathletes, Hockey)

 

3) Frog Hip Lifts (Weighted or Unweighted)  (BJJ, Hockey)

 

But It’s Not All Strengthening

As we all know, simply making a muscle stronger and better able to work in chorus with other muscles, doesn’t make it a rock star. We still need to ensure it’s able to work through it’s full intended range of motion, as well as to rest at its ideal resting length.

For this, we can do a few different exercises:

1) Brettzel

 

2) Half-Pigeon Stretch

3) Dynamic LAX Ball Glute Release with Mid-Trap Activation

 

I like all of these as they also help the athlete learn where the rest of his or her body is & what it’s doing as they get into the proper positions… a big win for Proprioception!

Give these a shot, and let the glute gains begin!

About the Author

Menachem Brodie, NSCA-CSCS, PCES, is a leading Strength Coach for Cyclists & Triathletes. In the health, fitness, & wellness fields for nearly 20 years, he has worked with professional & amature atheltes from around the world. He has authored 2 courses: Strength Training for Cycling Success and Strength Training for Triathlon Success, and has presented internationally on Strength Training for Endurance Athletes, including at the 2018 USA Cycling Coaching Summit.

www.HumanVortexTraining.com