I mean, I had to cancel my teeth cleaning appointment today.
That’s exciting.
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What Doesn’t Get Results: Following an 8 to 12 to whatever week program and then when finished being like “huh, guess I’m done” and then wondering, weeks later, why you’re not getting results or they never seem to stick.
This may seem surprising, but I hate reading research. It’s important of course, and I try my best to stay on top of current trends and to balance the teeter-totter between being evidence-based and respecting the power of anecdotal experience.
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Dieting or “locking in” sound nutritional habits always tends to be the elephant in the room for most people. For some it’s eating when bored, for others it’s a sweet tooth.
And for others it’s simply all just too confusing.
The week between Christmas and New Year’s I like to highlight a select number of articles featured on my site during the past 365 days.
First up were the the articles that resonated with you, the reader, as defined by analytics and what piqued your interest…HERE.
Next up were the articles that resonated with me and filled my writer’s love tank…HERE.
Today I’d like to direct your attention to the best GUEST POSTS of 2019.
Copyright: serpiandco / 123RF Stock Photo
Best Articles of 2019: Guest Posts
The State of Corrective Fitness 2019 – Kevin Mullins
This was FOUR part series DC based personal trainer, Kevin Mullins, wrote for the site that, if I were to be honest, is very much a Ken Burns’esque masterpiece.
As we grow older our fitness tends to get more and more robotic in nature. We sit in machines, performing endless, mindless repetitions, all while perusing our smart phones.
Shane showcases some ways to be less of a health/fitness zombie.
It’s been a bit, but Part III of Kevin Mullins’ “Corrective Exercise” series is finally here.
I’d sorta mirrors the anticipation everyone had for the Game of Thrones season premiere this past week, except not even close.
Sorry Kev: dragons will always reign supreme over ankle dorsiflexion…;o)
NOTE: Stressing the word “finally” above had nothing to do with Kevin actually writing the article (which he submitted weeks ago), but everything to do with ME and my nincompoopness in actually publishing it.
You are a fitness professional who wants to train people – AKA provide them with enough of a fitness stimulus to generate the results they’ve paid you for. You also want to help them overcome pain and dysfunction in their body.
Thankfully, this series of blogs have got you covered and smothered like Waffle House hash browns.
Which brings us to the final piece of the puzzle – corrective exercises for the knee and ankle.
Many people who would consider personal training deal with some level of knee or ankle problems. In fact, it could be argued that everyone walking around this beautiful Earth has dealt with knee or ankle pain/dysfunction at some point in their lives.
(Tony raises hand. I spent the better part of two years in the early 2000’s working around a cranky left knee.)
A proper discussion of these two joints, one mobile and one stable, would not be complete without a discussion about the role of the hips and feet in the function and performance of the knee and ankle. Our feet are our first and only contact with the ground during much of our lives. Any disruption of their optimal function is going to send dysfunction up the kinetic chain into the ankles and knees.
Just the same, the hip, and its multitude of muscle attachments, functions, and movement possibilities can have a dramatic impact on knee function. Tight hip flexors or imbalanced anterior/posterior chain development can change how the patella tracks over the feet – a recipe for pain or less than desirable movement outcomes. As a proud fitness professional, you should be capable of assessing, correcting, and training clients past many of the common problems that might land on your doorstep.
In this post we’ll explore the anatomy and physiology at play when knees and ankles are the weakness in someone’s kinesiology. We’ll discuss the interplay between the hip-knee-ankle-foot. Then, like the other articles, we’ll discuss five specific issues that most trainers encounter and show off a few new exercises that you can use today.
And then we’ll tie a fancy bow on this corrective series, gather all our jackets and move towards the exits. I hope you’ve found a friend
Basic Knee and Ankle Anatomy – Skeletal
(nerds only)
When looking at the knee joint, we are only considering four specific skeletal structures:
The Femur – the longest bone in the human body is also our primary weight bearing skeletal structure. The femur’s entire function occurs at the hip. It can move through flexion and extension, abduction and adduction, external rotation and internal rotation, and circumduction.
The Tibia and Fibula – load bearing bones of the lower leg. Their design allows for weight transfer in gait and for optimal loading of the lower body during any exercise that creates knee flexion or extension.
The Patella – a bone unlike most others in the body, the patella is interwoven with the tendons that cross the knee joint and serves as a cover for those tendons. The structure of the patella also improves the mechanical efficiency of these tendons.
The ankle joint is a bit more complex though. We must consider the bones of the foot to some degree.
The Tibia – The load bearing bone from earlier is also a major contributor to ankle function. The medial malleolus, a bony growth on the inside of your ankle is located on the tibia. At the ankle, the medial malleolus plays a role in ankle eversion and inversion.
The Fibula – Like the tibia, the fibula is a load bearing bone that also functions during ankle eversion and inversion. It’s bony process, the lateral malleolus, is located on the outside of the ankle.
The Talus – a unique bone in a variety of ways, the talus serves as the base for the tibia and fibula to plant upon. Both dorsiflexion and plantar flexion involve the talus changing position in relation to the rest of the foot. The talus also plays a role in eversion and inversion.
The Calcaneus – connected to the talus via the subtalar joint – the calcaneus functions as a base of support for the structures above it. It hosts insertion points for a variety of muscles and tendons – most notably the Achilles tendon. It is the largest bone of the foot.
(Foot) Metatarsal – critical bone structures that connect the toes (phalanges) to the larger structures of the foot. The metatarsals are critical for weight transfer and distribution and while they don’t move like other bones in the body – their ability to adjust to pressure is critical for elite performance.
(Foot) Phalanges – the toes are the final element of this puzzle. Understanding that the toes can and should flex and extend as a result of ground force reaction or conscious neural action is critical to optimizing the foot’s function. While there may never be a “toe day” – we need to train the function of the phalanges to ensure their relationship with the other foot bones, the ankle joint, and even the knee and hip, are optimal.
Basic Anatomy of the Knee and Ankle – Muscular
It is important to discern the muscles that act on the knee and the ones that act on the hip.
Sure, both are in the thigh and run the length of the femur. However, since the knee joint is designed for flexion and extension – we are only considering the muscles that do just that. With that said, realize that the muscles that do function at the hip must do so properly. Otherwise, the knee joint will act to compensate for dysfunction at the hip and that will cause a host of problems too.
The following addresses strict flexion and extension of the knee joint.
The primary flexors of the knee are:
The muscles of the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus)
The gastrocnemius, popliteus, gracilis, and sartorius are synergistic muscles
The primary extensors of the knee are:
The muscles of the quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis)
Now, when looking at the ankle we find simplicity and complexity at the same time. On one hand, there are a bunch of muscles that control the toes and ankle joint that aren’t needed in the typical fitness professional’s vocabulary. Simply put, most trainers don’t need to know the minor details of how the fibularis brevis functions, or where the insertion point of the flexor hallucis longus is.
But they need to know they exist.
(Although, more knowledge is never bad and anyone with an interest in self-myofascial release therapy should understand the interplay between these lesser known tissues).
We do need to know that ankle and foot function relies on many more players than just the prime movers. We do need to understand that dysfunction at the ankle could be a myriad of things and not just a blanket statement about someone’s gastrocnemius.
So, we will address the for major movements of the ankle and point out the muscles for each.
** Take note of just how many more plantar flexors there are compared to dorsi flexors. This could explain why we are so strong with our “calf-raise” exercises and why we typically can access a greater range of plantar flexion under control than we could with dorsi flexion. **
Primary Movers of Eversion
Fibularis and extensor digitorum longus
Primary Movers of Inversion
Tibialis anterior and posterior
When looking at this from a slightly higher viewpoint – we see that we have significantly more muscularity driving both flexions of our ankle joint. The lack of muscularity controlling eversion and inversion explains why we don’t load up on an exercise that challenges that motion. Moreover, it probably explains why “rolling” an ankle can be so devastating – we have so little musculature to control that motion.
Going a little broader, we see that muscles of the lower leg have multiple functions. The tibialis anterior dorsi flexes and inverts the foot while the tibialis posterior contributes to plantar flexion and inversion. The extensor digitorum longus everts the foot while contributing to dorsi flexion. These functions are not accidental – they are essential evolutions and developments of our anatomy to meet the demands of our life.
If we are to succeed in our experience as human beings, then we must be able to communicate with the ground effectively. Thus, the muscles that control our foot, ankle, and knee become our first point of contact with outside world.
Understanding their function, their interplay, and their contribution to elite performance is critical to maximizing the impact you’ll have on your clients and your purpose as a coach.
Basic Movement Physiology
The function of the knee and ankle are highly dependent upon the task we are trying to perform and whether the hips are involved.
For example, the knee will flex and extend during traditional deadlift, but not at the same degree that they would during a front squat. The same logic also applies to the amount of dorsiflexion needed from the ankles to meet that demand.
A different example points to our running stride.
The gait pattern that most elite distance runners take involve very minimal action at the ankles and toes. This sort of “hammer-foot” stride is highly efficient and puts the emphasis on the hips and knees to generate all forward locomotion. Sprinters, however, require maximum action from all the joints of the foot and ankle in order to increase velocity and compete successfully.
Thus, understanding physiology of these structures requires an understanding that optimal function is dependent upon the demands of the task.
Still though, a few notable things exist:
1. When the ankle is in full eversion or inversion – there can be an issue with one’s ability to flex and extend the knee. This is because of the change in position of the inferior aspects of the tibia and fibula creating an up-chain manipulation in their superior aspects (which form the knee joint). It is minor in most but could explain why individuals who live in eversion or inversion find discomfort in their knees.
2. Triple-Flexion (hip, knee, and dorsi-flexion) is the most loaded position of the body because of the major muscles that have created force (tension). In most populations, the greatest power will come from individuals in this position. The stacking of joints lowers the center-of-mass and improves the ability to generate tension.
3. Triple-Extension (hip, knee, and plantar-flexion) is the “tallest” the structures of the lower body will get. The process of going from triple-flexion to triple-extension typically generates the greatest joint velocities.
4. The running stride requires a rhythm between hip-knee-ankle-toe action. Upon foot strike, the toes should flex, which drive the ankle joint into plantar-flexion, assist in driving knee extension, and hip extension. The cycling leg does the exact opposite as it returns to the pre-strike position.
The Major Issues
The knee and ankle joints can be seriously injured during sports and accidents in life. None of the issues discussed below involve torn ligaments, broken bones, or even severe tendonitis. The conditions listed are ones that routinely plague clients who are either inactive or too active with poor function.
In fact, many of the issues of the knee come from overuse of the joint without proper interaction with the hip and ankle. Runners and lifters alike may experience knee pain when their form is off. Likewise, many untrained or detrained individuals deal with knee and ankle dysfunction as a result of their sedentary lifestyles.
And don’t forget about footwear.
There is a cost and benefit to each type of footwear that you and your clients are wearing.
Dress Shoes and Boots – great for making a suit look dapper, or kicking tail on a job site, but atrocious for allowing mobility in the foot. Basically, you feel like you are walking inside of bricks.
High heels – an entire day spent into plantar flexion is not good for anyone. Spending additional time walking in them can hurt the wearer’s ability to distribute their weight once they are out of the heels. Great calves though.
Flip Flops – If you are wearing these, then you are probably at the beach. Sweet. However, that sliding and gliding motion that you are using to keep them on is wreaking havoc on your ankle function while also driving too much knee extension.
O-Lifting Shoes – Having your heels elevated when driving your heavy squats or cleans is awesome – can you say performance? However, if you spend most of your day in these shoes than you can bet your bottom that you’ll begin to lose optimal ankle function since you aren’t feeling the ground.
With all of that said, let’s focus on the five most common things you’ll see in your clients and discuss exactly what is going on.
Lack of Dorsi-Flexion
A lot of people struggle to dorsi flex their ankle in response to loading. In fact, a lot of great coaches, including Tony, have pointed out the importance of adequate dorsi flexion for someone to succeed in a squat pattern.
High quality athletes and desk jockeys can both suffer from this issue. It isn’t simply limited to an inactive or undertrained population. It must be dealt with though if someone is going to optimize the function of their hip-knee-ankle and drive greater results in their programs.
Strengthening the muscles that drive dorsi-flexion while also “stretching” the ankle into these positions with bands or straps is usually the best intervention. We aim to increase mobility, improve strength and stability, and begin providing context and practice with traditional strength training movements such as the squat or lunge.
Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome)
A sort of unofficial name, runner’s knee refers to the over-development of the quadriceps (knee extensors) while also keeping the hamstrings (knee flexors) and glutes underdeveloped. In addition, tightness and exhaustion of the plantar flexors can lead to instability and pain at the knee joint.
In fact, there is some evidence out there that shows that some runners experience a mild shift of their patella in space. Only a few millimeters – this shift can cause significant pain and contribute to the official name of the condition (patellofemoral pain syndrome).
The training for individuals presenting this issue is quite simple:
Release and relax the muscles that plantar flex the ankle and extend the knee.
Strengthen and tighten the muscles that dorsi flex the ankle and flex the knee.
Train the glutes to improve hip drive in the running stride
Traditional strength training and myofascial release typically take care of the problem, although a cessation of running in the short term is almost always a good idea.
Knee Valgus
One of the most misunderstood dysfunctions of “the knee” is a hip issue. Many trainers can coach “knees out” until they’re blue in the face and still get no change in the performance of their client.
First, knee valgus refers to the inability of the hip abductors and external rotators to fire appropriately, thus causing a collapse once tension reaches a certain threshold (such as the bottom of a squat).
Image Credit: prehabguys.com
Now, sometimes this only requires good coaching as the client or athlete simply doesn’t know they are doing it or that isn’t ideal that they are doing it.
We must be wise though. Coaching knees out could be driving excess ankle inversion, which changes the relationship of the tibia/fibula with the knee and could lead to torque being experienced in the knee joint as the body seeks to overcorrect the inversion. This isn’t a common worry – but it is possible.
The training cure though will involve strengthening the abductors and adductors of the hip to improve knee tracking in a variety of exercises. It is important to keep in mind that overtraining the abductors can lead to other problems that only arise when the adductors are forgotten about.
There could also be something going on at the ankle too…
Inappropriate Eversion and Inversion
This one sounds a little silly, doesn’t it?
Inappropriate sounds like someone left their pants at home.
But it points out a deficiency that a lot of people have. Whether it be from a lack of coaching and training, or the development of patterns by accident through sport and training – many people lack the right ankle position to complete the task they are attempting.
Think of that client that can’t stop squatting without eversion. Every repetition pushes them into their toes and insole (often leading to valgus). It could be coaching (or a lack thereof), it could be muscle weakness, or it could be a neural disconnect between their brain and their ankles (they don’t know they are doing it).
Just the same, there are people who can’t seem to run on their big toe. They’ll stride flat footed, especially on the outside of their heels, and wonder why they aren’t getting any better at running. These people have not unlocked enough plantar flexion or awareness of their inversion.
It is exceptionally common to see in long distance runners.
Having the wrong ankle position is coachable and trainable. You must relax what is overused and overworked and strengthen what is left behind. There will be specific protocol for whatever you are seeing. Simply look back at the muscular anatomy and select exercises and interventions that are appropriate.
Disconnect of Hips from Knee/Ankle Function
The final issue that people have with their knees and ankles is that they have no idea they have a pelvis. It is as if they believe their lumbar spine connects to the back of their legs…
No really, you probably have a client or twelve who seem to have no idea how to flex and extend the hips. As a result, everything hurts their knees and ankles. Squatting hurts, running leaves them achy, and they absolutely despise lunges.
They aren’t broken thankfully.
They just need to discover their glutes.
They need to learn how to flex and extend the hip with a lot of exercises that leave the knees out of it. So, deadlifts, hip thrust, banded abductions, Copenhagen side planks, and some anterior core work will do wonders to wake up their hips, stabilize their core, and allow them to excel and knee-dominant and gait patterns. Want to learn more about this? Check out my last installment on the hips.
The Exercises
1. Bulgarian Split Squat to Ankle Glide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WO3-DQenTI
Your goal with this bodyweight exercise is to create a crossover effect between knee flexion and dorsi flexion. By working with the single leg variation – you’ll enhance your clients focus on one specific ankle while simultaneously exposing them to pause reps for the single leg squat variation. You can train them and correct them at the same time.
2. Banded Dorsi to Heel Raise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrMjjZKkQ8Y
Great for runners and athletes, but effective for everyone, this ankle exercise only requires a band and a seat.
The goal here is to maximize both dorsi flexion and plantar flexion in the same movement cycle. This sort of training allows for you keep the muscles that control both actions in relative balance. This is not unlike being on a calf raise machine and allowing your heels to dip below the step.
3. Barbell Hip Thrust w/ Banded Abduction
One day I want to call Bret Contreras and thank him for his research on the glutes. (Although this video is of Ben Bruno – a stud coach in LA who does NOT like burpees). Discovering that the hip thrust provides more activity of the glute muscles than other exercises is critical for the development of aesthetic and athletic glutes.
Adding in the abduction component at the top is a sure-fire way to ensure your “knees-out” coaching cue for valgus hits home. The band ensures they move from the hip joint instead of just torqueing at the knees. Add in the isometric hold of the glutes and you’ll be sure to work the hip component of knee stability.
4. Duck Walks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beIn56rJGmU
This is an absolute torture device. Duck Walks, loaded or unloaded, drive the body into that triple-flexion position we discussed earlier in the blog. This coiled position strengthens the posterior chain and improves dorsi-flexion by keeping our feet in a set position.
A highly integrated exercise – the duck walk can be used for neural prep or as a burn out after your primary work is done. Sure, its goofy and it doesn’t “seem” like it is going to do your body any favors, but try it and feel how your systems work together to hold isometric tension.
5. Reverse Nordic Curl to Nordic Curl Superset
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-WpX-dnBuY
We want the quadriceps and hamstrings to be in relative balance for optimal knee function. Depending on our choice of sports or training – one may overpower the other a little. That discrepancy though shouldn’t be a chasm.
Hitting both versions of the Nordic curl in a single superset provides an opportunity to train the muscles in a unique way using only bodyweight.
BONUS: Sprinting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YqQum4emVw
The act of sprinting is one of the most athletic things the human body can do. The whole body must get in on the act if we are to excel.
Specifically, for the knee and ankle, sprinting helps drive a low-level of eversion while demanding quality cycles through plantar flexion and (mild) dorsi flexion and knee flexion and extension. Add in the function at the hip and we’ve found the perfect lower body exercise for improving someone’s function and interplay between these regions.
Obviously, not every client could sprint or should sprint. Be wise with your prescriptions and coach who you are with, not who you wish they were.
Finding the Exit
So, once again we conclude that we can intervene in our client’s discomfort and dysfunction with exercises that not only correct issues, balance muscles, and improve coordination, but also drive a fitness stimulus.
The knee and ankle are interesting joints in a sense that they have less muscle mass around them than the hips and shoulders. But that doesn’t make them any less important. In fact, their proximity to the ground – a constant in our lives – makes them more important than most trainers think. Everything that is dysfunctional at the foot, ankle, and knee will run up the chain into the hips and spine and even the shoulders.
Help your clients discover their foot stability, ankle mobility, and knee stability and you’ll help them discover a better body – both in performance and in aesthetics.
Thank You
Thank you for your time.
Thank you to Tony for allowing me to share my ideas on his website – a treasured space on the internet.
Whether you visit him for his pop culture references, his biceps veins, or his absurd level of knowledge about the body – you’ve made a great choice.
I truly hope you have learned something from this series and enjoy my writing style. I poured a lot into this, and into my book, Day by Day. I hope I can download everything I have learned (good and bad) from me to you every chance I get.
Like I say to my clients, “let’s get just a little bit better every day.”
Check Out Kevin’s Shit
You can read more of Kevin’s stuff at his website HERE.
In the last article – HERE – we looked at how we would address the issues that occur at the shoulders and thoracic spine. We discovered that optimal shoulder function comes from a healthy scapulohumeral rhythm, a mobile thoracic spine and humerus, and strong scapula and core muscles. In the end we identified common problems and proposed unique exercise solutions that can not only correct issues when they arise, but also strengthen the capacity of the joint altogether.
That followed my opening article in which I discussed my stance on the current state of our industry and how we’ve gone overkill in regard to corrective exercises. You can read that HERE.
Which brings us here to the next installment of the series – a similar dive into the lower back and hip joint, an anatomically different, but physiologically similar region of the body.
You’ll discover how lower back pain isn’t simply the lower back, how hip dysfunction or immobility requires more than flexibility and blood flow, and that integrated three-dimensional movements are the key to unlocking the hips and core.
As Shakira sings, “hips don’t lie”.
We are going to dive into the anatomy of the region, the physiology of the segments, and biomechanical implications that must be considered by any professional worth their salt.
We are going to unlock our, and our client’s, potential by adding another five great exercises to the equation too. But first, I want to take a moment to clear the air and amend a point I made in my previous post.
An Amendment on the FMS
In my last article I made a bit of a blunder when I described an issue that I have with the Functional Movement Screen. In my efforts to write a short, and interesting, piece of literature that covers a complex topic I did not effectively communicate my viewpoint on the matter. My claim that “the FMS puts the fear of God into trainers” isn’t quite accurate.
Brett Jones of FMS and I had a call on the matter and enjoyed an outstanding conversation on the FMS, how trainers are using it, and my specific area of concern.
Brett Jones (Note From TG: NEVER make Brett angry. Ever. Just kidding. Brett’s as professional as they come and one of THE best presenters I have ever had the pleasure of learning from. But seriously, don’t feed him past midnight.
He drew to my attention that the FMS, when taught properly and used properly, especially after the level 2 certification, provides trainers a lot of tools to correct and address issues that are present in the screens.
And he is spot on.
In my experience with the Functional Movement Screen, and the literature it publishes, I’ve found tremendous success in identifying, addressing, and correcting flawed patterns. The tools are present for a trainer to succeed.
So, to that end – the FMS itself is not an issue, and in fact, the certifications and resources that Gray (Cook) and Lee (Burton) provide are high on my list of recommended education for trainers. Simply put, much of the responsibility lays on the trainer performing the assessment to ensure they understand what they are screen, why they are doing it, and what it all means regarding the client’s exercise program.
And so, my point is really this:
“The FMS can put the fear of God in trainers who haven’t invested enough time to understand its purpose and nuance. This can be avoided by investing in your education and diving head first into new information.”
Basic Hip and Lower Back Anatomy – Skeletal
When looking at the skeletal anatomy of the spine and hip we find that it is quite simple. There are four major considerations:
The thoracic spine – capable of flexion, extension, and rotation. In an ideal world the thoracic spine handles the bulk or rotation and extension of the spine.
The lumbar spine – capable of flexion, extension, and rotation. In an ideal world the lumbar spine serves more as a stable base for movement that allows the pelvis to move underneath, and the thoracic spine to move above.
The pelvis – capable of anterior tilting (pouring water out of our belly button), posterior tilting (pouring water out of our back) and lateral tilts to either side (pouring water out of our sides).
The femurs – capable of internal and external rotation, flexion and extension, as well as abduction and adduction. Each of these movements are necessary to generate the variety of locomotion patterns we execute daily and for the specific movements we perform in training.
The ankle and foot are also capable of impacting health of the hips too, especially in the running community. Issues in these lower joints can cause negative effects to move upwards in the kinetic chain and begin causing negative adaptations in the hip joint or lumbar spine. We will address these correctives in the final part of this series, Hip-Knee-Ankle-Foot, so stay tuned.
For now, simply acknowledging their role in the process is enough.
Under the same principles, the shoulders can also impact the function of the hips. A dysfunction in the shoulders, such as upper cross syndrome, impacts the T-spine, which disrupts the lumbar spine and pelvis. Improving the health of the shoulder joint can help alleviate the poor postures that stress the lumbar spine and allow for a better functioning pelvis that experiences the ranges of tilt patterns because the lack of tightness in the lower spine. The scapula specifically should be considered (and will be in our correctives).
Basic Anatomy of Spine and Hips – Muscular
There are muscles that could be mentioned in this section that run very deep in the body and have very specific function.
The multifidus for example is a muscle that runs along the spine and has an important function; yet, our training practices aren’t exactly targeting it.
It is always good to know these types of muscles, such as the quadratus lumborum, obterus group, gemelli[footnote]Hey, Tony here. Are you like me and every time you see the word “gemelli,” which, as Kevin astutely stated, is part of the (deeper) hip anatomy, you can’t help but think of Gimli, dwarf warrior and son of Gloin? Isn’t it uncanny how similar those two words sound? Yet one refers to a muscle and one refers to a fictional character in Middle Earth. Hahahaha. So funny. Wait, what? No, that actually has never crossed your mind? Oh, uh, well, me neither. I was just joshing you. I mean, what kind of grown adult thinks of that? Not me. Nope. *puts head down and walks away with Legolas action figure*[/footnote] , and the aforementioned multifidus. Still though, this article is meant for our day-to-day efforts and most trainers simply don’t need to consider these things
There are some major players that you need to know though:
The abdominal wall, specifically the transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus, internal and external obliques, and psoas muscles. These muscles flex, extend, and rotate the spine and some act on the hip as flexors.
The gluteus maximum, minimus, and medius. These muscles act on the hip as external rotators and hip extensors.
The four muscles of the quadriceps, three muscles of the hamstrings, the tensor fascia latae as well as your abductors and adductors all act on the hip and knee joint. These muscles drive motion of the femur in the hip socket in a variety of ways that are unique to each pattern. In the next section we’ll isolate the specific motions and what muscles are involved for bookkeeping purposes.
The erector spinae, the quadratus lumborum, lattisimus dorsi, and lower trapezius muscles function on the thoracic and lumbar spine from the posterior of the body. These muscles are critical for putting the T-spine in the right place and stabilizing the L-spine during movement.
Basic Movement Physiology
Knowing what is in play is only half of the battle.
Note From TG:Goddamit Kevin. Rule #239 of being a nerd is that whenever the phrase “only half the battle” is used it must always be followed with GOOOO, Joe
In fact, knowing the structures and muscles involved is irrelevant if we don’t understand how they create movement in the body. To avoid blowing this article out into a thirty-thousand-word book on physiology we are going to have a down and dirty list of functions and the muscles that do the work.
I implore you to read and learn more about the muscular physiology that drives these movements from other resources. Play with things at the gym and try to “feel” what you can. I felt obligated to include this information in an honest effort to create the best free guide to hip correctives you’ll find. What you do with your education from there now rests in your hands.
Spinal Rotation or Lateral Flexion – Any of the core muscles mentioned above when functioning unilaterally. If one side of the rectus abdominus fires, then you’ll see lateral flexion and some rotation. Other rotators include the internal and external obliques and serratus anterior.
Hip Flexion – psoas major, iliacus, rectus femoris, sartorius, tensor fasciae latae, adductor longus and brevis, gracilis, pectineus. Some fibers of the glute minimus and medius engage here.
Hip Extension – glute maximus, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus. Some fibers of the glute medius engage too.
Hip Abduction – the glute maximus, minimus, and medius as well as the tensor fasciae latae. The piriformis functions when the hip is at 90 degrees.
Hip Adduction – adductor longus, brevis, magnus, pectinius and gracilis
Hip Internal Rotation – tensor fasciae latae, adductor longus, brevis, and magnus, pectineus, sections of glute medius and minimus
Hip External Rotation – piriformis, gemellus superior and inferior, obturator internus and externus, glute maximus, minimus, medius, psoas major, sartorius, quadratus femori
Now, I realize that this list reads like the appendix of a textbook, but don’t get lost in the noise. Notice the tremendous amount of overlap. You’ll see that the glutes have multiple functions as do the adductors and the TFL.
This sort of information at least shows us what the major players are going to be.
The Fascial Integration
We must also give attention to the intricate layers of fascia that are found in the core, hip, and thigh. Whether we address it through myofascial release or integrated non-linear movements, we must give it attention.
As noted in the previous edition, fascia is a highly communicative tissue that can arrange our body and its structures at a speed that is closer to the speed of light or sound than it is the speed of our cognition.
Fascia adapts, positively or negatively, to the stress placed upon it. Sit in a chair all day? Well, your fascia is likely bound up and dehydrated. Exist in a world where yoga, integrated movements, and sports are a major focus? Chances are you have healthy fascia.
The utilization of non-linear movements is one of the best ways of to improve fascia.
The Major Issues
The issues that occur at the spine and hips are almost always interconnected. A client could deal with just one or all of them.
Chances are that you’ll deal with all of these issues in some point in your career.
It is important to read and learn each of these as their own issue while also understanding that a client could show up to you with a Royal Flush of dysfunction. Luckily, the correctives we’ll discuss at the end are Swiss army knives – they are great for everyone.
1) Desk Posture
Once again, our lovely desk posture makes an appearance on the list. It is important to acknowledge the impact that upper cross syndrome (UCS) can have on core function, and thus hip function. If someone is slouched over with internally rotated shoulders, a kyphotic thoracic spine, and weak abdominal muscles, then we can very likely ascertain that their hips aren’t going to function optimally.
The lack of thoracic extension, poor function of the core muscles, and the overextension of the erector spinae and trapezius muscles dramatically impact the way someone can function up and down the length of their spine.
Ironically, many of these same flaws are also present in lower cross syndrome (LCS), which involves the muscles of the lumbar spine, abdominal wall, and the hips. Dysfunction caused from sitting all day can make the muscles involved weak (glutes and abdominals) or tight (muscles of the lower back and the hip flexors).
When a client presents these issues, especially together, it can be hard to prescribe any challenging exercises because their entire torso is locked from neck to butt. It is important to spot these issues early and begin implementing a corrective strategy that gets that client on the right path.
Thankfully, we’ll have some exercises below that will be great for both UCS and LCS issues.
2) Excess Anterior Tilt
When the pelvis is stuck in its “tipped forward” position for too long there are issues that can present themselves at rest and during exercise. In fact, continuing to exercise, especially with exercises that promote even more tilt, can cause damage to the vertebral discs.
In this position the erector spinae and QL are pulled tight while the anterior core is left in a lengthened and overstretched state. This sort of weakness in the abdominal wall makes optimal hip function harder to achieve and can lead to injuries at the spine.
Another unfortunate consequence is the overextension of the spine, or flaring of the rib cage, which can create the appearance of a midsection that is holding excess bodyfat. This bulge is simply a result of poor posture and would disappear once the pelvis is set back to neutral.
It should be noted that though that the pelvis should be able to anterior tilt through a full range of motion – it just shouldn’t be stuck that way.
3) Excess Posterior Tilt
The exact opposite of anterior tilt is the posterior version, which is when the pelvis is tilted back too far. This “belt-buckle to nose” condition is often found in individuals with lower cross issues since their abdominal walls are weak and their hip flexors overactive.
This position pulls the glutes completely in line with the body and flattens out the lumbar spine by ridding of the natural curvature of that region. This is not only “less attractive” due to the appearance of having no ass, but it also dangerous to load someone who can not achieve even low levels of hip extension and hip flexion. When someone is stuck here – they effectively have no idea of how to move their hips.
The corrective strategy here requires specific interventions that improve the awareness of the client as well as the strength of the glutes, hamstrings, abdominal wall, and even latissimus dorsi muscles. Additional efforts can be spent to improve external rotation of the femur and abduction too.
Once again, the hip should be able to posterior tilt during some movements and to help create stability.
4) Sticky Femurs (no, this isn’t technical)
One of my favorite terms for someone lacking the ability to rotate their femurs in their hip sockets (internally or externally) is “sticky femurs.” What I mean by this statement is nothing more than the image of having gum stuck in the joint that prevents optimal movement.
This is a combination of a lack of mobility in the joint due to not experiencing enough movement variation. Very active people could have “sticky” hips if they don’t cross train or experience movements in all three planes. Many “big” lifters struggle with external and internal rotation at the hip.
The other side of the coin is weak external or internal rotators that are incapable of owning the position that we put the femur in with excellent mobility. This is very common in dancers, those who practice yoga, or others who don’t actively strengthen these muscles. Detrained individuals fall into this category too. The mobility is there, but strength at end ranges is not.
5) Poor Coordination
Sometimes the issue is simply getting people to start exercising more and feeling their body move in a variety of ways. Frequent exercise, especially when done with coordination as the end goal, can improve a lot of functions of the hips on its own. It is amazing just how bad things can get when someone is rusty or de-conditioned.
Of course, you’ll need to spend time mobilizing and strengthening the various elements of the hip joint, but you’ll likely see increased output by simply exposing clients to new forms of movement and exercise. Any training program that features unilateral, contralateral, ipsilateral, and bilateral movements in all three planes is ideal.
6) Weak Core
Lastly, poor strength in the core itself can cause serious issues. It can derail any segment of the body since the primary function of the core itself is force transduction – AKA – translate forces from the limbs to each other and to the external environment.
A strong core is capable of remaining stable as the limbs create and accepts force. We must ensure our clients can move through all three planes of motion, with optimal function at the joints, with a variety of loads and challenges, because they possess a strong core. For this reason, most of our programming for the core should emphasize creating, and maintaining, tension.
The Corrective Exercises
Once we dive into the corrective strategies it is important to acknowledge that all these movements can be used to help with each issue. All these movements in some way will impact the ability of the client to succeed in overcoming hip dysfunction.
Each are also excellent in isolation as warmups, isolated correctives, and “fillers” between primary movements (as Tony often discusses). The Sumo deadlift, obviously, is a primary movement that should occur early in a program, especially if we are loading it up.
1. Glute Bridge Pullovers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=744uVr_qbqM
This simple variation of the traditional glute bridge accomplishes two major things:
Drives all the major benefits of the traditional glute bridge
Incorporates lat tension into the glute bridge – a key point for deadlifts and squats
You can strengthen the lats, glutes and abdominals while also addressing coordination issues. This exercise can help with every problem listed above except for “sticky femurs.”
2. Foot Elevated Glute Bridges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB_OanZw_Js
Another glute bridge variation that can dramatically improve the strength of the hip muscles (both flexors and extensors). By elevating the feet, you can increase the range of motion you’ll experience and improve your ability to drive into the bridge.
The key is to manage the lumbar spine and avoid overextension. The sort of exercise is great for strengthening the core, improving pelvic tilt issues, addressing coordination, and improving posture.
3. Cossack Squats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC0InYzYb00
A highly advanced variation of a lateral squat – the Cossack squat asks for an incredible amount of external rotation from the femurs. It targets the muscles that drive abduction and hip flexion and extension while moving through the frontal plane.
You can use your arms to help counterweight your body as you go down and find depth. Ease into the motion and look to improve your depth and mobility over time. This is an advanced exercise that can be regressed to holding onto something like a squat rack to help with weight transfer.
4. Copenhagen Side Planks
For some reason we love naming exercises after places – this side plank variation being no different. However, this is one of the most incredible ways of working the adductor grouping without needing to add external load. You’ll also integrate your internal rotators and the muscles of the rotary core. This sort of combo lends itself to improving strength and coordination.
Your goal should be to squeeze the bottom leg towards the bottom of the bench without rolling over and dumping the tension in the side plank.
Drive yourself to maintain an ideal side plank posture the entire time.
5. Loaded Marching Carries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuHCDH1T43E
Loaded carries are a movement pattern all their own. Few things can rival the simple effectiveness of grabbing heavy weights and walking around with great posture. This variation though, greatly improves the function of the hips by incorporation intentional hip flexion through the march.
Focus on driving the knees perfectly vertical, play with your speeds, and always emphasize a tight upper back, strong core, and depression of the scapula.
This exercise addresses every single problem mentioned above.
6. Sumo Stance Deadlifts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhxviMQEWOM
The validity of a medicine is always in its dose. Sumo stance deadlifts are one of the best corrective exercises you could program assuming:
You or your client are ready for the stress of loaded hinges
You choose the appropriate version for where you are in your training routine
You have earned the right to be here by exercising pain free with less aggressive modalities.
The reason that the sumo stance is so great is that you are literally working all of the muscles of the thigh, hip, core, and upper back at the same time. The external rotation and abduction of the femurs improves the strength of the muscles involved while also helping clients discover new mobility and neuromuscular coordination. This pattern is especially useful for those who spend most of their days sitting.
7. Loaded Beast to World’s Greatest Hip Opener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spt_l-XhZRE
An interesting cross between a traditional mobility exercise and one of the loading phases in Animal Flow – this is one of my go to exercises for increasing the dynamic ability of my clients.
This version allows you to go fast or slow depending upon skill set while also loading the hips through a full flexion and extension cycle, improving coordination, and integrating the upper body and lower body together in a mobility movement.
You can use this as a “energy system” filler if you so choose (and your client is ready).
BONUS:
8. Hinge Position Face Pull
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JibVKRxbgAs
A lot of clients need help discovering how to hinge. Those same clients also struggle with maintaining tension in their cores and lats too. This exercise combines an active movement of the shoulders (great for shoulder health) with a passive hip hinge to improve core and hip strength.
Add this into any of your programs as a variation of the face pull that challenges your clients do more than just yank on the cable.
Wrapping it Up
Your ability to improve your client’s function around their hips depends on your ability to address the mobility and stability needs of the segment while also ensuring they are getting enough of a training stimulus to cause change. Understanding the nuances of the anatomy and physiology is a critical step in developing progressive programs that correct issues and cause a training effect.
The final part of the series will discuss the relationship of the hip-knee-and ankle.
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.
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.
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:
Scapulothoracic Region and Glenohumeral Joint (Shoulder/Shoulder Blades and T-Spine)
T-Spine, L-Spine, and Pelvis
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.
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.
I’m still in London at the moment.[footnote]I love it here. Do I have to come back?[/footnote] I’ve been having a blast taking in the sights and hanging out with my wife and little man. I’ve done zero writing.
Fret not. I coaxed another friend of mine – with a handmade coupon for a redeemable tickle fight – to write a guest post for the site while I’m away.
Kevin Mullins nailed this one. Couldn’t agree more with what he has to say.
The fitness industry is rife with opportunity these days.
It seems that anyone with an interest in health and wellness, human performance, or aesthetics is a personal trainer. The qualifications are just as diverse with individuals having degrees in kinesiology and nutrition or certifications in personal training, strength and conditioning, or bathroom lighting management.
It seems that the industry is expanding upwards and outwards at an exponential rate each year.
This landscape of opportunity is both thrilling and concerning as the fitness industry has become a sort of “Wild West”.
On one hand, every day thousands of people begin studying for their personal training certification, converting their Instagram profile into a business, and launch transformation groups for low introductory rates.
The addition of online training has surely changed the game as so many fitness professionals have never trained an in-person session.
In a similar manner, thousands of talented minds who have acquired multiple degrees and certifications in the field pour into the workforce each year – all looking for the same things.
Determined that they are “above-the-fray” these educated individuals apply only to small facilities owned by the top coaches, become interns for universities, or begrudgingly accept jobs at a local gym until they get found. The lure of the strength and conditioning arena, in addition to working at exclusive locations, convinces an entire population that there are no other options.
And holding steadfast and steady remains commercial fitness.
Oh yes, that commercial fitness – the dreadful, evil corporations that employ trainers by the dozens and just throw them onto the gym floor with an iPad and biceps veins in search of profits.
These are the brands that hire you because you look the part, are willing to be taught, and can work the early mornings and late nights.
The hours spent training for a commercial brand nets a trainer invaluable experience in programming, problem solving, sales, and patience.
If you can build a business that persists for years on end while employed with a commercial brand, then you are certainly capable of doing your own thing, applying to an “elite” facility, or interning for your favorite sport.
The workload that you must have to meet standards and pay your bills is exhausting, but invaluable as your work ethic develops at an exponential rate. Each facility like a proving ground where the challenges range from the complexity of a special populations client to the arrogance of a client who no-shows and still wants their sessions in their account.
It’s also the very same commercial fitness that gets disrespected when you submit for publication, an opportunity to speak at a conference, or work side-by-side one of the industry “legends”.
It’s the arena where no matter how incredible you are at your job there is always someone who thinks “well, if you were any good you’d just open your own spot”. It seems that you can only be great at your job if you are doing your own thing – as if being a business owner is a desire of all who join the field.
Plain and simple, commercial fitness is hard.
And it demands respect from new trainers and industry legends a like.
Far too many people look past it and its merits as though being a personal trainer for a commercial brand is the worst thing that could happen to your career.
Hint: It isn’t and here is why:
Generalist Before Specialist
Working the last seven years for two lifestyle fitness brands, Sports Club LA and Equinox, I’ve literally trained everyone.
Congressmen, pregnant women, young students at George Washington University, budding high-school athletes, retired old ladies with scoliosis, retired old men with multiple sclerosis, young guys with poor posture and no legs, CEOs who master everything I teach them, and the run-of-the-mill “I just don’t want to be fat” person. From disability to amazing ability, I’ve seen clients all along the spectrum.
And it taught me that you must be good at everything before you can become incredible at something specific.
If you would have poked at me when I was graduating college and asked who I wanted to coach, then you would have heard “I want to be a baseball strength and conditioning coach”. I still do today, but I’m so happy I wasn’t given an opportunity to be one early in my career because I would have bobbled that chance like a barehanded double play exchange.
It wasn’t because I was dumb – I had just graduated from University of Maryland with a degree in Kinesiology, had obtained my USAW level 1 and a personal training certification in one summer, and had spent time learning directly from some great coaches. I would have failed because I had never trained anyone, experienced the gut-wrenching moment when you over-program someone and get them hurt, or learned what personal training actually is.
See, commercial fitness and its wide variety of clients help you isolate which variables in the fitness spectrum matter and which ones don’t.
Calculating a geriatric client’s one rep max doesn’t cross my mind, nor does a push up repetition test.
You want to know what does?
Assessing their hip and ankle mobility, lower-back strength, and posture. So too does strengthening their posterior chain, moving them in three-dimensional space, and accounting for the challenges of falling well, and getting back up correctly.
But, tell a young trainer who wants to start his own gym at 22 that he needs time to learn how to train and you’ll be met with a list of qualifications, their body fat percentage, and some pseudo-motivational quote about how Einstein found the theory of Relativity at age 26. I love the fire, but we need to learn to control the flame.
And that is where the experience of training people of all ages, sizes, goal-types, physical conditions, and viewpoints on Michael Jackson’s contribution to music is critical.
You must be able to train the person in front of you and not force the person into your program. You can’t even be “specific” if you don’t know what is general in the first place. Thus, the greatest gift commercial fitness provides a good trainer is the ability to shape-shift programs to the unique aspects of the unique individuals you are presented with.
Hard Hours and Rapid Experience
In the gym by 5:30am and out by 9pm – that was my life for the last eight years (I’ve recently limited my evenings to only two nights per week). The alarm clock goes off five minutes after you set it, or so it feels as your days turn to nights and nights to mornings before you do it. Each morning a series of three or four people in a row, with no breaks, and a night schedule that isn’t much different.
Sure, you get the middle of your days to workout, study, take a nap, binge Netflix, and generally live your life while everyone else is at work.
But you work when others don’t.
You often bill five or six hours before noon – an incredible realization at times. Your meal schedules are all jacked up and you have no idea of what shows other people watch at night because you’re still at the gym training.
But that is what is so amazing about commercial fitness.
If you are good at your job and you are capable of building, and maintaining, a client base, then you’ll undoubtedly work these absurd hours. While it is absolutely exhausting, and at times nauseating, this schedule builds character, work ethic, and hours of experience in quick fashion.
In my nine years of fitness I’ve done roughly fifteen thousand one-on-one sessions, a few thousand group fitness classes, and have taught a couple hundred hours of lectures in-house.
Point of that last sentence – is that I’ve worked a lot over the years and that experience is now invaluable as I teach other trainers, write text like this, and coach my clients on what works and what doesn’t. This is how it works at commercial fitness facilities – you grind and grind until you either burn out, get promoted into management, leave to do your own thing, or go back to school.
I know coaches with double my experience who still show up everyday and deliver amazing work.
So, if you are new to the industry – full of energy and hope, then it is imperative that you spend time working these hours. First to build your work ethic, but then to build your bank of training assets. Only weeks of thirty or forty sessions can help you refine your craft so quickly. Success in personal training is so dose dependent, for the trainer and the client, it is absurd.
A great trainer from a commercial gym knows what a real workday feels like, has been humbled by the stress of meeting standards, has thought about leaving to do something else at least hundred times, and knows that squatting on a BOSU ball is as useful as cooking in a freezer. All of this is invaluable.
Group Vetting and Growth
Working alone, at least in your early years, is one of the worst things that could happen to your career.
While you may be proud of your independence and feel empowered by business acumen – you will not get better as a trainer until you’ve had other trainers see you in action. For one, knowing other people are around keeps you from doing dumb shit that has no place in a training session. But secondly, and more appropriately, the camaraderie of a fitness club allows for healthy discussion on a variety of topics and methods.
I remember my early years well.
I was loud (still am), always trying to do things in the front of the gym and trying to find the most spectacular way of doing things possible. I wanted the members of the club, my peers, and the world at-large to know that I was there to train, and it was going to be awesome. Except this behavior caught the attention of some veterans who pulled me to the side and metaphorically slapped me back into reality. I still look up to these people as mentors no matter how much I’ve accomplished since those days.
Being in a commercial setting means you aren’t in a bubble and someone can observe you at all times (both members and trainers alike). This responsibility makes you pause when you program and ensure you are doing the right thing.
Moreover, knowing eyes are on you should make you pay extra attention while your client is moving. You’ll focus on cueing instead of counting and cheering them on. You should be adjusting and only programming movements that make sense for the individual in front of you.
Throwing burpees at the fifty-year-old lady who just wants to lose a few pounds and feel better when she wakes up?
Well, this isn’t going to go well for you when I see you around the desk later. Want to let your client deadlift two plates with a spine that looks like an egg? That’s cool – we’ll talk about it during the next meeting and make you own your suck in front of everyone.
Afraid to coach harder exercises because you don’t quite understand what you are doing and fear hurting someone? No worries, we’ll sit down and discuss the biomechanics and then workout together to make sure you got it down.
See, it does take a village and every trainer should experience the phenomenon of the group vetting process. If you are great at what you do, then you’ll have no issues, but if you are not – you’ll know about it and quick.
Emphasis on Training
The final point emphasizes how different being a trainer is from being a business person. The two can absolutely overlap, but one does not make the other better inherently.
This fact is why many great coaches have business minds involved, or partnered with them, in their endeavors. Just because you can coach the shit out of a deadlift doesn’t mean you can manage the books, design a successful marketing plan, and maintain inventory of your toilet supplies well.
Being a business owner is admirable and a goal of many coaches out there. Yet, being a business owner does not mean you are a great trainer. How many people are out there making stupid amounts of money selling lies and poop-on-a-stick? Those folks are great business people but horrid trainers.
So, with that said, one of the perks of working in commercial fitness is that your focus is on training first and foremost. Sure, you need to manage your clients and stay on-top of their billing and session counts, but you aren’t paying the electric bill, dealing with equipment maintenance, and handling new member acquisition. You aren’t figuring out how to pay debts, pay yourself, and have enough left over for growth. Instead, you wake up and put on your pants and train your ass off until you can take them off.
Which is perfect for those formative years where you need to learn how to train.
In time you’ll find yourself asking managers for a better look at the big picture or sitting in on meetings that discuss profit margins and retention. You can read the works of Pat Rigsby or spend a day interning for guys like Tony – where you are a fly on the wall and simply watch how a trainer runs a business.
But, when you have a few hundred hours of training experience you need more training experience…not your own spot.
A Message to the Top
I think it is important for some of the coaches who do the lecture tours and the brands that host them to realize that being a commercial trainer isn’t a kiss of death. You aren’t less than someone who runs their own business just because you don’t want a mountain of debt. You can be an incredible strength and conditioning coach even if you aren’t being paid in T-shirts and light beer at a division II school.
Sure, there are some “not-so-good” characters at every gym that are doing the unthinkable. Yes, commercial fitness can make trainers care more about session quantity over quality. And of course, there are way more divas and ego-lifters flexing in the mirrors of these gyms then there are SC coaches or business owners.
But, it isn’t a wasteland.
I’d argue that the advent of online training brings greater concern than commercial fitness when we factor in that no one is overseeing the actions, or programs, that are being implemented. That doesn’t mean online trainers are bad, or that training online is bad, but it does acknowledge that bad online coaches have no checks and balances.
I think is imperative for the industry to rethink how we view commercial fitness. Instead of mocking it and the people they employ – let’s look to build up the new trainers, refine the veterans, and harvest the skill-sets and experiences of the best in the bunch to only further our industry. Like anything we must retain our fine-tooth comb and brush away the noise. But we don’t have to shave the whole head.
Great trainers, private or commercial, must be at the helm of the crazy landscape that is the fitness industry. Where you work means much less than how you work. Let’s never forget that.
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 at KevinMullinsFitness.com.
Today’s guest post comes courtesy of DC-based Equinox trainer, Kevin Mullins. Kevin attended mine and Dean Somerset’s DC Workshop last Fall, and I found him to be a pretty switched on guy. Plus, it’s obvious he as impeccable taste in the blogs he reads and the workshops he attends.
Enjoy!
There is a lot of information available out there in regards to health, fitness, wellness, and nutrition.
Too much actually.
Everyone from Dan John to Mario Lopez has made money because the ever-growing fitness information market. Some guys, Dan John, have earned their right to speak to you; while others are simply white noise in a crowd that has already collected its share of noise violations.
If you are looking to have a greater impact as a trainer, then you undoubtedly need to be able to sort through all of the books, blogs, certifications, and studies that are out there.
Who is a credible source, how can you apply what you’ve learned? What actually counts as education?
For one, the best education is often paired with an upfront cost. Whether it is a college degree in Kinesiology, a nationally recognized (and respected) certification, or a weekend seminar with some of your favorite trainers; there will be a financial cost.
However, if you choose to invest in your education, than most likely you’ll find yourself having a career in fitness instead of just a job at a local gym, a bicep vein, and too many tubs of pre-workout powder.
It will cost you time and money up front, but boy will you benefit.
That isn’t to say that you have to pay for ALL of your education.
There is tons of free content on blogs of reputable trainers around the net, amalgamated sites like T-Nation or PTDC, and e-books a plenty for the cost of a new video game. Furthermore, there is education that you’ll GET PAID for, as well as what you’ve learned with your own body.
Let’s explore deeper.
Education is the Catalyst
Being able to determine what is valid and applicable can be an immense challenge in and of itself. Add in actual training sessions, building your own body, a business, trying to publish your own content, and squeezing in every episode of every show that you “just have to start watching” and you are looking at an uphill climb.
You need a system.
A system to sort information into easier to digest categories.
The same way your body breaks down food into its little parts so that it can be used for a soon-to-be-determined function…
I personally sort information into four categories. These categories cover all aspects of your learning experience as a trainer and will help you save, store, and recall information when it is needed most.
1. Kinesthetic Education
The experiences of your body can be just as critical to your coaching ability as could a Master’s degree in Exercise Science.
You won’t completely understand a max-load deadlift until you’ve tried yanking a heavy ass barbell off of the floor. You can’t relate with your distance running client who is training for marathon if you’ve never ran further than a few miles on your own.
Now, these experiences are subjective and don’t measure across populations equally.
For example, just because you don’t have lower back pain when you squat doesn’t mean that your clients are wrong for feeling it.
Kinesthetic education falls lowest on my totem pole, but is still a critical element in what we do every day as coaches. It can serve as a bridge when building relationships with your clientele.
Key Point: Do something new with your body, take mental and actual notes for use later on.
Personally, I’ve gained a lot of respect for core bracing by doing some Pilates sessions with the girls at my facility. I’ve learned what it ACTUALLY feels like to “pull-my belly button towards my spine”. It helps when coaching planks and deadlifts.
2. Experience Education
At the end of the day you need to just freaking train.
You’ll program some bad exercises, coach exercises half-backwards, and drink a ton of caffeine. Yet, you’ll learn.
You’ll need to work long hours. You’ll do 6AM and 8PM sessions. You will get clients who are guys and girls, young and old, avid goals and no goals.
Yet, you’ll learn.
You can read about coaching a deadlift a million times, and maybe be able to knock out a hell of a pull yourself, but if you aren’t actively coaching other people to do it, than chances are you will stumble and bumble through it.
Key Point: In order to be a great trainer you need to be in your facility training. You need to figure out what exercises can ACTUALLY be super-set together without frying your client in the first ten minutes of a session, etc.
Personally, I look at sessions as chances to try new cues, or fine-tune my coaching strategies to ensure my clients get a clear, concise message about the task at hand. Find yourself struggling to teach a barbell lift? I’d argue you aren’t a horrible coach, but rather haven’t spent enough time doing it.
3. Actionable-Education
The next layer of education comes from blogs such as this one[footnote] Awwww. That’s cute.[/footnote], and cumulative sites such as T-Nation and the PTDC.
These easy to read-while-on-the-toilet type of write-ups lend themselves to helping you change something as a trainer or trainee RIGHT NOW.
3 CORE EXERCISES to SHRED YOUR ABS
8 CUES for BETTER SQUAT PERFORMANCE
The list will go on and on with catchy titles attached to articles chock-full of information that you could apply immediately in your next session.
Seeing a client later today that has horrible shoulder mobility? Well, doing some reading at Tony Gentilcore or Eric Cressey’s website will likely find you some tools that you can place into your belt and pull out ASAP.
This information should be viewed on a daily basis even if it is a light-hearted read during your meals. The simple act of subjecting yourself to other views of fitness will sharpen your sword and give you new ways to integrate real knowledge into your sessions.
Another great example of actionable education is weekend clinics that are usually hosted on specific topics. A mix of the hard sciences and practical application; clinics serve as a “hands-on” blog experience for trainers looking to expand their knowledge, tool belt, and presence all the same.
Key Point: Even if it is one short blurb while you are consuming a protein shake between clients, knowledge is still power. These reads won’t tax your brain cells and leave you empty. Though, they may just have you doing new things the very next second you hit a gym floor.
Personally, I love reading blogs and articles while eating my breakfast. I slam an omelet at a café attached to my club and peruse various articles. Some are simply thought provoking while others have points that I can immediately put to use during a session that day.
4. Backbone Education
The most critical element in a trainer’s tool belt is the unfailing knowledge of the hard sciences.
If you don’t understand the why behind the things you do every day then it is going to be really hard to expand your presence in the field. Someone will eventually ask for more information, or even call you out on your practices.
I highly recommend having a sturdy place to rest your feet.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you have to have a Doctorate to be a great trainer. Rather I’m saying that you can’t expect to charge two-hundred dollars an hour if you don’t understand that the body has a variety of energy systems that power our performance.
If you didn’t have to dive too far into the sciences to get your certification, than it is imperative that you seek them out on your own. College degrees in the field of kinesiology, biomechanics, bioenergetics, and good ol’ exercise science, can provide you with a firm base for you to build upon.
Certifications such as the CSCS, CES, and Precision Nutrition Level 1 can separate you from your peers. The foundation created by these hard sciences will allow for you to branch out further as you explore the other forms of education since your roots are placed firmly in the ground.
Furthermore, science journals such as the NSCA’s Strength and Conditioning Journal provide information from the laboratory that can be interpreted and implemented in the field. While much of what is studied has limited practical application there still exists the chance to expand your scientific base outwards so that you have a better understanding of the variables that can impact a training session.
Key Point: You need to be able to defend your practices, and should WANT to. Understanding the science behind what you feel, what you see, and what you read about in between bites of your omelet is critical to making that JUMP!
It can be intimidating to a client if you start talking about the ATP/CP cycle regenerating after their set of 3 sub-max squats. Talking about the reasoning behind every repetition scheme will probably bore them too. However, if you truly understand these sciences you’ll find a way, in your own words, to not just train your client, but to teach them WHY they are doing what they are doing.
The Wrap Up
The conventional saying is that knowledge is power. I’d agree. Except for when all of that knowledge is unsorted and prioritized incorrectly.
We all know that guy who did a bodybuilding show who now “takes clients”. Sure, he looks good and knows how to cook one hell of a bland chicken breast, but does he have anything from the other categories?
We also probably know someone that is a genius in science, an old professor perhaps, that could quote the Kreb’s cycle enzyme for enzyme. Yet, does he even lift? Has he ever applied his knowledge to a client?
The take home point is this. Gain knowledge from every avenue possible, sort through the junk and organize it, internalize it, and continue to utilize it in your day-to-day actions. Go out there and be great!
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 at KevinMullinsFitness.com.
If you didn’t have to dive too far into the sciences to get your certification, than it is imperative that you seek them out on your own. College degrees in the field of kinesiology, biomechanics, bioenergetics, and good ol’ exercise science, can provide you with a firm base for you to build upon.
