Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXVII: Guide to Not Becoming a P.I.T.A.


Whether it’s a bum knee, a wrecked back, or a cranky shoulder; as we’ve discussed all month long more and more people’s bodies are just falling apart.  Long-term daily aches and pains have become ‘normal’.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. Regardless of the site of your grief, make use of the following R.U.L.E.’s in order to prevent yourself from becoming - or developing - a PITA (or anywhere else!).

 

1.     Recover – Put as much effort into your recovery as you do your training. Focus on consistently getting enough sleep, managing stress, and eating well to fuel your efforts. These things are just as – if not more – important than the training itself.

 

2.      Utilize– Proper progressions and sound exercise programming.  Check your ego and take into account your mobility deficiencies, experience, and skill level when deciding which exercises to perform, how much, and how often to do them.

 

3.       Learn – Get coached up on HOW to perform said exercises. Learn neutral spine, vertical shin, packed shoulders, etc. Just as importantly, learn NOT to flare elbows or allow your ribs to flare out.

 

4.      Enhance – MOBILITY. Foam Rolling and massage combined with mobility drills to target your specific deficiencies well help ensure you are moving WELL before you move OFTEN.



Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXVI: Plantar Faciitis/-osis and Achilles Tendonitis/-osis

I’ve grouped these two painful conditions together because the both occur across the same joint – the ankle – and therefore the causes and treatments of each are very similar.

To begin, let’s first define a few terms. The suffix –ITIS simply refers to inflammation of the affected tissue. –OTIS on the other hand, refers to a situation where said inflammation has been allowed to propagate long enough that the condition has now become degenerative in nature. Yes, that is as bad as it sounds.



Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXV: Shoulder Pain

Continuing this week with the aches and pains we see on an all too regular basis - shoulder pain. Here are a few common causes of things like shoulder impingement, rotator cuff injuries, etc.



Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXIV: Knee Pain

Continuing with the pain theme this week as it's become ever increasingly common with more and more people that we work with, today we'll discuss common causes of knee pain.