Bulletproofbodies & the Purpose of CrossFit

Today I was training with an ex-Commando buddy of mine who's now in the Police.

He invited me to a very nice David Lloyd Health Club.

The facility was amazing with more kit than I have seen in any gym for a long while.

I used to love these health clubs, but these days I just compare it to CrossFit.

So we went to the Olympic lifting platforms and started doing some lifting.

We went through some OLY basics then we moved onto some body weight exercises, followed by some kettle bell work.

I was surprised at how much mobility my friend had lost and how much I have gained.

The difference was simply CrossFit.

He started asking me about the the purpose of CrossFit, so I talked about High Intensity, Constantly Varied, Functional Movement and working out in a community rather than doing my own thing with head phones on.

But to really answer the question I needed a video of the man who revolutionised the Fitness Industry forever, Coach Greg Glassman:

Check out more videos from the CrossFit founder:

https://www.youtube.com/user/CrossFitHQ

Coach Glassman, the Bulletproofbodies Team salute you!

How Deep Should I Squat? Ask Prof Stuart McGill

How can some people make squatting look easy and for others it's a position that requires constant work?

The answer lies in our anatomy and some very simple tests.

Check out this video from Aaron Lipsey with the legendary Dr Stuart McGill:

This video highlights the importance of not just doing a "ski squat" with not external rotation.

The ball and socket joint is referred to as the acetabulum and femoral head respectively.

It seems that there is a genetic variant that persons of European descent and persons of Asian descent differ in terms of the depth of the acetabulum or hip socket.

This means that not everyone can make the right shape to squat and the Physio must adjust their squat depth accordingly.

The position that people squat in is as varied as there are different types of hip and pelvic morphology.

It's fine doing a squat with a "tail tuck" at full depth when unloaded but it is quite a different matter when load is applied to a Spine in flexion.

The deep squat position now becomes a personal journey for the athlete. It is about respecting what nature has given you and how you can optimise this.

Work with what you have and don't be afraid to use a heel raise, be it plates or Olympic Weight-Lifting shoes.

Check out Aaron's channel on:

https://www.youtube.com/user/ExuroFitness

Bulletproofbodies & Paul CHEK's "How To Eat Move & Be Healthy"

Paul trained me back in 2000 when he visited the UK and I’ve been a big fan ever since.

Back then, the Fitness industry was looking for a Guru and that Guru was Paul Chek.

He was not just a fitness instructor he was a holistic practitioner.

He challenged the “Body Builder” method of isolated training for hypertrophy and brought in the concept of Functional Movement training.

I was in the Royal Marines at the time and our training was exactly that, Function.

I was the lightest I had been in years yet I was stronger and fitter than ever.

It was about general Physical Preparedness.

Surely Rope Climbing weighed down by webbing and Rifle was functional resistance training with a skill.

Paul’s Primal Pattern workout was about movement literacy and training for real life tasks.

This book changed my life!

Check out his book, “How to eat , move and be healthy.”

Do you have Movement Literacy?

Movement literacy is about knowing how to read your environment through the medium of your body.

This is also referred to as Physical literacy.

Physical Literacy is the mastering of fundamental movement / sport skills that permit a child to read their environment and make appropriate decisions, allowing them to move confidently and with control in a wide range of physical activity situations.

Physically literate individuals consistently develop the motivation and ability to understand, communicate, apply, and analyse different forms of movement.

They are able to demonstrate a variety of movements confidently, competently, creatively and strategically across a wide range of health-related physical activities.

These skills enable individuals to make healthy, active choices that are both beneficial to and respectful of their whole self, others, and their environment.

Check out Gray's book Movement:

Functional Movement Screening for Injury Surveillance

I started off my Functional Movement journey whilst I was still serving as a Physiotherapist in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Working with the Military elite we used FMS as an early warning detection system as part of a comprehensive injury surveillance system that was proactive rather than reactive.

The FMS involves seven movement challenges that represent normal functional movements:

1. Deep Squat

2. Hurdle Step

3. In-Line Lunge

4. Shoulder Mobility

5. Active Straight Leg Raise

6. Trunk Stability Push Up

7. Rotatory Stability

The overhead squat is used to determine range of movement in the shoulders, thoracic spine, hips, knees and ankles. It also tests motor control in symmetrical stance.

The Hurdle Step is designed to test range of movement and motor control in 

single leg stance with weight transfer over an obstacle

The In-Line Lunge tests your ability to stabilise in an asymmetrical foot stance.

This test is more challenging to stay balanced in -line and maintain an upright torso. 

The FMS gives you a score out of 21;

0 = Pain

1 = Dysfunctional Movement

2 = Normal Movement

3 = Optimal Movement

The top score of the day was by a mature athlete who was inappropriately dressed and still made it look easy!

Check out the FMS website and get your movement checked today:

https://www.functionalmovement.com/

Move well, Move often.

How can we be aware of the Bear if we don't know it's there?

Injury can sneak up on you, sometimes you will never know how close you came!

If we can't see it and it didn't get us then does it really matter?

Check out this video of a Snowboarder who does not realise at the time how close she came to be attacked by a Bear.

Injury is a bit like this video.

Sometimes you might be doing an exercise in training and your technique is dangerous.

You might get away with it sometimes.

But if you keep being chased by bears, eventually they are going to get you.

You have only got to watch Leo in the Revenant to discover what happens when the bear gets you:

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

So by reminding ourselves of the consequences of injury, a small investment in injury prevention seems like time well spent.

It is not just about the Gym but what we do with the rest of our time that also counts.

Bullet Points:

1. Check your technique

2. Value quality over quantity - Have the moral courage to no rep yourself!

3. Stretch, Mobilise, Foam Roll and move on a daily basis

4. See a Physiotherapist if your pain persists

5. Don't sit down all day. Move for 5 minutes every hour (get a standing desk)

6. Go one step further and get a Treadmil desk:

https://sit-stand.com/

Use my discount code:

DALE*5

Bulletproofbodies & CrossFit Fails 2017

CrossFit can cause injury if you don't respect the basics and you are trying to progress too fast.

In my last 7 years of treating CrossFit injuries there are 3 reasons why people get injured:

1.    Ego - too much, too soon

2.    Trying to PB every workout

3.    Being Overly Competitive with everyone else

4.    Trying advanced movements that are beyond your skill level (currently)

5.    Training in or through pain

6.    Not listening to the Coach

7.    Trying to Rx a workout you know you suck at

8.    Not concentrating on your posture

9.    Thinking you know better

10.Not performing a proper cool down post WOD

Most of these are beginner mistakes and can be rectified by good coaching that is in all CrossFit Boxes.

Slow and steady Progression is the key.

Beginners tend to want to fast-track their way to competition.

I am never impressed by an Athlete who tells me they have only been doing CrossFit for 6 months and this is their first competition.

Highly skilled Movement pattern, tendons, ligaments and mental robustness take time to adapt and achieve.

You can't run before you can walk.

You can't Snatch until you can Overhead Squat

Check out this video from CrossFail:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn-2vx7xpsEVQsTrayJ-3Yg

Pay particular attention to the failed snatch somersault which displays the danger of amateur athletes having a go without proper coaching and progression.

Watch out for your hair ladies when bailing on a back squat!

My particular favorite is the Wall Ball in the face!

Simple things like putting collars on the barbell, can avoid the noisy embarrassment of them clattering to the floor.

CrossFit does not cause injury, impatience with your ability level does.

So, take it slow.

You cannot get fit in one workout, just like you can't live your life in one day.

Bulletproofbodies Book of the Month - Ready To Run

So with the Manchester Marathon been and gone how about some reading before the London Marathon?



Book of the Month is "Ready to Run" by Dr Kelly Starrett.



At Bulletproofbodies we are big fans of K Star and his original book Becoming a Supple Leopard which was a Best Seller in the USA:

K Star takes a lot of the same principles from CrossFit and applies them to running with significant effect.

Runners are notorious for not taking Stretching, Strength training and Foam rolling seriously.

The majority of Runners that we treated at the Manchester Marathon did no strength training, paid lip service to stretching and complained because the foam roller was painful.

These were the same athletes that just put themselves through the pain of 26.2 miles!


Check out his video below:





Ready to run gives a fresh look at the reasons why runners get injured and how to do something about it that is quick, easy and clinically effective.

Check out this book:

K Star, the Bulletproofbodies Team Salute you!

Manchester Marathon & Bulletproofbodies

So it's April and that means Marathon season.

It began this weekend with the Manchester Marathon.

We started taping the day before the Marathon, giving advice on "Runner's niggles."

Taping with Rocktape helped athletes go stronger for longer.

Working with one of the sponsors of the Manchester Marathon Runners Need.

26.2 miles of the mean streets of Manchester.

The weather was amazing and the course is flatter than most, so the possibility of a Personal Best is always there for the taking.

Rocktape were there in the morning to tape, feet, calves,  knees, quads and nipples!

In the afternoon I was working with my friend at Athlete Matters, Sports Physio UK and of course my students from the Universities of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan.

We were waiting for the first athletes to finish and this was Patrick Martin in 2 hours 22 mins.

Lots of athletes were reporting cramping, some as early as 12 miles.

ITB syndrome, Hamstrings and calf tears were all part of the Marathon experience.

The que outside our Physio test was amazing as the Physio Students worked relentlessly for hours until all the athletes were treated.

Runners of the Manchester Marathon the Bulletproofbodies Team salute you.