The Hip Hinge movement
is used in many movements including Deadlifts, Good Mornings and Kettle Bell
Swings.
Many of these movements
will be performed many times with the stresses of speed, load, intensity and
the resulting fatigue.
So how do we keep hip
hinge function optimal for multi-rep movements.
What is a Hip Hinge?
The hinge involves a
flexion/extension movement that originates in the hips and involves a posterior
weight shift. When done correctly, it
can be one of the more powerful movement patterns you can perform.
Often considered one of
the primal movement patterns (one that we are all physiologically designed to
execute with ease), the hip hinge offers many benefits:
It opens up hamstring
flexibility and offers mobility through the hip joint
Builds symmetry and
reduces injury
Shortens the learning
curve when introducing more complex movements/exercises
Serves as a great
assessment to diagnose flexibility/mobility issues as well as a weak or
unstable core area
Is great for un-doing
some of the damage that prolonged sitting can do to the body
Unfortunately, many people
have no concept on how to hinge properly or disregard the movement as
unnecessary because of it looks too “simple.”
But, as legendary
strength coach and author Dan John said,
“The truth is, the hinge, in its own
right, is more powerful than the squat.”
How To Hip Hinge:
The first thing to
understand is the difference between a hinge and a squat:
Skiing can be a fun
winter sport, and as all sports, presents risks of injuries and pain from
skiing mishaps. The most common ski injuries are:
Knee sprains
The most common skiing
injury of all times, knee sprains happen when a ligament around the knee joint
is injured by tearing or stretching too far. The injury can be caused by too
much strain on the knee or bending of the knee in the opposite direction from
its normal bending. Wearing a knee brace, designed especially for this type of
protection, can prevent this common ski injury from happening, and can help you
recover if an injury does occur.
Fractured wrists
A broken wrist is
another common skiing injuries. Generally falling on an outstretched hand and
putting too much pressure on the wrist bones can cause a fracture in the wrist.
By wearing wrist braces or supports these injuries can be prevented and help
you on your way down the slope.
Broken legs
When you strap on skis,
your leg bones can endure so much pressure. A bad fall or collision with a tree
or another skier are some of the accidents that result in fractured legs.
Wearing gear that is properly fitted can help you minimize the risk of harming
your legs and make for a better skiing day.
Cranial injuries
Brain injuries can
occur after a high-speed collision (usually greater than 30 mph). From
concussions to hematomas, skull and brain injuries should always be treated
seriously until you have seen a medical professional and your condition has
been properly diagnosed. To avoid serious brain traumas, it is recommended that
all skiers wear a helmet while on the slopes. Skiing with a helmet is one the
best preventive measures you can take to avoid a head injury and ensure you
enjoy your time on the ski hill.
Shoulder dislocations
When the arm bone loses
contact with the socket of the shoulder blade, the shoulder is dislocated.
Dislocations of the shoulder often happen in bad falls on the shoulder or
hanging by one arm. There are shoulder supports and stabilizers, as well as
good clavicle supports that can help you prevent this painful skiing injury.
Ankle or foot sprains
If the bindings on the
skis do not let go when strained, the ankle joint ligaments can be injured and
the foot may suffer trauma causing a sprain or even fracture. Whether you need
mild or maximum support for your ankle and foot, it is recommended to wear an
ankle brace to protect your bones and get on with your skiing.
Spinal injuries
Although very rare, any
neck pain after twisting or hyper-extending may be caused by a displacement or
fracture of the cervical spine which can cut or put pressure on the spinal
cord. Therefore, any neck pain after a significant injury should be treated
immediately to avoid severe complications. If you feel any neck pain you should
immediately see your doctor. Wearing a cervical collars can provide your neck
with additional support while you recover. They control your neck movements
just enough to protect it from twisting to cause injury.
This article is brought
to you by Jason Zinn for BetterBraces.com. Better Braces offers orthopedic
braces from DonJoy, Aircast, ProCare, and Saunders to support and alleviate
joint pain caused by arthritis or sports injuries. Features knee, back, wrist,
neck, elbow and shoulder braces, compression socks and other sports medicine
products.
The wrist allows you to
properly position your hand, representing arguably one the most complicated
joints in the body. There are 15 bones and 27 articular surfaces in the wrist,
not to mention its elaborate system of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Ligament
injury is quite common among athletes, as the repetitive action of the wrist
puts athletes at risk for injury. Wrist sprains result from a torn or partially
torn ligament, and wrist strains are the result of a torn or partially torn
tendon. The most common wrist fractures among athletes include: distal radius
fractures and scaphoid fractures.
The Four Mechanisms of
Wrist Injury
Throwing - With
throwing injuries, there is an overuse of the wrist. These are common in
baseball players, tennis athletes, and racquet ball participants.
Weight-bearing - There
are many weight-bearing injuries among those who participate in gymnastics,
weightlifting, and cheer-leading.
Twisting - With a
twisting injury, the wrist suffers from a rapid rotation that disrupts the
stability of the wrist. This type of injury is common with radical
skateboarders and snowboarders.
Impact - More common in
football athletes are impact injuries that result from either a direct impact
or a fall onto an outstretched hand.
Wrist Sprains
The most common wrist
injury among athletes is a sprain of the wrist. This often is an injury to one of
the ligaments - the connective tissue that attaches one bone to another. Most
sprains occur when the wrist is forcefully bent during a fall on an
outstretched hand. Wrist sprains can be mild or severe, and can be graded based
on the degree of injury. A grade 1 sprain indicates a stretched ligament
without apparent tearing. A grade 2 sprain, however, involves partial tearing
of a ligament. With a grade 3 sprain indicates ligaments are completely torn.
Distal Radius Fracture
The most common
fracture is called a "distal radius fracture." A distal radius
fracture is a break that occurs at the wrist end of the radius bone. These
breaks are common among athletes and can be mistaken for sprains. Wrist
fractures often occur during a fall onto an outstretched hand. With fractures
of the wrist, the break can occur in four ways: intra-articular,
extra-articular, open, or comminuted (in many parts). Many can be treated with
casting alone, though some require surgery.
Scaphoid Wrist Fracture
The scaphoid bone is one
of the smaller bones of the wrist, but it is one that commonly breaks during
sporting injuries. This bone is located on the thumb side of the wrist, and can
be difficult to treat due to its tenuous blood supply. As with most wrist
injuries, a break to the scaphoid bone typically occurs from falling onto an
outstretched hand. Treatment usually requires casting if not displaced, or
surgery if displaced.
Symptoms of Significant
Wrist Injuries
-Pain at the time of
injury
-Swelling
-Bruising or
discoloration
-Difficulty moving the
wrist
-A "popping"
or tearing sensation during the trauma
-Warmth and tenderness
of the skin
Treatment for Wrist
Injuries
Treatment really
depends on the type of injury you have. For mild sprains, the doctor will
generally recommend the "RICE" method and over-the-counter pain
relievers, like Tylenol or Motrin.
RICE
R - Rest the wrist for
around 48 hours.
I - Ice the injured
area to reduce swelling (use a pack wrapped in a towel).
C - Compress the wrist
with an elastic ACE wrap.
E - Elevate the injury
above heart level.
Nonsurgical Treatment
Simple Sprain -With
mild to moderate wrist sprains, you will need to wear a splint for 1 to 3
weeks. This keeps the wrist immobilized while it heals. If you develop
stiffness, I can teach you some stretching exercises to allow you to regain
full range of motion of your wrist.
Simple Fracture -If
your broken bone is in good position, it can be treated by applying a
fiberglass or plaster cast. This is done so that the healing wrist bone remains
protected from further injury while it heals. You may have to wear the cast for
up to 6 weeks, depending on your injury.
Closed Reduction -If
the alignment is out of place, your doctor may need to "reduce" the
bone and re-position the bone fragments. A "reduction" is the medical
term for this process, and because your doctor will not be operating on your
wrist, the procedure is called a "closed reduction". After the bone
is put in proper position, your doctor will apply a splint or cast for you to
wear for 4 to 6 weeks. Depending on the nature of the injury, the doctor will
take X-rays at weekly intervals for around 3 to 6 weeks. After a 6 week period,
your doctor may recommend physical therapy for you to help improve your wrist
strength and mobility.
Surgical Treatment
Complex Fracture -For
those fractures that require surgery, follow one simple rule - put the broken
pieces back into position and prevent them from moving out of place while they
heal. There are several treatment procedures for distal radius fractures and
scaphoid fractures, and the choice depends on your age, your athletic activity,
and your injury. As with most wrist surgeries, your doctor may order hand
therapy and rehabilitation exercises following the repair. It may take as long
as 6 to 8 weeks for a complex fracture to heal.
Open Reduction -To
perform wrist surgery, your doctor will usually make an incision directly over
the area of the broken bones and re-align them in a process called "open
reduction". It is considered "open" because the fracture has to
be surgically corrected. It may be necessary for me to insert pins, plate and
screws to hold the bones in place. As with other surgical procedures,You may be
required to undergo hand therapy after your cast or splint is removed. Keep in
mind, and open reduction surgical procedure takes a while to heal, but with
proper physical therapy and rehabilitation, you will regain strength and full
function of the wrist.
Dr. Ruhlman works
through Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle to provide top quality orthopedic
care to the Seattle area. Visit his website to learn more about him or to
contact him.
I find myself getting
more and more frustrated with people telling me, "I heard CrossFit is
really bad for you; you're just gonna end up getting injured."
Let me give you a first
hand account and a REAL perspective on my injuries and CrossFit training. I
first came to Hyperfit USA in the beginning of June, 2013. Upon entering, I
filled out an information sheet on my physical health, how many times per week
I currently worked out, and any pains, injuries, or concerns I had about my
body.
At that time, my right
knee was giving me problems and I expressed great concern for my right
shoulder. I feared what would happen if I pushed it much further. My shoulder
had gotten so bad over the years that reaching over to put on a seatbelt became
a daunting task; raising my arm, even half way up to wave to someone sent so
many shooting pains into my shoulder and back that I ALWAYS used my left, and
doing a simple push-up... well, that became more painful than it was worth.
To no surprise, doctors
said the wear and tear of playing sports and lifting over the years had finally
taken its toll, and it was time to think on and reconsider surgery. This was
the last thing that I wanted and resisted it with every fiber of my being. So
you may be asking... "And you decided to jump into CrossFit as a result?
Are you crazy?" Think what you will, but joining Hyperfit USA in Ann
Arbor, MI was the best decision I could have made in regard to my surgery
proned shoulder.
I spoke with Doug
Chapman, the owner of Hyperfit, and told him of my concerns. I expressed to him
that I wanted to avoid surgery at all costs, until there was absolutely no
other option. He said, "I get it. Let's see what we can do." Doug
personally began looking at my range of motion, what parts of my shoulder hurt,
and where the pain would go when I did various activities. Immediately, I was
given a variety of therapeutic techniques that aided in the healing and
strengthening of my shoulder muscles and tendons.
The next common
question that has been posed to me is, "Well, what about the workouts? How
did you get through those?" The answer is simple. It's called M O D I F I
C A T I O N. What the outside world does't know and most don't bother to
research is that not every person that walks into a CrossFit gym is an elite
athlete, nor are they expected to be. Every movement... and I mean EVERY
movement can be modified to fit that individual's needs and ability level.
"Oh, you can't do a strict pull-up yet, let's try using a band. Is that
still too painful? We'll bring you over to the rings, and teach you how to do a
proper ring row to build strength in that area. Are you not ready for that yet?
I understand; go grab a box; I'm going to show you how to do a jumping
pull-up."
It wasn't until I came
to a REPUTABLE gym, with skilled trainers that watched every movement I made,
that my injuries and range of motion became better than they have been in 10+
years. Additionally, my technique and skill in the Olympic lifts are better
than they've ever been.
Would you like to know
why CrossFit gyms get such a bad name?? It's because there are a lot of bad
ones out there. Just like there are a lot of olympic lifting coaches that you
may find that encourage getting your new one rep max over adhering to safety and
good technique. The key is to know what's good and what isn't. Let me give you
a hint... If you walk into a CrossFit gym, without having gone through any
introductory sessions, but you tell them that you work out all the time and
have been lifting at gyms for years, and they say, "Alright, we have a WOD
starting in 10 minutes; just fill out this waiver and you can give it a
try," RUN! Run for the hills!
Although I have power
lifting friends, some that do CrossFit also, much of the bad press that
CrossFit gets, comes from them. A former trainer at Hyperfit USA and I had a
conversation about this some time back. He said, in explanation of why many
power lifters feel this way is, "Power lifters focus on doing a lift one
time, with max weight, and doing it with perfect movement. That's not what we
do here." Obviously, there is nothing wrong this. "What a lot of
power lifters don't want to admit is that Power Lifting was a dying sport.
CrossFit has helped bring it back to life. It is what it is."
Here is where power
lifters are correct. In CrossFit, we don't do an olympic lift just one time in
workout. We do that movement in reps and sets, along with other conditioning
movements, like burpees, ring dips, and box jumps. CrossFit is designed to
enhance one's overall fitness and athletic ability, not put the focus solely on
one movement. BUT here is the key--doing olympic lifts in reps DOES NOT mean
you sacrifice good technique and core stabilization.
So back to the original
point, injuries and CrossFit. The only time these two go hand in hand is when
one doesn't work with quality trainers and doesn't belong to a gym that puts
the individual first: keeping safety, technique, and humility right where it
belongs... as a primary functions of the athlete.
Learn the proper form
and technique of any athletic endeavor and reap the rewards of all it has to
offer.
'THE CORE' is probably
the most overused term in health and exercise therapies. Flick your television
on to any shopping channel and someone will be selling a new piece of kit that
will improve it. I too thought I knew what Core Control was all about, until
about seven years ago when someone finally tested me properly. I mean I was
pretty strong, I could do countless sit ups and leg raises, I'd not long
finished playing squash competitively and still enjoyed a high club level so I
was fit too. How did I not know how to control my core?
The fitness industry
shows signs that it is catching up on core control, having spent the last
couple of decades fixated on abdominal crunches. Unfortunately, as with many
modern issues, the subtlety needed to do the Core justice often gets
overlooked. A classic example is what I call the Pilates Posture, where the
person does too much 'Core' work in a flexed lumbar spine position, which
results in a flat back posture and a pair of glutes that hang off them like a
pair of wet pajamas.
The Pilates example is
one where the client presents extremely strong in core control but is
dysfunctional none-the-less. However, clients present more commonly with a total
lack of control. So how do we assess core control in the world of Functional
Exercise?
Obviously the signs and
symptoms that present are a big clue and these can be very wide-ranging. Poor
core control presents as Low Back Pain, SIJ dysfunction, bladder weakness, over
pronation of the foot, medial rotation of the femur leading to knee problems,
shoulder injury, forward head carriage leading to TMJ issues and headaches,
poor ability to recuperate post exercise, and the list goes on; sciatica,
lumbar disc herniation, gait instability, movement instability in sports,
recreation and activities of daily living, need I continue?
These days Abdominal
Distension is a common presenting sign of core problems. However in these cases
I usually look deeply into nutritional issues. Nine times out of ten this
distension starts with irritation within the digestive system or a large amount
of visceral fat expanding the abdominal cavity so exercise is a secondary issue
to diet.
With signs and symptoms
so wide spread it is clear that core control is often present in a wide variety
of musculoskeletal pain. So here are a couple of simple assessments that can
tell you at what degree the control is limited.
Transverse Abdominis
Isolation.
Transverse Abdominis
(TVA) is one of the major players in core control and probably the easiest to
assess. When it works correctly it encourages activation from both the Pelvic
Floor and Multifidus muscles. These three sets of muscles are the primary
stabilisers known as the Inner Unit. Capping the Inner Unit off (literally) is
the Diaphragm but this only gets involved fully when lifting heavy weights and
usually needs to be assessed separately. The TVA test is pretty simple: Lay
face down on your tummy on a matted floor and slide a Sphygmomanometer (old
fashioned blood pressure cuff with a gauge or BP as I'll refer to it), under
their abdomen so the middle of the BP is at their navel level. Pump the BP up
to 20 mmHg while the client relaxes. Now lift your tummy button off the BP by
hollowing your abdomen thus dropping the pressure on the gauge. You failed the
test if you either can't move the gauge or can but do so by pushing your
shoulders and knees into the ground to lift your body up. Either way this is
evidence that you don't know how to use your TVA so exercises to address this
should be used.
Pelvic Control.
This is the area that
goes so horribly wrong in Pilates resulting in the flat back. However, when a
lack of control is evident then shear forces in the spine can cause all manner
of problems. Control is key to allowing a neutral pelvis tilt to remain stabilised
with only enough muscular input being used to counteract the forces generated
by movement. Here's how it works:
Lay on your back with
the legs out straight and the BP under your lower back so the middle of the
pillow is at navel level. Pump the BP up to 40 mmHg then tilt your pelvis
backwards until the gauge reads 60 mmHg. Now hold this pressure evenly while
you raise and lower one leg at a time. If the gauge drops by more than 10 mmHg
the test is a positive. In Pilates where there is no feedback gauge used the
person pins their back against the floor through abdominal contraction. If the
gauge was present and you read it, it would shoot up to 90 - 120 mmHg as they
used their legs. This is the over recruitment that leads to a flat back
posture. Getting these people to ease off is a hard pattern to break but
education and practice usually suffice. For those that drop in pressure, well
the future is bright. Learning this control is quick and easy because the
nervous system learns so quickly and is usually crying out for some interesting
stimulus. We just start them on a basic exercise program and build them up from
there.
Conclusion.
With a couple of simple
assessments we can quickly see where core control is failing and a course of
core strengthening can be the answer to reducing the recurrence of injury.
These simple tests give you the tools to understand how subtle the core really
is. If you can't pass the tests then maybe it's time to get working on it. This
is so often the answer to some simple injuries that cost you a fortune at the
Chiropractor's office.
I started working in an
office 5 years ago, and during the past two years I have started to suffer a
few consequences of bad habits that can were formed while sitting at a desk for
8 hours a day.
The reality is that a
large amount of people work office jobs these days, and a lot of them do not
correlate their type of work with their health condition. It is hard to change
the way society works and avoid working office jobs altogether, as we often
don't have that choice. However, we do have the choice of making a few
adjustment at work that will allow us to prevent illnesses and health issues
caused by sitting at your job for long hours each day.
In my case, I exercise
very regularity, and always have made a decent effort to eat healthy. However
the past two years a few health issues have started to manifest, and it took
some digging to find out the root causes. I started to develop a lot of
gastrointestinal problems, and inability to breathe properly. I had to make a
conscious effort to intake enough oxygen, as I often felt as if I was choking.
I also noticed that I
started to hunch over when I walked and even after doing yoga I had a hard time
standing straight without effort. My spine started to feel weak, and I
experienced a lot of back pain.
When I visited a
chiropractor, I discovered that a bad posture when sitting at my desk, plus not
breathing properly had compressed some vertebrae in my spine, and had shifted
my stomach in a way that impeded proper emptying into the small intestine. A
series of chiropractic sessions and dietary adjustment made a lot of
improvement, and now I make a conscious effort to breathe deeply throughout the
day and to have a correct posture while sitting at my desk, so that the problem
does not come back.
A very well researched
article by Dr. Mercola discusses part of the controversy about the negative
effects of sitting for prolonged hours and whether or not standing at your desk
is better that sitting. The article also mentions several studies that point at
a variety of negative health effects that can result from sitting more than 7
hours a day.
I won't discuss the
details of those studies, but I will share with you the most important piece of
information.
The bottom line as the
article suggests is that the overall lack of movement might be the most
detrimental issue for health, whether it is from standing or sitting; that
said, it is important to mention that when you stand at your desk you are
likely to get a lot more movement that when sitting, and I can attest to that
because I tried standing at my desk for a while, and I did naturally move a lot
more; I took some steps to reach things, I moved from leg to leg, and I changed
my posture several times while standing, which increases the amount of overall
movement in a day. I also felt more alert and less tired during the day.
Standing is also a weight bearing posture which is beneficial for musculature
and bone density.
Nevertheless, while
standing might have less disadvantages that sitting, I agree with Dr. James
Levine author of the book Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You
Can Do About It in that the emphasis should be on increasing movement of the
body throughout the day rather than on simply switching from sitting to
standing.
That said, if you
decide to try standing at your desk I strongly recommend that you position your
screen, and keyboard at the right level to avoid developing issues, as a bad
standing posture can be as harming as a sitting posture.
As someone who works a
full time office job, but who is also committed to improve my health and
prevent future health issues, for the past year I have tried several strategies
in order to reduce sitting time, and more importantly to increase the amount of
movement of my body on any given day at the office, which has also helped me in
my weight loss efforts.
Today I want to share
with you some of the strategies I have implemented, and that have made a big
difference in improving and relieving neck and back pain, indigestion, muscle
soreness, and general energy levels.
1. Change positions
several times throughout the day. For this, I Set a timer on my phone or
computer to go off every 25 minutes, because it is very easy to get carried
away with work, and before you know it 2 hours have gone by.
Dr. Mercola recommends
to not sit for more than 20 minutes at a time. This might be a big compromise
for a lot of people, depending on where you work. If you are lucky and have
your own private office like me, this will be feasible if you are determined. I
change positions every 25 minutes most of the time, and move for 2 minutes
every time.
If you share office
space or have a time of job where it is impossible to stand every 20 minutes,
don't worry! The point is to increase movement in general, so you will still
benefit from changing positions in longer intervals.
How changing positions
looks like? When your alarm goes off, stand up, walk around your own office,
walk to the printer, walk to the water dispenser, walk around the hallway, do
stretches, squats, walk in place, and roll your wrists, your ankles, do some
standing yoga poses, anything that moves your body will benefit you.
If you are not able to
stand up and move around, you can practice extending your legs while seated, do
the rolling of the wrists, ankles, stretch your neck, etc.
You can also try
sitting on an exercise ball and switch between that and your regular chair,
like I do.
Trust me, I understand
this is challenging in today's world, but if you are serious about your health
and understand that you are your first priority, you will make it happen!
2. Take deep breaths
throughout the day. Breathe into your diaphragm, expand your chest, and ribcage
to ensure adequate oxygen intake. This can also help you improve your posture,
because it is hard to breathe deeply when you are slouching at your chair.
Breathing deeply will also force you to keep your back straight.
3. Take a walk during
your lunch break and/or coffee breaks. Your breaks are the best opportunity to
get more movement in. Make a conscious effort to go out for a walk instead of
staying in your office to read news or sitting in the lunch room. This is also
extremely beneficial to give your brain a break, sometimes we come back with a
much clearer mind and new ideas on how to solve problems.
Even if you walk only
20 minutes a day every day you work, and you work about 20 days a week like
most people, you will put in 400 minutes of walking every month! That is 6.6
hours! That your body will thank you for.
Don't underestimate the
power of walking. It is a great weight-bearing exercise that the body was built
to do!
4. Mindful Eating
Usually, People who work
office jobs, myself included, have much more opportunities to eat throughout
the day, than say, constructions workers, and yet us office workers move a lot
less and therefore require less energy. You see the problem?
Food is comforting when
we are stressed out, and even entertaining when we are bored, but eating under
those circumstances can potentially lead us towards making bad eating choices
or eating more than needed.
We must be aware of our
emotional state before reaching for a snack. It takes awareness of your body to
know how you feel and understanding your choices. However, as a rule of thumb
it is better not to eat when you are under stress. Take a few minutes to calm
down and ask your body: what will really nourish me right now? Sometimes a few
deep breaths or a walk are much more relieving in the long term than food.
Recognizing when we are
bored is important to avoid eating out of boredom. This happened to me a lot,
when work started to be a bit daunting, I used to go to the nearest bakery as a
way of having some distraction, and I would buy a pastry even though I wasn't
really craving it. Eventually, I noticed some weight gain after a few trips to
the bakery!
Now I recognize when I
am bored, or tired and I pay attention to my choices. I try to read an article
instead or just go for the walk, pass by the bakery but don't stop by. Usually
after a walk I will have a better idea whether I am hungry or not.
Bottom line: Eat when
you are hungry, not when you are bored, stressed or tired.
5. Proper Posture.
Whether you sit or stand at your desk, ensuring that you have the correct
posture will prevent a lot of pain and discomfort. There are several resources
on the internet that you can use as a guide.
Some suggestions to
always keep in mind are: Avoid slouching, sitting cross legged, cradling the
phone, and shrugging your shoulders.
Remember that when it
comes to avoiding health problems from working at a desk, the key is to improve
posture, and increase movement throughout the day.
Join a community of
people devoted to improving their health and wellbeing through simple lifestyle
and diet strategies. We would love to welcome you at
[http://www.nutritionaldevotion.com]
Join and receive my
E-book "9 strategies to Listen to your Body for better health and improved
Weight loss" as a GIFT to kickstart your health journey in the right
direction.
Setting yourself
long-term goals is most likely the best and most sustainable way to improve
your level of performance and reaching your training peaks. Don't be hasty and
take the time needed to master the basics before building upon them. It's
logical, we all know it, and yet, a lot of CrossFit wod and powerlifting
movements are too often performed poorly... So don't undermine the importance
of using suitable weights that allow progress in technique and mobility. And
you'll see the corrective nature of the movements will unquestionably workout
to your advantage.
Strength and
powerlifting are really important in any CrossFit wod, and you can definitely
see it from the athletes performing at the CrossFit games. The movements are based
on essential movement from Powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting and specific
CrossFit movements that you need to know and perform with proper form. Some
people also want to work on them in bodybuilding because it is crucial to
increasing strength & performance (through efficiency) and improving
technique to remain injury-free. Even through hundreds of CrossFit wod or after
a lifetime of bodybuilding, one should remain injury free.
So we recommend working
on your powerlifting basics first: The Deadlift & Squat!
The Deadlift: As
rudimentary as can be, bending down and picking stuff up the ground is probably
the simplest and most used exercise in the world. Anyone training or weight
lifting will want to incorporate it in their gym routine to maximize strength,
and anyone who doesn't train still do it every time they lift something off the
floor. Nonetheless, going heavy should be done with a sound and appropriate
technique.
The Squat: The back
squat, front squat and overhead squat are all compound movements that are
essential to develop powerlifting strength as well as technique and stability.
These skills are also transferable to the other Main Olympic Lifts, making them
even more important in a typical CrossFit wod.
(Includes the Clean
& Jerk, Snatch, Press, Kettlebell work, etc.)
Set-up properly (good
mechanics):
Mobilize your core
before even looking at the bar. The spine always needs to be in good position
before you can transfer force. Simple, but most of us don't ever do it.
I'll admit this is
close to impossible while in a CrossFit wod because the weight lifting is
usually relatively light and the rep count really high, but in powerlifting,
bodybuilding or at the CrossFit games when the weights get really heavy, you'll
see the athletes set up a lot more.
TIP: Standing up,
squeeze your glutes to organize your core section and make sure you don't
overarch your back. Then tighten you abs, breath in just a bit, retighten you
abs a little more and only then reach the bar for the lift.
Visualize each rep:
Visualization helps to
prevent mistakes, increases focus and helps to build on good muscle memory. If
you set up properly and visualize staying tight throughout the movement, you
will definitely lift better while reducing the risk of injuries. This is done
in practice and prepares you for competition, so that when you are at your
training peaks, you get there with good technique, body mechanics, mobility and
posture.
Warm up, don't fatigue:
Wake up you muscles and
don't get exhausted with weight lifting volume that will limit your immediate
strength and make you fall off your training peaks. A good example would be to
do hip raises (or bridges) to make the glutes more responsive before performing
your deadlift. Box jumps before squats are also good practices.
Push the ground:
Keep in mind to push
the ground instead of lifting the bar. It improves stability and keeps your
whole body engaged, squeezing the abs and glutes to widen the gap. This is
especially true in powerlifting or bodybuilding when the weights get heavy.
Work on your
weaknesses:
This is why we do it!
Ideally, you'd want to maintain what you're already good at and work on your
weaknesses: Technique, strength/power, cardio/endurance, range of
motion/flexibility/mobility, etc.
Seek, Target and
Resolve!
We strongly recommend
concentrating on these three aspects in training, using sound and logical data
to do so: Technique * Power * Endurance
1. TECHNIQUE: Learning
appropriate training patterns and muscle memory:
2. POWER: Lifting
faster and heavier:
3. ENDURANCE: Owning
the physical and mental resilience to keep going.
Want to see more
quality articles and videos, visit us at: http://crosstrain.zone/ & keep
training to be the best you can be!
In Bob Takano’s blog, there was an
in-depth series of discussions regarding the use of the extreme “knees out”
technique when performing the squat. For
those of you not familiar with Bob Takano, he is a USA Weightlifting Hall of
Fame inductee who has coached numerous champions at the national and
international level.
The debates were sparked when a
chiropractor and former USAW Sports Med Chair, Dr. Brendan Murray, emailed
Takano about the reasoning behind why athletes (crossfitters specifically) were
shoving their knees out forcefully outside of the foot and ankle during
squatting and pulling movements. Murray
was finding an increased number of injuries in his clinic, which he thought was
due to this technique. This practice was
quickly attributed to the teachings of Kelly Starrett, who’s side I will refer
to as, “The Supple Leopard Camp”. The
fun ensued shortly after, as this became a hot topic in the rehab, crossfit,
and olympic weightlifting worlds. The
6-part series of debates can be found here:
http://www.takanoathletics.com/blog/?p=3269
http://www.takanoathletics.com/blog/?p=3272
http://www.takanoathletics.com/blog/?p=3276
http://www.takanoathletics.com/blog/?p=3280
http://www.takanoathletics.com/blog/?p=3286
http://www.takanoathletics.com/blog/?p=3289
To be honest, I was completely
oblivious to the drama until I received a voicemail from one, Russell Berger of
Crossfit HQ, asking my opinion on the subject as a PT and competitive
weightlifter. It was going to be the
topic on some type of Crossfit TV show or something. I then read the whole 6 part series in my car
on my trusty Iphone. I encourage you all
to take a look at the arguments and formulate your own opinion.
The dealings with CrossfitHQ have not panned
out, as of yet; so I will have to put my TV star aspirations on hold. Regardless, I want to share my thoughts on
the subject, because I am encountering many of the same issues in clinical
practice.
My goal for this article is to be as
objective as possible, and by no means is this meant to be some personal attack
or internet jab at Kelly Starrett or his Supple Leopard camp. Starrett was a big influence in my decision
to go to PT school, and his work has continued to influence my practice up to
this point; though, my philosophies have evolved greatly over the past 3
years. Also, I do not intend this
article to be an argument for whether shoving your knees out past your feet is
right or wrong. I simply want to address
specific statements that were made, because I believe they may contribute to the
issues and misconceptions (key word) I see clinically. Here go’s…
Opening Statements
“Knees out is not the same as driving
hips into ground And we seem to solve knee problems. And back problems. In everyone.
And help set American records. And world records.” –Kelly Starrett
This was K star’s entire contribution
to the discussion. Basically, I took
this to mean, ‘I’ve got a plane to catch
and don’t have time for this shit’. I
cannot imagine how much of this he deals with on a daily basis. So I’ll leave this one alone. But c’mon man… You solveeveryone’s knee and
back problems? That’s a damn good
percentage. I can’t wait for that data
to hit the peer reviewed literature.
From this point, the minions from the
Supple Leopard Camp take over the debating responsibilities.
“Let’s establish one thing, with any
movement the goal is to produce the most amount of torque and not allow any
torsion [to] occur on a compression/loaded body. This directly also creates positions that get
rid of every single injury we have ever seen in all our athletes/non-athletes.”
–Supple Leopard Camp
The first sentence will be addressed
later. However, the proclamation that
this technique, “gets rid of EVERY single injury we have EVER seen in ALL our
athletes”, irritates me to the core.
Again, please publish these incredible outcomes. There is no faster way to lose credibility
than to say your shit works for everyone all the time, without data to back it
up (I’m trying to stay objective, I promise).
Regarding The Creation Of Torque In
The Hips
“Let’s establish one thing, with any
movement the goal is to produce the most amount of torque and not allow any
torsion [to] occur on a compression/loaded body.” -Supple Leopard Camp
and
“During Oly- or Power-lifting the goal again is to set yourself up to
produce the most amount of torque to get the bar from point A to point
B.”–Supple Leopard Camp
This idea of “torque” that the Supple Leopard
Camp continued to refer to is in reference to Starrett’s book, where he
frequently refers to the ‘Laws of Torque’ at the hip and shoulder.
In human biomechanics, internal
torque is (Muscle Force) X (Moment Arm).
The product of these two produces a force that acts on something – in
this case the femur when squatting. I
have not seen any evidence that suggests pushing your knees outside your feet
alters internal torque in the hip in a favorable way, as it is explained in
KStar’s book (which is not a peer
reviewed source, nor does it contain any references). This is also a very difficult thing to
quantify because below 90 degrees of hip flexion, the functions of many of the
muscles that cross the hip are altered – some of the external rotators becoming
internal rotators for example.1 It is
fine to use these terms anecdotally, but to say the goals of weightlifting and
powerlifting is to produce the most amount of torque is ambiguous at best.
Regarding Stability Of The Hip And
Spine When Squatting
“If we want to speak
anatomically/biomechanically/physiologically then we know that the hip is the
most congruent at 90 degrees of flexion in moderate amounts of abduction and
external rotation. Since Oly lifting requires
more depth (Ass to Ankles) then we have to get more external rotation and
abduction to maintain this congruent (minimal passive tension) to maintain the
stable spine and vertical torso.”
-Supple Leopard Camp
and
“Athletes that are squatting with toes out and
knees tracking over the feet will have to find stability elsewhere (since it is
not coming from the hip)”–Supple Leopard Camp
I found no evidence suggestion that “getting
more” external rotation and abduction when squatting past 90 degrees maintains
congruency and minimizes passive tension.
In fact, by shoving your knees out maximally, you would actually
increase ligamentous (passive) tension, and limit your ability to attain more
hip flexion. It is shown that full hip
flexion (≥120°) decreases passive tension of the capsular ligaments, and
increases tension in the glute max. Full
hip flexion also mechanically prepares the adductors to help with hip
extension.2 So, if you are limiting hip
flexion in any way, you are limiting the rubber band effect of glute max and
adductors. Where I come from, the goal
of a squat is to stand up, so maximally loading the muscles that help you do
that is probably a good idea
I found nothing to suggest that
letting your knees track over your ankles and squatting straight down creates
instability in the hip or spine. The
athlete should be able to continue flexing at the hip, while maintaining a
neutral pelvis. If they cannot, I don’t
believe the answer is to tell them to shove their knees out in order to compensate
(clinical opinion).
