Have you ever noticed swimmers compulsively shaking their muscles and fidgeting behind the blocks before a race? From Michael Phelps iconic arm swings to the, “dancing queen,” Sierra Schmidt, at last summers Olympic Trials, it turns out there is more to moving and staying loose, than just nervous energy.
Read MoreBy now many of you have incorporated soft tissue and dynamic stretching work (see foam rolling and dynamic stretching) into your warm up routines. You know that static stretching is an ineffective and outdated mode of warm up, because it decreases strength and performance, develops little if any range of motion (ROM) prior to getting warm, and has been disproven in preventing injury. You also know that 5 min or so in the cardio section prior to training does not prepare your joints and soft tissues for the rigors and full ROM of a resistance workout. So per you highly qualified fitness coach, and or the eloquent well-researched fitness blog you follow, you’ve established a thorough dynamic warm up routine prior to your training. So thorough in fact, that it may be cutting into your limited training time. 5-10 minutes foam rolling, 5-10 minutes dynamic stretching, and 5-10 minutes activation work leaves little time for training. While you may be covering all your bases, perhaps you could be spending more time on certain deficiencies and less on others. And maybe the order and sequencing of these exercises could elicit greater short-term mobility for your workout, and long-term gains in tissue quality day to day. Below are a few suggestions for developing even greater specificity in your warm up.
Order ABCs – Sequencing your warm up routine is no different that choosing the appropriate order of exercises for your workout. You wouldn’t do (I hope) a single joint movement before a compound movement. So don’t start your warm up stretching muscles with adhesions (knots). You’re essentially pulling those knots tighter, and limiting the length and quality of the muscle. Following the order and sequencing below, with enough frequency, may help counteract the adaptive stresses and postural changes of day-to-day work and activity. (see The Sitting Disease)
A - Release – choose 1 soft tissue exercise for the targeted muscle of the day to improve the quality of that tissue, improving movement and strength – SMR, ART, ETC
B - Mobilize – follow an active release exercise with a specific dynamic stretch or mobility movement to improve the length and range of motion of that muscle
C - Activation – Once you’ve released and mobilized the selected muscle, hammer it home with an activation exercise of that muscle’s antagonist (opposing muscle group). By law of reciprocal inhibition, activating (contracting) an opposing muscle group, will allow for a greater stretch (release) and length in the targeted muscle.
Ankle Mobility
Hip Mobility - Flexors
Hip Mobility - Adductors
Hip Mobility - Gluteals
Pec Mobility
Thoracic Mobility
Posture, while important aesthetically, also plays a vital role in the function and health of almost all the joints in the body. My latest blog, will help you assess your posture with a simple movement screening, and evaluate the results to tailor your training.
Whether by threat of a ruler toting catholic school nun, or the gentle reminder from a loving parent, many of us have been encouraged at one point or another to sit up straight with our shoulders aligned. What you may not have known then was the impact you may have been having on the soft developing tissues of your posterior and how that would effect the way you move as you age. Fortunately, because these tissues are soft, with the proper exercise prescription, many of us can offset a life of slouching at the desk, computer, car, and couch.
A straight and neutral spine is important every time you sit into or out of a chair, pick something up, or work out in the gym. Lack of stability in the lumbar spine and or rounding or kyphosis in your thoracic or mid back increases compressive and shear forces in lower back. While some may argue that we should not sit at all, (see The Sitting Disease), its apart of our daily life, and therefore, proper spine strength and alignment is important to avoid lower back injury when performing tasks of daily living and while under loads in the gym.
An unloaded overhead squat, is a great movement screening for thoracic spine mobility, popularized by Gray Cook's Functional Movement Screening (FMS). Not only is it indicative of core strength, but is also a sign of shoulder rhythm. If you dont have someone to watch or video you, use a mirror.
1. Assume a square, shoulder width stance with your feet.
2. If available, grasp a stick or dowel, and place it on top of your head, bending your elbows at 90 degrees.
3. Extend your arms directly overhead with straight elbows.
4. Proceed to squat down as deep as you can while maintaining straight extended arms
5. Repeat step 4 a few more times
Keep an eye on the mirror or watch a recording of yourself:
Do your head and shoulders collapse down to the floor?
Is your back curved and rounded?
Did you have to bend your elbows or move your arms forward to squat to 90 degrees or more?
If your squat looked like this:
You may have a kyphotic immobile thoracic spine. This is going to limit your range of motion and load bearing capacity while performing simple movements like sitting up and out of a chair, or picking up small loads, not to mention limit your training in the gym. Additionally, the rounding in your mid back, disrupts the natural rhythm of your scapulas and their relationship with your shoulder. This may lead to shoulder issues doing things requiring overhead lifting, or pushing movements in the gym.
To look like this:
Add some of the thoracic mobility drills I have on my demo page to your corrective movements, dynamic warm up, or active rest for several weeks and begin to reap the benefits of a better aligned spine, stronger core and shoulder mobility.
