The Fascial Knock On Distance Running For Pitchers – Eric Cressey

Really this article applies to everyone so don’t be scared off by the title.  Baseball season is upon us.  Shout if you get extra excited about game 92 during the regular season like I do (note sarcasm).  All kidding aside I like this article from Eric Cressey.  He works with a large baseball population but as I mentioned, the points he makes can easily apply to the average person or non-athlete.  Things such as whole body movements, vector variation and a proprioceptive rich environment are all important and more effective than distance running for reaching your goals, unless of course your sole goal is to run farther.  Even if that were your goal the next most important factors would still be what are listed above.  Cressey also talks about the length of time it can take for both positive and negative change to occur.  Symptoms might not show up until much time later and the damage has been done and on the other end, those changes may take time to reverse through better posture/movement.

These will not improve via more running

10 Minutes A Day Keeps The Doctor Away- Bret Contreras

As usual Bret nails it here.  I have written some at-home workouts for several people over the years.  Although Bret’s is a little quicker I would design it the same way.  Much like the above article Bret covers whole body movement through a full range of motion and in different directions.  What a coincidence!  That must be important.  Many people don’t get that movement on a regular basis but it can be done in as few as 10 minutes a day.  No excuses.  Get it done, unless of course you enjoy wasting time visiting your doctor.

A Girlfriend’s Response – Tony Gentilcore

Sometimes I feel that my life’s mission is to not only teach others about training, but particularly women.  I can’t suggest any reading without having something specific for the ladies.  There are actually a couple of articles to read here.  Tony wrote one called “4 Things Your Girlfriend Should Know” a while back.  A great read in and of itself.  Upon his reposting it recently some women didn’t like it, aka they were offended by his tone, etc.  In response Tony’s girlfriend shared her thoughts on “women’s fitness” and those who were a little confused.  It is well written and refreshing coming from a female.  Check it out.

- Mike Baltren

When and why did you first start training at Ambition Athletics?

I started training February 2011. I have been battling painful nerve degeneration since 2008.  It was first diagnosed as sciatica, then three discs in my back were discovered to be bulging, however it still did not explain the peripheral nerve pain and lost of function I was experiencing down my left leg. I was on many pain medication prescriptions, had seen physical therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and massage therapists but nothing seemed to reverse the slow degeneration of my nerve function or decrease my extreme levels of daily pain. When I came to Max, I had lost the ability to rotate my left ankle, my foot was beginning to drag when I walked, and I was about to undergo painful nerve conduction studies because I still was undiagnosed with a medical reason why all this was happening to me.

What was it like on your first day?

I was afraid I was beyond help. I scored a 0 on the assessment and I couldn’t perform the simplest tasks, like lift my leg off the table. Max was confident he could help me, so I put my trust in him and committed to the process.

There were times in the past when you needed a cane to walk. Now you regularly run hill sprints and do agility drills. How does that feel?

Amazing.  A year ago I was afraid I was heading towards a wheelchair.  I’m a single mom of two kids and that’s just not an option.  Max has given me the ability to care for my children, and that is priceless.

You are back to training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu regularly and recently received a belt promotion, how much time off did you have to take and how have things been going recently?

I just received my 3rd stripe on my blue belt. Having to stop training was a low point; every week I would ask Max if I could go back.  I ended up having to stay off the mat for 9 months.  The first day back was scary.  I was finally off all pain medication and feeling great but petrified of screwing that up by being thrown funny. The biggest compliment I get is how strong I am. My jiu-jitsu is getting better because my body is at near peak performance.  I can actually do techniques I’ve never attempted before because of my back/leg nerve injury.  I’m excited that I’m getting better at jiu-jitsu and am thrilled to be training again!

Is there anything else specific that you hope to accomplish or get back to doing that you have done in the past?

Another passion I had to give up was surfing. I had lost my bottom turn and was looking at the very real possibility of drowning if my back went out while in the water. I just picked up a new board and cant wait to surf it when the water warms up.

Thank you Max, Mike, and Brian. Your hard work and encouragement on my behalf has giving me my life back.

I LOVE Ambition Athletics!!!

Again, we are very proud of Michelle and we thank her for sharing her inspiring story.

- Mike Baltren

You, "exercising"

I can’t tell you how many people walk into my gym with neck and/or shoulder pain. Okay I can, it’s a lot—probably half.

There are a couple of factors that cause this:
-Forward head posture
-Poor Breathing
-Lack of disassociation between neck and shoulders during exercise

Let’s break down the problem that’s causing your forward head posture.
1) Lack of thoracic spine mobility
2) Shoulders rounded forward (tight pecs)
3) Cervical immobility

This guy has all of those problems--Oh look he's at a computer. Shocking.

Fortunately you’ve been given tools on how to deal with thoracic immobility (Joint by Joint approach). This could include foam rolling, lying rib pulls, or one of many other thoracic mobilizations.
Tight pecs can be simply addressed by some SMR (Self Myofascial Release) via a lacrosse ball against the wall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkTsM3yl64A and followed up by some wall slides http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7vfya5EELw .
Cervical spine immobility can be caused by a number of factors. For the sake of simplicity, the scope of this article will cover fascial tightness and lack of joint awareness or motion. Fix it by rolling out the levator scapula (between your shoulder blades and your spine) and your traps with the lacrosse ball. Next step is to take care of your awareness of good neck position.

Do this by gliding your face forward and backward (think funky chicken), trying to maintain length through your spine. Do 5 reps nice and slow. You’ll be amazed at how uncoordinated it is at first. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN-rtPGu4K4 (Editors note: I doubt this will do anything for your gobbler). Finish with some good rotations left and right, through a full range of motion—think about lifting through your crown.

Next step is breathing.
We all start knowing what to do here and somewhere along the line it gets pretty messed up. Most folks breathe through their mouths (not ideal) and the shoulders elevate with every breath. Also not good when you consider we take an average of 20,000 breaths per day. You can imagine how 20,000 dysfunctional breathing shrugs might have an impact on your neck health.

Quick fix #1: Start breathing through your nose. Seriously that’s it. We’re designed to inhale and exhale through the nose, start doing it. All the time.
Quick fix #2: Breathing exercise: Lay face down with your forehead on your hands so you’re comfortable. Place an ankle weight (book, medicine ball, small child, etc) on your low back around your sacrum. Breathe for 5:00 (through your nose) trying to lift the weight with each inhale. The weight gives you instant feedback and gives you something to push into, making it much easier.

Combining these 2 things will not only increase orthopedic health, but also increase performance by improving your kinetic efficiency. However, it’s a total waste if you keep breaking yourself in the gym:

Disassociation between neck and shoulders during exercise is imperative if you want to maintain optimal strength and athleticism. Bench, check your neck. Rows, check your neck. Weight overhead? Check your neck.

The point is that you should be able to rotate your neck left and right freely during exercise. This is most easily experimented with during pushups or one arm presses.

Pushup:
-Assume pushup position
-Rotate neck left and right (if your ROM feels strained, try to lengthen your neck)
-Drop into a pushup
-Rotate left and right (“check your neck”)
-Pushup back up
Overhead Press:
-Bring dumbbell or kettlebell to the shoulder
-“check your neck”
-Press dumbbell or kettlebell overhead
-“check your neck”

You should be able to move freely during almost any exercise or stretch you’re doing. Not only will it save you a lot of trouble dealing with neck and shoulder pain, but it will also elevate your performance by improving your upper body coordination, making you stronger.

-Max Shank

This drill (as well as the ankle tilts shown at the end) seems to help many people in many different ways.  From improving shoulder mobility (believe it) to better hip movement and toe touches.  For some more insight into what Z-Health actually is and why these things work click here.

This summer I worked with a college football player.  He informed me that he had suffered from painful shin splints since high school.  One cause of shin splints can be overuse or simply doing too much too soon.  We took it pretty easy as far as accumulating a lot of distance throughout the week via agility and sprint drills but sure enough the shin splits returned during the middle of the summer.  The only change that we made at that time in his program was the addition of slightly more barefoot time and toe pulls.  He proceeded to go through training camp and then the entire season with virtually no pain.  Did one or both of these things help?  I’m not entirely sure.  Are toe pulls magic?  Maybe.  What I can say is that for a small investment in time and very little effort this drill can potentially have a great return.

I can personally say that each time I do toe pulls, especially on the left side where I have some hip internal rotation deficit (HIRD), I feel a release and better mobility through that hip.  I can also say that this was not always the case.  Many of the Z-Health drills take practice.  They are to be learned and done with precision, which certainly isn’t the case with much of the mindless and dare I say useless, stretching that the average gym-goer does as a warm up.  Here is a quote from the Z-Health, R-Phase Cert. Notebook:

“As an example, when you are doing middle toe pulls, your target is the 2^nd or middle cuneiform joints of the foot.  If you do the toe pulls, while ignoring all the details and feel the stretch down in your toes as opposed to the target area, you will NOT get the same benefits from the exercise.  While this is a simple concept, many trainers overlook it!”

Targets:

Inside = Navicular        Neural Connection = Psoas

Middle =  Cuneiform     Neural Connection = Hip Flexor (Rectus Femoris)

Outside = Cuboid          Neural Connection = Gluteus Medius

“Tension on the foot is directed by leg angle behind the body.  Some clients will need to have the leg farther back – others will need it closer to the stance foot.”

This video provides even further explanation.

- Mike Baltren

At Ambition Athletics our mission statement reads:  Dedicated to the improvement of overall fitness and health through the commitment to movement quality, strength and education.  With the last five words being what we are really all about I will briefly try and share what they mean to me.

Movement Quality: 

Although repetition and practice are important, quality wins over quantity every time.  That being said, the 80% Rule is almost always in effect.  Joint mobility is paramount.  You must first move well and then move strong.  This will help to keep one healthy in the long term, also known as durability.

Strength: 

Once again the 80% Rule applies here.  What does that mean in short?  It means, train sub maximally, or not to failure, most of the time.  The weight is just relative.  This will allow for more efficient nervous system adaptation as well as recovery, and provide a model for sustainability or again, the long term.  Lastly, train the body as a whole.  When you are performing in life or sport, the body will work in unison so train it that way too so as to get the most of your work.

Education:

From a coaches perspective continuing education is crucial but we also want our clients to have an understanding of what they are doing.  Some don’t have much interest in that part, and that’s ok, but I want to emphasize our responsibility to teach not tell, and coach not just count.  It is, and always has been the goal at Ambition Athletics, to arm our members with knowledge to help themselves no matter where they live. One of our former members Dwayne just sent a video update of his training that he had designed and implemented himself, and it was nothing short of excellent.

- Mike Baltren

Why do I value strength so much?  Sometimes I wonder.  Yesterday I was thinking about so-called “metabolic circuits”.  You know, several exercises done in a row at a quick pace designed to burn fat and get the heart rate going.  I will sometimes use this style of training, but within reason, and certainly not for a full hour.  I think that much of the time, to perform these circuits the person needs to have at least some kind of level of technical mastery.  In my experience, more often than not, people need to take time to build strength and efficiency in movements such as the push up, squat, lunge, etc., than to do them at a quick pace for high reps.  Now when I’m talking about strength, in this case I don’t mean really heavy weights and chasing numbers all the time.  I simply mean moving well and being efficient.  I suppose that’s the argument for self limiting exercise.  Using tools like the sled and ropes are rather safe and difficult to do incorrectly even in a fatigued state.  The same reason I prefer those to push ups and lunges as conditioning.  At least part of all the training sessions I conduct are going to be dedicated to “low rep” strength training every time.

So again, why do I value strength so much?  As Charles Staley states, it’s at the top of the hierarchy.  Want to tone up?  Get stronger.  It’ll help quite a bit.  Want to get faster and more physical on the field?  Get stronger.  How would you like to be a more efficient endurance athlete and minimize injury?  Build some real strength.

On an unrelated note.  Have you seen this video?  If you haven’t read The Talent Code, Talent Is Overrated, or Outliers, I highly recommend them.  Although not exactly the same, and written by different authors, these books have many similarities.  Get an idea of what The Talent Code is about from this video.

Today the latest issue of Hardstyle Magazine showed up under the door at the gym.  I skimmed through it quickly but this quote from Pavel caught my eye.  “And the training of an athlete who has passed his beginner “accumulation” stage is a zero sum game.  Which means that pointless exercises not only unnecessarily tax time and recovery but create competition to the money lifts for synaptic sites.  You have two choices: concentrate your gains on your competition events and a handful of big payoff strength exercises or spread them thinly over “random acts of variety”.

What does this mean to me?  Well, first what he is saying and expanded upon further in the article relates to the neural aspect of training and learning talked about in the video above.  Second, know why you are doing what you are doing in your training.  There should be a reason for it.  What is the goal?  Does your behavior match that goal?  On an even simpler level, does your program include the essentials?  It may be slightly different for some but generally a push, pull, squat, and hinge.  Or upper and lower body pushing and pulling.  If you are an athlete, don’t waste your valuable time and stay focused on your goals.  If you are not training for anything specific it’s still the same to me.  You only have a certain amount of time to train per week.  Be focused and use the highest payoff or bang for your buck movements and drills.

-  Mike Baltren

Two weeks ago I wrote a post about progression and how people should advance in their training.  This week I want to talk about two things, visual and breathing exercises.  I believe these to be relatively advanced topics in regards to training but at the same time beginners can easily use them.  The future of training I believe will look much like the past, push, pull, squat, hinge heavy objects.  However, in regards to the advancement of training and taking things to the next level, I believe that visual and breathing training may be the way.

What’s commonly known as crocodile breathing comes from the yoga world, as I understand it.  I first learned about it from physical therapist and all around smart guy Gray Cook.  It involves lying face down on the floor and essentially teaching yourself diaphragmatic breathing.  It is not uncommon in this sedentary world we live in for people to “chest breath”.  In other words, with a deep breath the person might even shrug their shoulders some.  This can be a result of poor posture and potentially lead to poorer posture as well as neck and shoulder pain, and no one needs that in their life.  Much like everything else, if you want to correct it, or “get better” at breathing, practice it.  Take a few minutes of each day to retrain how you breathe and relax your upper body.  It can be done through crocodile breathing specifically or by simply being focused on your breathing during your mobility drills.  I don’t think I can emphasize the focus part enough.  This is a simple activity, working joint mobility and breathing, yet focus and precision are needed, not just a mindless activity at a moderate intensity.  We probably don’t emphasize that part often enough at the gym but we do encourage our clients to breathe into the area that they are trying to open during mobility drills.  So, why exactly am I talking about this?  Well, I have seen first hand when some people practice their breathing, thoracic spine mobility can improve greatly and tension is released in the head neck and shoulders.  That means better moving, healthier shoulders without stretching all day!  Combine that with some strength and stability training and you’ll be feeling great.

I will tell you that the whole idea of visual training is still very new to me.  What little I have been able to digest about the benefits from visual training has come from Z-Health S-Phase and Max Shank teaching me his experience in Z.  I haven’t yet taken the time to look into exactly what Nike is doing as far its new visual training glasses but I’ve heard they are pretty cool.  First understand that eyesight and vision are not the same thing.  Eyesight is the ability to see whereas vision involves understanding and processing the information.  In the Z-Health S-Phase manual it states that “75%-90% of all learning comes through the visual pathway FIRST, any interference in the visual system can interfere with reaching maximum potential.”  In my crude understanding at this juncture, training your vision can reduce threat within the body and allow a person to move with less restriction.  Sounds a little strange, right?  What I can tell you with certainty is that visual training works.  I have again seen first-hand the benefits of these concepts in regard to better movement and health.  Just in the past two weeks I have seen several people at Ambition Athletics dramatically improve their ability to touch their toes simply by practicing a specific visual drill.  3” or 4” toe touch improvement without stretching the hamstrings?  Yes please.  Not only that, but the same people have said that they generally feel much better while moving, walking, etc.  Now, I’m not going to into all of the details of the drills but know that most of them are easy to teach and perform.  Nothing too special, other than the results.

Again, I am certainly no expert in these concepts.  However, what I do know is that I am very intrigued by them and more importantly; I have seen that they can make people better.  If I can have clients and athletes work on these skills in between sets of lifting and improve their movement, then I am all for it.  Visual training and breathing exercises are more tools in the toolbox that can be highly effective with a little practice and without much physical exertion.  All of that being said, if you walk into Ambition Athletics and see someone wearing an eye patch, although we do love The Goonies, no one is trying to be one-eyed Willie and no one “shot their eye out” either.

- Mike Baltren

If I Could Do One Thing For The Fitness Industry - Dan John

Dan John is a veteran coach.  He knows A LOT.  He recently released a book that I plan on reading in the near future.  I suggest reading this entire article but here is a spoiler, “The stronger you are the easier it is to lose fat.  So, if you have a simple goal, like fat loss or throwing the discus far, focus more on simply getting stronger and we can improve your chances of getting there.”

Teach Your Female Personal Training Clients To Train Like Men - Neghar Fonooni

It would be difficult for me to ever suggest some reading and not have something that is directly related to women and training.  Ladies, please READ THIS!  The title says it all but Neghar is a fantastic writer as well as coach and provides some great insight for both women and coaches alike.  I’ve said it before, that I really enjoying coaching women.  I can’t always put in words exactly why but I think much of it has to do the potential for change/strength/happiness/learning that I see in so many women.  This article motivates me to motivate others.

A Fitness Life In Motion - Thomas Plummer

Fitness is motion – motion is life.  In this article Thomas Plummer talks about what fitness might mean to different people.  It’s not always about chasing elite standards and looks.  For some it’s about just moving, moving well, feeling good and/or having some fun.  That’s healthy too.  Some people may not be seeking dramatic changes or performance standards.  Although we expect great things from our clients at Ambition Athletics, one of the things we always talk about is that training with us should be about making you better at other things you enjoy outside of the gym.  That can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people including simply just life itself.  That being said, I think both an understanding of goals by the coach and the use of progression is very important.

What Crossfit Is And Isn’t - Dewey Nielsen

It’s just one man’s opinion.  However, from what I know about Dewey, his values seem to be in line with those of Ambition Athletics.  I think he gives an honest look at the situation here.

- Mike Baltren

Looking back on September ’07, if there is one thing that I took away from my week spent learning at Athletes’ Performance, it is the importance of progression in training.  Coaches, and even those without coaches, need to understand where each person/athlete is, and what the next step is.  Is it to add load or advance to another exercise variation?  What is the next variation as far as safety and skill are concerned?  Progression means making progress.  I want people to be successful with each movement skill and “own it” prior to moving forward to the next challenge.  Single leg squats are arguably the best lower body strength exercise but they may also be the most difficult.  Is it appropriate to prescribe them on day one of training?  There is no point to just diving just because they are challenging and look impressive.  If someone is appears to be strong does that mean 1-leg squats are ok to try?  There are pistol versions and 1-Leg squats to a box/target.  Which is best?  What about mobility restrictions?  These are all important questions to consider but just as important, as stated earlier, one has to earn that next step by “owning” the other movements that come first.

Progression is something that I value very highly as a coach.  Having that template of where to go next is very helpful, even in the case of regression.  Sometimes a step back can be just as important.  A typical example of progression for me is, hip flexor stretch before bridging, before kb deadlift, before learning to kb swing.  And honestly, this goes for everyone.  Many are aware that great athletes can be great compensators.  I don’t care how easy it is, I don’t see a problem with anyone doing a set or two bridges to fire up their glutes prior to learning a hip dominant exercise or simply as a warm up.  This is part of owning each movement prior to moving forward.  Another example, in reference to the first paragraph, is bodyweight split squats first, then add load.  Reverse lunges after that, followed by 1-leg squat progressions or my new favorite, airborne lunges.  All of that may take 6-8 weeks to progress through or it may take 6-8 months.  Either is just fine with me.  It’s more about doing each well and training smart.

 Prove to me more than once that you can make this look pretty

Then maybe you can try this

Another progression consideration with new clients is simply working up to a heavy lift.  I am aware of at least one trainer certifying organization that thinks testing a 1 RM bench press on the first day is a good way to kick off a training routine.  Imagine walking into the gym on day one, possibly a little intimidated and within 20 minutes or so you are trying to determine the maximum weight you can bench press for 1 one rep?!  That’s like attempting a brand new sport and on day one starting a game for the varsity team instead of, let’s say, I don’t know, practicing with the freshman team.  You’ll sure find out what you’re made of but who cares, it’s also a good way to get hurt.  Let it be known that I tend to disagree with that one.  Could it happen after a few weeks of training?  Maybe, but no point in doing that with a new person that the coach is unfamiliar with or in a movement the client/athlete may be just as unfamiliar with.  The experience of training is much more of a journey than just chasing numbers in the short term.  Whether you want to call it a lifestyle or just understand the big picture of health and performance, there is more to it than just this one training session.  Come back and try again soon.

Recently, with the help of some Max Shank creativity, my thought process has changed slightly in terms of how to progress in a more long-term scenario.  By that I mean, I’m thinking that beginners should use a lot of bodyweight training as they learn.  Personal body control seems to be rather important.  Next comes the adding of external load, a.k.a. some iron.  After that (the new part) comes back more bodyweight training, not for everything, but meaning 1-arm push up and 1-arm chin progressions as well as 1-leg squat variations.  Currently I’m thinking that this full circle is one of the best ways to progress as someone becomes advanced and has done many years of quality training.  Again, it doesn’t mean that you put the weights away, or that it’s absolutely for everyone, but possibly the addition of more bodyweight skills such as 1-arm work, handstands, pistols etc.  When it comes down to it, don’t skip steps.  Master each step and earn the next.

- Mike Baltren

This post is a little more personal than usual but, here we go.  When I am first introduced to people it is not uncommon for them to inquire if it’s ok to ask me a question about training even though I’m not at work.  Or, occasionally they ask if I want to be a coach/trainer as a career.  My responses to those questions are usually, “No I don’t mind at all.  Just feel free to cut me off in 10 minutes if you get bored.” and “This is what I do.  This is my life.”

I am currently reading the coach Dan John recommended “Swing Your Sword” by former Texas Tech and current Washington St. football coach Mike Leach.  Leach is a law school graduate but was always intrigued by coaching.  At one point he wrote a letter to attorney Gerry Spence whom was his idol at the time.  Leach asked him if he loved or hated law.  What would he have done differently, was it worth it, etc.  This was Spence’s response:

“Yes I love law.  Yes I hate law.  But, most importantly, I am consumed by law.  I think about it all the time, and yes, I would do the same thing again because it is fulfilling to do something you are consumed with.  If you are consumed by law, go be an attorney.  If you are not, find something else.”

Leach went on to ask himself what he thought about when no one else was around, when he was going from the sofa to the refrigerator, or filling up his gas tank.  At that point he knew what he had to do and went for it.  The rest is history.

Although I have been sure for quite some time what I enjoy doing with my life, this insight does give me comfort.  It is safe to say that I have been consumed with training for quite some time, and yes sometimes I hate it too when the weights don’t do what I want them to.  I often tell people I am a training geek.  When I was 17 and XXXX was my girlfriend, I would without hesitation make our plans/dates around my training schedule.  I loved training with my best friend in the neighbor’s basement to get better at hockey.  It’s just what I did.  At 21, when I was in college I didn’t mind telling my buddies that I would meet up with them later because I had to hit the gym for an hour even though it was after practice.  I wanted to be there.  I enjoyed that time.  At 27 when I was dating XXXXXXX I made sure she knew from the beginning that Saturday mornings were dedicated to a 45 min drive each way to Mike’s Gym in Bonsall, plus a training and recovery session that totaled about 3-4 hrs.  That’s how it was going to be.  Every Saturday.  There were no exceptions.

These days I can’t express how much I love to learn just as much as I love to train.  Sometimes when I tell people who don’t know me really well that I’m going to a seminar that is work related they offer sympathy.  And that’s ok, I think it’s safe to say that most people don’t love presentations and “meetings” that are work related, but I let them know that for me it’s like a kid going Disneyland.  I love it.  I can’t get enough.  I’ve never thought that I know it all and I’m smart enough to realize that there are far more intelligent people out there than me.  I’ve just been lucky enough that many of them are willing to share their knowledge and experience with others.

That being said, enough about me.  The fulfilling part that Spence talked about comes with helping people.  I can train my ass off and study hard but as they say, no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.  I’d being lying if I said I thought I was a great communicator, but I do care, a lot.  For me there is nothing more satisfying than helping someone else get better on the field, in the gym, in their own mind for that matter.  I love helping others be successful.  I guess it’s the teacher/coach in me.

Finally, although we don’t often get to sit down with a bottle of wine and have a heart to heart, if there is one other person I know who feels this way about helping people and training, it’s Max Shank.  That is why I love Ambition Athletics and continue to be consumed with training.

- Mike Baltren