Must Reads!

I apologize for the delay in posting I was detoured by the Final Four. I had the opportunity to attend this year and it was an unreal experience. Not only did I attend but I had the opportunity to watch individuals that I worked with participate on the biggest stage in college basketball, the championship game. Their hard work all season paid off even though they ended up losing to the Cardinals.

Back to business! This weeks must reads are as follows

Sexy Shoulder Function - Robertson
It's Not What You Do But HOW You Do It - Luka Hocevar
Kelly Starrett on The Power Clean
Too Jacked to Olympic Lift - Wil Flemming
Character and Conditioning - Coach Taylor
Bulgarian Strongman - Chase Karnes (This one is awesome!)

Stay strong!

Spinal Influences in the Extremities

Spinal Influences in the Extremities

Mark Z. Jamantoc, PT

      If you are a patient who is seeing a clinician (PT / Osteopath / Chiro), it is so important that you let these individuals know if you have any neck symptoms. Whenever I would see a shoulder patient, I almost always screen the cervical spine. 

SEGMENTAL FACILITATION

       "Excited nervous system" is the term for this. It has also been proposed that Cervical Segmental Facilitation secondary to somatic dysfunction is a common cause of scapular dyskinesia. Oftentimes, we see a patient with a very hypertonic rotator cuff (C4-C5 areas perhaps). This, in turn, causes some imbalance in the synergistic ability of the shoulder girdle muscles, thus causing scapular dyskinesia

       How do we define Somatic Dysfunction? According to The Educational Council on Osteopathic Principles, somatic dysfunction is defined as impaired or altered function of related components of the somatic (body framework) system: skeletal, arthrodial, or myofascial structures, and related vascular, lymphatic and neural elements. 

       Ever seen a hypertonic upper trapezius or even the biceps long head that just would not relax no matter how much you stretch it out or Massage it out? Ever palpated a tight piriformis or gluteus medius that no matter how much you"roll it out", it still stays tight? That may be caused by segmental facilitation. 

       To explain it in easier terms: segmental facilitation happens when there is increased sensory input from a specific part of the spinal cord AND it keeps that area in an "excited state."This, in turn, allows the motor nerves to produce a slightly weaker stimuli that results in increased motor output - and thus causes the skeletal muscles and visceral organs to sustain a state of incremental activity.  

       In relation to this, let's talk a little bit about hypermobility of the spine. If you have heard of selective tightening, this does mean that the muscles surrounding the vertebrae tighten up to support the spine. Think of a building whose foundation is not entirely 100% that it is needing external forces to enhance its stability. The spine is much like a building. Loosen it too much and it will need to "grab" on surrounding muscles to keep it stable. It has been hypothesized that spinal hypermobility may actually cause segmental facilitation. 

SEGMENTAL FACILITATION - WHAT SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR?

1. Hypertonic muscles - palpation of the muscles surrounding the area you are suspecting of being hypermobile. You may also need to check on the transverse processes. 

2. Hyperactive reflexes - related to the segment you are checking

3. Non-Fatiguable weakness - inherent, if you test the muscle 3-4 times, you will get the same "weakness", not an increasing fatigability like those found in neuropathies 

4. Increased sensitivity to touch - when you palpate the area supplied by the segment, there is increased tenderness. 

5. Symptoms of Sympathetic responses (a little fight or flight response) - increased sweating, pupil dilation, blood pressure increase, blood vessels constriction, lungs dilation, and peristalsis of digestive tract among others. 

PATIENT EXAMPLE:

       I once had a patient referred to me by a family physician for evaluation and treatment of bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome AND bilateral tennis elbows. WOW. This immediately made me suspect of the cervical spine. This patient, apparently had been with two or three other physical therapy clinics and have been seen for at least 4-8 visits with massage, modalities and exercises for Tennis Elbow and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but symptoms have stayed consistently the same. So, during the initial assessment, after taking down the history, I went straight to cervical assessment. Sure enough, the muscles surrounding the cervical spine were so spasmic that touching them produced a twitch in the upper trapezius on bilateral sides. Can you guess the occupation of the patient? He was a 36 year old builder and painter and looks upward (with the neck in full cervical extension) 5-7 hours a day. After about 3-4 visits of PT, he reported 80% improvement on the elbow and wrist symptoms. 

       Never forget the spine. It is so important to include it in the screening. If you're a patient, always inform your clinician about certain neck symptoms (if any). 

ABOUT OUR GUEST WRITER:

MARK Z. JAMANTOC, PT

Mark is a Physical Therapist specializing in Orthopedics and Manual Therapy. He has been in active clinical practice since 2002. He graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy and was given the distinction of PT of the year from St. Paul University Iloilo, Philippines. In the past 6 years, Mark has been focusing his skills in upper quadrant rehabilitation and continues to take continuing education classes around the country to enhance his skills as a clinician. He is passionate about helping people achieve their goals and develop a solution for themselves.  He may be reached at www.markjamantoc.com or www.facebook.com/findyourwellness. 

The Secret of the Stretch Shortening Cycle

Plyometrics; the key to enhancing your ability to improving your performance capacity. Plyometrics or sometimes referred to as reversible muscle action are movements in which a muscle group is stretched and immediately contracted. An example of a plyometric would be depth drop where an individual steps off a box or step and upon landing immediately jumps into the air. These types of movements train the muscular and nervous systems by enhancing the ability of tissues to deform (stretch) much like a rubber band. While this stretch or deformation is occurring energy is stored, if this deformation is directly followed by movement some of the stored energy is applied to the movement allowing the individual performing the movement to apply more force into the vector desired. Plyometrics are able to increase the deformation by inhibiting the reflex from the Golgi tendon organ which acts as a safety mechanism and causes the muscle to decrease force production. They also enhance the ability of force application by increasing intermuscular and intramuscular coordination which in turn increases excitation of agonists and synergists and inhibition of antagonists, increased motor unit recruitment, firing rates and synchronization.

                Now that we know WHAT plyometrics are and what they do let’s look at practical ways to implement them into a training program. To effectively design and implement plyometrics you must implement them with care and caution. Plyometrics utilize extremely high loads on the joints and tissues of the body. The key factors for applying successful Plyometrics are vector or direction, rate of force production, and muscles performing work. Let’s dissect these concepts, a basketball player performs lateral, vertical and horizontal dynamic (vector or direction). Basketball is a game of rapid footwork and change of direction which requires a large amount of force be applied into the ground very quickly (rate of force production) and it utilizes core (shoulders-hips) and lower extremity muscles to produce these movements (muscles performing work). Now to develop a proper plyometric program for a basketball player it would be appropriate to perform Plyometrics vertically, horizontally and laterally with low ground contact time and without the aid of a machine to create a link between our lower appendages and upper.

        

      Plyometric variations are only limited by the imagination of the creator. They can utilize single leg, double leg, and alternate leg variations. Weights and heights can also be added to increase the intensity of a plyometric. A single leg step from a box into a jump is much more intense than a counter movement jump. As long as the plyometric used is specific to the demands of the event being trained for it will be effective. Imagine a marathon runner (yes runners need adequate power output to be optimally efficient transitioning from leg to leg) performing lateral Plyometrics to help them transfer forces horizontally, not very effective use of Plyometrics and will have limited carry over.

                In summary Plyometrics are a great way to increase your ability to generate power but need to be carefully planned and programmed for safety and effectiveness. Make sure that your Plyometrics are specific to what you’re trying to accomplish directionally, utilize a similar rate of force production and the same muscles required for the activity being trained for. If you follow these few steps you will be well on your way to successfully improving your performance capability.

                

Must Reads

While the season presses on my time continues to be limited and my inability to keep up on content is obvious. Here is several great reads that I was fortunate enough to get the time to look over. I have personally listened to Nick Winkelman and Shawn Myszka (on this topic) in person and they are extremely well educated professionals. Another post on a country favorite Crossfit! Enjoy...

The Cube Method - Caleb Bernacchio
Motor Learning Pt. 1 - Nick Winkelman
Motor Learning Pt. 2 - Nick Winkelman
Some Thoughts on Crossfit - Patrick Ward
Common Mistakes in the Implementation of Plyometrics - Shawn Myszka

Must Reads

I apologize for the lapse in my content things have just been so extremely busy! I am working on a post about why strength training works physiologically and also getting more content from other authors. I have a great new read that I am also working on that I will give a summary on - The Power of Habits. Until then here are my favorite blog posts of the week.

The Truth About Strength Training for Kids - Cressey
Elite FTS Top 25 of 2012
The Dirty Word: Testosterone - Marc Bartley
The FMS and it's Relevence within Elite Sports Performance - Tim Pelot

Guest Post Morgan Medeiros - My Hips Get Tight When I Run, How Can I Stretch Them?

Standing Lunge

I struggle with this myself, but the stretches pictured here have helped a lot!

The quad and hip flexors often become tight  because these muscles are essential to running, working to pull the knee upwards.

Prolonged sitting (hello, desk job) can exacerbate this issue. 

Aside from being downright uncomfortable,tight hips can hinder proper running form.

If your flexors are excessively tight, your back will arch, tilting your pelvis forward; this prevents you from achieving full leg extension during the "pushoff" phase during a run, compromising gait and setting the stage for possible injury. 

Luckily, you and your tight hips will find relief with a few simple stretches, performed after a run, as pictured.

Standing Lunge: Can also be performed kneeling, as in "lunge with twist" (below), but remain facing forward instead of twisting your torso.

I prefer the standing variation because I am also able to stretch my calves this way. Tuck tailbone under, chest tall, do not arch back!

Lean forward until you feel stretch at the front of the hind leg. 

Lunge with twist: Focus on tucking tailbone under, bend front knee and twist to same side as bent leg. You will feel the stretch in the opposite hip flexor. 

Quad Stretch: Stand near doorframe to ensure that you aren't arching- the straight frame of the door can help keep your spine straight and your tailbone tucked under (you're probably getting the hint that this is important when stretching the hip flexor...)

 
Modified Pigeon: Similar to pigeon pose in yoga, but with leg tucked under instead of curled to side.

Begin on the floor, sitting with knee tucked under you, as if kneeling in prayer.

  Extend one leg backwards and raise arms to ceiling (as pictured), or place hands on the ground for support. Either way, chest should be tall and back as straight as possible- try to think about tucking your tailbone under.

About the author Morgan Medeiros: Morgan is a Master's student, studying Nutrition and Exercise. In addition to her work as a student, she works as a Nutrition and Exercise Counselor, implementing behavioral change strategies and addressing the nutritional concerns of clients. She is also an avid runner and leads by example for her clients and readers. If you enjoyed this post please read more of Morgan's thoughts here.

Must Reads

I have been limited on the amount of time I have to devote to reading in general and have been into my latest book (Science and Practice of Strength Training by Zatsiorsky and Kraemer). Given the previous statement I have had to limit my blogging. Below is a list of what I found helpful or interesting this week.

Which Squat Width is Best?
8 Things I learned in 2012 - Eric Cressey
Deadlifting 101 - Jim Smith
How to Squat - Rich Walker

Must Reads

Due to a recent change in my work environment I will have a significant decrease in my ability to post on a regular basis. I am going to be doing less blog reading and more reading from books such as Supertraining. I will continue to make an active effort to post my top three blog posts weekly, which will include a video of the week. Enjoy this weeks top posts, and go WOLVERINES!

Elbow Mechanics in Push-Ups - KStar
Olympic Lifting: 6 Clean and Jerk Technique Fixes - Eric Cressey
The Power and Capacity Continuum - Patrick Ward
Should We Train The Rectus Abdominus - Mike Robertson
Some Thoughts on The Lactate System - Patrick Ward
Why we need T-Spine Mobility!

The Scoop on Energy Systems

                The cardiovascular system is responsible for delivering oxygen to the body’s tissues. It works in conjunction with the circulatory and respiratory systems and is comprised of three separate energy systems.  Each is designed to perform a specific task but are interwoven together to complete tasks such as sprinting, jogging and jumping.  There are two primary forms of energy, anaerobic and aerobic. These energy systems utilize a form of energy called adenosine triphosphate or ATP, which is produced by the body from food. ATP allows muscle function and in turn movement to take place.

                The anaerobic energy system can be broken into two sub categories, the creatine phosphate (CP) and anaerobic glycolysis. These energy systems function in the absence of oxygen which places the body’s tissues in an oxygen depleted state that must be repaid. These systems operate under very extreme intensities when the body is unable to keep up with its oxygen requirements placed upon it; this is called the anaerobic threshold or lactate threshold. This energy system relies primarily on glucose or glycogen as a fuel source (broken down carbohydrates) which is one of the reasons our diets must contain carbohydrates. When anaerobic metabolism takes place due to the lack of oxygen it produces several byproducts that conflict with body’s ability to function. When enough of these byproducts are produced muscle function is inhibited and eventually movement is impaired. Let’s take a closer look at the two energy sub systems that make up the anaerobic system.

                The CP system is responsible for immediate energy requirements such as short sprints and jumping. It can create ATP almost immediately but only for a limited time. It is the primary energy system during maximal effort activity for the first 10 seconds. It is extremely important for most ball sports, all types of resistance training and Olympic lifting. Unlike anaerobic glycolysis this system functions utilizing creatine phosphate. You might have heard of the supplement creatine which has been widely used as an ergogenic aid during weight lifting. The supplement creatine is a man made version of what your body uses during activation of the CP system. The basis behind creatine supplementation is increasing the creatine stores in the body which will result in the ability to utilize the CP system for maximal effort activity such as resistance training or jumping.

                Our next energy system, anaerobic glycolysis is the primary energy system during activities such as long and multiple sprints. It is much like the CP system producing energy at a very quick rate and also generating byproducts due to the absence of oxygen which eventually inhibits muscle function and movement. Anaerobic glycolysis creates ATP through the metabolism of glucose and glycogen and is the primary energy producing system between 30 seconds and three minutes of continuous maximal effort activity. It is also extremely important for most ball sports due to a number of variables (lack of rest, lack of intensity, etc.). It is also important for short to mid distance running.

                The aerobic system takes over after three minutes of continuous or non maximal activity. It is able to metabolize fats and carbohydrates for ATP creation. Unlike the prior two energy systems it utilizes oxygen to produce ATP which means it doesn’t create movement impairing byproducts. This is the energy system that is responsible for long distance runs. It is also important for most ball sports because it is responsible for breaking down the byproducts during recovery and rest. When most fitness professionals think of aerobic work they instantly confuse this with long slow distance runs that have been linked to causing decreases in power. Aerobic capacity or commonly referred to as work capacity is important for recovery both during activity and as a way to facilitate blood flow through tissues. Imagine a basketball player sprinting back and forth on a court for two and a half minutes. This athlete would be utilizing the CP system for maximal effort movements such as quick cuts and jumps and utilizing anaerobic glycolysis to get up and down the court. As discussed above this athlete’s body would be generating byproducts that are slowly decreasing his ability to produce force optimally and causing fatigue. The coach notices that the athlete has become sluggish and finally gives him some time to rest and recover, the aerobic system kicks in and begins breaking down the byproducts and returns the athlete back to an optimal performance level.  Let’s take the same athlete again, he has just completed a demanding away game against a rival opponent. Utilizing aerobic conditioning such as tempo runs can help facilitate blood flow through the muscles that were used in the event. This increased blood flow will help with the tissue rebuilding process (remember tissues must break down and rebuild to adapt to added and new stresses).

                Each and every energy system has a specific and secondary task, whether that be fueling the muscles for explosive powerful movements or helping the body recover from a task. These three energy systems are interwoven and must all be accounted for when training athletes to optimize performance. 

What are YOU Supplementing?

Recently I was asked by a coach to look into a product called Body By Vi. I compared it to another company geared towards weight loss, Isagenix. Below are some facts that I discovered, I was quite surprised.

The WEIGHT LOSS PACKS

Visalus Total Weight loss Kit: - $249 with 60 meals (each meal is 90 cal)
-12 g Soy Protein Isolate
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Cardia Care has 75 mg of caffeine per serving
- Contains Gluten and Soy
-  Allergen warning
Isagenix 30 day Fat Burning and cleansing system: $269 with 68 meals (each meal is 240 cal)
- 24g undenatured/Low heat Whey
- No caffeine in the entire system, No Artificial Stimulants
- Contains Lactase for Lactose Intolerant individuals
- No allergen Warning
- Caseine Free
- Gluten Free
- Soy Free
- Barley Free
- Wheat Free
- No Artificial Flavors – Flavored with Stevia and Fructose, black strap mollasses on the energy drink.

Statistics can be verified at Isagenix and Visalus

Prior to my research I too was skeptical that corporations developing weight loss packs were different and considered the consumers best interest.  As you can see Isagenix is much more nutritionally sound and implementable for the average american. Isagenix is engineered organically without additives and has no allergens and has 24 g of whey protein with an additional 5 g of fat (which will increase satiety and act as an actual meal replacement). Visalus on the other hand has 12 g of soy protein and only 1 g of fat. I believe the choice is clear, Isagenix is a way better supplemental system. 

Must Reads!

It's that time of the week again. I wasn't able to get much blog reading done as I would have liked to being at the NSCA's Coaches Conference but here is my list. The feature read of this week is Patrick Ward's 4 part series on massage and acute injuries. It's a great post that ALL fitness/medical professionals should read.

5 Reasons You Have Tight Hamstrings - Cressey
Squat Stance and The Olympic Lifts - Greg Everett
The Comprehensive Guide to the Snatch - Wil Fleming
Installment 10 - Eric Cressey
Round Back Deadlifts - Mike Robertson
Crossfit Vs. MMA Conditioning - Joel Jamieson
Build a Bigger Back - Diesel Crew
Prepare to prepare - Glen Pendlay
Massage and Acute Injuries 4 Part Series - Patrick Ward

Must Reads

Another week of Must Reads. This week I hope to finish several articles that I have been needing to publish one of which is an overview of energy systems, enjoy!

Charlie Weingroff Quotes - Awesome!

Training The Unstable Client

Corrective Exercise: Muscle Imbalances Revealed Review – Upper (Part 1)

Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
Corrective Exercise: Muscle Imbalances Revealed Review – Upper (Part 2)

What I Learned at Vanderbilt

First and foremost I want to thank the Vanderbilt Strength and Conditioning staff for allowing the Webber International staff to visit. It's always exciting for me to go to a new facility and preview their philosophy, environment and system. It was a great experience to view what other coaches are implementing with the space and support they are given. The big take away message for me was the overall environment created through out their athletic department

The environment of a coaching staff and or athletic department is a huge dictator of repeatable success. Creating a winning culture is one of the most important tasks we as coaches must implement. This statement was posted on one of the walls inside of the weight room. It's a great depiction that shows the environment I felt while walking through Vanderbilt's athletic department. Not only do they have a great facility they really did a great job creating a culture that screamed success. 

A Recipe for Success

I just recently read Personal Growth Plan by Jeff Higuera. You can read the article for yourself for the full benefit but I will outline it for you here briefly before I continue. Jeff discusses building a system to set yourself up for success. He includes goal setting and devoting time for spiritual and personal development. I agree with Jeff, in order to be successful you have to develop a plan. As a strength and conditioning coach I don’t just put athletes through a workout that I have developed five minutes prior – I have sat diligently planning to create the best possible program (in my opinion) to develop my athletes.  I look at development as development whether it’s self or athletically targeted. There must be a systemic approach and goal setting to truly create success. Just saying you will read tomorrow doesn't cut it, but viewing “X” books, podcasts and articles makes it concrete. Below is my plan for developing myself, my goal is currently to get into a Graduate Assistant position so all of my efforts is targeted currently at that.

Personal Development (Leadership/Teamwork/Business)

• Read 20 minutes daily.
• Read 1 Personal Development book every other month.
• 1 piece of Audio content each month (a podcast, a audio book etc.).
• Contact influential members of a Strength and Conditioning staff that I would like to do a GA at monthly. 
• Receive feedback from multiple sources including mentors, peers and staff and implement it.
• Journaling of thoughts and progress made during the year.

Professional Development (Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, Sports Nutrition, Etc.) 

• Read 5 blog posts per day.
• Read 1 Professional Development book every other month.
• Watch/Listen to 1 type of audio or visual strength and conditioning content per week.
• Build a relationship with a Professional Mentor to both learn from and network through every year.
• Attend one conference per year.
• Receive feedback from multiple sources including mentors, peers and staff and implement it.
• Journaling of thoughts and progresses made during the year.

While I used Jeff’s skeleton to sculpt my development plan I omitted several things to cater towards what my goal is, preparing myself to apply for a Graduate Position. I hope this has been helpful in any shape way or form to help you develop your own system to success.