So what happens when Universal Chest Training Day arrives on Monday, you lift that bar off the rack, and shoulder pain hits you? BOOM!

Getting to the Source of Shoulder Pain

I’ve been there. It sucks. You were ready to blast into the best workout and now this happens. What now? The first thing you should do is stop. Pain is a request for change. A change in how you move. Pain in movement indicates a dysfunction in the ability of your body to absorb, direct, generate, and release force.

Grasping the bar sends force down the arm, preparing the shoulder for load. Lifting the bar and holding it over the chest directs and disperses force (weight) into the shoulder joint and core. Eccentric lowering and concentric pressing generates and releases force. If there is a dysfunction in this force transmission system, then soft tissue tightness, joint misalignment, decreased durability, and pain may occur.

“There are many variables in shoulder pain. If you experiencing pain, it’s always a good idea to contact and work with a qualified healthcare professional in your area.”

A common culprit in shoulder pain with bench pressing is overuse of the stabilizing rotator cuff muscles, particularly the subscapularis and infraspinatus. These stabilizer muscles are often doing the work of primary movers in the shoulder (pectoralis major and latissimus).

The rotator cuff muscles are not designed for prime mover action. When they become overused, pain is the signal they use to tell you. A key to reversing this pain process is by helping the body use prime movers more. We can do this via the RAIL Reset System. This is a simple system I use for quick resets in painful movement patterns.

Using the RAIL Mobility System

RAIL stands for release, activate, integrate, and locomotion:

1. Release the muscles and structures that are overworking.
2. Activate the muscles and structures that are not doing enough.
3. Integrate them into a simple movement pattern.
4. Load the full pattern.

This video will show you how to do each step as it relates to shoulder pain. Detailed instructions are outlined below.

Release

The infraspinatus and subscapularis are often loaded with knots called trigger points. These points refer pain into the front and back of the shoulder. The infraspinatus is on the back part of the shoulder blade. Rolling against a massage ball, lacrosse ball, or tennis ball against the wall will help reduce trigger points and pain. You may often feel pain on the anterior part of the shoulder when doing so and this is normal for the referring pain pattern. It will begin to diminish within a minute.

“A common culprit in shoulder pain with bench pressing is overuse of the stabilizing rotator cuff muscles, particularly the subscapularis and infraspinatus.”

The subcapularis is on the front side of the shoulder blade and sits deep inside your armpit. Reach up inside of your armpit aiming towards the back (spine) and press. You should feel the subscapularis. You may feel pain in the posterior part of the shoulder. If you feel tingling in the arm, move the fingers to another location because that means you are on a nerve. Press and release the point of pain for approximately one to two minutes.

Activate

Now we activate the muscles that are not doing enough, most often the pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi.

1. While standing, take the hand of the non-painful shoulder and place it between the opposite arm and your ribcage, high up in the armpit with your palm flat against the side.
2. Try to squeeze that hand between the arm and side. Envision crushing your hand with your armpit. You should feel the lat and chest engage when doing so.
3. Hold isometrically for five seconds and repeat three times.
4. Repeat the release and activation sequence two times.

Integrate

Load the shoulder up in a closed-chain pattern by getting down on all fours. Hands below the shoulders and knees below the hips. Rock back and forth, sitting onto your heels and then coming forward so the shoulder ends at the fingertips. This loads up the core and integrates the shoulder in a more stable position than on the bench. Perform ten rocks.

Locomotion

Take a single step forward into a split stance, bringing the arms together at the elbows and then step back. Repeat with other leg. This integrates core to the shoulder. Do four repetitions total.

“A key to reversing this pain process is by helping the body use prime movers more. We can do this via the RAIL Reset System.”

Retest

Now go back and try benching again and see if the pain has decreased. If so, you are on the right track. It may take several RAIL resets to get the situation under control. There are many variables in shoulder pain. If you experiencing pain, it’s always a good idea to contact and work with a qualified healthcare professional in your area.

The post The RAIL System: Shoulder Mobility for the Bench Press appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The brain is in control of the gas pedal and it controls how much juice it puts into a muscle. It will inhibit (neural down regulate) one muscle in a pattern and facilitate (neural up regulate) another in an attempt to gain stability. It robs Peter to pay Paul.

The brain is a lazy piece of meat and it does not like to work hard. It cheats and takes the easy way out every chance it gets. When dysfunctional movement patterns exist, the brain will simply choose an easier alternate path to accomplishing a given task.

The Neck Is Connected to the Hamstrings

For example, if the deep core stabilizing system of your body is unstable, your nervous system will simply recruit more superficial power amplifiers to take over. One of the most common relationships is inhibition (weakness) of the deep neck flexors to facilitation (tightness) in the hamstrings.

“INSTABILITY SIGNALS THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM TO PUT THE BRAKES ON POWER OUTPUT BECAUSE IT FEELS THREATENED. A LACK OF STABILITY IS THREAT TO YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM.”

Lack of stability in the neck causes a reflex compensation in the hamstrings to take over the job of the neck flexors. This relationship can commonly be seen in the standing to touch test.

In this test, feet are together and legs are straight with no knee bending. Look down at your toes (neck flexors) and then flex forward at the waist to touch your toes. If the neck flexors are inhibited the nervous system senses threat and instability, so on the way down to touch the toes it stiffens the hamstrings so you don’t fall forward hurting yourself.

So from this we learn that the key to power is not pressing harder on the gas pedal, but simply taking your foot off the brake. You will automatically go faster.

A Deeper Look at the Core

Let’s take a look at some of the structures in the deep core stabilizing system based on the work of Thomas Myers.

The deep core line (shown in red here) is the primary stabilizing system of the body.

The Deep Core:

• Temporalis
• Masseter
• Scalenes
• Hyoid Muscles
• Longus Colli and Capitis
• Diaphragm
• TVA
• Psoas
• Quadratus Lumborum
• Iliacus
• Pelvic Floor
• Adductors
• Posterior Tibialis
• Toe Flexors

According to Myers, the deep core line is the primary stabilizing system of the body. Dysfunction in this system leads to compensation patterns, energy leaks, and decreased force production and power output. It’s the master cylinder for your engine. Envision a car with an eight-cylinder engine only firing on four cylinders. It has the power capacity, but can’t unleash it. Athletes often try to get more power out of their engine rather than first ensuring all eight of their cylinders are firing.

“YOUR BODY WILL STEAL STABILITY FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE. IT WILL ROB YOU OF STRENGTH IN ONE PATTERN AND GIVE IT TO YOU IN ANOTHER. THAT’S CALLED A COMPENSATION.”

The deep neck flexors (longus colli and capitis) flex, side bend, and rotate the head. They do a ton of stuff. Assessing them is critical. So, how can you determine if the deep neck flexors are inhibited and if they are how can you reset them?

Do the first part of the video below with the thumb under the chin for ten seconds. Thumb placement ensures you are not using too much of your other neck flexors like the anterior scalene and sternocleidomastoid.

Do you feel fatigue, soreness, discomfort, shaking, or the need to hold your breath during this exercise? If so that indicates the muscle may be inhibited and needs activation. The key is to activate the neck flexors after releasing areas of your body that have been prone to tightness and stiffness.

Let’s walk through what to do if your problem area is your hamstrings. First, do a toe-touch test and see if your hamstrings feel tight and if you can’t reach the toes with your fingers. Foam roll the hamstrings for 30-45 seconds. Then lie on your back and do the neck activation drill in the video.

Things to remember:

• Hold ball under chin for 20 seconds
• Sideband right and left four times keeping control of the ball
• Rotate right and left four times maintaining control of the ball
• Do not hold your breath
• Do not clench your jaw

Stand and repeat the toe-touch test. Did you get further? Did you feel more stable getting there? Apply this reset to any other muscle where you feel tightness. Common culprits are the thigh adductors and quadratus lumborum.

Regress to Progress

Your body will steal stability from somewhere else in order to feel safe. It will rob you of strength in one pattern and give it to you in another. That’s called a compensation. Tap into the power of your nervous system to unleash power. Regress to progress.

To become a badass you don’t always have to go stronger, harder, faster, and longer. Pull back on the throttle to expand your comfort zone in movement and your body will grant you the strength.

More Like This:

• The Top 5 Exercises to Strengthen Your Neck
• 4 Drills to Strengthen and Injury-Proof Your Neck
• 3 Quick and Simple Ways to Alleviate Neck Pain or Stiffness

References:
1. Cook, Gray. Movement: Functional Movement Systems: Screening, Assessment, and Corrective Strategies. Aptos, CA: On Target Publications, 2010. Print.
2. Elphinston, Joanne. Stability, Sport, and Performance Movement: Great Technique without Injury. Chichester, England: Lotus Pub., 2008. Print.
3. Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2001. Print.
4. Weinstock, David. NeuroKinetic Therapy: An Innovative Approach to Manual Muscle Testing. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic, 2010. Print.

The post Are Your Weak Neck Muscles Making Your Hamstrings Tight? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Rotation takes place in the transverse plane. The transverse plane is made up of the two planes of motion: sagittal (front to back) and coronal (side to side). Every tissue in the human body has a transverse plane bias because movement in this plane is not energy expensive. The transverse plane mitigates and generates power. When you lose your ability to move in the transverse plane, you take more motion from the other two planes (think knees caving in during a squat or excessive forward lean in a squat). Why does this matter?

Because you lose strength when you don’t own the transverse plane.

A Safe Body is a Mobile Body

If you can’t move in one place, your body will make you move in another. It will take the path of least resistance. Loss of thoracic motion bleeds excess energy into the neck and lower back, and they begin to hurt.

Every joint in the body must be mobile and stable. The amount of mobility and stability your joints have depends on the environment you are in and the role they need to play. If the body feels safe, it will grant you more movement. If it feels threatened, it will restrict movement for self-preservation.

One of the simplest and most effective ways to make your body feel safer is to move it more on the ground. The ground provides more points of stabilization via body parts contacting the surface. How stable are you on two feet as compared to hands and feet on the ground?

The Diagonal Sit With a Twist

Vladimir Janda stated, “Functionally, muscles work together in slings, chains, and loops.” You want to incorporate as much of your body as possible in a stable environment by tapping into spirals and chains. One of my favorite ways to wake up these spirals and chains to gain more efficient rotation is the diagonal sit with a twist.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Foam roll your thoracic spine.
2. Sit with one leg in front of the other keeping the ankle, knee, and hip of the back leg in line.
3. Keep the front leg perpendicular to your body.
4. Align the elbow below the shoulder.
5. Rotate top shoulder towards the floor.
6. Extend top shoulder and contract the latissimus and glute as you exhale.
7. Repeat fifteen times, controlling the movement each way.
8. Switch to the opposite side. One side will usually be tougher than the other.

Regain Rotation for Healthy Movement

The neck and lower back are more common sites for injuries than the mid-back, but it’s not their fault. You have twelve vertebrae in your thoracic spine that rotate two degrees per segment – that’s 24 degrees total. The lumbar spine has five segments at two degrees for a total of ten degrees. Where would you like to move from?

The diagonal sit with a twist works your cross-body patterns, restoring healthy movement in the thoracic spine by connecting shoulder to opposite hip. Do this exercise before every workout. Be mindful and pay close attention to where you feel tightness or restriction. Stick with it for a month and notice how it affects the quality of your workouts and your general well-being.

More Ways to Wake Up the Spine:

• Corrective Posture Exercises for Chronic Sitters
• Build a Resilient Spine: Start Here
• 3 More Mobility Drills for Solid Overhead Lifts
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Teaser photo courtesy of CAT Medic.

The post Mid-Back Mobility: Strength With a Twist appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Restart Adaptation With the 3 V’s

To combat the pain-in-the-ass side of adaptation and compensation, you need to tap into the 3 V’s. The 3 V’s are the elements you need to break out of your movement comfort zone:

• Variety
• Variation
• Variability

They may all sound the same, but they are far from it. The movement I’m going to show you today will illustrate the differences between the three. Enter the supine twister.

A Challenge for All 3 V’s

The supine twister will address all of the elements I mentioned above, to jump-start your body’s adaptation response. Here’s how it works:

Variety: Variety is using a number of different exercises or positions to address a specific goal and increase the transference of learning. In the gym, we spend most of our time with our feet anchored and move the upper body around our feet. With the supine twister, the upper body is anchored and the lower body moves around a fixed point. It’s a totally different dynamic to motor control.

My favorite definition of motor control is from Anne Shumway-Cook:

“Motor control involves the way in which the central nervous system organizes muscles into coordinated movements. Sensory information is used to select and control movement, and movement patterns are influenced by perceptions.”

So if you want to change how you move, one way of doing it is to change your environment, and thus your sensory perception. The supine twister does this by putting you down on the ground, where you don’t usually train.

Variation: Variation means changing elements of a single exercise to stimulate greater diversity and neuromuscular responses. With the supine twister, you can change the pace of the rotations by going fast or slow; do multiple kicks to one side before changing directions; or change how far down, out, and up you kick to the side. By changing the way you lower the end of the bar, you make a difference to how much the upper body is involved.

Variability: Variability adds the elements of unpredictability, rapid change, and automatic reactions to an exercise to develop robustness. With the supine twister, you can train unpredictable reactions and rapid changes in direction by having someone stand above you calling out which direction to go and how long to hold.

You Want Me to Twist? With Weight?

Hold on, you say, isn’t rotation in the lumbar spine bad? Good luck trying not to rotate when you move in real life. Rotation isn’t the enemy; it’s how you rotate that’s the key. 

Many people struggle with the so-called “abdominal brace.” A large percentage of low back problems occur because the abdominal muscles are not maintaining control over the rotation between the pelvis and the spine at the L5- S1 level. It’s difficult to own the brace and move the upper body while the lower body is anchored. But with the supine twister, as soon as you press the weight up you automatically get an abdominal brace.

Train Rotation in the Gym, Own It in Real Life

The supine twister takes a lot of practice. You can injure yourself doing this movement, if you aren’t in total control of the eccentric component. But avoiding a movement because you might get hurt is silly. Learning how to slowly take your body to the edge and back builds resilience. Life can kick you in the ass 24/7 in all planes of motion, especially rotation because that’s where power lives. Are you prepared?

When the rotation ass kicking comes, take comfort in knowing you own it better for having been there before. Have fun and experiment with the supine twister. Or just sit on the couch and do nothing. That’s the only way you ain’t gonna rotate. See you on the ground.

More Core Support Training Exercises:

• Build a Resilient Spine: Create Power for Sport Performance
• 5 Cutting-Edge Core Training Progressions
• Build Bulletproof Strength: Rotational Exercises for Athletes
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo courtesy of Perry Nickelston.

The post Rotation for the Real World: The Supine Twister appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Your body adapts to stressors quickly. That it’s job. If it wasn’t good at it, you would get hurt all the time. Putting your body into different positions while challenging, controlling, and generating force is the secret to reaching your fitness goals.

Stability and the Nervous System

Stability is the ability to control force. Paul Chek says, “stability always precedes force production.” Mobility doesn’t do you any good if you can’t control it. A body with great mobility and no control is like a car with nobody behind the wheel. You need to be a smart driver who is always in control; riding close to the edge but not over it.

A lot of people think that the point of stability training is to put themselves into extremely unstable positions. Trying not to fall during an exercise doesn’t translate into making you stronger and more powerful. Standing on a BOSU ball while swinging a kettlebell doesn’t mean you are getting more stable. You may think it looks cool (it doesn’t), but if you force your nervous system into survival mode, it puts the brakes on building strength. The brain asks, “Is giving you strength right now a good idea?” When threat is on board, the answer is no.

Enter the Diagonal Side Sit

Power lives in the transverse (rotational) plane. Rotational force trumps all other planes. The transverse plane is a combination of the sagittal (forward and backwards) and coronal (side to side) planes. The more points of contact you have with the floor while tapping into the transverse plane, the faster you gain strength. These contact points give your nervous system a sense of safety. And when your nervous system feels safe, it will grant what you ask.

The multifidi (left) and rotatores (right) are small muslces that work in with the obliques to rotate the body around the spine.

The diagonal side sit is a perfect addition to your stability training program. It is a transitional position that will help you move from lying on the ground to a sitting position. It develops the rotational function of the abdominal oblique muscles, which control rotation of the torso in connection with the smaller muscles of the lower back, known as the mutifidi and rotatores:

• Torso rotation to the left is from the right external oblique, left internal oblique, and right multifidi/rotatores.
• Torso rotation to the right is the left external oblique, right internal oblique, and left multifidi/rotatores.

If you don’t own your obliques, you don’t own the transverse plane.

How to Do It

Setup:

• Use an anchored resistance band or cabled weight stack a few feet off the ground. Position it directly in line with your mid torso.
• Your bottom thigh is perpendicular to your body, and your knee is bent and in line with your ankle. The top leg maintains a straight line from your shoulder, hip, and knee, and your knee bends 90 degrees.
• Your downward elbow is below your shoulder and the palm of your hand is flat.

The Movement:

1. Press the band/weight in front of your body over a count of four seconds.
2. Hold for four seconds.
3. Return to the starting position over a count of four seconds.
4. Perform 12–15 repetitions, switch sides, and repeat. Complete two cycles per side.

Pro Tips:

• Controlling momentum of the band/weight is a critical benefit to this exercise. Eccentric control builds strength.
• Squeeze the glute of your top leg during the entire motion.
• Do not grip the handle too hard. Feel the resistance in the midline, not the forearm.
• Try to maintain a straight line from your head, shoulder, hip, and knee of the top leg.
• Maintain a neutral head position or a slight side bend depending on your comfort level.
• Remember to breathe.

Add a New Plane to Your Training

A stable core is important for everything in life, but most training protocols only train in the sagittal plane. Dynamic anti-rotation training makes you stronger and more stable in ways that conventional movements will not. The diagonal side sit also works cross-body connections of the shoulder to hip, improving walking and running patterns.

Add the diagonal side sit to your stability training and you’ll see improvements in strength and function. This movement can be integrated during any stage of training: before, during, or after.

See you on the floor.

More Movements to Challenge Forgotten Muscle Systems:

• Train the Lateral Plane for Maximum Athleticism
• Muscular Imbalances and the Lazy Man on the Assembly Line
• Build Bulletproof Strength: Rotational Exercises for Athletes
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Teaser photo courtesy of Jorge Huerta Photography.

Anatomy photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The post Wake Up Your Obliques With the Diagonal Side Sit appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The key to performing the resisted rock is to maintain a backwards pull of your hands toward your knees.

Breathe for Stability

When we think of movement, we tend to focus on how muscles produce motion. However, the abdominal muscles both produce and prevent motion. They play a fundamental role in stability of the pelvis and lower back.

Training the hip-to-shoulder zone is important because a strong core is critical for stabilizing the body during heavy lifts, daily activities, and sport-specific movements. The abdominal wall consists of four muscles: rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transverse abdominis.

You can mix the resisted rock into any workout for a great stabilization exercise and warm up. Though it seems like a simple exercise, it can be challenging to perform with good technique and proper breathing. One of the biggest compensations during the resisted rock is holding of the breath for stability. If you don’t own breathing, you don’t own movement. So pay close attention to maintaining a normal breath cycle.

I recommend doing your mobility work prior to performing the resisted rock. Increasing mobility and then locking it in with stability is a powerful combination. It doesn’t matter where the mobility restrictions are – ankle, hip, thoracic spine, wrist, or soft tissue. Release the mobility restriction, and then add the rock.

Are You Ready to Rock?

Breakdown of the rock:

1. Get on hands and knees. Hands below the shoulders and knees below the hips. Open up knees so they widen to line up with outside margin of the hips.
2. Dorsiflex ankles and spread fingers out wide.
3. Pull hands back toward the knees, but do not let the fingers slide on the ground. Pulling back engages the central pillar.
4. While maintaining the pull, slowly rock back toward your heels, taking a minimum of four seconds. Get your glutes as close to the feet as possible.
5. Moving slowly, take a minimum of four seconds to rock forward while maintaining a backward pull of your hands toward your knees. Keep moving forward until your shoulders are in line with your fingertips. Never stop pulling.

That’s one repetition. Repeat the pattern 4 times for 3 rounds, for a total of 12 repetitions.

What to watch for:

• Maintain a neutral neck. Do not flex or extend the head. Maintain an eyeline with the floor.
• Do not hold your breath. If you do, repeat the motion. If it’s still too difficult, shorten the distance you rock, or pull with less pressure on the hands.
• Ensure your shoulders reach the fingertips at the top of the movement. You may find this the most difficult position to breathe in.
• You can plantar flex, or relax the ankle if you feel discomfort in the toes. This will also allow you to sit further back into the rock.
• If the arms fatigue before all repetitions, simply relax the arms and do a few rocks without tension. Then resume the count.

Quality Over Quantity

Many people have the tendency to do high-repetition training for the abdominal muscles, but there is no need for crazy-high reps. The abs are just like any other muscle group. In order to improve strength and definition, you have to load them up. Doing endless reps will not get you the results you want. 

You will probably find yourself extremely sore after your first round of resisted rocks. You will also notice an increase in the strength and flexibility of your central pillar. Don’t let the simplicity of this exercise fool you.

More Raw Strength From Coach Nickelston:

• Take Your Strength to the Next Level with Ipsilateral Crawling
• Unleash Hellacious Power With the Tall Kneeling Unilateral Pull
• Can’t Touch Your Toes? Find and Fix the Root of the Problem
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photos courtesy of Perry Nickelston.

The post A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: The Resisted Rock appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Wait. Not so fast.

Just because the hamstrings are tight doesn’t mean they need stretching. Always look deeper before stretching anything. There are many different reasons you can’t touch your toes. Let’s examine the issues.

Decreased mobility and poor stability force your body to compensate with problematic movement patterns.

The Standing Toe Touch

The standing toe touch test is part of a breakout series of movements from the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) created by Gray Cook, Greg Rose, and Kyle Kiesel. It’s one of seven fundamental patterns based on the premise of regional interdependence. This is a fancy way to say that everything is connected, and everything matters. The SFMA system looks at movement patterning to determine if you should be going down the mobility or stability rabbit hole.

When a hip is locked down due to decreased mobility, hinging at the hip joint efficiently becomes difficult. The body will put the brakes on the movement and take the path of least resistance, demanding more movement from the lower back. Overuse of the lower back will leave you more prone to pain and injury. So how can you determine which hip is involved? Or is it both? To find the answer, break out the hips one at a time in the toe touch:

1. Put your feet together.
2. Stand with your knees locked.
3. Slowly bend forward and try to touch your toes with your hands.

Either:

• You can touch your toes. That is what we want.
• You can’t touch your toes. We need to determine if it’s a problem with hip mobility and/or pelvis mobility, or a matter of stability restriction.

Standing Assessment

The test requires no equipment. Simply begin from a standing position.

1. Put your feet together.
2. Shift your weight to the left leg, keeping it straight. Unlock your knee on the right side and go on the ball of your foot. All the weight should be on your left leg.
3. Stack your hands on top of one another.
4. Slowly bend forward, aiming towards your left toes. Note how far you go.
5. Now switch positions. Shift your weight to the right.
6. The right leg goes straight with knee locked.
7. Bend the left knee and go on the ball of your left foot. Slowly bend forward and aim towards the right foot.

How did it feel? Did you go further on one side than the other? If the range of motion is less on one side, this indicates hip involvement. If you have the same range of motion on both sides, then both hips and/or the lower back region may be involved.

Seated Assessment

Now we go to the ground to see if range of motion changes in a seated position.

1. Sit down on the ground with legs in front, knees and feet together.
2. Slowly bend forward to touch your toes.
3. Do you get further?

Is Mobility a Restriction?

If you stay the same, you may have a mobility issue in the lower back/pelvis/hips or tissue tightening on the hamstrings. Mobility restrictions will remain no matter what position you get into. Without proper hip hinge mobility, you will overuse the lower back and be more prone to injury. Reduced hip hinge results in less involvement of the powerhouse gluteus maximus muscle.

Use my RAIL Neural Reset System for your mobility restriction. RAIL stands for release, activate, integrate, and locomotion.

• Release the hip and buttock region with foam rolling. A few minutes is enough.
• Release the hip joint with an elastic band.

• Activate/Integrate the pattern of hip and back chain with cross-body patterning on the ground. Do four repetitions total, two on each side. Go slowly, with mindful movement and controlled concentric and eccentric motion. Completely relax after each repetition.
• Locomotion: Stand up and walk.

After the reset, repeat the toe touch test and see if anything has changed.

Do You Have Sub-Par Stability?

If you were able to get further, this indicates an underlying stability dysfunction. When you sit on the ground, you become more stable and the nervous system allows more movement because it feels safer. Poor stability (motor control) means decreased timing and rhythm in movements. Altered motor control takes more effort, so durability and performance take a hit.

• Activate/Integrate the pattern of hip and back chain with cross-body patterning on the ground. Do four repetitions total, two on each side. Go slowly, with mindful movement and controlled concentric and eccentric motion. Completely relax after each repetition.
• Locomotion: Stand up and walk.

After the reset, repeat the toe touch test and see if anything has changed.

Summary

Perform the toe touch test and follow the chart to determine a course of action for establishing better movement patterns.

You’ll Also Enjoy:

• Stretching Your Hamstrings Isn’t Always Best
• Hamstrings 101: Start by Stretching your Back
• Are Your Weak Neck Muscles Making Your Hamstrings Tight?
• New on Breaking Muscle Right Now

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Can’t Touch Your Toes? Find and Fix the Root of the Problem appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The abdominal obliques are primary drivers of torso rotation and anti- rotation, along with deep stabilizer muscles in the back. When you want to rotate to the right, you engage the left external oblique and the right internal oblique. Rotation to the left uses the right external oblique and the left internal oblique. They work as functional pairs.

As you know, the torso connects to the rest of the body (arms and legs), so you have cross-body connections from the gluteus maximus to the opposite side latissimus to generate force transmission on the posterior chain. This force transmission system is known as the posterior oblique subsystem and is a primary reason you can move your arms and legs together. This movement pattern sling is crucial to stabilization. Stability always precedes force production. When it doesn’t, you have decreased performance and become more vulnerable to injury.

Cues for Better Power Output

Tapping into anti-rotation and the posterior chain connection can be done with the tall kneeling unilateral pull. Why is this exercise so effective? Because most people never do it. Variety, variation, and variability are fundamental to stabilization training and adaptability. The tall kneeing pull requires stability and mobility of the hips and thoracic spine, as well as activation of the glute max and latissimus dorsi muscles. There’s no point sitting and pulling, as this takes the gluteus out of the equation and makes your lower back susceptible to injury. People sit enough all day long, so why keep them sitting when they train?

Introduce this movement into your programming to see a carryover to overall power output. Here are some coaching cues to help.

1. Do mobility work on the hips, glutei, and lats before starting work on this movement pattern. Foam roll over the gluteus muscle, back, and opposite side lat to release fascial (soft tissue) adhesions. Foam roll over the anterior thigh to relax the quad and open up the hip. The anterior thigh also has reflex activation points for your glute max. The half kneeling position requires sufficient hip extension so increasing mobility is essential to the movement.
2. Assume tall kneeling position. Knees are below the hip and the hip is below the shoulder. Visualize one straight line connecting your shoulder, hip, and knee. Do not hyperextend the lower back to get into the position.
3. Dorsiflex the ankles. If you cannot dorsiflex the ankles without losing control of the lower back alignment, then relax the ankles into plantar flexion.
4. Grasp handle, pulling towards you. Do not rotate the thoracic spine. Pull with the lat and keep contraction of the gluteus while maintaining integrity of alignment.
5. Do 10 repetitions on each side. Observe any differences. Careful not to grip the handle too hard. The pulling should be from the lat and glute, not the hand grip.
6. After you can control the rotation with sufficient form, you can load up more weight and add some thoracic spine rotation.
7. The eccentric phase of returning the weight is very important. Don’t go too fast on the movement. Slow and controlled is the name of the game.

The Power of Rotation

In the next article we will talk about regression and progression of the movement. When you lock in the transverse plane you can unleash hellacious power. Tapping into the power of rotation will have massive carryover into all aspects of your life.

More Like This:

• How to Own the Transverse Plane With the Tall Kneeling Press
• Find Your Movement Medicine With Dr. Perry Nickelston
• Take Your Strength to the Next Level With Ipsilateral Crawling
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo 1 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Unleash Hellacious Power With the Tall Kneeling Unilateral Pull appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

That’s a pretty straightforward way to say if you want to be the champion, then you need to harness rotation. The tall kneeling press is a great place to start. You only need a resistance band, an anchor point, and your obliques. It’s simple and effective, but surprisingly not as easy as you think.

Rotation is controlled by the obliques and spinal stabilizers, which are responsible for transverse plane patterning.

Force Transfer and Rotation

Force transfer is the name of the game in performance and durability – from ground reaction forces on your foot strike up the movement chain to the central axis (core) and crossing over to the opposite side of the body. Rotation of the torso is controlled by the external obliques, internal obliques, and multifidi/rotatores (spinal stabilizers). Understanding the role of the obliques is essential to hacking into transverse plane patterning.

Some basic facts:

• The external oblique is a contralateral (opposite side) rotator.
• The internal oblique is an ipsilateral (same side) rotator.

• Right thoracic spine rotation uses the left external oblique and the right internal oblique.
• Left thoracic spine rotation uses the right external oblique and the left internal oblique.

The obliques are part of the anterior oblique subsystem of movement (AOS). The AOS is a system of force transmission on the front of the body and is comprised of the abdominal obliques and hip adductors. You can functionally extend that line further up to include the pectorals.

Said another way: imagine drawing a line from the left shoulder to the inside of the right thigh and one from right shoulder to left hip adductors. These lines crisscross in the midline (the abdominal core). This is all your AOS.

The AOS is a system of force transmission on the front of the body. It is comprised of the abdominal obliques and hip adductors.

So, if your training engages the AOS, but your obliques don’t function efficiently (which is often the case), then your body compensates by using more of the adductors. This leads to potential injury in the hip, groin, and knee. We want to minimize the role of the adductors when training this system until we can control the obliques. Hence, the tall kneeling power press.

Tall Kneeling Power Press

Note: This exercise is also an assessment for how well the obliques function.

1. Anchor a variable resistance band at roughly shoulder height.
2. Face the anchor point. Hold handle and step backward to get tension in the band.
3. Turn around and face away from the anchor point.
4. Go down to tall kneeling. Position both knees a comfortable distance from each other.
5. Dorsiflex (bend) the ankles. This prevents you from curling your toes and engaging the calf muscles as a compensation or the stabilization you need in the core. Overusing the gastrocnemius muscle is a common cheat for core strength.
6. Imagine a straight line drawn on the side of your body through your shoulder, hip, and knee. This will help prevent flexion in the lower back and loss of stabilization. (Note: If this is difficult, you may have a hip mobility restriction and adequate hip extension may not be possible until you get more movement in the hips with mobility work.)
7. Do not over grip the band or handle. Gripping too much is a sign of instability in the core. Using a single hand, press the band out in front away from you and hold for four seconds. Do not hold your breath.
8. Maintain shoulders in line with the hips while resisting rotation. This is the anti-rotation position.
9. Eccentrically control the band back toward the chest.
10. Repeat 8-10 times, and then repeat on the opposite side.

Now that you’ve tried the exercise, ask yourself, “Does one side feel weaker and less stable than the other?” If so, that indicates an imbalance in the rotational sling. Why does that matter? It makes the body more susceptible to injury with a transverse (rotational) plane imbalance. You should be able to maintain a four-second static hold for the desired number of repetitions. If you can’t maintain breathing during the entire set then the resistance you’ve chosen is too much.

Considerations

Two more concepts to consider:

1. Pressing with the right hand is left thoracic spine rotation and you are using the right external and left internal oblique.
2. Pressing with the left hand is right thoracic spine rotation and you are using the left external and right internal oblique.

So imagine this scenario: You tried the exercise and your right arm was weaker. This may be linked to a right shoulder pain or left hip and knee pain. So how do you then reset the pattern for better function? Use my simple RAIL Reset System.

RAIL stands for release, activate, integrate, locomotion. You need to release the muscles that are doing too much work (in this case, the pecs and adductors). Activate and integrate the muscles not doing enough. And then you can load the body with a walking pattern.

1. Release: Work on the pec major and minor with a lacrosse ball or roller. Release the opposite side hip adductors with a roller. Repeat this pattern on both sides.
2. Activate/Integrate: Use the AOS muscles in a pattern. Perform the tall kneeling press for 8-10 repetitions on both sides.
3. Locomotion: Stand up and walk.

Does the weakness you felt before the reset feel different now? It is common to feel immediately stronger and more powerful because you’ve now patterned the muscles to work together.

If one side is weaker than the other, this indicates imbalance in the rotational sling.

Sets and Reps

You can do the tall kneeling press for 1-2 sets of 8-12 repetitions mixed into any workout. Once you’ve mastered it, you can move on to the half kneeling press – with one knee on the ground and opposite foot forward. But more details on that in another article.

The takeaway today is don’t underestimate the power of the transverse plane. Rotation is where #beastmode lives.

More Like This:

• The RAIL System: Shoulder Mobility for the Bench Press
• Find Your Movement Medicine With Dr. Perry Nickelston
• Take Your Strength to the Next Level With Ipsilateral Crawling
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. Cook, Gray. Movement: Functional Movement Systems: Screening, Assessment, and Corrective Strategies. Aptos, CA: On Target Publications, 2010. Print.

2. John, Dan, and Pavel Tsatsouline. Easy Strength: How to Get a Lot Stronger than Your Competition – and Dominate in Your Sport. New York, NY: Dragon Door Publications, 2011. Print.

3. Tippett, Steven R., and Michael L. Voight. Functional Progressions for Sport Rehabilitation. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1995. Print.

Photos 1 and 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post How to Own the Transverse Plane With the Tall Kneeling Press appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Resisted quadruped rock (RQR) is the answer. A simple and effective way to release tightness in the thoracolumbar fascia while simultaneously engaging the abdominal stabilizing muscles. To put it simply, you become a powerhouse in your core.

First Let’s Talk About the TLF

The TLF area is extremely important for the biomechanics of movement because of its unique ability to shift loads and transfer forces from the lower extremities to the upper extremities. This is critical to understand if you want to optimize efficient movement patterning and unleash power.

The TLF helps the body shift loads and transfer forces. For example, posterior oblique swing movements between the upper and lower extremity (as indicated by the grey arrows) allow for throwing movements.

The thoracolumbar fascia has three layers attaching to many other core stabilizing structures:

1. Anterior layer – Attaching to the anterior aspect of the lumbar transverse processes and the anterior surface of the quadratus lumborum.
2. Middle layer – Attaching to the medial tip of the transverse processes, as well as external and internal oblique, and giving rise to the transverse abdominis (TrA) muscle applying 95% of passive tension to the TrA aponeurosis.
3. Posterior layer – Covering all of the muscles from the lumbosacral region through the thoracic region, as far up as the cervical splenii attachments (basically from your lower back up to the base of your neck). This posterior layer attaches to both the erector spinae and gluteus maximus aponeurosis. The gluteus maximus and contralateral latissimus dorsi attach with each other and coordinate, allowing crosslink movements between the upper and lower extremity, which makes walking and running possible. This crosslink is known as the posterior oblique sling.

Quadruped position gives four points of stabilization reducing threat of instability to the nervous system. Rocking against resistance reflexively activates the abdominal bracing mechanism. The central axis cylinder of support is engaged from 360 degrees. You are are also getting engagement of the posterior oblique subsystem, glute max, and latissimus muscles.

How to Perform the RQR

Rocking against resistance reflexively activates the abdominal bracing mechanism.

1. Use a 1.5 inch or 2 inch resistance band for optimal width and tension.
2. Wrap the band around your waist and bring it up to the thoracolumbar junction T12/L1 – the bottom of the ribcage. It’s best if the band is on your skin to prevent sliding on clothing. This will also shear the fascia more effectively.
3. Anchor the band low to the ground. This helps with the downward and forward pull of the band and prevents slipping.
4. While in quadruped position, move back from the anchor point to establish tension.
5. Your hands go below the shoulders and knees go below the hips.
6. Now widen your hips for a more stable base by widening the knees.
7. Bend your ankles so you are in a dorsiflexed position with toes extended.
8. Keep your head in a neutral position. Do not extend or flex the neck.
9. Rock backward by pushing away with your hands and sitting back into the ankles.
10. Do not round your back. The band will help prevent rounding.
11. Hold for 4 seconds and maintain normal breathing. If you cannot maintain normal breathing, either move closer to the anchor point to reduce tension or get a lighter band. Loss of breath control indicates the load is too high.
12. Eccentrically control the return to starting position and repeat the pattern holding each concentric repetition for 4 seconds.
13. Do a total of 10-12 repetitions.

Perform at the beginning of any workout program.

Start With Mobility

Can you see which movement pattern the RQR looks like? The overhead squat. After doing RQR, you may discover that your overall squat pattern improves and strength increases.

One reason people cannot get into a standing overhead squat position is lack of stabilization. The nervous system prevents movement because it senses poor stability. Stability always limits performance and must always precede force production. As Paul Chek said, “You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe.”

“The TLF area is extremely important for the biomechanics of movement because of its unique ability to shift loads and transfer forces from the lower extremities to the upper extremities.”

Mobility restrictions also impact the pattern. If you discover poor mobility anywhere in the body – particularly in the ankle, hip, wrist, and thoracic spine – then, release the restrictions first and follow with the resisted quadruped rock.

Get mobility and then teach the nervous system what to do with it – stability. Now go be a badass.

More Like This:

• Take Your Strength to the Next Level With Ipsilateral Crawling
• Lower Extremity Pain? Check Your Lateral Sub-System
• Climb Your Way Up and Heal Your Neglected Shoulders
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. Baniel, Anat. Move into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality. New York: Harmony, 2009. Print.

2. Chek, Paul. Movement That Matters: A Practical Approach to Developing Optimal Functional Movement Skills. Encinitas, CA: C.H.E.K. Institute, 2000. Print.

3. Cook, Gray. Movement: Functional Movement Systems: Screening, Assessment, and Corrective Strategies. Aptos, CA: On Target Publications, 2010. Print.

4. Schleip, Robert. Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body: The Science and Clinical Applications in Manual and Movement Therapy. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2012. Print.

5. Vleeming, Andry. Movement, Stability, and Low Back Pain: The Essential Role of the Pelvis. New York: Churchill Livingstone, 1997. Print.ASER

The post Power Up Your Core With the Resisted Quadruped Rock appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

But what most often happens is the brain and body hit a breaking point in their ability to recover – leading to a constant state of exhaustion. Instead of optimal power, you get overtraining, fatigue, decreased durability, and most likely injury. Is this sounding familiar at all?

When people are training for optimal power output, they push themselves harder, faster, stronger, and longer. The mission is to kick your ass to be a badass.

But what most often happens is the brain and body hit a breaking point in their ability to recover – leading to a constant state of exhaustion. Instead of optimal power, you get overtraining, fatigue, decreased durability, and most likely injury. Is this sounding familiar at all?

Step Backward to Move Forward

The secret sauce you need is the concept of regress to progress. Back off the training throttle and allow the nervous system to work for you instead of against you. The brilliant strength-training programmer Paul Mcllroy said, “Strength isn’t built. It’s granted by your nervous system.” Take a moment to let that one sink into your brain.

Crawling has many neurological and muscular benefits that can help you rediscover lost movement.

If your nervous system perceives a threat, it will back off the power switch. So, the goal is to expand the comfort zone in training, and your power will naturally increase without extra effort. And what better way to feel more comfortable than to get back down on the ground where we all started moving?

Let’s revisit some fundamental movement patterns. Creeping and crawling are fundamental motions that prime the nervous system to pattern force for the goal of walking. Let’s discover specifically how the crawl relates to one of the most important fascial lines in force production – the ipsilateral functional line.

The Role of Stress in Strength

Stress is actually a good thing in training because it prepares us for high-output response, but too much stress does the exact opposite. The concept of general adaptation syndrome, coined by famed endocrinologist Dr. Hans Seyle, discovered there are three phases to adaptation.¹

1. Alarm phase – This is the physiological response to a perceived stressor. As the brain perceives a stressful situation, it stimulates a cascade of hormonal and neurological changes such as increased heart rate and blood pressure.
2. Resistance phase – Here, the body is adapting and learning to tolerate a repeated stressor by becoming stronger and more resistant to that stressor. If a stressor is repeated too often, without adequate time to recover, the body enters the third stage.
3. Exhaustion – This phase results in maladaptation and non-optimal performance.

Taking time to regress movement patterns and expand the training comfort zone is critical for recovery and performance. We can do this with ipsilateral crawling, which will take advantage of the fascial force transmission system of the body allowing for efficient power output in a safe environment, the ground.

The Ipsilateral Functional Fascial Line and Why It Matters

Taken from the work of Thomas Myers and his groundbreaking book Anatomy Trains, the ipsilateral functional line includes the fascial connection of the ipsilateral latissimus dorso, external oblique, and sartorius muscle:

This line can be felt when supporting the body on the latissimus as on the rings, or on swimming when pulling the hand down through the water in a crawl stroke. Hanging from a chinning bar or a tree branch and twisting the pelvis and legs will also bring this line into awareness.²

You feel this line when standing and bringing the same side knee and elbow together in flexion by your side in the frontal plane. It’s the exact motion of the unilateral creeping position you see baby and kids do while learning to move.

When muscles contract, not only do they move bones, but due to these fascial expansions, they also stretch the deep fascia. Myofascial expansions permit reciprocal feedback between fascia and muscle producing force and tension over a distance. The crawl movement takes advantage of this tensional network.

“Your nervous system with thank you and your competition will be wondering what went wrong with their training.Now go crawl and be a badass.”

Reset Your Movement

To optimise function of this line we want to do a RAIL reset of the muscle pattern. RAIL is the acronym for a system of correction I developed for my workshops. It stands for release, activate, integrate, locomotion.

We are going to release facilitated and overworking muscle and/or fascia, activate the inhibited underworked muscles, and integrate them into a fundamental pattern. Then, we stand and open up full throttle. This system takes advantage of the nervous system comfort zone by increasing movement demand via stages.

Release the latissimus, external oblique, and sartorius (muscle that goes from the anterior superior iliac spine of the pelvis diagonally across the thigh to the inner knee) with foam roller. Be careful with pressure into the sides near the external oblique. You may have to use your hand instead of the roller to release the oblique if they are too tender. Release both sides.

Activate and integrate with the unilateral crawl:

The key is to go slow in the beginning. Do one set chunking style. This means in sections, moving the arm first and then the leg. This is easier for the brain to pattern. Do one set like that on each side.

Now take four seconds to complete the movement each way. Do not hold your breath. Turn your head to the right. Bring your right knee and right elbow together, sliding on the ground. Take four seconds to do the movement. Hold and relax four seconds. Return to starting position taking four seconds. Repeat the motion on the opposite side.

“Taking time to regress movement patterns and expand the training comfort zone is critical for recovery and performance.”

Perform four repetitions total, two on each side. Then do another four reps total, two on each side, at regular speed. Do not hold your breath.

Locomotion happens when we stand up and bring the same-side knee and elbow together on each side at normal speed for four times total. Then, perform ten skips forward.

Warming Up

Do this reset as a warm-up exercise every time you want to train. Take the time to slow down and visit primal patterns that are inherent to our body’s ability to control motion.

Your nervous system will thank you and your competition will be wondering what went wrong with their training. Now go crawl and be a badass.

Check out these related articles:

• Regain and Build Your Original Strength Through Crawling
• Ground Control – How to Move Efficiently On All Fours
• Move Your Body, Move Your Brain – Training for Neuroplasticity
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle UK Today

References:

1. Daane, Marcel. Headstrong Performance.(Singapore: 2015).

2. Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2001).

3. Stecco, Carla, Warren I. Hammer, Andry Vleeming, and Raffaele De Caro.Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System. (Churchill Livingstone, 2015).

Photos courtesy of Shannon Khoury.

The post The Secret of Badass Force Production appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

But what most often happens is the brain and body hit a breaking point in their ability to recover – leading to a constant state of exhaustion. Instead of optimal power, you get overtraining, fatigue, decreased durability, and most likely injury. Is this sounding familiar at all?

Step Backward to Move Forward

The secret sauce you need is the concept of regress to progress. Back off the training throttle and allow the nervous system to work for you instead of against you. The brilliant strength-training programmer Paul Mcllroy said, “Strength isn’t built. It’s granted by your nervous system.” Take a moment to let that one sink into your brain.

Crawling has many neurological and muscular benefits that can help you rediscover lost movement.

If your nervous system perceives a threat, it will back off the power switch. So, the goal is to expand the comfort zone in training, and your power will naturally increase without extra effort. And what better way to feel more comfortable than to get back down on the ground where we all started moving?

Let’s revisit some fundamental movement patterns. Creeping and crawling are fundamental motions that prime the nervous system to pattern force for the goal of walking. Let’s discover specifically how the crawl relates to one of the most important fascial lines in force production – the ipsilateral functional line.

The Role of Stress in Strength

Stress is actually a good thing in training because it prepares us for high-output response, but too much stress does the exact opposite. The concept of general adaptation syndrome, coined by famed endocrinologist Dr. Hans Seyle, discovered there are three phases to adaptation.¹

1. Alarm phase – This is the physiological response to a perceived stressor. As the brain perceives a stressful situation, it stimulates a cascade of hormonal and neurological changes such as increased heart rate and blood pressure.
2. Resistance phase – Here, the body is adapting and learning to tolerate a repeated stressor by becoming stronger and more resistant to that stressor. If a stressor is repeated too often, without adequate time to recover, the body enters the third stage.
3. Exhaustion – This phase results in maladaptation and non-optimal performance.

Taking time to regress movement patterns and expand the training comfort zone is critical for recovery and performance. We can do this with ipsilateral crawling, which will take advantage of the fascial force transmission system of the body allowing for efficient power output in a safe environment, the ground.

The Ipsilateral Functional Fascial Line and Why It Matters

Taken from the work of Thomas Myers and his groundbreaking book Anatomy Trains, the ipsilateral functional line includes the fascial connection of the ipsilateral latissimus dorso, external oblique, and sartorius muscle:

This line can be felt when supporting the body on the latissimus as on the rings, or on swimming when pulling the hand down through the water in a crawl stroke. Hanging from a chinning bar or a tree branch and twisting the pelvis and legs will also bring this line into awareness.²

You feel this line when standing and bringing the same side knee and elbow together in flexion by your side in the frontal plane. It’s the exact motion of the unilateral creeping position you see baby and kids do while learning to move.

When muscles contract, not only do they move bones, but due to these fascial expansions, they also stretch the deep fascia. Myofascial expansions permit reciprocal feedback between fascia and muscle producing force and tension over a distance. The crawl movement takes advantage of this tensional network.

“Your nervous system with thank you and your competition will be wondering what went wrong with their training. Now go crawl and be a badass.”

Reset Your Movement

To optimize function of this line we want to do a RAIL reset of the muscle pattern. RAIL is the acronym for a system of correction I developed for my workshops. It stands for release, activate, integrate, locomotion.

We are going to release facilitated and overworking muscle and/or fascia, activate the inhibited underworked muscles, and integrate them into a fundamental pattern. Then, we stand and open up full throttle. This system takes advantage of the nervous system comfort zone by increasing movement demand via stages.

Release the latissimus, external oblique, and sartorius (muscle that goes from the anterior superior iliac spine of the pelvis diagonally across the thigh to the inner knee) with foam roller. Be careful with pressure into the sides near the external oblique. You may have to use your hand instead of the roller to release the oblique if they are too tender. Release both sides.

Activate and integrate with the unilateral crawl:

The key is to go slow in the beginning. Do one set chunking style. This means in sections, moving the arm first and then the leg. This is easier for the brain to pattern. Do one set like that on each side.

Now take four seconds to complete the movement each way. Do not hold your breath. Turn your head to the right. Bring your right knee and right elbow together, sliding on the ground. Take four seconds to do the movement. Hold and relax four seconds. Return to starting position taking four seconds. Repeat the motion on the opposite side.

“Taking time to regress movement patterns and expand the training comfort zone is critical for recovery and performance.”

Perform four repetitions total, two on each side. Then do another four reps total, two on each side, at regular speed. Do not hold your breath.

Locomotion happens when we stand up and bring the same-side knee and elbow together on each side at normal speed for four times total. Then, perform ten skips forward.

Warming Up

Do this reset as a warm-up exercise every time you want to train. Take the time to slow down and visit primal patterns that are inherent to our body’s ability to control motion.

Your nervous system will thank you and your competition will be wondering what went wrong with their training. Now go crawl and be a badass.

Check out these related articles:

• Regain and Build Your Original Strength Through Crawling
• Ground Control – How to Move Efficiently On All Fours
• Move Your Body, Move Your Brain – Training for Neuroplasticity
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle Today

References:

1. Daane, Marcel. Headstrong Performance. (Singapore: 2015).

2. Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2001).

3. Stecco, Carla, Warren I. Hammer, Andry Vleeming, and Raffaele De Caro. Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System. (Churchill Livingstone, 2015).

Photos courtesy of Shannon Khoury.

The post Take Your Strength to the Next Level With Ipsilateral Crawling appeared first on Breaking Muscle.