Evolution Kettlebell Groundwork Workshop- a review

This weekend, I had the honor of attending the Evolution Kettlebell Groundwork (EKG) workshop.  The workshop was held at Wolf Fitness Systems in Salinas, CA and conducted by founder/owner John Wolf, a charismatic, enthusiastic proponent of circular strength training (CST).  Prior to attending, I watched some of the movements online and researched the basic principles of CST so while the moves weren't completely foreign to me, they were still outside of my normal realm of body movement.  I strength train 2 or 3 times a week, using primarily body weight movements and practice the Ashtanga yoga primary series 2 or 3 times a week, with some second series thrown in.  I also either swim, bike, or run daily (I love being outside), so I consider myself in decent shape.  However, to say some of the movements taught were alien to me would be an understatement.  John has a very methodical approach, grooving the foundation of the movement pattern before advancing to complex variations with and without kettlebells.  The workshop was physically challenging with an emphasis on form.  He cares strongly that people understand the movements and took the time to watch everyone perform the patterns, making corrections when necessary.  I can see why people are drawn to him as a coach and teacher.

The series of movements taught in the EKG program are fun and look really cool (there is something gratifying about that, although it's obviously not the only reason one should be drawn to a particular style of programming).  It would be strongly applicable to clients participating in MMA or other martial arts.  I could see a large amount of transfer in the flexibility mixed with strength.  It would also be a good complement for yoga practitioners looking to gain strength.  I do think there is a lot to be said for working dynamic mobility and stability, rather than emphasizing static mobility and stability.  This is why I still strength train- I think it is more functional than what I can do on the yoga mat.  Interestingly, there were a handful of Crossfitters there this weekend.  I admired their openness to learning a new modality, and John had a great way of keeping the workouts challenging while emphasizing safety, which seemed to resonate with them.  Everyone appeared excited about the material and it was obvious everyone in the room was sufficiently challenged to want to gain proficiency in the EKG program.  As mentioned earlier, I was unfamiliar with many of the moves and some of them were extremely difficult for me.  I am fairly certain the 160 seconds of squat thrusts were the longest 160 seconds of my life, which means I should do them a lot (my warped personality at work.  If I can't do it, I must master it because it must be good for me).  While not all of the moves are applicable to my style of training or my clientele, I definitely took away things that can be adapted and integrated into my programming.  It has been interesting to watch my training evolve over the years.  In my ninth grade English class, my reading habits were compared to a goat's; I loved to dabble in a variety of genres and subjects.  I feel like my professional career exhibits a bit of that.  The more I learn, the more I find myself picking a little of this and a little of that to use with my clients and ultimately help them move better.  Now that graduate school is winding down, I will be attending the FMS certification and the dynamic neuromuscular stabilization certification in the fall.  Elements of EKG and CST were reminiscent of things I have seen in Gray Cook's stuff, which is heavily influenced by DNS.  I appreciated the fact that John mentioned this workshop wasn't about the "why."  It was about the movements.  The "why" would be a whole other workshop.  I love the why, but that wasn't what was I there for and, because of background, I understood the why behind the warm up, work, and cool down.  The only thing I would change (and this is simply a personal philosophy) is if I were teaching the system to someone who was hyper mobile, I would utilize stability movements in the warm up rather than mobility warm ups.  95% of us need the mobility warm ups, but once in a while you get a person who has far too much mobility and not enough stability.  These people are more challenging because they have less awareness of where their body is in space and lack the strength to keep everything "plugged in."  Kino MacGregor, a well known Ashtnaga teacher, came to yoga hyper mobile.  Every day, she worked on the strength elements of the practice i.e., holding plank, holding chatarangua, lifting her body off of the floor using the strength of her arms.  In this way, she built the stability to support her mobility.  Because the movements in the EKG system favor mobility, I would emphasize the stability aspect of each movement, not taking someone to end range until stability was gained throughout the range of motion.  Again, this isn't a problem most people have, but once in a while, you get someone who does.

Overall, the EKG certification workshop was a worthwhile, fun experience.  We are so fortunate to have someone like John in the area who is willing to share his expertise with other professionals in the community.  I would highly recommend this to others interested in learning a different, functional way of programming, especially those working with individuals participating in multi-directional sports or athletics.  Just be prepared to work and be prepared to be sore in some interesting place- all with a smile on your face.

Yours in health and wellness,
Jenn

Strength and conditioning programs for runners

Designing strength and conditioning programs for runners is something I love doing.  Helping runners move better, become more economical, and improve performance while reducing injury risk is enjoyable and, as a runner, something I work on regularly myself.  Why do runners need a strength and conditioning program, you might wonder?  A research review performed by Saunders, Pyne, Telford, and Hawley (2004) concluded strength training improved running economy in elite runners.  A small study performed by Berryman, Maurel, and Bosquet found that while plyometric training and dynamic strength training were more effective at reducing the energy cost of running than just running, plyometric training led to the greatest cost reduction.  However, this does not mean everyone should run out and add jumping to their routines.  Progression is important, as well as proper periodization based on goals and race schedule.  Below are some guidelines for individualized program design, based on research and experience.

1. Perform a needs analysis, or have someone perform a needs analysis on you.  A needs analysis consists of goals (are you competing in road races, or just running recreationally), movement assessment, and analysis of posture.  Patellofemoral pain is a common complaint among runners.  A comprehensive movement assessment can identify risk factors, such as knee internal rotation and hip adduction during a single leg squat, which are believed to contribute to PFP (Noehren, Pohl, Sanchez, Cunningham, and Latermann, 2011).  It also identifies potential muscle imbalances and flexibility issues which might affect running gait.  
2. Don't perform exercises sitting.  You don't run sitting.  You run using your entire body to stabilize while you are propelling your body forward, one foot at a time.  Train you muscles standing up.
3. Include movements on one leg.  Balance is important, and runners spend a lot of time on one leg.  Things like single leg squats windmills, and  walking lunges challenge the kinetic chain and work dynamic balance at the same time.
4. Use proper progression.  The exercises described above are great, but should only be performed if you can do a perfect double leg squat, anterior reach, and stationary lunge.  The quality of the movement is critical.  Training faulty movement patterns will simply lead to more faulty movement patterns.  In order to progress, some flexibility work or foam roller work may be required.
5. Roll.  Use a foam roller prior to your strength training program to reduce activity to muscles that are overactive.  In runners, this typically includes the IT band, quadriceps, and calves.  This will allow the proper muscles to be recruited for various movements.  Ideally, a runner would roll almost daily, including before runs.  If it hurts, know that if you continue to roll, over time it will hurt a lot less.
6. Periodize your training program.  This is particularly important if you are racing.  Heavy weights and plyometrics will improve running economy; however, they also cause soreness.  It is important to figure out when you should be building strength, working on power, and allowing for recovery.  I use the base building period of an endurance athlete's program to work on strength, speed training portion to incorporate some plyometrics (this requires excellent feedback from the athlete.  You don't want to hinder the speed training workouts.  I make sure I do plyometrics with the person when speed training is done for the week), and taper to focus on quality/endurance movements, using one or two plyometric exercises if the person has been strength training for a long time.  
7. Remember quality.  Don't do something too soon (such as add jumping motions).  Work on improving movement quality first.  This might take some time, but it will be worth it in the end.
8. Don't forget the rest of your body.  While we don't use our arms to run, we do lose muscle mass as we age.  What good is all of that running if we can't lift ourselves off the floor if we fall?

Yours in health and wellness,

Jenn

www.bewellpt.com

Saunders, P.U., Pyne, D.B., Telford, R.D., & Hawley, J.A., (2004).  Factors affecting running economy in distance runners.  Sports Medicine, 34(7), pp. 465-485.

Berryman, N., Maurel, D., & Bosquet, L., (2010).  Effect of plyometric vs. dynamic weight training on the energy cost of running.  Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(7), pp. 1818-1825.

Noehren, B., Pohl, M.B., Sanchez, Z., Cunningham, T., & Lattermann, C., (2011).  Proximal and distal kinematics in female runners with patellofemoral pain.  Clinical Biomechanics, (Epub ahead of print).

Shirley Sahrmann's movement vision

I recently listened to a teleconference with Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, a leading expert on movement syndromes.  She is an amazing woman, with a career spanning over 5 decades, and is forward thinking in terms of rehabilitation and treatment of various movement impairments.  During her talk, she said she thinks physical therapists should be like the dentist.  You should see them once a year, for a movement "check-up."  The therapist will analyze movement patterns, assess areas that should be watched, and prescribe a corrective exercise program to address "problem areas."  While she didn't specify, I imagine the corrective exercise program would be up to the patient (kind of like flossing), and if an area needed more attention, a follow-up appointment would be recommended.  She suggested this start as a child (again, like the dentist), and be done annually.

I thought this was a brilliant idea for a number of reasons.  First, it would make focused exercise part of a person's routine, under the pretense that it would improve posture, movement habits, and possibly prevent serious injury later in life.  For some, it might lead to greater amounts of movement, something we desperately need.  Second, if people actually did the exercises they were supposed to (this is kind of like flossing- some would, most wouldn't), people might be able to prevent anterior head tilt, upper crossed syndrome, and lower crossed syndrome, particularly if good habits were developed as a child.  While little research has been done on posture and its relation to injury, there is no denying certain soft tissue problems that arise as a result of something as innocuous as anterior head tilt (tension headaches, anyone?).  If people had less pain, they might be more likely to move.  Again, this would be fantastic!  Generally speaking, the more movement, the better.  Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but that is not the topic of this blog.  Finally, athletes at all levels would have dysfunctional movement patterns identified by a professional, preventing some of the frequent overuse injuries common in junior, elite, and master athletes.  This might (and this is a big might), change the way strength and conditioning coaches design "one size fits all" strength programs that over-emphasize certain muscle groups and under-emphasize others.  And even if these types of programs were still being implemented, at least the athlete could supplement with an individualized corrective exercise program.

While this approach is a long way off and might never happen, the idea is worth further examination. I think that having someone assess and provide a home corrective exercise program done on a regular basis would allow people to continue doing the exercises they enjoy into advanced age with fewer injuries.  For the people who currently do no exercise, a regular home corrective exercise program would increase body awareness and perhaps allow exercise to seep into other areas of their life.  Remember: you are unique.  Your exercise program should be too.

Yours in health and wellness,
Jenn

TRX Rip Trainer Review

I finally had the opportunity to play with my new TRX Rip Trainer today.  I did my usual workout and then put in the basic training DVD that came with it.  Below is a brief list of the Rip Trainer pros and cons followed by the DVD pros and cons.

Rip Trainer Pros:

• The bar is heavy, allowing for pretty decent shoulder stabilization work if done properly.
• The medium tension is perfect for me, a fairly fit female.
• Set-up is easy.
• It does an excellent job working the core in anti-rotation (which is where I am weakest).
• It easily allows for multi-planar movement.
• It can be adapted for many people/levels.

Cons:

• The bar is heavy.  If a person lacks good shoulder stabilization, it would be difficult to accomplish many repetitions.
• The medium tension would be too easy for most athletic men.  This would require the purchase of more challenging tension, shooting the price over $200.
• It does require a little bit of room.  My little condo barely had the space for me to easily work both sides (the personal training studio I work out of, on the other hand, has plenty of floor space for it).
• Unlike the TRX suspension trainer, which I have even used with my 86 year-old client, it is not suitable for all levels.  The heavy bar coupled with the challenging nature of multi-planar movements, makes it more accessible for people who have a decent level of fitness.

Rip Trainer Basic Training DVD Pros:

• The physical therapist who explains the basic anatomy of the core does an excellent job.  He gives a nice overview without going into too much detail.  The average viewer with little anatomical knowledge would get a basic sense of spinal anatomy without getting overwhelmed.
• Efficient workout.

Cons:

• I felt like the cueing was seriously lacking.  In contrast with the TRX Essentials of Strength DVD which has excellent cueing, very few auditory cues were given.  The moves are a bit complicated if you have never done them before, and I had to pause a couple of times to get the hand and foot set-up correct.  I have a much stronger background in movement than most people, and I think an inexperienced exerciser would struggle with this.
• Grooving proper movement patterns is discussed in the anatomy portion, and then disappears during the workout portion.  The workout is squat heavy.  In my experience, few people can perform a proper squat.  I thought a deeper explanation was necessary, as well as some modifications for people lacking in adequate hip mobility.

Overall, a good product.  It will enhance some of my clients' existing programs, and I will certainly use it. However, if you are only going to buy one thing, this isn't it.  This is a great product for athletes who move in multi-directional patterns, such as tennis players, golfers, and lacrosse players.

Yours in health and wellness,

Jenn

Yoga and Injury

Yoga and Injury

Floating around the yoga blogosphere lately have been multiple references to an article in the New York Times  Magazine entitled, "How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body." Excellent responses can be found on Eddie Stern’s site (www.ayny.org) as well as from our friends at the Confluence Countdown).

As many of you know, I use yoga as an adjunct to my other fitness endeavors.  Yoga has made me a better personal trainer, better athlete, and, hopefully, a better person.  The emphasis on mindfulness during each movement gives the practitioner an opportunity to search for how the body is responding to the imposed demand.  Like with any form of physical exercise, ignoring the subtle signs of your physical being will result in eventual injury.  There is a mindset many people get into regarding what they “should” be able to do, rather than what they are capable of that day.  I dislike teaching group anything (including yoga) for that reason.  I find people are much more willing to stop something that could be potentially injurious in a one-on-one setting than in a group dynamic.  Something about the energy in a room, which can be a double-edged sword, results in a person trying something or pushing more than he or she should.  When I do teach Led, I get frustrated when I see a person is doing something biomechanically incorrect or out of the person’s physical ability.  I drop many hints (“if you find yourself collapsing in the right side, use the block,” “if you are rounding in your low-back, use a blanket or bend your knees,”) often to no avail.  Nobody wants to be singled out, and I frequently find myself next to the person who clearly doesn’t think any of my cueing is for him offering the correct modification, only to have him (or her) go back to performing the posture incorrectly as soon as I walk away. 

It is important to note that this doesn’t just happen in yoga.  I used to teach group strength training classes where the same behaviors would occur.  I think it is the teacher’s job to teach proper biomechanics, offer modifications for injury, and have a strong anatomical background so proper adjustments can be made to give the student the most beneficial, safest, physical experience possible in a class.  Ultimately, however, it is the responsibility of the student to know his body, understand his limitations, and listen to what the teacher is saying, even if “she couldn’t possibly be referring to me.”  It is also the responsibility of the student to know the teacher’s background and make sure the teacher is qualified to teach whatever class it is.  Eddie points out in his blog that the increase in yoga practitioners has led to an increase in (unqualified) yoga teachers.  The same thing is happening in the personal training and group fitness industry, resulting in instructors injuring people with unsafe sequencing/adjustments/workouts rather than helping people achieve an improved state of physical (and mental) well-being, but that is a topic for another post…

Yours in health and wellness,

Jenn

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  2011 has flown by, and I am looking forward to what 2012 will bring.  This time of year often results in New Year’s resolutions.  While I have discussed SMART goal setting before, I thought it might be a good time to re-visit what that means.  SMART goals are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Timely

The problem with SMART goals is the key to success means starting small.  For instance, setting a goal of running a ½ marathon in 6 weeks sounds far more grand than dedicating yourself to running 4 miles, 3 days a week.  To prevent injury, reduce risk of burnout, and improve chance of success, it is necessary to set goals that can be attained so they eventually become a habit.  That’s not to say that you can’t accomplish the ½ marathon; you just might need to set some smaller goals first.

While I am not out setting marathon records or participating in centuries, I am a consistent athlete.  I run 3-4 days a week and ride my bike 3-4 days a week.  None of my mileage is terribly substantial, and this is the first year in recent memory that I didn’t participate in a triathlon or ½ marathon.  However, I still managed to ride 2,470 miles, run 795 miles, and burn over 23,000 calories (at least according to www.runkeeper.com).  Not bad for someone who wasn’t doing any serious training.  That doesn’t include countless walks, weekly swims, yoga, and strength training.  The point, of course, is that little bits of activity add up and make a huge impact in a person’s health and wellbeing.

I hope to see everyone on the trails in 2012!

Yours in health and wellness,

Jenn

Running While Pregnant

About a month ago, a woman ran the Chicago marathon 9 ½ months pregnant.  She ran half of the race and walked the other half, all with her husband keeping a close eye on her (for more about the story, here is the link to the Chicago Sun article: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/8136835-418/woman-gives-birth-after-running-chicago-marathon.html).  She finished in 6 hours and 25 minutes and gave birth to a healthy baby 7 hours later.

    A handful of clients asked me about this, curious as to whether or not I thought it was okay.  I explained that because this was a veteran runner (her personal best in the marathon is under 3 ½ hours) and since she had her doctor’s okay, I thought it was completely fine, healthy even.  My answer would have been different if this was her first marathon or she were an inexperienced runner, but since this was an activity her body was clearly used to doing, it wasn’t overly-taxing her system.  According to Scott, 2006, exercise for elite athletes should be between 70-80% heart rate maximum.  As a regular marathon runner, with an efficient running gait, I am sure she stayed within the guidelines.  Exercising during pregnancy is related to improved pregnancy and labor.  Obviously, if a woman’s doctor places her on bed rest or she has a difficult pregnancy, exercise should be avoided, but if the woman is healthy, exercise will do far more good than harm.

Scott, S., (2006).  Medical report: exercise during pregnancy.  American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness Journal, 10(2), pp.  37-39. 

Yours in health and wellness,

Jenn