Biomechanical Breakdown During Resistance Training/Part 2

Taken from the part one intro:

Without proper guidance and professional instruction most people and athletes have incorrect form while lifting weights resulting in poor mechanics throughout the entire exercise.

Maintaining a Five Point Contact is key to performing all resistance exercises.  This is a subject I covered in an earlier article called “Maintaining Proper Spinal Alignment While Resistance Training”.

Here is the second list of some of the most common mistakes made during these lifts and their correction’s as these are the ones most often performed with improper technique.

Cable Triceps Pushdown

Mistakes:

Rounded shoulder positioning with no scapular stability.

Head tilted down and forward, excessive upper arm movement.

Elbows placed right against side of body just above hips.

Standing with body completely upright allowing lower back to go into excessive lordosis.

Swinging of entire body.

Corrections: (You will notice that the rules for this are similar to the bicep curls. It’s the same movement but reversed.)

Shoulders slightly pulled back and stable, the weight should be supported by posterior deltoids and scapular musculature.  This will help with preventing the upper arm from going into too much shoulder flexion or extension.

Do not place elbows against body. This will create unnecessary stress on glenohumeral joint and result in tendonitis. Elbows should be in line with upper body and about a golf or tennis balls distance away from sides of body.

Position head in neutral, looking straight ahead and without dropping chin towards chest.  Tucking chin downwards will result in rounding shoulders and loss of scapular stability.

Stand in a partial squat initiated from hips, not the knees and keep core musculature tight throughout. This will prevent swaying of the entire body and help protect against lower back injury.  Keep the 4-2-5 concept in mind.

Work triceps throughout entire range of motion, making sure triceps are under constant tension throughout entire movement.

Front Neck Pull Down

Mistakes:

Excessive swinging of upper body

Not maintaining scapular stability, and letting shoulder rise, placing undue stress on tendons and ligaments.

Tucking chin downward while performing movement, and not maintaining normal lordosis.

Pulling bar down to far down and going into internal rotation of the shoulders.

Corrections:

Sit upward maintaining a neutral spine.

Place hands on bar with either a 1 or 1.5 biacromial width.

Bar should travel in a straight line down to touch superior part of sternum just below clavicle.  At top end of movement maintain scapular stability by not going into a full extension. You want to let bar rise as far up as long as the shoulders do not come up as well, unless you are performing a scapular retraction and protraction. Weight must remain on musculature not pulling on joints by maintaining a constant a muscular contraction.

Maintain tight core musculature and the only part of body moving should be arms.

One Arm Dumbbell Rows

Mistakes:

Not maintaining normal lordosis and performing exercise with a rounded back.

Excessive use of trapezium while pulling weight upward during exercise.

Losing scapular stability while performing exercise.

Not keeping neck in a neutral position.

Corrections:

Maintain a neutral spine position and normal lordosis of lumbar spine. Performing this exercise with a rounded back puts you at risk for vertebral disk herniation.

Drive weight upwards by driving with elbow and shoulder depressed. This will prevent too much trap recruitment.

Be sure to keep scapula pulled back slightly and stable with a constant contraction at all times.

Keep head in a neutral position. Tucking your chin downward will round your upper back and cause loss of scapular stability.

Supine Dumbbell Chest Flys

Mistakes:

Excessive arching of back on bench by not maintaining a 5-point contact.

Too much flexion in elbows resulting in a movement more similar to a press.

Performing exercise with elbows placed at a higher level than acromioclavicular joint throughout movement causing too much compression on AC complex.

Performing with a partial or not full range of motion.

Corrections:

Maintaining a 5-point contact throughout exercise, and keeping a tight core.

Elbows should have a very slight bend in them, which stays constant throughout execution of exercise. If you are increasing the flexion in your elbows in the negative or eccentric part of this exercise then you are doing a chest press.

Throughout exercise in both the eccentric and concentric motion of this exercise the elbows should be 1-3 inches lower than shoulder girdle. Hands should follow a line at mid sternum height in the transverse plane.

Performing this exercise with elbows more superior of acromioclavicular joints can cause AC impingements.

Perform a full range of motion, which is when hands are in line or slightly below body in the frontal plane.  In other words your hands should be at least the level of the bench you are lying on in the downward motion of exercise.

If you are still confused and need a visual aid then two excellent resources are the books “Strength Training” by the National Strength & Conditioning Association, or “Strength Training Anatomy”.

Human Kinetics publishes both books.

 

Jon Torerk, CSCS

 

The 4-2-5 Concept

I recently attended a seminar that was held here at BioMechanix. The course title was the “Gait for Pain Relief” which hosted by the California Education Commission. Our instructor for the course Sherry Brourman, PT. taught us concepts based on a book she wrote called “Walk Yourself Well”.

One of the topics covered I would like to share with you, as it is a simple principle to remember and you can literally walk away with this idea immediately.

It is known as the 4-2 concept.  The “4” part of the equation regards your feet.  Imagine the bottom of your foot or sole having four wheels on it just like a toy car.  While standing you want to keep all of your body weight evenly distributed on all four of these wheels on both feet.

The second part of the equation is the “2” which correlates to your pelvis and ribcage.  Imagine if I took two big woks and filled them to the top with water, if you tipped them in the slightest way the water would spill over the sides.  Now take one wok and imagine it is placed at the level of your pelvis and pushed in like a drawer. You want to keep that drawer level.  In order to keep this level and the water from spilling you are going to have to go into a slight squat initiated from the hips, causing a slight bend in the knees. This will put your pelvic girdle in a level position.

As for the ribcage, take a look at where your ribs meet at the sternum.  You will feel a notch that sticks downward towards your umbilicus.  This is your xiphoid process.  If you adjust your upper body positioning so that the xiphoid is pointing straight down in a perfect vertical line then this correlates to the second wok, keeping it level and utilizing your core musculature for support.

Putting these two concepts into play will make you stand correctly. In turn this will help you with proper spinal alignment, keeping proper weight distribution on the muscles and minimizing undo stress on the joints.  If you stand in a position where any of the two woks would spill over, then you are standing either too front or back heavy which places too much stress on the joints, prevents proper muscles from firing, creates muscle imbalances, and poor posture.

To further tweak this concept I put the “5” into the equation, as in the “Five Point Contact”.  If you have been reading my earlier articles then you should know what this is.  Finish off the stance by incorporating the “Five Point Contact”; by drawing your shoulder blades back slightly without disrupting the four wheels and two bowls.  This then creates a 4-2-5 body position.  Whenever you stand you should keep this in mind. Keeping even distribution on all four wheels, maintaining the two level bowls, and the five point concept. This is where the numbers 4-2-5 all come together.

Jon J. Torerk, CSCS

Biomechanical Breakdown During Resistance Training/Part 1

Without proper guidance and professional instruction most people and athletes have incorrect form while lifting weights resulting in poor mechanics throughout the entire exercise.

Maintaining a Five Point Contact is key to performing all resistance exercises.  This is a subject I covered in an earlier article called “Maintaining Proper Spinal Alignment While Resistance Training”.

Here is a list of some of the most common mistakes made during these lifts followed by correction’s as these are the ones most often performed with improper technique.

Bicep Curls

Mistakes:

Rounded shoulder position throughout movement with no scapular stability.

Head tilted down and forward and excessive upper arm movement.

Elbows placed against side of body, just above hips.

Standing completely upright allowing lower back to go into excessive lordosis.

Swinging of entire body.

Corrections:

Shoulders slightly pulled back and stable, the weight should be supported by posterior deltoids and scapular musculature.  This will help with preventing the upper arm from going into too much shoulder flexion or extension.

Do not place elbows against body while curling. This will create unnecessary stress on glenohumeral joint and result in tendonitis. Elbows should be in line with upper body and about a golf or tennis balls distance away from sides of body.

Position head in neutral, looking straight ahead and without dropping chin towards chest.  Tucking chin downwards will result in rounding shoulders and loss of scapular stability.

Stand in a partial squat initiated from hips, not the knees and keep core musculature tight throughout. This will prevent swaying of the entire body and help protect against lower back injury.

Work bicep throughout entire range of motion, making sure bicep is under constant tension throughout entire movement.

Bench Press

Mistakes:

Protracting shoulder blades at top end of the movement.

Flattened thoracic spine while lying on bench, resulting in rounding of shoulders.

Locking elbows out at top range of motion.

Bouncing bar off of sternum at bottom end of exercise.

Lifting rear end (buttocks) off bench while performing exercise.

Corrections:

Maintain a 5-point contact position while lying on bench.

Do not flatten spine out on bench. Thoracic spine should be in neutral position to minimize any back, neck, or shoulder injuries.

Shoulder blades should be in contact with bench at all times. Do not protract them forward.

Lower bar slowly to mid sternum, and lightly touch bar 2 to 3 inches superior of xyphoid process.

Press bar straight up without locking elbows out.

Do not lift buttocks off bench in the process of doing so.  This is a good way to get injured while doing this exercise.

Keep back of head in contact of bench at all times.  Lifting head up will round shoulders forward, which is not desirable.

Straight Leg Dead Lift:

Mistakes:

Not maintaining normal spinal lordosis and initiating motion from lower back and performing motion with a rounded spine.

Not maintaining scapular stability and allowing shoulders to round forward.

Letting knees go into hyper-extension, losing all muscular support in knees, allowing too much stress on posterior cruciate ligament.

Having too much flexion or movement in knees while performing lift.

Letting chin drop down towards sternum and rounding upper back.

Corrections:

Maintain normal spinal lordosis throughout entire motion of lift.

Keep shoulders back by maintaining scapular stability, without shrugging.

Lift should be initiated from hips, not low back.

Knees should have a slight bend in them to keep excessive stress off posterior cruciate ligament.

Head should remain in neutral plane entire time or slightly looking upward looking straight ahead.

Negative part of exercise should be done slowly in order to avoid injuring low back.

Barbell and Dumbbell Squats:

Mistakes:

Initiating motion from knees and not the hips.

Having too much hip flexion during exercise.

Both knees buckle in towards each other during negative and positive contraction of the exercise.

Allowing lower back to round and not maintaining normal lordosis.

Corrections:

Initiate the squat from the hips not the knees.  The hips are where the power comes from and the knees act as a secondary joint, they follow the lead of the hips.  Do not come up onto balls of feet.

Do not lean too far forward; otherwise this becomes a back extension and flexion exercise.  Imagine a cable is attached to the superior part of your sternum and the ceiling keeping your chest up.  Much the same as doing a squat in a 7-degree smith machine.

Keep knees in line with toes. It is OK to let knees go past toes as long as your feet stay in contact with the floor completely.   If you have a long femur and follow that ridiculous rule of not ever allowing knees to surpass toes, the squat cannot be performed within a full range of 90 degrees or lower.  We are all for full range motions.

Do not let knees buckle inwards or outwards of line of toes. This is a good way to tear a meniscus.  If you cannot control this than lower the weight load.

Start with a stance just past hip width for greater stability. Keep feet in position of which you normally stand.  As you master the squat then try a narrower stance, as this is more difficult to perform.

Maintain normal lordosis throughout entire exercise.

To be continued with more exercises in next article……

Jon J. Torerk, CSCS

A Quick Breakdown of Fast and Slow Glycolysis

Fast glycolysis is also known as anaerobic glycolysis and slow glycolysis is commonly called aerobic glycolysis. These are dictated by the energy demands of the cells.  If there is a rapid or high rate of type II muscle fibers being utilized then fast glycolysis is utilized. If there is a demand for primarily type I muscle fibers and oxygen present then slow glycolysis is utilized.

During resistance training your muscles utilize glycogen as its primary fuel source in the process known as glycolysis. This is when your body converts carbohydrates and breaks it down into glucose, and then it is broken down again to form a molecule known as ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate).  After the ATP is utilized it is broken down into ADP (Adenosine diphosphate), which in turn bonds with creatine phosphate to create another ATP molecule.  ATP production occurs in the mitochondria of the muscle cell.

Aerobic System/ Slow Glycolysis: The aerobic system requires 60 to 80 seconds to produce energy for resynthesizing ATP from ADP + P.  The heart rate and respiratory rate must increase sufficiently to transport the required amount of O2 to the muscle cells, allowing glycogen to break down in the presence of oxygen.  Glycogen is the source of energy used to resynthesize ATP in both the lactic acid and aerobic systems.  The aerobic system, however, breaks down glycogen in the presence of O2, producing little or no lactic acid, which in turn allows the athlete to continue to exercise.

The aerobic system is the primary energy source for events lasting between 2 minutes and 2 to 3 hours.  Prolonged work beyond 2-3 hours may result in the breakdown of fats and proteins to replenish ATP stores as the body’s glycogen supply depletes.

The breakdown of glycogen, fats, or protein produces the by-products carbon dioxide CO2 and water H2O, both of which are eliminated from the body through respiratory and perspiration.

The rate at which athletes can replenish ATP is limited by their aerobic capacity, or the maximum rate at which they can consume oxygen.

Anaerobic System/ Fast Glycolysis: The anaerobic system refers to the ATP-CP system, also called the anaerobic alactic since lactic acid is not produced during it; the phosphagen system and the lactic acid system.

ATP-CP System: Muscles can store only a small amount of ATP, energy depletion occurs rapidly when strenuous activity begins. In response, creatine phosphate (CP) or phosphocreatine, which is also stored in the muscle cell, breaks down into creatine (C) and phosphate (P).  The energy released is used to resynthesize ADP + P into ATP.  We can then transform this once more to ADP + P, causing the release of energy required for muscular contraction.

Due to the fact that CP is stored in limited amounts in the muscle cell, this system can supply energy for 8 to 10 seconds.  It is the chief source of energy for extremely quick and explosive activities, such as 100-meter dash, weightlifting, jumping, and throwing events in track and field, vaulting in gymnastics, and ski jumping.

Restoration of Phosphagen: Through restoration the body recovers and replenishes energy stores to preexercise conditions.  Through its biomechanical means, the body attempts to return to physiological balance (homeostasis), which it has the highest efficiency.  Phosphagen restoration occurs rapidly in first 30 seconds it reaches 70%, and in 3 to 5 minutes it is fully restored to 100%.

Lactic Acid System: For intensive events up to 40 seconds such as 200 / 400 meter sprinting, the ATP–CP system first provides energy, followed by 8 to 10 seconds by the lactic acid system.  The lactic acid system breaks down glycogen stored in the muscle cells and liver, releasing energy to resynthesize ATP from ADP + P.  Due to the absence of O2 during the breakdown of glycogen, a byproduct called lactic acid (LA) forms.  When high intensity work continues for a prolonged period, large quantities of lactic acid accumulate in the muscle causing fatigue, eventually stopping physical activity.

Full restoration of glycogen takes a long time, even days, depending on the type of training and diet.  For intermittent activity, typical strength or interval training, restoration takes 2 hours to restore 40%, 5 hours to restore 55%, and 24 hours for full restoration to 100% percent.

If the activity is continuous, typical of high intensity endurance activities, restoration of glycogen takes much longer: 10 hour to restore 60% and 48 hours to achieve full restoration 100%. For a normal, or carbohydrate rich diet, it takes 12 to 24 hours to replenish the liver glycogen.  During training there could be a LA accumulation in the blood, which has a fatiguing effect on the athlete.  Before returning to a balanced resting state, the body has to remove LA from the systems, however this takes some time to achieve this: 10 minutes to remove 25%, 25 minutes to remove 50%, and 1 hour and 15 minutes to remove 95%.

An athlete can facilitate the normal biological process of LA by performing 15 to 20 minutes of light aerobic activity, as the benefit of movement and sweating will help in the elimination of LA and other metabolic residues.   Fitness level is another element that facilitates restoration of energy stores.  A good aerobic base can reduce the time necessary to replenish glycogen stores.

* Please note that I took much of this information directly from the following two textbooks:

Essentials of Strength & Conditioning, National Strength & Conditioning Association, Thomas R. Baechle, Roger Earle, Second Edition, Human Kinetics, 2000

Strength Training, National Strength & Conditioning Association, Lee E. Brown, Human Kinetics, 2007

Jon Torerk, CSCS

(With the help of some of my college textbooks on this one, most of the material I post are from the top of my head and the little amount of memory that I still have added with a little research to make sure I’m correct.)

Kinesiology Therapeutic Taping and its Role in Sports Medicine

I recently read an article in the April 4^th, 2011 Los Angeles Times paper called “Sticky Issue of Tapes”.  The article stated that kinesiology taping in general had no benefit and only offered a placebo effect on patients that used it. I on the other hand have a different opinion about kinesiology tape, along with the many other sports medicine practitioners I have worked with. Honestly I don’t believe the person who wrote the article had much experience or knowledge on working with the tape or in it’s application. I could be wrong and everybody has a right to his or her opinion, but here is my take on it.

Kinesiology tape is different than other medical or athletic tapes since is it elastic (stretches 40% beyond original length), breathable, hypoallergenic, waterproof, latex free, and does not restrict circulation like other common tapes.  Other tapes such as regular athletic tape do serve an important role and have their time and place for certain applications. However athletic tape does not breathe at all, blocks sweat and evaporation, can cause cuts and blisters, and loses 50% of support within 5 minutes of weight bearing activity.

Kinesiology tape aids in improved range of motion and is useful for muscle inhibition or facilitation depending on which direction it is applied on the muscle or joint.  It also works well for ecchymosis and lymphatic drainage. When it is applied for lymphatic drainage the tape creates convolutions, which lift and pull the skin and anchoring filaments, creating an opening or space between the cells to allow fluids to drain and immune system cells to flow in and out.

Since the kinesiology tapes have an elastic property and allow the skin to breathe they make a lot of sense for the conditions they are used for.  For example an athlete with an acromial clavicular compression injury can find relief from a scapular stability taping. This type of taping inhibits the scapula from moving forward excessively therefore, relieving compression in the AC joint. Understanding the mechanics of this, it just makes sense in why this would help this condition.  For plantar fasciitis taping the arch of the foot helps the plantar fascia from crashing, and provides tremendous relief without immobilizing the foot and suffocating the skin like athletic tape would.  As for edema and ecchymosis it does increase the reduction of swelling and contusions.

Several years ago I had a downhill bike accident, I crashed on a 10-foot drop off.  Even though is was not a considerably big drop, I smashed the palm of my left hand on the ground pretty hard resulting in my hand blowing up to the size of a baseball mitt, and my forearm was severely bruised from the wrist to my elbow, and got a nice concussion as well. After the accident I had an edema taping applied to it and the swelling and bruising dissipated at a record speed.  It completely went back down to normal within 3 days.  This is a condition I had suffered from several times before and it took weeks for the swelling and discoloration to go away without taping.  I have seen the same results on my clients and they all attest to the effectiveness of kinesiology therapeutic taping.  The tape is not going to magically heal any injury instantly, but it does help in these conditions and with joint mobilization, and often acts as a reminder as to body positioning, such as the scapular one I mentioned above.

At our facility we use both Kinesio Tex Tape, and KT Tape preferably over other tapes such as Spider Tech Tape, which is more expensive and less adhesive, and we find it not to be very user friendly.   Balance Tex, another elastic tape is moderately breathable but does not work well around body contours. The difference between the two tapes that we use is that the KT Tape is 25% more adhesive than the Kinesio Tex Tape, and has a better breathing quality due to the improved wave pattern on the back of the tape.  Generally we use the Kinesio Tex Tape on our older or senior population because it is somewhat less adhesive than the KT Tape, and is kinder to their skin during removal.  Here is a funny fact about KT Tape. It was developed by a group of business professionals that had no medical background what so ever, they just copied Dr. Kenzo Kase’s original Kinesio TexTape which was first developed in 1973, and changed the wave pattern on the back of it somewhat. This was because Dr. Kase declined on an offer they approached him with. Nonetheless KT Tape is a great product, even though it is a “knock off” of Kinesio Tex Tape.

Before using any of the kinesiology tapes they should be tested on a small part of the patients skin to see if it causes any irritation, and make sure to teach them how to remove the tape properly by pulling the skin away from the tape. Not the tearing the tape away from the skin.

People often ask about the different colors the tape comes in.  I have heard all different kinds of crazy answers like the black is the “extreme injury tape”, suggesting that it is a stronger more durable tape. The fact is that the colors are purely fashion statements. They were to elicit different moods, blue for tranquility, red for excitement, and green camo just in case you’re going hunting.  The other factor is heat transmission.  Darker colors to generate more heat, and lighter to keep the area cooler.   Kind of like when you wear a black shirt and stand directly in sunlight. The colors of the tape may vary but the characteristics of the tape are essentially the same from one color to another.

So there you have it, my opinion on kinesiology tape.  I think people get confused or either misinformed about the role this tape plays in the sports medicine arena.  I think anytime, before someone writes something about anything, that they need to have a pretty good understanding of it.  I don’t write about investment banking because I know so little about it, so I just stick to my area of expertise, and I will say that I know a little something about kinesiology therapeutic taping.

Now I will sit back and wait for all the hate mail that I expect will follow…

Jon Torerk, CSCS

Basic Concepts of Linear and Non-Linear Periodization

Periodization training was introduced in the 1940’s, and it is basically a set training format that involves different modalities of resistance training, organized within a set or determined time frame.  The concept of periodization was first developed by Dr. Thomas Delorme who was an army physician working with physical therapy patients. During this time he formulated the progression of their therapy routines and exercises, and the need to gradually increase the resistance on particular muscle groups.  Evolving from the SAID principal (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand), periodization was born.

Today most professional athletes are trained using this method under the supervision of their team strength and conditioning coaches.  Many trainers and CSCS professionals use this format of training for clients preparing for a specific athletic event because it is an effective means of stimulating the muscles for anaerobic endurance, hypertrophy, strength, power, and speed all done in an orderly manner over a pre-determined period of time.

Typically a basic linear periodization model consists of four stages within a 4 month to a year time period.  The stages are the preparation phase, first transition, competition, and second transition phase.  Linear periodization models consist of linear increases in the workload and volume for each week.

The preparation phase consists of muscle endurance and hypertrophy training, where the exercise volume is high and intensity low. The first transition phase focuses more on muscular strength where work volume decreases as the intensity increases.  The competition phase consists of exercises that are sport specific or consist of power lifting and explosive movements based on speed and velocity.  The off-season or second transition phase is designed to be more non-linear in nature.  Here the athlete performs a variety of training to avoid de-conditioning and to focus on structural or rehabilitative exercises.

Linear periodization models will also use the terminology, macrocycle, mesocycle, and microcycle to better outline training format. A macrocycle is the entire periodization training program set for several months in duration and up to a year. Within the macrocycle are the mesocycles, which may be a month long in duration.  Within the mesocycles are minicycles or microcycles, typically a week to a few days in duration.  These divide the training program down to specific time periods to complete specific training protocols or goals.

Adopting concepts from the classical linear periodization model, nonlinear periodization training has replaced the linear approach to training for many athletes and recreational athletes. Nonlinear periodization calls for more frequent changes in training intensity and volume.  This is changed weekly or even daily.  This form of periodization typically shows minimal plateaus in strength increases than that of linear periodization due to the constant change in exercise variation and muscle stimulus, therefore it demands constant physiological adaptations to the imposed work being performed.  For instance a single training session may work a particular muscle group for strength, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance all within the same workout session.

Nonlinear periodization is sometimes a better method to use when time constraints make it difficult to follow and adhere to a linear periodization program, and the fact that variations of training within the program allow for better muscle recovery time, since the intensity and volume are changed daily.

Linear periodization models are typically used for college and professional team sports, when an athlete can dedicate all of their time to adhering to this type of training under the supervision of their Strength & Conditioning Coaches.   Nonlinear periodization is not as methodically organized and allows for some inconsistencies in one’s daily training routine without a tremendous amount of setbacks.

Jon Torerk, CSCS

Common Structural Concerns

Here is a list of common structural and Postural concerns, and exercises to help correct them.  This is from a list of guidelines that I have from when I was working at a NYC Sports Medicine Clinic along with a team of Physical Therapist, Athletic Trainers, Strength & Conditioning Coaches, Exercise Specialist, and Massage Therapist.  Please note that this is only a very basic hit list of items for general reference. Not all corrective exercises are mentioned but I wanted to share it with everyone anyway.

Listed below is each concern followed by exercises to do or avoid for each condition.

Forward Head: strengthen all areas of the upper back; stretch scalene and monitor anterior neck activity.  Minimize recruitment of neck flexors with exercise keeping head neutral and relaxed.

Protracted shoulders: Focus on scapular retraction exercises and posterior deltoids. Perform upper back exercises such as overhand pulling activities.  Perform oscillation exercises to help teach scapular stability. Use a 2:1 or 3:1 pull/push work ratio.

Stiff Thoracic Spine: (decreased normal lordosis or kyphosis) Strengthen mid /low trapezius and rhomboids. Perform unilateral work, reciprocal work and stretch latissimus dorsi muscle group.

Sway Back: Strengthen abdominal musculature, oblique and core.  Stretch hamstring muscle group and strengthen hip flexors.

Flattened Lordosis: Strengthen lumbar extensors and abdominal group. Stretch hamstrings and hip flexors.

Immobile Thoracic Spine: Perform reciprocal upper body exercises such as quadrupeds, single arm rows, funky chickens, and Upper Body Ergometer (UBE).

Structural Scoliosis: This is an irreversible condition, but the effects can be minimized by doing upper body reciprocal movements, strengthening core, and all back musculature.  Consulting a Physical Therapist is highly recommended.

Functional Scoliosis: This is a reversible condition that is caused by repetitive unusual body positioning from daily activity.  Balance and increase flexibility along spine. Look at asymmetries of flexibility of legs and stretch accordingly. Try and identify what is causing the imbalance and change/modify  daily activity leading to this.

Herniated Disk: (Lumbar) Avoid active hyperextension of back, but this can be individualized and passive extension can be used such as prone press-ups and knee to chest stretch.  Incorporate lower body flexibility and lumbar stabilization exercises. Neck should always be in neutral position and when in prone position, head should be supported by a rolled towel at forehead.

Lower Back Pain: Maintain neutral spine in all exercises (five point contact rule) and avoid unsupported weighted squats if client can’t maintain neutral spine.

Meniscus Tear: Typically avoid deep squats beyond 80 degrees as this can compress meniscus in joint space. Weighted leg extensions are usually contraindicated.

Patellofemoral Pain: Seated, weighted leg extensions are contraindicated. High step-ups and running should be avoided. Increase VMO strength with compound lower body motions and standing TKE’s. Increase flexibility as tight musculature and tendons can contribute to compressing forces on knees.

Ligament laxity in Knees/ Tears/ Absence: Strengthen surrounding musculature of knee (quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors, adductors, core). Avoid quick lateral pivots and motions with absent cruciate ligaments.

VMO Weakness/VLO Dominance: Increase VMO strength by performing leg extensions with ankle dorsi flexion, step down with good eccentric control, straight leg raises with external hip rotation, adduction with leg press, dumbbell squats and ball squats.

Ankle Ligament Laxity: Strengthen everters, invertors, plantar flexors, dorsi flexors and include proprioception exercises (lateral and forward step ups, BAPS board, Bi and Uni Calf raises, single leg standing hip flexion and extension, trampoline work) Avoid running until stable.

Pronated / Flat feet: Pronated feet are less stable and can change alignment of the patellofemoral joint which can contribute to lower back pain and knee pain, by increasing repetitive forces along the lower kinetic chain. Avoid running and ballistic high impact movements.

High Arches / Rigid Arches: High arches are poor shock absorbers and arch supports in shoes can be beneficial to avoid overstretching of plantar fascia.  Kinesiology taping aids as well.

Shoulder Impingement syndrome: Avoid chest and triceps dips, pull-ups, bench press, shoulder press, and deltoid lateral raises.  Use an underhand grip for most pulling activities and work on strengthening middle and low trapezius, rhomboids, serratus anterior, and latissimus dorsi.

Cervical / Trapezius Tension: Avoid upright rows, and abdominal crunches until discomfort is minimal or absent.  Focus on scapular stability exercises, and minimize trapezius recruitment with all pulling exercises. Re-teach correct shoulder mechanics if traps are being used excessively during exercise.

Lateral Epicondylitis: Avoid chest and triceps dips, chin / pull-ups, push-ups, lateral shoulder raises, and strong gripping exercises.  Perform a strength-based program utilizing cuff weights and manual resistance until pain free.  Maintain a neutral wrist extension and flexion and monitor for progression.

Carpel Tunnel Syndrome: Stretch wrist extensors and flexors before and after workouts, and maintain a neutral wrist position. Perfeorm oscillation exercises and utilize ice massage.

Joint Hyper mobility: Avoid end range of motion where full extension occurs at joint, and overloading with heavy weight.  Teach client to maintain a slight bend in joints and not to lock joints out.

Jon Torerk, CSCS

Ten Great Trainer Traits

Not in any particular order

1) Be a leader, take charge of the session. Be assertive and speak loud and clear.

2) Structure the workout towards the client’s goals, along with their structural and metabolic needs.

3) Be a motivator and commend them on a job well done.

4) Be really strict on proper form. If they have poor form, break the exercise down and work on proper mechanics. Re-teach the exercise if need be. If they are not capable of doing the movement right, come back to it at a later date rather than having them doing it wrong.  This cannot be emphasized enough! Proper form is paramount as there is no excuse for poor form, and this reflects upon you as a trainer.  You don’t want to be that Bozo that is known for teaching bad form or wrong mechanics.

5) Give plenty of Cue’s and direction. Communicate with your client and give lots of feedback. Tell them exactly how you want a particular movement done. Be clear, exact, and concise.

6) Be aware of your clients body position from head to toe in relationship to what they are doing, watching things such as 5 point contact, neutral spine, head positioning, scapular stabilization, activated core, etc……

7) Be very “hands on” give them parameters to work within, or palpate the muscles they are recruiting during a particular movement. Your focus on the client means a lot. They should have your undivided attention at all times, and minimize cell phone usage while with a client. They are not paying you to talk on the phone.

Spotting, get in close and make them feel safe for each and every thing they do.  You don’t need to be hands on all of the time, but be in a position where you can prevent something from going wrong.  Having your client fall off a Bosu ball and onto the ground should never happen in the first place, you are in charge of their safety and you are to blame if you were not there to spot them.

9) Think and move quickly. If someone is on a machine or using what you were planning on using next do something else similar instead of waiting.  Keep the client moving and their heart rate up. Keep the intensity up according to what the client is capable of doing.

10) Set particular goals for each workout to make it fun and challenging. Chart their progress and give them a sense of accomplishment. They will always look forward to the next workout and want to come back for more.

All of these are simple to do things that will help you gain more respect from your clients, and increase your retention rate. When I lived in NYC, I had the same clients for 10 plus years, and the majority of my present clientele are the same people that I started with back when I first moved to LA nine years ago, despite moving to two different facilities and then my own. I had a 100% turn around when I expected about 40% because of the increased distance they would have to travel to my new facility (BioMechanix).

Jon Torerk, CSCS

Individual Specific Functional Training

How specific are your clients training program in correlation to the activities they participate in and their daily lives, and what exactly is functional training?

The answer is broad but yet specific for each individual whether they are athletic or not.  The foundation of functional training is going to first stem from an initial musculoskeletal evaluation which should consist of a full body flexibility, posture, body composition, Sub maximal V02, heart rate, blood pressure, metabolic and structural assessments.  Here we will find out what structural and metabolic issues we may need to address and make recommendations for exercises to help correct any conditions found.

For instance, if the individual displays genu valgus of the knees, then this is an indication that this person needs to perform more quadriceps work in relation to the hamstring group.  A good starting recommendation would to prescribe a 2:1 Quad to Ham work ratio, for every one hamstring exercise done, two quadriceps exercises are performed.   Recommended guidelines for functional biomechanics of the quadriceps and hamstring group is a 3:2 strength ratio, so it is around a 60/40 strength differential.

If the client exhibits a forward head rounded shoulder posture (FHRS), then this would be an indication to prescribe a routine that involves more latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoids, rhomboids, and scapular work.  A 3:2 back to chest work ratio should be recommended.  This will help pull the shoulders back in to anatomically correct position, and stretch out the anterior musculature of the neck.  Having a FHRS posture sets the individual up for a greater risk of shoulder injuries, so this is an important factor to implement into their strength training routine.

One of the most important things in developing a strength and conditioning routine is to address all of the structural and metabolic concerns the client may have, and use this information as the foundation of their routine.  It is very important to keep in mind what the client does outside the gym.  Once they walk out the door after their workout, how you train them will have a reflection on every musculoskeletal movement they make the rest of the day.  Specificity is key to a well-balanced training program.

So it is important to include exercises that are specific to the goals of the individual, and ones that are specific to any activity they do outside of the gym. Remember their routine should be designed to be functional to their daily activities, in other words specific to their needs.  For example, if your client is a downhill and freeride mountain bike rider then performing squats, jump squats, anaerobic sprints on a stationary bike, and lower and upper body plyometrics would be good sport specific activities for them.  The jump squats would help with eccentric loading techniques, and power. This would correlate with landing the bike on a jump, high freefall drops, and preloading the bike right before a jump.  Remember before implementing jump squats they must be tested for plyometric training to see if they possess the speed, strength, and agility to do so (see previous article “The Rules of Gravity”).

If a client is a mother to young children, then her program should incorporate exercises that will help her in her daily routine outside of the gym.  She will spend much of the day picking up her children so teaching her proper squat mechanics, hips first then knees follow, while maintaining normal lordosis of the spine, and chest up, would be tremendously beneficial to her.  Performing postural exercises and how to maintain good scapular stability would be another area to focus on.  Utilizing a non-linear periodization protocol that incorporates, strength, power, and anaerobic endurance could be highly valuable in her training program, as well as cardiovascular activity.

In general the majority of the exercises performed should be compound in nature utilizing a lot of core musculature. Then train the smaller auxiliary muscle groups.  The baseline of all strength comes from the core musculature.  An athlete cannot exhibit any real strength or power by just having strong extremities alone.  They need a solid core to back it up.   If the clients core is weak and unstable then it will be the missing link to all of their potential strength.  A well-designed and balanced program should include all of these important factors, core strength, musculoskeletal and metabolic concerns, functional exercises, proper mechanics, and systematic progression.  Workouts that have no rhyme or reason or specificity are kind of senseless.   You can’t just train someone without first looking at his or her structural needs. You need to develop a stable and biomechanical efficient platform (their body) in order to make structurally sound gains and improvements, otherwise you are just throwing that person together much like Frankenstein was with random parts.

Jon Torerk, CSCS

Taking a Look Back to the Birth of BioMechanix, and Moving Forward

This time I wanted to write about something different, basically something about a whole lot of nothing, but a break away from the somewhat, or maybe not so technical things that I have been ranting about.

A year ago when I was making desicions about exercise equipment and the layout of BioMechanix, I envisioned it having a SoHo, industrial loft, cool downtown NYC vibe. Being a contract trainer myself, I was never able to find a facility to work in that was comfortable, and where I could stay between clients and not feel awkward.  A priority of mine was to make sure in every way that we were trainer and client friendly, and to make it all about the experience at BioMechanix!

That is why we have a kitchen, break room, conference room with free WiFi, and small lounge for the staff and trainers.  Many of our busy contracting trainers stay here all day, even though they may have a several hour break in between clients.  One of our female trainers comes here and studies! During their down time, you can find them working on their laptops and iPads in the conference room, lounging or sleeping on the couch in the kitchen, drinking coffee or tea, which we brew all day long, or just talking and getting to know one another. All proof that the trainers really do feel at home here. Because this was hugely important to me, I found it very reassuring that I accomplished that goal “to make them feel welcomed” and most importantly, part of the BioMechanix community.

When I was looking at what strength based equipment to buy, I decided to go with the Hoist Roc-it line.  A friend of mine, and trainer here asked me at the time if I had considered Hoist equipment.  It’s funny because it was not a brand I would have even of thought of looking at.  I was under the impression that they only manufactured consumer equipment, and did not realize that they had a commercial based line.  A few weeks later we decided to make a trip to the Hoist manufacturing plant in San Diego, and to say I was blown away is an understatement!  These machines were unlike any other plate loaded or selectorized equipment I have ever seen or used.  When I originally went to their website, I was somewhat skeptical about the equipment actually doing what the manufacturer was claiming it did.

Well, I instantly became a believer! The difference is noticeable the moment you get on them and perform the exercise.   They really do place the majority of the workload on the muscles being used, and alleviate most of the stress on the joints.  These machines were ideal, since the majority of my clients all came to me right out of physical therapy.  When I opened my doors in May 2010, I was the first facility to feature this equipment in Los Angeles, and everybody that tried the Roc-it machines had the same reaction I did. They were simply amazed! These machines are astonishing and nothing short of pure genius.

We also just recently added the Real Ryder spin bike to our facility.  This bike tilts from side to side as you lean and turn the handles. The flywheel is in the back, just like that of a real bicycle. Compared to a normal spin bike, this bike activates more core musculature, simply because it is unstable.  If you pedal out of the seat, or without holding on it simulates the motion of actually riding a bike, more so than any other spin bike that I have tried, because if you don’t engage your core and focus on lower body pedaling efficiency, the bike wobbles. Try riding it with no hands, and steer left to right, it actually responds like a real bicycle while turning without your hands on the bars.  This bike inspired me so much, I’m actually excited about doing cardio indoors again, simply because of the extra fun factor it provides.

I also wanted to make sure I moved into a building, that had it’s own parking, and the option to expand.  We are planning on constantly growing and improving, and learning from the mistakes we have made in the past. Soon we will have Olympic lifting platforms, a sprint track, and even more awesome strength based and cardio equipment. We have the BioMechanix brand planned and thought out well over the next ten years.

Then I’m going to set up a DH/Freeride bike course on the roof, with the course ending with a with a two story drop from the roof, onto a wood ramp in the parking lot. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to do that!  Well OK, maybe that is pushing it a little too far, but it’s always good to dream, and I guess that’s my point of all this. Take your dreams and visions and make them into reality. Keep pushing forward.  Everything you need, to get to where you want is always right in front of you, within reach. You just don’t see it, until you actually take the time to look for it.

End.

Jon Torerk, CSCS, and professional blabbermouth

Next Page »