There is no doubting back pain is a big problem in the modern world. It is not limited to people who don’t exercise and can cut down even the fittest people. The good news is I believe many people recognize that exercise is invaluable for treating back pain and also preventing it. Unfortunately the understanding of what type of exercise is best is where it all goes wrong. For many years now we have been convinced to believe that strong abs means a strong core, and will prevent back pain. Even therapists and Doctors have been known to prescribe planks and abdominal exercises to treat back pain with this same type of thinking. We must realize that strength of the abdominal muscles WILL NOT change the faulty movement that leads to injury and pain. Your body will instantly sacrifice any strength if it only knows how to move with the same dysfunctional movement it has always used. You must identify and change the faulty movement patterns linked to the injury to have any chance. In this article we will explain why learning to move better is more important to you than strength of your abdominal muscles if you have back pain.
Strength Training For Runners Is Critical If You Want To Stay Injury Free
The worst thing that can every happen to a keen distance runner is suffering with a chronic injury like plantar fasciitis, ITB friction syndrome, or patella-femoral knee pain that hangs around for months or even years. The typical approach to use rest, anti-inflammatory medication, a massage or even some therapy may help to calm the injury down but the minute you go back to running all the pain comes rushing back to the way it was. This is something that could easily be prevented if a carefully designed strength training program is used in combination with your running training. Having been a very keen distance runner for a long time myself, I am very aware of all the injuries associated, and experienced first hand some of these annoying and painful injuries in my time. I was able to get on top of these quickly and over time learned that the secret was using strength training techniques to improve gait and working on my running technique. I found the perfect combination of strength training, stability training, postural retraining, movement skills and more efficient running technique that allowed me to reach my peak when I was in my late 30’s. If only I had been told this many years earlier who knows what I would have been able to achieve. I have since used the same methods for assessing hundreds of runners and sporting athletes to overcome some of the most annoying and chronic injuries preventing them from enjoying their running or sport. In this article, I am going to show you these secrets and also what I have found to be the common traits so you can prevent them from stopping you in your tracks.
Why Quadratus Lumborum Back Pain Is A Reaction To Weakness Of Other Muscles
I must admit I have thought about writing an article about the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) and Psoas muscles for a long time but have avoided it for I was afraid it would take me too far down the rabbit hole of confusion and contradictory conclusions that make absolutely no sense. However, I have come across problems with this muscle several times recently with people suffering with hip problems and also when people tried to execute the complex multi-joint exercises I have been using a lot, so I thought it would be a good idea to try to explain why this happens and more importantly what you can do about it. To make this easier to understand and also minimize the length of the article I have split this into two parts with part one about the QL and part two about the Psoas major. They really work together to create stability of the spine during movement although they are often misunderstood and trained as prime moving muscles.The QL helps form the lateral stabilizing system needed for walking and single leg stance whereas the psoas allows the hip to flex without damaging the spine. There is no doubting they are very unique muscles and when you understand their purpose it is easier to determine what exercises work best and how to prevent problems from occurring.
Single Cable Push – Why It Is So Much More Than A Simple Strength Exercise
Of all the exercises used in the gym the single cable push is right up the top in our rankings of movements to master. Many people think of this as an exercise to increase strength in the chest and shoulders as it shares the timing of the push-up and bench press exercises. However, it is very unique in that it has so many moving parts with multiple joints and muscles all demanding perfect positioning and timing in order to execute the movement effectively. Many of these joints and muscles are also the common weak areas in many people, making it a perfect choice for improving stability, strength, and importantly their movement. This particular exercise is used extensively in our programs for rehabilitation with shoulder and back pain, along with foundation training for older adults wanting to improve quality of movement and strength. But it also is a key component of our training with elite sporting athletes for athletic success as this exercise shares the key attributes needed in running and throwing! In this article, I am going to explain exactly what this exercise does, how to complete it perfectly, various progressions to use, and most importantly why we rate it so highly. Enjoy.
How To Strengthen The Core Using The Slings
I want to “Develop Core Strength” is one of the most popular terms used in gyms these days but actually understanding what that really means, and how best to train your “Core Muscles” is what we will cover with this article. Almost every week I am told ” I need to work more on my core, I know these functional movements are great but I think I need to spend more time working on my core”. Or even better than that, “my physio says I need to work more on my core”. I then ask them “what do you mean by core exercises?” And the response is some type of plank, crunch, leg raise etc. These are all forms of isolated abdominal training, not core training in its purest form. Isolated abdominal exercises can be a great way to initially to activate the inner unit core muscles, but if they are not integrated into functional movements with multiple joints and muscles it is pointless. To achieve great core strength you must educate the body how to use the inner unit muscles of the abdominals to work in perfect harmony with the outer unit muscles that provide movement. And the best way to do this is using exercises that target the four myofascial slings.