10/27/2020
I've been preaching this a lot recently when athletes come to me saying "I probably wouldn't be hurting if I did more mobility work/stretching" or "what new exercises should I add", but their basic movements look like π©
More mobility work probably won't solve your problem. If it would, it probably would have by now.π€·πΌββοΈ
More accessory exercises won't help either if you're focusing on the wrong thing. π
πΌββοΈ
If mobility work isn't fixing your problem, you probably need stability work, and to focus on the QUALITY of your movement. Quality > Quantity πͺπΌ
If you added accessory work to help, and aren't seeing results, or can't find the magic exercise to fix your pain/tightness, you're probably focusing on the wrong thing, and your problem is elsewhere. Usually, where you think the problem is, is exactly where it isn't. Guessing wastes a lot of time, so don't guess, get assessed ππ»
08/26/2020
Do you have neck pain on tightness after overhead lifting like snatches and overhead press? Read below! ππΌ
Last week, I had an athlete who reached out to me asking what he could do about neck tightness after lifts like snatches and overhead press.ππΌββοΈ
I could give him some basic neck stretches that would ease the tightness, but it would likely be a bandaid solution. I find that most athletes with neck discomfort after overhead lifting need to work on one or both of the following things:
1οΈβ£Shoulder Stability: I've seen plenty of athletes who had a competition with a lot of overhead work in the WOD, and they used their shoulders at first, but when their shoulders get fatigued and aren't stabilizing as well, their neck takes over to help stabilize, leading to neck tightness. Go peep my post on shoulder stability, save it, try it, and see if it helps!
2οΈβ£T Spine Mobility: for a more ideal overhead position, your mid back needs to be able to extend & rotate well. If it can't, your body compensates elsewhere, usually in the neck, shoulders, or low back. Stay tuned for posts on how to check your T spine mobility and how to work on it ππ»
Share with a friend who needs this, and drop your questions below! ππΌ
08/25/2020
And yes, there IS something that you can do.
I recently had a consult with a lifter who showed me a video of her failing a PR deadlift attempt because she leaked mid-lift, and lost her brace because she was laughing. π€
Most lifters laugh about this problem, but in this case, it lead to pounds left on the platform, and 3 red lights. π΄π΄π΄ (It also sucks to be the lifter afterwards ππ)
Usually, this gets laughed at or normalized as a coping skill, but it can actually negativity affect your performance. π
πΌββοΈ
This lifter had been told that maximal lifting was bad for her pelvic floor and that she should just lift lighter, which wasn't an option for her. β The truth is that lifting isn't bad for your pelvic floor, and leaking during deadlifts is a sign that your core/pelvic floor could be improved.
So what can you do? Sometimes, you need to strengthen, other times, you need to work on coordinating, relaxing, or breathing differently. Several different things could be the cause of your issue, and the solution will be different depending on your problem. ππ»
So how do you figure out what the problem is? Don't guess, and get assessed by a women's health PT (bonus points if they lift too and understand your sport!ππΌββοΈ). Share with a friend who needs to see this!
08/20/2020
Doing CrossFit and having low back pain? Read below ππΌ
Today I treated a CrossFit athlete who started feeling left sided low back pain after a WOD with a lot of power cleans. They went from feeling strong to not being able to sleep at night, and lifting less than the barbell.
When we assessed their movement, they were lacking left ankle dorsiflexion, and thoracic spine extension and rotation to the right. TLDR: Their left ankle and mid back didn't move as well as their right. ππΌ
During our session, we worked on ankle mobility, thoracic spine mobility, and cleaning up their overhead squat form. ππΌββοΈ They came back the second session able to sleep at night, and almost back to pre-injury weights πͺπΌ
This is why I preach, don't guess, get assessed! Usually the problem isn't where we think it is.π΅π»ββοΈ
Want to learn how to assess yourself? Peep the link in 's bio and click "Mobility for Strength" to learn how to figure out your limitations and work on them!