Dave Reddy

Lower back and knee pain are the most common aches we experience - I answered a client's question recently with a few standing stretches she can do to reduce some of the tension that builds up in her thighs and hips that lead to these issues. The keys are to:
(1) mindfully exploring these moves,
(2) standing with a tall spine with each stretch, and
(3) "tucking your tail" or at least being aware of your pelvic position during each stretch.

Reducing tension in your muscles and other tissues (through stretching, rolling, and massage) helps reduce stress on the nearby joints - hip flexors affect your lower back, thigh muscles affect your knees, calf muscles affect your heels.

Try these ideas, out, tell me what you think:

Everyday Stretches | Hips and Knee Stretches You Should Be Doing Reduce lower back, knee and heel cord aches and pains with these three super cool, super essential daily stretches. Most of my videos result from conversatio...

A client asked for a simple Saturday AM workout to do with a step and a pair of dumbbells, so I thought we'd tackle, strength, balance, bone density, and cardiorespiratory fitness all packed into this quick circuit: DB Curls (regular/hammer) > Step Practice (up downs/step backs) > DB Carries/Walking Planks ...

Everyday Strength Circuit | Dumbbell & Step Circuit for Today Body Fitness Simple but effective tips and routine for building cardio, strength, balance, bone density and more all done with a few dumbbells and a step - can be done at...

Exercise Science Lab | A Kinesiology review of the triceps cable press down and stiff arm pull down. Two exercises I perform and program often for clients if they have access to cables. Muscles worked: triceps, teres major, lats, and more.

DaveReddy.com Under Construction Awesome Updates | Summer of 2021 Preparing for the release of my Weekend Warrior Rx & Desk Jockey Rx programs, along with my online coaching services, I am doing a little work behind the scenes…

Good TED Talk - https://youtu.be/K1aoIq1GUKM. From "self help" to helping others ... a cardiologist talks about the miss ingredient in health health.

Getting heart healthy: The missing ingredient | James Beckerman | TEDxPeachtree Cardiologist James Beckerman has dedicated his career to heart health and shares the As cardiologist and medical director of the Providence Heart Institute’s...

Another great image from Unsplash.com. How are you getting your vegetables in daily? My latest go to is buying freshly cut Pico de Gallo and throwing a few tablespoons into my eggs fried in ghee or my chicken thighs to get my onions, tomatoes, and peppers.

Photo by Nadine Primeau on Unsplash These pictures are part of a set of photos that were taken towards the end of the summer to realize one of my projects that was close to my heart: making a calendar for the coming year. Because I like to admire the colour and textures, vegetables are an excellent choice because they can offer a whol...

Using Unsplash.com for the first time, a ton of royalty free images for use with business or education. The first day of the spring semester, teaching "Exercise Testing & Prescription", talking about what exercise is, what a movement lifestyle looks like, and all the ways we express fitness. This is one of many images I will throw up on a slide. Check out www.unsplash.com. Cool stuff.

Photo by Noorulabdeen Ahmad on Unsplash Download this photo by Noorulabdeen Ahmad on Unsplash

Fitness is your ability to adapt. I typically practice adapting to a full court game of basketball, or hiking a hilly 3-mile MO state park with my kids, but ice skating? Why not ... every new challenge increases fitness. There are few better feelings than my 9-year old son Alex breezing by me on the ice saying, "great job Dad, you'll get the hang of it!" (And yes, Santa was bringing dem gains this year!)

Your new years fitness goals are unique to you ... be mindful of who is motivating you versus who you are comparing yourself to (especially on social media.) Your body, your mind, your human experience is completely different than anyone else ... surround yourself with great people who will support you AND challenge you!! And get moving, today!! (This is another post/picture from a class workbook I have written for a class at Webster University - Practicing and Coaching Health and Human Performance.)

Working on a new workbook for students in my Coaching Health & Human Performance class at Webster University ... including this picture of me shooting hoops in Kiawah Island, SC last summer. I make the point that pretty much the only time I run is on the basketball court. You don't have to run to be "in shape", but you should be able to run if your life depended on it, to keep up with your kiddos, or if you have to get back on defense;)

I often help clients navigate doctor and physical therapy appointments, as I have more time with them then most medical professionals. One conversation is about choosing the best or most appropriate Physical Therapist for their needs. There are many PT specialists out there now - one's that focus mostly on lower back durability, knee rehab, women's health, pediatric rehab, vestibular challenges, carpal tunnel rehab, and more. This article does a good job of discussing some of these things. Own your health care, always ask questions, be an advocate for yourself and find the best health, medical and fitness professionals for you, your body and your loved ones.

6 Things To Consider Before Choosing a Physical Therapist Whether you’re healing an injury or trying to prevent one, these expert-backed tips will help you make an informed decision.

Your body gets good at what you ask it to do most of the time. What are you getting good at?