Gravity Fx Fitness

Here is a nice video on Active Isolated Stretching for the hip flexors on the front of the hip and thigh.  This area can frequently become overly tight from spending too much time sitting.

If this area is too tight it can limit the ability of the glutes to extend the hip backwards.  Since strong glutes are important to help provide stability for the low back and increase sports performance, this stretch is a smart way to reduce injury risk.

Actively push your heel backwards and then gently pull on the rope to increase the stretch on your hip, holding the end position no more than a second or two. Do 10 reps, trying to go slightly further with each rep.  The movements should be smooth and rhythmical, not forced.  This should not create pain – if so, check with your doctor.

AIS is a great way to regain flexibility or to help recover from vigorous exercise.  Ideally, you would use some form of self-massage like foam rolling or the Stick prior to stretching.  This video was borrowed from Dr. Perry Nickleston, DC.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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Here is a nice video on Active Isolated Stretching for the hip from Dr. Perry Nickleston.  It can help relieve pain or possibly prevent hip injuries.

AIS is also a great way to enhance your recovery from exercise.

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Brian Morgan

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The TRX suspension trainer isn’t just for increased fitness and core conditioning, its also a great tool for flexibility.

It can be used for both dynamic and static stretching.  Many people think of stretching as being static, where you hold a certain position for 20-30 seconds or longer.  This type of flexibility is often best for after your exercise session, as part of your cooldown.

The exception to this is with someone who might have some past injuries and needs to release excess tension in the muscles.

This particular position has helped me regain flexibility after an old injury.  Ideally, you do some type of massage first to warm up the muscles.  Various dynamic stretches can also be done for the trunk, upper and lower body.

You need a combination of strength and flexibility for optimal performance.  The TRX is a great tool for the job.

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Brian Morgan

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“My hip felt better at work today than it has in the past month,” claimed one of my clients as he came through the door.

Which means the program must be working!  This person is in his mid 50’s and has no cartilage left in his hip.  His orthopedic surgeon told him you “worked hard and played hard,” spending his days working on concrete and playing recreational sports.

He’s been working with me for just over a month and doing well.  Yesterday’s workout focused on the lower body so it’s a good sign that he felt better the day afterwards.

The workouts are low to no impact, which is ideal for those with past injuries.  They also focus on dynamic flexibility and are done mostly in a circuit for optimal efficiency.

One of the unique components is the Power Plate vibration platform.  It creates reflex muscle contractions which can help with flexibility and weight loss.  The lower body positions involve double and single leg stances (squats and lunges).

It allows for additional stress to the muscles without stressing the joints.  Single leg exercises done off the platform allow for increasing flexibility and strength at the hip.  We also use ropes and an X-iser mini stepper for cardio work.  This places no significant stress on the joints while elevating the heart rate.

He says his bowling is improving so that is likely due to the work on dynamic stretching.  Reaching lunges done to the front and side are some of the exercises done, along with step ups using dumbbells or sandbags for resistance.  Being able to exercise without pain is always a good thing.

The TRX suspension trainer also works well for doing various lunges while providing just enough assistance (added stability).  Its also a great tool for stretching the shoulder and thoracic spine – areas that often become tight with age.

Today’s “workout” involved joint mobility movements and some work with the Indian clubs for additional mobility work.  These easy movements help you recover from more intense exercise, lubricate the joints and help flush toxins out of your body.

Besides being less physically demanding they give you a mental break, leaving you feeling better and ready to hit it hard on your next training session.  They also add to your movement efficiency.

If you stop moving your joints in certain directions they become stiff over time, not so much from aging, but from lack of use.

30 minutes of movement and out the door, leaving plenty of time to spend with friends and family.  So if you’ve been using that old excuse of lacking time to workout, you’re busted.  That’s no longer valid.

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Brian Morgan

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Here are some simple exercises to use as part of your warm up or to help improve your posture.  The first two can be done with only bodyweight and can be done standing or lying face down.

You can use this to help stretch the front of the shoulders and “activate” or turn on the rotator cuff and posterior shoulder, as well as the upper back.  The TRX is a great training tool and also great for reinforcing posture and strengthening the upper and mid back.

A great compliment to these exercises is using Indian clubs for increased flexibility and coordination involving the upper body.

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Brian Morgan

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The “band man” physical therapist Dave Schmitz just celebrated his 47th birthday and I thought I’d post one of his videos on flex band stretching.  Did I mention that he can do the front splits?  He’s also very agile and explosive – qualities most people in their forties have lost.

Before doing band training he had some injuries like many of us who do (did) traditional type exercises.  I think you will agree that Dave has pretty decent flexibility.

If you have a lot of stiffness in your hips or legs I would suggest some self massage with the Stick, foam roll and/or tennis ball.  A professional massage that includes some skilled deep tissue work might be even better.

Here’s some lower leg and ankle work that is great for runners.

I can definitely recommend the use of these bands for improved fitness, flexibility and agility.  To purchase bands go to Resistance Band Training or email me for more info.

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Brian Morgan

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The Power Plate whole body vibration platform is a great tool for warmup and flexibility. With reflex muscle contractions of around 25-35 times per second, you stimulate the muscles and increase circulation at the same time.

Here is a great way to prepare the hamstrings for a workout or training session.  Some self massage on the Power Plate or with the Stick or foam roller first, is a good idea.

I borrowed this clip from Nick Winkelman at the Athlete’s Performance center.

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Brian Morgan

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Cross training might help you avoid injury and increase performance.  In a recent newspaper article, a trio of local physical therapists were featured in their preparation for an Ironman Triathlon.

According to one therapist, “I have done three marathons, but the daily running was always causing some sort of injury.  The cross training keeps me fit and injury free.”

I’ve worked with a few runners over the years and overuse injuries seem to be part of the training.  I can remember the first year that we had a local marathon.  I did massage therapy with three people that had become injured while increasing their mileage to prepare for the race.

Adding in biking and swimming can take some of the pounding off your muscles and joints.  If you don’t want to do a triathlon, add in some resistance training that focuses on single leg stance, such as lunges and stepups.

You can also focus on recovery methods such as massage and stretching.  You need a combination of strength and flexibility built into your muscles – they should be elastic, like a rubber band.

Hard training athletes need quality massage therapy on a regular basis.  My massage mentor had one of his athletes set the NFL record for most carries in a season by a running back, while getting weekly massage.

Self-massage is a more viable solution for most of us.  This can be a foam roll, tennis ball, or rolling massager like the Stick or Tiger Tail.  Follow this up with various types of stretching and throw in some strengthening exercises, as well.

Don’t forget to engage in sport or recreational activities that work the muscles in different movement patterns, like lateral movements.  For specific strengthening exercises, check out my other running articles.

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Brian Morgan

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Flexband resistance bands are a great tool for dynamic flexibility and core training.  I’ve used several different types of bands for training and these are the most versatile.

These bands resemble thick rubber bands and have a lot more resistance than typical therapy bands.  I found an article by physical therapist Dave Schmitz about four years ago and was intrigued by his training methods.

Most resistance bands are made of tubing and are good for upper body pushing and pulling movements.  He uses the flat bands for dynamic stretching and agility drills that I haven’t seen before.

In particular, he has a lower body flexibility routine that gets great results.  I have been doing Active Isolated Stretching with myself and my clients for a long time.  I used to use it with the local arena football team before they went out for warmups.

His method allows you to do this same type of active stretching with resistance bands, making the muscles more elastic and stronger at the same time.

In addition to bootcamp classes, Schmitz uses the bands for agility and core training.  High school football teams in Wisconsin using his methods have won state championships in recent years or finished near the top.

They are a great tool for distance runners who want to stay flexible and minimize the risk of overuse injuries.  Self-massage with the Stick and then doing his flexibility routine is a potent combo.

If looking for a great tool for home workouts, I can definitely recommend Resistance Band Training.  Its also something you can take with you when traveling.

Oh, by the way, Dave can do the front splits at 45 and is as agile as most professional athletes.  Look for the Total Flexibility Training package.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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Does your pet know something about stretching that you don’t?  Watch what your dog or cat does after a nice, long nap.

The first thing they do is stretch, but they don’t hold a stretch for 20-30 seconds like most people, they stretch out while contracting their muscles at the same time – shaking for a few seconds and then moving on.

Same thing with a wild animal, they contract their muscles at the same time they stretch.  I’ve ben re-reading about resistance stretching in a book by Bob Cooley, called The Genius of Flexibility.  Cooley was struck by a drunk driver in 1976 while crossing a street.

He lost quite a bit of his ability to function properly and spent time working with various doctors and therapists.  Stretching seemed to be the only thing that helped.  Over several years he tried different ways to stretch and breathe while stretching.

He discovered that he got the best results when he simultaneously contracted his muscles while stretching.  He had received very minimal results with traditional methods.  After discovering his method he started working with other people.

In 2000, he was working on a Pilates and yoga instructor where Olympic swimmer Dara Torres was also taking a private session and watched the flexibility session very intently.  He ended up working with Torres before she went to the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Long story short, his methods go against tradition, but seem to get great results.  From my perspective I agree that there has to be strength to go along with your flexibility, both for performance reasons, as well as injury prevention.

I had tried traditional methods of holding for 20-30 seconds in a passive stretch wirthout any results in the past and had quit trying, until I found some active stretching which got much better results.  Not having proper strength/stability is probably why most people are tight to begin with.

Your body is smart enough to know that without strength you run the risk of injury, and doesn’t let you stretch far enough to get hurt.  So I’ve been experimenting with this for the last few days and made some improvements.

His methods require a partner for optimal results – someone to stretch your muscles while you resist.  I’d like to go try a workshop to see how it feels.  Probably go up to Chicago this Summer.

I do resistance band stretching and like the results I get from that.  I pull on the band as much as possible to strengthen while working on my flexibility.  Dave Schmitz isn’t just flexible but agile and powerful, too.  That is what you should be shooting for.

Stay tuned as I will be writing about the different types of mobility and dynamic movement in greater detail.  I’ve tried most every method out there and have stretched many people in the last 10 years.

Get moving!

Brian

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