Static Stretching: What is Actually Happening?
10 March 2024
Think of that someone that perhaps you see in the gym or in yoga that is super ‘flexible’ and ‘bendy’. Can fold and touch their toes effortlessly without feeling any ‘tightness’ at all. Now does this mean that this person can move well, change shape at the joints, distribute force well, produce force, obtain great mobility? Probably not. What is happening here is; we probably have someone that has held these end-range stretches regularly for so many years that the…
Golfer’s Elbow – The Do’s & Dont’s
06 May 2024
The names ‘tennis’ and ‘golfer’s’ elbow always makes me laugh. The pain is not caused by playing golf or by playing tennis. This is of course a movement limitation issue. Let’s break down what is happening: With golfer’s elbow, you’ll tend to see people with a valgus elbow presentation. This is simply an elbow that looks more twisted-in and therefore super close to the body from the rear view. It is basically the same as a valgus knee (knock-knee) but…
5 signs that you are having a hard time moving freely
06 May 2024
Here’s 5 signs that you are having a hard time managing gravity and therefore not moving very freely: Clenching your toes or fingers/fists. This is a sign that your centre of mass has gone too far forward and the fingers and toes are clawing to stop you falling over. If you are completing an exercise in the gym and you notice your toes go yellow or they claw/squeeze the ground, you are shoving your centre of mass so far forward…
Decoding Kyphosis
02 June 2024
So, you may have been doing some textbook T-spine extension exercises, ‘chest openers’ and some stretching for a while now without any results? It’s time to understand the root cause and how to address it. Some people’s T-spines are more kyphotic, some less so. The shape of someone’s T-spine will impact movement availability. It is so important to note that the nervous system aims to keep us upright and facing forwards. To stay upright against the force of gravity, a…
The Misconceptions Surrounding Achilles Pain
11 August 2023
I have worked with many general population clients and semi-professional runners with achilles pain or issues. Some super complex that had been ‘un-fixed’ for years. From all my expertise, research and experience, achilles pain tends to be a lack of hip extension that side. The late mid-stance phase of gait is difficult for the individual to perform without compensation. It is probably why physio’s and other practitioners tend to prescribe calf raises when they have a client with achilles pain.…
You are most probably diminishing mobility every time you train!
25 August 2023
Years ago I was solely focused on training for aesthetics. As many of us do, I wanted to look more muscular, so I pushed myself to lift heavier and heavier weights, arching my back to produce heavy overhead presses, squatting down as low as I possibly could past my range of motion, squeezing my shoulder blades hard together to produce rows and pull-ups. What I didn’t realise was that by focusing on the weight, rather than my body’s ranges of…
The misconception of “weak” glutes!
08 September 2023
Have you ever been told by a fitness professional that you have “weak” glutes? If so, you may have been advised to include exercises like a single glute bridge in your training. But is this really the best solution? The truth is, simply squeezing your glutes with lumber extension may feel like its working the muscle group, but it doesn’t address the root cause of the problem. First of all, a muscle is neither weak or strong. They can however,…
muscle focus only? why they are not the right person for you
14 November 2022
When I am assessing an individual for the first time, I am looking at how their axial skeleton is shaped, what areas are compressed and where is expanded. This is key information when it comes to accurately programming the right exercises that aim to enhance someone’s movement versus further constricting and compressing them. The vast majority of trainers, therapists and health professionals unfortunately follow an out-dated model which narrow-mindedly focuses on the muscles with little or no focus on the…