Yeah, I guess so. Life has been good, and busy…good and busy. I have done some travelling for work and have worked with some clients and I have done some reading and research. My kids have been busy with their sports and school and well…being kids. Well I have been on the road my eight year old son even gave my wife a massage a couple of times. The five year old pitched in too, but he lost interest and went back to playing. Regular bodywork (insert manual therapy, soft tissue work etc. if you would like) is so important to good health. Even if you have to grab a 15 minute chair massage at the airport or 15 minutes with your beat up old foam roller at home it will pay dividends. Stress reduction, ease of movement, immune system stimulation, sleep enhancement and the list goes on.

If you are an athlete or serious exercise another key application of bodywork techniques are for preparation and recovery. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) preaches the incorporation of self-myofascial release techniques into every warm up and every cool down. Let’s focus on the cool down importance of bodywork in the cool down or immediate recovery. We can discuss re-generation or longer term recovery another time. When practice, the game or a workout is complete make sure to utilize some sort of low intensity, repetitive and rhythmic movement for 5-10 minutes. I would actually urge you to ingest your recovery drink prior to doing so, or sip it when you are doing some “cardio”. The cardio or cool down movements will help to recycle lactic acid and flush other waste products and metabolites out of the blood stream. It will also lower body temperature and regulate heart rate and the nervous system.

After your recovery drink and cool down then it’s time to manipulate some tissue. You can  further move lymph and blood through the body and enhance recovery BUT I am more concerned with restoring tissue quality. Has the TFL or calve thickened up? Is the long head of the biceps brachii inflamed? Well, let’s do something about it. Stretching can help reestablish length, but let’s minimize any unwanted tissue density, or knots or restrictions first. A skilled manual therapist beats a $7.50 foam roll any day, but the roller (or any other tool) is not a bad choice.

Slow steady, exploration of the tissue will help you milk the tissue and identify areas of restriction. Once you have spent sufficient time doing so, go in and try and make some changes. You can use a trigger point style of therapy (find it, hold it and kill it) or you can take a more myofascial release approach and add some drag or pull with some torque provided by your body position. This will make it much easier to then lengthen the tissues with traditional stretching techniques and prevent the always nefarious and unwanted “relative flexibility”. A good deep stretch is only good it the joints are aligned correctly while the stretch is being performed. I promise to to go on a technique rant…I am sure you are all to used to that.

If you can have someone stretch you out, fantastic! If not good old fashioned static stretching will do. What should you stretch? I say what is “short”. No need to lengthen a muscle after the cardio and soft tissue work has already been applied during the cool down.

In case you are wondering…I have been performing a kneeling hip flexor stretch while I have been typing this post lol!

Thanks for reading and remember to cool down properly for heavens sake! Nutrition, Cardio, Soft Tissue Manipulation and Lengthening Techniques. Enjoy your corrective exercise!

Eric Beard
CEO A-Team
Corrective Exercise Specialist
AthleticShoulder.com
http://facebook.com/theericbeard
http://youtube.com/theericbeard

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I hope you had a chance to read parts 1 and 2 of this series;

http://ericbeard.com/2011/07/05/perform-better-show-review-barefoot-training-mark-verstegen-part-1/

http://ericbeard.com/2011/07/29/barefoot-training-part-2/

If not dive in anyway! I am continuing on with the topic of barefoot training. I am in the middle of sharing my experience sand will dive into the anatomical adaptations that take place when transitioning from a supportive to a minimalist training shoe, or if you even should.

As the bottom of my foot got better, (I of course kept with my joint mobility for my lower extremity issues and core stability work etc.), I transitioned to the Vibram Five Fingers KSO model.

My feet and low back rejoiced instantly! I felt better in my KSOs than I did barefoot because to the proprioceptive feedback that my toes were receiving from being individually wrapped. I wore them inside and outside, at work and when working out, for hours on end. Then….they started to smell. You can machine wash them and air dry them, which is nice, but if you don’t use something like Dr.Scholls’ Odor Destroying powder, they smell can be a bit much. Mind you that I was wearing these shoes 8-10 hours a day. If I were wearing them just for workouts, this probably wouldn’t have been an issue. I did all of my workouts in them, unless I forgot them and just had my Chucks with me. I even brought them to China where I did some work with the Swing for the Stars program that is associated with the Chinese Tennis Association. This was my fourth time working with them. I worked with them twice in the US and twice in China. I am excited to head back again this October. Anyways, I wore them all day everyday on the tennis court with them and felt great. I even played soccer with the coaches for an hour with them on.

Yeah...it was like this when I kicked it....when I actually touched the ball that is...

I will also work out in them when I am on the road, but try to keep them looking sharp since I wear them “on stage”. They are more built up on the bottom than the KSOs so you have more protection from the pavement, rocks, sticks and other unpleasant things to step on. I like how much more I can feel with the KSOs, especially on grass. I remember playing fetch and chase on a soccer field last spring with the KSOs on and I swear it was pure joy to run on grass with theses things on. I would through the dog’s toy in one direction and as he went to chase it I would sprint the other way with one of my son’s. The dog would haul down, get the toy, then chase us down. A great workout for all of us and a ton of fun. I can’t ever remember feeling so good running before that. I always had football cleats on in high school or college or some sort of cross trainer holding my foot together into an inflexible block instead of something letting it move free.

I actually thought something that I never thought I would….I am enjoying running. I don’t tell too many people this since I usually give runners a hard time by poking fun at them. I have even started doing some sprints outside or inside on a treadmill once a week. I told my wife a couple of weeks ago that I was going for a run at 9:30 at night and she looked at me like I had three heads and said “Why? I thought you hated running?”. My response was… “I’m going to do some sprints.” Of course I ran to the field after I did my flexibility and core stab work at home.

So what else do you need to consider when transitioning from an over-built, pronation control shoe to a minimalist trainer? I need to dive into some anatomical adaptations and I am just out of gas for the night.

Thank you for reading!

Eric Beard
CEO A-Team
Corrective Exercise Specialist

Have you seen my SMR DVD?
http://kunaki.com/Sales.asp?PID=PX00Z43XTB

AthleticShoulder.com
http://facebook.com/theericbeard
http://youtube.com/theericbeard

• July 29, 2011 -- Barefoot Training Part-2 (0)
• July 5, 2011 -- Perform Better Show Review: Barefoot Training – Mark Verstegen Part 1 (0)
• August 21, 2009 -- Flip-Flops and Sandals Make Me Money as A Corrective Exercise Specialist but I’d Rather They Just Wore Sneakers! (0)
• January 22, 2012 -- Knock The Rust Off With Some Core Stability Work (0)
• January 19, 2012 -- Vertical Core Stability Training (0)
• January 12, 2012 -- Quick Tip to Improve Dorsiflexion (making your calve stretch more effective) (0)
• January 7, 2012 -- Can You Give Me Some Advice? (0)
• January 4, 2012 -- Does 30+30+30 Really Equal 90? (0)
• June 28, 2011 -- A Pilgrimage to Wrigley, A Heel and Perform Better in Chicago (0)
• June 23, 2011 -- Perform Better, Disney World, The Boston Bruins and the Stanley Cup (0)

I think he likes my style

Juan Carlos Santana, Eric Beard, Todd Durkin, Dianne Vives at the ATI Summit 2010

Dianne Vives was up next. Dianne pounded the pavement, knocked on doors and drove this event to be what it was. I have know who Dianne was for years, but this is the first time we got to meet. She was all that I have heard and more. So welcoming, gracious and friendly and she was excellent on stage. She developed rapport with the audience and engaged them throughout with her personality and offered up instantly applicable coaching and cuing tips. Dianne focussed mostly on exercise technique and teaching tips.

Juan Carlos Santana brought his “Juan-ness” to the stage next and lit the crowd up with his presentation on metabolic training. If you know Carlos, then you know, what you see is what you get. He is a straight shooter with no tolerance for bull. I got to have dinner with Carli Strength, Brian and Dianne, from ATI, Jacob from Perform Better and Carlos Thursday (Todd’s flight was cancelled and he got in late) night and I enjoyed hearing JC’s stories. He is a good guy and has some opinions for sure, but another successful icon in the industry that was approachable all weekend and willing to engage others. An example for professionals of any level. Be yourself and follow your beliefs. JC does just that. I did catch JC releasing his ITB before he went on stage…

I see you!!!

We each spoke for an hour then had breakout/hands on sessions in the afternoon. We each set up in different corners of the ballroom and had 30 minute sessions then the students rotated to the next session. JC buried the group with some metabolic training protocols, Todd pulled out some his Under Armor challenge workouts and Dianne whooped up on the group with some Sandbells (a great newly revamped toy!).

These were awesome for grip strength and versatility

I did corrective exercise for low back protocols. I skipped SMR since we had more students than planned and we were a bit short on rollers. No fault of Perform Better, more students signed up than planned, which we all loved! By the way…thanks Perform Better and Sandbells for the toys I used during my breakout session. So I started with 4 progressions of a kneeling hip flexor stretch followed by 4 versions of a standing adductor stretch. Next was activation for the glutes. Glute max-stability ball bridge with the Sandbells. Glute medius-clamshells and side lying leg raises. For integration we did reach squats with either Sandbells, Stability balls or chairs. We reviewed step ups and did some lunge progressions ending with a lunge with an anterior reach to curl. The groups were rotating to me from JC and they were pretty spent, but they felt some work in the glutes for sure.

I came away from the event invigorated by the students, they were hungry to learn, energetic and appreciative. I am also energized and motivated by being on stage and working with Dianne, Todd and JC. They make me want to be better and achieve more. I have more to contribute to others and I have some ideas on how to reach out. I can see my future more clearly as well as a future that we can create together in this industry.

Let’s make it happen!

Eric Beard
CEO A-Team
Corrective Exercise Specialist
AthleticShoulder.com
http://facebook.com/theericbeard
http://youtube.com/theericbeard
<

• March 19, 2010 -- Active Heel Slides for Deep Core Stabilizers and Psoas Inhibition: Corrective Exercise (0)
• January 15, 2010 -- Boston CPT for NASM Ends up With Some After Hours Corrective Exercise Action for Eric Beard (0)
• April 19, 2010 -- Please Read This: Gratuitous Boston Marathon Post Part 4: The Juice (0)
• April 19, 2010 -- The Gratuitous Boston Marathon Post Part 3 (0)
• April 19, 2010 -- The Gratuitous Boston Marathon Post Part 2 (0)
• April 19, 2010 -- The Gratuitous Boston Marathon Post 1 of 2 (0)
• February 26, 2010 -- First Month of Another Fitness Challenge Brings Eric Beard Some Results (1)
• February 24, 2010 -- Another Fitness Challenge Update on Ankle Mobility of Eric Beard (0)
• February 19, 2010 -- Upper Extremity Reach Range of Motion Assessments (0)
• February 12, 2010 -- Will Smith Needs Corrective Exercise…but He Helps Me this Time (0)

I had to wake up early or stay up late to get this work in since I was enjoying the time with my family pretty
much every waking hour. I do my SMR / soft tissue work first followed by my static stretching for any muscles that are shortened. I typicaly do my core stabilization work next then any needed activation work. I have been utilizing some variations of some Yoga poses during my stretching sessions and have really enjoyed the benefits.

My best an biggest workout came while the wife and kids took a nap on a rainy afternoon. I got my rolling on while they were settling down then grabbed my bands as headed outside once they laid down for some zzzs.

I went out in the rain and did a total body workout with some Yoga and sprints. It was amazing to be outside and working out. It was refreshing especially after the rain stopped. I got a few strange looks from passers by like they were thinking “what is this nut doing? He’s going to get struck by lightening!”

It was peaceful by the riverside. There was a crane that stayed next to me the entire time, even during my sprints and dynamic flexibility. It felt great to take care of my body on the road during this hectic trip. It would have been easy to blow everything off and come back home feeling all tight and crummy but I am so glad that I didn’t. I didn’t over do it, but took car or myself to be able to feel good and move well. I felt like it kept my energy up too. I was pushing a double stroller full of 2 kids with bags draped over it and sometimes a third on my back. I needed to be up to the task. I enjoy active type of vacations and this sure was one. I walked and walked and walked in the Florida heat for hours a day and felt great, albeit sweaty.

So it is ok to unplug, step back and dial down, but take care of yourself to keep feeling great. I bet you enjoy your vacation even more.

Hope you are having an awesome day!
Eric Beard
Corrective Exercise Specialist
CEO A-Team
AthleticShoulder.com

• September 22, 2010 -- Anke Mobility Issues? This Corrective Exercise Technique will Help Your Soleus (0)
• January 15, 2010 -- Boston CPT for NASM Ends up With Some After Hours Corrective Exercise Action for Eric Beard (0)
• December 2, 2009 -- Corrective Exercise Specialist Eric Beard Works With Chinese Tennis Association in Nanjing, China Part II (0)
• December 1, 2009 -- Corrective Exercise Specialist Abroad for Tennis: To China and Back! (0)
• August 4, 2009 -- Corrective Exercise for the Neck: The Stick for The C/Spine? (0)
• February 24, 2010 -- Another Fitness Challenge Update on Ankle Mobility of Eric Beard (0)
• February 19, 2010 -- Upper Extremity Reach Range of Motion Assessments (0)
• January 22, 2012 -- Knock The Rust Off With Some Core Stability Work (0)
• January 19, 2012 -- Vertical Core Stability Training (0)
• January 7, 2012 -- Can You Give Me Some Advice? (0)

Have a great weekend!

Eric Beard

CEO A-Team

Corrective Exercise Specialist

AthleticShoulder.com
http://facebook.com/theericbeard

• February 9, 2010 -- 5 Minute Core Stability / Corrective Exercise for Back Pain by Eric Beard with the MECA Back (0)
• February 26, 2010 -- First Month of Another Fitness Challenge Brings Eric Beard Some Results (1)
• February 24, 2010 -- Another Fitness Challenge Update on Ankle Mobility of Eric Beard (0)
• February 19, 2010 -- Upper Extremity Reach Range of Motion Assessments (0)
• February 12, 2010 -- Will Smith Needs Corrective Exercise…but He Helps Me this Time (0)
• February 8, 2010 -- Revist, Recite, Re-Write Your Goals Dailly to Manifest your Dreams (0)
• November 20, 2010 -- 99 Problems But a Vision Ain’t One (0)
• February 6, 2010 -- Chunking Goals: Breakdown the Big Goals Into Smaller Actionable Steps (0)
• January 31, 2010 -- FLY This-Eric Beard Shows a Cool Variation for Core Stability plus Another Fitness Challenge (1)
• January 15, 2010 -- Boston CPT for NASM Ends up With Some After Hours Corrective Exercise Action for Eric Beard (0)

I have been plugging away at improving my overhead squat and it has felt great! I enlisted the help of Krisitn Mohr, a physical therapist at Integrative Therapeutics in Natick, MA. She can be reached at kmohr@integrativetherapeutics.com if you want some work from her. She is a skilled manual therapist and “gets it”!

Here is a series of short 2-3 minute videos bringing your through part of our last appointment.

Thanks for reading!

Eric Beard

CEO A-Team

Corrective Exercise Specialist

AthleticShoulder.com
http://facebook.com/theericbeard

• February 24, 2010 -- Another Fitness Challenge Update on Ankle Mobility of Eric Beard (0)
• February 19, 2010 -- Upper Extremity Reach Range of Motion Assessments (0)
• March 19, 2010 -- Active Heel Slides for Deep Core Stabilizers and Psoas Inhibition: Corrective Exercise (0)
• February 12, 2010 -- Will Smith Needs Corrective Exercise…but He Helps Me this Time (0)
• February 11, 2010 -- HFPN-Another Fitness Challenge Goals and Progress for Eric Beard 2/11/2010- My Corrective Exercise is Working! (0)
• February 9, 2010 -- 5 Minute Core Stability / Corrective Exercise for Back Pain by Eric Beard with the MECA Back (0)
• February 8, 2010 -- Revist, Recite, Re-Write Your Goals Dailly to Manifest your Dreams (0)
• January 31, 2010 -- FLY This-Eric Beard Shows a Cool Variation for Core Stability plus Another Fitness Challenge (1)
• February 6, 2010 -- Chunking Goals: Breakdown the Big Goals Into Smaller Actionable Steps (0)
• January 27, 2010 -- Overhead Squat Assessment-Excessive Forward Lean from Ankle Restriction at NASM CES Workshop by Eric Beard (0)

Eric Beard

CEO A-Team

Corrective Exercise Specialist

AthleticShoulder.com
http://facebook.com/theericbeard

• February 26, 2010 -- First Month of Another Fitness Challenge Brings Eric Beard Some Results (1)
• February 19, 2010 -- Upper Extremity Reach Range of Motion Assessments (0)
• March 19, 2010 -- Active Heel Slides for Deep Core Stabilizers and Psoas Inhibition: Corrective Exercise (0)
• February 12, 2010 -- Will Smith Needs Corrective Exercise…but He Helps Me this Time (0)
• February 11, 2010 -- HFPN-Another Fitness Challenge Goals and Progress for Eric Beard 2/11/2010- My Corrective Exercise is Working! (0)
• February 9, 2010 -- 5 Minute Core Stability / Corrective Exercise for Back Pain by Eric Beard with the MECA Back (0)
• February 8, 2010 -- Revist, Recite, Re-Write Your Goals Dailly to Manifest your Dreams (0)
• January 15, 2010 -- Boston CPT for NASM Ends up With Some After Hours Corrective Exercise Action for Eric Beard (0)
• February 1, 2010 -- HFPN’s Another Fitness Challenge? Eric Beard is In! How About You? (0)
• January 31, 2010 -- FLY This-Eric Beard Shows a Cool Variation for Core Stability plus Another Fitness Challenge (1)

Corrective Exercise for Knee Pain

I have had countless tennis players come to me with “sore knees”.Well, the knee joints are pretty important to all of us whether we are running around a green, grassy, blue or clay court chasing a fuzzy green ball. Even a couple of hundred yeas ago, if our knees joints stopped working , we would probably would not have survived much longer, unless we were rich or moved back in with our parents to get some free food.

It seems that people get caught up in trying to improve the health of their knees by strengthening the quadriceps and the hamstrings. Not a bad idea, but there is plenty more that could be done before and in addition to this approach; Corrective Exercise! This is a simplified approach to a potentially complex problem, but solid information that can help almost everyone!

To paraphrase a wise man “the knee joint is a dummy joint that goes where the ankle lets it go and the hip tells it to do”. What do I mean by that? Well most often when the knee joint is not moving how it should (as evidenced during the overhead squat test) discomfort soon will follow. Even if the knees are not sore, this imbalance could exist and be evident by a player taking extra steps when chasing down balls. Instinctively, or though outdated advice, people start stretching and strengthening the muscles directly around the joint when the problem often is emanating from the ankle joint below that is not moving well itself or the hip joint above that can’t control the thing. If the ankle can’t move front to back because of tight calves (due to prolonged sitting, wearing high heels, omitting proper flexibility training into ones exercise program) then the joint directly above, the knee suffers the consequences.

If the hip, which supports the thigh and helps to keep it in alignment, is weak (due to prolonged sitting, poor posture, low back pain, omitting proper flexibility training into ones exercise program etc.) then the knee is subjected to excessive and deleterious stresses. Here is a daily routine that can be used to help the ankle move better and the hip to support the knee more. If pain persists, then you should see a licensed health care practitioner.

Take home points;

1) to “strengthen” the knee joint, first look above and below

2) be consistent with your program, the above sample can be done daily

3) be sure to progresses to a complete exercise program

4) check your sneakers, it could be time for a new pair!

5) see a licensed health care practitioner if you have pain that does not go away

Hope this provided some “knee-ed” information!

Eric Beard

Athletic Performance Enhancement Specialist

Corrective Exercise Specialist

theericbeard.blogspot.com

www.ericbeard.com

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The kids were appreciative and hard working. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I look forward to sharing more about this experience with you over the next few days! I have to get some sleep b/c I am teaching a Corrective Exercise Specialist workshop in Washington, DC over the next 2 days.

Above is a picture of the kids and the foam rollers we gave the for myofascial release!

Thanks for reading!

Eric Beard
Athletic Performance Enhancement Specialist
Corrective Exercise Specialist
theericbeard.blogspot.com
www.ericbeard.com

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Here is another short 2 and 1/2 minute instructional video that shows you how to stretch it out to keep your low back healthy and maximize athletic performance.

Thanks for reading/watching!

Eric Beard
Corrective Exercise Specialist
Athletic Performance Enhancement Specialist
theericbeard.blogspot.com
www.ericbeard.com

• No Related Post