Of all the injuries a strength athlete can sustain, low back pain is often the most frustrating and debilitating. Not only does an injury to your back instantaneously drain you of your power and strength, it can also have an intense psychological effect that leaves you feeling like a shell of yourself. If you’ve everContinue reading The Low Back Pain Epidemic
If I had to single out one exercise that most athletes struggle with, it would be the overhead squat. There are so many variables that could hurt your overhead squat technique. Recently we discussed how to improve this lift by addressing problems with scapular stability. This week we are going to address another limiting factor,Continue reading The Squat Fix: Screening Overhead Mobility
Welcome back to Squat University! Last week we started a conversation on scapular stability. The muscles that control the scapula help stabilize the barbell during an overhead squat or snatch movement in a strong and safe position. Previously, we introduced the T & Y screen as a tool to expose possible weak links our scapularContinue reading How to Improve Overhead Stability
Imagine for a moment a young boy helping his father set up a tall ladder. The young boy kneels at the base of the ladder, firmly securing it to the ground. The father then pushes the ladder upwards, leaning it against the side of their house. This illustration is precisely what happens at your shoulderContinue reading How to Screen for Overhead Stability
As coaches we often have a standard set-up for teaching the barbell squat. Toes should point out slightly, feet should be placed at shoulder width and everyone should squat below parallel. Unfortunately this doesn’t always work. No two people will squat exactly the same way. There is no “one size fits all” approach to squatting.Continue reading How Hip Anatomy Affects Squat Mechanics
Proper mechanics during the squat is all about maintaining proper core stability. If core stability is compromised strength and power is lost.Continue reading 3 Core Stability Exercises For a Better Squat
When we talk about the squat many people often want to jump right into discussing the barbell squat. We forget the basics of the bodyweight squat. If we don’t address the movement of the squat before the exercise version of the squat we set ourselves up for failure. If we can fix the issues that present during the bodyweight squat we give ourselves a greater capability to carry the load of the barbell. We should all have the ability to perform a full depth “ass-to-grass” squat without any weight. Period.Continue reading How to Teach a Perfect Squat
Just last week, I was guest lecturing to a class of physical therapy students at the University of Missouri. I asked a simple question, “How many people here think we should never have our knees go past the toes while squatting? Following my inquiry, every single student held their hand raised. The next thing I said was, “You’re all wrong.”Continue reading Can The Knees Go Over The Toes?
The knee needs to stay in perfect alignment with the toes when we squat. Any wobble from this position decreases our ability to produce strength and power. Instability also causes harmful forces to be placed on the structures deep inside our knee. This instability not only decreases our potential for performance but also increases our susceptibility for injury. Today I want to introduce to you my 3-step process for improving knee stability.Continue reading How to Improve Knee Stability
Today I wanted to share a few of my favorite tools to improve hip mobility. I also want to share with you my 4-step process in dealing with hip stiffness. 1) Mobilize, 2) Foam Roll, 3) Stretch, 4) Posterior-Chain Activation. Continue reading How to Improve Hip Mobility
