Welcome back to Squat University! We are currently on a series discussing the common squat injury of low back pain. Treating low back pain is no easy task. This is because there are so many different factors that can contribute to the development of pain in this area of the body. There are some treatmentsContinue reading 5 Principles of Low Back Pain Rehabilitation
One of my biggest pet peeves is when doctors and other medical practitioners don’t take the time to explain and educate their patients the basics of their anatomy and why their injury occurred (called the injury mechanism). Today, I want to briefly go over the anatomy of the low back and cover some of theContinue reading What Causes Low Back Pain?
Welcome back to Squat University! For the next few weeks we are going to start a series of articles on common squat injuries. We will discuss WHY these injuries occur and also how to treat these injuries. Our goal is to bridge the gap between training, sports performance and rehab. We will be covering theContinue reading Common Squat Injuries
Imagine for a moment you got the chance to drive your dream sports car. As you sit in the drivers seat, you can feel the engine roar beneath your feet. Your body is pulled back into the seat as you step on the accelerator. After a few hours of driving you glance at the dashboardContinue reading Is It Really “No Pain, No Gain”?
Welcome back to Squat University! Last week we started a discussion on overhead mobility. We introduced two screens that can expose overhead mobility problems that can affect your barbell lifts (snatch, overhead squat, etc). This week, I want to share with you a few of my favorite mobility exercises to address these weak links. MobilizeContinue reading How to Improve Overhead Mobility
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
During a recent Squat University seminar, I was approached by an athlete who wondered why I had asked everyone to show me his or her squat with their toes straightforward. This was definitely not the first time I’ve been asked this question. There’s a lot of controversy in the fitness world today when it comesContinue reading Toes Forward or Angled Out When You Squat?
I was recently working with a weightlifter that was trying to get over some nagging knee pain. During our session I had her perform a few sets of heavy back squats so I could watch her technique. Before she would approach the bar, I noticed she would take the weightlifting belt hanging around her waistContinue reading How to Use a Weightlifting Belt
