With a mix of training hard and sitting for long periods each day, we tend to get very tight hamstrings.  Stretching them is not the only cure for this.  With this exercise you will smash and floss the tissue using a lacrosse ball. Hamstring Smash and Floss IMPROVES: Hip Extension, Knee Flexion, Back Hip and Knee Pain, Squat / Pulling Techniques TEST: First test your squat at the bottom position. EXERCISE: 1. Sit on a box and position a lacrosse ball under your hamstring.  Shift your weight onto it to apply as much pressure on it as you can handle.   2. Roll around on it to find a tight spot, then extend your leg.  Continue to bend and straighten your leg as well as roll over the ball side to side until you feel the tissue relax.  This effectively smash...

  Originally developed by using the couch for easy positioning, this exercise is very effective for opening the hip and front of the quads, but it can be screaming painful.  If you can't get into the final position for this mobilization, you need to be doing it regularly. Couch Hip Opener IMPROVES: Hip Extension, Low Back and Hip Pain, Knee Pain, Normal Posture, Top Position of Deadlift and Squat TEST: First test your squat or deadlift pulling position. EXERCISE: 1. Back up your feet to a box or a wall. 2. Slide your right leg up so that your shin is flush with the wall. 3. Squeeze your butt to stabilize your lower back, then post your left foot up in a so that your left shin is vertical. 4. Still squeezing your right glute, drive your hips towards the ground.  Stay in this ...

This exercise is essentially mobilizing your position in the bottom of the squat, one leg at a time.  If you have trouble getting to the bottom of the squat or maintaining a good position at the bottom of the squat, this exercise is for you.  Two important points:  1. When using this exercise, you must continually move your hips in small circles to gently work through positions that are tight. You should go in and out of the end of your range of motion. Just getting into position and hanging out without oscillating in and out will not do enough.  2. Make sure you keep your foot flat on the ground to mimic the proper position of the squat.  Even if it lets you mobilize your hip more, don't rotate your hip further outward if you have to lift your foot off the ground ...

This week's mobility work will focus on the external rotators to help your overhead positioning and your bench press or pushup.  You can do the following exercise using a box or on the ground.   Bilateral Shoulder Flexion IMPROVES: Overhead Positioning, Bench Press / Pushup, External Rotation Torque, Front Rack Position TEST: First test your overhead position in an overhead squat or test your front rack position. EXERCISE: 1. Holding a pvc pipe, kneel in front of a box with your elbows next to each other and your hands rotated externally (outward).   2. Rotate the pipe and spread your hands apart until you reach the end range of your external rotation.  Do this on both sides.  You must keep your elbows in close to create the necessary torque for this stretch.  ...

With the great demands we put on our bodies in training, we all need to do some maintenance.  We plan to start regularly posting mobility work for you to incorporate into your mobility and recovery toolbox.  Try the posted exercise several times each week to see how it works, then come back to it when you need it in the future. Test and Re-test: Before you do any mobility exercise, test a relevant position to determine your range of motion (ROM).  After you do the mobility work, test the same position again to see if you made any progress.  If you did not make any progress you either didn't do it long enough or you don't need it.  One minute is the minimum amount of time you should use for the exercise below.  Really, you should keep going until you feel a cha...