Cat/Cow (Back Flexion/Extension)

Running Drill - Pawing

Transverse Step to Balance

Ball Pike

Hip Clamshell (Internal/External Rotation)

Ball Twister

Single Leg Hip Rotary Drill

Frontal Step to Balance

Frontal Lunge

Side Iso-Ab or the Side Plank

Sagittal Step up to Balance

Prone Iso-Ab or the Plank

Power Transverse Rope Med Ball Chop

Sagittal Stationary Lunge

Bosu Walk Around Toe Up/Toe Down

Tight joints, including our ankles, affect movement patterns that can cause compensation overload leading to injury.  Tight ankles can affect literally everything in your body.  That sore right elbow, caused by a tight left hip that was caused by a tight left ankle.   You can see where we are going here with the connect the dots of etiology of a problem.  Keeping things in their ideal state prevents these out of control compensation patterns from occurring.   This exercise is aimed to wake up the balance proprioceptors while stabilizing the ankle joint in plantarflexion and dorsiflexion.   Check out the video and comment with any questions or requests for future videos!

Squat Jump to Stabilization

With many people becoming more active not only for health reasons, but also for recreational activities, the incidence of ACL/MCL knee injuries is increasing rapidly.  A majority of these injuries are non-contact in nature and occur while planting and cutting or landing from a jump.  With proper stabilization of the knee joint, the likelihood of a non-contact injury can be greatly decreased.  The squat jump to stabilization exercise serves as a mandatory precursor to all high impact plyometrics.  If you follow this rule, not only will you minimize the chance of injury, you will reach higher levels of peak performance for your individual body.   Check out this video and start practicing!  Comment with any questions or requests for future videos.

Single Leg Balance

Balance is a very underestimated part of fitness that has a large impact on muscle balance and ultimately how efficient our movements are.  This exercise, while looking quite simple, is aimed to set the stage for future progressions.  Without a solid base on one leg, you will be limiting the overall potential for your progressions of other exercises in the future and also limiting strength & power output.   It’s amazing how much time we spend on one leg and that when we get better with balance we expend less energy in day to day tasks and get stronger!  Watch the video and start practicing!!

The Equation for Peak Physical Performance

The four main components to a healthy physical training regiment are flexibility/mobility, stabilization, strength and power.  All of the components are needed for true peak performance of an individual on a physical level.  As others have investigated, the physical realm is part of 4 larger sections being physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual. 

Without proper flexibility or mobility, we are unable to move our bodies where they should be able to go.  I always laugh when someone says they shouldn’t be able to touch their toes like they were built unable to ever achieve this feat.  It might take lots of hard work, but is possible.  And most of the work is between our ears! 

Stabilization is defined as the ability of the body to maintain postural equilibrium and support joints during movement.   Without having a stabilization system that functions correctly, the likelihood for injury is greatly increased and our ability to output strength and power is decreased. 

Strength is defined as the ability of the neuromuscular system to provide internal tension and exert force against external resistance.  In simple terms, decreased internal tension (stabilization) = decreased force against external resistance (strength). 

Power is defined as the ability to exert maximal force in the shortest amount of time.  This is where most sports movements lie and also where most injuries occur.  Power is the tope of the pyramid and with proper preparation of the previous phases, can bring a client to levels of performance never thought possible.  Without a solid foundation, will very likely get undesired results.