Simplicity Series: 10 Simple Nutrition Strategies That Work!

My thought process is pretty simple and is based on the results I see in real life. I have been in the trenches of health and fitness for 30 years. I see all the BS that gets put out every year and it is way worse now that the Internet gives free reign on total idiotic nonsense.

I started the 'Simplicity Series' for a reason. Bruce Lee once said that, 'Simplicity is the key to brilliance.' And that is a brilliant statement. We tend to over complicate everything and second guess ourselves. Sometimes it really is just that simple to get where you want to go.

Problem is, nobody ever said simple was EASY! It's just the commitment and dedication level of the individual that makes the difference. Facts are still facts whether you believe them or not.

Gravity exists. Fact! Whether you believe in it or not is irrelevant. If you step off a roof, trust me gravity is gonna be there to ensure you fall right on your ass!

So in the spirit of gravity I am going to share with you 10 simple nutrition strategies that work to help you lose weight. Believe in them or not...up to you. They still work regardless.


1. Give up the barcode and start eating more from bags (Props to Mike Roussell for this awesome tip) That means stop eating boxed processed food and go more natural with stuff in bags.


2. Eat protein and fat for breakfast. Skip the carbs until your first snack of the day. Great for rapid fat loss in women.


3. Eat a nutrition post workout shake 30-minutes after you train to replenish glycogen and metabolic hormone production.


4. Stop skipping meals. Kills your insulin level and makes you dysglycemic. Meaning you are all over the map when you ingest carbs. 


5. Drink more water...being dehydrated makes you store bodyfat.


6. Don't be afraid to eat at night, especially if you want to gain lean muscle. Make it protein based. If you are training the right way, you will not get fat. Learn to eat like an athlete and give your body the nutrients it needs to rebuild tissue. Your brain and your fear of getting fat is what gets in the way here.


7. Stop drinking juices and sodas. Even fruit juices. Eat the fruit instead. 


8. Eat and eat again. (another Mike Roussell gem) Whatever you eat portion size, can you eat the same size again 3 hours later? Meaning if you eat that huge meal, can you eat it again 3 hours later? If not, reduce your portion size to that which you can. Big difference.


9. Ingest 70% of your carb intake for the day at the 2 meals after your workout session. Regardless of the time of time you train. It's all about restoring glycogen and optimizing hormones.


10. STOP starving yourself. Go no lower than 10 x your lean body weight in calories. Lean body weight is your target weight. That number is the minimum amount of calories you need for basic metabolic function. Your body will not allow you to gain muscle and lose fat if you are not even giving it the calories and nutrients it needs for basic survival. Plus you totally imbalance your metabolic hormones because you screw up insulin sensitivity when you starve yourself.


11. Bonus>>>eat more fruit and vegetables.


OK there ya have it...up to you now. Simple! And sure you can disagree with stuff in here and that is ok. It won't make a difference on me doing them. Why? They work.

See ya on the other side.

Perry

Dr. Craig Liebenson's New DVD Series

Pre-Order from Amazon here

5 Favorite Insights from my friend Dr. Craig Liebenson 

                                                 

This is just a taste of why you MUST order these DVD's today! I learn from a lot of smart people that I respect and admire. Craig is one of them! Invest in yourself. Invest in this DVD. Invest in your clients. They deserve it...and so do you!! 

1. Rehabilitation is a PROCESS of care: Assess-Correct-Reasses
2. A big mistake commonly made is to stay too long with manual therapy or non-functional floor exercises. It is best to move on to upright functional training as soon as possible
3. Reducing painful movements is the first goal  of treatment.  Often the most effective treatment is the one which treats the painless dysfunction.
4. Pr Janda evaluated lateral stability upright in 2 ways. First, by assessingsingle leg stance balance by looking for excessive lateral pelvic shift. Second, by assessing lateral pelvic sway during gait.
5. Most treatments for musculoskeletal pain focus on treatment of the SITE of symptoms. By taking a symptomatic approach instead of addressing the SOURCE of pain recurrences are common. (Does this sound like someone you know????)

Click here to listen to my Stop Chasing Pain Podcast with Dr. Liebenson

PODCAST INTERVIEW

Thanks Doc for all the great information. You have taught me so much. 

Now all of you it's your turn. Scroll up and click the pre-order link to buy. I will be interviewing Craig about the DVD's soon. Keep you posted!

Visit Dr. Liebenson's Blog to learn even more... BLOG

Piriformis and Obturator Muscles Connection

I recently posted a short little tidbit of information on my Facebook Fanpage Stop Chasing Pain that said, 'If you always have a tight piriformis muscle, try activating the obturators.'  

Well this little post kicked off a firestorm of questions and comments that prompted me to expand a little more. I will be making a video of this activation protocol and posting it so you can see it in action, but this will be a quick summary of the how and why.


It all comes down to Motor Control Theory. This is based on pioneering work of Vernon Brooks 'The Neural Basis of Motor Control' and it's clinical application by David Weinstock and his NeuroKinetic Therapy. The Motor Control Center located in the cerbellum receives information from the limbic system and then the cerebral cortex before passing the information to the spine.

Your body’s Motor Control Center – the Cerebellum

The cerebellum is like central command controlling every muscle in your body. It is connected to each of your muscles via the somatic nervous system – sort of like control wires. Your cerebellum is where your body stores the information necessary to perform complex movements easily and naturally. 

Sometimes things happen to you that cause your body to protect itself – accidents, pain, and overwork etc. In response to these stimuli, your body creates a new program, or a compensation pattern. These patterns are exactly what your body needs to create in order to protect itself from that trauma. It goes into survival mode. The problem is that your body has no mechanism to let go of the compensation pattern when it is no longer needed Your nervous system has adapted to the dysfunction.

The body has no mechanism to let go of compensation patterns that you no longer need. Long after the trauma has passed, your body continues to over-use the bracing muscles that it relied on during the trauma, and continues to inhibit the muscles that were shut down. This creates a vicious cycle: The inhibited muscles actually start to weaken from lack of use, causing you to use the bracing muscles even more. Eventually, the bracing muscles simply stay tight all the time, lose their ability to fire efficiently, and they hurt. Now you start to CHASE PAIN! And we don't chase pain...we FIX PROBLEMS! 

Pain is where your problem ended up...NOT where it started!

So what we do is very similar to Muscle Activation Techniques where we test the strength of various muscles in relationship to pain. You can stretch and rub that tight muscle all day long, but until you reset the motor program it will not let go. Hence pain always returns.

So for the Piriformis we evaluate antagonistic and synergistic muscles for weakness and then reactivate them. 

Antagonist

Evaluate internal rotators of the hip

Synergist

Usual Culprits: Gluteus maximus, medius, obturator internus/externus, quadratus lumborum and hamstrings.

Once you find the weakness, you have 30-60 seconds to reset the Control Center via muscle activation. Once we reset and reactivate the obturators the MCC lets go of the piriformis so it can heal. The nervous system wins every time.

The video will show you how I test the obturators....and how I test them is how I activate them in conjunction with releasing the spasm.

You will see what I mean on the video...it all comes down to isolation and positioning. Got ya curious now don't I?? 

****Special Thanks to Jeff Elam, CBW for information referenced in this post. Visit his website for more information about his work.

JEFF ELAM

See ya soon!

Doc P.

The One Blog Post That Can Change Your Life!

Yes, this is a BOLD statement and I stand by it wholeheartedly. How can I? Cause it did for me...Read, absorb, think, and then do! And it will work for you too.

I read an exceptional book this week by Scott Ginsberg and there was a section in there that jut wrapped up everything I have strived to learn in my life. The way he said it was just perfect. So I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it will resonate with you too. Enjoy it and if it touches you, forward it to others in that they may feel the power of these words.

BE brilliant at the basics. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be the first one. Be the only one. Be unforgettable. Be interesting. Be a sleeper. Be the world's expert on yourself. Be better than yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow. Be confident enough to be humble. But be somebody who reminds everybody of nobody else in the world.


AND DON'T wish it was easier, wish yo were better. Don't sell, enable people to buy. Don't let jerks get you down. Don't be weary in well doing for in due season you will reap a great harvest if you faint not. And don't wait for the mainstream to validate your voice. Don't despise the day of small beginnings. Don't be selfish with your knowledge. Don't complain if you haven't earned the right. And don't be different, be unique.


BECAUSE YOU are what you charge. You are what you believe. You are the books you've read and the people you've met. And you are an empty sheet of paper in the minds of every person you encounter.


AFTER ALL, the world cannot resist a person on a mission. The best swimmers are always in the pool. The sculpture is inside the stone. And the two greatest days in your life are the day you're born, and the day you realize WHY you were born.


AND if you are successful you will always have too much to do and too little time. If you aren't being criticized, you aren't doing much. And if everyone says you're out of your mind, you just might be onto something.


EVEN THOUGH, it's not easy being yourself. It's not who you know, it's who knows you. And it's not the years, it's the mileage.


SO WORK hard, work long and work smart. Work like you don't need the money. And work from technique, because you never know how you will feel.


AND DON"T FORGET THAT success leaves clues. That confidence is king. That credibility comes from specificity. That listening is not waiting to talk. And that a nice person who is mean to a waiter is not a nice person.


OR, TO tell the truth, to tell it all and tell it now. To give value first. To paint yourself into a good corner. To allow customers to participate in your brand. To do work once and benefit many times. To give yourself away. To respect people no's. To take massive action. And to act as if you already are the person you're trying to become.


THEREFORE, ALWAYS stand up, stand out or be counted out. Discover your Personal Mission. Learn to step outside your comfort zone. Greet each day with love in your heart. Show, don't tell. Make daily appointments with yourself. Never apologize for your art. Remember your Victory Dance. Work harder on yourself than  your job. Find your one big idea. And always validate your existence, be yourself and so something cool--every single day!

"Everybody is somebody's somebody!"

Thank all of you for following my work. I am truly honored.....ME!


www.stopchasingpain.com 

3-Hour Brain Rush with Joe Dowdell

This weekend I had the honor of attending my good friend Joe Dowdell's workshop at Peak Performance Gym in NYC on Program Design 101. Joe is the CEO and founder of Peak Performance Gym voted one of the Top 10 Gyms in the country by Men's health Magazine, so you know he know his stuff. And take it from me, HE DOES!

Click here to see my Stop Chasing Pain TV interview with Joe after the workshop.




Here are just a few of the 100's of take aways from the workshop. Keep an eye out for Joe's Internship Program coming soon.

Learn more at Joe's website:

Joe Dowdell Website

• The Goal of your client is the most important component to program design. It's not about you, it's about them!
• Targeting the GTO Golgi Tendon Organ is the key ingredient that makes foam rolling effective.
• CNS Activation Drills fire up the nervous system and are designed to improve the individual's timing and rhythm.
• In general he recommends changing the strength program every 3-6 weeks, but 4 weeks is a good rule of thumb.
• Core dominant exercises (in general) should be placed at the end of the strength training session.
• TEMPO matters!
• Two ways to look at intensity: load and effort!
• GPP General Physical Preparation is always where you start with a client. Helps develop tissue tolerance to begin to improve their work capacity.
• Block Method of Periodizaton is an idea that suggest the use and sequencing of specialized meso-cyle blocks, where highly concentrate training workloads are focused on a minimal number of motor and technical abilities.

This is just a sample of the enormous information he talked about for programming. There is an art to programming. Invest the time to learn the skill.

Thanks Joe for a great time! 

Chad Skrederstu, Joe Dowdell, Me

My Review of Mark and Tracy Reifkind's DVD Series

Mark Reifkind: Lats: The Super Muscle

Tracy Reifkind: Programming the Kettlebell Swing

I decided to review these two DVD's together as a pair for several reasons. One, Mark and Tracy are married and I thought it would be cool to review them as a set. They have been married for 20-years, and the chemistry between them is evident in the DVD. Second, you will soon discover when you watch the DVD series that the lats are a critical factor in mastering the Kettlebell swing. So, when you learn about how the lats work and the role they play in movement, it will take your swing to a whole new level.

Listen to my podcast interview with Mark and Tracy here. Hear them talk in-depth about the DVD and what inspired them to make it. 

Make sure to also listen to the podcast with the Iron Tamer David Whitley who made his own two-disc DVD set with Mark and Tracy.


CLICK PODCAST PLAYER BELOW 

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For more podcasts click here>>>>>>>>>>>STOP CHASING PAIN PODCAST CHANNEL

Also look below for sample video clips of the DVD's.

The Lats...being a sports medicine practitioner and health care provider I work with the lats everyday. The lats are an underlying culprit in almost every chronic injury that presents to my office. Unfortunately, not many people understand the significant impact this muscle plays in injury prevention, sports performance and fitness enhancement. But, you can bet Mark Reifkind does! It was so wonderfully refreshing to see Mark reveal all the 'secrets' of the latissimus dorsi muscle. I call them 'secrets' because nobody knows about it. Until now...thanks to Mark.

Here is just a sample of what you will learn on this DVD.

• The role of the lats in movement
• Anatomy of the lats (origin, insertion, movements)
• How to engage the lats with arm movements
• Why it is called 'The Bridge' between the upper and lower body
• Success of the KB Swing with lat engagement
• The 'Pendulum' movement for lat activation
• How movement origin effects lat development and muscle activation
• .....and tons more.

Everyone can benefit from this DVD. Health and fitness professionals, fitness buffs, athletes of all skill levels and the general public. Why? Because we all have lats and we need them to become better at what we do, and remain injury free. 

See more about mark on his blog: http://rifsblog.blogspot.com/

The KB Swing...well now I know why they call Tracy the 'Queen of the Kettlebell Swing!' Holy cow is she good. Tracy is a powerhouse on the swing and her passion for this movement is present in everything she does. Tracy credits the swing with being one of the primary movements that helped her lose over 100 lbs. You can see her incredible transformation here on her blog: http://tracysfoodandthought.blogspot.com/. Check it out. Such an inspiring tale and Tracy teaches you how she did it.

The Swing DVD is more of an advanced progression of the exercise, yet Tracy does teach some really cool techniques to master beginner movements. I love this exercise, and I have always been looking for new ways to make it more progressive, innovative and challenging. This DVD delivers on all three.

Here is a small sampling of what you will learn from this DVD.

• Swing mechanics
• Progressions of timed intervals
• Relationship to the lats muscle in technique
• There is a great Q & A Session on this DVD with Tracy, Mark and David Whitley
• Double arm and single arm variations of the swing
• ....and tons more.

Tracy does a phenomenal job of teaching you the skills and working you out. Trust me, you will be using muscles and breathing hard on this one. Lots of people may show you how to KB Swing, but very few can teach you. This is where the 'Queen' shines. To her this is not just an exercise. It is a way to transform your body and your life. She is living testament to it! There is nothing more inspiring than learning from someone who believes in what they do from the heart.

See a sample clip of Tracy taking to the max here:

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Mark and Tracy are true givers. They share their knowledge, love, and belief in Kettlebell movements and methods. Now you have the opportunity to be there with them and share in this wonderful gift of learning. Invest in yourself. Invest in your education. Invest in being the best for your clients. Order your DVD's today. Click below to begin your journey. I did!!

********ORDER HERE**********

Hormone Optimization Podcast with Mike Mahler

Awesome interview with Mike Mahler about optimizing hormones for fitness, health, and physique development. Mike is a leading expert on how to balance hormones via nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle. Hear his personal story and discover some great tips to start you off right away.

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Visit his website to learn more about his great information.

http://www.mikemahler.com/

A sample video clip of Mike in action.

New Podcast on Movement with Tommi Paavola

Here is my newesst podcast with with movement expert Tommi Paavola of Discover Movement.com Enjoy! Awesome information! Soak up that knowledge.

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10 Ways Laser Heals You Quick

1. Accelerated Tissue Repair And Cell Growth.
Photons of light from lasers penetrate deeply into tissue and accelerate cellular reproduction and growth. The laser light increases the energy available to the cell so that the cell can take on nutrients faster and get rid of waste products. As a result of exposure to laser light, the cells of tendons, ligaments and muscles are repaired faster.

2. Faster Wound Healing.
 Laser light stimulates fibroblast development (fibroblasts are the building blocks of collagen, which is predominant in wound healing) in damaged tissue. Collagen is the essential protein required to replace old tissue or to repair tissue injuries. As a result, LT is effective on open wounds and burns.

3. Reduced Fibrous Tissue Formation.
LT reduces the formation of scar tissue following tissue damage from cuts, scratches, burns or surgery.

4. Anti-Inflammation. Laser light therapy has an anti-edemic effect as it causes vasodilation, but also because it activates the lymphatic drainage system (drains swollen areas). As a result, there is a reduction in swelling caused by bruising or inflammation.

5. Anti-Pain (Analgesic). Laser therapy has a high beneficial effect on nerve cells which block pain transmitted by these cells to the brain and which decreases nerve sensitivity. Also, due to less inflammation, there is less edema and less pain. Another pain blocking mechanism involves the production of high levels of pain killing chemicals such as endorphins and enkephlins from the brain and adrenal gland.

6. Improved Vascular Activity. Laser light will significantly increase the formation of new capillaries in damaged tissue that speeds up the healing process, closes wounds quickly and reduces scar tissue. Additional benefits include acceleration of angiogenesis, which causes temporary vasodilatation, an increase in the diameter of blood vessels.

7. Increased Metabolic Activity. Laser therapy creates higher outputs of specific enzymes, greater oxygen and food particle loads for blood cells.

8. Improved Nerve Function. Slow recovery of nerve functions in damaged tissue can result in numbness and impaired limbs. Laser light will speed up the process of nerve cell reconnection and increase the amplitude of action potentials to optimize muscle action.

9. Immunoregulation. Laser light has a direct effect on immunity status by stimulation of immunoglobines and lymphocytes. LT is absorbed by chromophones (molecule enzymes) that react to laser light. The enzyme flavomono-nucleotide is activated and starts the production of ATP (adenosine-tri-phosphate), which is the major carrier of cell energy and the energy source for all chemical reactions in the cells.

10. Trigger Points and Acupuncture Points. Laser therapy stimulates muscle trigger points and acupuncture points on a non-invasive basis providing musculoskeletal pain relief

www.stopchasingpain.com

High Intensity Cardio Strategy

Cardio must be done, but done correctly.  By that I mean only for a short period of time, but with great intensity.  Banish the 30-45 minute sessions and replace them with 15-20 minutes.  Do HIIT CARDIO (High Intensity Interval Training). This involves alternating periods of all out intense effort with a much slower pace. 

Base your intensity on a verbal conversation sliding scale of 1-10.  (Not Maximum heart rate!)

Number 1 being a slow walk with minimal effort and exertion.

Number 5 being a power walk where you can carry on a conversation without heavy breathing and feeling like your lungs will explode.

Number 10 being an all out sprint/run at 100% maximum effort. 

Example: A 15-minute session would be 1:30 seconds at pace #5 and a .30 second sprint one at level 10 and then repeat this cycle for 15 minutes.  GREAT WORKOUT.  No warm-up necessary because you should be performing cardio work after weight training.

So when is the best time for cardio and how should I do it?   The answer is any time! The most important thing is that you just do it. If you want to get the maximum benefits possible from every minute you invest in your workouts, and then you should consider getting up early and doing cardio before you eat your first meal - even if you're not a "morning person." Early morning aerobic exercise on an empty stomach has three major advantages over exercising later in the day:

The primary benefit you'll get from early morning cardio sessions is what I call the "afterburn" effect. When you do a cardio session in the morning, you not only burn fat during the session, but you also continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate after the workout. Why? Because an intense session of interval style cardiovascular exercise can keep your metabolism elevated up to 24 hours after the session is over.

 If you do cardio at night, you will still burn fat during the session, so you definitely benefit from it. However, nighttime cardio fails to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolism drops like a ton of bricks as soon as you go to sleep. While you sleep, your metabolic rate is slower than any other time of the day. 

Perry Nickelston, DC, SFMA

Move Smarter...Move Better...Perform Great!

stopchasingpain.com  

Foam Rolling Bashing?

Ok, so there seems to be some bashing going on around about foam rolling. Some say it's not really effective and that it can hurt ya, and it's better to do all these other techniques. Well, let me tell ya from my perspective from being in the real world trenches everyday with clients needing help...foam rolling is crucial. Most people never do anything for their facial system and few have ever used the foam roll.

In our fitness world it may seem different because we see people use it all the time, but for the average person, it ain't happening. Being in the healthcare field I understand human nature of dealing with pain. If nothing hurts, people think they are healthy...and if it does hurt, ignore it until it goes away...when it comes back again, then seek help and want to get fixed in one visit. Hello reality!!

 Foam rolling is an art form and you can get hurt if you do it wrong or are not a candidate for it. It is up to you, the professional to teach people the correct techniques for rolling. I will have another post coming that talks about techniques and when to not do foam rolling.

I can change  persons life with a foam roller, tennis ball, rope and a mini-band. Addressing soft tissue in any format is always a positive. So, don't be so quick to be hard on the foam roll...in my opinion it is one the most effective form of self treatment therapies available to the public.

How Laser Therapy Works Podcast

My first podcast with Dr. Brian Pryor of LiteCure lasers. Learn how they heal and take away pain.

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Your Ass is Your Foot

Say what Doc? Have you finally lost your mind? Well sort of...What do I mean by this statement? As a society WE SIT ALL DAY, so instead of being on our feet all day we are on our ass all day! We were designed to move and stand on our feet...not sit. In essence with this much sitting, we have a cascade of dysfunctional movement and muscle symmetry.

The body typically ends up with quad dominance, tight hip flexors, anterior weight shift, decreased hip extension and glute activation, weak hamstrings, restricted ankle mobility and hyper-kyphotic thoracic spine. Now imagine trying to go workout and train hardstyle with this movement pattern. This is what the average person does...They go to the gym and ask their trainer to 'kick their ass' or go to crazy bootcamps and crossfit workouts where the body cannot tolerate the movements. What happens...injury usually...BUT you also have decreased movement and lack of muscle control meaning your performance suffers. Don't even get me started on a lack of durability.

One thing most people do when they train is they come to the gym after sitting on their ass all day, sitting in their car to get to the gym and then sit down on equipment to train even more with resistance. HELLO!! See anything wrong here?

So how do you see how bad your movement is? Get an FMS Functional Movement Screen. And if you have pain get the SFMA. Get evaluated before you start moving. Movement Screen

Top 5 Functional Movement List for Crossfit Workouts

Yes, Crossfit is a workout with many raving fans and yes it can kick your ass pretty good. And yes, you can get hurt doing it if you do not take the time to assess proper movement in 5 essential areas. Crossfit has some very cool and unique training programs that are rooted in some base foundational exercises which stress all the vectors of human movement. Theses 5 vectors are:

1. Pushing
2. Pulling
3. Rotation
4. Level Changes
5. Locomotion

Now most people who begin an exercise program or want to step it up and train even harder, do not have adequate mobility (movement) in their joints and even less stability (controlling movement). We are a very sedentary culture sitting on our butts all day, so in essence our butt becomes our feet. This leads to tightness, restrictions and compensations. Because of this fact compensations and quality of movement suffer in order to reach a quantity of movement (reps/sets/tempo). This applies to all forms of intense exercise, not just Crossfit. I talk about Crossfit because I like the program and people really move during a workout and that's a good thing. But I want to make sure they can keep working out without injury, and also increased performance. If you move smarter...then you move better...then you perform great.

Ok so what are the Top 5 Movements?

1. Proper ankle Mobility---Now this is a big one. If the ankle is restricted in movement there will be massive compensations up the chain of joints and muscles. Try doing massive squat reps with a locked down ankle and your knee and back will pay the price. The knee should go 4 inches out over the toe if the ankle moves well when assessing movement. Click here to do my favorite Ankle Mobility Drill. Mobility Drill
2. Hip Mobility---Locked down hips are a huge problem for most people. Locked down means stuck. Th hip is supposed to be very mobile. If it locks down the knee and back become less stable and get injured. But you never feel pain in the hip. Internal rotation is the vector that is lost the most.  Every person who works out must have hip motion assessed. i see high end athletes who look awesome and they cannot move their hips. Can you say compensations. Click here to see my favorite hip mobility stretch: Hip Stretch
3. Thoracic Spine Mobility---Lack of rotation and extension in the thoracic spine can kill a shoulder. It is actually one of the top reasons for chronic shoulder pain because of the lack of stability in the shoulder blade from faulty mechanics of the T-spine. One of the most powerful things you can do to help with upper body power and motion is the tennis ball technique which I will show you. Think about how many overhead presses, cleans, snatches and shoulder moves you to with a workout. If your T-spine is locked down....kiss that shoulder and neck goodbye soon. Tennis Ball Secret
4. Upper Cervical Fascia---The soft tissue connective tissue in your body called fascia can cause many chronic pains if it is too tight or restricted. One very common place for this is at the back of the skull. Rub behind your neck right now and I bet it will be pretty tender. This tightness or pulling affects your line of site since it pulls the head back, this causes a compensation of rounded shoulders and mid-back humping. It is very important to have adequate movement in the neck. Ty this test. Keep your mouth closed and teeth together. Can you touch your chin to chest? Look up to the ceiling, is your face within 10 degrees of being parallel to the ceiling? Can you touch your chin to each collar bone without raising your shoulders? DO any of these moves hurt? If you have pain or cannot get full motion in these areas, you have dysfunctional movement. An injury may be headed your way. 
5. Plantar Fascia: ---The bottom of your foot (plantar) is full of soft tissue fascia. If it is tight or restricted you will be tight all the way up the back of your leg into the back and even neck. This is one of the most powerful areas to look at for movement. The foot is the foundation of everything. Try this: Roll a golf ball on the bottom of both feet. Is it tender? You should roll a golf ball on your feet daily for several minutes regardless of tenderness. It only makes you better.

Ok, there ya have it. These are just a few of the things I teach in my upcoming book on Recovery, Regeneration and Performance Enhancement. Little things make a big difference. learn to move better and I guarantee you will look better too. Feel free to contact me anytime via my website or facebook Fanpage page. Both key worded as 'Stop Chasing Pain.' have fun moving!!! Now go Crossfit with proper movement.

Perry Nickelston, DC, SFMA

Hip Huggers

One of my favorite dynamic moves to open up the hips. External rotation of the upwards leg and extension of the downward hip. Contract glute on the downward leg.

My Top 5 Exercises for Legs

Ok, so I admit to having a love hate relationship when it comes to training my legs. I dread doing it, but when I get there and in my ZONE, it's the best. Due to so many years of what I like to call 'stupid training' I messed up my knees and lower back from knucklehead moves like squatting with crappy technique. So I started learning about single leg training from Mike Boyle's stuff and really liked the results. Plus it helped with stabilizing my hips and turned out it was a tougher workout than using both legs. This is called a win-win. So after trying different exercises I ended up with 5-favorites and here they are. If you dont' know how to do them just let me know or Google search it. Worthwhile to play around with these and watch how your legs and ass change for the better. Have fun.

1. Single Leg Box Squat
2. Single Leg Deadlift
3. Single Leg TRX- Crossover Squat
4. Single Leg Reverse Lunge TRX
5. Box Step Ups with Overhead Press

TRX is one of the most awesome investments for your fitness toolbox. It is invaluable in my leg training. GET ONE! http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/

Top 10 Things I Learned Working Out for 29 years.

1. More is not better...better is better.
2. Recovery and regeneration is crucial to muscle development
3. Nutrition is THE KEY to fat loss
4. Steady state cardio does little to burn fat...metabolic acceleration from weight training is better
5. Proper deadlifting is a full body exercise secret
6. Quality is more important than quantity
7. Looking good does not mean you have a freaking clue about proper training
8. Training longer than an hour is detrimental to growth hormone and testosterone production
9. Hydration is a missing link to muscle hypertrophy and fat loss
10. Proper stretching makes you move smarter...so you move better...so you look great!
11. Bonus: Just because you have nice abs does not mean you have a strong core...it just means you have a cleaner diet.

Reverse Lunge with a Twist (No olive)

One of my favorite dynamic stretches. The key is to activate the rear leg glute for the entire movement. This relaxes the hip flexor and gets a much better stretch in the anterior hip during extension. Do 10 reps both sides. Alternate sides for a total of 20-reps. Lunge deeper and further back to enhance the move. Have fun!

Foam roll on your glute and hip structure at least 3 times per week. Great for soft tissue release of trigger points and adhesions in the hip. Can do wonders for helping lower back pain. The magic of rolling. Only thing better would be naked rolling....but alas that is for another blog. lol So get rolling and make it a habit!!

Is your car worth more than you?

Isn’t it amazing that people take better, more proactive care of their cars than their bodies? We spend big money on a car and do everything to protect that investment from Day One. We dutifully change the oil every 3,000 miles. We rush to the shop at the first sign of trouble. We buy extended warranties and insurance, all because we want to protect an investment we know will most likely provide us no value after 8-10 years. And yet we visit the doctor or think about our health only when things go wrong. Cars and all other material things won’t make a difference if we don’t have the quality of life we want. The richest person in the world can’t buy health. There has to be an investment of time and effort in a plan-not just any plan, but one that will provide the greatest return on investment!