Standing Adductor Stretch

With the intense heat of the summer we are seeing many post cramping injuries. After a cramp, it is very important to stretch the muscle frequently. The hamstrings and calves are the most common and we have covered stretching for those areas in previous videos. The adductors, or groin muscles, are also commonly involved in cramps but are commonly neglected in stretching routines. Stretching this area is especially important for those in sports with a great deal of lateral movement such as football and tennis.

Notice how I show a variation where you can twist the trunk as you stretch, which is especially helpful for runners.

Thanks and until next time stay active! (safely)

Core and Shoulder Workout

It's always handy when we can perform an exercise that targets multiple muscle groups in a functional manner. Our exercise video this week is called a "prone walk out." I perform this exercise regularly as it's a good way to keep my shoulders healthy and my core strong. Just make sure you allow plenty of room for yourself!

Standing Crossed Extension

Today's video shows an exercise for strengthening the mid/low trap muscles. These muscles are between and below your shoulder blades and are very beneficial for good posture and shoulder health. They are difficult to target and are often neglected in upper body routines. Be sure to listen to the common errors to make sure you perform it correctly.

Enjoy and stay active!

Quad, Calf, and IT Band Stretch

Stretching is an important part of any athlete's life. Maintaining proper flexibility is a key factor in avoiding injury. In preparation for the OZ run this weekend, or any runs you may be doing this summer, we've posted some of the more pertinent stretches for runners/distance athletes. You'll notice that I often show different types of stretches: "hold" stretches and oscillating. Dynamic, oscillating (sometime called "ballistic") stretches are used before an athletic event (run, etc), whereas you stretch and hold (static stretch) afterwards or if you're not about to be active. NEVER static stretch before you run. A brief warm up followed by dynamic stretches is the way to go!

Please share this with your friends. If you are experiencing an athletic injury or would like to improve your performance, please check out our website for additional information.

Squat Training

Where do you "feel it" when you perform squats? If your answer doesn't include the entire thigh AND the glutes then you need some help w/ your form! Also, you should NEVER feel them in your knees. Use this drill to help. Face a wall w/ your toes touching. Crease through the front of your hips and let your pelvis travel far backwards. You should be able to at least go parallel, if not touch the ground without contacting the wall. Use this as a warm up or an exercise! Keep your weight on the heels to avoid falling back. I hope to be a "pain in your butt" w/ this posting!

Push-ups

As a father of 2 kids, I don't have much time for exercise. Thus, I love efficient exercises that work multiple areas at the same time. Push-ups are such an exercise. Although traditionally thought of as a chest (pec) exercise, they also work the back, shoulders, abdominals, arms, and sometimes the legs. This video is just a small sampling of a push-up progression. There are many more variations that can be performed, but these are some of the most useful. One I forgot to include is the wide stance push up, which is performed with the hands very far apart and isolates the pecs more than other variations.

To view the video go to our website via the link below and click on the 'Exercise Videos' link on the left side of the homepage.

http://www.reliefatacr.com

Enjoy and stay active!

Kirk Iodice, DC, ART

New exercise video: lat pull-down w/ fly-out

The straight arm lat pull-down is an exercise that is a commonly employed exercise that is great for building the lats ("wing muscles"). However, the traditional standing exercise places a great deal of stress on the shoulder tendons and joints, as well as sometimes being hard on the back. This variation, done on a ball or a mobile bench, allows you to work this area in a dynamic and full range of motion while being safe on the shoulder/low back. It can actually be beneficial to improve your range of motion if you're tight here. A key part of keeping this exercise safe for the back is to engage the abdominal muscles just enough so that your ribs do not flare upwards as you reach above the head. NOTE: due to the large range of motion, you will need to use lighter weights or bands than you would for other lat exercises.

Enjoy and be active!

Kirk Iodice, DC, ART