Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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Considerations for Maintaining Optimal Knee Health

March 27, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on March 27th, 2019 at 03:55pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

The knees endure tons of stress during running, athletics, lifting weights, and other daily activities. That’s why it’s important to implement the correct approach to optimizing knee health within your strength training and movement program.

In many instances, runners strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee joint in an attempt to resolve a knee injury and/or prevent a future one from occurring. Building strength and resilience is always welcomed since it creates somewhat of a protective shield around the joint. However, from a biomechanics standpoint, the knee joint is greatly influenced by the hip and medial longitudinal arch. Therefore, solely increasing strength is a short sighted approach to reducing pain and improving function.

Like I mentioned previously, the hip and medial longitudinal arch are key players when it comes to proper knee health. Stability and control at these joints ultimately dictate how the knee will be positioned during movement. This is especially true with running and single leg stance.

Poor stabilization at the hip and arch cause what’s commonly known as, valgus collapse. This means the knee joint is tracking inwards and the alignment of the entire lower limb is no longer in a vertical position. The greater the degree of this collapse, the more stress placed on the patellofemoral joint and knee as a whole. It’s important to realize that this is not a knee strength issue but rather a positional issue.

So, what’s the solution?

Assuming structural issues have been ruled out, implement a thorough and progressive corrective/loading program to build stability, control, and alignment in the lower extremity. This should include exercises that target hip/foot activation AND stability and alignment.

Next, improving the knee joint’s ability to withstand higher loads and ground reaction forces with landing-based plyometrics is a must. Teaching proper jumping, landing, and positioning of the joint during loaded activities will build the resilience needed to return to running with better long-term success and less incidence of future injury.

The following video will reinforce several key considerations when targeting optimal knee health…

I hope this article has helped shine some light on the “other” areas which contribute to proper knee health. I highly recommend seeking an evaluation from a qualified healthcare professional so you can be properly diagnosed and put on a daily corrective program. If improving your knee health is a priority, click here to contact me directly so you can work towards achieving a pain-free and healthy lifestyle.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Strategies to Maximize Posture Late in a Race

March 25, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on March 25th, 2019 at 08:22am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Posture is one of those areas which can have a strong impact on running economy and performance. Let’s think about it in a very simplistic way… The better you can maintain a vertical and supported position, the more efficient your lower body can operate with less energy wasted while fighting to keep you upright. This is especially true late in a run or race when breathing is labored and your muscles are fatigued.

Take a second and think back to your last race or long training run… As mileage started to increase and you got tired, what happened to your body position? Most likely you…

Developed more of a hunched over posture
Lost control around the core and possibly felt some lower back irritation
Increased loading into the ground due to poor shock absorption
Had difficulty catching your breath as the run went on
Started to feel heavy legs that were hard to turnover

Do any of those sound familiar? If so, targeting posture in your weekly strength training routine can have a huge impact on your running.

So, what does it take to really maximize your posture as it relates to the demands of distance running?

Posture is a mix of several different characteristics which includes: joint positioning, mobility, flexibility, stability, and endurance. You can certainly target individual attributes and see great results. But, implementing a well-rounded approach while also taking into consideration your specific limitations will create a lasting impact to withstand the high impact of running.

In addition, posture really needs to be viewed from a full-body perspective. Of course what quickly comes to mind is the spine and shoulders. But, I want you to shift your focus to also include the pelvis, hips, rib cage, breathing mechanics, and then those commonly thought about areas up the kinetic chain. This all-encompassing approach will be the difference maker in your running!

In today’s video, I want to share with you a variety of basic strategies to implement when targeting posture:

What I recommend moving forward is to following a systematic approach when targeting posture. In the exact order, this includes:

Hip, spine, and shoulder flexibility/mobility (i.e. hip flexor stretch, prone press-up, and pec stretch)
Diaphragmatic breathing and rib cage control (i.e. hooklying breathing)
Core stability with proper breathing (i.e. supine marching and dead bug)
Shoulder and spine strength/endurance (i.e. band low row, band high row, and dumbbell bent over row)

By following this recipe you will notice a significant improvement in posture when staying consistent for a minimum of 2x/week for 6-8 weeks. With that being said, don’t stop there! Continue building more endurance and resilience by increasing resistance and progressing your exercises as needed. This will create a more bulletproof posture that continues to be supportive as mileage increases.

Thank you for checking out this article today regarding posture for runners. Please comment below or send me a message if I can answer any specific questions for you. If you need help creating a specific strength training routine that supplements your running, I’d love to help!

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

5 Exercises to Build Hamstring Strength & Resilience

March 22, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on March 11th, 2019 at 09:15am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

The hamstrings are a group of muscles located at the backside of the thigh which are super important for runners. These muscles are most active during late swing phase and initial ground contact to decelerate the limb and provide shock absorption. This role often leaves the hamstring group overworked, feeling tight, and likely to suffer from chronic injury, such as: strains, tendinopathy, and bursitis.

Increasing running speed or consistently running uphill sections may also elevate the demand on these muscles. Therefore, a progressive hamstring training program is advised to build strength, endurance, and tolerance to load. With a greater capacity to withstand the forces of running, this ensures the hamstrings are not pushed beyond their limit.

Because running is such a mid-range activity, the hamstrings are rarely lengthened to the point where flexibility becomes an issue. Therefore, even though they may sometimes feel “tight,” building strength and resilience is often the best strategy to reduce this symptom.

Due to the hamstrings role in controlling the limb during the late swing phase, incorporating an eccentric component is vital for proper function to match the demand of the sport. This means placing emphasis on creating a contracted muscle and slowly controlling throughout the range of motion (i.e. eccentric ball curl and eccentric single leg ball curl).

In addition to these ground-based exercises, I highly recommend targeting the hamstrings in an upright and hip-dominant position. This would include exercises, such as: romanian deadlift, single leg deadlift, etc. But, for our purposes today this exercise progression will be a very helpful, and simple, starting point.

To help provide you with structure and guidance, below are 5 ground-based exercises that I commonly use to target posterior chain strength. They begin with bilateral and unilateral isometric (no change in knee joint angle) strengthening and progress to bilateral and unilateral isotonic (change in knee joint angle) strengthening.

Here are 5 exercises to build hamstring strength and resilience…

Exercise #1: Long Lever Bridge

Exercise #2: Long Lever Bridge with Marching

Exercise #3: Eccentric Ball Curl

Exercise #4: Ball Curl

Exercise #5: Eccentric Single Leg Ball Curl

So, where do you begin?

When it comes to strength training and running, progression is king. Therefore, progressively increasing the demand on the body, and specifically the hamstrings, is important to promote good form and function. Don’t skip to the last exercise in the progression, but gradually expose the hamstrings to an increased load one week at a time.

When looking at the following hamstring progression template, it’s important to complete one exercise at a time before moving on to the next. For example, start with long lever bridge and complete the required sets and repetitions for 4-weeks. Then, move on to the long lever bridge with marching. Then, move on to the eccentric ball curl… This sequence allows you to master each movement before moving on to the next, rather than throwing everything at the hamstrings and hoping you are successful.

Here is a simple guideline to follow when programming these exercises over a 20-week period:

I hope this progressive hamstring loading protocol provides you with more guidance in the quest for sustainable, and injury-free running. Stay consistent to the cause and be patient! Please feel free to comment below with any questions on the topic.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Tying Together the Core and Hip for Optimal Lower Extremity Kinematics

March 21, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on March 21st, 2019 at 11:28am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

When we look at proper running form, there is a significant requirement at the hip to stabilize the lower extremity. Stability promotes optimal alignment and greatly improves efficiency during gait. But, the body does not work in isolation and this is especially true while running. Many processes need to happen in a timed out and coordinated fashion in order to create proper movement.

So, how do you create an environment that carries over to better running mechanics and performance? It all comes down to knowing your limitations. exercise selection, progressive overload, and a solid understanding of physiology.

Yes, hip stability is super important. However, a stable hip without control of the spine, pelvis, and ankle is a lost cause. That’s because all of these areas require stability and reflexive control to keep you in an efficient and aligned position while running.

As a starting point, ground-based exercises are an excellent choice. But, it’s important to translate these improvements on the ground into an upright and loaded position that will ultimately carryover to running. This will tie together stability, strength, balance, and neuromuscular control which are all essential for proper movement.

In today’s article, I want to share (3) of the most beneficial core and hip combo exercises for runners. Their benefit comes from targeting the lateral core (obliques and QL) and hip (gluteals, TFL, hip rotators) simultaneously which helps simulate the demand on these areas while running.

The exercises include:

Modified Lateral Elbow Stabilization (Ground-Based: Beginner)
Lateral Elbow Stabilization (Ground-Based: Intermediate/Advanced)
1-Dumbbell Marching (Upright: All Levels)

As I mentioned previously, this progression teaches hip/core strength and stability on the ground in addition to increasing the demand in an upright position that relates running. I highly recommend this approach for any runner who is serious about seeing big improvements in function and performance.

Take a second and watch this video to learn proper technique on these 3 exercises…

Now that you have learned and hopefully understand the exercises, it’s important to go about this the right way. The modified lateral elbow stabilization and lateral elbow stabilization target the exact same thing but one is very much harder than the other. My recommendation is to select which one you can successfully complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions and start from there. Oftentimes, the lateral elbow stabilization takes approximately 4-6 months to build up to, so don’t rush! It’s more important to hold yourself in the right position and with good technique, rather than choosing the hardest exercise just because.

Since the marching exercise is resisted with a single dumbbell, you can start working on that immediately. Complete the ground-based and marching exercise in the same strength training session to see the benefits from both. This will help build strength, stability and balance in two different positions to impact your running.

Any questions? Comment below or contact me directly so I can provide more individual feedback. Thanks for reading!

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Core Training for Runners: Stability vs. Flexion-Based Exercises

March 18, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on March 14th, 2019 at 01:44pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

When we look more closely at how the spine functions during running, it becomes clear that stability is a more relevant characteristic than strength. The spine does go through a small amount of rotation but you are never flexing, extending, or rotating through the range of motion. Or, atleast I hope you aren’t! So why would you only train the core via flexion-based exercises and through these unused ranges, while neglecting the stability component altogether?

Core stability is very important when resisting unwanted joint positions and maintaining proper alignment. During running the spine should remain upright, rigid, and resisting external forces so the lower body can move efficiently. Like I mentioned above, there is a degree of rotation that happens which acts as a counterbalance to the lower body. But, for the most part, stability and proper positioning of the spine are far more important than solely possessing a strong core.

My goal with this video blog is to educate and hopefully build awareness around proper core training for runners. Don’t get me wrong, crunches, sit-ups, and other core exercises can still be used with this approach. But, if you are looking to train the core in an effective way that carries over to better performance and longevity in the sport of running, there needs to be an emphasis on stability of the spine.

In the following video, I want to walk you through (3) of the best core stability exercises for runners. They include:

Dead Bug
Bent Legs Lowering
Front Plank

Note: It’s important to pay close attention to the position of your pelvis and spine. Maintaining a neutral spine is important to reinforce throughout the duration of the exercise. Once this position is lost, re-set, and go back into your repetitions or hold.

Now it’s up to you! Use this article and video as a guide to see where your current core training program is lacking. If it consists solely of core strengthening and no stability, I highly recommend adding some of the exercises I outline in the video.

Obviously this is a very basic starting point to see better results that carryover to your running. So please let me know if I can help you by designing a more individualized program to achieve your running goals.

Please comment and leave feedback below on your thoughts from the article or core training in general.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

3 Lower Extremity Exercises That Are No Longer Helping You

March 14, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on March 14th, 2019 at 01:48pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Progression is key when it comes to running and strength training. You can’t continually do the same mileage or exercises and expect better results. Most runners understand this and do a great job building mileage in preparation for their goal race. But, it becomes a little more clouded on the strength training side of things.

Since it’s easy to become comfortable or even stagnant with your strength training program, there are a few concepts I want to introduce…

Progressive overload is very similar to what you do when preparing for a 5k, half marathon or full marathon. You patiently and progressively follow a running plan for 12-18 weeks (or more) to improve the body’s tolerance to a given distance. This helps prepare you for the race so you can run it successfully without overloading the body. The same approach needs to be taken into consideration with your strength training program.

To follow this concept with your strength training, a few variables can be manipulated to see positive results. They include: increasing repetitions, increasing sets, increasing resistance, modifying the speed of movement (faster or slower), modifying the range of motion (less or more), increasing the stability component, progressing the movement, etc. All of those things can be changed in some way to increase demand on the body.

Since approximately 80% of runners get injured each and every year, there is this influx of physical therapy type exercises in the performance world. It is still good to complete corrective exercises to fine tune your weak links and resolve any imbalances. But at a certain point, performing these same exercises for months or years on end won’t provide enough of a stimulus to elicit a positive response. That’s why progressing the movement and somehow increasing the demand on the body is needed for sustainable results.

Single leg loading needs to be a priority when it comes to strength training for runners. Running requires bounding from one leg to the other. Therefore, you must be strong, stable, and resilient enough to withstand these forces for your given mileage. This is usually where I see a big disconnect in runner’s programs.

Let me ask you…

Are ground-based strengthening exercises enough to bridge the gap to running? No.
Will exercises on two legs translate to the single leg demand of running? No.

Obviously, there may be a few exceptions as there are with everything. But typically those will provide little carryover to running. Therefore, getting upright and into split stance or single leg stance is not only recommended but necessary to be a successful runner. This will help your body be more tolerant to the loads of running, and thus increase performance and reduce overloading the body.

Lastly, plyometrics are essential to teach the body how to efficiently create and absorb energy and promote healthy tendons. This is a path that many runners don’t venture down, either because it’s confusing or they are afraid of getting hurt.

If you reflect back on running, it requires energy storage and release when bounding from one leg to the other. This is quite demanding on the musculotendinous unit and therefore needs to be trained so people are ready to handle these forces. Incorporating various jumping, landing, and plyometric-like exercises can be very advantageous when programmed properly. And I’m not talking about some of that crazy stuff you see on instagram. It can be as simple as repetitive jumps in place, jumps with emphasis on landing, hopping, and much more.

Next, I want to elaborate by sharing an exercise that fits within each category mentioned above. Following each exercise is a suitable progression that would be very helpful in seeing better results with your strength training program. These exercises include:

Progressive Overload: Clam Shells —> Modified Lateral Elbow Stabilization/Lateral Elbow Stabilization
Single Leg Loading: Squats —> Split Squat ISO Hold, Split Squats
Plyometrics: Calf Raises —> Ankle Hops

Take a second and put it all together by watching this video which discusses the 3 exercises that are no longer helping you, as well as a progression to really take your running to the next level.

If you have any questions about how to safely and effectively progress your strength training program, please click here to reach out directly.

By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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