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Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Athletic Development // Functional Training // Active Release Techniques (ART)

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In the Spotlight: Cathy Gartner

November 11, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

In this edition of ‘In the Spotlight,’ let’s talk with Cathy Gartner. Cathy has been enrolled in my Custom Programming option for the past 6-months and I’ve enjoyed each and every check-in. Want to talk about someone who is motivated and just gets it done? That’s Cathy!

Even though I’ve known Cathy for several years through Fleet Feet, my learn-by-doing seminars, and from the local running community, it is just recently that I have had the privilege to work with her. Over the last 6-months she has not even missed a beat. Staying consistent day in day out to further build her strengths, while attacking her weaknesses.

With the daunting task of completing her first marathon, Cathy understood the role that strength training and injury prevention needed to play throughout her demanding training. Each month she was challenged with a program to address those weak links (that we all have!), while increasing overall strength, flexibility, stability, and stamina. Despite a fractured wrist at one point, Cathy kept her focus on the end goal and was able to continue making progress in the necessary areas with the right modifications. Of course the program had to change accordingly, but she still re-tested stronger once everything was healed.

Without further ado, let’s shine the spotlight on…

Cathy Gartner

Q: Where are you from?

A: “Kansas City,  MO”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “I am an Environmental Lab Project Manager.”

Q: When you aren’t working, what are some of your favorite hobbies? 

A: “I work with 4/5 year olds at church and love my time with them. Watching Chiefs and Royals games, live music when I can. And, running of course!”

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? Why?

A: “If anywhere besides here, I would love to move back to Colorado. It is so beautiful,  and there are so many places to explore outdoors!”

Q: What are the top reasons you enjoy running and fitness?

A: “I love the friends running has brought into my life. I feel so much better all around when I’m being active!”

Q: When you first started working with Garrett, what were the goals you wanted to achieve?

A: “My main goal was to complete my 1st marathon without injury and also regain the strength I had lost over the last year.”

Q: What motivated you to work with Garrett and/or start making changes in your routine? 

A: “I have attended some of Garrett’s seminars and knew he understood runners and what we need. I do much better either with classes, or with a specific plan to follow. With Garrett’s personalized plan, I would have the workouts in front of me, and they would be tailored to what I needed to be a successful runner.”

Q: What are the most noticeable improvements you’ve seen so far?

A: “I’m getting stronger! And more importantly, my knees did not hurt for 22 miles. This was a big improvement.”

Q: Of all the tests you perform monthly to gauge progress, which one are you the most proud of?

A: “The TRX Rows!  I never thought I would even get 1, let alone more.”

Q: What is that one thing (exercise, drill, stretch) you dislike the most but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: “The Adductor Rocking stretch – I’ll never be comfortable doing them, they can hurt, but I know I need it.”

Q: What is your favorite part about the Custom Programming option? And, is there anything you would change about this program to better fit your specific situation?

A: “I love that it is specific to what I need: my physical issues, abilities, and goals. I wouldn’t change anything – I love the monthly check in and testing to see where I am.”

Q: If there is one piece of advice that you could provide to yourself when you first started this program to see results faster, what would that be? 

A: “None, lol.”

Q: How do you feel Garrett’s services may differ from other professionals in his field?

A: “Garrett has such a variety of options to choose from that almost anyone could find a way to fit his programs into their schedule.”

Q: Looking ahead, do you have any new goals/races you are working towards?

A: “Nothing new, but continuing to keep getting stronger while staying injury-free.”


Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Cathy Gartner! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.

4 Plyometric Drills to Increase Your Running Speed

November 4, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on October 29th, 2018 at 08:10am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Increasing your running speed takes patience, consistency, and the right approach. Too often do most distance runners focus solely on running-specific strategies without first ensuring the body possesses the ability to run more quickly.

At this current moment, your body has a specific composition of Type 1 to Type 2 muscle fibers, and a certain degree of strength, power and cardiorespiratory fitness. Is this enough to then push your limits during a track workout, hill repeat, or tempo run? Maybe yes, maybe no.

The great thing is that the human body is very adaptable to the stimulus we place upon it. So even if you are not ready to naturally run at a faster speed, you can implement movement-based strategies that train the body for more speed and efficiency. This is where plyometric training comes in.

First, let’s dig a little bit deeper into plyometrics. Plyometric training is a method that utilizes jumping and landing to enhance neural pathways, power, and elasticity. But, there are a few key principles that need to be followed in order to be successful…

  1. Before implementing a plyometric program it’s important to possess adequate strength, stability, balance, and resilience. I always recommend completing a movement/orthopedic screen to determine your baseline levels in order not to get hurt by exceeding your limits.
  2. Always prepare for plyometrics with a structured and thorough dynamic warm-up. This should focus on joint mobility, tissue temperature, weight bearing functional movements, and locomotion drills.
  3. Plyometrics utilize potential and kinetic energy within the muscles and tendons to store energy and create a quick, powerful movement.
  4. When completing a series of jumps in succession, it’s important to understand what is known as the “Amortization Phase.” This phase is the duration between initial ground contact (landing) and the subsequent jump (push-off). The goal of plyometrics is to limit this time as much as possible which will greatly increase rate of force development and power production.
  5. Rest time is ever so important during plyometrics. Doing a series of jumps with limited rest greatly increases fatigue and reduces explosiveness. Therefore, rest 2-4 minutes between each set of plyometrics to ensure quality is high.
  6. If you are a beginner to plyometrics, you will want to introduce these drills with lower volume. What most don’t realize is that compressive forces, strain on the musculotendinous unit, and overall stress on the body is high during this type of training. Therefore, start with a lower volume and build over 3-6 months by slowly increasing the demand. This will help increase success and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Now that you have a solid understanding about plyometrics, let’s take a look at some basic drills that will carryover to faster running speeds…


Ankle Hops

Ankle hops is a fantastic starting point in the world of plyometrics. Not only does it enhance power and force development, but it is simplified to strictly an ankle movement in order to teach the basics of repetitive jumping.

When performing ankle hops, your main goal is to minimize the time on the ground. Just like I mentioned above, the amortization phase is the duration of time from initial contact (landing) to the subsequent jump (push-off). When the amortization phase is quick, you’ll notice your jump will become much more forceful and explosive.

Because this drill is focused only on one joint and places less compressive force on the body, you can emphasize a quick landing to a faster and more explosive jump. This is the most important principle needed to apply to the other plyometric drills found later in this article. Therefore, ankle hops is often used as a teaching tool just as much as enhancing power and speed.

  • Exercise: Ankle Hops
  • Sets: 2-4
  • Repetitions: 4-8
  • Rest Time: 2-4 minutes

Single Effort Vertical Jumps

The next plyometric drill in the progression is the single effort vertical jump. Compared to the ankle hop, this vertical jump adds more joints into the mix as it incorporates a greater degree of motion at knees and hips. Therefore, not only do we have greater loading and compressive forces acting on the body, but bigger and more powerful muscle groups that are used throughout the running cycle.

Whenever you add more joints and range of motion into a plyometric drill, it greatly increases the difficulty to speed up the amortization phase and be explosive. That’s why the single effort vertical jump is done with a brief pause between jumps to properly set-up and work on the basics that will be challenged more in future drills.

One key thing worth stating early on is that this movement is not a squat but rather a hip hinge. It’s essential to sit back into the hips during the loading phase so you can utilize the action of hip extension which mimics push-off during running. And, once you commit to loading it’s important to quickly transition into the jump. Performing this drill too slowly will greatly reduce it’s effectiveness and carryover to your running.

  • Exercise: Single Effort Vertical Jumps
  • Sets: 2-4
  • Repetitions: 4-6
  • Rest Time: 2-4 minutes

Repetitive Vertical Jumps

Now that you are back at a repetitive exercise you will notice that the single effort vertical jump was just a teaching tool to perform the movement properly so we can now speed it up. The repetitive vertical jump is a fantastic plyometric drill that incorporates ankle, knee, and hip motion in an explosive manner.

This is not a simple drill and often one that many runners need to work on for months to master the execution. That is important to realize with plyometrics. If you have not mastered the movement or feel very slow completing it, it’s best not to move on to the next progression. The value comes with mastery and increased force production rather than completing the hardest exercise very slowly.

Two tips to performing the repetitive vertical jumps effectively are to recall the fast transition time you practiced with ankle hops. Plain and simple, can you get off the ground quickly and in an explosive manner? Secondly, don’t worry about going through the full range of motion. Running challenges very little range of motion at the knees and hips. Therefore, the more you load on each landing the more you are getting away from the specific demands of running, and also greatly slowing down each repetition.

  • Exercise: Repetitive Vertical Jumps
  • Sets: 2-4
  • Repetitions: 2-6
  • Rest Time: 2-4 minutes

Bounds

Did you notice a trend with the previous three drills? They all challenged vertical displacement. But, running happens predominantly in the horizontal plane. That’s where bounds come in!

A bound is a horizontal, power-based movement that utilizes a forceful hip extension motion to propel the body as far as possible. Out of all the movements covered in this article, the bound is the most specific to running. It is also very challenging to perform properly and with the correct execution.

Hip extension and ankle plantar flexion are the two most relevant motions when you look at propulsion and push-off during running. The bound targets both in an exaggerated fashion to make you faster and more explosive.

What’s important to realize with the bound is that you need to get outside of your comfort zone. It’s one thing to jump vertically and land in the same position. But, I often find people are hesitant to jump explosively for a desired horizontal distance. Just like with the other jumps, once you commit to loading the hips with the hinge-like motion, it’s crucial to quickly transition into your jump. This is the same load to explode mechanism you worked on speeding up in previous drills to really increase the explosiveness of the subsequent jump.

  • Exercise: Bounds
  • Sets: 2-4
  • Repetitions: 2-6
  • Rest Time: 2-4 minutes

Now that you have learned a simple plyometric progression to increase running speed, it’s important to practice patience in moving from one to the next. Just like in your running plan, you usually don’t go out and run a half or full marathon. Instead you progressively increase your mileage over a given period of time which allows the body to adapt to the increased stress and do so with success.

Although the plyometric progression outlined above is a very simple starting point, I do recommend perfecting each drill over 4-6 weeks before moving on to the next one. Completing each drill 3-4x per week is adequate but it’s important to listen to your body and decide what works alongside your running. Typically these will not be the only drills you are incorporating as you should already have a structured strength training routine in place. But if you don’t, please contact me directly so we can create a well-rounded program geared towards your specific goals and limitations.


Please feel free to comment below or reach out directly with any questions or comments. Thanks for reading!

Become a Faster Runner: 6 Strategies to Increase Your Running Speed

October 21, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Increasing running speed can often leave runners frustrated and burnt out. That’s because so many are set in their ways of completing long slow distance runs, without intermixing other strategies that truly impact running speed.

When approaching the question, “How do I get faster,” there are several different pieces to the puzzle. On one end of the spectrum, we have running-specific strategies such as: tempo runs, track workouts, and hill repeats. Each of these can be meticulously programmed within your training plan to increase running speed and reduce overall running time.

On the other hand, we have specific characteristics within the human body which can be addressed with movement-specific strategies, such as: strength training, power training, and plyometrics. These are ways to improve the body’s ability to function effectively at higher running speeds. But, they need to be combined with running-specific strategies for the most reliable results.

Since I’m a big believer that we should stay in our lane and not dispense information outside of our expertise, I have teamed up with local running coach Jenny Clayton, of Clayton Performance Coaching, to provide you with the running-specific strategies. Combining both of our approaches and putting in the work should allow you to finally increase your running speed and achieve that P.R. you have been chasing.

But before we dive in, let’s take a second and introduce running coach, Jenny Clayton…

“In junior high and high school, I enjoyed running on both the track and cross country teams, but I didn’t truly invest in the sport until much later in life. In 2010, well after becoming a pharmacist, wife, and mother, I ran my first half marathon. At the finish line I thought to myself “I think I could be kind of good at this!”

Eight years, five Boston marathons, many miles, and an RRCA coaching certification later, I love running more than I ever have. I’ve certainly had my share of performance ups and downs, but the sport has brought me so many great friendships and experiences along the way. I also discovered that helping other people achieve big goals is more rewarding than I ever thought possible. Because the Boston Marathon is such a special race to me, helping clients achieve their Boston qualifying time has become my niche, and by far, my most favorite area of my coaching practice.”

“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” – Thomas Jefferson


Many new runners, particularly new marathoners, approach their training with a “just run” attitude. Each training run might be of varying distance, but the speed and intensity are essentially the same from one run to the next. This absence of more speed-directed training could be due to a number of factors, including a lack of experience, knowledge, and/or running foundation. Athletes miss out on such a huge potential for speed improvement by not including specific workouts of higher/varying intensity into their training. Three important strategies that have become the cornerstones of speed development in distance runners are track workouts, tempo runs, and hill repeats. Keep reading for a more detailed description of each of these strategies.

Track Workouts

In very general terms, track workouts that include regular interval work at prescribed paces are reserved for more serious, goal-oriented runners. The natural progression for new half marathoners or marathoners is to go from running all of their training runs at about the same “easy pace”, to adding in a weekly speed session to include a workout of faster, shorter repetitions. Typically, runners who are willing to commit to this addition to their training will see dramatic performance improvements.

Speed training conditions the intermediate fibers of working muscles to be able to shoulder some of the burden when slow twitch muscle fibers become fatigued over long distances. This leads to improved coordination, resulting in enhanced running economy. Multiple bouts of high intensity repetitions also trigger important physiologic adaptations, such as increased myoglobin production (important for the transport of oxygen to working muscles) and initiating increased glycogen storage. No less important is the mental aspect of speed training. The focus and mental toughness that develops with regular speed work will be invaluable on race day.

A speed workout progression over the course of a training cycle depends largely on the event for which the athlete is training. A runner training to gain speed for a shorter event, such as a mile race or a 5K would benefit from speed workouts that include shorter, faster repetitions, like 100 and 200 meter repeats at near maximal effort with a pre-determined recovery interval to follow each (i.e. 30-60 seconds). Half and full marathoners would more likely begin their speed workouts with longer repetitions in the 400-600 meter range. One commonly prescribed beginning workout for marathoners is 10-12 x 400 meters followed by an easy-paced 400 meters after each repetition for recovery.

Tempo Runs

The term “tempo run” is growing more and more difficult to specifically define. One athlete might define it as a long, sustained effort at/around marathon race pace. Another might argue that the pace is significantly faster, approaching 10K race pace, but the distance of the run is not intended to be quite as long.

Common themes are that tempo runs are run at a pace faster than “easy pace”, but much more sustainable than “all out”.  Also, tempo runs are generally performed at steady state for the duration of the run, with little (if any) pace variations. Athletes training for longer distance events (15K and above) will get the greatest benefit from these longer, sustained efforts.

The reason for this is an improvement in lactate threshold which is not as important an adaptation for shorter, faster events such as the 5K. A common approach to incorporating tempo runs into marathon training is to begin with a distance of 3-4 miles at a pre-determined “tempo pace”, and increase that distance weekly as race day approaches.

Hill Repeats

Hill repeats have often been called “speed work in disguise.” Athletes will obviously not be able to target the same fast paces that they would during a track workout, but these workouts still provide a huge potential for strength and power development. The short, intense bursts of intense effort create a significant stimulus for improved running economy. Further, running uphill tends to encourage a desirable running form, since the natural inclination is to lean slightly forward from the ankle (rather than the hip) during the climb. As with track workout, hill repeats offer a mental benefit. If a runner becomes accustomed to working hard on hills, his/her perception of the flat portions of a workout or race will be that they require significantly less effort.

As with other strategies for speed development, the programming for hill repeats depends greatly on the goal distance to be run. A typical example of a hill workout for early in a training cycle would be 8-10 reps of 30 seconds uphill @ 5K effort, followed by a walk or very slow jog back down the same hill to recover. The length of the repeats can be gradually increased over the course of the cycle. Sometimes, the biggest challenge is finding a hill that is steep and long enough to accommodate the duration of the repeat.


Now you should have a better understanding of ways to target speed within your running plan. Next, let’s look at how to improve the body’s capacity to tolerate the higher intensity training and faster running speeds with the following movement-based strategies.

Strength Training

Strength training is always a worthwhile and rewarding strategy for runners in order to be faster, speed up recovery between runs, and increase resilience to injury. But, unless you are lifting a heavy load, “traditional” strength training of 3 sets of 10 repetitions has limited carryover to running speed.

To better understand what is needed to become a faster runner, it all comes down to motor unit recruitment. A motor unit refers to a nerve and the muscle fibers that it innervates. Therefore, it’s essential to complete a movement or exercise that recruits as many motor units as possible to best translate over to running speed.

How do you do this when it comes to strength training? You either lift a very heavy load for low repetitions. Or, you lift a light load very quickly (explained more in the power development section). Too often do people stay away from these strategies in order to build strength and endurance. These characteristics are still needed to be a successful runner, but heavy and explosive lifting will more reliably make you faster.

Some strength training exercises which would be valuable are the back squat, front squat, romanian deadlift, deadlift, and rack pull. More important than the exercise itself is the repetition scheme. The load has to be heavy and completed for a recommended 4-6 sets of 2-6 repetitions. This rep scheme should be modified depending on where you are in relation to your goal race, as running mileage needs to be considered. Also, beginners in the world of strength training might benefit from learning form and technique in the 8-12 repetition range before implementing a heavier or more explosive lifting style.

Power Development

As quickly introduced above, power development is a style of resistance training that moves a light to moderate load very rapidly. The goal is to recruit a large amount of muscle fibers to move the resistance quickly throughout a desired range of motion. This targets the same faster twitch fibers that provide the speed and elasticity during running.

Because our primary goal is explosiveness and acceleration, you cannot sacrifice speed for load. This means the load needs to be monitored closely to determine the point where the rate of acceleration starts to plateau or decline. If you are no longer being explosive because the load is too heavy, than you lose the ability to target the fast twitch muscle fibers.

Power development can be instrumental in creating that “kick” to push up a hill or pass a competitor. It also has a dramatic impact on running economy. When you incorporate strategies that improve elasticity and tension within the musculotendinous unit, their ability to recoil increases thus leading to better running economy.

Various examples of exercises that fit within the power development category are hang cleans, hang high pulls, power shrugs, snatch, and dumbbell snatch. Similarly to the strength training recommendations provided above, it’s important to keep repetitions low in order to maintain the integrity and explosiveness of the lift.

Despite being a great way to become a faster runner, these movements are more technique-intensive and take time to master. That is why I often utilize heavy strength training and plyometrics, while teaching the basics of power training over an extended period of time.

Plyometrics

Last, but certainly not least, we have plyometrics. Plyometrics are more easily accepted in the world of distance running. That’s usually because they can be incorporated as a prep before your run or in a gym-setting, and are more readily found in running magazines.

Similar to power development, the goal of plyometrics is to move a relatively lighter load (your bodyweight) as quickly as possible. I always recommend learning the basics of landing-based plyometrics first, which emphasize shock absorption. Because who wants a fast car with no brakes?

There are several different kinds of plyometrics that I will explain below:

  1. Landing-based plyometrics
    • These consist of an explosive jump and stick landing. Although a great addition to any program, they are not the best for improving running speed. But, they can provide strong improvements in terms of shock absorption, stability, balance, and tendon/joint health.
  2. Plyometrics with no countermovement
    • These consist of an explosive one effort jump with no pre-load or pre-tension on the musculotendinous unit. Therefore, your body must be ready to jump without loading prior.
  3. Plyometrics with countermovement
    • These consist of an explosive movement where you quickly load the muscles prior to jumping. This quick action utilizes the stretch reflex and usually leads to a more powerful subsequent jump.

Throughout the years, I have seen runners completely overlook the benefits of plyometrics. Simply adding them after your warm-up and before your run is a great way to reap the benefits. Some of my favorite plyometric drills are: single leg jump & stick, bounds, ankle hops, and squat jumps. When incorporating these, your main goal should be to increase the explosive nature of the movement with a quick transition from landing to jump.

Once again, fatigue can be your enemy! Incorporate plyometrics in low repetitions and with ample rest between bouts. Once your body fatigues, it greatly diminishes the explosiveness of the movement and is therefore less targeted to fast twitch fibers.


Now that you understand the various running and movement-based strategies, its important to decide which will be the easiest first step to becoming a faster runner. Start by making a few small changes that require the least effort and greatest likelihood of success. In the end, it’s about doing the small things very well and consistently that will provide the best results.

Questions about the running-based strategies or want more individualized running coaching? Use the contact information below to contact Coach Clayton:

Jenny Clayton

  • Clayton Performance Coaching
  • Email: Coachjclayton@gmail.com
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPCoach/

Questions about the movement-based strategies or want more individualized movement coaching? Use the contact information below to contact Garrett:

Garrett McLaughlin

  • Email: Gmac922@gmail.com
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gmclaughlin922
  • Click here to download the FREE Building the Bulletproof Body Guide for Runners

Thank you for reading this article! Please comment below with any feedback or questions.

In the Spotlight: Michelle Martelle

October 15, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

In this edition of ‘In the Spotlight,’ let’s talk with Michelle Martelle. Michelle was enrolled in the Integrative Approach to Movement program for the past 6-months which includes an orthopedic approach to movement training. Due to the long-term nature of these chronic injuries, a patient and progressive approach needs to be taken in order to respect the body’s healing process. Luckily for me, Michelle was awesome to work with and I enjoyed every session!!

I started working with Michelle because she was suffering from a challenging case of plantar fasciitis and patellofemoral pain. When aches and pains linger for years, it’s an uphill battle getting to the point where things are manageable again. And in the case of overuse injuries, it may actually take 6-12 months for that to happen. Luckily, despite many frustrations throughout our time together, Michelle was able to prevail by working hard and being patient.

We regularly spoke about the rollercoaster ride she was on and how looking at improvements from a wider lens allows us to view those details which are impossible to see day to day or even week to week. It was also important to re-evaluate the baseline testing protocol to provide a more objective look at progress.

Without further ado, let’s shine the spotlight on…

Michelle Martelle

Q: Where are you from?

A: “Charlotte, NC”

Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

A: “I love boating and being on the lake. I also love hiking, especially around waterfalls.” 

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? Why?

A: “First and foremost, I would always want to live close to my children. I would hope that would be in a place that is warm all year round near crystal blue water.”

Q: When you first started working with Garrett, what were the goals you wanted to achieve?

A: “I was referred to Garrett when I was buying new tennis shoes. I was having terrible knee pain and had plantar fasciitis. I thought that new shoes would help. I was telling the salesperson that I used to love to run but haven’t been able to for the past four years. I also told her that I was starting PT for my knees and foot. She recommended Garrett because he had helped her work through an injury and get back to running. She said he would be able to help me too. So, I went to see Garrett for a consultation. He was so impressive and had all the confidence in the world that he could help me with my physical issues. So, I chose to work with Garrett versus a conventional physical therapist. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made! My first and most important goal was to get rid of my knee pain and foot pain with the ultimate goal of being able to run again without pain.”

Q: How long have you been experiencing pain and were there any strategies in the past that provided relief?

A: “I have been dealing with plantar fasciitis from mild pain to severe pain for at least eight years. I have spent a lot of time stretching and rubbing my foot to get rid of the pain. It would go away slightly, but never healed completely. I had been dealing with knee pain for three months prior to working with Garrett. My knees have always had a small amount of pain, but not the extreme pain that I had been dealing with over the three previous months. I could barely get up the stairs at my house. Nothing I was doing was making it better.”

Q: What are the most noticeable improvements you’ve seen so far?

A: “Since working with Garrett, my foot pain is almost completely gone. It only hurts very mildly if at all and that is typically only right when I wake up. I am so excited about this progress! And my knees are so much better! I can go up and down the stairs with no problem. I can even run up and down the stairs now! I can sit on the floor Indian style and get up without my knees buckling on me!”

Q: Were these improvements easy to achieve? And, tell us a little bit about any struggles along the way.

A: “It took six months of working with Garrett to get to the point where I am now. It definitely wasn’t easy. I have always worked out, but I basically had to start over with certain exercises to build up the strength in my legs. It was very humbling. From the beginning through around four months, I was always in pain for a day after working with Garrett. I was having to learn new exercises and re-learn some of the exercises that I had been doing forever. I didn’t realize that the way I was doing some of the exercises before working with Garrett was incorrect and probably creating some of the issues. There were days that I didn’t want to go meet with Garrett because I was in so much pain and that made me super grumpy! He wouldn’t let me give up though. He made me push through and after six months, I feel so much better! I actually feel better than I have in years!”

Q: If you were having a conversation with someone who was experiencing the same aches/pains as you were, what would you tell them?

A: “I talk to people all of the time that are dealing with the same pains that I have had. I always say the same thing – go see Garrett! He has been great! I tell them all about my struggles with the pain, my training with Garrett for the past six months, and how much better I feel because of working with him.”

Q: What was your favorite part about the corrective exercise sessions?

A: “My favorite part about the corrective exercise sessions was seeing the improvements that I made and the strength I was building. I will be the first to say that I didn’t love all of the exercises because they were hard for me. But seeing where I am now versus six months ago makes it all worth it. I would do the exact same thing again if I had another injury. And honestly, working with Garrett was my favorite part! He was always so positive and upbeat! He has a great attitude and outlook on life! It’s hard not to leave smiling after training with Garrett!”

Q: What is that one thing you dislike the most (exercise, stretch, etc.) but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: “What I have learned along the way is that my hamstrings are my achilles heel. They are the cause of a lot of my issues because they are super tight, especially my left one. I REALLY don’t like the supine ball curls! My hamstrings cramp up almost immediately. But Garrett has taught me that I need to focus on using my glutes, not my hamstrings. Maybe it is actually a weak gluteus maximus that is the cause of all of my issues! 😛 I still do the daily exercises he gives me and try to do the weight training he taught me twice a week.”

Q: If there is one piece of advice that you could provide to yourself when you first started this program, what would that be?

A: “At the beginning of my time working with Garrett, I would have told myself to be patient and that there will be times that you will feel like giving up. I would have told myself to remember that I would need to work through it slowly. Thankfully, Garrett reminded me of that!”

Q: How do you feel Garrett’s services may differ from other professionals in his field?

A: “Garrett is the first trainer I have ever worked with. He is very educated in what he does. While I was training with him, he attended several continuing education seminars. Also, he works with a lot of people to rehabilitate them after injuries. I had sought help in many different ways for the pains I was dealing with and Garrett has been the only one who was able to “fix” my physical issues. I believe that his ART certification makes him stand out among his peer group.”

Q: Looking ahead, do you have any new goals you are working towards?

A: “I am working hard towards running again. I am not a marathon runner, just a simple 5k runner. I really enjoy it and would love to be able to run without having any pain or injuries. Also, I would really like to do a mud run again. They are so much fun!”


Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Michelle Martelle! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.

Understanding the Complexity of the Lunge (and it’s variations)

October 3, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on October 3rd, 2018 at 10:00am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

The lunge, and all of it’s variations, should be a staple within your movement program. Since much of what you do daily involves emphasis on single leg strength, stability, and balance, there is really no reason why you would overlook the lunge. This is especially true if you are active by walking, running, or playing sports.

One of the biggest problems that prompted me to write this article was the lack of attention to detail concerning the form which makes the lunge effective. Since I work in a fitness facility, I have the privilege of watching people move and specifically lunge on a daily basis. This is a privilege and also a curse, because often it’s not always pretty.

You can’t blame the person performing the lunge if they have never been told how to lunge properly. I think the problem stems from assuming everyone knows how to lunge that gets us into trouble. Yes, this is one of the most popular exercises anywhere. No, it does not just happen naturally, especially in our technologically-crazed and movement-restricted society.

So, what needs to happen? The teachers (trainers, coaches & therapists) need to teach.

My goal is to not expect that everyone knows what I know. I have spent many years of schooling, internships, and hands-on experience working with people on a daily basis while assessing and instructing movement. Just because you’ve done lunges before or have seen a “proper lunge” on Facebook or Youtube doesn’t mean your perception of the task matches your execution. Therefore, it’s important to use this article as a mental checklist while you are lunging to determine how you can be more proficient and effective with this movement pattern.

The basic principles to perform a proper lunge are:

  • Proper positioning of the pelvis
  • Alignment of the lower limb
  • Trunk angle/lean (can vary based on the focus on that lunge variation)
  • Position of the foot with support from the big toe

In the following video, let me walk you through all of the above mentioned areas so you can lunge more effortlessly and with better long-term results:

The tips provided in this video should be easily observed but that doesn’t always mean they are easily attainted. Please feel free to reach out directly if you notice difficulty getting into the right positions. This is common and most likely warrants an evaluation and specific corrective exercises to target any underlying limitations.

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

In the Spotlight: Margaret Galloway

September 9, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

In this edition of ‘In the Spotlight,’ let’s talk with Margaret Galloway. Margaret has been enrolled in my individualized programming option for 8-months now and I cannot be more impressed with her progress. Just recently we completed a re-evaluation/testing to gauge progress and determine the best next step for her program. Well… she blew it out of the water!

When I think about Margaret, what comes to mind is consistency and patience. Some movements which include single leg balance and stability were challenging at first. But, Margaret realized this meant she had to focus more and work on them regularly to get the results she wanted. And that’s exactly what she did.

Just a few months back, Margaret fractured her elbow. For most this would’ve completely stopped any progress while things healed. Instead, Margaret decided to work on the elbow with PT while continuing to use strength training on her unaffected side, core, and lower body. There were plenty of excuses to be made but we were able to create a program that was mindful of the elbow while still targeting the key areas which would move her closer to her goals.

Here we are 8-months later with great progress due to her consistency and determination. With that being said, I am very excited to see how she finishes the year!!

Without further ado, let’s shine the spotlight on…

Margaret Galloway

Q: Where are you from?

A: “I am originally from upstate New York, the town of Saranac Lake near Lake Placid.  Before moving back to TN in 2014, my husband, Tom, and I lived in Byron Center, MI near Grand Rapids.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “Both my husband and I are retired.”

Q: What are some of your favorite hobbies?

A: ‘Well, based on the amount of time spent, you could say running and training are my hobbies J.. Other than that, I like to read, to experiment with photography, to be outdoors, and to go RVing with Tom and our lovely Australian Shepherd, Lil.”

Q: What are the top reasons you enjoy running and being active?

A: “Maintaining my health, mobility and strength as I age is the top reason, But I do it because I love the way I feel after running or training; it gives me a sense of accomplishment and calm and improves my outlook.  The camaraderie and accountability I find from working with Garrett and training with Fleet Feet keep me coming back for more!”

Q: If you could live anywhere in the world where would that be? Why?

A: “I wouldn’t live any one place.  Rather, I’d fulfill the dream of traveling this beautiful country in an RV, exploring national parks and catching up with friends and family.”

Q: When you first started working with Garrett, what were the goals you wanted to achieve?

A: “I wanted to get stronger to supplement my running, and I wanted to improve my balance.  I also wanted to learn from Garrett about functional movement; I am fascinated and amazed by the capability of the human body.”

Q: What motivated you to work with Garrett and/or start making changes in your routine?

A: “I was first introduced to Garrett at a strength session at Fleet Feet.  I was impressed with his knowledge, his professionalism, and his clear desire to help runners become stronger.  Since I was enjoying running so much (I only started in 2014), I knew that to get better/faster I needed to get stronger, and I knew Garrett could help me.”

Q: What are the most noticeable improvements you’ve seen so far?

A: “This is a great question as I just completed my best strength training evaluation.  My single leg split squat numbers are two to three times better than when I started with Garrett in October 2017.  I can hold a front plank for three minutes and was actually able to do four TRX pull ups having barely been able to do one at the beginning.  All this, despite working through a broken elbow early in 2018, is quite encouraging.”  

 Q: Were these improvements easy to achieve? And, tell us a little bit about any struggles along the way.

A: “No, the process can be pretty humbling!  It takes a lot of discipline, dedication, and self-acceptance to get better.  I think the single leg deadlift will be in my corrective program forever J, but I recognize that if I don’t focus on balance, my running will suffer as will my general movement as I age.  I had a lesson in patience as I worked my way back from my broken elbow.  Garrett did a great job adjusting my program to accommodate the limitation; I had to stick to the training schedule and do my best.  Strength changes arrive quietly.  They show up during an evaluation or during a run or simply doing everyday tasks.  It’s fun to notice them, pat yourself on the back, and then get back to work!”

Q: What is your favorite part about the Individualized Exercise Programming option that you are enrolled in?

A: “That it’s individualized and that it’s so well supported by Garrett, his videos, and his steadfast availability and encouragement.”

Q: What is that one thing you dislike the most but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: “Take a guess… the single leg deadlift!  Enough said!” 

Q: If there is one piece of advice that you could provide to yourself when you first started this program, what would that be?

A: “Trust the process, accept the progress, recognize that improvements are often subtle but sometimes surprising…”

Q: How do you feel Garrett’s services may differ from other professionals in his field?

A: “Garrett’s is the first individualized strength training program I have ever done.  It’s been a great experience for me, and I have a strong suspicion his programs stand out above the rest.  As I mentioned earlier, Garrett’s knowledge of functional movement, practically demonstrated and customized to your needs, makes his services worth the investment.  Also, Garrett is easy to work with and always fair and encouraging.”

Q: Looking ahead, do you have any new goals/races you are working towards?

A: “I’m doing the Fleet Feet Speed + Play program.  Since I’ve spent no time on a track and am in total learning mode, it’s a challenge aimed at completing a November Half in under 2:30.  We’ll see…”


Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Margaret Galloway! Please feel free to comment below with any questions or feedback.

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