Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

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Exercise of the Week: TRX Power Pull

March 11, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Since we officially kicked off the new PhysioFIT TRX Facebook page, I thought it was only right to highlight an exercise using the TRX suspension training unit. The power pull is a single-arm, horizontal rowing exercise that also has a great thoracic spine rotation and core stability component. In other words, it works everything! Why I love this exercise is that is mobilizes the thoracic spine, where most people become restricted, and strengthens the support arm, upper back, and core. As always with the TRX, I highly recommend mastering the basic principles of the low row before progressing to the power pull. You should be able to keep the hips in line with the shoulders and feet, knees stay fully extended, and keep the strap taut at all times.

Steps to properly execute the exercise:

While holding onto one handle, square yourself up with the anchor point
Keep the hips up and draw the shoulder blades back
Lower the body towards the ground while rotating through the upper spine, reaching with the free arm towards the ground
As you rotate the upper body, keep the hips facing forward
Pull with the support arm to raise the body back towards the strap and rotate the body so you are again squared up with the anchor point
Now, reach with the free arm straight up the strap towards the anchor point
Repeat, as desired

Notes:

Remember, the hips are always extended and never slouch. When rotating towards the ground focus on the thoracic spine doing the movement and not allowing the hips to change.

Garrett McLaughlin is an Athletic Trainer and Personal Trainer in Nashville, TN. He creates personal training and injury rehabilitation programs for the general population and athletes. Garrett is passionate about not only working one-on-one with clients, but educating them on health & wellness so they can continue making positive choices throughout their lives. Check out Garrett’s Facebook wellness page for more frequent information.

4 Reasons You Should Try Interval Training

March 10, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Interval training has been growing in popularity and it’s obvious why, the health benefits are significant. Whether you are trying to lose weight, build muscle, or improve cardiovascular health, interval training has a place in your exercise program. Interval training is alternating moderate to strenuous bursts of high intensity exercise, followed by periods of low intensity exercise or rest. The high intensity bursts can last anywhere from 30-seconds to 2-minutes and should raise your heart rate to 80-85% of your maximum heart rate, and then allow your heart rate to recover back down to 60%. There is varying research on how long an interval program should be, but I would shoot for anywhere from 15-30 minutes. To figure out estimations of what specific numbers you need to strive for, here are a few equations:

Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)= 220-age

To figure out Resting Heart Rate (RHR), place two fingers on the carotid artery for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Make sure it is during a restful state.

Target Heart Rate= (MHR – RHR) x Intensity (%) + RHR

Example for myself:

Maximum Heart Rate: 220-27= 193bpm

Resting Heart Rate: 56bpm

60% of MHR: (193 bpm – 56 bpm) x 0.6 + 56bpm= 132bpm

Here are 4 reasons why you should try interval training:

You can receive twice the benefits in less time. When you compare the benefits of interval training to steady-state training, moving at the same speed for an extended period of time, interval training is far superior. You will burn more calories not only during the exercise session, but even after you have stopped and throughout the day. Research shows that only 15-minutes, 3x a week of interval training can improve cardiovascular health, exercise tolerance, insulin sensitivity, muscular resistance to fatigue and lower blood pressure. If you are crunched for time, or just don’t like doing long bouts of cardio, interval training may be a manageable alternative.
A true heart healthy form of exercise. Even though you are doing shorter bursts of high intensity exercise, the heart rate is increasing to a much higher level than steady-state training. Though it may not be elevated for an extended period of time, the body perceives and adapts to these short bursts of increased heart rate making the heart function more efficiently.
Lean muscle will be preserved. While working at higher intensities the body will preserve it’s lean muscle mass. With extended duration, slow speed cardio, muscle may break down in order to supply sufficient energy to complete the task. So, if preserving or increasing lean muscle mass is your goal, try interval training to keep your muscles intact! A 12-week cardiac rehab study showed that with 3-sessions a week their subjects actually increased muscular strength.
You can design the program based on what you enjoy. There are many ways to design an effective interval training program. By utilizing a piece of cardio equipment, walking/running outdoors, using free weights, or your own body weight, you can use the same equations above to figure it out. If you are using external resistance or your body weight, complete the exercise until your heart rate elevates to the target range, and then allow it to recover back down to 60%. Repeat this for the desired duration. But, if you do choose to use resistance or body weight exercises you will not have the luxury of a heart rate monitor like on cardio equipment. You may need to purchase a heart rate monitor which could cost anywhere from $50 up. Remember, our goal is elevating and recovering the heart rate, which means you can use whatever resources you have to make this happen.

Therefore, if you are looking for a quick and effective cardiovascular workout, interval training may be for you. I would recommend adding intervals into your exercise routine at least 2 days per week. Not only will you preserve and possibly increase muscular strength, but the heart health benefits are substantial! For questions about creating your own interval training program, contact Garrett.

Garrett McLaughlin is a licensed athletic trainer and personal trainer in Nashville, TN. He thoroughly enjoys helping people make improvements within their lives. Aside from one-on-one personal training, Garrett is a certified active release techniques provider. ART is a soft-tissue manual therapy technique to quickly and safely restore the natural function of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and fascia. Contact Garrett for more information.

References

Can You Get Fit in 3 Minutes?

Get Fit Fast: 5 Reasons to Love Interval Training

Interval Training Helps After Heart Attack: SCU Study

Soft-Tissue Maintenance for the Distance Runner

March 2, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

As the weather starts to warm-up there are a lot more races for runners happening on a weekly basis. This is great for distance runners and the community, as it promotes exercise and living a healthy lifestyle. I do credit runners for their training discipline and being active on a consistent basis, which sets them apart from other exercise-goers. However, an area I see that is commonly neglected is properly recovering from the high mileage demand of distance running. Sports involving high volume, repetitive motions can cause significant wear and tear on your soft-tissue, which increases the chance of injury. In this post I will discuss the process of muscle repair, and why the soft-tissue should be treated regularly.

How Do Muscles Repair?

When you strain a muscle, new muscle forms in its place, correct? Not exactly… During muscle repair following injury or repetitive stress, your body actually lays down different substances which are weaker and less elastic in nature, called scar tissue. Just think about that for a minute… After injury, your soft-tissue just isn’t the same. That is why it’s essential to not just rest completely following soft-tissue injury, but gradually stretch, strengthen and re-align the tissues manually. Once the scar tissue is laid down, it happens in almost a haphazard fashion. These new substances that fill in to repair the tissue need to be aligned in the same direction as the original muscle fiber, or the muscle will not function optimally and the incidence of future injury is high.

Do you have tight muscles? Have you ever considered that the tightness may be a protective mechanism by the brain to prevent further damage? Take a peek at the diagram to the right. Stress can start a vicious cycle, which if not treated properly can lead to injury. Even the low intensity, but repetitive running motion can cause microtrauma to the muscles. In some instances there might not even be a pain response, but often an increased level of soreness for the next few days that people usually disregard as having a great run or workout. This is all it takes on a weekly basis to increase your likelihood of muscular strain, tightness, compensation, and injury.

Soft-Tissue Maintenance/Treatment

Maintaining the resiliency of your soft-tissue is key if you want to excel in running, prevent adhesion/scar tissue build-up, and thus prevent injury. And, the great thing about soft-tissue treatment is there are tons of methods out there. Foam rolling may be the cheapest, do-it-yourself form of self-myofascial release (SMR). A foam roller costs anywhere from $15-$30 and is a must have for all runners. Although there is still some research needed on what exactly foam rolling is doing, there is no doubt that it makes you feel better after and allows greater improvements in flexibility. Other SMR techniques include using tennis balls, lacrosse balls, a theracane, etc. Whichever one you choose is fine with me, as long as you are making an attempt of improving tissue quality. Here is a quick video on foam rolling the Iliotibial Band.

Another great method is massage. It is definitely sufficient to maintain tissue quality with a foam roller, but the direct, hands-on application of a massage therapist is far superior. To manually palpate, and find specific restrictions within the soft-tissue will provide a better outcome. And, you usually don’t have to do a thing. Unlike a foam roller, which usually takes a little bit of work, a message will have more improvements than just to the soft-tissue. By improving lymphatic drainage, increasing blood flow, decreasing pain, and causing a longer lasting state of relaxation, I highly recommend this method once in a while.

As a certified active release techniques provider, I am biased to ART as the most superior method. ART is a diagnosis/treatment technique which takes into consideration not only which way the muscles fibers are oriented, but the movement of the muscle itself. By placing a specific contact on the tissue and then moving it from a shortened to lengthened position, either actively or passively, it allows the therapist to feel and break up any scar tissue/adhesions within the tissue. In terms of tissue repair, this technique makes the most sense by re-aligning the haphazard fibers to regain proper length and function.

Regardless of which soft-tissue method you choose, consider adding something into your maintenance routine. Not only will it allow you to improve flexibility and feel good, but it will reduce your chance of injury. Remember, exercise without proper recovery is like preparing dinner and never putting it into the oven. Why put in all the work if you’re not allowing yourself to reap the benefits. Think of it like getting an oil change for your car, once in a while we need it to continue running at our best. To find a certified active release techniques provider in your area, check out the ART website.

References:

http://bodyinbalance.com/856/muscular-injury-pain-muscle-healing/

http://www.essentialtherapync.com/scartissue.html

Exercise of the Week: Multiplanar Lunge

February 26, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

The multiplanar lunge is a great mobility exercise that dynamically stretches the muscles surrounding the hip joint. The hip is a joint that is often very restricted in terms of range of motion and needs to be addressed. Once the hip becomes inflexible, we rely on the lower back and knee to accommodate for this loss of motion. In the long run, the chance of injury and pain drastically increases. That is why it’s essential to ensure all of our joints have the necessary range of motion to function optimally and prevent other joints from being overstressed. Not only can we use this exercise to improve hip mobility but it also strengthens the hip muscles, and improves balance and stability in multiple planes of motion.

Steps to properly execute the exercise:

Forward Lunge

Take a big step forward with one leg
Once the front foot touches down, lower the body down towards the ground
Push strong off the front foot to move back to the starting position

Lateral Lunge

Take a big step to the side much wider then your normal base
As the foot touches down, sit all the weight onto the heel and push your butt back
The stationary leg should straighten out completely
Push strong off the lateral leg to move back to the starting position

Transverse Lunge

While facing forward, step and rotate one leg away from your original position
As the foot touches down, bend at the knee and lunge in the same direction
Do not let the front foot move from its position
Push strong off of the rotated leg to move back to the started position

Notes: Always maintain good upright posture with the shoulder blades pulled back. Remember, in the lateral and transverse lunge, one leg is bending and lowering you down as the other straightens out.

10 Reasons You’re Not Seeing Results From Your Exercise Program

February 23, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Let’s mix it up a little bit with this post. On a weekly basis I hear people say that they are just not seeing the results they want. If that’s the case, something needs to change. Don’t continue doing the same things and hoping the end result will be different. Here are a few things to think about if you have been working hard but are still frustrated with the lack of results. None of these are in any specific order, but just random from what came to mind. Enjoy!

You’re not doing any soft-tissue work: Continuous break down and repair of the muscles can cause undesirable changes if not addressed. Foam rolling just a few days a week or getting a massage can help restore the natural qualities of your tissue.
You’re great about putting the time into exercise, but you never let your body fully recover: Exercise without recovery is like preparing dinner without cooking it, you’re forgetting the most important part! The majority of our adaptations happen while we are resting and sleeping. Continued stress on the body can be detrimental in the long run. I’m not saying you have to take full days off in between workouts, but make sure you are alternating body parts to allow proper recovery. Oh ya, and get a good nights sleep!
You don’t document your programs: Documentation is a key element to every exercise program. If you never document your exercises, sets, and reps, how do you know what to do next time? Okay, maybe you have a great memory and can recall exactly how much weight you lifted and how many times. But, how easy is it to pick up a cheap composition notebook at walgreens and record these numbers. If you’re not seeing results you can reflect back and see what exactly needs to be changed.
You’re only doing cardio: Cardio is only half the battle! Studies have shown that people who only do cardio can actually gain weight. As we increase lean muscle mass with resistance training, our metabolism speeds up, which can lead to more calories burned in a day than that cardiovascular workout of yours. Plus, you can get a great cardiovascular benefit from implementing supersets or tri-sets into your resistance training routine.
You never warm-up, cooldown or stretch: A proper warm-up, cool down and stretching are key aspects to any exercise program. The warm-up is essential to prepare the body for what lies ahead. It’s a time to mentally focus, increase muscle length, raise tissue temperature, and speed up nerve conduction velocity, which all decrease the chance of getting hurt. The cool down is a simple way to return the body back to normal after a tough session. A light jog or walk can lower the heart rate, and continue to circulate blood which will nourish the tissues. Then we get to static stretching, which no one does enough. I don’t necessarily think you’ll become more flexible, but definitely restore your muscles back to their resting length, which is huge in not losing range of motion.
Your program contains so much variety that you never become proficient in certain movements: Depending on your exercise skill level, variety can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you are a beginner or intermediate gym-goer, too much variety will definitely provide a good workout, but won’t improve your movement skill. It actually takes the neuromuscular system 4-6 weeks to become proficient in a certain movement before we actually see strength gains. So, take the time to repeat your program for 1-2 months while adding some serious weight.
You have never been screened to identify any weakness, asymmetry, or imbalance: What areas do you need to improve most? I know you want to lose weight, get stronger, or feel better, but you place no emphasis on your weaknesses. Asymmetries and muscle imbalances can be strong contributors to future injury and can limit your success. Before you continue exercising, figure out how your body is functioning and address accordingly. Realize by improving upon your weaknesses you can further maximize your program.
You use one full workout day each week to do arms: Bodybuilders will probably stop reading this post after #8. How often do I do arms? Almost never… And, why is that? Arms are involved in every upper body movement whether you realize it or not. We use the biceps for all pulling/back exercises, and the triceps for any pushing/shoulder/chest exercises. Of course, summer is right around the corner and you want to look great on the beach, but a full day of just arms is unnecessary.
You haven’t set any goals: If you don’t have set goals, you can’t design your exercise program accordingly. When do you want to achieve these goals? Do you have a finish line in mind? Having set goals written down on paper is essential to designing the right exercise program. Don’t just go to the gym to do a series of exercises while assuming you are headed in the right direction. Set short-term and long-term goals, devise a detailed plan, and execute.
You think exercise only happens in a gym: Exercise is anything that puts you in motion. Whether it’s riding bikes with your kids, gardening, hitting the gym, or playing basketball. I think we often get stuck into the idea of needing to be a member of a gym to exercise properly. Do you have stairs in your house? Walk up and down them. Do you live near a park? Jog around it or climb the monkey bars. Exercise happens anywhere and everywhere, so don’t limit yourself to this confining, unnatural place we call a gym. Try re-connecting with nature by exercising outdoors. Outdoor exercise can be beneficial by providing a different stimulus, and can actually help relieve stress. Oh yeah, and leave the iPod at home!

Exercise of the Week: Hip Bridge with Leg Extension

February 11, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

The hip bridge with leg extension is one of my favorite posterior chain bridging variations. Once you have mastered the regular hip bridge and hip lift variations, this exercise is great to work on maintaining stability through the lumbar spine and pelvis as you change from one leg to the other. Muscles worked during this exercise are the erector spinae group, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius/minimus, and hamstring group. Remember, as always in these bridging exercises, try to make sure all the motion comes from hip extension and not lumbar extension. We want to maintain a nice neutral low back with no excessive arching to lift the hips up.

Steps to properly execute the exercise:

While maintaining a neutral spine, lift the hips off the ground
Keep all the weight through the heels of the shoes
Once the hips are held in a straight line between the knees and shoulders, extend at the knee to kick the lower leg out
Do not flex the hip, the thighs should stay level with each other the entire time
Hold as long as desired and then switch legs

Notes:

It is essential to monitor any shifting or dropping of the hips. We want to maintain stability around the pelvis and lower back, so once we hold the hips up, this is the position to maintain even as the legs change. To make the exercise more challenging you can either hold on a single leg longer, raise the arms straight up so they aren’t supporting the body, or both.

Hip Bridge with Leg Extension

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