Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,550 other followers
Search
Blog Categories
Blog Categories
Whats New?
Attention: Runners & Triathletes
Click image to learn more...
Check out my Instagram
There was an error retrieving images from Instagram. An attempt will be remade in a few minutes.
Like me on Facebook

Like me on Facebook

Browsing Tags core stability

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

Why Certain Core Exercises Hurt Your Lower Back

November 25, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on November 19th, 2018 at 01:46pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Does your lower back feel healthy and pain-free throughout the day but only to become very irritated with certain core exercises? Instead of jumping to conclusions, it’s important to realize two important factors:

You never have low back pain throughout your daily routine
Your back pain increases in response to specific movements

When this is the case, it’s important to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Of course, seeking an evaluation from a trained healthcare professional can be a viable option. And, I always recommend this when dealing with pain or before getting started with an exercise program. But, if you have narrowed down the painful stimulus to specific movements, then it seems more impactful to either remove the trigger or assess technique and form while performing those movements.

The core is a complex area of the body. In the movement world we refer to this as the lumbopelvic hip complex. Therefore, it encompasses more joints and muscles than most people realize.

For decades we have been addressing this area with exercises such as sit-ups, crunches, supermans, etc. These can be beneficial to increase strength at the musculature surrounding the core. But, how much impact do they have on stability? And, do they place an unwanted amount of compressive force on the spine itself?

Instead of always strengthening these muscles in an attempt to build a healthy and resilient spine, let’s incorporate a stability component to improve control and positioning of each spinal segment. Too often do I see people performing tons of flexion, extension, and rotation-based movements without any focus on stability and joint position. Yes, this might build a killer 6-pack, but is it the best long-term strategy for spine health?

So, where do you begin? Self-assessing core stability can provide feedback into how well you are controlling the position of your spine. This isn’t how much weight you can move or repetitions on a sit-up. But rather how well you maintain neutral while the extremities move.

A simple and effective self-assessment is the legs lowering drill. I would recommend performing this with a 10-second eccentric (lower) while monitoring the position of the pelvis, spine, and rib cage. Sometimes it can be helpful to have a friend look at these areas for you to provide more accurate feedback. The video below will provide an explanation on how to properly perform this self-assessment.

Following the legs lowering self-assessment, if you notice that the lumbar spine loses it’s position into extension before the legs lower to 45 degrees, it’s important to patiently and consistently work on improving core stability. In the following video, I want to walk you through a simple exercise progression that serves as the foundation for better lumbar stability. These exercises include:

Hooklying marching
Dead bug
Overhead dead bug

If this approach to core training is new to you or you found that it was very challenging to perform these exercises with good control, it’s important to make these stability exercises a staple within your program. What’s important when it comes to improving stability is not attempting the hardest variation and struggling through with minimal success. Instead, perform the exercise that challenges you in a productive way for 4-8 weeks before moving on to the next. The goal should be quality and execution over quantity.

If you have any questions or need help troubleshooting any lower back pain as it relates to your current exercise program, please feel free to comment below or message me directly. I hope this video provided you value in some way. Thanks for reading!

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

How to Manipulate External Load to Optimize Kinematics

January 8, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on January 8th, 2018 at 01:39pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Resistance is such an important factor when it comes to strength training. But, how often do you alter the position of the resistance to assist or further challenge the body?

Let’s look past the short-sighted approach of using resistance to increase load and instead think more about quality of movement and/or what area are you trying to target. This will require you to think outside of the traditional thought process, but it will ultimately create better long-term improvement in movement quality.

In the following video, I demonstrate various loading strategies for the step up. Some of these strategies can be used to improve kinematics of the movement, while others increase the difficulty. Regardless, the movement remains unchanged and only the position of the resistance is altered.

Click below to watch the video…

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

How to Create a Well-Rounded Core Training Program

August 28, 2017 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on August 23rd, 2017 at 10:14am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

The core is complex and often misunderstood. I see this on a daily basis as I evaluate new clients and talk to them more deeply about their current exercise routine.

It’s quite easy to think about solely the abdominals when it comes to the core. They play a vital role in everyday tasks, athletics and injury prevention. Not to mention it’s a goal of most people to get “more cut” or 6-pack abs. But, training these muscles and overlooking the other important areas of the core is a very shortsighted approach that creates limited results.

In the following video, I talk about how the core requires attention from many different directions. From a stability standpoint, it’s important to teach the core how to prevent extension, prevent side bending, and prevent rotation. These three areas comprise a very well-rounded core stability training program when addressed properly. Let me show you exercises that will provide you with better long-term results…

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

The Basics Behind Creating Optimal Core Stability

September 21, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on September 21st, 2016 at 01:49pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Over the years, my thoughts on core training has changed. I dabbled with core strengthening and also at one point removed all flexion/extension movements altogether. The amount of over dramatization out there is huge! The body is meant to move in multiple planes of motion and also prevent motion, that is why having the proper balance is essential.

One area that has always been a staple in many exercise and rehabilitation programs is core stability. It’s really easy to promote the benefits as a joint needs to have the necessary amount of stiffness and reactiveness to prevent unwanted positions. This is important not only to prevent injury but to function optimally and transfer energy throughout the kinetic chain. If a joint is not stabilizing, energy is lost and more stress is placed on passive structures (ligaments, capsule, etc.).

A major problem I often see is that people don’t have a good classification system when putting core exercises together into a routine. This is almost done with reckless abandon based upon what exercises they like to do or where they feel needs the most attention.

Instead, let’s look at core stability from the viewpoint of what motions need to be prevented in order to perform at a higher level with less susceptibility to injury. If we utilize this simplistic but beneficial approach, preventing flexion, rotation, and lateral flexion are at the top of the list.

Anti-Extension

The anterior core musculature creates flexion movement at the spine. When these muscles fire and no motion occurs, this is called flexion moment. Essentially the muscles are maintaining the position of the spine while preventing any extraneous movement. Anti-extension is essential to reduce stress through the lumbar spine and maintain a neutral alignment. Below is a video explanation of anti-extension and a recommended exercise progression.

Anti-Rotation

Rotation is another common motion often carried out at the trunk. Many sports consist of high velocity, rotational movements which is why teaching the body how to disperse and decelerate these forces is important. Anti-rotation exercises can consist of the pallof press and it’s variations. Below is a video explanation of anti-rotation and a recommended exercise progression.

Anti-Lateral Flexion

Last, but definitely not least, is anti-lateral flexion. The lateral flexors consist of the obliques, quadratus lumborum, and other core muscles. These muscles can be targeted with hip abduction leg lifts, lateral walks, and other strengthening exercises. But, to improve stability we must teach the body how to fire these muscles to maintain joint position. Below is a video explanation of anti-lateral flexion and a recommended exercise progression.

In summary, core stability is very different from core strength. Instead of firing the core musculature to create movement, these muscles must react and adjust to maintain healthy joint positions. Over the years, I have increased emphasis on core stability before strength. Teaching the body how to control, decelerate, and absorb forces may be a more advantageous starting point before creating motion at an unstable joint.

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

Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 … 5 Next »