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Browsing Tags locomotion

How to Get the Most From Your Dynamic Warm-Up

January 27, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on January 27th at 09:49am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

The dynamic warm-up is so crucial to prepare you for the demands of running. But, do you have a specific system in place that provides reliable results time after time? Most likely not.

Oftentimes what becomes the problem is that the dynamic warm-up is thought of as a stretching and flexibility session OR a literal increase in muscle temperature. Are you someone who incorporates a series of static stretches before running? Or, do you walk and slow jog for a short period of time before picking up to your pace for that day? If so, this article will provide you with a much more thorough and worthwhile system to implement in order to see big results with your running.

Of course, the strategies I listed above do need to be taken into consideration as part of your warm-up. But, you also need to to address your specific limitations, the demands of the sport, and thus prepare the body accordingly.

When designing a dynamic warm-up for my clients, I like to include (4) different areas that I feel provide the best results in the most reliable way possible. These include:

Neuromuscular Control
Muscle Temperature & Joint Lubrication
Locomotion
Shock Absorption

Let me break down each section individually so you fully understand it’s importance and consider how it will enhance your dynamic warm-up…

Neuromuscular Control

Neuromuscular control is a term to describe the connection between the nervous system and muscles. Essentially, do you have control of important body areas that will allow you to fire the proper muscles needed to run with authority. Key areas that are specific to running are the foot, calf, gluteals, hip flexors, core, and scapular muscles. Knowing where your specific limitations are will help narrow down this section to only what is the most important. So, if you have good neuromuscular control of the intrinsic foot and hip flexors, address the calf, gluteals, and scapular muscles to fine tune your weaknesses and prepare for the upcoming run.

Some examples of relevant neuromuscular drills for running include the following: yoga toes, calf raises, sidelying hip abduction isometric hold, supine 90/90 w/ resisted marching, dead bug, bent over T.

Muscle Temperature & Joint Lubrication

Muscle temperature and joint lubrication is what runners most commonly think about and complete when it comes to the warm-up. Essentially, can we increase heart rate and tissue temperature while also moving the joints to prevent stiffness as it relates to running.

I’m not saying static stretching is wrong when it comes to programming for this section, but it certainly is not the most effective. What we need to realize about running is that it is a mid-range activity. Therefore, cranking on muscles to increase range of motion is probably not super important before you run. Instead, focus more on actively moving through your range of motion to prepare the body and joints for movement.

Some examples of relevant muscle/joint warm-up drills are: calf raises, leg swings, arm swings, spiderman lunges, step ups, squats, walking lunges, etc.

Locomotion

Locomotion is an often overlooked aspect of all warm-ups, especially for runners. I love locomotion as the transition point between warming up the body, improving timing and coordination, and beginning to increase the demands in terms of loading and absorbing ground reaction forces. Since running is a plyometric-like activity, you must increase the velocity of your movements before hitting the road. We can’t just expect some low level neuromuscular drills and leg swings to successfully prepare you for the high impact demand of running.

Locomotion drills in particular further enhance neuromuscular control, tissue temperature, joint lubrication, timing, and coordination in a controlled fashion. Essentially, they are the skills that create an efficient running cycle and finally get you moving while exposing yourself to higher impact.

Some examples of relevant locomotion drills are: low bear crawl, low skip, A-skip, B-skip, power skip, lateral straight leg bounds, and carioca.

Shock Absorption

Shock Absorption is easily the one area that does not get programmed in most dynamic warm-ups. With ground reaction forces throughout lower extremity being so high during running, it’s important to expose the body to these demands in a controlled environment before pounding the pavement. Even though the emphasis is on landing in a soft and absorbent manner, this section further addresses propulsion just as much as shock absorption.

Research shows that the body has to withstand forces up to and sometimes exceeding 2-4x it’s bodyweight while running. Just as previously stated in the locomotion section, if you go from leg swings or walking lunges to that much impact, the body will not be adequately prepared for that degree of loading. That’s why adding some double leg and single leg jumps will be the icing on the cake to fully prepare the body for the demands of running.

Some examples of relevant shock absorption drills are: vertical jump & stick, single leg vertical jump & stick, bounds, medial to lateral jumps, repetitive vertical jumps, and more.

As you read through each of those sections, you might be thinking to yourself, “Where do I begin?” I wish I had the best answer for you as this systematic and progressive dynamic warm-up should be individualized to your needs. That’s why I highly recommend reaching out to a trained healthcare provider who specializes in working with runners. Click here to schedule your FREE 30-minute consultation.

In the meantime, below is a video tutorial on this dynamic warm-up system so you can learn more about each specific aspect with general suggestions on related drills. Remember, general recommendations often get general results. So work on fine tuning this system to work for you and please reach out with any questions or comments.

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

The Secret to Better Running Economy

February 19, 2017 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on February 19th, 2017 at 10:05am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Functional training is often considered a big no-no in close proximity to upcoming races. This is usually the case for those that don’t understand that functional training is much more than just building strength. We aren’t only lifting weights to get stronger, but focusing on joint mobility and range of motion, stability and balance, recovery and regeneration, etc. All of these characteristics can be targeted without creating unwanted soreness and fatigue on race day.

For years I have been educating my clients that their program needs to adjust based upon mileage and is even more valuable as distance increases. That is because the repetitiveness of running often causes predictable patterns of injury which we can offset with the right supplemental training.

Even if you think it’s the right thing to do by playing it safe and focusing solely on your running weeks before the race, I may have one benefit that’s hard to overlook…

Recently, I was talking with one of my clients (shout out to April!) and she mentioned that her running improves on days that immediately followed our sessions. I have heard this before from numerous athletes but never payed much attention to it.

Luckily, April was well informed and sent me an article on how increasing muscular tension can improve running economy and the ability to store and utilize elastic energy. This makes perfect sense and the thought of a rubber band quickly came to mind.

I know you have seen those loose rubbers bands that have to really be stretched in order to snap back. While there are others that are very taut and spring back instantly as soon as you release them. Which one do you think will create a more effective running cycle?

Now, how do we create adequate levels of tension to utilize this mechanism for improved running performance? We incorporate various functional movement strategies such as power training, plyometrics, strength work, and locomotion drills. All of which can be valuable right up until race day when programmed effectively to supplement your training without interfering with long runs and causing overtraining.

Are you starting to see another avenue in which functional training can be effective?

Instead of just leaving you with this thought that lacks actionable information, here are some of my favorite exercises for runners that create a ‘good’ tension:

Pop & Float

Squat Jumps

Rack Pull

While implementing the aforementioned exercises, limiting volume is important. Because you are already ramping up or at a higher mileage, we don’t want to add excessive stress on the body that makes recovery inadequate. In these instances, completing no more than 2-4 sets of 3-5 repetitions is important.

You may also want to consider limiting self-myofascial release and flexibility drills that aim to reduce tension and increase muscle length. Although I am a big advocate for restoring optimal range of motion in joints that are restricted, there is a case for tension playing a pivotal role in performance.

Could this be one of the ways your program needs to adjust up until race day? Starting with a function-based approach to restore alignment, range of motion, and symmetry to the kinetic chain, and then progressively increasing tension to improve economy and elastic energy…

This concept does have merit and can be debated either way. For now it serves as an approach which is new to me that I will explore more deeply over the coming months. Feel free to drop a comment below with your thoughts.

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

4 of the Most Commonly Overlooked Components of an Effective Pre-Run Routine

November 16, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on November 16th, 2016 at 10:31pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Do you have a systematic pre-run routine? Incorporating an effective pre-run routine that is specific to your needs is important. This area is often completely neglected and runners wonder why they struggle through the first 15-minutes of their run, see mediocre results, and/or get injured.

Runners come in many different shapes, sizes, and ability levels. What works for you may not work for someone else because your body functions differently. That is why I want to use this article to talk about a framework that can be tailored to your specific needs rather than giving general recommendations which may or not may benefit you.

Below, I’ll talk more in-depth about the 4 most commonly overlooked components that should be included in an effective pre-run routine:

4. Reset. I can honestly say that the nervous system is not a focus for many runners. That is because it’s so easy to see value in getting stronger, faster, and more resilient, without talking about the underlying communication/feedback system in the body.

From daily stressors, such as work, family, poor diaphragmatic breathing, and exercise, the nervous system can often become “turned on” more consistently. As you move into a more sympathetic state, the body responds with increased cortisol levels, muscle tone, and stiffness. These symptoms are not ideal for successful running performance and pain-free function.

A simple drill I like to implement with many of my runners is called crocodile breathing. Proper diaphragmatic breathing can help “turn down” the nervous system and return the body back to homeostasis.

Have you ever noticed how deep breathing changes the way you feel in times of stress? With that being said, adding a breathing drill into your pre-run routine can be very beneficial to get the most out of your training.

3. Lengthen/Lubricate. Reflecting on the amount of range of motion and fluidity of movement throughout the kinetic chain is important. If there are areas that commonly feel stiff or are restricted, adding self-myofascial release, flexibility, mobility, and dynamic movements can be useful in freeing up range of motion.

Oftentimes, I hear from runners that they always feel sluggish through the first few miles. This makes complete sense when there is no focus on increasing tissue temperature and nerve conduction velocity, or lubricating the joints and lengthening surrounding soft-tissue before training.

In this step, I always advocate for knowing which joints actually have below average range of motion. Targeting these with proper flexibility and mobility drills can provide long-term benefit far beyond your training session for that day. But regardless, moving the body through a full range of motion can help reduce stiffness and significantly boost performance from the start of your run. Stop struggling through the first few miles and make them count!

2. Activate. Due to extended hours sitting each day, poor exercise selection, and repetitive, high mileage training, it’s common that certain muscles become inhibited. Inhibition is a reduced neuromuscular connection that leads to poor firing of affected muscles.

Implementing isolated, activation exercises can be very beneficial in getting inhibited muscles working. Once certain muscles don’t fire properly, other muscles compensate to pick up the slack. This often predisposes runners to increased muscle tension, tightness, and possible injury.

If you are unsure of which areas need to be targeted, applying a general strategy to activate the plantar foot, calf, gluteals, and core can be impactful. Essentially, improved function of these areas will carry over to better running efficiency and performance.

1.Locomote. The only thing left is to put your newly improved function into motion. Locomotion drills helps prime the neuromuscular system and improve coordination and timing. More often than not, runners are not completing locomotion drills before, or in addition to, their training which is actually doing them a disservice.

Crawling, skipping, bounding, and shuffling are all forms of locomotion that set the stage for an efficient running cycle. What you need to realize is that running is an advanced skill that should be progressed to properly. Incorporating the following locomotion skills can make a big impact to your running form and performance.

As you can see, incorporating a systematic pre-run routine can create huge long-term benefits in running performance and injury prevention. This framework should get you thinking about areas that you may have been neglecting for years. Now it’s time to fill in the blanks and add basic exercises that make an impact.

As an added bonus for reading this article, I want to give you my new pre-run checklist. This PDF will serve as a reminder on what areas should be included in a beneficial dynamic warm-up. I highly recommend you print it out and keep it handy before your training. Getting familiar with this framework has allowed my clients to see dramatic improvements in their running times, with such a small time commitment.

–> Click here to download your pre-run checklist PDF <–

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

5 Reasons You Should Incorporate a Better Dynamic Warm-Up

July 6, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on July 6th, 2016 at 10:33pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

The dynamic warm-up is one of the most important aspects of training. And, that is regardless of whether it’s for a lifting session or marathon. The biggest problem I see is people aimlessly throw together different drills and exercises and are happy they “warmed” up. Unfortunately, tissue temperature is not the only characteristic we are trying to attain. In this post, I will explain more. Here are 5 reasons you should incorporate a better dynamic warm-up:

1. You hate sludging through the first 5-10 minutes before your body is truly ready to kick it into gear. To be honest, I’m not even sure if sludging is a word, especially since it’s giving me the red squiggly line underneath. But you know exactly what I mean!

When you begin exercising before you are truly warmed up, movement is difficult. Tissues are tight, joints haven’t been lubricated, nerve signals are sent a little more slowly, and you just aren’t mentally focused yet. These 5-10 minutes will be better suited with a dynamic warm-up!

2. You have limited range of motion, mobility, and/or high levels of muscular tension.

Restriction in range of motion can be a negative when looking to thrive in your training. Especially if full ranges of motion are needed to be successful. The dynamic warm-up should take into consideration your specific deficiencies. Adding self-myofascial release (SMR), flexibility, mobility, and functional movement aimed at restoring or improving range of motion can be worthwhile. Don’t get stuck only thinking about tissue temperature. Spend some time improving your weaknesses.

3. Inhibition and poor activation are common problems which limit performance.

On a weekly basis, I come across people who are not firing important muscles to their fullest extent. This can range from muscles in the feet, all the way to the hips, core, and shoulders. When inhibition or poor firing occurs, compensation takes over to accomplish the same movement, but with other muscles. Over time, this is where tightness, tension, and overuse injuries can stem from.

Incorporating specific activation exercises within your pre-training routine can be monumental to the improvements you see. Getting inhibited muscles firing again results in better strength and power, as well as less compensation by surrounding muscles to aid in movement.

4. Improving function on the front end allows for better integrated changes.

One of my biggest pet peeves is stretching and foam rolling and doing nothing further. This will almost every time lead to limited or no improvements in function. But, doing corrective-based exercises on the front end, incorporating integration exercises, followed by training, allows for more long-term adaptation.

What we need to realize is that the brain and nervous system are the computer processors behind it all. Most of the interventions I see are aimed at specific muscles and joints without connecting with the nervous system. So when you have a specific limitation, it may be more beneficial to address it before you train or atleast incorporate integration exercises after to solidify these changes within the nervous system.

5. Locomotion sets the stage more advanced movement training.

Locomotion is a form of movement that gets us from point A to point B. As we develop, we sit up, roll over, crawl, walk, etc. But as we age, some of these locomotor skills become increasingly more difficult in a society who lacks movement competency.

Most high level athletes use locomotion drills to improve movement quality and prepare for training. This can be in the form of rolling patterns, to hopping, bounding, and skipping. They are a great supplement after working on your limitations to further increase tissue temperature and improving timing and coordination. Essentially, it is the last step in an effective dynamic warm-up that primes the neuromuscular system.

Therefore, the dynamic warm-up can provide significant benefits when structured properly to make movement quality the focus. That is why I educate my clients on how to incorporate the RAIL system as their warm-up. RAIL stands for Release, Activate, Integrate, and Locomote. When these four areas are combined within a system, improvements in movement and performance are often the result. It’s not enough to focus solely on tissue temperature as this can easily be attained while accomplishing more worthwhile goals.

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

Improving Push-Off with a Basic Locomotion Series

April 28, 2016 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on April 28th, 2016 at 01:55pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

One thing we need to realize is that running is not a basic movement pattern. It is further along the developmental continuum than most people realize. All that means is it is an activity that needs to be progressed to properly. With that being said, most people often make the leap into running to achieve their fitness goals, complete their first half marathon, or whatever else the reason, without first checking off the boxes in the progression.

Implementing a locomotion series will provide a beneficial neuromuscular stimulus to prepare the body for running. With an often over-emphasis on the need for strength, creating an efficient nervous system is of the utmost importance. It’s that connection between brain and soft-tissue that leads to fluid movement, optimal timing and stride frequency, and success as a runner. Yes, strength, power, and endurance all play a role. But by themselves, they have limited carryover unless we have the neuromuscular component down.

As I progress my athletes through the locomotion series, I emphasize good running form. That means an upright posture, good arm swing, and sound lower body alignment; with a soft, yet explosive foot contact. All of these things are essential throughout the running cycle.

In follow-up to Chris Wolfe’s 2-part video series, locomotion is a much needed next step to bridge the gap in effectively using the great toe in the running cycle. Once we have re-established proper function from a mobility, strength, and neuromuscular standpoint, emphasizing an elastic and powerful push-off is crucial.

Watch the video below to learn more…

[Question of the day] Try skipping around your house… Notice any difficulty or awkwardness completing this movement? Leave your comment below.

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

Locomotion: The Missing Link to Better Movement

November 19, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on November 19th, 2014 at 10:34am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

skipping As kids, we used to run, jump, roll around, skip, shuffle, and so much more. Now, as we age, our movement competency has decreased significantly because we fail to practice those basic movement skills that were once a staple in our daily lives. It is interesting when I ask a new client to skip during the warm-up. A majority of them either don’t know how anymore, or feel completely lost in the movement.

Locomotion is extremely important and undervalued when looking at proper movement. We don’t practice crawling, skipping, bounding, hopping, or backpedaling, but we run miles on end each and every week while training for long distance races. Shouldn’t these basic movement skills precede running in the progression?

Resistance training and cardio is often our focus, but how much of those improvements actually carry over to basic movement skills. Is your goal to improve your performance in athletics, to be able to play with your kids, to run your first marathon? What if after all the resistance training and cardio you do, you actually move worse?

I challenge you to revisit the basic movement skills we did so easily as a kid and see how you hold up today. Ask yourself…

Does I feel awkward and uncoordinated?

Can I complete these movements at all?

At one point in our life we didn’t have to think twice about these movements, as they just came naturally. Now we don’t even consider them and bypass directly to running when our basics are non-existent. Let’s place more emphasis on restoring our basic locomotion skills which will improve balance, coordination, body control, reciprocal patterning, and so much more.

Below are a few locomotion patterns for the walk and skip. Don’t be embarrassed if you really struggle at first. Be diligent and practice daily. The most important skills don’t often come easy.

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