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Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART

Functional Training // Injury Rehabilitation // Running Analysis

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Browsing Tags physiofit

8 Kick-Ass TRX Exercises

May 19, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

drewbreesflyupThe TRX suspension trainer is an outstanding piece of exercise equipment. The greatest part is you can virtually do any exercise imaginable and also create from scratch. Just the other day Todd Durkin and Drew Brees, Quarterback from the New Orleans Saints, created a brand new advanced push-up variation, which you can see here. But, my favorite thing about the TRX is that it can be instantly scalable to exercisers of any ability level. This is HUGE in my TRX classes where everyone is accommodated with a challenging and safe exercise variation suited for their ability level.

Here are my 8 favorite TRX exercises:

  • Exercise: Low Row
  • Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
  • Exercise: Y
  • Difficulty: Advanced
  • Exercise: Feet Elevated Push-Up
  • Difficulty: Advanced
  • Exercise: Body Saw
  • Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
  • Exercise: Sprinters Start
  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Exercise:Hip Lift to I
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Exercise: Squat Jumps
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Exercise: Crossover Lunge
  • Difficulty: Beginner

Regardless of where you are in your fitness journey, the TRX can be a vital tool to a new world of challenging and effective exercises. Whether you attend our classes at Physiofit, or use the TRX in your home or at a park, make sure you try some of the exercises above.


Garrett McLaughlin is an athletic trainer, personal trainer, and certified active release techniques provider. He is passionate about creating safe, and effective fitness and rehabilitation programs for the general population and athletes. ‘Like‘ Garrett’s Facebook page to stay up-to-date on related health, fitness, and nutrition information.

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Exercise of the Week: TRX Power Pull

March 11, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

trx-power-pullSince 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:

  1. While holding onto one handle, square yourself up with the anchor point
  2. Keep the hips up and draw the shoulder blades back
  3. Lower the body towards the ground while rotating through the upper spine, reaching with the free arm towards the ground
  4. As you rotate the upper body, keep the hips facing forward
  5. 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
  6. Now, reach with the free arm straight up the strap towards the anchor point
  7. 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.

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4 Reasons You Should Try Interval Training

March 10, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Interval-training-2Interval 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:

heart-rate-carotidMaximum 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:

  1. Heart-WeekYou 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.
  2. 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.
  3. iStock_000011113997XSmallLean 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.
  4. 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.

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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

Self-Assessment/Treatment Strategies For The Ankle

February 4, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Often, many people exercise without any emphasis on improving their weaknesses. Our top priority becomes reaching our goals, whether that be weight loss, improving athletic performance, or just general fitness, and we create programs based solely on those aspects. I am a firm believer that we need to, as Gray Cook says, “Move well, then move often.” Moving well means knowing your bodies restrictions. Where do you lack adequate mobility, and stability? And, how do you measure and improve these qualities without paying for professional guidance? In this series I am going to help you self-assess joints like the ankles, hips, and thoracic spine, and provide corrective strategies to incorporate into your program based on your limitations.

First, let’s take a look at the ankle…

anatomy_footThe ankle is comprised of 3 bones, the talus, the tibia, and the fibula. This hinge joint that allows both plantarflexion and dorsiflexion is controlled by muscles that are found around the shin and calf. Besides injury or trauma to the ankle joint, footwear commonly causes the loss of normal mobility. This is especially prevalent in women who wear high heel shoes. With the ankle remaining in a plantarflexed position for long periods of time, we lose our natural dorsiflexion range of motion. Loss of ankle dorsiflexion can become problematic in functional movements such as squatting, single-leg stance, and lunging. dorsiflexion-plantarflexionAlso, when we lack adequate mobility at a joint, it decreases the proprioceptive information to and from the nervous system. Do you have trouble balancing on a single-leg? It may not actually be a stability (“balance”) issue, but the lack of motion causing subsequent decrease in sensory feedback and reflexive control. Normal ankle range of motion is 50 degrees of plantar flexion and 20 degrees of dorsiflexion. Most commonly, limitations in dorsiflexion cause the biggest restriction to functional movement, so we will start there.

To evaluate ankle dorsiflexion, I recommend taking off your shoe and following along with video. Please take note at what distance from the wall the heel started to raise up, this will be a good measurement to track progress.

5 inches is a good indicator of adequate ankle mobility. Did your front knee reach the wall from 5 inches away before your heel lifted up? If it did, read no further. But, for those of you who came close or maybe failed miserably, here are some corrective strategies to improve the important ankle mobility that you lack.

1. Restoring normal tissue quality with foam rolling.

2. Elongating the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the calf.

3. Improving mobility of the entire ankle complex.

4. Additional band assistance to mobilize the ankle.

Now that you tried a few corrective strategies to improve ankle dorsiflexion, re-test and see if you had any success. It is possible that once you find which mobility drills work for you, you will see quick improvements in dorsiflexion. Remember, we aren’t trying to improve ankle mobility just for the sake of it. This is a very important aspect of proper functional movement and the lack of motion can increase the likelihood of injury and decrease performance.

 

Garrett McLaughlin is an athletic trainer and personal trainer at PhysioFIT in Nashville, TN. He prides himself on not only reaching his client’s goals, but making them move better in the process. Garrett is a certified active release techniques provider, treating soft-tissue injuries quickly and effectively. For more information please contact Garrett.

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4 Key Strength Training Exercises for Runners

January 18, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

pushups_woman1Resistance training should be a staple in all distance running programs. Plain and simple, running is not enough to maximize performance and prevent injury. The more you run on top of dysfunctional movement patterns, the more dysfunction you create and are likely to become injured. Today, I want to highlight 4 very effective exercises with a lot of carryover to running. Please note that none of these exercises are done with selectorized equipment since our goal isn’t to isolate specific muscles, but improve movement patterns. Also take into consideration that these are a general recommendation and not specific to any particular person without first completing a movement screen to pinpoint any dysfunctional areas.

First up we have the split squat. This knee dominant exercise is a variation of the traditional squat. But, it is even more specific to running since we are working in a split stance position, exactly as we do in running. By focusing most of the weight on the front leg and using only the back leg for support, the goal is to lower the body straight down to the ground and not lunge forward (the knees should never pass the toes). Just by holding the body in a split stance we rely more on hip stability to ensure the front knee does not collapse inward (valgus collapse), and balance. Also, as you lower down you place the quadriceps and hip flexors of the rear leg on stretch, which can improve flexibility.

The cook hip lift may be one of my favorite hip bridging exercises. In the conventional hip bridge it is common to excessively arch the lower back. This is a problem and can actually cause the loss of spinal stability. In the cook hip lift you pull one knee to the chest as you drive through the heel of the other foot to lift the body off the ground. Just by pulling one leg to the body it causes your pelvis to slightly posteriorly rotate which will allow you to maintain a nice neutral lower back position. The muscles targeted in this exercise are the glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors.

The single-leg straight leg deadlift is a great deadlift variation which challenges the glutes, hamstring, spinal erectors, and balance. Keep a small bend in the knee as you hinge at the hip to lower the body towards the ground. It is essential to maintain good upper body posture throughout this exercise and do not round the back. As you lower towards the ground you may notice some stretching through the hamstring. At this point really emphasize the hip (gluteus maximus) to pull you back up and not by arching the lower back. Hip stability, core stability, and balance are even more significant in this exercise as you are only relying on one leg.

Lastly, I wanted to add a very functional core exercise. The suitcase carry is a very challenging, but easy to execute core exercise. By holding a weight as heavy as you can in one hand, it causes the body to want to laterally tilt towards that side. But if the core muscles on the opposite side are firing strong to keep you upright with the shoulders level, we are maintaining core stability. This is very specific to running since it’s essential to maintain stability while alternating weight from one leg to the other. If you don’t have a stable core, it changes how the other joints are functioning and causes the loss of efficiency.

Obviously, there are many great exercises for runners and this is only a very few that I feel have value. If you have a specific muscle that is weak then definitely a selectorized machine or isolated movement can address that. But, understand that increasing strength doesn’t necessarily mean better function. We need to address movement patterns not muscles, and these exercises do that. Some of the exercises are demonstrated with dumbbells in the video but the suitcase carry is the only one that needs to be weighted if you don’t have access to the equipment. Try these exercises out for yourself and let me know what you think. If you agree or disagree with one or all, I would love to hear why.

Garrett McLaughlin is an athletic trainer and strength coach in the Nashville, TN area. He enjoys being a source of valuable health & wellness information through his website and Facebook page. In addition to exercise and rehabilitation, Garrett uses active release techniques to correct any soft-tissue dysfunction. Contact Garrett for more information or questions.

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    6319 Haggerty Road
    West Bloomfield, MI 48322
    (734) 604-4197
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