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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…

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.
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.
Plyometrics utilize potential and kinetic energy within the muscles and tendons to store energy and create a quick, powerful movement.
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.
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.
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!

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.

In the Spotlight: Kim Potts

August 12, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

In this edition of ‘In the Spotlight,’ let’s talk with Kim Potts! Kim recently finished The Healthy Running Program’s 6-Week Fitness Challenge. And, not only did she finish it but she won 1st place.

The fitness challenge for runners is graded on consistently completing certain tasks over the entire 6-weeks. In my opinion, you can have the best strength training program in the world, but if you aren’t consistent enough to see results than it does not matter. Luckily for me, I did NOT have that problem with Kim.

From the beginning, Kim was on top of all the details. She knew what had to get done and barely missed any of the tasks. Not only that, but Kim worked hard each and every session. She wasn’t afraid to push her limits and it showed when it came time for the post-testing.

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

Kim Potts

Q: Where are you from?

A: “I grew up in Clarksville but have lived in the Nashville area for close to 30 years. I live in Franklin now.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “I work for the state for the Comptroller of the Treasury. I am a research analyst – my small office provides non-partisan research and information to state legislators about various public policy issues. I do a lot of education-related research but am currently working on an issue that concerns individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I learn a lot in my job, which is the main thing I like about it.”

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

A: “I love to read – mainly, but not exclusively, fiction. I used to sew clothes a lot in my younger days, but that is very time consuming so lately I’ve taken up embroidery, a more portable hobby. I find use of colors really fun. I also like photography.”

Q: What is one thing most people don’t know about you?

A: “Hmmm, anything that most people don’t know about me by now is probably best left that way!”

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

A: “Exercise has always made me feel better, physically and mentally. I’m not from a physically active family but started exercising at a gym with friends in my twenties and got hooked. I’m very much a creature of habit so not exercising would feel really wrong now. I’m still a new runner (really run-walker) but running has an even more positive effect on me. I’m not sure why – maybe it’s just the challenge of doing it and feeling so good that I did it after. I also find running somewhat meditative.”

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

A: “I would live at the beach because….the ocean!”

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

A: “I have done some form of strength training for a long time, either at a gym or at home. Once I started adding in running, I definitely wanted to also include strength but I wasn’t sure exactly how to integrate the two. That was my biggest reason for wanting to work with Garrett.”

Q: What motivated you to join the 6-week challenge? And, were you already including any strength training on your own?

A: “See the answer to the previous question.”

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

A: “I have noticed that I’m not achy after runs like I was in the beginning. I think that’s partly because I use Garrett’s dynamic workout moves now before every run. I’m still too new at running to be thinking much about time, etc. So just feeling good when I’m running is an achievement, I think.”

Q: Do you feel the 6-week challenge highlighted any key areas that you need to focus more on moving forward?

A: “I’m still working on toe yoga, but I’m getting there! But also upper body strength is probably something I need to work on.”

Q: You did a great job staying consistent throughout the challenge. I mean, you don’t get a 94% score just by doing the bare minimum. How did you approach each week to ensure you completed all the workouts, hydration, and corrective exercises?

A: “Like I said earlier, I am a creature of habit and I find it fairly easy to form new habits that I’m convinced are worth it. I committed to completing the program and I just worked it into my schedule. I’m still doing all the corrective exercises about five or six times a week, too, and am working out with one of Garrett’s groups once a week now.”

Q: What was your favorite part about the 6-week challenge program?

A: “I enjoyed working out with other people a lot. The program was both fun and challenging. The plank challenge against Richard was fun even though I lost!”

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

A: “I don’t really love doing the side plank with leg raises but I do it because I’m so much improved than when I first tried it. It’s still challenging every single time though!”

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

A: “I like that the written exercise programs Garrett provides link to videos that show how to do all the various exercises correctly – I think that’s so helpful. Also I like getting a list of corrective exercises targeted at my needs. Garrett’s program is very comprehensive and thoughtful.”

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

A: “I am registered for the Heroes 6K in September. I did it last year and it was my first race ever. I’m also planning to run the 10K in Race 13.1 in October – this is associated with the Fleet Feet No Boundaries group, which I’m rejoining in August. My goal would be to run more, walk less – I’ve been doing 3:1 intervals but would love to eventually just run!”

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

In the Spotlight: Kerry Wittwer

July 8, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

We are back at it with another edition of ‘In the Spotlight.’ This time, let’s chat with Kerry Wittwer!

Kerry contacted me just over 3-months from her race with goals to stay injury-free and run the 1/2 in under 2:00. With 3-months until race day, it was important not to try anything fancy but work on correcting various imbalances and begin introducing strength training to Kerry’s program. Luckily for us, Kerry responded very well and was able to supplement her running with strength training with no setbacks or overtraining.

What I have learned about Kerry is that she will always find a way to get things done. While juggling family-life, work, and travel, there are rarely check-ins where she reports missing days or falling off track. Like I always say, you can have the best program in the world but if you are not consistent over an extended period of time, it does NOT matter. Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about Kerry and can simply provide a small amount of guidance in order for her to be successful. And, I’m super pumped to see how she does with her 1st marathon!!

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

Kerry Wittwer

Q: Where are you from?

A: “I’ve pretty much been living in Tennessee or Georgia for most of my life (since I was 8). Through high school, I was in Kingsport in East Tennessee, then College at UT in Knoxville, then 12 years in Atlanta, and then 5 years ago my husband, girls, and I moved up to Franklin.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “I am an architect, and work for a firm out of Atlanta called ai3,”

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

A: “Aside from running, which is what I do with any available time I can squeeze from my life, my family loves sports. We are a big soccer family; my oldest daughter plays competitively and my younger daughter is starting to get into it, as well. When we’re not at one of their games, we’re normally at a Nashville SC or Atlanta United game….or just watching one on tv.”

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

A: “I’ve always enjoyed being active, but somehow after my second daughter’s birth, I decided THAT was the time to run a half marathon. She was 5 months old when I ran my first half, and I haven’t really stopped since. I have found a new sense of pride, peace, and pure enjoyment. I wish I had started so much earlier in life, but am determined to make the most of my time now. I want to run as long as I can, and I want to run as many races with my children as possible. My daughter has already run a few 5ks with me and I can’t wait until she is old enough to run a half with me.”

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

A: “Are we talking for running purposes because there are definitely better climates for it than where we are right now in Tennessee! I love Colorado and Switzerland though, if I could literally pick anywhere.”

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

A: “I had been running consistently for 4+ years and completed 6 half marathons when I began working with Garrett. I had gotten to a pretty consistent completion time and was hanging in the 2:10 to 2:16 range, but would find myself just wearing totally out around mile 10 and I really wanted to run a sub 2:00 half.”

Q: What motivated you to work with Garrett and/or start supplementing your running with strength training?

A: “I had experienced one stress fracture and some shin splint issues over the past few years and have been a bit cautious not wanting to find myself injured again, but I knew there were better ways to improve performance, speed, and efficiency AND not get injured.”

Q: Even though you only had 3-months before your race, did you feel like adding strength training made a big impact?

A: “It made a humongous impact. I was actually shocked at how quickly I noticed a change in my running.”

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

A: “My overall speed is the number one difference. I was shocked at the perceived effort and how it feels easier, yet I’m going faster. I also noticed a large change while running uphill.”

Q: How did your race go? And, are there any specific areas you think you need to improve moving forward?

A: “My race was “almost” perfect. (Perfect is pretty difficult to achieve) I hit my goal of a sub 2 hour half marathon and finished in 1:58:39. This was more than a 12 minute PR. Although I noticed improvements quickly, I think that I could be so much stronger than I am now and that is the most intriguing to me moving forward. If I was finally able to hit that goal with only 3 months of change, what’s in store for me if I keep working?”

Q: What is your favorite part about the individualized programming option?

A: “My favorite part is that it’s tailored to me. Garrett is looking at my current fitness, mileage, goals, weaknesses, past injuries, and available (limited) time, and then designing a plan specific to me that is going to make the most of where I’m at. I was always overwhelmed by the amount of exercises that were “good for runners” and I never really knew which to do, how many reps, what weights….Having Garrett design a plan for me each month takes all of that stress out of it.”

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

A: “Oh man….there may be a few to put on this list. 😉 I really don’t like the deadlifts.”

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

A: “The specificity to running being the number one goal. It is strength training for runners.”

Q: The word on the street is you have your eyes set on even bigger goals now that you surpassed the 2:00! Could you tell us about that?

A: “Well, I just turned 40 in June, and my midlife crisis must have struck quickly, because I am now officially registered for my first full marathon!”

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

3 Reasons Why You “Feel” Tight

June 13, 2018 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on June 13th, 2018 at 8:27am | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Flexibility and tightness are two common and often misunderstood concepts. Just because you feel tight in a particular area does not mean you actually need to stretch. Wait, what?!?

The problem with the term ‘tightness’ is that it can be very subjective. When you finish a hard workout, your muscles feel tight. When you get punched in the arm and it bruises, that could feel tight. And, when you sit for extended periods of time, it’s likely that you’ll feel tight. But, without assessing muscle length with specific tests to determine the degree of tightness, this is just a subjective measure based on how your body feels.

Over the years, numerous runners have approached me with the goal of improving flexibility. This may be due to a shortened stride, the feeling of excess tightness following their runs, or actually having to stop mid-run and stretch due to tightness. I could easily give in and prescribe a series of static stretches to address the specific areas they are complaining about, and most people would be content. Instead, I feel it’s important that we dig deeper to uncover if these are actually flexibility problems. And if not, what drills, exercise, and/or therapy do they need to function at their best.

Several of the reasons you may be “feeling” tight are…

Lack of stability

Stability is a term that refers to the body’s ability to control it’s joint position. As you move, joints slide and glide around their articulating surfaces with the goal to be as centrated and optimally positioned as possible. Plain and simple, the stabilizers surrounding your joints contract in anticipation and in response to movement in order to keep you upright. It’s then the job of the prime movers to get you from point A to point B.

For some people, maintaining stability can be an issue. In these instances, your body will find other ways to create stability which can be by increasing tension and tone in certain muscles to then create a false sense of stability. I often see this around the hip and shoulder joints as prime movers become facilitated in order to “help out” the poorly functioning stabilizers. Instead of stretching this “tightness,” let’s address the stability component to restore function to the joint and surrounding tissue.

Lack of strength/endurance

Are you truly tight or did you just push the body past it’s threshold? In every running program there are increases in mileage from week to week in order to prepare you for your goal race. At some point, these increases become a little more challenging as you demand more from the body. If you do not have the capacity to continue increasing the demand, fatigue and tightness are often a symptom.

Stretching may help temporarily but it’s actually more rest, recovery, and increasing your capacity to load the body which will undoubtedly resolve the tightness. In essence, this type of tightness may be your body’s warning sign saying you are exceeding it’s limits. Therefore, strength training and establishing a more resilient foundation may actually be a viable strategy to reduce muscular tightness.

Lack of tissue extensibility

Sounds fancy, huh? Well, it’s not…

Simply, are you tight? This is the only way I think about tightness and it needs to be determined through testing that looks at muscle length. Do your tissues possess the ability to lengthen to the degree in which we have quantified average? If not, you are objectively tight.

All of the other examples above can leave you feeling tight but as a subjective symptom that would be better called stiffness or tone. This example is the only true tightness which actually means you have limited range of motion caused by tight muscles.

Would static stretching be good here? Ehh. Maybe yes, maybe no. But rather, full range of motion movements to end-range, mobility drills, and gradually training the nervous system to allow you into deeper ranges.

Interested in learning more about this topic? Click below to watch a video on ‘3 Reasons you “Feel” Tight’…

Thank you for taking the time to read this article! On a daily basis, I work with runners just like you who are actively stretching and searching for ways to improve flexibility and overall performance. Without an accurate assessment to determine the root cause, you may actually be wasting your time. I know that sounds frustrating, but I’d love to help!

Instead of doing the same things and expecting different results, I want to share with you a FREE resource that will help you get on the fast track to success. The ‘Building the Bulletproof Body Guide: A Distance Athlete’s Guide to Injury Prevention and Performance,’ touches on various topics that will help you excel in all areas of your running. This guide is super important because it will help you build a solid and more reliable foundation upon which to increase your mileage. And… It’s something I want you to have for free. Click here to download your guide right now!

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

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