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Browsing Tags split squat

‘In the Spotlight’ with Dawn Smith

April 14, 2020 · by Garrett McLaughlin

In this edition of ‘In the Spotlight’ let’s talk with Dawn Smith. Dawn was a recent finisher and 1st place winner in the Winter 2020 Healthy Running Program’s 6-Week Challenge. Consistency and hard work earned her this title and she continues to put in the work to see really good results with her running on a weekly basis.

Dawn and I first started working together with goals to reduce the likelihood of injury and improve performance out on the road and trail. As a runner who incorporates a variety of terrain, it’s important to possess the resilience and variability needed to be successful in any situation. Strength training is a great strategy to supplement road/trail running when aimed at improving strength, stability, shock absorption, and addressing any underlying weak links. Of course, you also need to be consistent and dedicated like Dawn to see reliable results that trickle into your running!

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

Dawn Smith

Q: Where are you from?

A: “I was born in Flint during it’s best years. It was a great place to grow up with many cultural and athletic offerings.”

Q: What do you do for work?

A: “I am currently a Kindergarten teacher. I started out as a Teacher of the Hearing Impaired at the preschool level and transitioned to “general” preschool when I stayed home part time with my boys.”

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

A: “I love to do anything that takes me outside…gardening, biking, skiing, hiking, traveling. I’m an avid reader and practice yoga.”

Q: What are the top reasons you enjoy running?

A: “I started running to improve my physical health. When my children were born, it became a mental health tool. It continues to serve both purposes but has become more social. I have met some of the most interesting, fun and generous people through running.”

Q: What is your favorite race or running memory to date?

A: “This is the hardest question. I ran my first race over 30 years ago…that’s a lot of favorite memories to choose from. My favorite most recent memory would be the Trail Ragnar in West Virginia…camping and running in the woods with my buddies was pretty amazing.”

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

A: “I really love the diversity of Michigan…the seasons, the geography and the people. I love being near a ‘cool’ urban area as well. I wish I could add some mountains and ocean… so I might consider Washington but I don’t know it well enough. The Carolinas are attractive… but too humid.”

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

A: “Primarily, I wanted to learn a strength routine that would fit with my running schedule and my ‘life.’ I may have mentioned something about improving my speed but I figured that would be a side benefit.”

Q: What motivated you to work with Garrett and/or start making changes in your routine?

A: “Once you’ve had an injury that keeps you from the starting line, you truly understand the importance of strength training and balance. Yet I struggled to find any programs that brought those 2 elements together. I tried on my own but am not a good self-coach. I can drive right by my gym every day and not feel the pull to go in. Garrett offered a 6-week challenge program that started in January. My plan was to get started and establish a routine that I could carry over on my own. By the end of the 6 weeks, I knew that I needed to keep working with Garrett.”

Q: What is your favorite part about the individualized strength training program?

A: “Well, we’ve got this pandemic thing going on that has put us on ‘lock down’….so all of the things that I liked about the program have taken on even more value. #1 it is geared towards running… the exercises are dynamic, not static, so that they are targeting the muscles that you use when you run. #2 it is specifically tailored for YOU… for your body and your mechanics… I started with 2 trail friends and we all are doing different things. It is also specifically tailored for your ‘life’… My workouts right now are on the back patio so Garrett moved the sets around to make that easier to manage. #3 it is progressive… the exercises start where you are and then as you are ready, the exercises are designed to move you to the next level (thus the need to keep working with Garrett). #4 the app.. having the workouts on an app is great because it enables flexibility AND the app includes videos of each drill so you can’t forget what to do!! #5 the feedback and accountability through the app, Garrett knows how you are doing and responds each time.”

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

A: “The most noticeable improvement was in my balance. I practice yoga so I thought my balance was pretty good but I was still tweaking my left ankle on trail runs about every other weekend. Not a big deal but annoying. Then I realized one day, about 3 months in, that I had not turned my ankle in at least a month. And overall I feel more ‘solid’ as I traverse technical trails.. everything is stronger and balanced. I also noticed that I don’t have any post-run aches that require foam rolling or stretching. That’s huge! Better bio-mechanics I’m guessing!”

Q: Were these improvements easy to achieve? And, tell us a little bit about any struggles along the way.

A: “Actually yes! I guess because the program is progressive, I never felt anything was beyond my ability and I never felt pain or fatigue that interfered with my running.”

Q: What is that one thing you dislike the most but continue to work on because you know it will help?

A: ”Split Squats!”

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

A: “I’ve never tried any other programs. I think the way that Garrett presented the program through the 6-week challenge made it very approachable.”

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

A: “I’m mostly a distance runner and have completed 16 marathons. I took last year off to just fool around on the trails so I thought I’d do a marathon this Fall. With the current health crisis, all my spring 1/2s have been rescheduled to Fall so I’m just sitting back to see what happens.”

Thank you for reading this ‘In the Spotlight’ segment. And, a big shout out to Dawn Smith. To learn more about the Healthy Running Program, please click here.

3 Lower Extremity Exercises That Are No Longer Helping You

March 14, 2019 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Article written on March 14th, 2019 at 01:48pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook and Instagram |

Progression is key when it comes to running and strength training. You can’t continually do the same mileage or exercises and expect better results. Most runners understand this and do a great job building mileage in preparation for their goal race. But, it becomes a little more clouded on the strength training side of things.

Since it’s easy to become comfortable or even stagnant with your strength training program, there are a few concepts I want to introduce…

Progressive overload is very similar to what you do when preparing for a 5k, half marathon or full marathon. You patiently and progressively follow a running plan for 12-18 weeks (or more) to improve the body’s tolerance to a given distance. This helps prepare you for the race so you can run it successfully without overloading the body. The same approach needs to be taken into consideration with your strength training program.

To follow this concept with your strength training, a few variables can be manipulated to see positive results. They include: increasing repetitions, increasing sets, increasing resistance, modifying the speed of movement (faster or slower), modifying the range of motion (less or more), increasing the stability component, progressing the movement, etc. All of those things can be changed in some way to increase demand on the body.

Since approximately 80% of runners get injured each and every year, there is this influx of physical therapy type exercises in the performance world. It is still good to complete corrective exercises to fine tune your weak links and resolve any imbalances. But at a certain point, performing these same exercises for months or years on end won’t provide enough of a stimulus to elicit a positive response. That’s why progressing the movement and somehow increasing the demand on the body is needed for sustainable results.

Single leg loading needs to be a priority when it comes to strength training for runners. Running requires bounding from one leg to the other. Therefore, you must be strong, stable, and resilient enough to withstand these forces for your given mileage. This is usually where I see a big disconnect in runner’s programs.

Let me ask you…

Are ground-based strengthening exercises enough to bridge the gap to running? No.
Will exercises on two legs translate to the single leg demand of running? No.

Obviously, there may be a few exceptions as there are with everything. But typically those will provide little carryover to running. Therefore, getting upright and into split stance or single leg stance is not only recommended but necessary to be a successful runner. This will help your body be more tolerant to the loads of running, and thus increase performance and reduce overloading the body.

Lastly, plyometrics are essential to teach the body how to efficiently create and absorb energy and promote healthy tendons. This is a path that many runners don’t venture down, either because it’s confusing or they are afraid of getting hurt.

If you reflect back on running, it requires energy storage and release when bounding from one leg to the other. This is quite demanding on the musculotendinous unit and therefore needs to be trained so people are ready to handle these forces. Incorporating various jumping, landing, and plyometric-like exercises can be very advantageous when programmed properly. And I’m not talking about some of that crazy stuff you see on instagram. It can be as simple as repetitive jumps in place, jumps with emphasis on landing, hopping, and much more.

Next, I want to elaborate by sharing an exercise that fits within each category mentioned above. Following each exercise is a suitable progression that would be very helpful in seeing better results with your strength training program. These exercises include:

Progressive Overload: Clam Shells —> Modified Lateral Elbow Stabilization/Lateral Elbow Stabilization
Single Leg Loading: Squats —> Split Squat ISO Hold, Split Squats
Plyometrics: Calf Raises —> Ankle Hops

Take a second and put it all together by watching this video which discusses the 3 exercises that are no longer helping you, as well as a progression to really take your running to the next level.

If you have any questions about how to safely and effectively progress your strength training program, please click here to reach out directly.

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

Exercise of the Month: Split Squat to Rotation Throw

October 7, 2015 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on October 7th, 2015 at 10:35am | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

Linking the lower body, core, and upper body into coordinated movements is vital. In everyday tasks, our body functions together as a whole to carry out certain functional movements. This is especially true in athletics. One area I find valuable and address in many of my programs is creating a stable base upon which the upper body can move. This requires not just strength in the lower extremity, but balance and stability. Once we lose stability in the lower half, we limit our potential to be strong or powerful from the core and upper body.

The split squat to rotation throw can be extremely beneficial when done correctly. It utilizes the lower body strength, stability, and balance mentioned above, and an upper body power component with the medicine ball throw. One thing I like to emphasize on set-up is that the legs are aligned. Oftentimes, we are so focused on throwing the ball that our set-up is incorrect, which leads to less benefit. The ankle, knee, and hip on one side should be aligned, as should the other. Maintaining this throughout the split squat and medicine ball throw is the hard part which, when mastered, dramatically improves stability.

How to perform this movement

Set-Up Positioning

Turn your body to align parallel with the wall
Lower to the floor into the 1/2 kneeling position (lunge)
Ensure the leg closest to the wall is always the up leg
Hold a light/medium medicine ball directed in front or slightly across the body

Execution

Raise away from the ground to the top of the split squat movement
Lower back down towards the ground without touching the knee down
When stable, complete a rotation throw across the body
Aim so the ball returns back over the thigh
Repeat the split squat and medicine ball throw for the desired repetitions

Note: Alignment is key. The back should always be up tall and the limbs aligned with each other. Prevent faltering and loss of balance by engaging through the hips and core. On the medicine ball throw we are trying to develop rotational power. So, a light medicine ball thrown fast is more beneficial then a heavy medicine ball thrown slow.

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

4 Key Strength Training Exercises for Runners

January 18, 2014 · by Garrett McLaughlin

Resistance 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.

Exercise of the Week- Split Squat

February 15, 2013 · by Garrett McLaughlin

| Article written on February 13th, 2013 at 7:30pm | Follow Garrett on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram |

I decided to start adding an exercise of the week to provide people with options when developing their own resistance training programs and to also highlight some of my favorite exercises and why I find them beneficial. Many people know I’m a fan of Strength Coach Mike Boyle and believe highly in unilateral training. That is why I chose the split squat to start with.

The split squat is the best exercise to bridge the gap between conventional double leg exercises and single leg exercises. Obviously it isn’t a true single leg exercise but with the alternated stance it calls on a greater degree of core, hip, knee, and ankle stability as well as hip flexibility. In terms of hip stability, this exercise targets the gluteus medius and minimis to a greater degree then regular squats as it is essential to prevent valgus collapse of the knee. Balance is often a neglected area in many exercise programs as many people rotate from one piece of selectorized equipment to the next and aren’t even in a weight bearing position. That is why we need to get up on our feet because that’s where life happens!!

To perform the split squat, start with the feet in an alternated lunge stance about hip width apart. Instead of lunging forward, focus on bending the back knee under the body which will enable you to drop the hips straight down towards the ground. It is important to watch how the front knee tracks. We want the knee to stay in-line with the 2nd toe and don’t let it pass over the toes which will cause significant stress at the anterior aspect of the knee. With all exercises we want to make sure the back is up straight and shoulder blades pulled back. Lower down until the front thigh is parallel to the ground. Below you will find a good demonstration of how the split squat is performed. Add this exercise to your program to add variety and start on the path towards unilateral training.

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