 👉🏼 A couple weeks ago I did an IG Live on tips to fix your form for both push-ups & squats!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Here are the 3 take-aways I covered for push-ups:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔹 When counting with the military/Army method, a correct rep is when the upper arm is parallel to the floor. Compare this to the ACSM method, where a correct rep is when the chest is a fist-distance from the floor (or a 4 inch foam roller).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔹 Push-ups on your knees are not "girl push-ups" -- so let's just stop calling them that, cool? They are push-ups for everyone. They are considered easier because the length of the body is shortened which makes the push-up lighter. The length of the body is the only thing that changes. The hips should still be in line with the body! 🔹 To reduce the risk of shoulder impingement (pain), keep your elbows just slightly below the shoulder height. Avoid that 90 deg angle between the arm and the torso. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🎥 If you missed it & want to catch up on all the details, I posted the replay in my IGTV @susielunardi - check it out here.⠀
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 Consuming dietary nitrates before a game or competition can help improve:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
➡️performance⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ➡️muscle fatigue resistance. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🩸🧬 It does this via regulating blood flow and skeletal muscle contractions.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⚡️🥗 You can supplement it with pre-workout drinks, but opt for whole foods for additional vitamin & sustenance benefits!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📰 Reference: Wylie LJ, Park JW, Vanhatalo A. J Physiol. July 2019. doi: 10.1113/JP278076. ⠀ 🦵🏼Both bilateral (two legs) and unilateral (one leg) training improve strength through their respective exercises (squats & step-ups). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏉 As assessed during pre-season training (for 33 rugby athletes), when volume and load was kept the same, both training styles improved strength & sprint acceleration.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏆 However, bilateral training showed further improvements in change-of-direction drills and testing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔀 Consider training bilaterally (including eccentric training) if the goal is to improve change-of-direction skills!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📰 Reference: Appleby BB, Cormack SJ, Newton RU. NSCA - J Strength Cond Res. Jan 2020. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003035.  🤷🏻♀️ Does flexibility matter?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📋 Stretching became known as a fundamental part of fitness in the 1950s with the famous sit-and-reach test. With every following decade, it became reaffirmed that stretching is an integral component, and even now, we have recommended weekly stretching prescriptions. The ACSM (for one) recommends 2-3 days/wk at 2-4 reps of multiple stretches per day.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ❗️ However, interesting enough, there is no correlation between how flexible someone is and sport performance or playing abilities, tactile performance, prevalence of low back or leg pain, blood pressure, resting heart rate, body composition, mortality, or fall risk.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🤯 High levels of flexibility may even increase injury risk.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✅ That said, flexibility does correlate with the ability to perform ADLs (activities of daily living), gait parameters (walking velocity), quality of life, and the ability to reach relevant ROM for necessary strength gains. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏆 This last point is why I believe flexibility training still matters. Flexibility allows us to achieve optimal strength, and strength does correlate with predicted mortality, reduced fall risk, improved cardiovascular health, better sport performance, etc. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 So is flexibility a primary training focus? Probably not.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 But does it matter? I say yes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🤔 What do you think?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📰 Reference: Nuzzo JL. Sports Medicine. May 2020. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01248-w.⠀ ⚠️ "I sprained my ankle, now what?"⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A Jan 2020 study reported increasing levels of ankle instability correlated with deficits in neurocognitive function. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Including:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Composite Memory⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Verbal Memory⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Visual Memory⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Psychomotor Speed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Reaction Time⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Complex Attention⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Cognitive Flexibility⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Processing Speed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Executive Function⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Simple Attention⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Motor Speed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (via “CNS Vital Signs” test 💻).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👨🏼🤝👨🏾 Who was tested?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️No ankle sprains or instability (n=14)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️History of ankle sprains but recovered stability (n=13)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ◾️Ankle sprains with instability (Score <24 via CAIT) (n=14)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📊 What they found?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 40% of ankle sprains lead to CAI. The CAI group displayed deficits most frequently across all domains with 21.4% scoring below average, compared to the non-sprain group at 8.3% & the recovered group at 18.6%.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🤷🏻♀️ What does this mean? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It’s important to remember this is a correlation reported across 41 college males. What we should NOT do is say that ALL people with ankle sprains or instability are “less smart”. That would be a rude extrapolation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 What do we do about it?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you or a patient you clinically treat has experienced an ankle sprain or lives with CAI, then consider implementing visuomotor (cognitive dual-tasks) training into the rehab or injury prevention programs!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📰 Reference:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Rosen AB, McGrath ML, Maerlender AL. Jan 2020. Research in Sports Med. doi: 10.1080/15438627.2020.1723099.⠀  👉🏼 What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word “yoga”?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Contrary to popular western belief, Yoga is so much more than moving on your mat. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Yoga is a spiritual practice, an eight-limbed path, comprising of guidelines to live by, a trained body, deep meditation, and connection to Oneness. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ☸️ I’ve laid out the 8 limbs here:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The Yamas & Niyamas are the initial disciplines. By doing these things, you purify the body’s energy.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Yamas include: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▪️ahimsa (non-violence)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▪️satya (honesty)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▪️asteya (non-stealing)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▪️brahmacharya (self-restraint)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▪️aparigraha (non-greed)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Niyamas include: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▫️saucha (purity, cleanliness)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▫️santosha (self-acceptance)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▫️tapas (self-discipline)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▫️svadhyaya (self-observation)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ▫️isvara pranidhana (surrender to [your] god)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔸 Asana is the movement on your mat which opens the energy channels so prana (breath, life-force) can flow freely. The main goal of asana is to prepare the body (to build the postural endurance and mobility) to sit still for meditation.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔸 Pranayama is the practice of breath work often done following asana, such as in savasana or a seated meditation.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The next 4 limbs begin to leave the external world and focus inward:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔹 Pratyahara brings awareness to yourself purely and withdrawals from all other sensations. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔹 Dharana is the act of focusing the mind.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔹 Dhyana is once the mind is focused.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🔹 Samadhi is the enlightened state of pure bliss — so rarely is it achieved.  🌱 What's for lunch today? Are you consuming the right foods to meet your body’s essential needs? 🥗⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Amino acids are building blocks to protein, for which there are 20 within the human body, 9 of which are essential. This means that our body doesn't naturally make them and we must consume them from our diet.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We need all of them for total body health. Foods that include all 9 essential amino acids are known as “complete proteins”. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ WHAT TO EAT:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🍣 High in essential AAs: meat, eggs, soy proteins, white fish, peanuts, sesame, and Parmesan. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ➡️ If you are vegetarian or vegan, and/or feel limited by the list above, then finding the right combinations of foods is the key to creating a complete protein:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 Beans & vegetables 🥦 lack methionine 👉🏼 eat with grains, nuts, seeds⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉🏼 Grains, Nuts/Seeds, & Corn 🌽 lack lysine, (threonine, tryptophan) 👉🏼 eat with legumes⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 💊 You can also supplement isoleucine, leucine, & valine in powders/pills sold as branched-chain amino acids or commonly known as "BCAAs". Many people opt to take these pre/post workout to help with fatigue & muscle recovery.⠀  👀 Wait.. are you saying cryotherapy is bad for me..?! 👉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ No, of course not 😅 - things aren’t so black and white, especially with recovery methods. There is a TON of research that supports benefits for cryo as there is also research that questions its efficacy.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ❄️ The cryotherapy technique in this specific study was cold-water infusion (aka ice bath) at 8 degC (or 68 degF) for 20 minutes duration, 7 sessions over a 2-week period in recreationally trained men. Prior to cryotherapy, each participant consumed 20g protein, 45g carbohydrates, rested 1 hour, and then completed resistance training for 45 minutes. That’s important to know because these findings are specific to this set-up. The modality, time duration, and temperature can all alter the effects of the intervention.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🤯 What’s the take-away: if you are aiming for hypertrophy as your training goal (to build muscle size), this method as immediate recovery may not be your best alternative as the results contradict the desired effect of the training.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📍The study didn’t evaluate injury, chronic use, or assess a variety in athlete training status.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📰 Reference:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fuchs CJ, Kouw IWK, Churchward-Venne TA, et al. J Physiol. Feb 2020. DOI: 10.1113/JP278996⠀⠀ Do you need sleep to produce training goals? 🤷🏻♀️⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🤓This study looked at 10 recreationally active men.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ They did...⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 240 eccentric contractions (reps) ➡️ 48 hours no sleep!! ➡️ 12 hours sleep ➡️ tested max strength & blood samples and found:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉Max isometric contractions were initially affected by exercise, but recovered at a comparable rate to the control group (3 nights of regular sleep).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉No measured change in testosterone (a hormone associated with its anabolic [building] properties).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉Cortisol spiked! Aka: stress levels increased. Too much can be catabolic [breaking down] to the body.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Ultimately, sleep is important. Whereas a couple nights deprived may have minimal affects on muscle recovery and hormone balances, not getting enough sleep over extended lengths of time can have a major impact your training goals. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ❓What are you doing to prioritize sleep?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📰Reference:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Dattilo M, Antunes HKM, Galbes NMN. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Feb 2020. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000002137. 81% return to sport
65% return to pre-injury sport 55% return to competitive sport Who here has torn their ACL? 💥 Good news — majority of people who do tear their ACLs successfully return to playing sports again, and over half of them play at the competitive level in the sport which they had torn it in! Don’t let fear or a lackluster rehab program tell you otherwise. Link up with a good PT. Set your goals. And do your home exercises! You’ll be back on the field/court/pitch before you know it! . Reference (doi): 10.1186/s10195-018-0516-9. |
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