No more flip flops!

WOW! I just watched the above Mobility video by KStar, and I will officially never wear flip-flops again. Since January my foot has gone from plantar fasciitis, to achilles tendonitis, to now my achilles and calcaneus bone ache all the time.

I am doing the following for treatment:

• 15 minute ice bath up to mid-calf on days I workout
• Weekly Airrosti treatments
• Trigger Point on my calves
• Stretching calves
• Sleeping in a Strassburg sock
• Not running, but rowing--- which is driving me nuts!

One thing missing is changing up my daily foot wear and eliminating flip-flops. I wear Reefs all summer long and sometimes even in the winter-- it is TX. My mission now is to find a stylish pair of summer sandals without the flip-flop toe separation. If you have any suggestions, post a comment below.

As KStar stated, and I firmly agree--- ATHLETES DON'T WEAR FLIP FLOPS.

Mobility Certified

On Saturday I attended the Movement, Mobility, & Maintenance certification with Kelly Starrett. A key point that he honed in on all day was getting organized. Below is a quick check list to make sure you are organized before lifting.

• Set up- best fit: Ideal position from which maximal force can be produced. Varies for each athlete
• Mid-line Stabilization: a quick nudge in the stomach will make you quickly focus on keeping your abs tight
  
• Up stream/Down stream
  
• Mobilize at position of restriction: don't mobilize muscles; mobilize movements

From the combination of the Trigger Point cert as well the Mobility cert, I feel more equipped to help coach my athletes through nag injuries and provide more useful stretches to improve performance. Do not hesitate to ask your coach if need improvement with flexibility or more ideas for stretches. We are here to help.

Gangsta Lean

I was finally finishing up my U6 test from the Trigger Point certification this weekend. I was browsing through the website and found an article on Left Drivers Leg Syndrome (LDLS). We talked about LDLS briefly at the cert, but it was extremely informative to read in detail exactly what it entails. Little did I know that sitting with my "gangsta lean" in the car is one of the worst things for me legs.

"It is time for people to understand how to sit in the car. What do you mean? some may ask. Well how many of you have piriformis syndrome? How many of you have it on the left side? What we have found at RE-GEN is that most people dealing with piriformis syndrome have it on the left side of the body, they also typically drive quit a bit throughout the week. We also see the same relationship with driving and IT band syndrome. The other 10% are right-handed, sit at a desk for long periods of time, and love cruise control." Read the entire article HERE.

Trigger Point Certified

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to attend the RE-GEN class with Cassidy Phillips of Trigger Point Performance. It was a great yet extremely painful day of learning biomechanics, posture, hydration, muscular elasticity, and, of course, the basic guidelines of teaching Trigger Point performance therapy.

A couple of important things I learned...
1) A deep breath creates oxygen, which in turn enhances blood flow to the muscles, and together those provide greater elasticity.

2) Cassidy straight-up told me my muscle fascia is beyond tight and compacted. He says, "Your muscles may look nice, but in 10 years lets hope you can walk." Eek. It was something along those lines. Regardless, it got my attention asap!

3) I stand with my hands on my hips and all my weight on one side ALL THE TIME. I was called out about my stance the entire day. Quite entertaining. You would think after a dozen times I would get it right =)

4) Hydration is key, and not just from water. Get some Rehydrate.

4) TRIGGER POINT WORKS. I already knew this because of prior use, but now I truly understand the art of these products. I saw my muscles loosen up (aka: become more elastic) as the day progressed.

I am challenging myself to Trigger Point at least 3x a week. Call me out and make sure I am doing this consistently. Feel free to contact me and learn how to use these products properly. The website also has a ton of great information.