More Mobility Videos

Some cool videos Zzzzz sent to me awhile back.

Yes, you should be able to do these moves as they are not "impossible" (but it may take some work to get there). As always, make sure you are not doing any movement in pain.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Dynamic Joint Mobility (Z Health) vs Static Stretching: Q and A Time

I had a great question from the wonderful post Smitty from Diesel Crew put up recently about static stretching (thanks again Smitty---you da man). I though I would post it here for those that missed it.

Be sure to check out The Diesel Crew

Hello mike,

I wouldn't want to ask you anything to sell your secret.

I don't understand how it could be any more efficient then foam rolling
with a combination of dynamic and static stretches. Say you have a tight
muscles whats the difference between massaging it, stretching it, or
doing some z health> which lasts the longest? etc.

Ha! No worries. Ask away--no secrets, but some things are just really
hard to explain over the internet at times.

Good question. For long term, permanent change we need to elicit
learning a new pattern/program.

Passive work (somebody doing something to you or you yourself as you lay
their like a dead fish) in general does not "hold" for a long period of
time since the learning effect in the brain is small. This does not
mean it is NOT effective in certain cases, but in general it needs to be
repeated quite frequently to be effective.

Foam rolling kind of falls into that area as you are moving, but not a
ton. Also, people tend to foam roll trying to INDUCE pain, which is a
bad idea as pain will inhibit performance. If you have a right shoulder
problem I can take a cow Massage falls into this category of a more
passive therapy. Want to drive your massage therapist nuts? When they
are done working on an area--get up and walk around the room and see if
there is still any difference. If NOT, what makes you think it will
stay once you even get home, much less tomorrow?

For increased learning, we need to do more active, controlled, precise,
movement. This is probably dynamic drills are better---more movement.
More movement= more motor learning. Z Health is based on dynamic,
ACTIVE mobility work. In my experience, after doing a Z Health drill
to target a muscle, it will stay "on" for about 2-5 hours; so I have
athletes do some high pay off drills for only 3-5 reps, but done 3-4
times during the day. This promotes more motor learning by getting some
overlap of the new patterns (increased reps promote learning too).
After about 3-4 weeks at 90% compliance, this new program is pretty well
wired into your body and we move on to the next issue.

Stretching can work, but be careful of what you are teaching your body.
The definition of static stretch is to put the limb/muscle into an
elongated position and teach it to be WEAKER. Can this help with some
muscles that may be "overactive"---yes, but you will most likely need a
trained eye/hands on work to find them. Dynamic joint mobility work
(like Z Health) can also target this muscles too. Randomly static
stretching is teaching your body to be weaker. DJM (dyn joint mobility)
is teaching STRENGTH, esp at an end range of motion. How many athletes
are weak during a mid range movement? Very few. How many are weak at
an end range of motion? Many (myself included on certain exercises).

Long winded answer, but I believe PRECISE joint mobility work can
actually replace about 90% of foam rolling, massage and static
stretching. Beyond this, think of how the brain gets info--1) eyes 2)
vestibular (inner ear "balance") 3) proprioception--joint information.
A system for extreme human performance, should target all 3 of these
areas---at a high level, this is what Z Health does. You can also add
to this very specific hands on holding of tissue while athletes do
certain drills also, but that is another can o' worms.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Related posts

More Brain Science and BAHG

Neuroplasticity and Human Athletic Performance

Z Health, Proprioception, Neuroplasticity all on Super Human Radio

Super Human Radio: Visual Aspect of Performance

Damien Walters Showreel 2009--A Must See

You MUST watch this! Wow! Amazing athletic movement. I can't wait to free up more time in my schedule post graduation to working on my standing back flip goal.




What do you think about this video? Place a comment below.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson
PS
Thanks to MC for this one! Check out her blog at Begin To Dig

Vibram Five Fingers: Tim Ferris and Barefoot Training

Tim Ferris Frees The Toes: Vibram Five Fingers

Tim Ferris of "Four Hour Work Week" fame had a great post the other day about flat, flexible shoes and especially the Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs for those "in da know).

Vibram Five Fingers Shoes: The Barefoot Alternative

This falls right inline with my thoughts---get your feet/ankles back to the way they were designed with mobility work (I like Z Health mobility work), then wear the most minimal things possible to not mess them up. The changes in pain and performance are amazing.

Virtually every athlete I work with leaves with some feet/ankle mobility work and we even lift barefoot.

Just yesterday an athlete came in and left with 3 foot drills that enabled both of this glutes, right hamstring and both psoas muscles to work much much better.

Keep in mind that the body is wired so that the feet/ankle position causes muscles in the hip (glutes, psoas, etc) to fire correctly due to gait (walking motion). Messed up feet/ankles = messed up hips. Fix your feet first!

I have not personally tried the Vibrams yet, but I just found out Midwest Mountaineering here in Minnesota has a wide stock of them, so I am going to hit them up soon. I hear REI has them now too. Heck, even U of MN coach/ XL Athlete Cal Dietz showed up at my office at the U of MN the other day with a pair, so all the really cool kid s are sporting them.

Other alternative are Nike Free (3.0 or older 5.0s) and Asics (see post below)

Random Thoughts Friday: Shoes Mobility, and ACSM

Here is another great article about barefoot running affecting shoe design! Hopefully this trend continues.

The Running Shoe Debate: How Barefoot Runners are Shaping the Shoe Industry

MC has a great review of Vibrams also

Fitting Vibram FiveFingers - And Injinji Socks - review

MBTs, the Anti Shoe = the Anti Solution?

MBTs the Anti Shoe

My experience is that I am NOT a fan of the MBTs. I spent about 45 minutes at their booth at the last ACSM and while they were very nice people and got a cool gait assessment via force read out in real time to see the difference, I think the foot should have a 3D motion and with the MBTs it is pretty straight through the foot (not natural).

My stride length also decreased (I had on a pair of Nike frees, trying to blend in there since I was presenting). I also had much less movement at my hips with the MBTs.

Just my thoughts. From the people that I saw there that had them on, not many of them moved well in my opinion. The MBTs are actually VERY stiff and I feel promote an unnatural gait. Although if you refuse to do mobility work and continue to have stiff feet, they may be an option for you, but this is like putting a helmet on so that you can keep beating your head against the wall.

Thoughts/comments?

Music update: Testament live tomorrow night here in Minnesota!

Tomorrow night one of the greatest metal/thrash bands Testament will be performing here in my backyard! Whoooo ha. Can't wait. I missed them last time they were here in July by 2 days. I was shopping at Home Depot for a bigger sledgehammer to use for training (sledgehammer strikes on a tire are awesome for an "ab workout") and had on my Testament shirt and one the employees stated that they were just here the other night. Drat!!

So, I have my ticket now and I can't wait. Unearth is opening too. If you are going to be at the show, drop me a line.

Guitarist Alex Skolnick commented on the upcoming tour:

"This is the first 'proper' Testament tour since our reunion a few years ago. It is our best routing of North American cities yet, including places such as Philadelphia and Atlanta, which we haven't been able to hit since reuniting. As a band, we've never sounded better. With our full-length set, reasonable ticket prices and show that is going to knock you out, now is the time to get out of the house and come see us!"

Testament live--Into the Pits

Enough with the static stretching already

As readers of this blog know, I am not a big fan of static stretching. Don't get me wrong, if you have any pain and/or movement issues you need to get them fixed ASAP; but I don't feel static stretching is the most effective solution. I think you can use mobility work for all your static stretching needs. Here are some related posts

Stop Static Stretching: New Research

Static Stretching--Good or Bad?

Human tendon behavior and adaptation, in vivo.

Stretching and Resistance Training and Tendon Effects

The Death of Static Stretching

Hey look Mom---someone else has similar thoughts!

http://saveyourself.ca/articles/stretching.php

rock on
Mike T Nelson

Mobility vs Stability, Primitive Patterns, Z Health and More!

Question on Mobility, Stability, Primitive Patterns, Z Health and more!

Came across your blog and found it interesting as I have also taken some Z courses. I love it, but think that there doesn't have to be a distinction between the nervous system and biomechanical approaches.

I think both are necessary and we all need a balance between mobility and stability. Not sure if you're familiar with Gray Cook, but he wrote an interesting article on this topic a while back on T-nation.

I recently purchased his Primitive Movements DVD and he discusses movement patterns along with some stability work, including some Power Plate exercises. In one of his newsletters, Eric (Dr. Cobb of Z Health) stated his doubt about the use of anything electric, but I think he is wrong on this one.

I've been doing Z Health since 2003 and seen great results with it. At the same time, it hasn't restored proper function by itself and I believe most people will need some form of manual therapy and stability work for optimal results.

Vibration platforms are a great tool for addressing reflex stabilization. Just a tool, but effective none the less.

Look forward to reading your articles. Always looking to learn from someone new.

Thanks
Brian Morgan

Answer
Thanks for the note Brian! One of the things I love about this blog is the ability to interact with some really smart people.

I don't really like the term "stability" I think a better term is "coordination" (stole that from Frankie Faires). Much of this I covered in this past post

Jammed Joints and Muscular Weakness--Stability and Mobility

Also see Aaron's Blog post here

Not a Stability Issue

I do believe you need mobility before stability, as I stated in my lumbar mobility post quite some time ago (I am sure I am not the first to say that). Kids has tons of mobility and then learn coordination (stability).

Lumbar Mobility in Italy

Lumbar movement and Z Health comment

Cool that you have been doing Z-Health for a long time. Have you worked with a Z Health trainer? If so, what level? Many times after a period of time, you will need your eyes/vestibular systems checked as they can be impeding any progress. Don't just take my word for it, see this comment from Dr. Jim below

Testimonial for Z Health and New Dragon Door Workshop: Z-Health

I am actually totally for hands on work, as long as it is NOT painful---see my ART / Z Health post below (I think I am going for a record number of links in a post)

Active Release Technique (ART), Z Health, Hands on Work (Massage, Guided Exercise)

For research, I think vibe platforms are cool (although they feel really weird), but if I was going to build a gym from scratch, at 10K a piece I would put them on the bottom of the list. I do think they can get lots of mechanoreceptor stim going and many times that will even get people out of pain.

I spent about an hour talking to the nice people at the power plate stand at ACSM last year. Very cool people and I expect to see more use of them for pain reduction coming soon. How long that effect will hold once you step off is debatable. I think some cool mobility work (when done with precision) can get you a similar effect and will last (hold) longer due to the enhanced motor learning--you are ACTIVELY moving your limbs so that brain on top of your head has to work harder than if you just lay their like a dead fish while someone pokes/prods at ya.

Thoughts/ comments from others? Post them in the comments!

Rock on and special thanks to Brian for letting me post this here
Mike T Nelson

Pain is Bad for Performance: New Study on Shoulder Pain

I am sure everyone is tired of hearing me yack about how bad pain is for performance and proper muscle coordination. If you have missed my tyrants in the past, see the following by clicking on them

Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Pain and A Shot to the Nuts

Pain and Performance

In this study, they created pain in healthy people and then saw that it decreased shoulder muscle activity. The researchers stated,

"During abduction, experimentally induced pain in the supraspinatus muscle caused a significant decrease in activity of the anterior deltoid, upper trapezius and the infraspinatus and an increase in activity of lower trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles."

The body is showing an arthrokinetic reflex where it is working to protect the joint by starting to shut down the muscles around it. Makes sense since your body is survival based, not performance based. You can get an increase in performance by increasing the ability of it to survive. This is a basic concept taught in Z Health R Phase.

Mobility drills (like Z Health) can be used to correct the joints and thus muscular function.

For maximal performance, get out of pain. A vast majority of the time, better movement = less pain.

Below is the full study

The influence of experimentally induced pain on shoulder muscle activity

Louise Pyndt Diederichsen1, 4, 5 Contact Information, Annika Winther1, Poul Dyhre-Poulsen2, Michael R. Krogsgaard3 and Jesper Nørregaard1
(1) Institute of Sports Medicine-Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
(2) Department for Medical Physiology, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
(3) Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
(4) Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Odense Universitetshospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C, Denmark
(5) Lodsvej 25A, 5270 Odense N, Denmark

Abstract
Muscle function is altered in painful shoulder conditions. However, the influence of shoulder pain on muscle coordination of the shoulder has not been fully clarified. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of experimentally induced shoulder pain on shoulder muscle function.

Eleven healthy men (range 22–27 years), with no history of shoulder or cervical problems, were included in the study. Pain was induced by 5% hypertonic saline injections into the supraspinatus muscle or subacromially. Seated in a shoulder machine, subjects performed standardized concentric abduction (0°–105°) at a speed of approximately 120°/s, controlled by a metronome.

During abduction, electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded by intramuscular wire electrodes inserted in two deeply located shoulder muscles and by surface-electrodes over six superficially located shoulder muscles.

EMG was recorded before pain, during pain and after pain had subsided and pain intensity was continuously scored on a visual analog scale (VAS). During abduction, experimentally induced pain in the supraspinatus muscle caused a significant decrease in activity of the anterior deltoid, upper trapezius and the infraspinatus and an increase in activity of lower trapezius and latissimus dorsi muscles. Following subacromial injection a significantly increased muscle activity was seen in the lower trapezius, the serratus anterior and the latissimus dorsi muscles.

In conclusion, this study shows that acute pain both subacromially and in the supraspinatus muscle modulates coordination of the shoulder muscles during voluntary movements. During painful conditions, an increased activity was detected in the antagonist (latissimus), which support the idea that localized pain affects muscle activation in a way that protects the painful structure.

Further, the changes in muscle activity following subacromial pain induction tend to expand the subacromial space and thereby decrease the load on the painful structures.

Random Thoughts Friday: Shoes, Mobility, and ACSM

I was up at the butt crack of dawn again (5:15AM) to run to the lab for some more testing on the effects of Energy Drinks, but I am over the halfway point--yeah!!!

Iron Radio TODAY!
Periodizing Training & Nutrition

EVENT: Iron Radio With Mike T Nelson
DATE & TIME: Friday, April 3rd at 2:00pm Eastern
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast -- it's your choice)
Topic: "Periodizing Training & Nutrition"
TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW...
http://instantTeleseminar.com/...eventid=6770136

Random Thoughts
So all the cool kids are doing random thoughts, so I thought I would hop on the bandwagon. It will be a good way to get out some stuff in my blogger file that is probably not quite big enough for an article and if I get lots of questions of something I can then turn it into an article. Last time I checked I have >200 random things in there. Yikes.

1) My favorites shoes for training "The smarter the shoe, the dumber the foot" --Eric Cressey? Dr Cobb?

Not sure who I heard that one from first, but I totally agree. The short version is this

Train your feet for mobility first, then strength

Find a shoe that is as minimal as possible to prevent it from adapting the wrong direction.

Stiff shoes= stiff feet = messed up movement

Don't even get me started on high heals--horrible (any female readers I had just left. Drat)

My favorite shoes are shown below, the Tai-Chi Onistuka Tigers as worn in Kill Bill.

They are completely flat on the bottom, minimal support, although good lateral support for speed work and great grippy sole. I love them. My gait normally tests great in them too.

CSS is one of the only places you can find them and they are currently out of the yellow and black, but they are having a vote on the next style they are going to run, so vote HERE Do me a favor and vote for the black/whites ones as the other ones are U.G.L.Y

2) The last album from Scar Symmetry is amazing!
I am still listening to this CD almost daily after having it for over 5 months now. Amazing metal release and my fav of all last year. Check out the video below (note, a few seconds of possibly borderline non work friendly shots at times as a heads up)

Who says metal is not intelligent? Lyrics below for ya too




Lyrics | Scar Symmetry Lyrics | Morphogenesis Lyrics




3) The ACSM Annual Meeting Advance Program Available

Yes, I am a huge geek and have a whole vacation planned around the ACSM Conference coming up in late May. I presented a poster there last year and it was actually very good and much better than I expected (I thought it was going to be all cardio bunnies yacking about how running and aerobic training are the greatest thing ever; but it was not at all).

See below for notes from last year

ACSM Random Updates

If anyone is interested in an ebook about the latest in performance enhancement from the conference, drop me an email or place a comment below.
Email me by clicking here

Here is what they are saying about the meeting this year.

With a record-number of abstracts and more than 200 sessions, ACSM's 56th Annual Meeting promises to provide an exceptional array of cutting-edge science and clinical sessions. Check out the blend of expert speakers from around the globe, symposia and exhibits in the Advance Program by clicking HERE

If you are going to be at ACSM, let me know!
Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Stop Static Stretching: New Research

Up On The Soapbox Again
The loyal readers of this blog know that I am not a fan of static stretching. I can't understand why you would put a muscle (and joints) at an extreme range of motion (ROM) and wait there for the muscles to get WEAKER. I don't want to teach my body that!

I want to have STRENGTH at an END range of motion.

Remember, your body is uber smart and is CONSTANTLY adapting, so what do you want it to adapt to? This goes for you desk jockeys too cranking your necks to read this screen, so sit up straight (yes Mom), but please do keep reading.

Why Do People Static Stretch?
I think people still do static stretching to some degree because they have nothing else to replace it with.

Here is the big revelation
You can replace all static stretching with precise joint mobility work (insert Z Health plug here).

Even dynamic mobility drills are much better than static stretching.

On a personal note, I have not done any static stretching for almost 2 years now and I have less pain, more mobility and increased strength (in most exercises) than I ever have before. I know, anecdotal, self reported, n=1.

What To Do Now?
Here is a video showing a hip flexor stretch, then an active mobility drill for the OPPOSITE shoulder. At the end he does a hip flexor stretch again to note the new change in range of motion (see for yourself).



If you are interested in the Z Health R Phase, you can pick it up by clicking on the icon on the upper right. Full disclosure: I do make a few bucks off each sale, but the price is the same to you and I would never recommend anything that sucks.

Here is another brand new study looking at static stretching. If you are still insisting upon doing it, the data below would say that if you are lifting 30 minutes after stretching the reduction in max force will be pretty much gone. I would still like to see people replace static stretching with mobility work.

See these related posts below

The Death of Static Stretching

Human tendon behaviour and adaptation, in vivo.

Stretching and Resistance Training and Tendon Effects

Static Stretching--Good or Bad?

Here is the abstract

Moderate-duration static stretch reduces active and passive plantar flexor moment but not Achilles tendon stiffness or active muscle length

Anthony D. Kay1,2 and Anthony J. Blazevich2,3

J Appl Physiol 106: 1249-1256, 2009. First published January 29, 2009;

1Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, The University of Northampton, Northampton; 2Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance. Brunel University, Uxbridge, United Kingdom; and 3School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia

The effects of static stretch on muscle and tendon mechanical properties and muscle activation were studied in fifteen healthy human volunteers. Peak active and passive moment data were recorded during plantar flexion trials on an isokinetic dynamometer. Electromyography (EMG) monitoring of the triceps surae muscles, real-time motion analysis of the lower leg, and ultrasound imaging of the Achilles-medial gastrocnemius muscle-tendon junction were simultaneously conducted.

Subjects performed three 60-s static stretches before being retested 2 min and 30 min poststretch.

There were three main findings in the present study.

First, peak concentric moment was significantly reduced after stretch; 60% of the deficit recovered 30 min poststretch. This was accompanied by, and correlated with (r = 0.81; P < style="font-weight: bold;">

CONCLUSION
These data indicate that the stretching protocol used in this study induced losses in concentric moment that were accompanied by, and related to, reductions in neuromuscular activity, but they were not associated with alterations in tendon stiffness or shorter muscle operating length. Reductions in passive moment were associated with reductions in muscle stiffness, whereas tendon mechanics were unaffected by the stretch. Importantly, the impact on mechanical properties and neuromuscular activity was minimal at 30 min poststretch.

Crazy Mobility-- Ginastica Natural

Very interesting movements. I tried really hard to not make monkey noises during part of it since I would get even more crazy looks than normal.

Thanks to Rick for sending this one to me!

Just a reminder that I will be on iron radio this Friday, so get your questions into them and tune in
Mike T Nelson on Iron Radio-click here

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Z Health Testimonial from Joe Pavel and More Nervous System Research

Z Health Testimonial
The testimonials keep rolling in! Yeah ha! When I open my inbox and find a really cool testimonial in there, I have to admit that it TOTALLY (like I still live in the 80s or something) makes my day.

It is WHY I do this, spend all the time reading studies, trying stuff out, talking to others---it is to get RESULTS since that is why athletes pay money!

I can't take much of the credit since I never did an exercise for them. They have to put the time into it each day and do their exercises in good form. Nobody will ever be able to do that for you. I am just providing the stimulus to get them moving in the correct direction.

I truly believe your body wants to be healthy and perform at a much higher level, it just needs the right "push" at times to get moving in the correct direction again.

Here is one Joe Pavel, RKC, Z Health R, I Phase Trainer put in his newsletter recently

Since taking the Z-health certifications last spring and Summer I have…

1. Signed up and participated in judo classes. Just yesterday I received my yellow belt.

2. Rode a unicycle.

3. I can ride a Ripstick for however long I want

4. I got rhythm- I know this is hard to believe but it is true. I can do more than the "white man dance" at weddings now, which makes my wife very happy!

5. I've fixed my aches, pains, eyes and previous injuries, with the help of my Z- Health Master Trainer Mike T. Nelson.

Why did this all happen?

It happened because I move better now than I ever have in my whole life. That's from doing daily Z-Health drills and from seeing a Z-Health coach.

It works better than anything else I've ever tried at fixing your bodies restrictions to improve your movement skills because every problem is a movement problem.

No drugs, no surgery no long recovery, no needles, no trips to the hospital where you might end up with flesh eating disease (this happened recently to a woman where I live.)

Just simple, precise, joint movements can deliver the right release from a restriction, instantly.

After the session I did with Joe recently, I got this email

Thanks for the great Z session on Saturday. I crushed Ben my partner in judo when we randoried, wrassled. But man was I sore yesterday from the new nervous system stimulis. -Joe Pavel

Congrats to Joe for doing his "homework" also and getting his reps in! Nice work! If you are interested in some Z Health training, be sure to drop me a line.

Check out Joe's Blog below
Kool Kettlebells

On to some more studies on the nervous system. My notes at the end of each as always. Here we go!


Heat reactions in multiple sclerosis: an overlooked paradigm in the study of comparative fatigue.

Marino FE. School of Human Movement Studies & Exercise & Sports Science Laboratories, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. fmarino@csu.edu.au


Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating and debilitating disease characterised by a range of symptoms such as motor dysfunction and muscle weakness. A significant MS symptom is heat sensitivity so that exposure to heat will increase body temperature and consequently the appearance of neurological signs. Although some people with MS can undertake exercise, it is thought to be limited by the sensitivity to heat and the subsequent rise in body temperature which occurs.


It has been found that central fatigue is a determining factor in muscle activation and performance in normal healthy subjects. However, it is unknown whether thermal strain also induces central fatigue in MS even though muscular fatigue in MS is due mainly to central rather than peripheral factors.


CONCLUSION: This review focuses on the similarities in the manifestation of central fatigue in both MS and healthy subjects with reference to thermal strain and heat reactions.

My Notes: Be sure to check out the other studies I covered that look at the effects of heat below

Performance Research for February: Central fatigue exercise 3

On to another study!

Locomotor exercise induces long-lasting impairments in the capacity of the human motor cortex to voluntarily activate knee extensor muscles.

Sidhu SK, Bentley DJ, Carroll TJ. University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.


Muscle fatigue is a reduction in the capacity to exert force and may involve a "central" component originating in the brain and/or spinal cord. Here we examined whether supraspinal factors contribute to impaired central drive after locomotor endurance exercise. On 2 separate days, 10 moderately active individuals completed a locomotor cycling exercise session or a control session. Brief (2 s) and sustained (30 s) isometric knee extension contractions were completed before and after locomotor exercise consisting of eight, 5-min bouts of cycling at 80% of maximum workload. In the control session, subjects completed the isometric contractions in a rested state.

Twitch responses to supramaximal motor nerve stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation were obtained to assess peripheral force-generating capacity and voluntary activation. Maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) force during brief contractions decreased by 23 +/- 6.3% after cycling exercise and remained 12 +/- 2.8% below baseline 45 min later (F(1,9) > 15.5;

CONCLUSION: Thus locomotor exercise caused a long-lasting impairment in the capacity of the motor cortex to drive the knee extensors. Force was reduced more during sustained Maximum voluntary contraction after locomotor exercise than in the control session.
Peripheral mechanisms contributed relatively more to this force reduction in the control session, whereas supraspinal fatigue played a greater role in sustained Maximum voluntary contraction reduction after locomotor exercise.

My Notes: Interesting study, but it goes to show that trying to tease out central (aka brain) issues from peripheral (muscle) is very hard to do and in reality it is probably a combination of both.



Cortical voluntary activation of the human knee extensors can be reliably estimated using transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Sidhu SK, Bentley DJ, Carroll TJ. Health and Exercise Science, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.


The objective of this study was to determine if a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) method of quantifying the degree to which the motor cortex drives the muscles during voluntary efforts can be reliably applied to the human knee extensors. Although the technique for estimating "cortical" voluntary activation (VA) is valid and reliable for elbow flexors and wrist extensors, evidence that it can be applied to muscles of the lower limb is necessary if twitch interpolation with TMS is to be widely used in research or clinical practice. Eight subjects completed two identical test sessions involving brief isometric knee extensions at forces ranging from rest to maximal voluntary contraction (MVC).


Electromyographic (EMG) responses to TMS of the motor cortex and electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve were recorded from the rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles, and knee extension twitch forces evoked by stimulation were measured. The amplitude of TMS-evoked twitch forces decreased linearly between 25% and 100% MVC (r(2) > 0.9), and produced reliable estimations of resting twitch and VA (ICC(2,1) > 0.85). The reliability and size of cortical measures of VA were comparable to those derived from motor nerve stimulation when the resting twitches were estimated on the basis of as few as three TMS trials.


CONCLUSION: Thus, transcranial magnetic stimulation measures of voluntary activation may provide a reliable and valid tool in studies investigating central fatigue due to exercise and neurological deficits in neural drive in the lower limbs.

My Notes: This may be a cool tool to help sort out the differences.

That is it for now! Any comments, let me know
Rock on
Mike T Nelson

Lumbar Mobility in Italy

In this issue

• A question from across the pond on mobility in the lumbar (low back) area
• A short video clip of one of the best bands....ever!

Mobility in Italy
I checked my inbox the other day and found a very cool message all the way from Italy!

Hi Michael, I'm Alessandro Menegaz a co-founder of the RawTraining.eu web site [1].
Our web project is directed to Italian athletes and our goal is to spread the culture of strength training witha 360 degree view.
To increase our knowledge and to improve our training results all our members are continuously searching and testing every kind of training strategy and programs (choosing only the ones that increase efficiently our performances in at least one of the strength qualities).
From the opening of our site, ten months ago, we have already published articles of coach JOE DEFRANCO, STEVE COTTER, CHRISTIAN THIBAUDEAU, MIKE MAHLER, LOUIE SIMMONS and a lot of other important works published on DieselCrew.com, T-nation.com, EliteFTS.com and other famous fitness web-sites.
On the 10th November 2008 we published a translation of one of your articles (first published by DieselCrew.com) onthe authorization of Jim Smith (from DieselCrew).
He told us that we can translate the article as long as we put all the references to the author, to the original version and to their website (we had no problem with that since it is our standard policy about the translations).
Here you can find the link to the published article: http://www.rawtraining.eu/it/stabilita-mobilita


(for the US viewers here, check out Diesel Crew for tons of great stuff! Llink below to the article)

Lumbar movement and Z Health comment

We are very happy to make some important/innovative works available for Italian-language readers and we hope that this will also help you and other authors to be known in our nation (for this reason we always translate a short biography of the author and we put all the references to his site/blog too).
I hope you are happy about this too (if not, you can obviously have your article removed at any time).
I'm writing you since we received an interesting feedback from one of our readers about your work.
In his message he asked questions about some of the concepts you presented. We would be very pleased to answer him, but since we are not Biomechanical experts and we don't want to give imprecise or incomplete information, we decided to try to pass those question to you (who better than the author can answer them? :-)
Maybe you are not interested in this … but we had to try to contact you :)
I thank you very much for the time you have dedicated to this message and for your interesting works.
Kind Regards, Alessandro Menegaz Co-founder of RawTraining project
http://www.rawtraining.eu/it/

I translated the original message almost literally (well … I tried … it is more difficult from Italian to English than vice versa :)



Wow, very cool and yes I will do whatever I can to help for sure!

Mobility Question

"Hi ! I think that this article is very interesting and I'd want to ask you some questions about it.
I see that you have it in for Mc Gill and Cressey (poor guys, I love them ^^). I don't think that the lumbar spine's mobility is the origin of all evil (and I don't think that they believe this too), nonetheless I think that in our sedentary society you can very easily find people with a thoracic mobility close to zero, a posterior kinetic chain as flexible as cast iron (I hope that cast iron is not flexible lol) and for this reasons they also have lumbar mobility to compensate all these motionless areas.

Therefore in my opinion it is very likely that common people need exercises to put thoracics in motion and exercises to stabilize lumbars, isn't it ?

Anyway we know that hyper-mobility is harmful and it is harmful for the spine too.

There are a lot of studies (mentioned by Mc Gill too) about the high incidence of spondylolisthesis (double, triple, one upon the other ...) focused for example on women gymnasts that show the dreadful couple: iper-mobility + low weight (and bones that "you can cut with a bread-stick")

After all this self-gloating :), I'd want to ask what you think about:

- The results achieved by McGills about discs herniation's mechanisms that are very probable when we join high compression forces (for example executing squat with a load equal to 2 times your bodyweight) with lumbar movement (as it happens when someone not very flexible goes below the parallel position during the squat "closing on himself like a squeeze-box").

- the studies he did with fluoroscopy on powerlifters who did a 200Kg-deadlift with a semi-flexed back

- How would you design a lumbar mobility workout, to whom and would you use external loads?

-- Which kind of results would you expect from this workout ?

--Which athletic movements would you want to improve and why ?

Sorry if this message is too long ;-)"

---Submitted from Italy

Answer
First, off thanks for the kind words and it is obvious you have done your homework, which I LOVE to see.


Actually, when I listen to Dr. McGill speak and others from his lab, I actually agree with 99% of what they say. I don't always agree with some of the "leaps of faith" some in the training world then take based on it. Even coach Boyle has stated that he probably does things based on McGills work that is farther than McGill himself would take (Reference: Strength Coach Podcast). I think the lumbar should be mobile, but not HYPER mobile, esp in only one part.

- How would you design a lumbar mobility workout, to whom and would you use external loads?


I actually use the Z Health system (starting with Z Health R Phase, which you can pick up here in the upper right hand corner) and it includes drills for lumbar mobility. Most (even some athletes) can NOT do these correctly for several sessions. The goal of the drill to so increase extension and "open up" the lumbar area.


I agree with your point that most have very bad hip movement and horrible thoracic mobility--no question! Get those areas moving first since they are much easier to work on and they have a high pay off.


Most that I see are also hyper mobile in the lumbar, but ONLY at ONE segment---this is NOT good---too much force on a small area (thus increased stress). The goal is to get ALL of the lumbar segments moving, not just one. The amount they move is of course very small compared to the thoracic, but they should still move.

Which kind of results would you expect from this workout ?

Very very hard to say. It really depends on what their weakness is. For some, the results are a huge decrease in pain and much better movement, for others there is only a small change. Very hard to say, but once the area is open and mobile, everyone moves better--how MUCH better varies a lot.


Which athletic movements would you want to improve and why ?
Your question is actually a great one. My answer is the one that they are the worst at! Maybe I am not answering your question, so feel free to rephrase.


Summary
Special thanks for the great question and if you are in Italy, but sure to check out the website below.


Big thanks to Alessandro Menegaz also for putting up my article and translating the question. It is still amazing to me that this blog is translated into so many languages! Small world.



One of the live best bands.....ever

Below is a very cool video from SXSW this year.

Iron Maiden is one of the best live metal bands...ever. I've only been able to see them live once on the "Brave New World" tour on August 27, 2000 (7 days after my birthday) here in St Paul Minnesota. The show was AMAZING. I was expecting a good show, but they pulled out all the stops and each member was so passionate about playing live I could have watched them all night. Excellent show and one of the top live shows I have ever seen in my life (and I've been to a lot of shows).

In the video below, notice that they have their own plane and Bruce Dickinson (lead singer) is actually the pilot too (click HERE for more info). Not just any plane---a real 737! They even got it custom painted and will sell it back to a major airlines later at some point.

The last few seconds may not be super work friendly, but they did edit out a few bad words

Special thanks to my buddy Warren Smith for sending me the video. If you are in Canada around the Vancouver area, be sure to check out his training/nutrition services.

Rock on!
Mike T Nelson

Z Health Tesimonial and Performance Research for March: Central Fatigue part 1

Z Health Testimonial Time!

My name is Gail Jensen and I've enjoyed strength training and its benefits for years. Recently, I was diagnosed with bone spurs and a herniated disc in my cervical spine. As a result, I was experiencing a significant loss of strength and endurance in my right tricep probably because one of the spurs is pinching a nerve. Surgery is an option but I am fearful of my future in strength training with such a drastic procedure. I decided to investigate my options and was referred to Mike Nelson by a friend whose opinion I value.

Mike is a Master in Z Health and I was fascinated with his insight into my problem(s)! The tricep problem was obvious at our session but Mike also discovered that my left glute and abs were not firing properly, either. He remedied the situation on the spot with the glute-ab issues and gave me an exercise regimen to help regain the strength in my tricep ( I have lost a fair amount of muscle mass) and my thumb and forefinger no longer tingle!

I have followed his advice religiously and I am making daily strength gains. I've had several days of relatively little pain and I feel much stronger! The pain has also subsided. Thanks, Mike! I also hope to take Z Health classes myself so I can recognize more fully the importance of the neuromuscular aspect of exercise.

Gail Jensen, Alexandria, Minnesota

Special thanks to Gail for making the long couple hour plus drive down and being diligent on doing her exercises. Awesome work Gail!! It is not always this "easy" but many times it is with the correct information/skills.

If you need more Z Health information or want to set up an appointment for yourself, see this link below and click this link Email Mike T Nelson

Z Health in Minnesota

On to the science! The series of new research on fatigue and why do muscles get tired blazes on.

Neuromuscular fatigue following high versus low-intensity eccentric exercise of biceps brachii muscle.

Gauche E, Couturier A, Lepers R, Michaut A, Rabita G, Hausswirth C. Laboratory of Biomechanics and Physiology, Research Department, National Institute of Sport and Physical Education, INSEP, 11 Avenue du Tremblay, 75012 Paris, France.


PURPOSE: This study investigated neuromuscular fatigue following high versus low-intensity eccentric exercise corresponding to the same amount of work.

METHODS: Ten volunteers performed two eccentric exercises of the elbow flexors: a high-intensity versus a low-intensity exercise. Maximal voluntary contraction torque and surface electromyography of the biceps brachii muscle were recorded before, immediately and 48h after exercises. Maximal voluntary activation level, neural (M-wave) and contractile (muscular twitch) properties of the biceps brachii muscle were analysed using electrical stimulation techniques.


RESULTS: Maximal voluntary contraction torque was significantly (P<0.01) style="font-weight: bold;">


CONCLUSION: High and low-intensity eccentric exercises with the same amount of work induced the same reduction in maximal strength capacities of the biceps brachii muscles. The magnitude of peripheral and central fatigue was very similar in both conditions.

My Notes: Interesting. I would not have guessed they would be the same in both conditions.

The Role of Impaired Mitochondrial Lipid Oxidation in Obesity.

Rogge MM.


Obesity represents a disruption in balancing fuel intake with energy expenditure in favor of energy conservation. Adiposity is known to be carefully regulated and, over time, highly resistant to major changes, raising questions about how energy homeostasis can become dysregulated in favor of fat accumulation. In obesity, the excess lipid accumulation represents a surfeit of energy, but those who are obese often experience rapid fatigue and decreased physical endurance, reflecting an energy deficiency. To develop an explanation for this apparent contradiction in energy homeostasis and the chronic overeating relative to energy used in obesity, a review of the literature was conducted.


The resulting model of obesity is based on a growing body of research demonstrating that altered mitochondrial energy production, particularly in skeletal muscles, is a major anomaly capable of setting off a chain of metabolic events leading to obesity. Alterations in skeletal muscle mitochondria distribution and their oxidative and glycolytic energy capacities in obesity are described. The metabolic responses of obese and normal individuals to exercise are contrasted, and the effects of weight loss on energy production are presented.


CONCLUSION: The effect of altered fat oxidation is considered in relation to energy regulation by the central nervous system and the development of major obesity comorbidities, including systemic inflammation, insulin resistance and diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Recommendations for clinical intervention and additional research are proposed based on the model presented of impaired mitochondrial function in obesity.

My Notes: Look for more research in this area over the next several years as scientist dig deeper into this area. Remember, as Dr. Cobb likes to say "all the body, all the time" It is all connected!

Effect of endurance training on hypothalamic serotonin concentration and performance.

Caperuto EC, dos Santos RV, Mello MT, Costa Rosa LF. Department of Bioscience, Federal University of São Paulo, Baixada Santista, Brazil.


1. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that modulates several functions, such as food intake, energy expenditure, motor activity, mood and sleep. Acute exhaustive endurance exercise increases the synthesis, concentration and metabolism of serotonin in the brain. This phenomenon could be responsible for central fatigue after prolonged and exhaustive exercise. However, the effect of chronic exhaustive training on serotonin is not known. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of exhaustive endurance training on performance and serotonin concentrations in the hypothalamus of trained rats.


2. Rats were divided into three groups: sedentary rats (SED), moderately trained rats (MOD) and exhaustively trained rats (EXT), with an increase of 200% in the load carried during the final week of training. 3. Hypothalamic serotonin concentrations were similar between the SED and MOD groups, but were higher in the EXT group (P < style="font-weight: bold;">

CONCLUSION: Thus, the present study demonstrates that exhaustive training increases serotonin concentrations in the hypothalamus, together with decreased endurance performance after inadequate recovery time. However, the mechanism underlying these changes remains unknown.

My Notes: Maybe this is the infamous "runners high?"

Z Health Question: Case Study/Car Accident and Basketball Performance

Happy Monday to all of you! I trust your weekend was a good one.

I spent all day in the lab on Friday (6am-7:30pm) and stopped by Chipotle for a nice chicken burrito (hmmmm, burrito) and watched an episode of Myth Busters on DVD! Ahhhhh, the good life. I was in bed by 9pm. Mr Excitement lives next door, not here this weekend.

Z Health Case Study
Saturday I worked around my townhome for awhile and had a Z Health session with a client in the afternoon that went well.

Here is how it went down:

We got her left glute(butt muscle) to fire with Z Health ankle work on the left side. There are 4 spots in the foot/ankle that correspond to muscles in the hip. If the ankle is goofed up, it will start to shut down the muscle in the hip to prevent you from exerting any more high forces on your ankle. as your body is trying to protect itself. Once the ankle area is "open" with some Z Health mobility work, many time the muscles in the hip fire much much better. The technically name for this is "arthrokinetic reflex" and is taught in the Z Health R Phase cert. See this post below for more information.

Jammed Joints and Muscular Weakness--Stability and Mobility

We got her abs to work much better also! She could not do a strict sit up, and after some specifc exericse for her head (yes I know that sounds very weird), she could do a sit up!

She was having some issues getting her right tricep to fire, and we got it working pretty good with a combination of neck (C7) mobility, radial nerve glide with elbow and shoulder movement, and motor point work. For information on nerve flossing, see this post below

Nerve Flossing Z Health Style: I Can Rotate My Neck

Z Health Question and Answer
Hi Mike! I'm a 15 year old fan of yours work. I'm from Serbia so sorry for my bad English.I read your blog every day and I read whole archive of your blog and I can tell you it's FANTASTIC! Readers can see that you enjoy learning new stuff about our bodies and you want to share that with them.

I have a question for you. I had a car accident while I was in a car with my dad. I had just a minor left hip contusion but my father ended dislocating his left hip (luxatio coxae) and ortho said that he must not put left leg down for 6 months. He can sit now and ortho gave him some exercises to do but his muscles are weak a he feels pain in the injured hip .

I'm wondering if Z can help him now? There is no Z trainer in Serbia or anywhere near my country and I'm desperate seeing him in pain.

I am going to buy some Z product to try it myself since I play basketball and want to increase my performance.Is it better to buy R phase or the Quick Start Guide?

Thanks in advance!Greetings from Serbia!!!
Boki

P.S.Keep up the good work!

Answer
Thanks for the kind words all the way from Serbia. Much appreciated and no worries as your English is great.

Sorry to hear about the car accident.

For your dad, the best advice to work with his orthopod. If his doc will give him the ok to start some very light NONpainful movement; he too could start with some Z Health. If he can only do it while seated, that is fine too. Once cleared for movement, I would have him start on the RIGHT shoulder and see if that helps.

Yes, R Phase is great for basketball, since that has lots of running and a higher impact on the joints. I would start at R Phase and once you are moving well with those drills, you can try the Neuro Warm Up 1 next.

It is worth saving to get the R Phase over the Quick Start Guide as the exercises on the Quick Start Guide(QSG) are repeated in R Phase. But if money is super tight and you are looking to start something now, the QSG can be a good place to start.

The key is to make sure you are doing the drills with PRECISION in a relaxed state.

You can purchase and Z Health product from the box on the upper right hand side of my blog. I do make a few dollars off of each sale, but the price is the same to you and I will be my best to answer any questions you have.

Let me know how it goes and I wish both of you the best!
Rock on
Mike N

Music, Mobility, and Rhythm Z Health Style

After the onslaught of crazy science stuff, I figured a few of your brains may need a break.

Below is a great video of some crazy mobility work done to the song "Loose Cannon" by the band Killing Joke. I had heard of Killing Joke for quite some time, but the first CD I bought from them was the "Democracy" release in 1996. I have a video from that album at the end here. It is a great album and I would recommend it.


Mobility and Music
The first video below is perfect, as it combines my love for music and mobility work all in one!

Keep in mind that rhythm can be developed also. In the S Phase Z Health class we did some mobility work to a metronome. This is harder than it sounds at first.

So if you are doing an elbow circle, your goal is to complete one rep at each beep of the metronome. Or you can reach the mid point at each beat. This will also force you to practice mobility work at a different speed. Most do too much at the SAME speed. Remember that just like exercise, your body will adapt and not change much after that point.

So the next time you are told "Yo' got no rhythm booooooy" break out the metronome and Z Health drills.

Special thanks to Sheriff in the UK for sending this one to me.




Democracy

Static Stretching--Good or Bad?

Here is another article on static/dynamic stretching. As most know, I am not a fan of static stretching especially pre competition/lifting . I much prefer active mobility work over static stretching since you want to teach the body increased range of motion AND strength. Static stretching is teaching the body an increased range of motion and making the muscle WEAKER. We all know that a static stretched muscle is temporarily weaker. The good part is that this is normally short lived.

Check out my other post below on it.

The Death of Static Stretching

Thanks to Cal Dietz for sending me the following article from the Yale Daily News (the bolding of text were the highlights in my mind)

Yale Daily News

Dynamic stretching
By Monica Mark
Staff Reporter

Play almost any sport at any level and chances are you will be called to stretch beforehand. The typical routine is well-known and widespread: Reach for your toes, hold the stretch for 10 or 15 or 30 seconds, release and move on to another muscle. It warms you up, limbers you up and gets you ready for tough competition, right? Not at all, according to the results of a recent study by kinesiology researchers — a study which does not appear to have taken the Yale athletic community by surprise. Staff reporter Monica Mark investigates.

Static stretches — stretching exercises that elongate the muscles, performed while the body is at rest — are likely not beneficial to a warm-up routine at all and could actually be dangerous, according to the research headed by scientists at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The study, which the New York Times featured in a recent article entitled "Stretching: The Truth", instructed participants to perform static hamstring and quadriceps stretches and then measured their muscles' power output. The results showed static stretching produces less-than-desirable results: In fact, less force was generated from leg muscles after a static stretching regime than from muscles that were not stretched at all.

Dr. Peter Jokl, director of Yale's Sports Medicine Center, said that it is true that static stretching may weaken muscles in the short-run. But he does not necessarily agree that it is "dangerous," as the article claimed.

"They were talking about weakening the muscles — meaning how much power they can produce," he said of the study's authors. "Say you wanted to produce maximum force out of your muscles. If you disconnect links by overstretching, you can weaken the muscle in terms of how much horsepower, so to speak, you can produce."

The primary function of a warm-up should be to increase body temperature, according to Jokl. Warm muscles use oxygen and stored energy more efficiently and can withstand more force.

"Connective tissue is like Tupperware," he said. "If you put one in the fridge it gets stiff. When you run it under hot water, it's more pliable."

Increasing blood flow — another effect of warming up — also makes muscles more flexible, he added.

Experts recommend light jogging or comparable aerobic activity as a way to start a solid warm-up routine. The warm-up should last from five to 10 minutes, which will raise the body temperature between two to three degrees Fahrenheit, according to Jokl. However, the athlete should be careful to avoid too intense of a warm-up, which can itself lead to muscle strain or other injuries, he explained. Even if you do avoid injury, a burnout of a warm-upcan have a second unpleasant side effect: It could simply wear you out.

But, Jokl added, "The study overdramatized the idea that traditional stretching may not be good for you."

Overdramatized or not, within Yale athletics, static stretching as a stand-alone warm-up went the way of leg warmers as fashionable workout gear a long time ago.

"This info is not new," Richard Kaplan, assistant athletic trainer at Yale, said of the pitfalls of static stretching. "We have already instituted a 'dynamic workout' … with most of our teams and reserve the static stretching for right before our cool-down period."

Indeed, dynamic stretching has taken the place of static stretching in many collegiate environments, though the latter still reigns supreme in amateur athletics. (Dynamic stretching is a process in which the muscles are stretched while moving — including squats, lunges, or the "Spider-Man," which requires the athlete to get down on all fours and crawl as though he or she were climbing a wall.)

"We do a full dynamic warm-up," Yale track and field head coach David Shoehalter said of the team's pre-practice routine, "I've been coaching now for 20 years and have been doing dynamic warm-ups the entire time."

In response to the claim that static stretching is dangerous, he added, "I wouldn't say it's dangerous, but it's not helpful, and it can lead to injury."

Alina Liao '09, a member of the gymnastics team, said she was also skeptical of the idea that static stretches are dangerous if they are performed properly and at the right time.

"I've never seen anyone injured directly from static stretching," she said in an e-mail message. "I don't think it's particularly harmful unless you do an extreme amount of static stretching immediately before active exercise."

Still, according to Shoehalter, static stretching is problematic for reasons beyond muscle weakening.

While he says dynamic warm-ups wake up your nervous system, "static stretching sends the message to your brain that your muscles are done."

"So the message the brain is getting is 'All right, I'm finished," he said, "and then all of the sudden, there you are redlining it, which can lead to muscle strains or pulls."

But that's is not to say static stretching should be nixed altogether.

Within the Yale track and field program, Shoehalter said, athletes perform an extensive static stretching routine following workouts, as opposed to preceding them.

Liao, whose warm-up routine includes both dynamic movements such as leg swings and static stretches like splits, also emphasized static stretching still has a place in a safe and healthy workout.

"Static stretching still might be important for preventing muscle tears or strains," she said. "Especially as a gymnast, if my muscles are not already fully stretched and thus ready for the flexibility my sport demands, I certainly risk tearing a muscle."

In the end, it may be more a question of power than of peril.

"More so than static stretching leading to injuries," Shoehalter emphasized, "dynamic stretching enhances the ability to perform at high levels."

In other words, static stretches won't necessarily hurt you, but they won't provide the performance boost of their dynamic counterparts — and could leave you sore and your muscles strained if used in lieu of an aerobic warm-up.

So if this research isn't really new at all, then why are so many people outside the world of collegiate athletics hearing of it for the first time? Why is dynamic stretching such a well-kept secret?

"It's hard to say," Shoehalter said. "It's kind of an 'old-habits-die-hard' situation. I think static stretching is the old school way of doing things, but if you look at any kind of major collegiate track program, they're doing full dynamic warm-ups."

Having come from amateur athletic environments, Shoehalter continued, many athletes have never been exposed to dynamic stretching, so when the warm-up is over, they ask why they haven't yet had the chance to stretch.

"You just kind of have to change what they think is stretching," he said. "You have to change their perception of what actually works."

Mobility Work Is the Missing Link for Fat Loss

I've been on the mobility soapbox as of late (see the posts Mobility and Mood, and also Dopamine, Mood, Movement and Exercise)

Mobility has a huge role I believe in long term fat loss, but probably not in the way you were thinking.

Behavior issues are full entwined into the reason for maintenance of fat loss, since nobody is putting food into your mouth other than yourself (in a vast majority of cases).

One thing that I think plays a HUGE role, although I don't see it talked about anywhere is how YOU (and your brain ) perceives your body.

Say I am overweight, I get my nutrition in order, hire a coach/trainer and drop 30 lbs of fat. Whoo ha!! Awesome work! Seriously that is an amazing job!!

The trick now is to no regain the fat! The issue I think is that most of the time, you still have a "fat person's maps." The brain integrates "movement maps" as I learned in Z Health R/I Phase taking inputs from the joints (proprioception), eyes (visual) and vestibular (inner ear/balance) to form my overall body map.

Now if I drop 30 lbs and I don't do any work (primarily mobility and some times visual/vestibular) to update my maps---at a base level my body is much thinner physically, but my brain still thinks I am 30 lb overweight! Uh oh. Guess what happens next----I will tend to slip back to behaviors that match what my brain perceives. This concept is taken from the book "The body has a mind of its own"

Physiology is messy, completely non linear and has lots of "bad" engineering words (anisotropic, etc). See the post You Body as a Black Box for more info.

It is my biased belief that for most people following a good nutrition system (I use Precision Nutrition) and intelligent training that work to update your body maps is the best direction to go for 95% of people. Plus most want to move and be treated like athletes So if you were to stop in at my place, you will only see the basics--a power rack, bars, kettlebells, sandbags, big tires, sledge hammers, etc. No fancy shining equipment but it gets results and is "fun" in a weird, twisted way. I think trainers should spent their money on top of the line BASIC equipment and then keep spending on education.

Speaking of education, I am off to Charles Staley's Training Sumitt in AZ now. See Wed's post for info and hope to see some of you there in AZ.