I haven't written up a new installment in this series since last June, so it seemed like a good time to do so. With the professional baseball season underway, I've got plenty of stuff rattling around my brain.
1. The MFR Stick is an absolute game changer.
In the past, we used "The Stick" for self-myofascial-release of the forearms, triceps, and biceps.
It works pretty well, but we've broken a number of them over the years when certain meatheads got a bit overzealous with their soft tissue approaches, and it exploded. Additionally, guys always seem to want to take dry swings with it, and the beads would invariably come flying off and wind up all over the facility.
Luckily, Perform Better came through in the clutch this offseason with the release of the MFR Stick.
Athletes have raved about how much better it is, from the greater feedback provided by the steel, to the reduced "give." And, it's far more durable. This is a must-have for any gym, in my opinion. Pick one up here.
2. Not surprisingly, music selection matters - but with a few key considerations.
It's hard to overlook the beneficial effects of music on exercise performance, whether considering your own anecdotal experience, watching Michael Phelps throw on his headphones before a big race, or actually reading the research. If you actually dig a little deeper, a few important "asterisks" emerge:
a. The benefits tend to be more significant in shorter, more anaerobic tasks, as opposed to lengthier aerobic endeavors (study).
b. Music is more impactful if it is self-selected (study).
c. Males tend to be more impacted by musical selection than females are (study).
d. Motivational music can lead to greater risk taking (study).
The take-home messages are that:
a) if you're a male powerlifter looking to make some really aggressive lifting decisions, you should select your music accordingly.
b) if you're a female cardio enthusiast going out for a leisurely jog, why are you reading this blog? music probably doesn't matter all that much.
c) everyone will continue to disagree over the musical selection at every gym for the rest of time.
3. The most successful coaches and rehabilitation specialists I know understand how to find the commonalities across various disciplines.
In strength and conditioning, we agree on the 90% and disagree on the10%. Better to focus on the former than argue about the latter. pic.twitter.com/AGA9m5vihr
The Postural Restoration Institute and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization approaches both utilize flexion-bias movements to restore normal function.
Both Muscle Activation Techniques and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment emphasize the importance of differentiating between passive and active range-of-motion, and understanding how to enhance motor control in the “gap” between the two.
Various pitching coaches may disagree on the utility of weighted balls or extreme long toss, but everyone agrees on the importance of quality catch-play.
My point here is that the best professionals have good filters to not only weed out the garbage, but to identify the best components of every discipline they encounter. And, they have the foresight to make sure that they don’t get married to a single school of thought, as doing so prevents you from identifying these important unifying themes.
Be married to specific training effects, not specific exercises.
Today is the fifth and final installment of my video series on self care for the neck and upper extremity with the Acumobility Ball. In this edition, I cover the upper traps with a four-minute video, as this approach isn't right for everyone. Don't forget that you can get 10% off on this great soft tissue tool with the coupon code cressey at www.Acumobility.com.
Thanks for sticking with me for all five videos! I hope you enjoyed them and derived some benefit.
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Today is part 4 of my series on how we utilize the Acumobility Ball for self myofascial release in the neck and upper extremity. Here, I cover the coracoid process, an attachment point for pec minor, coracobrachialis, and the short head of the biceps. Don't forget that you can get these great soft tissue resources for 10% off by using the coupon code cressey at www.Acumobility.com.
I've got one more video coming up for you tomorrow, so stay tuned!
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It's time for part 3 of my series on how we utilize the Acumobility Ball for the neck and upper extremity. Today, I cover another overlooked muscle: subclavius. Before we get to it, remember that you can get these great soft tissue resources for 10% off by using the coupon code cressey at www.Acumobility.com.
I'll be back soon with another video to keep this series going.
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Today, I've got the second video in my series on how we utilize the Acumobility Ball to perform self myofascial release in the upper extremity - and, in particular, the neck. As a reminder, the crew at Acumobility have been kind enough to provide my readers with 10% off by using the coupon code cressey at www.Acumobility.com. Today, we'll talk about the scalenes.
I'll be back soon with another video to keep this series going.
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I'm a big fan of utilizing the Acumobility Ball for self-myofascial release. You just need to be very careful to not work too intensely around the more delicate structures of the neck.
Check out this five-part video series on how we integrate this great tool:
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If you've read just about any of my writing, you likely know that I'm a big fan of various forms of soft tissue work. Obviously, there's foam rolling for our more "diffuse" work, but a lot of people also use a baseball, tennis ball, or lacrosse ball to get a bit more "focal." While this can definitely be helpful, there are a few precautions you want to take. Check out this video to learn more:
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