Big toe flexibility

Hi guys,

Did you know that inflexibilty of your big toe can lead to a lot of ankle, knee or hip problems?
Full extension of the Metatarsophalangeal 1-joint (the big toe) is absolutely necessary for performing movements....where the big toe is extended

Think about following movements & look at the big toe

Lunges

take-off phase (running)

split jerk

A lack of big toe flexibility is actually the same story as last post regarding the flexibility in the fingers & the wrists. A mobility problem on its own isn't a big deal, the rest of the kinetic chain will compensate for your deficits, but how long will your body be able to withstand this.....?

Consequences of big toe inflexibility:


- Torsion & more movement in the knee joint needed
- Difficulties in extending the hip joint
- compensating in the lower back

All this leading to moving with more effort, strain & aches that actually could be prevented if we cared a little bit more about that tiny small joint captured in that shiny, fancy shoe :)

A good exercises we've been adding into the programming the last few weeks is the
"squat to kneeling"

Don't only look at this "move" as an exercise, but use it as a habit to come out of the "chair-syndrome". Buy yourself a mat & get yourself more on the ground.


Till next post warriors!!!!!

Wrist Flexion Raises

Having wrist, elbow, shoulder or neck problems?

 
Especially during activities like:
- front rack position during front squats or (power) cleans
- closed chain pushing movements like push ups, handstand (push ups) or floor work (crawls, crab walks)

Have you ever checked your wrist and fingers mobility & load capacity (strength)?
Wrist/fingerflexibility is changed due to prolonged time of grabbing (boxing, powerlifting) and manipulating objects (construction work, office job, playing with cellphones & tablets). The wrist flexors & extensors will be lengthened or shortened dependent on the daily tasks frequented the most.

The human body is a kinetic chain. Flexibility problems in one joint can create a lot of trouble in the rest of the chain. One of those chains is the following:
fingers-wrist-elbow-shoulder-neck (some problems in one area can be caused somewhere else in the chain: look up and down the chain!!!)

 

Try the following exercise to know the status (strength/mobility) of your finger flexors/wrist 

Execution:
- Shoulders are above the wrist & stay there during the whole movement
- Distance knees-wrist will determine the weight placed upon the fingers
- with locked elbows lift the wrists into the fingers support position (4 knuckles stay on the ground)
- try to get the lower arm perpendicular on to the fingers
- Increase the knuckles-toes distance to make the exercise harder  
- The ascent en descent should be done with strength & control: DO NOT FALL!

Problems in the neck, shoulder, elbow en wrist? Maybe it's time to check your fingers!!!



- Kaizen -

The Front Body Line Drill

Last 6 weeks we've been working on the "Front Body Line Drill" (FBLD)
A hell of an exercise when done properly but so much to gain from it.

Transfers to:
- overhead pressing movement
- handstand

The feature of this exercise lies in knowing how to tense the body while creating an open shoulder (180° anteflexion). Common problems are inflexible shoulders or the inability to create tension at the right places.

Execution:
Lie down grabbing a stick on shoulder width (arms parallell to each other)
Tense the body by applying the following cues:

Tense the midline:
- Posterior Pelvic tilt: squeeze the butt as much that the lower back flattens out
- Bracing the abs: Decrease the distance formed by the lower part of the ribcage & the pelvis

Only when the midline is active & stays active you open the shoulder angle
- Glenohumeral Exorotation: "Try" to turn the thumbs to the ceiling (while grabbing the stick the thumbs won't be able to turn, but the shoulder will)
- Glenohumeral Abduction: pull the hands out of each other
- Scapular Elevation: press the hands away from the body (parallell to the body)

Only when the shoulder is in position you retract the scapulae
- Scapular Retraction: pull the stick to the ceiling  






In Full position your body should be flattened out like a line, hence the name body line drill
When you're going past the line up then they're a few things that should be checked:
- are you arching the back? Check the midline!
- are you taking the stick on shoulder width?
- are you dislocating the shoulder? Don't! push the shoulders away, pull apart and then retract (avoid the dislocation)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not claiming these are faulty movements. They're rather not suitable in the context of creating a body line handstand or an overhead motion without arching the lower back.

The active retracted hang

Hi Ninjas,


This month the focus has been on the "active retracted hang" or "arching active hang".
I'm talking about the next performance by the ido portal team

The reason we've put this in the program will be discussed in this blog:

1. Increasing the movement capability of the scapula
Last blog we already discussed the importance of scapula mobility necessairy for making complex arm movements.  A lot of people with shoulder issues/mobility problems will benefit from this exercise.


2. Improving the Chin/pull up

Statement from Ido Portal & Vince Gironda

"Few people are really capable of doing a real Pull Up - using complete Lat recruitment.
Most will pull towards the bar, only reaching over it with their chins.
Some will be able to touch their chest to the bar, but will do so with rounded shoulders at the top - relying on their subscapularis - a habit that will eventually lead to shoulder issues.
Many do not fully depress shoulder blades nor do they retract it before pulling up - a habit that will lead to injury."

The real pull up is very difficult to master:

1. Start in a slightly wider than shoulder width grip. From a complete hang with shoulder blades elevated, while maintaining locked elbows, depress shoulder blades down and retract them together. Your head should elevate between your shoulders as the lats and scap retractors will 'engage'.

2. From the position achieved in stage 1 start to pull up by thinking of bringing elbows to your sides. Do not concentrate on the upper arms. This is an essential cue for you: concentrate on your lats.

3. Pull all the way up until your lower chest hits the bar with shoulder blades retracted backwards and shoulder rolled behind. The triceps of both arms should make contact with the lats and there should be a slight pause at this position for 1-3 sec. The come down will reverse the process, going down at least in 4 sec to complete hang."

So get the active retracted hang a go
for more information: visit http://www.idoportal.com/blog/morehang

3-10 x 5-10# with a static pause of 1-10" at the top

3. Transfers to other movements

Especially hanging movements like the leg raise, front lever, skin the cat/german hang, muscle up,,...

Shoulder Spring Warmup Prep

Hi Ninja's,


Coming months we're going to put some attention into shoulder health & ankle mobility.
This 2 months the shoulder is getting highlighted  for a moment,
in particular the scapula (shoulder blade).

The shoulder is craved for complexity because of the ball & socket architecture of the glenohumeral joint & the scapula that's moving swiftly (that's how it's supposed to be) over the thorax allowing even more range of motion. Did you know the only joint attaching the arm to the thorax is actually the sternoclavicular joint? This explains why people breaking their collar bone can do shit with their arms. 







Arms are made for manipulating objects & moving freely to express oneself. Think about dancing, playing, crafting,.....

It's very important that we keep moving in this wide range of motion, so or shoulder won't grow into fixed positions. Think about the rounded shoulders forward, anterior position of the head because of the sitting disease. Move your shoulder often in different positions, it'll be grateful & less likely getting injured.




A less mobile scapula will get your shoulder joint more easily impinged (impingment syndrome) and eventually can lead to inflammation of the surrounding musculature or capsule of the shoulder. Most common are tendintis of the supraspinatus or the long head of the biceps tendon (mostly because of overcompensating the weakened musculature due to pain inhibition)
 


The coming band warmup is a prehab tool we're using momentairly a few months to get people used to shoulder/scapular movements as a startoff for preventing shoulder problems (here's a youtube clip starring head coach Bert & Chong).

 Here a more detailed version of the exercises performed

A lot of credit goes to Ido Portal, Kelly Starret & ofcourse our coaches Bert & Chong for the awesome video.


See you next posts ninja's