Thoughts On #9: Flexing the Lumbar Spine (Part 1)

The conversation that we started in Part 1 was just getting rolling when we had to cut it off. Fortunately, Carl was nice enough to make time for a second podcast. In this episode, we neatly summarize the OPEX concept "Sustain" and then we dig a lot deeper into its application. Later in the episode we tease out the difference between sustain and repeatability - both important for any coach who works with the general public or athletes. I really enjoyed this conversation and was grateful that Carl was willing to make extra time. Enjoy!#KnowTheWhy#AthleteEnhancement

I was lucky enough to sit down, not once, but twice with OPEX CEO Carl Hardwick. If you've not heard of OPEX, it is a phenomenal education platform for strength coaches and personal trainers. It truly is a comprehensive program for any one in the industry, no matter how much experience you have. OPEX has many foundational concepts, on which their system is based. Once such concept is "Sustain". In this episode, we start digging into this concept, one which about which any coach or trainer should be aware. Huge thanks to Carl for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with me. #KnowTheWhy#AthleteEnhancement

Of late, flexing the lumbar spine under load has become a surprisingly controversial topic. What was cannot not 10 years ago has become questionable. While flexing the lumbar spine under load seems like a bad idea, many social medial pundits are out there promoting the message that flexing your lumbar spine under load is totally fine. Again, while flexing the lumbar spine under load (repetitively at that) seems silly, it is actually more complex than a blanket, black and white statement, that one should never allow an athlete to flex their lumbar spine. For this reason, this will be a 2 part podcast. Enjoy!#KnowTheWhy #TrainHardTrainSmart #AthleteEnhancement

Thanks to groups like the Human Health & Performance Foundation (@HHPFoundation) and books like Breath, the benefits of nasal respiration are starting to be uncovered. While most of these have focused on the effects nasal respiration has on aerobic performance and also health, I was curious how it might influence stability in both traditional strength training and also high intensity metabolic intervals with heavier loads. In this episode, Dr. Ulm discusses these benefits, the challenges with using nasal respiration in training and also proper implementation.#KnowTheWhy

While these two phenomena or expressions of function are no doubt related and overlap in many settings, they are separate and distinct from each other. Understanding the difference enables the coach/therapist to better dose the exercise to elicit the desired adaptation (response).

Today’s Thoughts On is about the impact the athlete has on the overall efficacy of the program.~It was inspired by a great conversation I had with Henry Turaño, a fantastic coach and owner of OPEX San Juan. He is also one of the head coaches for Crafted Coaching, a remote coaching organization.~No matter how good the coach, programming is nothing more  than an educated guess. How the athlete interprets and executes the program has a huge impact on the efficacy.~@coachtorano @opexsj @crafted.coaching 

Mike Boyle has been an influential force in the strength training profession since its inception back in the 1980s. Brandishing a pragmatic sensibility, Mike has remained relevant and effective in an ever-changing profession for 4 decades. He's one of the early adopters of a "functional approach", now widely accepted in the industry.Mike is a busy fellow. He works as a strength coach in the Boston area at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning (www.bodybyboyle.com). He is the author of a functional training classic, Functional Training for Sports. He has a functional training certification, Certified Functional Strength Coach (CFSC | www.certifiedfsc.com) and he is a regular presenter on the Perform Better Functional Training series (www.performbetter.com/3-day-functional-training-summit). Mike is a fantastic presenter. If you ever get a chance to hear him present, you should definitely take it.

This entire Thoughts On was inspired by listening to a presentation James FitzGerald did on "Core Training for Mixed Modal?" at the Training Trunk Stability course I recently taught in Scottsdale, AZ.~Enjoy!

The term stability is typically used quite broadly by both the medical and strength training professions. However, while they are most certainly related, they are not synonymous and understanding the difference between these two concepts is paramount for coaches to properly program and prepare their athletes for whatever task (aka sport) they must perform. In this Podcast, I discuss the differences between these two concepts in hopes of helping coaches better program and prepare their athletes for sport. #KnowTheWhy

In this podcast, I discuss the different types of carries and the utility of each. While carries in general are overlooked and underutilized in the strength training community, we tend to favor one style of carry and that style isn't the best one. Each type of carry has utility and purpose in a program, but one type is vastly superior to the others and does not carry with it (#PunIntended) the deleterious effect associated with the other two. Let us know what you think!#KnowTheWhy