Stop Chasing Pain

Simplicity Series: 10 Simple Nutrition Strategies That Work!

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 03:39:00 +0000

My thought process is pretty simple and is based on the results I see in real life. I have been in the trenches of health and fitness for 30 years. I see all the BS that gets put out every year and it is way worse now that the Internet gives free reign on total idiotic nonsense.

I started the 'Simplicity Series' for a reason. Bruce Lee once said that, 'Simplicity is the key to brilliance.' And that is a brilliant statement. We tend to over complicate everything and second guess ourselves. Sometimes it really is just that simple to get where you want to go.

Problem is, nobody ever said simple was EASY! It's just the commitment and dedication level of the individual that makes the difference. Facts are still facts whether you believe them or not.

Gravity exists. Fact! Whether you believe in it or not is irrelevant. If you step off a roof, trust me gravity is gonna be there to ensure you fall right on your ass!

So in the spirit of gravity I am going to share with you 10 simple nutrition strategies that work to help you lose weight. Believe in them or not...up to you. They still work regardless.

1. Give up the barcode and start eating more from bags (Props to Mike Roussell for this awesome tip) That means stop eating boxed processed food and go more natural with stuff in bags.

2. Eat protein and fat for breakfast. Skip the carbs until your first snack of the day. Great for rapid fat loss in women.

3. Eat a nutrition post workout shake 30-minutes after you train to replenish glycogen and metabolic hormone production.

4. Stop skipping meals. Kills your insulin level and makes you dysglycemic. Meaning you are all over the map when you ingest carbs.

5. Drink more water...being dehydrated makes you store bodyfat.

6. Don't be afraid to eat at night, especially if you want to gain lean muscle. Make it protein based. If you are training the right way, you will not get fat. Learn to eat like an athlete and give your body the nutrients it needs to rebuild tissue. Your brain and your fear of getting fat is what gets in the way here.

7. Stop drinking juices and sodas. Even fruit juices. Eat the fruit instead.

8. Eat and eat again. (another Mike Roussell gem) Whatever you eat portion size, can you eat the same size again 3 hours later? Meaning if you eat that huge meal, can you eat it again 3 hours later? If not, reduce your portion size to that which you can. Big difference.

9. Ingest 70% of your carb intake for the day at the 2 meals after your workout session. Regardless of the time of time you train. It's all about restoring glycogen and optimizing hormones.

10. STOP starving yourself. Go no lower than 10 x your lean body weight in calories. Lean body weight is your target weight. That number is the minimum amount of calories you need for basic metabolic function. Your body will not allow you to gain muscle and lose fat if you are not even giving it the calories and nutrients it needs for basic survival. Plus you totally imbalance your metabolic hormones because you screw up insulin sensitivity when you starve yourself.

11. Bonus>>>eat more fruit and vegetables.

OK there ya have it...up to you now. Simple! And sure you can disagree with stuff in here and that is ok. It won't make a difference on me doing them. Why? They work.

See ya on the other side.

Perry

How Do You Measure Up?

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:55:00 +0000

How do you measure success?

Ok so how do you measure success or failure with any endeavor? There must be some type of system of measurement to determine if what you are doing is actually working. You need a benchmark of accountability to help you reach the end goal. Yes?

So what are some situations where we measure success or failure?

Losing weight:

We use a scale to give us a number. Is it going up or going down. We can debate what the scale is actually measuring in another post. You get the point. If it goes up you change your approach. If it goes down, keep doing what you are doing. Simple.

Education:

We use tests, quizzes and evaluations to determine if we pass or fail. Have we earned the right to move onto the next grade level? If not, you repeat it until you OWN IT!

Career:

Salary, bonuses, and job performance reviews tell us if we are doing more than what is expected, doing bare minimum or are we getting FIRED!

Healthcare:

We have blood pressure readings, relative ranges in blood work, pulse rates, and hundreds of other measurements to see if we are normal or abnormal...or at RISK for poor health.

So my question to you is... how do you measure movement and the risks involved with exercise?

How in the world can you put your body under the duress of hard exercise without knowing how well it moves?

Have you earned the right to graduate to the next level of movement and workout intensity?

What holds you accountable to passing or failing in the arena of injury prevention and performance enhancement?

How do you determine if what you are doing is working beyond just looking better?

How can you determine the baseline?

Success depends on progression.

What is your scoring system? Allow me to suggest one.....

FMS

FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT SCREEN

Class dismissed!

Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA

Dr. Craig Liebenson's New DVD Series

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:27:00 +0000

Pre-Order from Amazon here

5 Favorite Insights from my friend Dr. Craig Liebenson

This is just a taste of why you MUST order these DVD's today! I learn from a lot of smart people that I respect and admire. Craig is one of them! Invest in yourself. Invest in this DVD. Invest in your clients. They deserve it...and so do you!!

Rehabilitation is a PROCESS of care: Assess-Correct-Reasses
A big mistake commonly made is to stay too long with manual therapy or non-functional floor exercises. It is best to move on to upright functional training as soon as possible
Reducing painful movements is the first goal of treatment. Often the most effective treatment is the one which treats the painless dysfunction.
Pr Janda evaluated lateral stability upright in 2 ways. First, by assessingsingle leg stance balance by looking for excessive lateral pelvic shift. Second, by assessing lateral pelvic sway during gait.
Most treatments for musculoskeletal pain focus on treatment of the SITE of symptoms. By taking a symptomatic approach instead of addressing the SOURCE of pain recurrences are common. (Does this sound like someone you know????)

Click here to listen to my Stop Chasing Pain Podcast with Dr. Liebenson

PODCAST INTERVIEW

Thanks Doc for all the great information. You have taught me so much.

Now all of you it's your turn. Scroll up and click the pre-order link to buy. I will be interviewing Craig about the DVD's soon. Keep you posted!

Visit Dr. Liebenson's Blog to learn even more... BLOG

Piriformis and Obturator Muscles Connection

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:18:00 +0000

I recently posted a short little tidbit of information on my Facebook Fanpage Stop Chasing Pain that said, 'If you always have a tight piriformis muscle, try activating the obturators.'

Well this little post kicked off a firestorm of questions and comments that prompted me to expand a little more. I will be making a video of this activation protocol and posting it so you can see it in action, but this will be a quick summary of the how and why.

It all comes down to Motor Control Theory. This is based on pioneering work of Vernon Brooks 'The Neural Basis of Motor Control' and it's clinical application by David Weinstock and his NeuroKinetic Therapy. The Motor Control Center located in the cerbellum receives information from the limbic system and then the cerebral cortex before passing the information to the spine.

Your body’s Motor Control Center – the Cerebellum

The cerebellum is like central command controlling every muscle in your body. It is connected to each of your muscles via the somatic nervous system – sort of like control wires. Your cerebellum is where your body stores the information necessary to perform complex movements easily and naturally.

Sometimes things happen to you that cause your body to protect itself – accidents, pain, and overwork etc. In response to these stimuli, your body creates a new program, or a compensation pattern. These patterns are exactly what your body needs to create in order to protect itself from that trauma. It goes into survival mode. The problem is that your body has no mechanism to let go of the compensation pattern when it is no longer needed Your nervous system has adapted to the dysfunction.

The body has no mechanism to let go of compensation patterns that you no longer need. Long after the trauma has passed, your body continues to over-use the bracing muscles that it relied on during the trauma, and continues to inhibit the muscles that were shut down. This creates a vicious cycle: The inhibited muscles actually start to weaken from lack of use, causing you to use the bracing muscles even more. Eventually, the bracing muscles simply stay tight all the time, lose their ability to fire efficiently, and they hurt. Now you start to CHASE PAIN! And we don't chase pain...we FIX PROBLEMS!

Pain is where your problem ended up...NOT where it started!

So what we do is very similar to Muscle Activation Techniques where we test the strength of various muscles in relationship to pain. You can stretch and rub that tight muscle all day long, but until you reset the motor program it will not let go. Hence pain always returns.

So for the Piriformis we evaluate antagonistic and synergistic muscles for weakness and then reactivate them.

Antagonist

Evaluate internal rotators of the hip

Synergist

Usual Culprits: Gluteus maximus, medius, obturator internus/externus, quadratus lumborum and hamstrings.

Once you find the weakness, you have 30-60 seconds to reset the Control Center via muscle activation. Once we reset and reactivate the obturators the MCC lets go of the piriformis so it can heal. The nervous system wins every time.

The video will show you how I test the obturators....and how I test them is how I activate them in conjunction with releasing the spasm.

You will see what I mean on the video...it all comes down to isolation and positioning. Got ya curious now don't I??

****Special Thanks to Jeff Elam, CBW for information referenced in this post. Visit his website for more information about his work.

JEFF ELAM

See ya soon!

Doc P.

Fibromyalgia and What?

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 21:36:00 +0000

Check the gut and adrenals!

One of the conditions that a lot of people see me for is help for symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. This autoimmune disorder can be very difficult to treat and people suffer for years without any help or resolution from Western medicine beyond just pain medications. People are discovering how successful laser therapy can be in alleviating the pain and discomfort associated with fibromyalgia and it is encouraging to see that many doctors are now beginning to refer patients for help with laser therapy and fibromyalgia.

When clients come to see me for treatment of fibromyalgia, I use the LCT-1000 deep tissue laser therapy and have some fantastic success with that program. However I am also bringing in some of my own experience in the past of suffering from severe adrenal fatigue and thyroid cancer.

Because I had such a dysfunction in my hormone system and my own internal body environment, I devoted time to learning exactly what environment would cause the body to turn on itself. So I began to take a look inside of the body to see exactly what is happening with primary systems that can relate to hormone function.

Through my recovery from adrenal fatigue that was causing a lot of my underlying symptoms even after I had my thyroid gland removed from the cancer, I started to do some evaluations on fibromyalgia patients and found some very similar underlying conditions. I began to do some saliva testing on the adrenal glands and how the underlying hormone system of the body was functioning.

My thought was the body was turning on itself from a lack of balance in the hormonal system. It turns out that every single client that I had evaluated with saliva testing had adrenal fatigue at all different phases from mild, moderate and severe. And because of this underlying hormone dysfunction their internal body environment was ripe for turning on itself, a.k.a. autoimmune disorder .

Learn more about saliva testing here...SALIVA TESTING!

Also, began to look at the internal body environment in regards to pH potential hydrogen of the intracellular matrix. I discovered that the majority of people with fibromyalgia suffer from a highly acidic intracellular body environment. Thus, basically all the cells were sitting in a toxic environment. I sort of equate that to people checking the pH of a swimming pool or a fish tank.

There is a very delicate mixture so the fish don't die and that you can actually swim in the pool not full of mold, fungus and bacteria. Just like if the fish tank pH balance is too acidic or too basic fish will die. The same thing happens for the internal environment of the human body. All the cells of the human body will be sitting in toxic waste, and the body begins to turn on itself. Cells die!

Evaluate the gut lining for any underlying inflammation or mucosal infection. 50% of the immune system strength comes from the intestines, so if it is compromised in any way, shape, or form people will be prone to illness. We evaluate saliva testing and stool samples (fecal) for underlying gut inflammation, food allergies, food sensitivities, possible parasites or bacterial infections, which can compromise the function of the immune system. It also compromises how the body can absorb nutrients.

If you have an inflamed gut lining you do not absorb the vital nutrients that you need for optimum function. Good nutrition is really not about what you eat it's about what your body can absorb. You can eat the healthiest food in the world but if your gut lining is inflamed and you cannot absorb nutrients, it won't really matter how healthy you eat.

So the take away is that once someone suffers from an autoimmune disorder you have to look at the internal body environment. Why is the body turning on itself? It is exactly like what I teach for Stop Chasing Pain. The site of your pain is not necessarily where your problem is. So part of my program is the deep tissue laser therapy, but everyone also gets their saliva testing and stool sampling. Basically what we do is attack the body from the inside out, and the outside in!

The underlying take away is that there's always another way to look at the body. Of course you should continue to take any medications that your doctor prescribed. But you can always do more things to empower yourself to help your body function at optimum. Because feeling good is not about functioning at normal. Feeling good is about functioning at optimum.

For if your body is too busy trying to survive, it will never allow you to look good, feel good, and thrive. For more information you can visit my website. Click the link below to learn more about the hormone system of your body and take back control of your life. Although many people may tell you there's nothing they can do to help you.

I believe you can. It's your body! It's your life! And are in control!

Click here to learn more.....STOP CHASING PAIN!

The One Blog Post That Can Change Your Life!

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 00:41:00 +0000

Yes, this is a BOLD statement and I stand by it wholeheartedly. How can I? Cause it did for me...Read, absorb, think, and then do! And it will work for you too.

I read an exceptional book this week by Scott Ginsberg and there was a section in there that jut wrapped up everything I have strived to learn in my life. The way he said it was just perfect. So I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it will resonate with you too. Enjoy it and if it touches you, forward it to others in that they may feel the power of these words.

BE brilliant at the basics. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be the first one. Be the only one. Be unforgettable. Be interesting. Be a sleeper. Be the world's expert on yourself. Be better than yesterday, but not as good as tomorrow. Be confident enough to be humble. But be somebody who reminds everybody of nobody else in the world.

AND DON'T wish it was easier, wish yo were better. Don't sell, enable people to buy. Don't let jerks get you down. Don't be weary in well doing for in due season you will reap a great harvest if you faint not. And don't wait for the mainstream to validate your voice. Don't despise the day of small beginnings. Don't be selfish with your knowledge. Don't complain if you haven't earned the right. And don't be different, be unique.

BECAUSE YOU are what you charge. You are what you believe. You are the books you've read and the people you've met. And you are an empty sheet of paper in the minds of every person you encounter.

AFTER ALL, the world cannot resist a person on a mission. The best swimmers are always in the pool. The sculpture is inside the stone. And the two greatest days in your life are the day you're born, and the day you realize WHY you were born.

AND if you are successful you will always have too much to do and too little time. If you aren't being criticized, you aren't doing much. And if everyone says you're out of your mind, you just might be onto something.

EVEN THOUGH, it's not easy being yourself. It's not who you know, it's who knows you. And it's not the years, it's the mileage.

SO WORK hard, work long and work smart. Work like you don't need the money. And work from technique, because you never know how you will feel.

AND DON"T FORGET THAT success leaves clues. That confidence is king. That credibility comes from specificity. That listening is not waiting to talk. And that a nice person who is mean to a waiter is not a nice person.

OR, TO tell the truth, to tell it all and tell it now. To give value first. To paint yourself into a good corner. To allow customers to participate in your brand. To do work once and benefit many times. To give yourself away. To respect people no's. To take massive action. And to act as if you already are the person you're trying to become.

THEREFORE, ALWAYS stand up, stand out or be counted out. Discover your Personal Mission. Learn to step outside your comfort zone. Greet each day with love in your heart. Show, don't tell. Make daily appointments with yourself. Never apologize for your art. Remember your Victory Dance. Work harder on yourself than your job. Find your one big idea. And always validate your existence, be yourself and so something cool--every single day!

"Everybody is somebody's somebody!"

Thank all of you for following my work. I am truly honored.....ME!

www.stopchasingpain.com

3-Hour Brain Rush with Joe Dowdell

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:23:00 +0000

This weekend I had the honor of attending my good friend Joe Dowdell's workshop at Peak Performance Gym in NYC on Program Design 101. Joe is the CEO and founder of Peak Performance Gym voted one of the Top 10 Gyms in the country by Men's health Magazine, so you know he know his stuff. And take it from me, HE DOES!

Click here to see my Stop Chasing Pain TV interview with Joe after the workshop.

Here are just a few of the 100's of take aways from the workshop. Keep an eye out for Joe's Internship Program coming soon.

Learn more at Joe's website:

Joe Dowdell Website

The Goal of your client is the most important component to program design. It's not about you, it's about them!
Targeting the GTO Golgi Tendon Organ is the key ingredient that makes foam rolling effective.
CNS Activation Drills fire up the nervous system and are designed to improve the individual's timing and rhythm.
In general he recommends changing the strength program every 3-6 weeks, but 4 weeks is a good rule of thumb.
Core dominant exercises (in general) should be placed at the end of the strength training session.
TEMPO matters!
Two ways to look at intensity: load and effort!
GPP General Physical Preparation is always where you start with a client. Helps develop tissue tolerance to begin to improve their work capacity.
Block Method of Periodizaton is an idea that suggest the use and sequencing of specialized meso-cyle blocks, where highly concentrate training workloads are focused on a minimal number of motor and technical abilities.

This is just a sample of the enormous information he talked about for programming. There is an art to programming. Invest the time to learn the skill.

Thanks Joe for a great time!

Chad Skrederstu, Joe Dowdell, Me

A Must Purchase DVD! Training=Rehab Rehab=Training

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:16:00 +0000

Ok, I rarely if ever recommend a product. In this case I am stating it loud and clear for all to hear....GET THIS DVD!

Charlie Weingroff's new DVD is one of the best I have seen. Jam packed full of information to help make you a better health and medical professional. This 6-Disc set is a goldmine with pearls of wisdom at every turn.

I have been in this profession a long time and seen just about everything. I know when someone really knows their stuff! Not only knows it, but truly believe in it, and are passionate about the topic. They walk the talk and use it in real life, on real people to make a difference. CHARLIE is the REAL DEAL!

Charlie is a dear friend and a mentor. He has taught me how to be a better doctor. Now you have the opportunity to share in the wealth of knowledge he has taught me. Don't miss the opportunity to take yourself to a new level.

This DVD is an investment! An investment in yourself, your skills, your profession, and your clients. Successful people take a percentage of their income every year and devote it to learning and education; with seminars, workshops, books, DVD's, etc. This DVD better be in that percentage!

I can guarantee that if you don't get this DVD, your competition will! And they will have the advantage.

A brief list of what this DVD covers is:

Movement
SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment) Lite
FMS (Functional Movement Screen)
Joint by Joint Movement
Core Pendulum Theory
Corrective Exercise
Do's and Don'ts of working with clients
...and tons more.

When I refer out and work with fitness professionals, I expect them to know this information. Forge yourself out of the pack and be a leader. Use this information to establish working relationships with health and medical professionals. It will make the difference...

So how can you get one?

Click the picture below and it will take you right to the DVD order page. Start soaking up that knowledge. And when you are finished...let's talk shop!

My Review of 'Movement: Functional Movement Systems' by Gray Cook

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:16:00 +0000

A Real World review of

Movement: Functional Movement Systems

Screening, Assessments & Corrective Strategies

by Gray Cook

with Lee Burton, Kyle Kiesel, Greg Rose & Milo F. Bryant

How does one go about writing a review of a Gray Cook book? I mean really, where do you even start? I have read the book about ten times by now and still wondered where to begin. Staring at a blank page, I kept thinking about the monstrous task of doing it justice. There is so much knowledge packed into these pages it boggles the mind. So I decided to do something a bit different and give you a perspective of this book and how it has changed the way I practice medicine. The application of the principles contained in this book has changed the lives of many people. The real world people I see every day in my clinic. People who have suffered in pain for years now have their quality of life restored because of the applied principles in this book.

‘Movement’ was a paradigm shift for me as a clinician. Gray opened my eyes to the wonders of human movement and the systems necessary to understanding it. This was the system I had been searching for in determining why people were getting injured, and why their pain syndromes kept returning. People would ask me, ‘why does my pain keep coming back?’, and I never had an answer that made sense to me. That is until I discovered Movement. Here is a summary of my journey through ‘Movement.’

This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paradigm shift. It’s an awakening to understanding human movement. The section on dysfunction, pain and rehabilitation is something to read a hundred times. The mobility and stability rules are powerful enough to change the clinical outcome of almost every client. I never learned this stuff in school. This one chapter taught me more than I had learned reading entire textbooks. Gotta look at the body as a whole. Imagine that?

In school I learned anatomy, physiology, origins, insertions, and disease processes. Nobody talked about movement. Gray does a nice job transitioning the reader from understanding how the body changes from anatomical function to movement function. The Functional Movement Systems are taught from the FMS (Functional Movement Screen) to the SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment). From a clinical standpoint I can say this is the most superior and effective system I have found to evaluate clients. Gray teaches you the screening process, assessment criteria and a system of correction to arrive at your final destination.

There is something of value in this book no matter who you are; doctor, trainer, strength coach, physical therapist, chiropractor, exercise enthusiast or just someone wanting to learn more about getting healthy. The stages of assessments, correction and strategies are outlined so you know when and if your program is working to the benefit of your client. Every patient who entrusts me with getting them well is evaluated by the ‘Movement System’. I no longer simply examine the areas that hurt on a patient. I look at how well they move. When I get them to move smarter and move better, they begin to feel better.

The flow of the book is great at introducing you to understanding movement and then guiding you to the corrective strategies. Many books are good at teaching information, yet fall flat at the integration of that information into action steps. Gray gives you a flow chart system of ideas and principles which help you arrive at your final destination…it is a veritable list of ‘if this; then that.’ So you are never at a loss of ultimately learning what you need in order to get the results you want. As a clinician, this is a goldmine of logic and integration. Most people fail in their quest for health because there is not a definable system to follow for success. A roadmap if you will. ‘Movement’ will be your GPS.

I can say unequivocally that ‘Movement’ has been the single most powerful resource to change and improve my skills as a health professional. I learned the material, absorbed the principles, and applied the methods to get results. Simple really. A heartfelt thank you to Gray from myself and my patient’s.

Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA

www.stopchasingpain.com

Indian Club Training

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 13:58:00 +0000

Indian Clubs are my new favorite thing. I LOVE THEM! Below is a great podcast interview with Brett Jones, Master RKC on everything Indian Clubs. Also see a snapshot video of Brett and Gray Cook doing the clubs. And even get a shot of me learning it.

So what are Indian Clubs?

Click the Draper image below to visit the Dave Draper Blog and see a great article on Indian Club Training with all the video clips mentioned above....oh and you can order it there too!

PODCAST: (Click below)

My Review of Mark and Tracy Reifkind's DVD Series

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:44:00 +0000

Mark Reifkind: Lats: The Super Muscle

Tracy Reifkind: Programming the Kettlebell Swing

I decided to review these two DVD's together as a pair for several reasons. One, Mark and Tracy are married and I thought it would be cool to review them as a set. They have been married for 20-years, and the chemistry between them is evident in the DVD. Second, you will soon discover when you watch the DVD series that the lats are a critical factor in mastering the Kettlebell swing. So, when you learn about how the lats work and the role they play in movement, it will take your swing to a whole new level.

Listen to my podcast interview with Mark and Tracy here. Hear them talk in-depth about the DVD and what inspired them to make it.

Make sure to also listen to the podcast with the Iron Tamer David Whitley who made his own two-disc DVD set with Mark and Tracy.

CLICK PODCAST PLAYER BELOW

For more podcasts click here>>>>>>>>>>>STOP CHASING PAIN PODCAST CHANNEL

Also look below for sample video clips of the DVD's.

The Lats...being a sports medicine practitioner and health care provider I work with the lats everyday. The lats are an underlying culprit in almost every chronic injury that presents to my office. Unfortunately, not many people understand the significant impact this muscle plays in injury prevention, sports performance and fitness enhancement. But, you can bet Mark Reifkind does! It was so wonderfully refreshing to see Mark reveal all the 'secrets' of the latissimus dorsi muscle. I call them 'secrets' because nobody knows about it. Until now...thanks to Mark.

Here is just a sample of what you will learn on this DVD.

The role of the lats in movement
Anatomy of the lats (origin, insertion, movements)
How to engage the lats with arm movements
Why it is called 'The Bridge' between the upper and lower body
Success of the KB Swing with lat engagement
The 'Pendulum' movement for lat activation
How movement origin effects lat development and muscle activation
.....and tons more.

Everyone can benefit from this DVD. Health and fitness professionals, fitness buffs, athletes of all skill levels and the general public. Why? Because we all have lats and we need them to become better at what we do, and remain injury free.

See more about mark on his blog: http://rifsblog.blogspot.com/

The KB Swing...well now I know why they call Tracy the 'Queen of the Kettlebell Swing!' Holy cow is she good. Tracy is a powerhouse on the swing and her passion for this movement is present in everything she does. Tracy credits the swing with being one of the primary movements that helped her lose over 100 lbs. You can see her incredible transformation here on her blog: http://tracysfoodandthought.blogspot.com/. Check it out. Such an inspiring tale and Tracy teaches you how she did it.

The Swing DVD is more of an advanced progression of the exercise, yet Tracy does teach some really cool techniques to master beginner movements. I love this exercise, and I have always been looking for new ways to make it more progressive, innovative and challenging. This DVD delivers on all three.

Here is a small sampling of what you will learn from this DVD.

Swing mechanics
Progressions of timed intervals
Relationship to the lats muscle in technique
There is a great Q & A Session on this DVD with Tracy, Mark and David Whitley
Double arm and single arm variations of the swing
....and tons more.

Tracy does a phenomenal job of teaching you the skills and working you out. Trust me, you will be using muscles and breathing hard on this one. Lots of people may show you how to KB Swing, but very few can teach you. This is where the 'Queen' shines. To her this is not just an exercise. It is a way to transform your body and your life. She is living testament to it! There is nothing more inspiring than learning from someone who believes in what they do from the heart.

See a sample clip of Tracy taking to the max here:

Mark and Tracy are true givers. They share their knowledge, love, and belief in Kettlebell movements and methods. Now you have the opportunity to be there with them and share in this wonderful gift of learning. Invest in yourself. Invest in your education. Invest in being the best for your clients. Order your DVD's today. Click below to begin your journey. I did!!

********ORDER HERE**********

Hormone Optimization Podcast with Mike Mahler

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:49:00 +0000

Awesome interview with Mike Mahler about optimizing hormones for fitness, health, and physique development. Mike is a leading expert on how to balance hormones via nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle. Hear his personal story and discover some great tips to start you off right away.

Visit his website to learn more about his great information.

http://www.mikemahler.com/

A sample video clip of Mike in action.

My Review of David Whitley's 'Kettlebell Fundamentals: Deepening Your Getup Skills'

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:04:00 +0000

This DVD is the second in a series of four from David Whitley, and Mark and Tracy Reifkind from On Target Publications. Other DVD's in the series include the following:

Lessons Of The Old-Time Strongmen
Kettlebell Fundamentals: Deepening Your Getup Skills
Programming The Kettlebell Swing
Lats: The Super Muscles

(See my previous review of Lessons Of The Old-Time Strongmen)

Most all of my Stop Chasing Pain fans and every single one of my patient's know that the Turkish Getup is my favorite exercise. It is also my favorite movement pattern. I love the Getup, and anytime I have the opportunity to learn more about it and do it better, I jump on the chance!

I have seen many DVD's, workshops, seminars, and YouTube videos (don't get me started) showing different variations and instructions on the Getup. I have to say that this version was the most in depth, yet simple explanation of the who, what, where, when, and why of the movement.

Dave Whitley is a Master RKC Instructor and CK-FMS Specialist, so you can rest assured he is an expert on Kettlebells and movement. That meant a lot to me, because so many people put themselves out there as experts and they do not have the credentials to back it up! And with the Getup, you want to learn from an expert. David teaches a step by step system for mastering the Getup by breaking down each movement and explaining 'why' you are doing it. He is not just showing you the move, he is teaching you the move.

Here is a taste of what he teaches:

How did the Turkish Getup get it's name? Fascinating...bet you hardly any one can tell you that answer. Dave will!

The critical importance of hip mobility in the Getup and how the movement can actually assess mobility (movement)

The subtle 'windshield' wiper move that can make all the difference in the hips

Setting the pelvis to correct your vectors

A really cool way to bridge the hips so you can sense the direction of movement on the initial phase of the Getup (Dave stresses many times that it is NOT a sit-up motion)

Why he prefers the 'High Bridge' in the Getup and why it was added

Demonstration of the KB Arm Bar for shoulder and T-spine mobility/stability (Yes there is a right and wrong way to do the arm bar for best results)

The importance of the wrist and grip for KB success

Understanding your 90 degree angles during each phase of movement (quality...not quantity)

How everything ends up being related to the Getup and Swing...such a great insight into recognizing how it all ties together so you understand that's it's more than just an exercise.

Take time invest in your education with this DVD. So many products are out there that promise you everything, and yet deliver nothing. How many times have you purchased DVD's and been sorely disappointed with the quality and content of information? If you are like me, tons! Trust me, on this DVD you will be not be disappointed.

I am giving David's DVD 5 Stars ***** . Why five? Because I know the content will help me transform the health, body and well-being of my clients. And that my friends is what it's all about. The only thing better than this DVD is if you get the pleasure of seeing Dave teach it in person. That is a good goal to have!

In summary...I highly recommend this DVD. So go get one ASAP and see for yourself!

A sample video clip from the DVD talking about hip mobility.

Click here to purchase the 4 disc set from On Target Publications.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

Stay tuned for my next review of Mark and Tracy Reifkind's DVD's.

My Review of David Whitley's (The Iron Tamer) DVD 'Lessons Of The Old-Time Strongmen

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:17:00 +0000

Right from the beginning...YES, I LOVED IT!

I had the honor and priveledge of meeting David 'The Iron Tamer' Whitley, Master RKC, CK-FMS at the recent FMS Instructor Training Summit with Gray Cook in Danville, VA last month. I have been a loyal follower and avid fan of David's for a long time. His work has literally changed the way I train and the exercise programs I teach to patients. Needless to say, I was so excited to meet the man in person. The first thing that struck me about Dave was his absolute passion for what he does. It permeates everything that he teaches. He is one of the most honorable people I have ever met and a true giver. I even got to train with him in the athletic department of Averette University and get personal instruction on my favorite exercise the Turkish Getup. Talk about an experience!

My dear friend Laree Draper and publisher from On Target Publications (also the publisher of Gray Cook's new book 'Movement') sent me a copy of Dave's 4-set DVD series with Mark and Tracy Reifkind with include the following titles:

Lessons Of The Old-Time Strongmen
Kettlebell Fundamentals: Deepening Your Getup Skills
Programming The Kettlebell Swing
Lats: The Super Muscles

(And yes I will be reviewing each DVD as I watch them)

The DVD starts with a wonderful introduction of Dave by Mark Reifkind, a truly eloquent speaker. Dave goes straight into some amazing feats of strength. He is one of the greatest Strongmen in the world today. He bends nails, bends a frying pan (he actually rolls it into a ball...crazy), straightens a horseshoe, rips a deck of cards behind his back, does an incredible grip strength demo you just have to see to believe, drives a nail through a board by hand to pop a balloon, and does a Turkish Getup with a Kettlebell while balancing a sledgehammer!. What's not to love about this??

The 'Lecture' section of the DVD is a virtual gold mine of applicable information. Dave has some of the best quotations to support his teachings. The one that resonated with me the most and laid out the foundation for what he is trying to teach in this DVD, is a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson on principles and methods. Write this quote down and read it everyday! Remember it as you watch the DVD. Dave has learned from, talked to, trained with, and researched the greatest strongmen in history to see what they all had in common. What made them such tremendous athletes? What made them so strong? And how did they do it without all technological overloads in today's fitness industry? Dave's life experience and tireless quest for research into these questions is right here for you to discover.

There are many moments that I like to call 'Fortune Cookie Moments'...simple and profound statements that can make all the difference in reaching your goals. Dave stresses more than once not to over complicate things in regards to your training. He discloses different ways to attain strength while maintaining proper function and form. Dave has the FMS and CK-FMS background in understanding the role of movement in fitness and he skillfully combines it with the art of Kettlebell strength. I loved how he starts with feats of strength, imparts pearls of wisdom and ends with more amazing strength demonstrations. Nice way to keep the audience engaged. Plus, he is absolutely hilarious with some one liners that will have you rolling. The one on functional training was hystericall....lol

Every fitness professional who wants to take themselves to the next level in skill development should get this DVD. The foundational principles Dave teaches in movement and strength also applies to health and medical rehabilitation professionals. I encourage any health professional that evaluates movement and is entrusted with restoring strength and function for patients to watch this video. The general public will benefit greatly from learning how the history of foundational training principles can be applied to current fitness workouts.

Nice camera angles. Well lit. Good audio. Professional editing and a nice menu of topics on the DVD Main Menu. On Target did a professional job on this project. Well worth the investment.

Learn from the past to improve yourself today.

Brilliant in it's simplicity, yet says it all. Thanks Dave for sharing it with us.

Get the DVD series here from On Target Publications today!

Click here to order>> PURCHASE DVD

Stay tuned for my review of the other three DVD's in the set.

Earn The Right To Train with Dr. Mark Cheng

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:51:00 +0000

Earn The Right To Train with Dr. Mark Cheng

Train Like An Athlete with Nick Grantham

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:13:00 +0000

Train Like An Athlete with Nick Grantham

Athletic Training with Chris Flo

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Athletic Training with Chris Flo

Cardio Strength Podcast

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 13:29:00 +0000

Check out the new Stop Chasing Pain Podcast interview with Strength and Conditioning Coach Rich Mejias of Leverage Training Center. Also see the you tube channel video below of a metabolic circuit for real!

Metabolic Circuit Video

Are you Overtraining?

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:03:00 +0000

Waking Heart Rate:
Checking your pulse rate immediately upon waking in the morning is a good practice to adopt. Do it before you get out of bed. Later, emotions, activity, and digestion will confound the analysis. Also, take your pulse in the same position each time; standing heart rate is slightly higher than seated heart rate which is slightly higher than lying-down heart rate.

If your waking heart rate on a given day is elevated by more than seven beats per minute over your average for the preceding week, be on notice that you may be developing overtraining syndrome. When assessing your heart rate, keep in mind that there is likely to be a downward trend in your resting heart rate correlating with increasing cardiovascular fitness. This can mask an elevated waking heart rate if you do not keep track of changes in your resting heart rate over time.

Another test performed upon waking is the "Three-Second Test." It involves monitoring how you feel during the first three seconds after awakening in the morning. The instant you wake-up you should feel either a bit drowsy or refreshed but relaxed. If, instead, upon opening your eyes you are consumed with nervous energy - an uncomfortable jittery feeling - there is a good chance that your pulse is elevated and you have dipped into an overtrained, catabolic state.

The “waking jitters” reflects neurotransmitter disturbances associated with overstimulation of the sympathoadrenal system (adrenal glands + nervous system). This is an early-stage indicator of overtraining. If overtraining persists, jitteriness yields to lethargy; and chronic fatigue and inability to emotionally “get up” for training or competition (known as “staleness” in the sports world) become the dominant symptoms. At this point, you are suffering from adrenal exhaustion in which the neuroendocrine system is incapable of mounting a full response to exercise. Specifically, catecholamines (adrenaline and norepinephrine) levels become depressed as a result of overtraining.

The catecholamines are the “biological juice” that drives exercise. They regulate virtually every aspect of exercise, including: blood flow distribution, cardiac contractility, energy mobilization, and mind-muscle communication.A blunted catecholamine response to exercise can severely hamper performance.

-Thank to Rob Faigin for the awesome info on Natural Hormone Enhancement

New Podcast on Movement with Tommi Paavola

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 11:20:00 +0000

Here is my newesst podcast with with movement expert Tommi Paavola of Discover Movement.com Enjoy! Awesome information! Soak up that knowledge.

10 Ways Laser Heals You Quick

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 15:13:00 +0000

1. Accelerated Tissue Repair And Cell Growth.
Photons of light from lasers penetrate deeply into tissue and accelerate cellular reproduction and growth. The laser light increases the energy available to the cell so that the cell can take on nutrients faster and get rid of waste products. As a result of exposure to laser light, the cells of tendons, ligaments and muscles are repaired faster.

2. Faster Wound Healing.
Laser light stimulates fibroblast development (fibroblasts are the building blocks of collagen, which is predominant in wound healing) in damaged tissue. Collagen is the essential protein required to replace old tissue or to repair tissue injuries. As a result, LT is effective on open wounds and burns.

3. Reduced Fibrous Tissue Formation.
LT reduces the formation of scar tissue following tissue damage from cuts, scratches, burns or surgery.

4. Anti-Inflammation. Laser light therapy has an anti-edemic effect as it causes vasodilation, but also because it activates the lymphatic drainage system (drains swollen areas). As a result, there is a reduction in swelling caused by bruising or inflammation.

5. Anti-Pain (Analgesic). Laser therapy has a high beneficial effect on nerve cells which block pain transmitted by these cells to the brain and which decreases nerve sensitivity. Also, due to less inflammation, there is less edema and less pain. Another pain blocking mechanism involves the production of high levels of pain killing chemicals such as endorphins and enkephlins from the brain and adrenal gland.

6. Improved Vascular Activity. Laser light will significantly increase the formation of new capillaries in damaged tissue that speeds up the healing process, closes wounds quickly and reduces scar tissue. Additional benefits include acceleration of angiogenesis, which causes temporary vasodilatation, an increase in the diameter of blood vessels.

7. Increased Metabolic Activity. Laser therapy creates higher outputs of specific enzymes, greater oxygen and food particle loads for blood cells.

8. Improved Nerve Function. Slow recovery of nerve functions in damaged tissue can result in numbness and impaired limbs. Laser light will speed up the process of nerve cell reconnection and increase the amplitude of action potentials to optimize muscle action.

9. Immunoregulation. Laser light has a direct effect on immunity status by stimulation of immunoglobines and lymphocytes. LT is absorbed by chromophones (molecule enzymes) that react to laser light. The enzyme flavomono-nucleotide is activated and starts the production of ATP (adenosine-tri-phosphate), which is the major carrier of cell energy and the energy source for all chemical reactions in the cells.

10. Trigger Points and Acupuncture Points. Laser therapy stimulates muscle trigger points and acupuncture points on a non-invasive basis providing musculoskeletal pain relief

www.stopchasingpain.com

Holistic Nutrition for Health and Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 11:39:00 +0000

Enjoy my awesome interview with Diane Nedelkoff of MyTurningPointe.com…a fantastic site where she teaches the world about her unique and very successful approach to holistic nutrition. You will learn some information that will change your view about healthy eating. A great podcast with one of the top professionals in nutrition. She was head nutrition professional for the New Jersey Nets basketball team and has an amazing background in biochemistry. She knows her stuff…so sit back and open up that mind to start learning. ENJOY

High Intensity Cardio Strategy

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:11:00 +0000

Cardio must be done, but done correctly. By that I mean only for a short period of time, but with great intensity. Banish the 30-45 minute sessions and replace them with 15-20 minutes. Do HIIT CARDIO (High Intensity Interval Training). This involves alternating periods of all out intense effort with a much slower pace.

Base your intensity on a verbal conversation sliding scale of 1-10. (Not Maximum heart rate!)

Number 1 being a slow walk with minimal effort and exertion.

Number 5 being a power walk where you can carry on a conversation without heavy breathing and feeling like your lungs will explode.

Number 10 being an all out sprint/run at 100% maximum effort.

Example: A 15-minute session would be 1:30 seconds at pace #5 and a .30 second sprint one at level 10 and then repeat this cycle for 15 minutes. GREAT WORKOUT. No warm-up necessary because you should be performing cardio work after weight training.

So when is the best time for cardio and how should I do it? The answer is any time! The most important thing is that you just do it. If you want to get the maximum benefits possible from every minute you invest in your workouts, and then you should consider getting up early and doing cardio before you eat your first meal - even if you're not a "morning person." Early morning aerobic exercise on an empty stomach has three major advantages over exercising later in the day:

The primary benefit you'll get from early morning cardio sessions is what I call the "afterburn" effect. When you do a cardio session in the morning, you not only burn fat during the session, but you also continue to burn fat at an accelerated rate after the workout. Why? Because an intense session of interval style cardiovascular exercise can keep your metabolism elevated up to 24 hours after the session is over.

If you do cardio at night, you will still burn fat during the session, so you definitely benefit from it. However, nighttime cardio fails to take advantage of the "afterburn" effect because your metabolism drops like a ton of bricks as soon as you go to sleep. While you sleep, your metabolic rate is slower than any other time of the day.

Perry Nickelston, DC, SFMA

Move Smarter...Move Better...Perform Great!

stopchasingpain.com

Top 10 Devices to Build Muscle and Burn Fat

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 13:59:00 +0000

There are tons of gizmos out there claiming to help you get into great shape. If I tried to review all of them I would be here all day...and that ain't happening. I have been working out since I was 14, and the fitness industry was really in its infancy. Yes, I am that old! Damn, 43 comes fast. I can tell you because of the following list I am in the best shape of my life at 43 and can move great for a 245 pounds guy. Ok, are you ready? Then let's rock-n-roll...here we go.

1. Your own bodyweight

Ask the average person to do a push up or chin-up and the results will be frightening. Run away when you see that quality of movement. When we start lifting weights and using machines we tend to forget about basic bodyweight movements and this is a shame because if done correctly in a routine it can build your body quick. Try mixing in chins, push ups, burpees, power jumps, etc into a superset workout with your weights. Say hello heart rate. Example: Do a set of benches and then go right to push ups no rest until exhaustion.

TRX Suspension Trainer

This blends perfectly into bodyweight training because it helps your body move in so many directions (called vector training: see my latest YouTube video on this topic) Click here: Vetor Video

I love my TRX, we are very close! Relax now, not that close. TRX allows you to do bodyweight exercise virtually anywhere, hence their business name ‘Fitness Anywhere’. Check it out here: http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/

Renegade by PurMotion

Now this device is the ‘mack daddy’ of training with an Olympic bar. Talk about movement with resistance. Put this device inside a few 25lb plates and then insert your Olympic bar (45 or 35 pounders) into the Renegade and start twisting, turning, pressing, pulling, rotating and kicking your own ass. I use this every single workout in conjunction with my TRX…try super setting these and oh my will you feel some serious burning. Click here to learn more:Renegade

Ropes

Say what? How can playing with ropes get me tone? I love rope training. This movement really builds stability and activates your core like there is no tomorrow. Superset it with resistance training for a deep muscle activation burn and now you are talking fun stuff. As you can tell, I really like super setting and fast paced momentum between sets. Get that heart rate moving to burn more calories in less time.. Your arms will be on fire.

Kettlebells

Unless you have been living in a cave you know what a kettlebell is and you better be training with one too. If not, get off your ass and get some. This is old school movement training that is fun and challenging. The Turkish Getup is probably my number one favorite exercise and is damn near close to be a perfect movement. Master all the steps and really feel a difference in your body. Here is an idea, superset it with ropes. Imagine that?

Prowler Sled

This device I call the ‘Hurler’ because it makes me throw up all the time. Nice! Now why in the world would you want to do that? If you workout hard, you know the answer to that one. I should not have to explain. This device builds everything and there is no way to make it easy. You want hardcore…this is it. Do a few rounds of this and you will have a heart rate through the roof and quads that are screaming. Hello fun times.

A blender

Yes, a real food blender. Why? Cause burning fat and increasing lean muscle comes down to nutrition and diet. You gotta be adding additional supplementation to your body via meal replacement and protein drinks. When you train hard, you gotta eat hard! Meaning you have to make sacrifices and choose between the things you want and the things your body needs. You will not get beyond a certain point in appearance and training without supplementation. So go to the store and invest in a blender. Make shakes not margaritas.

Your refrigerator

Eat with purpose!! You must be strategic in giving your body the necessary nutrients to heal and grow. If you eat like crap, you look like crap! Pretty simple actually. And listen up!! Eating healthy is not the same as eating for fitness. Read that again! Lots of people eat healthy and still look like crap. Why? Fitness nutrition is totally different than plain healthy eating. It’s about nutrient timing, meal combinations, changing hormone levels based on activity and fitness goals. A great book on hormones and fitness nutrition is Ultimate You by Joe Dowdell and Brooke Kalanick. Check it out here: Ultimate You

Body Bar

These bars are awesome. You can swing them in all directions and be so creative with lower body exercises to isolate the glutes and hips. Rotational training gets an added bonus when you put some resistance on it. Try doing a reverse lunge with a twist holding a Body Bar, or lumberjack chops. Guys, don’t’ think this is girly training either. Give me 5 minutes teaching you a core circuit I will have you panting for air and screaming for rest. Click here to see more details and sample routines: Body Bar

Resistance bands

Variable resistance is the key to muscle activation. Variable resistance means the tension changes based on distance from equipment and you must fight the eccentric load. Men are guilty of not using these. They think these are girly things. Well listen up guys, bands and tubing can take your body to an entirely new level.

Perry Nickelston, DC, SFMA

Stopchasingpain.com

973-800-6570

Foam Rolling Bashing?

noreply@blogger.com (Perry Nickelston, DC) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:45:00 +0000

Ok, so there seems to be some bashing going on around about foam rolling. Some say it's not really effective and that it can hurt ya, and it's better to do all these other techniques. Well, let me tell ya from my perspective from being in the real world trenches everyday with clients needing help...foam rolling is crucial. Most people never do anything for their facial system and few have ever used the foam roll.

In our fitness world it may seem different because we see people use it all the time, but for the average person, it ain't happening. Being in the healthcare field I understand human nature of dealing with pain. If nothing hurts, people think they are healthy...and if it does hurt, ignore it until it goes away...when it comes back again, then seek help and want to get fixed in one visit. Hello reality!!

Foam rolling is an art form and you can get hurt if you do it wrong or are not a candidate for it. It is up to you, the professional to teach people the correct techniques for rolling. I will have another post coming that talks about techniques and when to not do foam rolling.

I can change persons life with a foam roller, tennis ball, rope and a mini-band. Addressing soft tissue in any format is always a positive. So, don't be so quick to be hard on the foam roll...in my opinion it is one the most effective form of self treatment therapies available to the public.