Life Hacking: Health & Fitness

Study of the Week: The Surprising Iliotibial Band

2012-07-31T10:45:00.000-07:00

Possibly one of the most frustrating chronic injuries in athletes it iliotibial band friction syndrome. The unrelenting lateral knee pain that no matter what you do will not go away unless considerable time is taken off from training. "The Surprising Iliotibial Band" looks at the anatomy of the IT band and challenges the long thought idea that the band flips over the lateral part of your knee and thus causes you pain. As it turns out, they found that the IT band does not move front to back but in a inward and outward motion that occurs when the knee is flexed and extended (see picture). Along with this the authors found that the band actually wraps around the lateral quad and attaches deep to the femur.

Continue after the jump:

Now this is all well and good but what does it all mean for those in pain. A common form of recommended treatment is to "role out" and stretch the IT band. The problem with this is that the IT band is like a steel cable and can only elongate about 0.2% of its original length. What this suggests is that to help relieve strain on the most superficial part of the band its attachments at the glute max and tensor fascia latae (TFL) must be lengthened to help down the kinetic chain. Focusing soft tissue work, stretching and strengthening in these areas can help reduce symptoms that occur at the knee . Soft tissue work of the entire lateral quad can also help relieve pain and symptoms further down the kinetic chain.

A frustrating injury none the less and prevention is key but strengthening hip abductors and keep the glute max and TFL moving freely.

The Surprising Iliotibial Band

J Amer Chiropr Assoc 2011 Sept-Oct; 48(7): 2-6

Dr. Thomas Michaud

The Beginning Runner

2011-11-23T04:49:00.001-08:00

New to running? Trying to get started or just returning from a nice little vacation from it? With information running rampant and in abundance it is often times hard to know exactly what you should or should not be doing. This is an attempt to help out the beginning runner with a few basic tips.

Shoes: Unless you were blessed with high arches that hold you should almost automatically assume that you need a "support" shoe. Something that offers you extra arch support for doing all your distance running. This will allow your arch to help maintain its form and is a preventative measure for plantar fasciitis and shin splints. Going to any running shoe specific store should suffice as the employees there should be able to guide you to the correct shoe.

Running Style: As noted in the article below there is no perfect running style for everybody. For the recreational runner your body will in essence choose the running style that suits it best. The body is lazy in the regard that it will find the most efficient way to complete whatever task it is required too on it's own. If your running style does not cause you pain then it's most likely safe.

More information on Running Progression and Recovery after the "Read More"

Running Progression: It seems like common sense to ease into a running progression but the excitement and enthusiasm to start often takes over and people go to hard, to fast, to soon and it leads to eventually giving up on running. Start slow and build. If you've never run before, start at 10 minutes a day (or every other) and the next week jump to 13-15 minutes and progress gradually. Googling running progressions will give you all types of examples for training for a 5K to a marathon.

Recovery: Soreness is bound to occur when getting back into running. Don't let it stop you from continuing on your progression. Studies have shown that doing some physical activity while being sore can actually help reduce the soreness experienced from prior workouts. A diet rich in healthy foods can also help with recovery and dealing with any soreness along with supplementation of fish oil (omega-3) and antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E).

Good luck on your adventure back to running. Contact me with any further questions or concerns.

New York Times Article: For Beginning Runners, Advice Can Be a Hurdle by Gina Kolata

Shin Splints: A Mystifying Injury...

2011-10-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has taken up running as a sport, a hobby or just got dragged into running a 5K has undoubtedly experienced some kinds of shin pain and been diagnosed (through self or medical professional) with "shin splints" but rarely are given a full explanation as to what it is and why it hurts. Shin pain is generally experienced in one of two locations (sometimes both). Typically seen in shorter distance runners the pain with be right on the front of their shins and are tender to the touch. The other location of "shin splint" pain is along the medial border of their shin or the inside of their shin. This is often seen in long-distance runners or people who are new to the sport.

What is a shin splint?
What makes this injury difficult is the multiple issues that could be causing the problem. The most extreme issues that could be causing you shin pain is an actual stress fracture. This is another hard diagnosis as many of them do not show up on x-ray until they actually begin healing. They can be seen on x-ray when callous formation shows up on x-ray. If you have the means, often times a MRI is also useful for diagnosing this injury. Other causes include but are not limited to periositis (bone pain), medial flexor tendonitis, fallen arches, or calf tightness.

What can I do to help?
If this has become a chronic pain and their is extreme pain at one location along the bone see a physician for further examination. Many times for runners a simple fix is purchasing a new pair of shoes that are designed with more arch support. An alternative to this is purchasing a neutral shoe and adding an insert that will increase arch support. Common sense would think that adding both would be an even better solution but often this leads to over correction of the issue and causes further problems. Receiving more arch support allows the muscles that run on the inside of your shin (tibia) to go back to their natural position and not be put on excessive stretch as they were without the support.

Calf tightness if often associated with medial shin pain and so people will continue to stretch their calves. The most common lower leg stretch is performed with a straight leg but this does not hit all the lower leg musculature. This stretch doesn't target the soleous and medial flexors that are underneath the gastroc (that pretty muscle everyone wants to look at). To perform this stretch start like you normally would with a straight leg calf stretch and keep your heal firmly planted on the ground but then bend your knee. You will typically feel this stretch right above your achilles tendon. That gastroc muscle does play a role in shin splints though, especially the lateral portion of the gastroc. When these fibers are shortened and tight they will pull the foot to the outside and cause further stretching and stress on the medial flexor muscles and cause pain. Soft tissue work and if possible ultra sound treatments are the best way to reduce this tightness and help relieve pain.

While it's an injury that can include several factors many of them are easy to change and fix but the results aren't always instant so give them a little time. Contact me anytime for any additional tips to relieve shin splint pain.

Inspiration/Success: How bad do you want it?

2011-10-09T05:45:00.000-07:00

If this doesn't get you a little inspired to work out or just keep working hard to reach your dreams...I'm not sure what will.

More picture after "Read More"

Courtesy of Shock Mansion

A Safer Shoulder Workout

2011-10-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Link: A Safer Shoulder Workout

Great article for safety when doing the upright row. The risk of pulling too high for that last little bit does not outweigh the risk of possible impingement syndrome which is a time consuming chronic injury that will take much to long to heal and cause you issue in your other workouts.

Agreed on eliminating behind-the-neck shoulder presses and behind-the neck pull downs if you have pre-existing shoulder problems. Unless training for a specific reason this way (i.e. bodybuilding) there is not marked benefit that these exercises can bring to you. They place your shoulders under extreme pressure and tension.

As always, feel free to contact me with any other questions or other alternatives.

Joel Luedke

Kettlebell Swings

2011-09-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

This exercise is made for everyone. It is the perfect exercise for any woman (or man) for that matter that wants to work their posterior chain starting at their achilles tendon and working up the entire length to the back of their head. For the serious lifter, adding this exercise can help develop muscles key to good posterior and help reduce the risk of injury. See video below for instructions on how to perform the lift and also the linked article for written out instructions and further tips. Happy Lifting.

Courtesy: Tim Ferriss and the Four Hour Body

More information and written instructions here: The Ultimate Exercise

If you're curious as to the cheaper alternative he was talking about, contact me and I will pass the information along.

American Ninja Warrior

2011-09-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

The art of parkour has been around for a long time but recently its become a little bit bigger. The American Ninja Warriors are working towards going to Japan and conquering Mt. Midoriyama. No American has done it yet to date but the ante is being upped. K-Swiss has put up a prize of 500,000$ and a shoe endorsement contract if an American Ninja Warrior can win the competition.

Check out the Videos. Slightly different than your normal day at the gym.

See more videos, click the "READ MORE"

See more on G4TV.

American Ninja Warrior

American Parkour

MMA Workout in the Weight Room

2011-09-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

In the sport of mixed martial arts you are required to go all out for 5 minutes straight with only 1 minute of rest in between rounds. This is hard enough in a normal 3 round fight but when you are going for the championship your add an extra ten minutes of working with only 2 added minutes of rest.

This workout was designed to mimic the type of work load your body encounters when being pushed to that level. It is meant to try and recruit all systems and fiber types of the muscles and work you aerobically as you try and recover between rounds. It covers all major muscles in the body and incorporates some plyo-metric drills to develop further recruitment.

Here is how it works. Do your best to look ahead through each round individually and if possible set up stations as needed for each exercise. Each exercise is allotted 65 seconds (5 seconds to get there and get set). Choose a weight you can do many reps with but with not make you stop after only 15 seconds. If you are unable to finish the set with that weight, drop it down or adjust form to finish out the minute. You then have a 65 second rest where you set up your next round and try and get your wind back.

Round I:

Incline Alternating Dumbbell bench press (press one arm, then the other)
Dumbbell two arm bent row
"Praying" Abs (rope attachment on tricep push-down, kneel on the floor and perform crunch)
Box Step Ups (holding dumbbells in each hand)
Upright Row with Plate (take narrow grip)

Round II:

Reverse ez-bar curl (to further difficulty turn it into a drag curl)
Plate shrugs (hold plate along edge in each hand and perform shrug)
Dumbbell sumo squats (hold dumbbell however it's comfortable, take wide stance and hold between leg, perform squat)
Dumbbell shoulder lateral raises
Dumbbell Hammer curls

Round III:

Step Hops (try and keep knees as straight as possible and hop onto 1st step as quickly as possible for allowed time)
Push ups with feet elevated (move to normal position if can't finish or onto your knees (it's freaking hard))
Front Planks
Walking Lunges (with barbell across shoulders)
Box Jumps (find height that you can reach, try and land and explode if possible)

See the Championship rounds after the jump (Read More)

Round IV:

Closed/Reverse grip pulldown (on "lat" pulldown machine, palms towards you, shoulder width apart)
Reverse dumbbell flyes (working rear deltoids)
Straight bar tricep pushdowns
Physio ball hamstring curls (switch to single leg if possible)
Straight bar cable curls

Round V:

Dumbbell floor press (dumbbell bench press but on floor, explode up after elbows touch floor)
Medicine ball "get-ups" (sitting against wall, sitting down until ass to floor, stand up using shoulders to work way up and squat up)
Dumbbell standing shoulder press, alternating
Dumbbell flyes
Three way rope pull down (rope extension on tricep pulldown, step back and keep arms mostly straight, pull down to left, right and center was if holding a thai clench and attempting to throw them)

Best of luck, it is not easy but is a phenomenal work out.

For other versions of this workout contact me and I would be happy to pass them along.

Study of the Week

2011-09-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Comparison of Metabolic and Biomechanic Responses to Active vs Passive Warm Up Procedures Before Physical Exercise.

Brunner, Strasser, Haber

This study compared the effect of active vs. passive warm up procedures before exercise on energy supply and muscle strength performance. It was found that light warm up (at 30% VO2 max) proved to have the most favorable influence on heart rate and oxygen consumption during exercise. Passive warm up (hot pack, etc) has been shown to modify metabolic and circulatory responses to exercise in similar as active warm up.

Active warm up was found to be superior may be due to the vasodilatory effect of active warm up on the pre-capillary resistance vessels, which speeds up the blood flow to the working muscle, by decreasing vascular resistance. This study found that short term performance after active warm up was increased compared to passive warm up.

My Take: It has been shown in several research studies that active warm up produces the best ready state for the body and allows it to perform at it's peak level. This type of warm up, often called dynamic warm up, is essential for optimal performance and should be implemented alone. Along with these findings it has been found that static stretching (stretch and hold) can decrease performance. Active warm-up is a must and a good program should be implemented for all athletes and active individuals.

Acupressure

2011-09-12T11:37:00.000-07:00

Have allergies that you've tried every kind of medication for? Tried every hangover cure there is and none seem to work (other than continuing)? Stubborn knee pain that nothing seems to get rid of. Try the world of accupressure points. It's easy, you can do it yourself and hey it won't cost you anything.

Allergies:
Step I: Open your left hand in front of you with your palm down. An antihistamine point is located at center of the webbing between your thumb and index finger. Place your right thumb on top in the middle of the webbing with your right index finger underneath the palm and apply pressure by squeezing into the webbing (Point: LI 4). Apply that pressure toward the bone of your hand. Take 5-10 long, slow, deep breaths as you keep firmly pressing into the point. Repeat same protocol for the right hand. Hold pressure for 1 minute.
Step II: Use index fingers to press between the bone of on the top of your feet between your big toe and second toe (Point: Lv3). Firmly rub in the troughs and angle toward the second bone.

Knee Pain: Who doesn't have this?
Start by sitting comfortably on a rug or mat with your back against the wall or couch. Extend legs in front of you.
Step I: Use a tennis ball and place it in the middle of the back of your hurting knee. Keep this ball in position as you complete the rest of the steps .
Step II: Place the palms of your hands on both side of your knee cap (patella) and rub both sides for a minute to create a warming effect (Rub: Lv8, Sp9, K10, B53, and GB34).

Step III: Use your thumbs and index fingers to press around both sides of your patella, applying the pressure to the under side of it. Lean your weight forward to apply for 10 seconds then relax. Rotate your fingers slightly and reapply pressure (St35). Do this several time for about 2 minutes.
Step IV: Grasp your patella with the palm of your hand and slowly rotate in one direction 10 times then the opposite 10 times. (You will get minor rotation (it won't spin and shouldn't) and if you ever have pain, STOP).

Continue reading on the next page for a potential cure for hangovers.

Hangovers: The incurable self inflicted ailment (but everyone likes to have fun)
Start by just sitting comfortably.
Step I: Spread your thumb and index finger apart and apply pressure into the muscles in the web as you angle the pressure towards the first bone of the hand. Stimulate each side for one minute. (Point: LI 4) to Left
Step II: Curve your fingers and firmly press into the thick ropy muscles on the back of your upper neck. Breathe deeply as you hold for a minute. (Point: B10)
Step III: Place thumbs underneath the base of your skull in the hollow points on the back of your head. Close your eyes and tilt your head forward as you continue to apply firm pressure for at least a minute or until you feel a regular, even pulse on both sides.
Step IV: With one hand, place your thumb and index finger on the upper ridge of the eye socket near the bridge of your nose. Simultaneously press up into the indentations in your eye socket. Then spread the index finger and middle finger up underneath your cheek bones directly beneath your eyes. Hold combination for 1 minute with eyes closed as you breathe deeply. (Point: GB20)
Step V: Place your right thumb in the center of the skull (back) pressing into a large hallow. Use the third finger of your left hand to press into the indentation between your eyebrows. Hold these points for a minute with eyes closed. Breath deeply to relax your mind. (Point: GV16 with GV24.5)
Step VI (this one is a little out there): Sitting down with shoes off. Reach down to place your index fingers between your big toe and second toe. Slide your finger two inches toward your leg. press firmly on an angle toward the bone that attaches to the second toe. Supposedly an excellent decongestant point for clearing your head. (Point: Lv3)

Supplement Suggestions

2011-09-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

I wrote the article "Starter Supplements" (see side bar for link to article). While this might help get you started on what you want there are many other questions that go along with this: Where should I buy them? What brand should I buy? Are any of them really that different?

In my own experience there are companies that set themselves apart and put out a truly high quality product and there are also outlets that sell them at the most competitive process. My hope with this post is to set some confusion straight and offer any assistance possible.

Where to buy?
I have given up on any supplement store (i.e. GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Complete Nutrition). Even if a special is being run or you are signed up for their rewards program they are rarely (if ever) cheaper than shopping online. These two online stores are the ones I have found the best deals even after including the shipping.

Body Bulding.com Store
Mass Nutrition

See recommended brands for each of my five starter supplements after the jump...

Protein: Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Protein. Often seen as the gold standard for protein it has been a multi-year award winner for best over all protein. I have used this personally and seen terrific results. BSN's Syntha-6 (official protein of the UFC is also very high quality)

Multivitamin: Most multi-vitamins do not vary in amount and dosages of ingredients. You do however want to look for a formula specific to your gender and your activity level. The one a day Centrum may not be enough to keep you going if you are training six days a week.

Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA): Optimum Nutrition. A great brand all around but be sure to check the label for the amount of Leucine and Iso-Leucine as these are essential for muscle growth.

Fish Oil: Carlson Very Finest Fish Oil: Liquid. When compared to capsule form this liquid version gives you a higher amount of omega-3 and omega-6 and also has a higher rate of absorption when compared to capsules.

Creatine: BSN Cell Mass. A solid product by a solid company. Check sugar content to determine if needed to mix with fruit juice. 8-Ball Creatine powder. Officially cleared by the NCAA this is good product without as many bells and whistles.

Generally for any type of supplements Optimum Nutrition and BSN provide quality products with a long history and competitive price. Happy supplementing.

Quack Watch

2011-09-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Every wondered about the evidence based practice of a certain treatment or claim? If you're in the health profession you undoubtedly have heard the phrase "evidence based practice" and have used it in your own work or when teaching. To the lay person it means, is there actual proof behind what someone is claiming.

There are countless claims about new wonder drugs and therapies that fill the headlines and spread across the internet like wildfire. Stephen Barrett M.D. does his best to have them evaluated, tested and reported about their scientific backing. He operates the site Quackwatch that has reviewed hundreds of claims about treatments of all kinds for all types of ailments. If you have a question about something that doesn't seem right or feasible, his site is a recommended first stop to try and find more information.

www.quackwatch.com

Personal note: I have used this site many times and find it extremely informative and a great source of reliable information to help me in my own decisions about new treatments and techniques. I do not put my own backing behind their claims. Ask me personally, then we can chat and I will let you know what I think (which I'm more than happy to do). Take your own health into your own hands (as long as it's safe, of course).

-Joel Luedke Mse, ATC/L, CSCS

The Blog Lift

2011-09-01T04:44:00.000-07:00

Physioballs are no longer just for trying to make your abs look good, they are made for total body destruction. I introduce to you the "blog" lift. The concept is simple but one that I had never seen before and if your working out on a budget, this is perfect.

Supplys:
-Physio ball (vary sizes based on desired weight)
-Water

See green blob for what a "blog" is

Fill physio ball with water up to desired weight (ranging typically 20-80lb). You do not want the physio ball bursting at the seams when filling it, leave room for the water to move around. Plug the physio ball as you normally would after filling it with air.

Workouts:
-For lighter "blogs" front shoulder raises are great to start with advancing to throwing the "blog" in the air. 10-15 reps per set
-On your back presses with moderate weight "blog" 10-15 reps per set
-The Ultimate Total Body Workout: The "Blog" Lift (see videos after the jump). Can be done over bar or just lift and drop. 10-15 reps per set (with 80lbs "blog" you'll be hurting)

Shout out to ogresden fitness

Kyle Rogers explaining and then demonstrating the "blog" lift over a bar.

Thank you Kyle for explaining how this total body lifting workout hits your cardiorespiratory system (a common misconception that you need to only run for this to occur...more on this at a later date). Get some.

Ogresden Fitness on YouTube

Barefoot Running: The Best Way to Go?

2011-08-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

As all the new shoes comes out promoting barefoot running is it the best thing for you? Here is an interesting piece involving both an experienced barefoot runner and just your average jogger. What do you think? Are the high-tech shoes just for profit or is that really how our bodies have evolved bio-mechanically?

Courtesy: New York Times via YouTube

ogresden fitness

2011-08-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Not your typical workout. In or around Lawrence and need a new workout? Modeled after the High-Land Games, World's Strongest Man, and mixed martial arts training, these exercises are things you don't see every day and it only takes 45 minutes until you want to be done and be sore from neck to toe the next morning. Please check out ogresden fitness and support them.

Contact at: ogresden1@gmail.com

More pictures after the jump.....

ogresden fitness

Get Cold, Get Thinner, Feel Better

2011-08-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

"If you don't put on a jacket when you go outside you're going to catch a cold...".

Most of us would be rich had we received a dollar every time we heard this. Regardless of the advice, do you want to accelerate fat loss by up to 15%? Contrary to popular belief strategic use of cold therapy can have many health benefits including building your immune system as well as assisting in weight loss.

Cold therapy has been shown to boost your immunity by putting your immune system into hyper-drive when it needs to respond to an illness within your body. Cold therapy can increase this immuno-stimulating effect which is thought to be due to the increase in circulating norepinepherine. Preheating can also enhance the benefits of cold therapy (more on this in a moment).

Cold can stimulate the circulation of adiponectin which is secreted by fat cells and increases the breakdown of fatty acid in the cells while also stimulating the uptake of glucose into muscles (which is perfect for us because it keeps it out of fat cells). It also stimulates brown-adipsose (fat) tissue (BAT). This tissue helps dissipate excess calories as heat and is commonly found in the lower neck and upper back areas.

Now, how many people hate being cold? Yes, that is what I thought but it might be worth the few minutes of being uncomfortable for the results. See protocols and Video on cold therapy after the JUMP.

The Fun Begins:

Protocol 1:
-Place an ice back on the back of your neck/upper traps for 30 minutes a night (preferably before bed). This is best done at night due to the fact that insulin sensitivity is lower than in the morning. I found this to be best done when reading or watching TV before bed.

Protocol 2:
-The one I've found to be most effective (but not the most fun). If you shower daily, at minimum, you can kill two birds with one stone. Take 5-10 minute cold showers. Begin in your normal/hot temperature water for 1-2 minutes over your body and then step out to put on shampoo and face wash. Turn the water to cold (your definition of cold) and rinse out your hair and wash off face. Then turn to the water and back in (come on move quicker) so the water is hitting you on the lower neck/upper back and stand for 1-3 minutes. Then apply whatever you use to clean yourself and finish up.

It is common to sweat sometimes after one of these as your body is burning lots of calories to produce the heat to warm yourself up.

Protocol 3:
-The least painful of the three but shown to be effective none the less. Immediate upon waking up consume 500 mL of ice cold water on an empty stomach. This has been shown to increase resting metabolic rate (RMR) up to 30%. Eat your breakfast 20-30 minutes afterwards.

Check out the attached video link to see more ideas for accelerated fat loss using cold therapy. Enjoy and get cold.

References:
Tim Ferriss: The Four Hour Body
Ray Cronise: www.raycronise.com

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

2011-08-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

My name is Joel Luedke and I'm a certified athletic trainer (ATC/L) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Kinesiology-athletic training and my masters degree in exercise science from the University of Kansas. I have spent the past two years working with the University of Kansas M/W Track and Field teams and during that time became certified in Active Release Technique (ART) for the lower extremity as well as being exposed to other techniques such as Graston, Muscle Energy, HRUSKA, pelvic restoration among others.

I have tried all the traditional ways for getting big, increasing strength, and losing weight and body fat. All of them showed success but with a ton of work and dedication. That all changed when I read The Four Hour Body by Tim Ferriss. This book opened up a new world of ideas that give you maximal results with minimal effort and put forth many areas of research that haven't been fully utilized. It is my goal to present some of these ideas along with others and break them down so they are simple to understand and use.

Comment, question and discuss what you think.

-Joel Luedke

The Four Hour Body

2011-08-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Video courtesy of Tim Ferriss via www.fourhourbody.com