Asymmetric Resistance for Trunk Stability

Asymmetric Resistance for Trunk Stability

When training in the gym, we tend to want to train one side of our body exactly the same as the other side, focusing on "symmetry."

If we curl a 25 pound dumbbell with our right arm, we try our best to perform the same number of reps with that same resistance using the left arm.  When it comes to training for trunk stability, however, applying an asymmetric weight to each side may be more realistic and applicable to our everyday activities.  If we are squatting or lunging to pick something up from the ground, many times the weight distribution, especially if it is an irregularly shaped object, may be more to our right or left side.  One example is carrying grocery bags into the house from your car.  You most likely do not weigh the bags and place the exact same amount in each hand.  One hand always ends up carrying more.  When walking with the bags, we still try our best to maintain a stable upright trunk so that we are not leaning toward the right or left.  So why not incorporate this into training from time to time?    It may not be that terrible to train each side with a different amount of weight.  

Instead of Suitcase Dealifting the exact same weight on each side, start off with a heavier weight in one hand for one set, and then switch for the next set.  The focus should be on performing the Deadlift without allowing your trunk to "give in" to the heavier side, but keeping your trunk upright.

Same thing with the Kettlebell Squat.  Try a heavier weight on 1 side.  Then switch sides for the next set

This can be done by just squatting with 1 kettlebell one 1 side, but then switch it up and use 2 different weighted kettlebells in order to apply a higher total amount of weight to your body.

Try a combo movement of a squat press using different weights.  Now you must stabilize your trunk with asymmetric resistance while transitioning from the ground to standing to pressing overhead, all while not allowing your trunk to lose control

This is just another way of introducing various perturbations to your body in order to train it to maintain and maximize its stability

Incorporate This Trunk Rotation Stability Exercise

Incorporate This Trunk Rotation Stability Exercise

 

When lifting anything, we hear "lift with your legs, not your back!"  When using the spine  to perform resistive activities, many times a dangerous amount of pressure is placed on the ligaments and intervertebral discs.  Over time, this may lead to injuries such as bulging or herniated discs.  Spinal flexion places strain on the discs.  Spinal rotation also places strain on the discs.  But when you combine the movements (flexion with rotation), the discs are most vulnerable.  If these motions are dangerous, is it wise to perform them with resistance added?  I prefer to focus on Spinal Stabilization rather than Resistive Trunk Strengthening Exercises.   

 



Some common trunk exercises you may have seen are the Side Bend QL, Resistance Tubing Trunk Rotation, and the Medicine Ball Trunk Twist.

 





 

 

These exercises are aimed at strengthening the spine throughout the range of motion.  But at what cost? 

 

Try to incorporate the following exercise to your routine for Spinal Rotation Stability. 

Rack a Kettlebell in 1 hand.  This alone places an asymmetric force on your spine.  Your goal is to maintain a neutral spine and not allow the trunk to side-bend toward the added weight.  This is already working the QL on the opposite side of the Kettlebell

 

Press the weight overhead.  This continues to challenge your trunk's stability with the  direction of the force applied from a different position/angle

 

Here's where the rotation comes in.  Instead of actively twisting your spine with the applied resistance (as shown in the Med Ball Twist and Resistance Band Trunk Rotation pics above), rack the weight, rotate your trunk about 30 degrees to the right while maintaining forward facing hips (Your knees and pelvic bones continue to point straight ahead), and then perform the shoulder press.  Attempt a few reps in this position   

 

 

Then, rotate your trunk a little further from the 30 degrees to about 60 degrees trunk rotation.  Again, keep your hips and knees pointing forward.  Press the weight overhead.

 

 

Repeat to the other side at 30degrees, then 60degrees. 

 

The point to this exercise is to engage your trunk stabilizers at a spinal position, and maintaining this stability throughout the lift.  You are challenging multiple spinal positions by varying the amount of trunk rotation.  You are NOT using the spine to rotate a load. You are using the trunk musculature to stabilize the spine when in a rotated position.  This, in my opinion is a safer way to train your trunk.

 

Add even more of a challenge to your grip, trunk and shoulder stabilizers by performing the same activity with the Kettlebell in the Bottoms Up Position...Then try it with Neurogrips!!(www.neurogrips.com)

 



Benefits Of The Single Leg Deadlift

Benefits Of The Single Leg Deadlift

 

When performing the Single Leg Deadlift, in order to maximize the benefits you must perform the technique with proper form, especially upon fatigue.  I have used this exercise to train ankle and knee stability, hip stability and strength, balance, trunk rotational stability, grip and scapula control (to name a few). 

To begin the technique, place the kettlebell on the inside of the stance leg so that as you flex forward you can reach the handle with the opposite side's arm

While lowering your trunk down towards the kettlebell, you do not want to allow your trunk to rotate.  Keep your shoulders and hips 'square' with the floor.  The image directly above is incorrect, while the image below is correct

You want to maintain a straight line from your shoulder to your hip, knee and ankle.  This will help you with the hip hinge technique which protects your lower back

Lower your trunk while maintaining scapula retraction.  Keep your ears in line with your shoulders.  You lower your trunk until your hand reaches the kettlebell handle. 

 

Do Not allow your scapulae to protract or your trunk to rotate towards the kettlebell in order to "lengthen your arm" for you to more easily reach the handle.  You will need to work hard at this especially upon fatigue

Grip the handle, contract your glutes and scap retractors and return to stance

 

Finish the repetition in tall standing with glutes squeezed. Do not rush into the next repetition by not locking out in tall standing first

Bottoms Up Kettlebell Bicep Curls Using Neurogrips

Bottoms Up Kettlebell Bicep Curls Using Neurogrips

 

 

To properly perform the bicep curl, you must initiate the movement by retracting your scapulae so that your shoulders are in correct alignment.  If using a dumbbell, grip the handle tightly and flex your elbow.  Maintaining your shoulders/scapulae in proper position while performing the bicep curl helps train scapula stabilizers (isometrically), which will act as the foundation for the upper extremity movement.  With a dumbbell, the weight is distributed evenly in your hand.  However, if using a kettlebell in the bottoms up position, the weight of the bell is offset in relation to the handle that you are gripping, so the lever you are attempting to move is longer and therefore more difficult to lift.  Because of the awkward weight distribution and shape of the kettlebell, when performing the Bottoms Up Kettlebell Curl, it is much more demanding on your hand grip and forearm strength as you are trying to curl the weight, while at the same time preventing the kettlebell from moving your wrist into flexion, extension, radial/ulnar deviation, pronation or supination.   You are constantly making adjustments to your grip to control the movement of the Kettlebell.  To make it even more challenging, try this same exercise with Neurogrips.   

 

 In the images above, you can see how Neurogrips add thickness/diameter to the kettlebell handle.  In the picture on the left, the thumb overlaps the index finger.  In picture on the right, the thumb does not come close to the index finger.  The goal here is to control the kettlebell by "crushing" the Neurogrips around the handle.

Below is the Kettlebell Bottoms Up Curl with Neurogrips.  To initiate the curl, the shoulders/scapulae must be "set" isometrically.  Then as you curl the kettlebell, you must avoid trunk sidebending towards the side of the kettlebell as well as losing control of the "set" scapulae.  Do not let your shoulders drop or protract (roll forward).

  

The Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift With Neurogrips

The Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift With Neurogrips

 

 

The Kettlebell used in this example has a handle that is approximately 1.25" to 1.5" in diameter.  The length of the handle is about 4.5" with curved corners ("Horns") which makes it difficult for other grip enhancing devices to fit over.  The Neurogrips easily slide on your hand, adding 1" diameter to the Kettlebell handle, making it between 2.25" and 2.5" in diameter.  This challenges your grip and helps strengthen your hand, wrist, forearm as well as your shoulder and trunk musculature. 

 

The Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift is great for balance as well as gluteal recruitment, trunk stabilization, scapula stability, grip and mental focus. 

 

 

Start with the kettlebell on the inside border of your left foot.  Kick your right foot/leg straight back behind you keeping the leg as straight as possible.  As you 'reach' your right foot back, you are hinging your trunk forward over the left hip.  Tighten the glutes on the right side as your upper body reaches its lowest forward position (just as your hand reaches the kettlebell handle).  Your right foot/ankle should be in line with your right hip and right shoulder.
 
Remember:
1) Keep your hips/pelvis bones and shoulders parallel/squared off to floor.  Do not twist/rotate your trunk as you descend or ascend.  One hip or shoulder should not be higher than the other
2) You may slightly bend the stance leg knee (in this example, the left knee)
3) Do not reach for the kettlebell with your right arm by protracting your shoulder blade.  Keep your shoulder blades retracted, shoulders parallel to the ground and grip the kettlebell handle only when your hand reaches it (arms length away).  In otherwords, don't perform the deadlift technique for a very minimal depth and then stretch down with your arm to grip the  kettlebell handle in order to minimize the deadlift motion.   Do not lose your scapula stability. 

Tighten the glutes on the stance side (left leg) to assist your return to upright standing.  Lock out in the upright position by clenching your glutes

Switch to standing on the right leg and reaching for the kettlebell with the left hand.

 

Using Neurogrips increases the grip demand as well as the mental concentration needed to perform this activity.  Do not fall into the habit of quickly dropping down, grabbing the kettlebell and standing up.  For full benefit, you must raise the free leg back in a straight line as if reaching the wall behind you.  Upon reaching the kettlebell with your hand, ensure that your raised leg remains straight and in line with your hip, trunk and shoulder.  Squeeze the kettlebell handle tightly with the Neurogrips.  Upon arising, contract the stance side's glutes and make sure to maintain the scapula retraction.  Avoid any type of trunk rotation throughout. 

 

The kettlebell in this technique is again providing a vertical force to your hand, wrist, forearm, and shoulder.   There is no directional bias here towards wrist flexion, extension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation, pronation or supination.  Your wrist remains in neutral and your hand is working hard to grip the kettlebell, preventing it from falling vertically from your hand.  Doing this bare handed is a challenge in itself.  Using Neurogrips makes it even more difficult.   Although the kettlebell is not providing a directional bias to your hand, wrist and forearm, because it is a unilateral exercise, it is providing a rotational force as well as a lateral force to your trunk.  You must fight these directional forces to your trunk by maintaining proper posture.  Therefore, you are training trunk and scapula stability.  Go to www.neurogrips.com for more grip information. 





The Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift With Neurogrips

The Kettlebell Suitcase Deadlift With Neurogrips

 

 

The Kettlebell used in this example has a handle that is approximately 1.25" to 1.5" in diameter.  The length of the handle is about 4.5" with curved corners ("Horns") which makes it difficult for other grip enhancing devices to fit over.  The Neurogrips easily slide on your hand, adding 1" diameter to the Kettlebell handle, making it between 2.25" and 2.5" in diameter.  This challenges your grip and helps strengthen your hand, wrist, forearm as well as your shoulder and trunk musculature. 

 



Keep your feet about hip width apart

Squat down 'symmetrically', grip the kettlebell handle

Return to the standing position gripping the kettlebell

 

Things to remember:

1) When lowering your body to grab the kettlebell, perform the hip hinge technique, flexing at your hips and not your lower back -- Some verbal cues: "Squat back, not down - push your butt back as if reaching back for a chair"

2) As you lower yourself, you will have the tendency to sidebend toward the kettlebell. Don't do this.  This exercise is not only working your legs and grip, it is also a trunk stabilizer.  If you maintain the initial spinal alignment and do not allow yourself to sidebend or rotate/twist towards the weight, you are using your trunk musculature (laterally the Quadratus Lumborum) as well as obliques, and transversus abdominals to stabilize your spine and trunk.  The fact that you are not compensating by sidebending towards the kettlebell also helps you to squat deeper, assisting you in gaining more functional range of motion/flexibility.

3) Upon rising to upright standing position, focus on maintaining symmetric shoulder height, again avoiding sidebending or rotating.  If you are holding the kettlebell in the right hand, your left lateral trunk muscles are working to stop you from sidebending to the right ("Don't give in to the weight").  

4) As you ascend to the starting point, make sure you do so while firing your glutes.  Try to spread the floor with your feet.  At the very top, 'lock out' by clenching your butt. 

5) Keep your shoulder blades retracted throughout. No forward rounded shoulders

 

The kettlebell in this technique is providing a vertical force to your hand, wrist, forearm, etc... There is no directional bias here towards wrist flexion, extension, radial deviation, ulnar deviation, pronation or supination.  Your wrist remains in neutral and your hand is working hard to grip the kettlebell, preventing it from falling vertically from your hand.  Doing this bare handed is a challenge in itself.  Using Neurogrips makes it even more difficult.  

 

Check out Neurogrips at www.neurogrips.com

 

 

So, What Was Being Targeted With the Diagonal Snatch, Log Uppercuts and Spirals??

Diagonal Snatch:
-In this exercise, you are moving the kettlebell in a D2 Flexion Pattern in PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation).  Basically, you were working a diagonal proprioceptive pattern which will lead to more efficient functional movement patterns (Targeting the Nervous System)
-You are working Shoulder mobility, scapular stability, grip, forearm strength, rotator cuff stabilization, core stabilization, glute activation

Long Log Uppercuts:
-More diagonal patterns, this time with speed and power, which is more challenging to maintain core stability
-Grip and forearm strength
-Scap stability as you do not want to allow your shoulder blades to protract while you are "punching" upward

Short Log Spirals:
-Diagonals again, this time combined with dragon lunges
-Do not allow the logs to move off of your forearm, so you must squeeze the handles tight (Grip)
-If you push off the rear leg when moving into the upright position, you get a dynamic psoas stretch and assist your push off which is necessary in many sports.  Obliques will also be targeted as your trunk rotates and the core must remain stable throughout

Now, watch it again.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mNxq5VJKxQ

More on Core Stability and A Dyna-Core Circuit

Scroll Down for Video Clip:


Definitions:
Static: Fixed; no movement or change
Dynamic: Continuous and productive activity or change (for our purposes, regarding the dynamic plank, this relates to the extremities; and for the dynamic uppercut, this relates to the spinal segments)
Mobility: Motion
Stability: Ability to withstand sudden change or deterioration...With the exercises shown, engaging the core withstands deterioration of spinal "control", thus avoiding injury

Static Stability: Maintain a neutral lumbar spine with no extremity motion
Dynamic Stablity Level 1: Maintain a neutral lumbar spine with extremity motion; the core withstands force exerted by the extremities
Dynamic Stability Level 2: Maintain a "stable", engaged core and lumbar spine with movement of the extremities and the spine...the spinal segments are moving with "control" (Controlled Mobility)

Goal:
To teach your client to engage their core throughout small and large movement patterns in order to increase coordination, efficiency and strength as well as decrease their risk of injury. 

Learn to maintain control throughout the full available range of motion, not just at mid range where the muscle is strongest.

Why the diagonal movement patterns???
Because functional movement is rarely in straight plane, but rather in diagonal directions.  Spiral and diagonal motions target the nervous system in order to maximize body awareness, proprioception and kinesthesia.  The better and "cleaner" we become at these movements, the more efficient we will be on the playing field or throughout everyday life.  A football player may be able to bench press 500 pounds, but if he can not effectively and efficiently move in and out of a lunge position, how "strong" is he???

This Circuit incorporates diagonal patterns with squatting, lunging and reaching activities.  It will also get you to break a sweat....Full Spectrum Fitness!!!  Pay attention to the 3 exercises in the clip.  What is being targeted?
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mNxq5VJKxQ

Multi-Angle Deadlift

Simple exercise to set up, all you need is 4 cones and possibly a kettlebell (challenging with no weight also). 
Click below for the video
 
Tips to remember:
-HIP HINGE!!! Do not bend through the lower back segments
-Maintain body weight on the posterior aspect of your foot (heel)
-Keep your hip bones facing forward (minimal rotation)

Functional Values:
-Glute Recruitment for lower back stability
-Core engagement
-Single leg balance
-Ankle and knee stability
-Acceleration/Deceleration pattern for sports
-Kinesthesia for the lower body

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZO1ZUjyntU

Enjoy,

Nick

ONCE AND FOR ALL, SHOULD I USE HEAT OR ICE??

Many patients and clients have asked me whether they should use heat or ice on an injured or sore body part.  There seems to be many opinions about this.  What has worked for me in the past and what I tell my patients/clients is this:
1.  If it is an acute injury, meaning it is days/weeks old such as surgery, ice is the only option.
2.  If it is subacute or chronic, meaning it is months old, heat may be used.
Reasoning: After initial injury, inflammatory agents rush to the injured site.  To minimize swelling/edema, ice is applied.  Ice may be applied from session to session.  However, after a few weeks or even months swelling may continue to be present.  At this point, heat, specifically moist heat may be applied.  The heat will increase blood flow to the recovering site notonly bringing healing agents to the area, but actually "flushing" the remaining inflammatory agents and swelling out of the region.
Exceptions: 
1.  Some overuse injuries such as shoulder impingement, tendinitis, etc... may be a chronic condition, meaning it began months ago.  However, continued use of the body part may cause consistent pain due to aggravation and further inflammation.  Meaning, you never leave the Acute stage and should continue to use ice, particularly after a workout when it is most aggravated.
2.  Being that I live in Florida, I have only had a handful of patients who do not mind ice.  Those who do not like ice actually tense up their entire body when it is applied.  With these clients, you are better off not even using either modality if they are in the acute stage.  The tension caused by applying the ice can actually cause more pain for the patient.

Here is a economical way of making your own ice pack:
Fill a freezer ziplock with 3 cups water and 1 cup rubbing alcohol.  Make sure most of the air is out of the ziplock before freezing it.  Seal it and freeze it overnight.  It will freeze into a gel-like substance and so conforms to whatever body part you apply it to.

Hope this helps.  Good Luck