Another post for you on corrective exercise for performance.

It is post that I lost but I am glad that Nick reminded me about it.

Now, Nick has been on EFI before.

You can take a look at his other posts:

• Corrective Exercise to Improve Your Deadlift – Part 1
• Using Corrective Exercise to Overcome an Injury – Part 2

Here we go with part 3 of Nick’s articles.

8 Things I Learned About Corrective Exercise for Performance

I could probably write a book talking about everything I’ve done with this experience but I think this gives you a pretty good idea of what went down. Here are some main points that you should take home from my experience that can hopefully help you whether you are a lifter or any kind of athlete.

#1 – Don’t be Afraid to Take it Easy Once in Awhile

I knew the importance of this and did deload from time to time, just not as much as I probably should have. Plan deload weeks and take it easy if you are feeling off. It’s OK.

However, you do need to be training hard enough to earn this. Many people don’t train anywhere near hard enough to warrant this.

#2 Find Someone Who Can Analyze You and Find Your Muscle Imbalances that Need to be Taken Care of

Everybody has something and anybody who trains hard is going to have bumps in the road and aches and pains here and there.

If you don’t, then you aren’t training hard, plain and simple.

But find out what could use some work and do something about it. You will thank yourself later and will avoid injury setbacks and probably hit some surprising PR’s.

#3 – Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Soft Tissue Work

Massage therapy, ART, chiropractic, self massage tools and the list can go on. Tissue work can speed healing, address muscle imbalances (when combined with the appropriate exercises and movement) and help keep your body healthier and functioning better like you wouldn’t believe.

It is so important that I actually went to massage therapy school so that I can better help clients.

A couple of things on this, though: make sure you know why you are working something and make sure you know how it affects you muscularly and neurologically.

“Rolling” blindly can do more harm than good. (I should have some work coming out about this in more detail soon)

Also, if you get work done by a professional, make sure that they know their stuff and at least have a decent understanding of what it is that you do.

With an injury to a muscle, other muscles around the area are going to need treatment as well since they will develop trigger points and adhesions as a compensation effect. If it doesn’t seem that you are getting back to 100%, perhaps synergists or antagonists need some release, whether it’s adhesions, trigger points or neurological related stiffness. In my case, my deep rotators, TFL, psoas transversospinalis, erectors, lats and teres major all needed work to truly get things better.

On top of this, the fascia in the area will most likely need to be released in order to restore normal movement. It needs to glide nicely in all directions. If it doesn’t, movement and muscles will not be optimal and healing will not be fully sufficient.

Keep in mind that once you break up scar tissue, it needs to be realigned through proper movement or you’ll be right back to square one. I also want to add that if you don’t have an S tool such as a thera cane or the kind I have, the body back buddy, you should get one. With my S tool, I can hook right into any specific spot along my back that I need to. I was able to get deep into QL and the surrounding musculature to break up lodged adhesions and trigger points. It’s amazing. Lacrosse balls also work wonders when it comes to getting deep into the hip. Without self massage tools, I can’t imagine how hard it would have been to fully heal the injured tissue.

#4 – Address Your Weak Points and Find Someone Who Can Help You Figure Them Out if You Aren’t Sure

I have been a huge fan of Louie Simmons’ work for quite some time and one main point that he always makes is that bringing up weak points is probably the most important thing one can do to raise their big lifts.

You can squat all day but if you have a weak muscle holding you back and you don’t take care of it, you will not progress like you want. I think that for a decent amount of time, I did not focus on what were truly my weak points. External obliques, glute max, glute med and lower traps all were holding me back. Since I was forced to deviate from my usual style of training, I’ve been able to make these all strong points through different methods and exercises. The results: my squat and pull have never felt better and I feel more stable than ever with my presses because of the lower trap and scap work.

#5 – Don’t Try to do Everything on Your Own

There was a period of time after finishing my time at Ifast and leaving La Crosse that I didn’t have anybody knowledgeable around me to keep an eye on my movement.

Once I found some knowledgeable people in Milwaukee (where I’m at now), things suddenly got a lot better. Surprise!

Even the very best lifters on the planet need training partners and coaches to help them get better. Don’t try to be a hero all on your own. It’s impossible to fully analyze yourself. Get some help from somebody knowledgeable and you will go much farther. If you do have an injury, find a new way to train hard and get better.

For me, I set goals on the major single leg lifts with the sled, with my special exercises, with conditioning and even with technique. With most injuries, there will usually be a way to still train hard without aggravating the problem at hand. Set some new and exciting goals and work on your weak areas so that when you are ready to go again, you will be even better.

#6 Do Everything You Can to Educate Yourself on Movement and Anatomy

McGill, Sahrmann, Kendall, Myers, Chaitow, Robertson, Hartman, Cressey, Kaselj and the list goes on; I’m always constantly trying to learn more. I always do so that I can better help clients; with my situation, I wanted to learn everything I could to make myself better and prevent future occurrences. There are a lot of very smart professionals out there putting out priceless information and you can always find something that can help you with your issues. I think a lot of people with injuries and pain tend to rely too much on doctors, specialists, etc. and passive treatments/temporary pain reducers.

Ultimately, you need to take initiative for yourself in order to truly fix issues and get better. If you are a professional in a related field, books and DVDs, etc. from people like those listed above can be great. If you are not, find a professional who can turn you in the right direction.

#7 – Have patience

This is probably one of the biggest issues for me. Injuries take time to heal, imbalances take time to fix and strength takes time to build. Let things heal and take an ample amount of time to make problem areas better and you will ultimately come back stronger than ever. At first, I wanted to go hard again overnight. I had to learn to step back and realize that it was going to be a longer process to get the healing and the training that I needed to come back healthy and stronger with. Be patient, work at things that will help you get stronger and promote healing and you will come back better. You have to invest both mentally and physically in the process.

#8 – Injuries Don’t Always Need to be a Total Setback

They really can be a blessing in disguise and just might help you get over a hump. Hopefully, my experience can give you some kind of information or some kind of push to help you with your own experience and get you on the path to new PR’s and better performances!!

Remember, train hard but also train smart!!

About the Author

Nick Rosencutter is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is also a Nationally Certified and Licensed Massage Therapist. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science with a Fitness emphasis and Strength and Conditioning Concentration from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, and received his diploma in Massage Therapy from Lakeside School of Massage Therapy in Milwaukee. He has worked with all varieties of clients ranging from fat loss to various levels of athletes and is also a competitive powerlifter. He currently trains clients at Southridge Athletic Club in Milwaukee and offers corrective exercise and movement training at Miller Sports and Wellness Chiropractic in West Allis. You can learn more at his website www.rosencutterultrafitness.com

Rick Kaselj, MS

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I always get great feedback on back pain articles and today I have one on herniated discs.

Enjoy and make sure to Facebook like this and leave us a comment or question.

A herniated disc, also referred to as a bulging or slipped disc, is an injury that can set back even the most highly trained individual. It can result from the effects of aging (as in degenerative disc disease), cumulative and repetitive disc trauma over time, or a specific, traumatic event.

The information presented in this article will focus on the lumbar region. If a herniated disc presses on a nerve, it can cause back pain or sciatica. If you are experiencing low back pain and/or pain down one or both legs, it is advised that you seek the help of a licensed health-care provider.

The goal of herniated disc treatment is to decrease stress on the spine. This is typically done utilizing exercises that improve core stability and posture, as well as those which correct muscle imbalances. Manual therapy and other modalities are often used in combination with an exercise plan.

Corrective Exercises for Disc Herniations

#1 – Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on a soft surface and bring one leg in front, placing the foot flat on the ground so the knee, positioned over the ankle, is bent at about a 90-degree angle. The back knee should remain on the cushioned surface and should be bent at a 90-degree angle as well. Slide the front foot forward a few inches. Brace the abs and squeeze the glute of the side that is being stretched. Shift the hips forward. The angle of the back knee should now be slightly greater than 90 degrees. Hold for 10 seconds and perform 5-10 repetitions, then switch sides.

For a version of the stretch that’s easier on the knees, try starting from a standing position. Take a big step backwards with one leg. Bend the front knee until it’s over the front foot while simultaneously shifting the hips forward. Keep the back leg straight throughout. Hold for 10 seconds and perform 5-10 repetitions, then switch sides.

#2 – Ham Stretch
Stand next to a bench or table. Lift your leg up onto the table so it is fully extended and straight. Rest your hands on the top of your upper leg for stability. Slowly lean forward, keeping your leg and back straight until you feel a stretch in your hamstring area. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, then stand back up and rest. Perform 5-10 repetitions and switch sides.

#3 – Bilateral Knee to Chest
Lie on the floor, arms out to the side and knees bent. Slowly bring one knee toward the chest, then the other, aided by placing both hands on the back of thighs. Hold for 10 seconds and perform 5-10 repetitions.

#4 – Single Knee to Chest
From the initial position for the Bilateral Knee to Chest, slowly bring one knee close to the chest, aided by pulling with both hands. Hold for 10 seconds and perform 5-10 repetitions. Switch sides.

#5 – Pelvic Tilts
Lay on your back with your arms by your sides, your knees bent and feet flat. There should be a space between the floor and your low back. Inhale first, and then initiate the pelvic tilt movement as you exhale. When you let your breath out, your belly button should come toward your spine as you tilt the bottom of your pelvis up. This will result in your low back gently stretching and reaching in the direction of the floor. Inhale to come back to starting position. Perform 10 repetitions.

#6 – Bridges
Lay on your back with your arms by your sides, your knees bent and feet flat. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart. Push through your heels to raise your hips up, creating a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Squeeze your glutes and brace your core. If your hips sag or drop, lower yourself back on the floor. The goal is to maintain a straight line from your shoulders to your knees and hold for 20-30 seconds. You may need to begin by holding the bridge position for five-second repetitions as you build your strength.

(Above is a more advanced bridging version with the foam roller)

#7 – Iso Hip Flexion
Start in the same position as the Knee to Chest stretch. Draw both knees toward your chest until your thighs and torso form a 90-degree angle. Place your hands on your knees and try to move them closer to your chest, but resist with your hands so no actual movement occurs. Hold for 10 seconds and then relax, and perform 10 repetitions.

#8 – Safe Crunch
Lie on your back with your left leg extended. Your right knee should be bent and your right foot flat. Place your hands palms down on the floor underneath the natural arch in your lower back. Slowly raise your head and shoulders off the floor without bending your lower back or spine, and hold this position for 5 seconds as you exhale. Perform 5-10 repetitions and then switch legs.

#9 – Bilateral Knee Raise
Sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your knees and feet together. Lean slightly backward, keeping shoulders pulled back and chest up. Bring your knees towards your chest then extend them back out towards the ground. Perform 10 repetitions.

(If you want to know what exercises that I start my clients with that have a disc herniation, check out Core Stability of the Back.)

#10 – Air Bike (more advanced progression)
Sit on the edge of a chair or bench with your knees and feet together. Lean slightly backward, keeping shoulders pulled back and chest up. Bring your knees towards your chest then perform a pedaling motion. Make sure that you aren’t simply pushing the feet in and out, but forming a circular motion with them. Perform 10 repetitions pedaling away from you, and 10 repetitions pedaling toward you.

#11 – Accordions (most advanced progression)
Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat. Your hands should be extended out to the sides and parallel to the ground. Raise your feet off the ground and bring your knees toward your chest. At the same time, bring your hands toward one another and exhale, pretending you are squeezing an accordion. Then extend legs out straight and parallel to the ground and extend arms out to the sides.

Rick Kaselj, MS

Here are some other exercises that may be of benefit to you:

If you are looking for more on what to do with a client with lower back pain, I did a course that takes you through it all, call Core Stability for the Rehab Client :

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I just want to give you a heads up on a course that I am hosting next year.

I will have full details soon, but here is a sneak peak into what will be covered.

Structural Assessment and Corrective Exercise Program Design with Justin Price

Course Description:

Main Objectives of the Course: