Don't get neuralized!

I'd been neuralized...I was sure of it.

Neuralized...you know, where my memory had been wiped clean by looking innocently at a shiny little object held up by one of the Men in Black.  Only I don't remember looking into that flash - but then again, I had been neuralized.  

Have you ever felt like that?  Like you were sure that you should know something, but for the life of you, you just couldn't recall it?  Welcome to the wonderful world of aging.  I can accept the fact that I'm getting older...I can.  I can accept that I now have a little harder time getting up from a kneeling position...I can.  I can even accept the fact that I can no longer run without causing a great deal of pain to my knee and back. I can...I'm an aging athlete.

What I have a hard time accepting however, are those momentary losses of memory...and they are happening more frequently.  Fantastic!  Can you say Alzheimer's? 

There will be times when I simply forget the most common things...things like the names of some of our closest friends' children.  Or maybe where I put my phone - only moments after using it.  The best one to date however, is when I lost my wedding ring.  Yep.

So what can we do about this age induced neuralization?  I'm not sure that's a real word, but so what...I'm using it.

Nutrition can actually play a role in our memory.  Hang on a second...let's back up.  

Our memory is obviously controlled by our most complex organ...the brain.  Nutrition plays a significant role in brain function, as does hydration.  

Pop Quiz time!  Who can tell me what the primary fuel source is, for the brain?  The first to answer, wins a free Trigger Point Therapy kit!   Hmmm...I don't hear anyone shouting out answers, and I don't see any raised hands.  Oh well...no prize for you!

The answer is glucose.  That's right, sugar.

How many of you are currently on, or have been on some form of low-carbohydrate diet?  Yeah, I wouldn't raise my hand either.  How about this?  How many of you are on some form of diet?  Chances are, if you are on any type of restrictive diet, it's probably either some form of low-carb or carb-free diet.  

I'm not going to jump up on my pedestal, and start preaching my thoughts on those types of diets...not yet anyway.  I understand that there are a variety of medical reasons why people are on those types of diets, so I'll just leave it that...with the caveat that they are typically non-sustainable.

Diets of this nature however, have a tendency to reduce the amount of brain fuel we ingest...glucose.  If we starve our brain of it's primary fuel, how will it perform the way we desire?  

A great example of this is the Atkins Diet.  I know, I know...I said I wouldn't harp on those diets, but this is a great example of what can happen when we starve our brain of glucose.  So bear with me.

In the Atkins heyday, firefighters across the country were jumping on board, trying to capitalize on this proven method of rapidly stripping unwanted pounds of adipose tissue...fat, if you will.  This should come as a surprise to those of you reading this, as I expect most of you think of your local firefighters as athletes of sort - or at least men and women who stay in great shape.  Think again.  I am embarrassed to tell you that the U.S. Fire service has a significant number of overweight and obese...yep, obese firefighters.

The Atkins Diet was the perfect way for these people to significantly change their body composition, without having to spend tremendous amounts of effort exercising.  The exercise part never really made sense to me, and it should make you question the validity of this type of diet too.  

Okay, where were we?  Oh yeah...see, I almost forgot!

Firefighters were diving head first into the Atkins Diet, nearly consuming a carb-free diet...and of course there were those who believe if some is good, then more is better - or in this case, less is better.  By reducing their carbohydrate intake so drastically they were significantly reducing the amount of glucose being supplied to the brain...the same brain they used to make critical, life saving decisions, often times in the middle of the nigh...just moments after waking from a deep sleep.  They were being tasked to drive large, heavy fire trucks while trying to shake the brain fog.  Glucose deprived Paramedics were being required to perform drug calculations, while their brains were being starved of decision making fuels.  

This was a recipe for disaster.

As you can see, one of the ways we can prevent neuralization, so to speak, is to consume a diet that is comprised on nutrient and fiber rich carbohydrates.  As an athlete, this should be a no-brainer, as it is carbohydrate that fuels a great deal of what we do.  This doesn't mean that we should be chowing down on highly refined carbs, such as those so-called healthy multi-grain breads, which are typically nothing more than white bread dyed with brown food coloring.  These types of carbohydrates are usually devoid of nutrients, yet high in calories...I refer to these as empty calories.

In a future post I will provide you with my decision making process regarding carbohydrates, and how I deem what is worthy of what I like to call High Performance Carbs.  Of course however, you will need to check back in to read that, another day.

Alright then, any other ideas how we can keep from being zapped by the neuralizer?

How about if I told you to simply put some color into your diet...specifically, the color yellow?  Would you think I was still foggy from the effects of my last neuralization?  

You'd be wrong.

There has been a great deal of research into the health benefits provided by food...actually the color of food.  That's right, the color of food.  Since we were kids, we've heard that we need to eat our fruits and vegetables.  Our parents may not have understood why they were saying what they were saying - sure they knew that these foods were full of nutrients...they just didn't know that many of these fruits and veggies were actually superfoods.  Yep, superfoods - rich in nutrients and antioxidants that can reduce cell damage from free radicals, and even prevent various types of cancer.

Fruit and vegetables that are vibrant in color - specifically the color yellow - have been shown to have profound benefits on our brains, helping to regulate the host of chemicals that control brain function.  The most common of these chemicals are acetylcholine, epinephrine, and serotonin.

There are quite a few yellow foods available for our consumption including yellow squash, yellow peppers, yellow tomatoes, starfruit, yellow pears and golden radishes, just to name a few.  The simple addition of some yellow foods to your plate at mealtime can have a profound benefit on your brain health.

Okay, so what's next?

How about Omega 3 fatty acids?  Have you heard of them?  Do you supplement with them, or consume foods that are rich in them?

Brain cells, specifically the cells that make up the gray matter in our brain, are highly comprised of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an essential fatty acid within the Omega 3 family.  DHA is instrumental in the function of brain cell membranes, which are important for the transmission of brain signals. DHA helps to make the brain cell membrane more fluid, thereby improving communication from one brain cell to the next.  Dr. Ray Sahliea, author of the book Mind Boosters, believes that a lack of Omega 3 EFA's (essential fatty acids) can cause a breakdown of communication within the brain, resulting in a plethora of issues such as poor short term memory, brain fog, and even Alzheimers. 

A diet that is rich in EFA's such as various types of fish, nuts and seeds, can increase improve the ratio of Omega 3 EFA's to Omega 6 EFA's...a ratio that is skewed in the typical American diet.  More on that, in another post.

While there is much more to learn about both carbohydrate and EFA's, I hope this post has provided you with some valuable insight, and ways to improve your brain function.

Add some yellow color to your plate, and increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, and you will be well on your way to prevent neuralization!

Yours in Health and Performance!

John

So you don't eat breakfast huh?

I am amazed by the number of athletes I come across who simply...do not eat breakfast.  I find myself looking at them with a cocked head, and some screwy look on my face.  Not very professional for a coach, I suppose.

But come on folks...you don't eat breakfast?  Really?

Having worked primarily with athletes from the high-school and collegiate ranks, I became quite used to the answer "I don't have time to eat breakfast", when I inquired about their nutrition.  I almost understand why it happens - I don't agree with it, but I understand.

They're kids.

They don't have the years of wisdom and experience that we, the aging athletes possess.  The knowledge that food is fuel, and most certainly affects one's performance.  They don't understand that the body is primed and ready for nutrients after fasting all night.  They don't...what?  Oh wait, you don't eat breakfast either...do you?

Alright, let's try this again.

They're kids...and very few kids are able to discern what is important.  That's not a slam...it's just the truth.  Kids have a hard time prioritizing their lives, so why should I expect that a young athlete (who is possibly being pushed by his parents to play anyway) would see the value in sacrificing fifteen-minutes of precious sleep in the morning, to eat something.

We've all been there.  We were once kids too.

Some of us have been there as parents of these kids as well - making sure your son or daughter was up and ready for school on time, only to find that he or she was still sound asleep only moments before they had to catch the bus, or catch a ride from their friends.  What does that look like?

Complete chaos.  Oh by the way, chaos does not allow for something as trivial as breakfast.

Let's regroup for a second here....

I almost forgot that this blog is not about kids...it's about you and I.  Adults who still like to play hard and compete in our favorite sport.  

Do you compete just to compete?  Or do you compete to achieve success - to PR on a Strava segment, or stand atop the podium at your local Sunday triathlon?  I would guess that many of you don't just compete to compete...you want to win, or at least set a personal record.  No sense putting all of that work into it if all you intended to do was go through the motions on the day of your competition, right?  I suspect however, that many of you are going into your training sessions, and even your competitions with less calories at your disposal than you need to be at your best.  

How about life.  We've seen the ads right?  Life is a sport.  

How many of you view life as something worth performing well at.  How about if I told you that even your performance at work could benefit from eating a healthy breakfast?  

Let's take a look at what happens when we don't eat breakfast.

The following illustration is an adaptation of a presentation slide from my good friend Scott Peltin's company Tignum.  Find out more about Tignum and the amazing work they do to develop Sustainable High Performance among their incredible client list which includes companies like Adidas, IBM, Unilever...you get the picture right?  We're talking big players!

Anyway, this illustration is a simple way of looking at two individuals...one who eats breakfast (red line) and one who does not (yellow line).  The line represents blood glucose levels within our bodies.  Oh, did I forget to mention that glucose is the primary fuel source for the brain?  

This is a pretty typical day...at least the red line is, for me.  Let's start with the yellow line though, because I know this is pretty representative of many of your days.

Starting at the far left - you awake at 7:00am, feeling refreshed from a good night's sleep, ready to take on the world.  You throw down a cup of coffee to shake the brain fog, grab the newspaper, or may be check on what's going on in the wonderful world of social media.  Your second cup of java has you feeling like a million bucks, so it's time to jump in the shower and get ready to head in to work.

While you are preparing for work, and better yet...driving to work (while continuing to check your Facebook page and answer a few emails) your brain is struggling to make sense of everything.  

Why?

Glucose.  Or better yet...a lack thereof.

OK, let's keep going.

12:30, maybe even 1:00 pm rolls around, and you finally succumb to your brain's needs.  It's time to eat lunch...and not just any lunch.  Nope.  Many of you will consume a meal that is high in simple sugars.

How do I know this?  Science.

You see, you have starved your body and brain of glucose.  Now your brain is sending signals to your body to consume what it needs...sugar.  This is reflected in the illustration, by the first big bump in the yellow line.  This is a spike in your blood glucose levels...or more commonly known as your blood sugar.  The problem with simple sugars is that they don't last very long, so they cannot quell your body's desire for fuel, for very long.  Not to mention the whole inflammatory response that simple sugars create...but that's another post.

The bolus of sugar that you just introduced into your body satisfies the brain's need for fuel...in fact, it more than satisfies it.  Now you have too much glucose running rampant throughout your body, so the brain sends an urgent message to the pancreas to release insulin to deal with all the extra sugar.

This response is far greater than what the pancreas is designed to do, so eventually these repeated requests to produce significant amounts of insulin take their toll on the pancreas, and it decides to go on a permanent vacation.  Can you say Type 2 Diabetes?

Anyway...you can see in the illustration that you decide not to eat again until some time between 7-8:00 pm, because you are a hard working company man, and you decided to get in a few extra hours at the office.  Or maybe it's more like 10:00 pm because you decided to go to happy hour with your girl friends for a couple drinks after work, and before you knew it...it was close to 9:00 pm.  Time to go home and grab something to eat, right? 

Once again, your brain is starved for glucose, so it prompts you to consume more simple sugars....and you can see what a wonderful circle of health this becomes.

The other guy however, the guy in red, eats about every 2-3 hours throughout the day.  In the morning, he has some whole grains, some proteins, and maybe some fruits or veggies.  That combination of fuel only took him about fifteen minutes to prepare, and maybe ten-minutes to consume, yet it satisfied the brain's need for fuel after hours of fasting.

A couple hours later, this same guy takes out the apple that he brought to work from home, along with the small Tupperware container that he put some organic natural peanut butter in, and consumes a healthy snack comprised of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.  

Throughout the day, this guy has more energy, less mood swings, and doesn't get that feeling of needing a nap at about 2:00 pm - which is due to the rapid depletion of sugars as a result of the insulin flood.

Now...imagine that you are an athlete.  Does this seem like a sound nutritional plan that will fuel you and prepare you for the demands of your training or competition?

Probably not.

Tomorrow is a brand new day.  I challenge you to get on the path to better health and performance by simply eating breakfast tomorrow morning.  If you can do that, then you can do it the next day, and the day after that...well, you get the picture.

Yours in Health and Performance!

John...the breakfast eater.

Let's Stretch!

Alright everyone, today is the day we finally wrap up our long series on improving mobility...targeting the golfer!  It's been a long series, but if you have been following it, you have most certainly learned at least a little something.  If not...then you already knew it.

So let's get this show on the road!

In my last post, no not the one about rest and relaxation.  This one..."Take Care of Your Hamstrings and They Will Take Care of You"...we discussed SMR techniques for your posterior leg muscles, beginning at the feet.

Self Myo-Fascial Release techniques provide a number of benefits including improving blood flow, flushing toxins from the body, breaking up adhesions, and relaxing skeletal muscle tissue.  Those of you who have followed along, and tried out some of these techniques have surely felt the difference that SMR techniques can make...but now it's time to take those benefits one step further.

Many of you may have already tuned me out the moment you noticed the title of this post "Let's Stretch!"  Why?  Because current research into human performance has revealed that certain types of stretching may not be so beneficial after all.

In fact, articles have appeared in highly acclaimed publications such as the New York Times, proclaiming the dangers of stretching.  Yet here I am, preparing you to engage in some form of stretching...and not just any type of stretching - static stretching.

Yep, that's right...static stretching, those stretches where we hold a specific position for 20-30 seconds.  The type of stretching that many 'authors' consider the most dangerous form of stretching.  A stretching discipline that can actually decrease performance levels, and hurt you! 

What in the world am I doing to you?!

I am helping you.  Remember, I have pledged to provide you with evidence-based information...not some recent fad-based concept that has no research to support it.

Am I saying that everyone who writes about the shortcomings of static stretching is wrong?

Nope.

I am saying however, that the general public is only getting part of the truth, and that there is certainly a place for static stretching in not only an athlete's regimen, but the non-athletes' as well.

Researchers have found static stretching to have a negative effect on the ability of skeletal muscle to generate power.  This means that if an athlete performs static stretching techniques just prior to a sporting event, he or she may decrease their level of performance - assuming that the athlete in question requires power production within their chosen sport.

Research has also revealed that static stretching prior to an athletic event does not decrease the potential for injury - therefore, static stretching is not beneficial as a warm-up prior to athletic events.

Well then, if static stretching is not a good way to warm-up, then what is?  That is a topic for a future post...and it's already being written!

"So where does static stretching fit in" you ask?

There are a couple of places where we can insert static stretching, where it will provide a great deal of benefit for you.

The first is within a progressive corrective exercise program.  Remember...to move properly once again, we need to correct those muscle imbalances that are creating the movement dysfunction...right?

Current research in human performance has shown static stretching techniques are effective at re-lengthening muscle tissue...basically getting it back to its normal resting length.  I have read articles stating that static stretching does not help to lengthen muscle tissue...and in part that is correct.   Skeletal muscle tissue can only be 'stretched' so far due to it's physiological makeup.  So, yes...the author was partly correct in his statement about the inability of stretching to lengthen muscle tissue...but we are simply trying to return overactive, adaptively-shortened muscles to their normal resting length...that's it.

This past weekend I attended a training workshop on the Trigger Point Therapy products that I recommend so often.

You have purchased yours...right?

Anyway, one topic of discussion involved stretching...which commonly occurs when you put two or more fitness professionals in the same room together.  You know it's going to happen...it's just a matter of when.

Our instructor, who by the way is a very knowledgeable guy, and also teaches for TRX, eluded to stretching as something that should never be done...ever again.  He mentioned that stretching cannot lengthen bone - and what I think he meant by that was that stretching can only do so much for a muscle...and I agree with him.  We all have a genetic, normal resting length for each muscle in our body.  As I have shared with you, repetitive actions, overuse, and poor muscle-maintenance can result in over-active, shortened muscles.  These muscles are in a minor state of contraction...all the time.  This results in altered length-tension relationships, which often result in postural deviations...which tend to result in movement dysfunction...whew!  The levers (bones) which our muscles pull on, are genetically limited in their length as well.  We can't make them longer unless we break them, and insert additional bone tissue.

What does all this mean?  It means that our instructor was absolutely correct.  While we cannot lengthen our bones, we can return muscles to their normal resting length, thereby restoring altered bio mechanics due to length-tension relationship alterations...and all that other mumbo-jumbo I mentioned above.  Are there other means by which we can do this?  Possibly, but that doesn't mean we should simply discard the evidence-based benefits of proper stretching...not yet anyway.

Where I disagree is when we decide to dismiss stretching as a whole...because there is still value in it...at least in my opinion - and certainly that of those who have conducted research on the benefits of various types of stretching for specific circumstances.

That last sentence really says it all.  "...for specific circumstances."

I view stretching the same way I do other forms of health and fitness training...progressively.  That means that while I might have one of my clients or athletes engage in static stretching, they won't do it forever, and it will only be performed at specific times during their training cycle.  Oh yeah...and it will be done correctly!



You might be thinking "How do I stretch correctly?" and you are not alone.  Few people truly know how to stretch.  I know that sounds a little strange, but it is completely true.  We have been stretching since we were kids, yet how many of you were ever instructed how to do it properly...taking into account spinal alignment, pre- or post-exercise, bounce or no bounce?  There are so many variables to the science of stretching, and I will help bring some clarity to this topic.

So check back in soon, as I plan to cover static stretching techniques in another post.

Yours in Health and Performance!

Rest and Relaxation. It's for the Weak...right?

As I stare out the window at the pine covered hills of Northeastern Arizona, I find myself struggling with the reality that I will not be spending any time in the saddle (bike saddle, that it) this weekend.  That's not to say that my plan was not to ride...oh contraire mon frere - and cheri!

That's the extent of my French.

You see, my wife and I have had plans to take a weekend trip to the Northern Arizona pines, visiting some close friends, for some time now.  "How perfect!" I thought.  It would give me the opportunity to get in some much needed high-altitude training - you know, the kind that let's you know that you might be in pretty good shape...for a flatlander...but not compared to the mountain men!

I went back and forth, trying to decide whether to mountain bike or road bike.  There are some very nice mountain bike trails in the area, and at one point I had settled on mountain biking.  The decision then was "which bike?"  Would it be a nice soft, cushy full-suspension ride on my Ellsworth Evolve, or would I choose to go ultralight and fast with my Ellsworth Enlightenment...hmm...decisions, decisions.

By the way, those are shameless plugs for Ellsworth Handcrafted Bikes...an amazing bike company who has provided me with a great deal of support.  Thank you Ellsworth Handcrafted Bikes!

I then decided, due to the hilly and mountainous terrain, that it may be more beneficial for me to bring the speedster...my super-lightweight, super-fast, all carbon Trek Domane 5.2 road bike.  Which by the way was purchased, at Swiss American Bikes...another shameless plug for my local bike store!

Yep, the decision had been made...and I was sticking to it.  I knew the weather would be cold, so I had planned out my winter riding attire, as I was not going to make the same mistake I had made the last time I decided to venture out, and ride in sub-freezing weather.  Check out the story on my previous blog Getting Race Ready.

As the day drew nearer, it became evident that Old Man Winter was not ready to give up for the season, and was planning to dump a few inches of snow on the beautiful Northern Arizona forests.  

Great.

That meant that not only would I not be getting in any altitude training...I would not be getting any training in.  Surely, that would cause me to fall way out of shape...right?  You see, not only would I not be getting any riding in over the weekend, I would be going right back to work when I returned.  That meant another 48-hours of no riding.  All I could think was just how bad this was going to be...because, as you all know...my ride is just right around the corner - in October.

"Yeah, get over it John.  You still have many months of training ahead.  Besides...a little R & R will be good for you."  

"Whatever" I thought.  "What do you know?"  Then I realized I was actually talking to myself, and my self actually knows a little something about training, and the need for recovery.  Scary huh?

I know what you're thinking..."it's about time we got to the meat of the subject here!"

That's right, this post was supposed to be about rest and recovery...not just a place for me to talk about my issues of indecisiveness and crazy self dialogue.

So let's get to it...REST!

Rest and recovery are necessary for sustainable high performance.  Our bodies are not designed to be constantly battered by physical and emotional stress.  We can go on for quite sometime...some much longer than others...but eventually, the repetitive and cumulative stress of training will take it's toll on us.  This toll is often paid through injury or a sudden decrease in performance levels.

This is over-training.

So...rather than feel sorry for myself because I would not be training this weekend, I feel blessed that I have been provided with an opportunity to get some much needed rest and recovery...which will certainly pay large dividends when I get back on my bike next week and tackle some serious mountainous terrain.

Time for me to go get some rest.  Do you have some rest and recovery time planned this weekend?  If not, how about during the next week?  

If your training seems to have plateaued, maybe what you need is to get some rest, rather than add another set of intervals, or increase your number of reps and sets.

That's what I'm doing this weekend!

Yours in Health and Performance,

John (a well rested aging athlete)

Take Care of Your Hamstrings...and They'll Take Care of You!

In my previous post "Hamstrung" I mentioned that tightness in your hamstring muscles could create a multitude of dysfunction and pain.  Today, I will cover some simple exercises that you can do to return those overactive, tight hamstrings to their normal resting length...and function.

Okay everyone, it's time to grab those SMR tools that you purchased, and put them to good use.

What!? You haven't taken the time, or spent the money to purchase them?

You do realize that I am providing you with a great deal of valuable and free information, right?  You do know that this information is not just my opinion...it is evidence-based, and proven to work.  To work however, the correct tools need to be used.

It's kind of like a firefighter trying to dowse a fire without the right tool...water.

Okay, Okay...I'll put down the stick, as the horse is now dead.

I've won this award a time or two...really!

So....

Those of you who have purchased yourself some SMR tools, let's get started!

Our focus today is the hamstrings however, to get the most benefit, we are going to begin working on our feet.  Remember a few posts back, when I introduced the topic of fascia?  I stated that our bodies are completely interconnected, from head to toe, with an intricate network...the fascial web, as it is often referred to.

It is because of this network of fascial tissue, that we begin our hamstring work with the point(s) of our bodies that take the brunt of most everything we do...our feet.

I would like you to take off your shoes...you may leave your socks on if you so desire.

Now I would like you to slowly, without bouncing, bend over and touch your toes without bending your knees.  Take note of the sensations you experience along the back of your legs...from your calves all the way up into your high-hamstrings.  Do not force this!  I simply want you to take note of how it felt and how far you were able to get down.  Once you reach your limit (without forcing it!) slowly return to a standing position.

DON'T FORCE IT!

What you most likely felt was a tightness, and some associated tingling running the length of the back of your legs (posterior chain).  You may have also felt some discomfort in your lower back.  Low back pain/discomfort could be attributed to injury in your back (you know who you are), or simply due to the strain being placed on the thoracolumbar fascia that we learned about in my last post.

 Okay, now grab your tennis ball or the Trigger Point Therapy ball from your kit.

You are going to place the ball on the floor, and gently place your bare (or socked) foot on top of the ball, allowing it to fall into the arch of your foot.  Apply a light amount of pressure to the ball, and begin rolling your foot forward and backward on the ball...progressively adding slightly more and more pressure to the ball.

Correct positioning of the tennis ball

This should cause you some minor discomfort.  Discomfort is acceptable...pain is not!  If you are experiencing pain, try reducing the amount of pressure you are applying.  If this does not help, and continues to cause you pain, you should make an appointment with your doctor to make sure you do not have plantar fasciitis...a painful, chronic inflammation of the fascia on the bottom of your feet.

Continue rolling forward and backward 8-10 times.  Now begin making small circles with the ball as you roll your foot rotationally 10 times clockwise and 10 times counter-clockwise...again, applying progressive amounts of pressure to the ball, but staying out of the pain-zone.

Repeat the above sequence for the opposite foot.

Now...let's try that toe touch again.  Many of you will notice that you were able to get a little deeper, and that the discomfort of the stretch has lessened in both your calves and your hamstrings.

It's like magic!

Go ahead and take a seat on the floor, with your legs extended in front of you.  This next exercise can be performed with the tennis ball, a foam roll, or the yoga block and small roller in your TP Therapy kit.

Position the tennis ball under your lower leg, just below the bulk of your calf.  This position places the ball on your soleus muscle...one of the muscles of the calf complex. 

The ball or roller should be placed below the bulk of the calf.

You can modulate the amount of pressure you apply to the muscle by pushing with your hands into the floor, and raising your hips off the ground.  If you have never done this exercise before, or have not performed for some time, you will likely feel immediate discomfort with very little pressure.  Once again...discomfort is acceptable, but pain is not!

Slowly roll towards your your ankle, stopping short of the Achilles tendon.  You will likely feel areas along the muscle that are more painful than others, and may have palpable knots.  Rolling too quickly will not allow you to pick out these individual tender areas, and will have the opposite effect on the Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO's) than what we are looking for.  Do you remember the GTO's?  If not, re-visit my post "Self Myofascial Release Techniques for the Golfer".  The speed at which you roll should be roughly 1" per second, to provide the greatest benefit.

Roll up and down, stopping before you reach the bulkiest part of your calf.  Pick one or two of the most tender spots and hold on them for 15-20 seconds.  You should feel the pain and pressure lessening after about 20-seconds...which is exactly what we want.  That is the relaxation response from the GTO!  Pretty cool huh?

Next, place the roll or ball right in the middle of your calf (also known as the Gastrocnemius muscle), applying the amount of pressure that you can tolerate.  Remember.....NO PAIN!  Slowly roll toward your ankle, and back up towards your knee.  Try to stay within the bulky part of your calf, and do not...I repeat...DO NOT roll all the way up to the back of your knee.  Again, find the most tender spots, and sit on them for 15-20 seconds.  If you can tolerate 30 seconds, then try that out as well.  Repeat the process for the opposite leg.

Now that we have taken care of the feet and lower legs, let's get to work on those hamstring muscles!

If you are using a tennis ball or the TP Therapy ball, place it on the floor, and center it in the middle of your hamstrings as shown below.  The ball will provide a much more concentrated effect, and can create too much discomfort when beginning SMR exercises.  You can modulate the amount of pressure by changing the position of your hips.  Once you have found the correct spot and pressure level, follow the instructions below.

Use of a foam roll, as shown below, is recommended for those of you who are relatively new to SMR, as the diameter is larger and therefore does not concentrate the pressure in as small of an area as compared to the ball.  Position the foam roll under your thigh as is shown in the picture below.  Once correctly placed, slowly roll up and down along the length of the hamstrings, stopping short of both the knee and the butt (glutes).  Once again, you should identify the most tender spots, stopping to rest on those areas for 15-30 seconds.  Repeat this process for the opposite leg.

So what's next?  

When muscles are overactive, they often become shortened.  Remember the term adaptive shortening?  If not, read my blog post titled "Let's Get Our Move On!"for a review of what that term means.  When muscles adaptively shorten, they create imbalances in strength and function, and need to be returned to their normal resting length.  Re-lengthening of muscle tissue requires stretching.

We will discuss static stretching techniques, as well as dispel some myths about stretching, in my next post.

Thanks for reading!

Yours in Health and Performance,

John