Home Posts tagged "Mike Reinold" (Page 11)

The Best of 2009: Videos

This week, we've already covered the most popular articles and product reviews from EricCressey.com in 2009.  Next up are the popular videos. One of my goals for 2009 with this site was to include a lot more video content - whether it was "built in" to the text, or serving as a stand-alone content source in itself.  Here were some of the most popular ones for the year: Correct Push-up Technique - This one got over 9,000 views in spite of the fact that I never even included it in a blog post (that I can remember).  I guess my theory that most people really need to learn how to do good push-ups was right on the money.

My 660 Deadlift - I guess lifting heavy stuff is only about 89% as cool as body weight push-ups.

Tim Collins Can Jump - Great guy, stud athlete, bright future.  Gotta' love him.

16x16 Sled Madness - This sled masochism was popular among our staff early in the year.  There is more info on it HERE.

Rollouts: Friend or Foe - This video went hand-in-hand with this newsletter.

Anterior Core Progressions - This video was a follow-up to the previous one, and was found in this newsletter.

Measuring Hip Internal Rotation - This video was featured as part of this newsletter.

Lastly, there were a few newsletters that included a ton of video content.  Here's my personal favorite, a follow-up from Mike Reinold and my shoulder seminar (available soon on DVD): Recap: Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder.

Tomorrow, we'll cover the top guest submissions for the year at EricCressey.com.

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What’s in Store for 2010?

Happy New Year, everyone! I thought I'd use this first post of 2010 as a way of looking forward to what's on tap at EricCressey.com for the year.  In true "Random Thoughts" fashion, here we go: 1. Nate Green just interviewed me for what I think will be a great feature at T-Muscle in the next week or two.  It will be similar in structure to this piece Nate did with Dave Tate, which definitely turned out to be an entertaining read.  Keep an eye out for it!

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2. Speaking of interviews, I'll be doing one with Brian Grasso for the IYCA on Tuesday.  Brian's a very forward-thinking guy and I'm excited to catch up with him. 3. Speaking of T-Muscle, I'm finishing up my "What I Learned in 2009" article this weekend.  It follows the articles I wrote for 2006, 2007, and 2008. 4. Also coming up in the next month or so will be the release of the DVDs of Mike Reinold and my seminar from November: Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: From Rehabilitation to High Performance. It's being edited as I type this.

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5. This January 24, Cressey Performance will be hosting Neil Rampe of the Arizona Diamondbacks for his seminar, .  You can register HERE, or for more information on Neil's background, click HERE.  If you'd like to see a seminar agenda, please just email me at ec@ericcressey.com. 6. I'll be presenting in Tampa, FL (Jan); Winchester, MA (Jan); Las Vegas, NV (March); and Vancouver, BC (March); and Boston, MA (May) in this first part of 2010.  Check out my schedule page for more information on these events. 7. I'm very anxious to hear more of the feedback on Assess and Correct, which has already sold in more than two dozen countries.  This is a product I truly believe will help a lot of people, and the short-term feedback we've received since its release in October has been tremendous.

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8. At Cressey Performance, our staff has started up what (for lack of a more masculine term) we're calling the Staff Book Club.  Each staff member will present on what he learns in a different book each week.  I think it'll be a great way to cover more material and keep us all accountable to each other on getting our continuing education done. 9.I'm pumped for more content from Matt Blake in 2010.  He's been a fantastic resource for all our athletes and I'm excited to share with you all how Matt and I collaborate to make our pitchers better.  I think it'll make for some great content. 10. I'd really like to continue to grow both the newsletter and blog.  You can sign up for notifications on both fronts to the right of the screen, if you haven't already. 11. I'm really pumped for all our guys who have found great college choices; it's an exciting time for both the 2010 and 2011 guys.  Most recently, CP athlete Adam Ravenelle committed to Vanderbilt on a baseball scholarship.  Adam's been with us since before his freshman year, and we're all really proud of him.  He actually joins another CP pitcher, Tyler Beede, who committed to Vanderbilt just a few weeks ago.  Both guys are in the class of 2011, and join Barrett O'Neill (University of Virginia) and Joe Napolitano (Boston College) as our early committees from that class. There should be plenty more guys with exciting news along these lines in the months to come as well. 12. I'm really excited to watch Cressey Performance grow in the months ahead.  While I was certainly thrilled at the growth we saw (15%) in 2009 and I hope it continues, I am most thrilled at how many clients we've seen change their bodies and their lives since they started up, and how many friendships we've seen cultivated inside CP. If you'd have told me a few years ago that we'd have over 25 people in on Thanksgiving morning, for instance, I would have told you that you were crazy!

In addition to our clients' accomplishments, I'm so proud of our staff. I could never do what I do without such great guys working alongside me, and the best part is that they are insatiable in their desire to get better.  We're constantly getting better and it makes every new day fun.  The best part is that I feel like it's something that's carried over to our interns, too; there are some really talented people with bright futures coming through here.

13. I'm very excited for the new CP website, which should be done in a matter of a few days.  Along those same lines, there is a pretty sweet training and testimonial montage being pulled together about our Elite Baseball Development program.  I was actually getting pretty fired up just watching some of the footage that had been gathered thus far. 14. I can't wait to attack all the books and journal articles that are in my stack of "Things to Read" right now.  There's too much material to cover, but never enough time! 15. Last, but certainly not least, it'll also be a very busy (but exciting) year for me personally in 2010, as my fiancee Anna and I will be getting married this October.  And, even before we get to that, we're planning to buy our first home in the next 4-6 months.  Obviously, we're already doing a lot of planning! Needless to say, I'm looking forward to all of this - and probably a few surprises along the way.  Best wishes for 2010, and stay tuned!
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Random Friday Thoughts: 12/11/09

1. Sorry for the slower week here on the blog.  In addition to trying to catch up from my three days in Houston, I had a few projects that needed to get sorted out this week.  For starters, we had to finalize the agenda for my seminar in Vancouver in March. And, the bigger task of late has been finishing up a chapter (on baseball testing and training) that I'm contributing to Dr. Craig Liebenson's newest book.  Others contributing include Dr. Stuart McGill, Sue Falsone (Athletes Performance), Dr. Ben Kibler, Dr. Pavel Kolar, Ken Crenshaw (Arizona Diamondbacks), and Mike Boyle (among others).  Needless to say, I'm lucky to be in such awesome company, and you'll definitely want to check it out once it's available.  In the meantime, you might be interested in Liebenson's most popular work, Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Practitioner's Manual.

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2. Mike Reinold and I are also working on getting our seminar, Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: From Rehabilitation to High Performance, ready for production and sale.  We're hoping it'll be ready by the first of the year, but only time will tell; editing takes time, and it's out of our hands now!  Speaking of Mike, he just posted a blog outlining the recently revised pitch count rules.  If you coach young players or one of your kids plays ball, definitely check it out HERE.

3. On the topic of little league, the clinic with Matt Blake and I at Cressey Performance on Tuesday night was pretty popular with local coaches.  One of the things that Matt and I tried to stress is that kids almost never get hurt for JUST one reason.  Usually, injuries are multifactorial, so you have to look at a host of different causes - from overuse, to physical limitations (weakness or immobility), to mechanical flaws in the pitching delivery.

The questions we received gave me some ideas for future posts, so keep an eye out for those in the not-so-distant future.  Along those same lines, if there are specific baseball development questions you'd like covered, feel free to post some suggestions here as a reply to this blog.

4. I got the following question the other day, and thought it might make for a quick Q&A here:

Q: I am planning on training Westside style but I do not have access to bands and chains (or any other special equipment for that matter). What should I do to change up my dynamic effort days? Should I just use variations of the lifts (i.e. close grip vs regular grip bench, sumo vs conventional deadlifts)?

A: The whole idea that you absolutely have to have bands, chains, and specialized bars to learn from the Westside school of thought (which is constantly evolving anyway) couldn't be further from the truth.  There are bits and pieces borrowed from Westside teachings in Maximum Strength, and you'll see that there is plenty of rotation among movements in the four-month program - and the assumption is that you don't have any of these goodies.  Rotating among back squats and front squats (without a box, with a box, or from pins) and deadlifts will give you a great rotation of movements.

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Regarding dynamic effort days, I don't think it's as important to rotate exercises on a regular basis, as this speed work is there to improve bar speed on that specific movement and help you groove the movement pattern itself.  However, if you want to change it up, it's not too difficult.

In the lower body, simply go to a different deadlift or squat variation, or change the percentage at which you're working.  In the upper body, you can change the grip width on the bench press, do some plyo push-ups, or even just throw the medicine ball around.

5. I'm going to see The Nutcracker tonight with my fiancee.  In the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

6. I will, however, say that I'm a little bummed that Jim Breuer is in town tonight about ten minutes from where I live, and I'm not going to get to see him.  Doh!

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Stuff You Should Read: 12/9/09

It's been a while since I published one of these, so I thought I'd throw out two quick recommendations - both for reads from Cressey Performance guys. Exercises You Should Be Doing: Quadruped Rhythmic Stabilizations - This blog from Tony Gentilcore features an exercise we've introduced in the past month since the seminar I did with Mike Reinold.  It integrates "true" training for the rotator cuff along with an element of anterior core stability training. Liquid Reeses and Banana - Brian St. Pierre presents a sweet shake idea for those of you in love with chocolate, but not wanting to eat all the bad stuff that'll give you a spare tire to remind you of how great the winter of 2009-2010 was.
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Band Work after Pitching?

As you read this, I'm presenting at the Ultimate Pitching Coaches Bootcamp in Houston, TX.  As such, it seems fitting to devote today's blog to some pitching content. A question I get pretty often is what I think of light band work for pitchers the day after pitching.  The truth is that I'm pretty apathetic about the use of bands, but I am adamant about the inclusion of post-throwing stretching to regain lost flexibility.  Research from Reinold et al. demonstrated that pitchers lose both elbow extension and shoulder internal rotation range of motion (ROM) over the course of a competitive season, and it's no surprise, given the huge eccentric (deceleration) stress those arms encounter during the throwing motion.  Anecdotally, my experience has been that they also lose hip internal rotation and knee flexion on the front leg.  So, you don't just want to take care of shoulder range of motion; you also want to attend to hip ROM. Here's the side-lying cross-body stretch, one of my favorite self-stretches for improving shoulder internal rotation.  I tend to use it more than the sleeper stretch nowadays because it's generally a lot tougher to butcher the form.  It's important to stabilize the scapula down and back before the cross-body pull.  This should not be an aggressive stretch!  If you are gentle but consistent with it, the ROM will come around in time.

You can find more ways to both identify and address shoulder and hip rotational imbalances in Assess & Correct.

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So, flexibility is a must, but light band work may have a place as well.  There's a lot of muscular damage, and some very light bloodflow work may assist in rotator cuff recovery, as it tends to have a poor blood supply.  I go into more detail on how we train our pitchers after an outing in A New Model for Training Between Starts: Part 2. For more information, check out Optimal Shoulder Performance.

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Click here to purchase the most comprehensive shoulder resource available today: Optimal Shoulder Performance - From Rehabilitation to High Performance. Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive a Copy of the Exact Stretches used by Cressey Performance Pitchers after they Throw!
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Random Friday Thoughts: 11/20/09

1. Exciting week around here, as it's getting to be that time of the year when our high school ballplayers - both 2010 and 2011 - finalize some of their plans. Last weekend, RHP Barrett O'Neill (2011) verbally committed to the University of Virginia on a baseball scholarship, and on Tuesday, RHP Travis Dean (2010) signed his letter of intent to pitch at Kennesaw St. University in Georgia.  A few weeks earlier, RHP/3B Joe Napolitano (2011) had verbally committed to Boston College.  These three comprise 3/8 of our current 90mph+ high school crew - and I suspect that the other five will be following soon! Also this week, 2B Erik Watkins (2010) committed to Skidmore and CF Billy Bereszniewicz (2010) committed to Binghampton.  Previously, catcher James Alfonso (2010) had accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Hartford.  Plenty more to come soon, no doubt... 2. Speaking of Travis, here is something I love about him: he has INTENT on every single medicine ball throw he makes.  It isn't just about "tossing" a ball to a wall and rotating your hips.  It's about getting your entire body into the effort - to the point that you're trying to break the ball (or wall!) on every single drill.

Once we have taught our guys the technique for the drill, it's about getting after it.  If you aren't training rotation aggressively, you might as well not do it at all. 3. I got a lot of great comments from readers on my A Few Days in Arizona on Monday; I'd encourage you to check it out. 4. One of the key points I made was that respiratory function was essential for ideal performance and posture, and I recognize that the concept might be completely foreign for a lot of my readers.  To that end, I'd encourage you check out The Anatomy of Breathing.

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It's a pretty quick read that gives you good insights into the anatomy of the respiratory system and common dysfunctions that occur.  Once you start getting an appreciation for the muscles involved, you can start to see how poor diaphragmatic function can easily lead to overactivity of sternocleidomastoid, scalene, pec minor, intercostals - basically, a lot of muscles commonly implicated in upper extremity dysfunction.  You can just stretch and massage those areas, but it's just like putting a bucket on the floor when the roof is leaking; it's better to just fix the roof (aberrant breathing patterns).

5. I also touched on breathing patterns a bit in my seminar this past weekend.  Check out a few great reviews of the event:

Review #1: Bill White

Review #2: Joe Schafer

Review #3:

Yes, it was so exciting that it startled people.

6. Some interesting findings HERE that shows that there may be a strong link between childhood obesity and the development of multiple sclerosis later on in life.  One hypothesis is that it may be linked to the low levels of Vitamin D that one sees in overweight kids, and another that it could be related to the fatty tissue itself.   One more reason to take Vitamin D!

7. We're all headed to Providence tonight to watch CP client and pro boxer Danny O'Connor try to run his professional record to 10-0.  I think we'll be setting a world record for the number of professional baseball players in attendance at a boxing match.  Let's go, Danny!

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Recap: Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder

As many of you know, Mike Reinold and I put on a seminar that was "everything shoulder" this past Sunday at Cressey Performance.  The event sold out within 36 hours back when we first announced it in early October, and we had strength and conditioning and rehabilitation specialists come from the likes of Canada, Texas, and the Midwest on only a month's notice.   Our goal was to keep the seminar more intimate to allow for more speaker-attendee interaction, Q&A, and easy viewing - as we also recorded the event on DVD. While production won't be complete until December at the earliest, I thought I'd give my loyal readers a little taste of some of what was discussed on Sunday.  Our primary goals were to introduce some current concepts in evaluation of both symptomatic and asymptomatic populations as well as ways to treat/train them during and after injury.  Above all else, we wanted to show how rehabilitation specialists and strength and conditioning specialists could work hand-in-hand to improve outcomes - but that this successful interaction hinged on whether all parties involved were willing to commit to learning about how the shoulder functions.

You can call this my "Random Thoughts" for the week: 1.The side-lying external rotation (SLER) has the highest EMG of any rotator cuff exercise, and the adducted position is the safest position for most "testy" shoulders.  So, if you have to pick one cuff exercise to get you a safety and a great return on investment, roll with the SLER:

2. Simply providing a small amount of "propping" to put the humerus in a slightly more abducted position actually increases EMG of the posterior rotator cuff muscles by 23%.

3. Shoulder evaluations rarely work completely independently of one another.  For example, poor thoracic spine mobility directly impacts function of the scapula and, in turn, range of motion at the glenohumeral joint.  So, rather than hanging your hat on 1-2 assessments, you need a barrage of assessments that cover glenohumeral range-of-motion, scapular stability/positioning, thoracic spine mobility, breathing patterns, and forward head posture.  Then, once you've got all your information, you can look at each test as one piece in an individualized puzzle.

4. There are a ton of superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) tests out there.  It's because none of them are particularly great - but the better ones out there simulate the injury mechanism (e.g. pronated load and resisted supnation external rotation tests for overhead throwing athletes).

5. The true function of the cuff is - very simply - to center the humeral head within the glenoid fossa.  So, rather than train it purely concentrically and eccentrically, we need to also work its isometric/stabilization function with rhythmic stabilization exercises.  Here's a really entry level one we use quite a bit with our pitchers:

6. MRIs and x-rays can only tell you so much about a shoulder.  For instance, 79% of professional baseball pitchers have "abnormal labrum" features.  Likewise, a huge chunk of asymptomatic people in the general population are walking around with partial and even FULL thickness tears of the rotator cuff.  It actually makes you wonder if abnormal is actually normal!  The take-home message is that having adequate mobility, stability, and tissue quality in the torso and upper extremities matters more than anything else. You have to ASSESS, not assume!

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7. We talk a lot about glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) - and it certainly is important - but you have to appreciate that it's just one part of the total motion equation.  Some internal rotation deficit is completely normal, and working to fix it may actually hurt some athletes.  Look to total motion first, and then work backward to see whether IR, ER, or both need to be changed.  It is better to be too tight than too loose!

8. If you have an athlete with good shoulders, thoracic spine, scapular stability, and tissue quality who has rehabbed and long-tossed pain-free, but has shoulder/elbow pain when he gets back on the mound, CHECK THE HIPS! Staying closed and flying open will be your two most common culprits, and this cannot be seen in a doctor's office or on an MRI.

9. Anytime you see an individual with a pronounced shrugging pattern as they try to reach overhead, it's wise to have them checked for a rotator cuff tear.  The reason is that with a cuff tear, the deltoid's vertical action overpowers the cuff's compressive action.  In a healthy shoulder, the supraspinatus "cancels out" this deltoid pull.  Never, ever, ever, ever train through a shrugging pattern with overhead reaching!

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10. External impingement and internal impingement are completely different "syndromes" that must be managed completely differently.  Simply saying "impingement" is no longer acceptable with how far sports medicine has come!  Both are generally multi-factorial issues that mandate a more specific diagnosis and comprehensive treatment/training plan.  If you understand why/how they occur, you can understand how to train around them (and the same can be said about just about any shoulder condition).

UPDATE: The Optimal Shoulder Performance DVD set is now available!  Check it out at www.ShoulderPerformance.com.

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Random Friday Thoughts: 10/16/09

1. I got an interesting surprise the other day when I all of a sudden noticed that Cressey Performance had pictures like this posted all over the place:

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It turns out that CP athlete and boxer Danny O'Connor had posted pictures of world title belts all over the facility as motivation.  You've got to love a guy who makes sure that the goal is never out of sight!

2. On a semi-related note, the only thing more dangerous than a professional boxer might be a West Virginia Ninja (as promised, Ryan and Evelyne):

3. For those who missed it, I contributed on a pretty cool new compilation over at T-Nation.  Check out In the Trenches: Volume 1.

4. I came to a bit of a shocking realization the other day about just how many so-called experts in the field - those writing books, giving seminars, and making television show appearances - actually train few (if any) actual clients.  As I thought about it, this would never work for me (regardless of how many years of experience I'd have accumulated by that point) simply because I view interaction with athletes as one of my primary means of continuing my education.  Simply coaching athletes, getting their feedback on things, and watching the adaptation process take place is a great way to enhance one's perspective.

Right now, I'm out there coaching about 35 hours per week, and it'll pick up a bit more as our pro baseball training group fills up in the next few weeks - and that will last through the third Monday in March.  Interestingly, this kicks off the time of year when my writing is always the most creative and prolific.  In other words, as I digest those 5-6 months of training, it's very easy to put a lot of new ideas on paper.

Had I just been sitting at a computer that entire time, there's no way I'd have that perspective.  Just some food for thought: the next time you are about to buy a book, DVD, or attend a seminar, ask yourself whether the "expert" in question actually interacts with athletes/clients/patients on a weekly basis.

5. After Wednesday's blog post about shoulder health drills, I got several questions from folks asking what I thought the best few shoulder education resources were.  Here are my top three (the first two are for the more geeky of you out there, and the third is more readily usable drills):

a. The Athlete's Shoulder, by Reinold, Wilk, and Andrews

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b. Physical Therapy of the Shoulder, by Donatelli

c. Optimal Shoulder Performance, by Reinold and Cressey (I'm biased, I know)

6. We've got a few cool announcements next week.  In the meantime, though, have a great weekend.  And remember that girls just wanna have fun.

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Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: Assessment to High Performance

Mike Reinold and I will be joining forces for a seminar on November 15.  It will be a one-day, limited enrollment seminar on "Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: From Assessment to High Performance." The format will be 50/50 split between lecture and lab from Mike and I.  This is going to be an amazing experience for all rehabilitation and fitness specialists!  Full information below along with a special discount coupon code for my readers for $30 off registration: Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder: From Assessment to High Performance
  • When: Sunday November 15th, 2009.  8:30-5:00 PM.  Registration begins promptly at 8:30 AM.
  • Where: Cressey Performance, 577 Main St., Suite 150, Hudson, MA 01749.  Phone: 978-212-2688
  • Description: This course is designed to present the most recent and state of the art information in the assessment, evaluation, treatment and training of the shoulder. Through lecture presentations, hands-on laboratory sessions, open discussions and problem solving of patient case studies, the attendee will have an opportunity to master new and effective evaluation and treatment techniques based on current scientific evidence. The course is applicable to physical therapists, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning specialists and other rehabilitation and fitness specialists.
  • Faculty: Michael M. Reinold, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS and Eric Cressey, MA, CSCS.
  • Course Requirements: Lab clothing: tank top or halter-top to expose the shoulder.  May bring a mat (or blanket), a pillow and a large towel for lab table.
  • Objectives: Upon successful completion of this seminar, the participant will learn how to: 1) Demonstrate an understanding of a proper assessment and evaluation sequence for the shoulder; 2) Perform and interpret specific clinical examination tests & maneuvers for the shoulder; 3) Design an effective and appropriate rehabilitation and fitness program based on current clinical and scientific research; 4) Analyze specific exercise techniques and evaluate the exercises' effectiveness; and 5) Integrate the information presented and formulate a treatment plan for specific patients and clients.
  • CEUs:  This course is eligible for 7 contact hours of continuing education.  Certificates of attendance will be provided for all participants and may be used for CEU verification for specific state or organization licensure requirements.  AdvancedCEU (P3259) is recognized by the NATA Board of Certification, Inc. to offer continuing education for Certified Athletic Trainers.  This course has also been submitted to the NSCA.
  • Agenda:
8:30 Introduction & Registration
9:00 Assessment / Inefficiency vs. Pathology - The relationship between diagnostics and functional testing
10:00 Physical Examination of Specific Shoulder Pathologies
11:00 Training the Shoulder - Understanding the effect of different pathologies and how to maintain a training effect despite these injuries
12:00 The Scientific & Clinical Rationale Behind Shoulder Exercises: Principles of dynamic stabilization
1:00 Lunch - Provided
2:00 LAB - Assessing movement quality:  Glenohumeral total motion, scapular function, thoracic spine mobility, interactions with core and lower extremity function
2:45 LAB - Review of Special Tests to Differentiate Specific Shoulder Pathologies
3:30 LAB - Warm-up protocols, resistance training strategies, and specific techniques
4:15 LAB - Integrating manual techniques and principles of dynamic stability
5:00 Q&A, Wrap-up, Adjourn

Special Offer For My Readers Enrollment for this seminar is going to limited to assure that lab time is productive.  Readers.  Normal registration fee is $199 for the seminar but my readers can use the coupon code "cressey" for $30 offThis coupon is valid this week only and will expire after Friday, October 16th. Register Now Be sure to reserve your spot soon, as spots are limited and will fill up quickly!  You can REGISTER HERE.
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Random Friday Thoughts: 10/9/09

1. Okay, first and foremost, keep an eye out for Monday's blog, where Mike Reinold and I will officially open registration for our one-day, limited enrollment seminar.  I'll have a special discount code in place for my readers to get $30 off the cost of registration for the first week only - but to be very honest, with the small size of the event, I can't imagine that it'll be a full week before it fills up.  Keep an eye on this blog EARLY on Monday morning if you want to reserve your spot. 2.Here's another little teaser for you on the shoulder .  I remember hearing in a seminar last year with Kevin Wilk that scapular retraction increases subacromial space by up to 200%.  Those of you familiar with this stuff should know that the size of the subacromial space is a darn good predictor of shoulder pathology (check out my impingement series, part 1 and part 2 for details).  It's not a large space in the first place, but if you have factors - including bone spurring, a type 3 acromion, or just terrible scapular positioning - you'll run into problems pretty quickly, particularly with overhead movements.

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Now, think about the cornerstone of most traditional shoulder rehabilitation programs: rotator cuff strengthening.  Now, while cuff strengthening is obviously super important, it really is only half (at most) of the equation.  The cuff will help to preserve the subacromial space reasonably well because it (when healthy and strong) stabilizes the humeral head (shoulder "ball") in the glenoid fossa (shoulder "socket").  However, if the scapula is excessively protracted, that glenoid fossa won't be in the right place.

What puts the scapula in a good position?  Loads of work for the lower trapezius and serratus anterior - and, further down the chain, improving thoracic spine mobility, core stability, and hip mobility.  The cuff is just the tip of what is a very big iceberg...and that's why we're doing an entire seminar!

3. I'm writing about three blogs early this week because Cressey Performance's Brian St. Pierre is getting married on Saturday.  Those of you who may be in attendance will be able to easily recognize Tony Gentilcore and I thanks to our keen fashion sense:

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Kidding aside, Brian is a huge asset to our business, as he brings a unique skill-set to our methodology and is a big hit with all our clients.  We're all really happy for him and his fiancee.  Head on over to his blog and give him some love.

4. On Thursday, I put in some work to update the Baseball Content section of the website.  It basically just compiles all the baseball-related writing I've done in one place.  Check it out!

5. It's playoff time, so you know what that means: time for the wheels to come off for the Yankees (the commentary on this is great).

Have a great weekend!

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