In part 1 of this series, I discussed an overall approach to the categorization of core stability exercises. Here, in the second installment of this series, I'll be talking about how to incorporate various core stability exercises into your strength and conditioning programs.
To recap, the categories we'll be dealing with are anterior core, posterior core, lateral core, and rotary core. In reality, though, in my eyes, we only really need to specifically program for three of these categories. You see, the posterior core seems to take care of itself, as we are already training the ability to resist flexion with various strength exercises like deadlifts, squats, pull-throughs, kettlebell swings, and a host of other strength. Some folks may benefit from some birddogs in the warm-up period to help learn the anti-flexion patterning a bit better, but most folks are ready to rock and roll with a comprehensive strength and conditioning program that emphasizes the other three.
With that "exception" out of the way, I think it's important to appreciate three different factors when programming core stability exercises:
1. An individual's training experience - A true beginner can typically work on low-level core exercises like dead bugs and prone and side bridges on a daily basis to establish motor control. Conversely, these exercises may be too basic for a more advanced lifter, so he/she would need to focus on more advanced exercises, but do them less frequently (1-3x/week).
2. An individual's weaknesses - A young athlete with a raging anterior pelvic tilt would need to prioritize anti-extension core stability exercises over the other categories, as you want to master the sagittal plane before getting "too sexy" in other planes. Sure, you can train the other ones, but you're better off working on the most pressing issue first.
3. An individual's training frequency - Obviously, if someone is training 4-6x/week, you can do more in terms of core stability exercises with his strength and conditioning programs than you could if he was only training 2x/week. When they train less frequently, you often have to make some sacrifices in terms of core stability exercise volume in order to make sure the big-bang strength exercises (which can serve as indirect core training exercises) still get the attention they deserve.
With these three factors in mind, let's look at a few examples. Keep in mind that in each of these examples, I've removed the compound exercises, mobility drills, foam rolling, and metabolic conditioning just so that you can see how the core training exercises exist in isolation.
Example 1: 4x/week Strength and Conditioning Program
Here, you have all the flexibility in the work to prioritize the areas that are lagging the most. This example emphasized anterior core, but it could have easily been lateral or rotary core stability with some quick and easy substitutions.
Example 2: 3x/weekStrength and Conditioning Program
Day 1: Challenging Anterior Core (e.g., Rollouts), Low-Level Lateral Core (e.g., Side Bridges)
Day 2: Challenging Rotary Core (e.g., Landmines), Low-Level Anterior Core (e.g., Reverse Crunches)
Day 3: Challenging Lateral Core (e.g., 1-arm Carries), Low-Level Rotary Core (e.g., Pallof Presses)
You can still get in two versions of each of the "big three" core stability exercise categories over the course of the week - and that doesn't even include the "accidental" benefits you get from your compound strength exercises.
Example 3: 2x/week Strength and Conditioning Program
Day 1: Lateral Core (e.g., 1-arm Carries), Anterior Core from loaded push-up variation
Day 2: Rotary Core (e.g., Split-Stance Cable Lift), Anterior Core from overhead pressing.
You can see that this is far from "optimal" in terms of covering everything you want to cover in a comprehensive core stability exercise program, but when you can only get in two sessions a week (as might be the case for an in-season athlete), you make sacrifices and do what you can. This athlete might be able to complement this program with some low-level prone bridges, reverse crunches, and get-up variations on off-days.
Hopefully, this gives you a little glimpse into what a few sample weeks of core stability exercises look like in Cressey Sports Performance strength training programs. For more information and another perspective, I'd encourage you to check out our Functional Stability Training of the Core resource, which is on sale for 25% off this week (discount automatically applied at checkout). Click here to learn more.
Several of our other products are also on sale; you can learn more HERE.
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A while back, Mike Reinold and I presented our Functional Stability Training of the Core seminar to an audience of about 60 rehabilitation and strength and conditioning specialists at Cressey Sports Performance. In today's post, I wanted to touch on a topic we covered collaboratively: how to categorize various core stability exercises and incorporate them into your strength and conditioning programs.
Both Mike and I are in agreement that your four general categories are anterior core stability, posterior core stability, lateral core stability, and rotary core stability.
Anterior core stability exercises teach the body to resist excessive lumbar spine extension, and encompass a variety of drills, starting with dead bug, curl-up, and prone bridging activities. In prepared individuals, they progress all the way up through more advanced exercises like stability ball rollouts, and TRX flutters and fallouts.
Posterior core stability exercises are designed to train the body to resist excessive lumbar spine flexion. Your drills may include everything from the birddog all the way up through more conventional strength training exercises like deadlift variations.
Lateral core stability exercises teach you how to resist lateral flexion; in other words, your goal is to avoid tipping over. These drills may start with basic side bridging drills and progress all the way up through more advanced TRX drills and 1-arm carrying variations.
Rotary core stability exercises educate folks on how to resist excessive rotation through the lumbar spine. Examples include drills like landmines, lifts, and chops.
To be candid, this classification of core stability exercises isn't anything new to those of you who have been paying attention over the past few years. However, introducing these categories really wasn't my intention in this blog; rather, I had three key points I wanted to highlight:
1. It's not just what you do; it's how you do it.
You may be able to hold a prone bridge for 25 minutes, but if you're doing so in terrible positioning and just relying on your hip flexors and lumbar erectors to do the work, you're doing more harm than good. You'd be amazed at how many high level athletes can't do a simple prone or side bridge correctly.
2. A core stability exercise rarely fits into one category, especially when you add progressions to it beyond the initial stages.
Take a kettlebell crosswalk, for instance.
In this exercise, you have different loads in each hand, which makes it a lateral core stability exercise. With each step, the athlete goes into single-leg stance, which makes it a rotary core stability exercise. With the load in the bottom hand, there is a tendency to be pulled into flexion, so you have a posterior core stability exercise. Finally, with the arm overhead, one must prevent the rib cage from flying up and allowing the arm to fall backward, so you have an anterior core stability exercise as well. This example demonstrates the role of synergy among all the muscles (and fascia) around the core in achieving multidirectional core stability simultaneously.
Taking it a step further, how you control one plane of movement impacts the benefit you derive from a core stability exercise in the intended plane. In this half-kneeling cable lift, for instance, the primary goal is to work on rotary and lateral core stability, as the pull of the cable back toward the column is the primary destabilizing torque. You will, however, often see athletes perform the entire exercise in lumbar extension, as evidenced by a rib flair in the front, a backward lean, and loss of the packed neck. I execute the first two reps with the incorrect positioning, and the subsequent reps in neutral spine with adequate anterior core control.
3. When you consider the overlap among the various core stability exercise categories, it can be challenging to determine how to appropriately sequence them in a strength and conditioning program.
This will be the focus of part 2; stay tuned!
If you're looking for a great core stability resource right now, I'd encourage you to check out Functional Stability Training of the Core (as well as the rest of the Functional Stability Training series). And, to sweeten the deal, you can get 25% off through Monday (discount is automaticaly applied at checkout).
Several of our other products are also on sale; you can learn more HERE.
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Here's a list of recommended strength and conditioning reading for the week:
Complete Core Fitness - This is Mike Robertson's newly-released product, and it includes seven webinars that covers functional anatomy, Mike's assessment process, and the four phases of core progressions that he used with clients. Admittedly, I have not finished reviewing it, but from what I have watched thus far, it is absolutely fantastic. Remember that Mike (like me) is one of the few guys out there who actually trains people in addition to creating information products; this alone should make you appreciate how valuable his perspective is. I'd strongly recommend you check it out.
Scars and Scar Tissue - Patrick Ward kicks out some fantastic blog content in a variety of contexts, but especially on the manual therapy side of things. This one is certainly no exception.
Magnificent Magnesium - Brian St. Pierre contributed this piece over at T-Nation. It was extremely well researched and definitely worth a read - especially if you're someone who enjoyed his recent series on dairy here at EricCressey.com (if you missed them, check out part 1, part 2, and part 3).
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I thrilled to announce that I'll be collaborating with Mike Reinold once again - this time on a seminar, Functional Stability Training, to take place on Sunday, November 20, 2011 at Cressey Performance in Hudson, MA.
Here's the agenda for the day:
Functional Stability Training – An integrated approach to rehabilitation and performance training – Reinold
Recent Advances in Core Performance - Understand the concept of Functional Stability Training for the Core, true function of the spine, and how this impacts injuries, rehab, and training – Reinold
Maintaining a Training Effect in Spite of Common Lumbar Spine and Lower Extremity Injuries – Outlines the causes and symptoms of several common injuries encountered in the lower extremity, and how to train around these issues to keep clients/athletes fit during rehabilitation – Cressey
Understanding and Controlling Extension in Athletes – Looks into the causes of and problems with excessive lumbar extension, anterior pelvic tilt, and rib flairs in athletes – Cressey
Lunch (Provided)
LAB – Assessing Core Movement Quality: Understanding where to begin with Functional Stability Training exercises for the core – Reinold
LAB – A Dynamic Progression of Core Performance Exercises - Progression from simple core control to advanced rehab and training techniques – Reinold
LAB – Understanding and Controlling Extension in Athletes – Progresses on the previous lecture with specific technique and coaching cues for exercises aimed toward those with these common issues – Cressey
LAB – Advanced Stability: Training Power Outside the Sagittal Plane – Traditional power training programs are predominantly focused on the sagittal plane, but in most athletic endeavors – especially rotational sports – power must be displayed in other planes of motion – Cressey
It's our goal to optimize the learning environment and have lots of interaction with all of those in attendance, so to that end, we'll be keeping the seminar to 50 people or less. Given that our Optimal Shoulder Performance seminar in 2009 sold out in under a week, this one is sure to do the same - so don't delay in registering, if this is of interest.
For more information, or to sign up, check out www.FunctionalStability.com.
Here's what some of our previous seminar attendees have had to say about their experiences seeing us live:
Related Posts13 Fun Facts About Optimal Shoulder PerformanceWeight Training Programs: Assess, Don't AssumeSign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a four-part video series on how to deadlift!
Today, we've got a guest blog from Jim "Smitty" Smith.
I was speaking with Mike Robertson the other day about life and we started talking about our next career moves. He was contemplating a run with Chippendales after his idol, Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees, made a comeback. And I was telling him about my idea to get on the Deadliest Catch show and live my dream of being a fisherman. Both ideas were great and we are continuing to take steps forward to achieve our dreams — a little bit every day.
After that 3 hour discussion, we started talking about bracing.
Just Like the Volume Dial
I was telling Mike how I was going through Charlie Weingroff’s Training=Rehab | Rehab=Training and I had some questions about how he defines or explains bracing. I, of course, understand bracing as a whole and teach it for our max efforts and loaded means, but Charlie introduced me to the idea of the importance of the "inner core". That is what I wanted to discuss with Mike. Charlie stated that the inner core must fire first, neurologically, to setup up the foundation for the more intense loading or more sophisticated movements — this is when the "outer core" should kick in.
Mike told me to imagine the volume dial on your stereo. He asked me on the volume scale, where wouldplanks come in? I stated "1", and smiled like I just stole something. He then asked, "Where would the dial be for max efforts squats?" I was catching on and said "10"! Duh WINNING!
But Charlie and Mike threw up a caution flag.
If we brace at "10" all the time (force and brace our abdomen outward, anterior and laterally to create tension or irradiation to buttress shear and stabilize the torso) , it could "shut down" the inner core and leave us susceptible to injury. This is especially true if the establishment of bracing is not preceded by diaphragmatic breathing. The long term inhibition of diaphragmatic breathing can affect a whole host of things like pelvic alignment => which can inhibit and shorten certain muscles groups (lower cross and upper cross syndromes) => create kyphosis and lordosis and much more. The ramifications will be seen up and down the kinetic chain.
Turning Up the Intensity
There is a time for "breathing over the brace" at the lower intensities and there is a time for serious tension — take max effort strength exercises. If you look in most commercial gyms today, you might think talking on the cell phone or getting a drink at the water fountain is a max effort lift, especially with all of the cinched up velcro belts popping off. In reality, we’re talking about heavy compound movements performed with loads upwards of 80% + 1RM. These components of your strength training program require serious intramuscular and intermuscular coordination and full body engagement to remain injury free, stable and strong throughout the full execution of the lift. Also many times you’ll see novice, and sometimes experienced, lifters start the movement with a good brace, but lose it during the decent or accent. It is definitely a skill to keep "the brace" the whole time you are under load. Verbal and physical cues can be used to drill this technique. Training with an injury or other compensations will also directly impact your ability to keep the brace throughout.
Bracing for Max Attempts
If you talk to any elite powerlifter, bracing for max efforts involves not only keeping the tension (sequenced isometric contractions on the primary / synergistic / antagonistic muscle groups) but also holding your air. The air is taken (breathing through the belly) and held, and the abdominals are pressed outward forcibly. If you are pressing out against a stationary object (i.e. the belt) it will further secure the brace and improve torso rigidity. This is volume level "10". As you can see this is much different than the bracing required for a plank. Also remember, heavy bracing is not limited to just max effort attempts. Any high intensity movements could require sequenced bracing, if only for an instant.
The Ah-Ha Stuff
During simple, basic movements we should drill and become proficient at simply creating tension (bracing level "1") across the entire kinetic chain and "breathing over the brace" (Weingroff) through active diaphragmatic breathing. This will help to engage intra-abdominal pressure and lay the foundation for all of our movements. And as we progress, more intense bracing can allow for heavier loads and more powerful movements to be introduced safely.
It was very enlightening for me to understand how breathing incorrectly could have just as much of an impact on posture, strength and performance as injuries, immobility, instability, high volume | short ROM movements or even too much load with poorly performed exercises.
All this talk of volume has got me reaching for my glow sticks. Off to battle with Tony Gentilcore!
Jim Smith "Smitty" is the head strength and conditioning coach at Diesel Strength and Conditioning in Elmira, NY. Smitty has been called "one of the most innovative coaches in the industry" and has written for most major national fitness publications. He is also a featured writer for LIVESTRONG.com and on the EliteFTS Q/A staff. Check out some killer FREE gifts and his site at dieselsc.com. Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter and receive a deadlift technique tutorial!
Just over three years ago, during a period where oblique strains were on the rise in professional baseball and the USA Today profiled this "new" injury, I wrote an article on what I perceived to be the causes of the issue. Check it out: Oblique Strains and Rotational Power.
This year, the topic has come back to the forefront, as players like Joba Chamberlain, Sergio Mitre, Curtis Granderson, and Brian Wilson have experienced the injury this spring training alone.
While my thoughts from the initial article are still very much applicable, I do have some additional thoughts on the matter for 2011:
1.Is anyone surprised that the rise in oblique injuries in baseball is paralleled by the exponential rise in hip injuries and lower back pain? I don't care whether you work in a factory or play a professional sport; violent, repetitive, and persistently unilateral-dominant rotation (especially if it is uncontrolled) will eventually chew up a hip, low back, or oblique; it's just a matter of where people break down.
In other words, pro athletes are generating a tremendous amount of power from the hips - moreso, in fact, than they ever have before thanks to the advances in strength training, nutrition, supplementation, and, unfortunately, in some cases, illegal "pharmaceutical interventions." Assuming mechanics are relative good (as they should be in a professional athlete), rotate a hip faster and you'll improve bat speed and throwing velocity; it's that simple. This force production alone is enough to chew up a labrum, irritate a hip capsule, and deliver enough localized eccentric stress to cause a loss in range of motion. The Cliff's Notes version is that we've increased hip strength and power (more on this in a bit), but most folks have overlooked tissue quality (foam rolling, massage, and more focal approaches like Active Release and Graston) and mobility training.
If the hips stiffen up, the lumbar spine will move excessively in all planes of motion - and, in turn, affect the positioning of the thoracic spine. Throw off the thoracic spine, and you'll negatively impact scapular (and shoulder), respiratory (via the rib cage), and cervical spine. Hips that are strong - but have short or stiff musculature can throw off the whole shebang.
2. "Strong" isn't a detailed enough description. I think that it goes beyond that, as you have to consider that a big part of this is a discrepancy between concentric and eccentric strength. Concentrically, you have the trailing leg hip generating tremendous rotational power, and eccentrically, you have the lead leg musculature decelerating that rotation.
Moreover, because the front hip can't be expected to dissipate all that rotational velocity - and because the thoracic spine is rotating from the drive of the upper extremities - you put the muscles acting at the lumbar spine in a situation where they must provide incredible stiffness to resist rotation. It is essentially the opposite of being between a rock and a hard place; they are the rock between two moving parts. Structurally, though, they're well equipped to handle this responsibility; just look at how the line of pull of each of these muscles (as well as the tendinous inscriptions of the rectus abdominus) runs horizontally to resist rotation. That's eccentric control.
How do we train it? Definitely not with sit-ups, crunches, or sidebends. The former are too sagittal plane oriented and not particularly functional at all. The latter really doesn't reflect the stability-oriented nature of our "core." The bulk of our oblique strain prevention core training program should be movements that resist rotation:
While on the topic, it's also important to resist lumbar hypextension, as poor anterior core strength can allow the rib cage to flare up (increases the stretch on the most commonly injured area of the obliques: at the attachment to the 11th rib on the non-throwing side) and even interfere with ideal respiratory function (the diaphragm can't take on its optimal dome shape, so we overuse accessory breathing muscles like pec minor, sternocleidomastoid, scalenes, etc).
So, to recap: I don't think oblique strains are a new injury epidemic or the result of team doctors just getting better with diagnostics. Rather, I think that we're talking about a movement dysfunction that has been prevalent for quite some time - but we just happen to have had several of them in a short amount of time that has made the media more alert to the issue. The truth is that if we worried more about "inefficiency" and not pathology," journalists could have "broken" this story a long time ago.
Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive a Copy of the Exact Stretches used by Cressey Performance Pitchers after they Throw!
Testing, Treating, and Training the Shoulder - This recap of my seminar with Mike Reinold features ten important takeaways from the day.
You Are What You Absorb - I thought this was an excellent article from John Meadows - both in terms of the background information he provides and the corrective strategies he advocates.
Rollouts: Friend or Foe and Two Anterior Core Progressions - These two video blogs were quite popular when they ran back in 2009.
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As EricCressey.com has grown in popularity and my professional network has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, the amount of free stuff that’s mailed my way has become borderline absurd. From $1,000+ fitness equipment, to books and DVDs, to gift cards, I’ve seen it all. And, in a big chunk of those cases, I’ve seen items go right in the garbage – either because they were so wretched in theory and appearance that they didn’t deserve my time, or because I got nauseous only a few minutes into using/watching them.
Usually, the problem is that some schmuck just wanted to make a quick buck and really didn’t care about the quality, accuracy, or utility of the product he/she created. Or, that person was simply too flat-out unqualified to create anything of value. Sad, but true.
Every once in a while, though, a diamond in the rough arrives and I’m glued to it excitedly like a little kid on Christmas. And, instead of a used car salesman pushing snake oil on me, it’s someone with some credibility, innovation, passion, and perspective – all of which can make me better at helping my athletes, clients, and readers. Last week, one such product arrived. It was called “Rehab=Training, Training=Rehab” – and my “Santa Claus” was Charlie Weingroff.
This is no jolly old fat man, though. In reality, he’s a super intelligent physical therapist and strength coach who has a knack for taking complex terms and relating them in understandable terms for up-and-coming fitness professionals. Oh, and he’s strong as an ox – to the tune of an 800-pound squat, 510-pound bench press, and 605-pound deadlift.
Beyond just the passion and knack for lifting heavy stuff, Charlie and I have conversed in the past about how similar our overall perspectives are with respect to the “blending” that takes place in the gray area between healthy training and physical therapy. So, I can say without wavering that if you enjoy reading my stuff (and have liked products from Robertson, Hartman, and I), then Rehab=Training, Training=Rehab will be right up your alley, as I watched it straight through (first time I have done that with a DVD set in years).
And, if you want a chance to get a feel for Charlie’s perspective, he’s offering a free webinar called “The Core Pendulum Theory” on Wednesday night at 6pm; click here for details. The product will then “go live” at 7pm – right after the webinar is complete – at an introductory rate of $147 (through Monday night only).
Introductions and product information aside, I asked Charlie what he thought the top eight general things were that one could take away from the DVD set, which lasts right about 12 hours – and these were his responses:
1. The only difference between "Training" and "Rehab" is the clinician's skill set. The goals are really all the same.
2. If you don't know how to treat someone in pain, team up with someone who can.
3. The Joint by Joint Theory tells you if the exercise has integrity.
4. The Core Pendulum Theory tells you why some positions are okay to establish movement, but not okay for exercise.
5. Creating Intra-Abdominal Pressure is the objective criterion for a "strong core."
6. The Functional Movement Screen is a screen, not an assessment. The Selective Functional Movement Assessment is not useful for someone without pain.
7. The body does not react reliably in the presence of pain.
8. Restoring mobility in the painful patient/client is the key to total body integrity.
Again, these are all very general principles – but over the next few days, I’m going to bring to light some of the outstanding “impact” points that Charlie made in Rehab=Training, Training=Rehab. For now, though, I’d encourage you to sign up for the free webinar HERE; you won’t be disappointed.
Today's guest blog comes from current Cressey Performance intern, Conor Nordgren.
We’ve all heard those stories about the training regimens of celebrities and how they do 500 crunches first thing in the morning and 500 more right before bed to get that perfect six-pack of abs. Many of you have probably also seen that infamous video of T.O. performing crunches while conducting an interview with reporters.
While exercises like crunches and sit-ups can bring out those abs and sculpt a nice six-pack, is this the safest method to train the core? Top strength and conditioning coaches like Eric Cressey, Tony Gentilcore, Mike Robertson, Mike Boyle, and Jason Nunn have recently written and talked on the subject and say that it is not.
As an intern at Cressey Performance, I’ve been exposed to a ton of programs and not a single one of them has included a crunch or a sit-up. Here’s why:
If you’re familiar with Mike Boyle’s joint by joint approach to training, you know that the lumbar spine requires stability as opposed to mobility. Think about the execution of a conventional sit-up: what is your lumbar spine doing? That’s right, it’s flexing. The lumbar spine is not designed for a great deal of movement (whether it is flexion or extension), let alone repetitive movement. Our spine as a whole is not meant for a ton of flexion or extension, either. While you may “feel the burn” in your abs when performing a set of crunches, you are essentially training spinal flexion. World-renowned low-back researcher Dr. Stuart McGill says that we have a finite number of flexion/extension cycles in our back until injury is caused. That number is different for every person, but the bottom line is that by performing exercises like crunches and sit-ups, you’re increasing your risk for injury with every rep! Dr. McGill has actually done experiments where he’s put pig spines in a crunch machine and after a certain number of crunches, or flexes, spinal disks explode.
Crunches and sit-ups also promote a kyphotic, or rounded back, posture. Visualize someone in the top position of a crunch or a sit-up. Now, keep that visual of their upper-back, but picture them standing up. Hello Quasimodo!
Would you consider this good posture? Of course you wouldn’t (well, hopefully not). So why would we want to reinforce it?
James Porterfield and Carl DeRosa have written that the core musculature is primarily designed to transmit force, not to produce it. While crunches and sit-ups are promoting flexion of the spine, our core should instead be trained in preventing movement. If we train our core to be rigid and prevent movement, the stronger it will be; this translates to more overall force production throughout the whole body which will allow for bigger lifts. Sounds pretty good, huh?
Thanks in large part to Mike Robertson, we’ve been introduced to four acceptable movement patterns that should be utilized when training the core. They are anti-rotation, anti-extension, anti-lateral flexion, and hip flexion with a neutral spine. While there are several variations of the following exercises, here are some of my favorites:
Anti-rotation: Tall Kneeling Pallof Press – the kneeling version really forces you to use your glutes and your core, since your quads are taken out of the picture (this exercise can also be done on a cable machine).
Anti-extension: Ab Wheel Rollouts – progress to band-resisted or off of a box for added difficulty.
Anti-lateral flexion: Waiter Carries – can also be done with a kettlebell.
Hip Flexion with a Neutral Spine: Prone Jackknifes with a stability ball – you may find this to be one of the more challenging movements, so really focus on keeping that core tight!
Some of you may have a hard time imagining your workout without any crunches or sit-ups. You might be skeptical that the above exercises may not get you the results that you desire. Well, Tony “The Situation” Gentilcore performs these movements on a regular basis, and when he voluntarily and superfluously flashes his abs at us interns every day, let me tell you, I could wash my clothes on those things! But seriously, change is hard and not an easy thing to accept. However, the good thing about change is that it can be for the better. I’m not demanding that you immediately stop performing crunches and/or sit-ups; that choice is yours. It’s my hope that you think about how you’re currently training your core and ask yourself if this is the most optimal, functional, and above all else, SAFEST way to do so. This may help to keep you injury-free down the road so you can continue hitting the iron hard.
Conor Nordengren can be reached at cnordengren@gmail.com.Sign-up Today for our FREE Newsletter:
