Hey Mobiwons,

This video illustrates the thoughtful, compassionate process of making good ideas, well, better ideas.  Yeah, that’s Jesse Burdick of Powerwod.com “helping” me to improve my range of motion.   Enjoy!

Kstar

Hey Suppleupuguses,

Today’s mission is to take a crack at restoring that elbow to full range of motion.  When we see athletes that are missing full elbow extension, we usually also find wrist and shoulder compensation problems.  The elbow and knee are essentially analogs.  If the knee is slightly flexed all the time, we see enormous loads on the quads and patella. Restoring an athlete’s terminal knee extension is one of the first thing a good physio/chiro/osteo will do when assessing a pain full joint or problematic chain.  The elbow is no different.  All my MMA guys and girls show up with some kind of missing elbow extension.  Olympic lifter?  You’d better be able to get to lock out.

Mission:  Hammer the upstream/downstream tissues around that elbow AFTER you try these mobilizations.  1-2 min a side.  This mob is just another example of flossing while using the band to optimize the joint capsule tissue.

Know what’s funny about stuck bent elbows?  Nothing is funny about stuck bent elbows.

Kstar

Hey MWodkas,

Today’s mission is to improve  the most significant shoulder range of motion for the athlete,  internal rotation.  If an athlete is missing IR, then the shoulder HAS to compensate by translating forward.  This loss of positioning affects mechanical advantage, the ideal length-tension relationship of the joint’s contractile features, joint congruency, and stability. In my  clinical practice, treating this tacked down shoulder tissues is one of the first things I check when an athlete is missing this range.

Mission:  4-5 minutes a side for the IR mob, then 2 min/side for the big ole Hand behind back pec mob.

Test/Retest:  Snatch Pull, Dip

Leopard Bonus: What movements do you see affected by lack of shoulder IR?

KStar

Hey Leopardiphiles,

Today’s episode highlights a common theme around our gym.  Mainly, that even if you are a world champion (Mark Bell), or have olympic gold medals, or are the best in the world, you still have to take care of the basics.  We tend to think of the World’s Best as having complex problems.  This is far from the truth.  The world’s best athletes tend to have stellar technique and subsequently simple problems.  For example, Mark needs to squat and pull more.  He also needs to be able to wind his hips up into tighter extension on the bench. Mark is a brilliant athlete but nothing his brilliant about how stiff his anterior hips and quads are.  He does mobilize his face well however…

So here is your mission:  Given what you see about Mark’s anterior chain ROM, what his is MobRx?

What sliding surface work would you have Mr. Bell perform?

What specific joint mobility work?

What other structures would you clear?

The real question?  How much more does Mark have in the tank?  Answer: A bloody ton.  He’s like a Leopard with his hand brake on.  Good think I’ve got Jesse Burdick as a stand in Pocket Gymnast.

Kstar

Hey Mobilistas,

How does your bed affect your resting/recovery/adaptation position?  Is your bed making you worse? Do you spend a full third of your life in a crappy position?

Make a better decision. And be sure to check out MWod Episodes 37 and 38!

Kstar

Hey Mwoders,

Today’s mission is to get into that ankle joint capsule.  Today’s episode is a little different because we are going to leverage a super-friend to help keep us in a neutral foot position.  One of the central tenets of the MobilityWod program is to try to mobilize in the best positions possible.  In this case, letting that ankle fully collapse keeps us from actually changing what we are needing to change.  We need to mobilize in an ideal position.  What we definitely don’t need to do is reinforce how the ankle is already compensating for it’s poor upstream mobility.

Mission:  2 min each ankle, both band directions.

Test/Retest:  Ass to grass squat, split jerk, overhead squat

Kstar

Hey Mwodies,

Today’s mission is a discussion with My Pocket Gymnast ™, Carl Paoli of gymnasticswod.com, about the role of being braced but not hanging out on tissue end ranges.

Over-Pressure ain’t no way to live.

Kstar

Hey Supplenesses,

Today’s MWod episode is a discussion with Uber Pocket Gymnast Leopard, Carl Paoli, about the relationship between head position and shoulder function.  This relationship is sort of a catch 22.  We will see athletes that are missing shoulder rotation and range break their head position to compensate. This compensation of course creates and even less optimal position.  We need to; Cue athletes to keep to maintain mid-line stabilization and peak torsional stability,  AND try to understand how and why they are compensating (so that this can also be addressed).  Besides, that Chicken Neck Dip isn’t sexy or efficient.  Position is power (and it looks better).

Test/Retest:  Play with your head position while you dip.  What is happening at your shoulders?  Do you have full shoulder internal rotation?

Kstar

Hey Leopardistas,

Today’s misson is to apply our load ordering concept to the dip or other upper body pressing exercises.  We need to get better at seeing an athlete move, and understanding why they are moving the way the are.  Missing internal shoulder rotation and extension?  What does that look like during dipping, or pressing?

Mission: 2 min per mob/per side minimum–mob till you make a change

Test/retest, pushup, dip, floor press

Part 1

Part 2

Kstar

Hey Mwodies,

Here is a quick glimpse into the mind of the physio-coach.  ”Why is this person feeling compelled to grow a bunch of extra bone on their heel?” “Maybe it’s because their body is so awesome that it’s trying to accommodate some weird, off-axis, heel cord loading..”

Do you have a bump on your heel?  Is it from resting your foot at the bottom of a kayak?  No?  Is it from skiing in the Lange Tii from the 80′s?  No? Do you walk, squat, and run like a duck?  Yes? Hmmm..

Dewd.  You are growing extra bone.  That is NOT efficient movement.  Or as my wife would say, “make a better decision”.

Kstar