Steve Maxwell’s Encyclopedia of Joint Mobility

Steve Maxwell. Really, that should sum it up. The man has enough knowledge of physical culture to overflow the Mariana Trench. He’s the type of person that when speaking, one would be wise to close their mouth and take notes. One of the only good things remaining on the Dragon Door forums is a backlog of 2000 odd something posts by user “Steve Maxwell”, which should be required reading for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of strength and conditioning. That being said, there has yet to be a product produced that carried Maxwell’s name that I have not found useful. Truth be told, I had reservations with his more recent materials, or the “Spartan Series,” which appeared to be piggy backing on the marketing of the 300 movie. Had Steve turned capitalist running dog, succumbing to the mighty dollar with DVDs full of more fluff than stuff? After having the privilege to view some of the titles in the series, my faith was restored and then some. Seriously, it’s Steve “Mother-F******” Maxwell. The Encyclopedia of Joint Mobility, a bit over 3 hours of non-stop info – no fluff. The 3-disc set is broken down as follows: Disc 1: Intro to Joint Mobility Neck Series Shoulder Series Elbow, Wrists, Hands & Fingers Series 78 minutes Disc 2: Spine & Lower Back Series Hip Mobility 62 minutes Disc 3: Toe, Foot, Ankle & Knee Series Spinal Rocking Series 52 minutes Within each series, Steve demonstrates and explains a wide variety of movements to target the mobility, strength and conditioning of all the joints in the body. The exercises presented are influenced from a range of traditions and filtered through Steve’s numerous years of experience as a trainer, athlete and movement specialist. If you have any familiarity with the other joint mobility programs out there, such as Z-health, Warrior Wellness or the more recent IntuFlow, then many of the joint specific movements will be very familiar. Steve simply adds his experience to the presentation and explanation on how to perform the exercises. Then there are other movements presented that are more uncommon, such as the Dance of the Shiva (Lappa on Youtube). I personally found more interest, and for me some new stuff, in the ground engagement and floor exercises. Again, if you are familiar with the work of Scott Sonnon, like Body Flow and the newly evolved Prasara, portions of the material presented will be nothing new. Yet, Steve further rounds out the encyclopedic nature of the product by introducing additional floor movements influenced from his grappling and yoga experience. A lot of these ground series exercises are used to strengthen and condition the joints in order for them to perform without injury under stress. The Spinal rocking series contains a ton of useful information and kinetic chains specifically useful to grapplers, but also anyone interested in possessing the athleticism to move around effortlessly, controlling their own bodyweight under gravity. If you are purchasing this product with the intention of having a routine all laid out for you, then you will be disappointed. There is no such routine or follow-along like in the Z-health and Intuflow programs. This is as the title suggests an encyclopedia that catalogs all of the joint specific movements that Steve has experienced and found useful in overall performance, health and longevity. It remains up to the user to intuitively string together a routine that fits their specific needs. Although, if you have a nagging body part that needs some extra TLC, you could plug in the appropriate series and run through the exercises, performing enough reps to alleviate any pains. Steve also hints at a future “advanced” mobility product in the works, though some will find the exercises in this set plenty challenging. Overall, I’d rate Steve Maxwell’s Encyclopedia of Joint Mobility a 9.5 out of 10. The only thing missing is some discussion on program design. I for one, have no problem with it, however there are more than enough individuals out there that need to have a laid out, fully developed “routine” to follow along with. If this is the case, then I would suggest exploring IntuFlow or R-phase of Z-health. If however, you want a large collection of movements to target every joint in the body and provide a lifetime of variety, then this product is for you. This is an excellent value for 50 bucks. Hell, I just checked Ebay and this is going for about $40 shipped to your door. Given the depth of information, you are really getting the best of a handful of other DVDs for less than the cost of one of the other popular programs.

Dick Hartzell and Elite FTS Jumpstretch Index

A ton of useful Jumpstretch videos by Dick Hartzell were added to Youtube by EliteFTS. There is some excellent info here - Jumpstretch Index Here is the elbow video just to give you an idea of the many possibilities of using bands:

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution is an excellent resource for restoring and maintaining shoulder health and strength. I first read this book way back when I was in high school about the time I started seriously lifting weights (I used a lot of the Health for Life material when I first started out). I'm glad I came across it when I did because I learned early on what not to do in the gym to protect my shoulders. Grab some jumpstretch bands and you'll be in business. The book has long since been in print, so you'll be lucky to get your hands on a copy for a reasonable price. OR you can read it here: The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution

JumpStretch Flex Bands Again?

Seems like I'm getting on a Jumpstretch craze. The more I read about them and try out the different exercises, the more I like them. Here is a list of band resources from Elite FTS - Jump Stretch Band Exercises. I need to pony up and buy the product. As of now I only have a strong blue JS band and several pallet bands that I don't have any other bands to compare the resistance to. An average band is on the way along with some videos, but I'd like to have a full set. You can get your bands directley from JumpStretch Inc. along with training materials. EliteFTS also sells the Jumpstretch flex bands, which is linked on the left sidebar. Ironwoody sells a comparable product and is actually a better deal when you purchase the pair. For those on a tighter budget you can search Mcmaster (linked on your left) for pallet bands, which in my opinion are a great product for the price.

JumpStretch Flexibility Routine

My old post with the link to a ton of Jump Stretch Flexband articles is one of the most clicked links on this blog. Here is another site that has a Jump stretch flexibility routine, with motion illustrations. Awesome. I'm fairly new to using bands in my training, so I do not know if this is the same Jump Stretch flexibility routine as outlined by Coach Dick Hartzell - the father of Jumpstretch - eventhough the site says that it is the one. I do have the tape of the original flexibility routine on the way in the mail, and I'll report back after I get a chance to view it. Link here: Jump Stretch Flexibility Routine

Natural, Drug-Free Knee Pain Treatment

I was at one time suffering from chronic knee pain after following misguided weightlifting advice and growing up playing just about every sport imaginable that was available to me as a young American athlete. It got to the point where I was tired of limping around campus everyday so I made an appointment with the university health clinic, which was probably a mistake, seeing how this wasn't treatable with penicillin. The "doctor" didn't have any diagnosis or advice for me other than don't do any squatting movements. This irritated me after I took the time to come in for an appointment. I wanted to ask her how the hell a person could get by in life without squatting. Was I suppose to shit standing up? Leave my shoe laces untied? Not get in and out of a car? I decided to leave it alone and left the office grateful that I never attended this doctors med school (read: I'm just an ass, this probably wasn't her area of expertise). I never did get a diagnosis. So what followed was a year of perfect form, as-to-grass and face-the-wall bodyweight squats performed almost daily in a slow and controlled fashion. I believe this along with joint mobility was what "healed" my knee pain, whatever it may have been (this is only my personal experience - you my require different corrective procedures). The treatment that worked best was what the school's doctor told me not to do. It's a funny world. If I had to do it all over again, the only thing I would do differently would be to try the advice from TreatYourOwnPain.com. This site shows a method to wrap your knee in a manner that will decrease your pain from 70-90%, during painful activities. Maybe this method could have kept me on the go while I continued to correct my knee problem. Since I no longer have any knee pain to test this on, some of you may try this out and report back. Just be sure the knee wrap technique does not become a permanent crutch that keeps you from correcting the source of the problem. Here is the site again - TreatYourOwnPain.com

Tennis Elbow and Other Lower Arm Related Injuries

Joint and other overuse injuries were common in my wrestling days. I always knew I could push through until the end of the season and then have plenty of time to recover before I had to hit the mats again. Recently I have found interest in grip specific training and that "balls to the wall" mentality has led to some setbacks. Case in point: The last six months I have become a bit of a couch potato. A high volume blockweight routine left my right arm feeling like it was going to explode performing something as menial as gripping a stapler. And trust me, when your significant other is a teacher and you get volunteered into certain activities, this is no fun. I decided to take a week off to heal. All training came to a halt. A week turned into two, then two into three, and before I knew it two months had slipped by and it was almost time for the holidays. By then, my elbow was doing better. I was still waking up every morning with that uncomfortable tightness and tender touch, and I still could not fully grip anything without shooting pains. Now remember, all along I could have been doing anything that didn't involve using my grip to keep some level of fitness, but I didn't. Other than some occasional Z-health, I was living a very inactive lifestyle. Once I slipped into that mentality of doing nothing, it was a bottomless pit that was hard to climb out of. It's easy to just say, "I'll wait till Monday." I found myself doing that a lot these past few months. With Christmas just around the corner, I kept myself in the hole and put everything off until the New Year. 2007. New year, new goals, new resolutions. I started to do rehab exercises to get my elbow straight. I was tired of waking up to the constant tightness and soreness. You might be wondering why I hadn't been doing rehab all along. All I can say is that laziness is a habit and once said habit sets it, it's a hard habit to break. After a month of rehab my elbow felt much better. No more tightness in the morning and only the occasional soreness in the elbow after doing some pull-ups. Now enough of the monologue and lets get down to business. To get an idea of what I do for rehab and now prehab check out this article concerning the physical therapy of the elbow: Physical Therapy Corner: Tennis Elbow - Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis You will notice it has the mechanics of elbow injuries, symptoms, and rehabilitation. Some of what follows will be redundant from this site, but will give your further rehab options. Another great resource is Tennisarm.eu. To navigate this site simply click on the home tab to your left and then click "English Version." Several years ago, Steve Maxwell posted quality information on treating strained elbows that coincides much with the above information: "Treat the elbow with DMSO. It really reduces the pain. I wore a tennis elbow brace and it really allowed me to keep training. It constricts the tendons and takes the strain off of gripping and holding. You may have created some muscle imbalances in your hands and forearms from excessive gripping and wrist flexion. By working the finger extensors and abductors and the extensors and supinators of the wrist, you can bring about a lot of pain relief. Perform the following rehab routine several times per week. Open your fingers against a rubber band while extending your wrist back. Also do reverse wrist curls for the forearm extensors. Finally, perform forearm supination with a dumbbell handle with a plate on one side only. A broomstick or piece of PVC pipe works well. Brace your forearm on the edge of a table or bench palm up. Grasp the end of the handle with the plate side toward the thumb. Let the handle rotate your wrist and forearm and pull your thumb downward into a slight stretch. Now rotate the handle while not moving your elbow (supination) so that the plate is vertical. Repeat for high reps. Exercise is always the best medicine. I have successfully treated many a strained elbow with these techniques. Steve Maxwell" And finally, the following information comes from a Z-health trainer based out of Dallas, Texas. Frankie Faires suggested a Z-health solution to an individual who was experiencing pain in his right elbow and left foot. Don't ask me how it works, I have only been doing Z-health for a few months and have never been to a seminar where you get a real understanding of the how and why Z-health practice is beneficial. But, I do plan on attending in the future and I will be chronicling my experiences and how 2s with working through all of the Z-health material on this blog so stay tuned. "Knee surgery, arthroscopic, when I was about 13 years ago. I have had back, shoulder and knee pain in the past. None of them too serious. In addition to the elbow pain in the right elbow my left foot has pain in certain positions. The pain in the elbow is strange. I'm calling it tennis elbow, but I am not exactly sure what it is. Though I am going to stop pressing, it doesn't actually hurt to press. It hurts most if I pick something up, especially with a pinch grip. The outer elbow also hurts to the touch. -Ryan" Ryan, try these mobilities in this order: Right Wrist Circles Right Index/Pinky Leads Right Finger flexion/extension waves Left Lateral Ankle Tilt Left Middle and Outside Toe Pulls Left Knee Circle Thoracic A/P position 1 Cervical Rotations Go VERY slow, HIT THE TARGET through the mobility, NEVER MOVE INTO PAIN and keep LONG SPINE. Do 1 rep both directions and test your elbow, report back. PS (a better option would be to go to a Z trainer) Best, Frankie " After trying the exercises, the individual reported back that: "I can't believe that worked. The pain in the elbow is gone. There is a duller pain that popped up in the tricep up past the elbow, but it's a minor dull pain. I will have to work on the movements; they were still a bit choppy. Thank you again, I'll be in touch to let you know how my Z-Health is going. Between this and Pavel's work I think I'll be a healthier man than I ever thought I would be. Thank you again. Happy Holidays. -Ryan" To which Frankie replied: "pain relief is often just that easy...and you are welcome. Whatever drill(s) worked - do 3 reps 3 times per day for 3 weeks. Best, Frankie" I hope these suggestions help you if you ever get a nagging elbow injury. Remember, going all out has its place in training, just don't expect to go full throttle 100% of the time and not get injured. It is always better to build up slowly and provide a solid base to work from than trying too much too soon and getting sidelined for a few months.

More on Soft Tissue Work

Some of you may have caught a recent post on Self-myofascial Release and have found some benefit in applying it to your routine. Are you looking for more? Tony Gentilcore has written an article for T-Nation on soft tissue work that he sees as a progression for those using the foam roller. Nothing ground shaking, but a good summary of the information that is out there. Soft Tissue Work for Tough Guys If you feel like spending some money here is a highly recommended book on trigger point therapy: The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief and if you like the idea of using tennis balls for therapy, here is a book I have pulled information from since the '90s: The Acupressure Warmup: For Fitness, Athletic Preparation and Injury Management

Breath Awareness: Connecting Mind-Body

Many people do not give much thought to breathing. It is an involuntary process that happens at birth. Something that occurs and then is forgotten, detached from our own self-awareness. Yet, breathing is important to how we live our lives - If we never breathe, we never live. Our breath and how we consume oxygen dictates our moods, emotions, and overall states of wellbeing. Notice how your breathing changes when you are sad, angry, stressed, or relaxed. It is through our breathing patterns that our body is giving us clues to our current state of wellbeing. If we choose to listen to these clues, many of life's problems can be diffused as we step away to collect ourselves before pursuing any judgments in error. The fact is we all know how to breathe and breathe correctly. If you don't, I doubt you will be reading much further. Everyone has breathed slowly, deeply, and effortlessly at some point in their lives. It's from the simple experience of living life that has left many of us blind to the natural breathing patterns of our early childhood. The good new is, breathing is just like riding a bike - once you learn, you never forget. Luckily for us, breathing is a natural condition of the human experience. We all know how to breathe; it just takes a little practice and patience to relearn how to breathe efficiently. I believe it was through a program during grade school, when I initially began a conscious effort towards ineffective breathing. An instructor suggested to us that we breathe by sucking in the stomach and pushing the chest out as a means of maintaining a slim midsection. I erroneously took the advice and spent years following a shallow breathing pattern. It wasn't until I became a student of the Martial Arts that I became interested in correct and efficient breathing. We used breathing exercises as a means to calm our thoughts, and to become in-tune with our bodies and the moment. As I became more educated on the subject, I began to understand that proper breathing is essential to living a healthy lifestyle. The way I was originally taught to breath with the stomach in, chest out was most likely a prime mover in the stress-related problems of my early adolescence. Mindful breathing has been shown to benefit a wide array of symptoms; from asthmatic complications to high blood pressure. Having trouble sleeping at night? Concentrate on your breathing and you will be counting sheep in no time. Suffering a panic attack? Be mindful of your breath and diffuse the stressful situation. Having trouble understanding and digesting new information? Give breathing a try, the appropriate intake of oxygen into the human body is essential for proper brain functioning. I could spend all day writing about the healthy benefits of mindful breathing, but somehow I think you get the point. Personally, I would much rather work on breathing than taking some prescription medication with a long list of side effects. If I have peaked your interest, and you are ready to travel deep within and liberate your naturally given right to proper breathing, follow the simple guideline I have provided below. Find a time and place where you will not be disturbed - Somewhere quiet and peaceful. Make this your personal haven for when you need to step away from things. At first you may want to sit in a comfortable position, but over time you will want to attempt your breathing practice in various positions; sitting, standing, lying down, and while moving. In the beginning, practice with your eyes closed. This will cut out one less distraction. As you become more proficient, you may begin experimenting with soft opening and closing of the eyes. Breathe in and out softly through your nose, never straining at any point, and never holding your breath at any time. Follow your breath and notice where it flows within your body. Do you breathe shallow, filling your upper chest, or is it a deep breath that penetrates your lower abdomen? If your breath stops at your upper chest, you are not breathing to your fullest potential. Begin allowing the air to flow into your lower abdomen. Work that diaphragm, it's there for a purpose. To get a feel for this, try placing one hand over your belly and one hand over your chest. When you inhale, you should only feel the hand that is on your belly moving. Many people suggest counting on the inhale and the exhale. I tend to think that this takes away from the mind-body experience since you are focusing on the number not the breath or the sensations of your body. I would suggest to not count, but simply focus on the breath. How does it feel entering your nose, the back of your throat, and so on all the way into your abdomen? Do you feel any areas of tension or stress? If you find any tense areas, focus your awareness on them and feel (not visualize) their contours. Continue to breath while focusing your awareness on these points of tension, one-by-one, until they start to peel away like the layers of an onion. Peel away the layers until you feel that you can peel no more and then move on to the next point. Day by day, you will continue to strip away layers until eventually there is nothing left and the area is relaxed. Begin by practicing for however long you are able. 5-15 minutes is a good starting point. Adjust your sessions as you find appropriate. If you discover your mind wandering while in practice; acknowledge the thought, let it float away, and return to following your breath and feeling your body with your mind's awareness. You may also decide to end the session, and come back to it at a later time. The choice remains with you. As you continue to practice the gap between disturbing thoughts will continue to get larger and larger. Remember, the ultimate goal is a relaxed and comfortable state of being, never strain to continue a session. I hope you enjoy the information as you begin to awaken a dormant part of your being that will have profound effects on your lives.

Foam Performance Enhancers - Self-Myofascial Release

For the price of a cheap bottle of wine you can: relieve stressful joints while increasing their mobility, correct muscle imbalances while improving athletic performance, rehabilitate injuries and prevent future occurrences, and reduce muscle soreness. What? You've got to be kidding, what sort of snake oil is this? Although similar illusory claims run rampant in today's capitalist market, fortunately for us, every bit of it is true and then some. Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) has been around for years, but is just now starting to reach mainstream awareness. SMR is a process by which tension, applied to a muscle past a certain limit, causes the Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO) to reduce muscle spindle activity and decrease muscle tension by a process called autogenic inhibition. This is the human body's natural response to injury-causing tension applied to a muscle. With regular use of foam rollers, stimulating the GTOs and the resulting autogenic inhibition can lead to greater neuromuscular efficiency. So, what do I do next? If you are ready to begin adding SMR to your daily routine, you will first need a foam roller. There are plenty of options available through a simple Google Search. Two other highly recommended suppliers are Elite FTS and Power-Systems. You will want to start with a 1-3 foot long 6" roller. You can purchase these fairly cheaply, and for a little extra money there are also higher density rollers available. The minor increase in investment will give you a product that is less prone to break down as quickly as your standard foam roller. The smaller and harder the roller the better, but a typical 6" foam roller is the best place to start. Trust me, rolling over the IT band is truly a mind-over-matter experience, but you will feel great afterwards. Personally, I chose a low-tech option with materials I had sitting around the house. I cut a 3 foot section of 2 inch PVC pipe and tightly rolled around it one of the thousands of yoga mats that has made their way into my home. Secure it with duct tape and you are good to go. It has just enough give to make the movements bearable yet still provide the necessary tension. This option can get the job done, but I eventually caved in and ordered a Pro Roller from EliteFTS. Next, you will want to learn some of the more standard rolling movements. Below is a suggested reading section where I have provided links to several articles that will further your understanding of SMR and provide illustrated descriptions of the movements. You will want to spend a few minutes on each movement for each side of the body, making sure that when you roll onto a painful area (you'll know for sure when you reach one) to stop rolling and rest on the roller while targeting that area for 30-60 seconds. Resting on the painful areas stimulates the GTOs mentioned earlier, giving you the benefits of SMR. From the recommendations in the links provided below, I have been performing SMR with my homemade roller daily and have found it to be a highly effective technique to use for recovery and overall relaxation. Well, to be truthful, SMR hurts like hell. It may even bring you to tears. Well maybe not, but the relaxation and after effects are great. Suggested Reading: Article: T-Nation - Feel Better for 10 Bucks Article: Self-Myofascial Release Exercises Enjoy the pain... Er, no, I mean massage.

Stretching & Flexibility

There seems to be a lot of confusion on the topic of stretching and flexibility. Many people continue to follow outdated advice and end up frustrated with the lack of progress in their current routine. A free, comprehensive, resource put together by Brad Appleton contains just about everything you need to know about stretching and flexibility: Stretching & Flexibility: Everything you never wanted to know A not-so-free guide that I found to be very helpful and informative in my own understanding of flexibility training came from the folks over at DragonDoor: Relax Into Stretch. I'm always impressed with Pavel's work - the information on why "stretching" is not the best way to become flexible is worth the price of admission alone. The section on Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) will quickly skyrocket your progress in flexibility and have you reaching your goals in no time. Another mainstay in flexibility training that I have used as a reference for many years is Thomas Kurz's Stretching Scientifically: A Guide to Flexibility Training