Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:48 Understand the biomechanics of cycling

2:37 The different phases of cycling, why are these important?

4:00 Stretches for the saddle & hip

6:46 Open up the front of your hips and low back with this one!

8:35 Stretches & exercises for the handlebars

11:20 Work on those neck and shoulder muscles

12:49 Exercises for the time spent in the pedals!

16:30 Try this strengthening exercise to stay injury free!

Feeling a bit tight after that ride? We’ve gotcha covered! Learn our favorite exercises for stretching out following cycling and more importantly WHY these stretches are key to your recovery!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:33 Why would you want to improve your running form?

00:55 How do we even measure running form? Find out!

3:00 Try this rule to improve your running economy

4:36 Plyometric exercises are where it is at!

6:06 Start with this exercise

6:59 Ready to progress? Start here!

9:18 Get started with our programming!

10:05 Get bouncy!

13:49 Let’s sum it up!

Want to become a better runner? We all are! In order to become a better runner you need to run but, there are also some very specific exercises you can do to improve your running economy. What is running economy? What exercises can you do? Join Craig as he jumps into all of this and more!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:44 What does the hip flexor do?

1:27 What do we need to train?

2:21 Get started with this exercise

5:14 This is a different take on a hip flexor exercise!

6:46 One of our favorites and here is why!

9:50 Let’s add in some speed and tempo for return to sport

 

Time to get strong hip flexors! Check out these hip flexor progressions to get strong. It’s important to have strong hip flexors for so many reasons as this muscle group helps to provide us with stability with upright posture. Get started with these exercises!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00: 24 Stop pulling your shoulder blades back and down and here is why!

1:05 Start with the wall slide for less load but lots of work

2:57 Work this muscle in scaption

3:47 Have you tried this dolphin pose exercise?

5:43 Try this regression if needed!

What’s the secret to overhead strength? Targeting your Serratus Anterior! This muscle plays a role in the upward rotation of your shoulder blade and plays a crucial role in healthy overhead mobility and strength! Get started with these exercises!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:28 Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome – what is it and do you have it?

1:09 Do this exercise to help! 2:41 Patellar tendinopathy – how do we get it?

3:13 Did someone say Spanish Squat?

04:45 Let’s talk meniscus injuries

05:48 Try this self-assessment!

06:34 Work on rotational control with this exercise

8:23 IT Band Syndrome symptoms!

09:19 One of our favorite exercises for IT Band Syndrome

10:35 Popliteus pain

11:46 Try this exercise!

Curious as to where that pesky knee pain is coming from? Join Dorian as he dives into some common causes of knee pain, identifies symptoms, and gives you one key exercise to begin with!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:25 What it means when you have a flat foot!

00:40 Do flat feet lead to pain and injury?

2:09 Do you know what position your foot rests in? Find out!

4:22 Do this exercise!

5:02 Short Foot exercise and why it’s important

6:50 What about foot orthotics?

9:24 Let’s dial in foot control with the hip muscles

13:13 This calf raise is a must do!

15:30 The most important exercise! Give it a try!

Have you been told that having flat feet will lead to pain and injury down the road? Think again! Join Craig as he busts this myth, shows you some exercises to work on to bulletproof your feet, and talks you through how to build a solid foundation!

HOW: Anchor a band low to the ground. Pull the band away from the anchor to tension it before placing it under the fat pad of your big toe. Lift one leg up into a march, maintaining your upright position. Next, extend your leg back while you shift your trunk forward. Repeat these motions for the prescribed time without losing the band.

 

FEEL: You will feel the inner arch of the foot working. You will also begin to feel surrounding foot and ankle muscles working as they work to maintain your upright position.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not claw your toes on the ground. Avoid side bending through the trunk and hiking the pelvis

HOW: Place a band around your ankles, slightly bend your knees, and hinge through your hips – this is the position you will be in throughout the exercise. Start with your feet hip width apart and step to the side. The trailing leg will follow to re-assume your starting position before you take your next step.

 

FEEL: You will feel the side of your glutes working. Due to the sustained quarter-squat position, you may also feel your quads working a bit.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid overstepping with the trailing leg and positioning it narrower than hip width apart – you will lose tension in the band. Avoid rocking back and forth through the trunk and hips as you step.

HOW: Grab a cushioned pad. Set up at a wall or post. Take a split stance position as far as you can from the wall while still keeping your front foot flat on the floor. Push your knee into the cushioned pad.
Sink down into a split squat position, getting 90 degrees of knee bend at the front and back leg. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the front and back leg quadriceps working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting your torso bend forward. Avoid letting the rear leg straighten.

HOW: Grab a bench or any elevated surface. Taking two steps away from the bench, set up in a half-kneeling position facing the bench. Transfer most of your weight to the front leg, getting the shin forward over the toes.  Push through the front foot moving upward and forward, finishing in a step up position onto the bench. The push off leg should finish in a heel rise position as well. Return to the half kneeling position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in your quadriceps and calves. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting your knee flex at the heel rise position. Avoid leaning your torso forward during the push off motion from half kneeling.

HOW: Start facing a wall with your hands on the wall for finger-tip support. Shift to one side to bias one leg – this is your starting position. Lift both heels off the ground at the same time while you maintain your weight shift onto the working leg. Return to your starting position before the next rep.

 

FEEL: You will feel both calves working, but the intensity will be higher on the biased side. The level of intensity will depend on how much of your weight you shift onto one leg (e.g. 60-90%).

 

COMPENSATION: Do not cut your heel raise short – move through the full range available to you. Avoid inverting the ankle, or the heel falling outward.

HOW: Grab a kettlebell or weight that is heavy enough that it is difficult to move. Set up in a kickstand position with the kettlebell to the inside of the front leg.
Hinging the hips back, reach with your opposite side arm encouraging rotation of the spine.
Cueing the hips to drive forward, begin to push the floor away from you. Hold the tension. 

 

FEEL:You should  feel your stance leg glute and hamstring working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid rounding the low back. Avoid bending the knees or squatting down.

HOW: Grab a bench or any elevated surface. Taking two steps away from the bench, set up in a split stance position facing away from the bench. Elevate the rear leg foot onto the bench, getting the contact point where the ankle hinges.
Keeping the chest tall, drop into the lunge position. Hold this position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the front and back quadriceps working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the trunk bend forward. Avoid letting the front knee cave inward.

HOW: Grab a foam roller and a medicine ball. Set up facing away from the wall with the foam roller placed at the glutes.
Take a single leg stance position and with the medicine ball at shoulder height, drop the ball and catch it in a squat position.Hold for a count of one, before returning to the starting position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the trunk fall forward, Avoid letting the knee bend any further after catching the ball.

HOW: Anchor a band low to the ground. Pull the band away from the anchor to tension it before placing it under the fat pad of your big toe. Lift one leg up and hold a single leg balance for the prescribed time without losing the band.

 

FEEL: You will feel the inner arch of the foot working. You will also begin to feel surrounding foot and ankle muscles working as you extend your hold as they work to maintain your upright position.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not claw your toes on the ground. Avoid side bending through the trunk and hiking the pelvis.

HOW: Grab a medicine ball. Set up in a single leg stance position. Hold the ball in front of the body at the height of the shoulder.
Drop the ball and catch it in a single leg squat position, once again at the height of the shoulder.
Hold for a count of one. Return to the starting position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the trunk fall forward, Avoid letting the knee bend any further after catching the ball.

HOW: Use a slantboard, weight plate, or any other sturdy object to prop your heel up. Place it against a wall to ensure contact between your back and the wall. Place one leg out and slide down into a wall sit. The further you slide down, the more challenging the exercise will be. Hold for the prescribed time.

 

FEEL: You will feel your quad of the standing leg working, as well as the side glute. 

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your back flat against the wall without hinging forward through the hips. Avoid a drop in the pelvis of the floating leg, as well as a sidebend of the trunk to either side. Keep the knee in line with the toes without caving it in.

HOW: Stand on a sturdy 2-6” box//platform pushed up against a squat rack. Hold a kettlebell behind your back as it will help cue an upright trunk position. Hold one leg out and in front of you with the heel floating in a half-squat position as if you’re going down stairs. Make sure your knee of the standing leg is moving over the toes. Hold for the prescribed time.

 

FEEL: You will feel the quad of the standing leg working, as well as the side glute.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not lose contact with the post your back is up against. Avoid dropping the pelvis on the side of the floating leg. Avoid caving the knee of the standing leg in.

HOW: Grab two kettlebells or weights that are heavy enough that they are difficult to move. Set up in a half kneeling position with the kettlebells to the inside and outside of the front leg.
Slide the shin of the front leg forward over the toes. With both arms, grab onto the kettlebells and get the spine tall. Begin to push the ground away from you, as if you want to stand straight up. Hold this tension not letting your body move.

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps of the front leg. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the heel rise off the ground. Avoid letting the torso fall forward.

HOW: Grab a medicine ball. Set up in a split stance position. Rotate the spine towards the front leg, and hold the ball to the side of the hip.
Drop the ball and catch it in a split squat position, once again to the side of the hip.
Hold for a count of one. Return to the starting position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps of the front leg. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the trunk fall forward, Avoid letting the knee bend any further after catching the ball.

HOW: Begin in a deep split squat position, somewhat of a shorter stride length.
Keeping yourself in a squat position, push through the ground to jump to a low height.
Softly absorb in the deep squat position and continue on to the next jump.
The goal is to be quick but soft. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid coming out of the deep squat position. Avoid heavy impact into the floor.

HOW: Stand on a sturdy box/platform. Step forward with one leg and catch yourself in a split stance position while your trailing leg stays on the box. As you land, make sure you’re pushing your knee over the toes and assuming ~45º trunk angle. 

 

FEEL: You will feel the quad of the front leg working to slow yourself down upon landing. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid dropping the pelvis on the side of the trailing leg. Do not excessively hinge forward. Keep your knee in line with your foot and avoid caving it in.

HOW: Stand in front of a bench and move into a kickstand position with the toes of your kickstand leg resting comfortably on the ground. About 80% of your weight should be on your standing leg that you’re using to squat to the bench. Starting in a standing position, squat down allowing yourself to touch the bench before returning to the standing position.

 

FEEL: You should feel the quad of the standing leg working. You will also feel the side glute working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Do not excessively hinge through the hips. Avoid a pelvic drop from the kickstand leg. Keep your knee in line with your toes without allowing your knee to cave in.

HOW: Grab a medicine ball. Set up in a double leg stance position. Hold the ball in front of the body at the height of the shoulder.
Drop the ball and catch it in a squat position, once again at the height of the shoulder.
Hold for a count of one. Return to the starting position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps of the front leg. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the trunk fall forward, Avoid letting the knee bend any further after catching the ball.

HOW: Grab a foam roller and a medicine ball. Set up facing away from the wall with the foam roller placed at the glutes.
Take a double leg stance position. With the medicine ball at shoulder height, drop the ball and catch it in a squat position, again at shoulder height Hold for a count of one, before returning to the starting position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the trunk fall forward, Avoid letting the knee bend any further after catching the ball.

HOW: Begin in a deep squat position. Keeping yourself in a squat position, push through the ground to jump to a low height.
Softly absorb in the deep squat position and continue on to the next jump.
The goal is to be quick but soft. 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid coming out of the squat position. Avoid heavy impact into the floor.

HOW: Take a short stride stagger stance position with one foot slightly in front of the other. Rise up onto the toes.
Holding the heel rise position, begin to hop on the toes. Jump as high but also as quick as you can. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the calves working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the feet roll outward. Avoid letting the knees and hips bend. Keep the knees stiff and allow the motion to come strictly from your ankles.

HOW: Grab two kettlebells or weights that are heavy enough that they are difficult to move. Set up in a step up position on a bench with the kettlebells to the inside and outside of the front leg.
Slide the shin of the front leg forward over the toes. With both arms, grab onto the kettlebells and get the spine tall. Begin to push the ground away from you, as if you want to stand straight up. Hold this tension without letting your body move 

 

FEEL: You should feel this in the quadriceps of the front leg. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the heel rise off the bench. Avoid letting the torso fall forward.

HOW: Place your back against a wall and shuffle your feet out. You can start with your feet in a staggered position or assume this position once you’re in your wall sit. Drop to 90º at your knees and hold for the prescribed time.

 

FEEL: You will feel the quad of the leg closer to the wall worker harder than the opposite side.

 

COMPENSATION: Avoiding hinging forward through the trunk and losing contact with the wall. Keep your knee in line with your foot without caving it in.

HOW: Grab onto the pull-up bar with a grip slightly wider than shoulder width. Pull your shoulder blades down (depress) before you lift your legs off the bench to move into the hang position. Hold for the prescribed time.

 

FEEL: You will feel your lower traps and lats in the back working. You will also feel the muscles in your forearms activate to maintain a strong grip.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not use a hook grip (thumb in between ring and middle finger). Avoid losing the shoulder blade’s depressed position by sinking into a passive dead hang.

Timestamps:

00:00 Understand the anatomy

1:10 Why do we get rotator cuff pain?

1:35 Phase 1 exercises to do!

3:39 Phase 2 exercises, add in that tempo!

7:19 Phase 3 exercises to try and WHY!

9:38 Key takeaways!

Curious as to what exercises you should be doing to tackle your rotator cuff pain? It’s important to understand the anatomy of the rotator cuff as well as why we see rotator cuff injuries to understand how to best rehab! Join Arash as he shows you some of his favorite exercises for rotator cuff rehab for every phase of recovery!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

1:05 What about precautions – don’t fear them and here’s why!

2:20 Early rehab exercises that you may have performed!

3:04 Middle phase exercises

3:51 Late phase exercises, let’s do a little bit more!

4:40 Don’t forget the core!

5:00 Can you get back to running? Find out!

5:43 Takeaways!

Answering your questions about rehab from a Total Hip Replacement! We talk everything from precautions to dislocations to exercises to perform! Let us show you a few exercises to perform, some range of motion exercises we think are pretty stellar, and help to get some of your burning questions answered!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:38 Important to understand knee anatomy

2:13 Try these assessment to look at your knee extension

3:29 How do we actually cause changes in joint motion?

4:10 Work on knee cap mobility

5:20 Work on rotating your knee…that’s right!

7:21 Get after that knee extension with this exercise!

10:49 Time to get the quads working!

17:00 Get to some further strengthening!

Having a hard time straightening your knee following surgery? Be sure that you are cleared by your care team prior to doing these exercises, however – these are some of our favorites to restore that knee extension! Consistency with mobility work and low load long duration is key. Join Dorian as he walks you through all the in’s and out’s of improving your knee extension mobility!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:19 What is the biggest cause of injuries in older individuals?

00:40 What makes up balance?

1:30 Exercises you need to try and why

5:23 Do this glute strengthening exercise!

6:49 Key takeaways!

You may have tried to improve your balance with practicing standing on one leg but have you tried these balance exercises? Join Arash as he dives into some of our favorite balance exercises and why they are so important to help keep you on your feet!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:21 A little bit of hip anatomy

2:06 Try this simple assessment

3:17 Why do you have differences in mobility?

4:08 Exercises for hip internal rotation

5:35 Work on posterior hip mobility

7:36 Strengthen on that new mobility

10:12 Key takeaways for you!

Dealing with limitations in hip mobility? Find out why! Join Craig as he discusses hip mechanics, shows you an easy self assessment to do, and then demonstrates crucial mobility and strength exercises you need to do!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:33 Is knee clicking bad?

00:52 Why do our knees make noise?

1:52 How to improve mobility in your knee & why this is important

6:20 Time to strengthen!

14:00 Let’s review!

What we know about knee clicking and popping and what you can do about it! Join Dorian as he talks through if knee clicking is bad, what we can do about it, and why this is important!

HOW: Begin by standing at a wall. Place a foam pad or soft object between your knee and the wall. Step your rear leg back into a split stance position.
Maintaining contact with the wall, drop the rear leg knee down towards the ground. Push yourself back up to the starting position. 

 

FEEL:You will feel the front thigh working, more with the front leg. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting your torso fold forward.

HOW: Start seated with your hands in a prayer position. Try to maintain the wrist extended position as you slowly pull your hands apart before returning to your starting position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the wrist extensors on the top of your forearm working.

 

COMPENSATION: Try to keep your hands in the same position without dropping towards a more neutral position.

HOW: Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet planted. Find your rectus abdominis muscle by palpating the bottom half of your belly. Inhale, activate the muscle, then exhale while you keep the muscle engaged. Relax completely at the end of your exhale and repeat.

 

FEEL: You should feel the oblique muscle activate and press into your fingers. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid using your glutes and moving your hips/sit bones lifting off the floor. Avoid hiking the hip as you activate the oblique muscle. Keep your back flat.

HOW: Begin in a standing position. Anchor a resistance band or cable at hip height. Wrap the cable behind you, above the hip.
Walk back until you feel resistance.
Begin to slowly walk backward in a squatted position, loading the toes to the heels. Take small steps until you max out resistance. Take small steps back to return to the starting position. 

 

FEEL: You feel the front of the thigh working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid letting the knees bend as you load the heels.

HOW: Grab a stick or dowel with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders. The shoulder being stretched will be on top with an underhand grip while the moving hand will be below with an overhand grip. In a standing position, push the  arm up in a 45º plane until you feel comfortable restriction. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the chest/pectoral muscles of the working arm as you push your other arm up. You will feel stretching of the lats/side of the trunk of the moving arm. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid shrugging your shoulders as you move overhead.

HOW: Begin in standing position with your back against the wall. Place a ball behind your head just below the base of the skull. Place a mini band around your  wrists. 

 

Push the wrists out, keeping the elbows in. Tuck the chin towards the throat. Rotate the neck to one side only as far as you can without losing the chin tuck. Return to center and repeat.

 

FEEL:You will feel the front of the neck and the back of the shoulder working. 

COMPENSATION: Avoid losing the chin tuck. Avoid lifting the upper arms away from the torso.

HOW: Grab a relatively light kettlebell or dumbbell. Begin in a standing position holding the kettlebell between your legs.  As you hinge through the hips, keep your spine and legs stiff. Push your bottom back slowly until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings. Hold the bottom position for a few seconds before pulling back up.

 

FEEL: You will feel a stretch in the hamstrings as you move into the hinge. You may feel the lower back muscles, glutes, and hamstrings working when moving back into a standing position, but this should be minimal with relatively light weight.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not bend the knees or flex through the trunk.

HOW: Loop a miniband around your feet. In an upright position, root the standing leg into the ground as you lift the other leg up. Lift your knee to ~90º and return to the starting position. Keep the moving leg at hip width distance.

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles in the front of your hip working. You will also feel the side glutes of the standing leg working, as well as the muscles around the foot and ankle.

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t move your pelvis as you lift your leg. Don’t cross the working leg towards midline.

HOW: Loop a strap around your working foot and lay flat on the ground. Pull your heel towards your bottom to improve knee flexion until you hit a comfortable level of resistance. . Hold this position for a few seconds before returning to your starting position. 

 

FEEL: You may feel stretching of the soft tissue across the front of your knee. You may feel the hamstrings/back of the thigh working but this should be minimal as the arms and strap are assisting with the movement. 

 

COMPENSATION: Avoid overexerting the hamstrings