You’ve probably been told to ‘get the negative,’ but how about ‘get the diagonal’? Yep, the diagonal. As in rotation…as in not just straight up and down or backward/forward. As in UNLIKE most traditional exercise (think stationary bicycle, bicep curl, sit-ups….you get the idea). The fact is, your body is actually designed to move on the […]
Seated leg extensions, standing squats, and/or leg presses can all be used to strengthen your quadriceps muscles on the front of your thigh. But is one better than the others? Yes!…and no. In other words, generally squats are more beneficial, but there are a few special exceptions (e.g. rehab of certain knee surgeries where seated […]
Yeah, probably not, but I was still pleasantly surprised to see them give the same analysis of the seated leg extension machine as I did in a recent blog (Quads– Sit or Squat?). It’s the first one on their list of Six Exercise Machines You Should Do Without, all of which are spot on, both […]
We’re all used to thinking about right-handed vs left-handed, but did you know we have a difference in foot preference too? You’re right-footed if you tend to use your right foot to do tasks (e.g. dribble a soccer ball) while standing on your left leg, and vice-versa. A study by Anthony Schneiders et al last […]
Your body’s design is just incredible. (Trust me when I tell you that you’re going to get sick of me saying that…but it’s so true!) There’s so much more to it than most people will ever realize. One of its many interesting quirks is that putting pressure on your heel causes your glutes to contract. […]
In their article here, they lay out 10 recommendations. Here they are and what I have to say about each of them: 1) Do Crunches Everyday- No! Oh boy. I hate being negative right off the bat, but… neither the recommendation nor the reasoning provided are appropriate. Abdominal strength is vital for spine health, BUT […]
In their article here, they lay out 10 recommendations. Here they are and what I have to say about each of them: 1) Do Crunches Everyday- No! Oh boy. I hate being negative right off the bat, but… neither the recommendation nor the reasoning provided are appropriate. Abdominal strength is vital for spine health, BUT […]
It’s not just for walking/running forward! Walking backwards on a treadmill, especially on an incline, really activates your glutes and hamstrings. (Prove it to yourself by holding a couple fingers on your butt or back of your thigh to feel the muscles contract) Those muscles will be working to control the forward momentum of your […]
Kudos to all the runners! Did you know that running barefoot causes less stress on hips, knees, and ankles than wearing running shoes?? (check out relevant article under ‘resources’ page). Not that I recommend running through the streets of Chicago barefoot…you could get something a lot worse than joint stress!
