Through years of inadequate movement, poor training, and various environmental factors, we often loose our "core" and our foundation for functional movement. This leads to degradation of movement patterns and inevitably pain and injury. In Core Stability 1 we will address the fundamental stabilization patterns we developed through infancy to re-build a strong and stable foundation.

Poor activation of the gluteal muscles, commonly and jokingly called gluteal amnesia, is a common dysfunction effecting stability of the knee, hip, pelvis and low back (among other areas). Series 2 represents the beginner to intermediate level gluteal activation exercises.

Running is a skill sport much like soccer, swimming or cross country skiing. Developing the patterns of optimal running form are not simply gained through repetition or mileage but rather, through performing optimal patterns of running and incorporating optimal movement patterns into your training. The Learn to Run - Beginner program will teach you how to incorporate exercises and drills into your running program to improve your running technique and thereby increasing your efficiency and reducing your risk of injury.

Reasons Triathletes under-perform and "overuse" structures of their body:

1) Lack of Mobility- optimal motion in a joint of a series of joints is a requirement for any athlete to perform at their best; This also encompasses the soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) that move and stabilize each joint

2) Lack of Stability- control in the presence of change; Developing stability of a region is essential in order to generate force during any sport specific motion.

3) Lack of Functional Movement ability- all athletes need to be able to move their bodies through a full range of motion while generating force... the essence of "Functional" movement. 

4) Optimal sport specific movement(s)- Optimal technique is critical in any spor and with triathlon especially as three sports need to be performed as efficiently as possible. With optimal technique in each sport less "wasted" motion occurs, fewer compensatory movement need to be performed to get the job done and as a result less fatigue and less chance of injury to tissues that cannot handle the stress.

Create an optimally functioning and moving body now with the Phase 1 Triathlon Program.

Injury prevention and performance enhancement is why any athlete would undertake a strength and conditioning program. With this cycling specific program, Phase 1 in this case, you will find most exercises to be centered around developing optimal mobility, stabiity and functional pattern enhancement of the Spine and Hips, so that while cycling the force is developed from the hip/glutes and the power is generated at the pedals as efficiently and economically as possible. As your body adapts you will be able to gradually add more difficult movements into the routine. However, please refrain from advancing beyond your CURRENT skill level and allow for the body to adapt as slowly or as quickly as it may. Everyone is different... knowing what your body can handle is half of the battle to becoming the athlete you want to be! 

Kate is a High School Track and Cross Country runner who has had a history of minor hip and knee pain associated with intense or longer workouts. She suffers from a lack of hip flexion and external rotation, a lack of hip abductor strength/activation and less than optimal coordination of her core and hip stabilizers which we will address with exercises such as a squat, lunge or rotational movements. She would not be considered "injured" by many standards but our primary emphasis is to make sure she has the "foundation" from which to work/train/race.  

Mrs. H is a senior patient in dire need of mobility, stability and strength. Through an unfortunate series of injuries and therapists who (in my opinion) failed to push her early on in her rehabilitation she has lost and not regained the essential strength needed to move through life with ease. This is phase one of Mrs. H's Movement Preparation Program.