Assess, Move and Train Your Way to Becoming Pain-Free
By Shawn Manning, RKC
I have been in all sorts of athletic activities since I was seven years old; soccer, swimming, volleyball, gymnastics, hiking and surfing just to name a few. Through the years of pounding, falling and getting knocked around by competitors, I slowly developed aches and pains that I assumed would be with me forever. It was hard to imagine at age twenty-seven that I would be waking up to excruciating back pain for the rest of my life. To make matters worse, in 2006 I had my first child and breastfed in an uncomfortable chair that hunched me over for hours a day. Every time I got up from this position, it would take me at least ten minutes to stand up straight again. It wasn’t until I discovered kettlebells and Z-Health in 2007 that I managed to bring life back into my joints and regain a body that not only looked strong but also felt healthy.
If you train in any sport or sit at a desk all day, Z-Health should be a part of your daily routine. It has been so valuable to my body’s return to being pain-free that I cannot imagine training without it. Z-Health is a system that combines kinesiology, neuroscience and applied physiology to reintroduce your brain to your body. As we do at the beginning of every HeadSTRONG Athletics class, you reprogram your coordination, agility and movement efficiency with dynamic joint mobility exercises. “Specific joint movements are one of the best ways to communicate with the CNS (Central Nervous System). The reason for this is that the joints have a very high concentration of nerve endings surrounding them that provide direct feedback to your CNS. This feedback tells your body where it is in space, how fast it is moving and what movements are “safe”. By re-training and “waking up” these nerve endings through specific joint mobility drills, you can help your body get out of pain and learn how to perform at your true genetic potential” (Z-Health website).
Typical benefits of Z-Health are:
· Improved Strength: Lift more weight with less strain
· Improved Athletic Ability: Generate more power and coordinated movement
· Diminished Joint Pain: Wake up without having to take a hot shower to stand up straight
· Improved Posture: Realign your body
Many people eliminate pain and break through limitations almost instantly. Personally, I saw my shoulder mobility increase in less than a week and can now perform a deep squat comfortably.
Although Z-Health is a crucial tool, it has a brilliant partner…kettlebells. These two complement each other so well, that the Russian Kettlebell Challenge Certification has teamed up with Z-Health to educate its instructors. As soon as I started a program that included kettlebell swings and Z-Health, my lower back pain was virtually gone. The swing is the ultimate exercise to promote back extensor endurance, strong glutes and stretched hip flexors, all of which contribute to a mobile and resilient lower lumbar. Dr. Stuart McGill, PhD, the number-one spine biomechanist in the world, concluded, “while lower back strength surprisingly does not appear to reduce the odds of back problems, muscular endurance does” (Luoto et. Al, 1995).
The kettlebell is my first choice for strength and conditioning. It is portable, efficient and the most fun piece of equipment I have ever used. If you are not already training with the kettlebell, I highly suggest you find a Certified Russian Kettlebell Instructor to teach you how to integrate it into your training.
The last part of the pain-free equation that I would like to discuss is the Functional Movement Screen. This is a system that was developed by Grey Cook, Physical Therapist and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I had the opportunity to learn this program with my fellow RKCs in Minnesota in August 2008 and it has by far been the best assessment protocol I have seen to identify range of motion limitations and right/left asymmetries in the body. These limitations and imbalances are what cause serious injuries by creating faulty movement patterns and robbing the body of efficiency.
The FMS consists of seven different movement pattern screens that take about 10-15 minutes to perform. The testing was originally designed for athletes in order to prevent participants from being benched due to injury. As a matter of fact, Grey Cook has actually implemented the screens and corrective programs with all NFL teams, many professional golfers, and other major athletes with great success. When the top athletes in the world are using the system, maybe the rest of us should listen.
At HeadSTRONG Athletics, I am hardheaded about making the workouts physically challenging as well as therapeutic. It would be my recommendation that everyone takes advantage of the FMS and sets up an appointment for screening. You will receive a full assessment and an exercise and stretching prescription specific to your scores. Start on your path to pain-free days. Learn, practice and benefit from Z Health, kettlebells and Functional Movement Screening today by contacting HeadSTRONG Athletics at 910-231-5011 or visit our website at www.headstrongathletics.blogspot.com.
Shawn sitting comfortably in a deep squat position:
Call 910.231.5011 or email shawn@headstrongathletics.com for more information on our group kettlebell classes and personal training.
