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The SmartBell by ThinkFit is up to some new genius in the applications of resistive strengthening for the fitness, sports training and physical therapy industry. I was originally introduced to the SmartBell in 2007, and have been hooked by the simple and diverse application in my physical therapy office(Bauer Physical Therapy, Laguna Hills). In my practice of have used the SmartBell, a sculpted weight that provides fluid movement, and a variety of grip options, applying this to rehabilitation clients recovering from injury, and returning to activity; in the gym, at home or on the athletic field.
The Genius Applications of SmartBells
This weekend I attended the IDEA Fitness World Convention 2013 in Los Angeles and discussed with David Grove, President and CEO of ThinkFit, some of the new developments that are taking place with The SmartBell by ThinkFit.
The big change is the ability to attach your smartphone to the front of the SmartBell. This will allow you to perform HIIT, listen to your mp3 player, or watch a video of SmartBell specific training videos. There is now a downloadable application to not only watch a video, but create an video. You will also be able to track your caloric expediture.
You can visit ThinkFit and purchase your own SmartBell and begin to discover the creativity that exists when you place one, or two of these in your hand(s).
SmartBells and ProBells
SmartBell Lite (1.5-lb.) SmartBell (5 and 12-lbs) ProBell (ranges from 10 to 72-lbs.)
If you choose to purchase online at http://thinkfit.com use the Coupon Code: RBPT (10% off).
When my staff was first introduced to the SmartBell I was immediately engaged its' versatility and application to the clients I served. I will use the SmartBell on a daily basis for:
Physical Therapy
Physical Therapy & SmartBells
Post-operative back and neck, and spine conditions
Genius Design for Creative Program Design: SmartBell
There are some fun and exciting group activities that add spirit and zen to the SmartBell Training.
Try choreographing music to your group routine.
Partnered dance and fitness routines.
Physical education and dance practice for endurance, flexibility and functional capacity.
Pick your music to set the mood, or energy that you want to create during your individual, partnered, or group training session. Try Brent Lewis from his album Drum Sex
If you have questions regarding the SmartBell, and would like to hear of my first hand applications of its' use in the fitness,sports conditioning and physical therapy setting please contact me through my google plus profile. +Randy Bauer .
You may also contact me to schedule specialized training for your staff and/or fitness trainers.
The squat exercise gets a bad rap in the medical community and blamed as a source of back and knee pain. When incorrect technique is used this may be the case. Youth athletes are engaging in squat regimens with little preparation, technique instruction, or with excessive weight. In this case, injury can be the cause of musculoskeletal injury. This may include vertebral body injury(spondylolisthesis or spondylolytic lesion) or soft tissue injury(muscular strain, disc tear, ligament sprain).
The purpose of the Why and How Behind Your Squat is to provide understanding of safe squat principles that will:
reduce the risk of injury
improve your performance in sports and general daily function
provide an overview of a squat preparation routine
By understanding the Squat you will gain a greater appreciation of the Beauty of the Squat.
Lift with Your Legs and Not Your Back
From the time I was a kid I was instructed to "lift with my legs". It was my Dad that provided this biomechanical advice when performing some lifting chore around the house, or lifting weights in the garage. This advice I pass on to my clients in my physical therapy clinic (Bauer Physical Therapy, Laguna Hills), as poor lifting mechanics are not only important for the athletic, but is important for efficient lifting at work and home. The Squat Mechanic is essential for proper lifting whether this is a heavy object, sustaining a squat position, or just bending to pick a piece of paper from the floor. Squatting is an innate function of humans. Somewhere along our evolutionary path we have neglected our ability to squat correctly.
A Few Reasons that May Explain the Lack of Squat
There is a decrease in the physical demands of our work.There is less required lifting and sustained bending in our work.
Our work and home postures demand more sitting. These postures are often associated with flexed back positioning.
Squatting is just not part of the social norm in western civilization. We do not spend time in sustained squat postures unless we are working in the yard, catching behind the plate, or possibly relieving yourself in the wild.
Do You Know Squat?
The performance of a squat is essential to normal daily function. We must squat to lift objects from the floor, squat to and from a low seated position, and well, if you are an infant you squat to play. The ability to squat, and do so with proper technique, must be taken seriously. Youngsters must be instructed in physical education classes on the proper technique of the squat. What good is it to test the ability to reach your toes. I can tell you that I am unable to reach my toes, but I do have decent squat technique.
The Capacity to Squat
The inability to squat as we age is the sign of functional loss and dependency. As the body ages joint mobility and muscular strength decrease at a faster rate in those that that do not engage in moderate physical activity. The result is stasis of the large muscles that stimulate the cardiovascular system(elevate heart rate and provide oxygenated blood to the large muscles). This promotes deconditioning, progressive loss of function, and dependency at home and in the community. This is a cause of the cascading events that lead to the decline of health and disease(diabetes, chronic pain, cardiovascular disease). Without argument, the capacity to squat can help combat an your functional and health decline.
Squats and Athletic Performance
Squat Test for Mobility
The squat is a primary element of all athletic strength development and performance programs. Engaging muscles responsible for strength and power is an element of most sports for success in performance outcome and injury prevention. Excessive knee valgus has been shown to be related to diminished hip muscle strength and implicated as a contributor to knee injuries, including ACL injury and patellofemoral joint dysfunction. Developing strength of the hips in knees with the back squat exercise promotes power for speed, jumping, change of direction, deceleration, and promotes the readiness posture of the "athletic position". The popularity of plyometric training requires development of the squat muscles used in the jumping and landing phase of vertical and horizontal body displacement, as well as bounding type drills. Research has demonstrated that an individual should be able to squat 1.5 times body weight prior to engaging in a plyometric-based program to reduce the risk of injury.
There are many young athletes that are ill prepared for plyometric drills, and this leads to knee, hip and back injuries as a result. Randy Bauer, Physical Therapist
The squat is a closed kinetic chain exercise that involves multiple joints moving together to achieve proper form. Proper form requires varied joints moving together to achieve maximum benefit of the exercise. When performing the back squat exercise the posterior muscles of the hips(gluteus maximus) and quadraceps muscles are the primary movers. There are stabilizers acting to provide coordinated movement. These are stabilizers act at the trunk, back muscles and abdominal muscles, and at the hip, adductors and abductors(gluteus medius).
Poor Squat Mechanics Increases Risk of Injury
Poor squat mechanics can be the result of weakness and/or restricted joint mobility and tight muscles that influence back, hip, knee and ankle action. Weakness of the posterolateral hip muscles(glut medius and maximus) can result in unwanted hip adduction that creates excessive valgus stress at the knee. This can result in increased loads over the patellofemoral joint.
Another cause of excessive loading of the anterior knee is seen when the knees passing over the toes during the lowering, or eccentric component of the squat movement. In this case the ground reaction forces would pass more posterior to the knee joint. This results in increased demands of the knee extensors and decreased demands of hip extensors(less glut maximus activity). This imbalance of can place excessive loading over the anterior knee (patello-femoral joint).
Excess Knee Valgus
Excessive forward lean of the trunk can have a negative effect on the hip joints. Poor hip flexibility when sitting back into the lowering phase of the squat can create hip impingement, labral tears and can lend to loss of lumbar neutral spine positioning. Incorrect lifting mechanics and poor preparation are a leading cause of low back injury
Squat Preparation Routine
Performing a Squat Preparation Routine can be useful as a warm-up, instruction of proper mechanics and reduction of risk for sustaining injury. All too frequently the athlete or individual engaging in squats jumps right into the activity without proper preparation. It is recommended that engaging in a pre-workout stretching and prep phase to your leg strengthening routine be included prior to variations of squats, dead lifts, lunges, and power cleans, and plyometric training.
Warm-up
Stationary Bike or light jog 10-15 minutes
Isolated Stretching
Performed to increase the general mobility of the muscles that cross the back, hips, knees and ankles.
Wall Squat Test: The goal of this exercise is to maintain balance with the forehead, and in some cases the nose, knees and toes in contact with the wall. The feet are positioned shoulder width apart, and the knees are directed toward the 2nd and 3rd toe as you squat. The hands are allowed to lightly touch the wall. Notice the spine and shin angle remain parallel. It is the goal to descend to knee level, butt to the horizontal line, without loosing balance. Measuring the thigh to horizontal line angle is Your Objective Measure.
Wall Squat Test
Assisted Squat Stretch: The assisted squat stretch provides a warm-up, stretch mobility activity using a deep squat position. Grasping a pole, or fixed object while standing at your belly level provides stability while you descend into a squat stretch. This will bring the arms to approximately horizontal. It is important to maintain a lordotic to neutral position. In this deep stretch the hips, knees and ankle are allowed to experience squat mobility prior to engaging in your squat, or leg routine.
Assisted Squat Stretch
Lunge Stretch: The lunge stretch provides good endrange motion of hip flexion and extension. The hands are placed inside the front foot. The front knee should be directed toward the same-side shoulder. The back leg is maintained in extension(straight). Hold the position 20-30 secs for 2 reps each side.
Lunge Stretch
Squat with Butt Lift: The squat with butt lift is a dynamic squat movement followed by a hip, or butt lift, movement. Perform by squatting bringing the finger tips to the floor, or a 8 to 10-inch stool/step. Maintaining the lumbar spine in a neutral to slightly lordotic position. You will then lift the hips while maintaining the back in this position until you feel a light to moderate hamstring stretch(For most people you will not be able to fully extend the knees). You then come to a standing position as if performing a reverse dead lift. Repeat this movement 10 times.
There is Beauty to the Squat when performed with sound technique. The Why Behind the Squat may vary according to your fitness or athletic pursuits. The ability to squat remains a foundation to functional ability whether you are lifting furniture or moving boxes in your garage. Just remember that not using your legs and paying attention to proper back positioning and knee alignment can lead to injury.
The How Behind the Squat requires practicing solid technique. If you are new to the squat seek the watchful eye a your physical therapist, sports conditioning trainer or coach. Preparing the joints and muscles to perform a training program must include a proper warm-up and squat preparation routine. The squat is one of the most important exercises for performance on the field or for your fitness development.
Strengthening the Serratus Anterior to Prevent Winging
The Serratus Anterior is that forgotten muscle of the scapulothoracic region. It provides a function of stability and dynamic movement required fornormal scapulohumeral rhythm.
When weakened through postural dys-use or injury to the long thoracic nerve it can cause a winging of the scapula. This can be noted with pressing the hands with extended positioning of the elbows into a wall at shoulder height.
Performing squats requires normal mobility of the hips, knees and ankles. At all times attention to neutral lumbar positioning promotes proper squat mechanics that are essential to the addition of increased loading during your workout.
Assisted Squat Stretch
The Squat with Butt Lift
The Squat with Butt Lift provides a great dynamic warm-up to the hips, knees and ankles. The butt lift aspect promotes hamstring stretching in a dynamic lengthening stretch. Be sure to maintain neutral lumbar positioning by avoiding flexion, or rounding of the lumbar spine.
The Assisted Squat Stretch
An Assisted Squat Stretch provides controlled movement to emphasize joint mobility of the hips, knees, ankles. Attention is given to maintaining good spinal posture - maintaining a lordotic lumbar curve. Perform prior to squat training for a dynamic warm-up to your training program.
Stretching is a matter that requires understanding what limits body movement, and how mobility is required for the fitness or sports performance. There are many misconceptions of the benefits of stretching, and how much flexibility is required. The application of a stretching program must take into consideration the individual needs of the individual, and the sport specific demands of movement and how this maximizes the health and performance in this activity.
Stretching the Limits
You are not stretching to be the next gymnast, nor do you need to keep up with the person in front of you in your Yoga class. Stretching is about mobility. This allows muscles to move, and therefore, joints to move. You can be too flexible, or hypermobile, and if not balanced with stability of the joints, and muscle strength, injury can be sustained. I have encountered many individuals that can palm their hands to the floor, but also need spinal fusion.
An understanding of muscle anatomy, physiology and biomechanics is required to better provide an individualized program. For example, it is important to know if the muscle you are "stretching" crosses one joint, or two.
A muscle can be limited by overuse of some movement, or position of a muscle. This can create hypertonicity, or excitability, of that muscle that will then limit movement when this muscle is placed on stretch, or elongated. For example, muscles that are chronically shortened, such as the hamstrings during prolonged sitting, become tight. It should be noted that those muscles that are chronically lengthened, maybe due to postural positioning such the rounded shoulder blades in sitting, can become weak, or susceptible to fatigue. This can be the cause of back and neck pain.
If there are muscles groups that tight on one side of the body, you can count on having tightness on the other side of the body. You will often find that if the hip flexors are tight, the low back extensors will also be tight.
Stretching can reduce the risk of injury
Stretching has not been shown to be effective at reducing the incidence of overall injuries.(1) While there is some evidence of stretching reducing musculotendinous injuries,(1)more evidence is needed to determine if stretching programs alone can reduce muscular injuries.(2)
Stretching can increase joint extensibility where there is actual change in joint range of motion related to increased muscle length.
Stretching can also increase tolerance to stretch. In this case muscle length may actually stay the same, but a greater tolerance to muscle force is gained.
Stretching can create increased muscle length
Static, or sustained hold Stretching is most beneficial when held for 15-30 seconds.
Stretching must be performed daily to maximize the benefit
To increase the extensibility of a muscle a daily regimen of stretching must be used.
This statement is only generally true. It can be generally applied to runners and jumpers that engage the muscles in that require more force, and where overall endrange movement may not be required. Getting the muscles warm, and ready for activity is the goal.
In sports where flexibility, like gymnastics and dancing, the use of static stretching can have more of an impact on joint and muscle extensibility. These athletes will engage in daily stretching routines that prepare the joints and musculotendinous structures for endrange, body postures and positions vital to the sport.
Stretching alone does not prepare for the exercise, or activity
Warming the muscle with light movement of the joints(dynamic warm-up) or running prepares the body for exercise and sports activities.
Stretching statically requires prolonged holds with low level pain
Over stretching, or stretching to the point of increased pain beyond mild will cause the muscle to contract, protecting the muscle. This is counterproductive.
Stretching does not have to Hurt
Stretching muscles with rotation creates more elongation of the muscle
All muscles provide some rotational component of movement to the extremity. This is based on the orientation of origin and insertion of the muscle ends. When the muscle contracts it creates some multi-planar movement of the joint. For example, when the medial hamstrings contract creates medial rotation of lower leg. To stretch the medial hamstring there must be some lateral(external rotation) of the leg as the straight leg is pulled back.
There is a reason for pain. Work, Exercise and Athletic Performance requires being acquainted with, and a frequent Companion with Pain. You best be listening to it, and the message it is sending.
The continued work of a fatigued muscle can result in pain. You keep working any body on overtime, and you do not give them a break, they will soon complain - they may actually shout.
Some body parts are just more susceptible to pain. Tendons of the rotator cuff, extensor and flexor elbow, patellar and achilles tendon, are problem areas. Now you add the factor of age, no rest, and poor mechanics, and Houston, We Have a Problem. You must listen, and learn from your pain. This means paying attention to what causes pain, but what relieves your pain.
“Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.” – Khalil Gibran
Life is Movement and Rest. There must be a balance of work:rest.You exercise, and You Recover. If there is not a balance, the energy systems and connective tissues will begin to fail. This is where fatigue, injury, and the cascade of degenerative change occurs in the body.
The take home message is listen to your body. Pain has a purpose. It is the body's way of telling you that something is out of balance, needs rest, and healing. So give yourself a break, if not a holiday, from the routine.
"Rest is when the efforts of your work manifest gain." - Randy Bauer
Keep Your Chin-Up if You are Unable to Chin a bar.
Keep Your Chin Up
The Chin-up exercise is a great indicator of overall upper body strength, and used extensively as a measure of upper body strength in a variety of Fitness Tests(Ex.). If you are trying to improve your upper body strength, using the chin-up, or pull-up exercise, is a valuable part of any strength training regimen. But, what if you cannot do a chin-up. Well, keep your chin-up and use this as a motivator to increase your upper body strength. After a while you will be able to test yourself by getting your chin over the bar, not just once, but repetitively.
What muscles do I have to work to get stronger at the chin-up/pull-up?
The upper body muscles used to perform the chin-up include large muscles of the back, shoulder and arms. There is also great emphasis of the abdominal muscles providing stability.
The chin-up exercise is performed with the hands facing you (supinated grip), and a pull-up is performed with the back of hands facing you (pronated grip).
Pull-Up Muscles
Primary Muscles Used:
Latissimus dorsi
Mid and Low trapezius
Pectoralis Major and Minor
Bicep brachii
Secondary Muscles Used:
Teres Major
Triceps
Rhomboids
Erector spinae
Rotator Cuff
Abdominals
The average muscle activation values were as follows: latissimus dorsi (117-130%), biceps brachii (78-96%), infraspinatus (71-79%), lower trapezius (45-56%), pectoralis major (44-57%), erector spinae (39-41%), and external oblique (31-35%). The pectoralis major and biceps brachii had a significantly higher EMG activation when performing the chin-up when compared to the pull-up, however the lower trapezius was more active during the pull-up. The general pattern of activation suggests that pull-ups and chin-ups were initiated by the lower trapezius and pectoralis major and completed with biceps brachii and latissimus dorsi recruitment. This study highlighted that the latissimus dorsi, biceps brachii, lower trapezius, pectoralis major are the main muscles activated when performing pull-ups and chin-ups.
**Special Note: Mr. Youdas was an influential mentor of mine while a student of Physical Therapy at Mayo Clinic. He continues to be enthusiastic on the biomechanics of exercise.
How can I do 10 Chin-Ups if I can only do a few now.
Keep your chin-up. Consider, if anything is easy then you will only have to make it more challenging. Strength development is all about defining areas of you body that need work. Maybe there are areas of your body that are under developed due to lifestyle, or work and sport activities. Consider a Gymnast. The gymnastic athlete requires the constant ability to chin up to a bar or rings as a part of their routine. The ability to advance from a few reps of a chin-up to 10, or multiple sets, will take some dedicated hard work, sweat, and discipline to push yourself, or pull yourself if you will, focusing on each rep along the way.
Check out the video below on Tips to Improve Your Pull-Up Ability.
Once you are able to do 10 reps of a pull/chin up try to shoot for performing multiple set of 50% of your max repetitions.
Example: If you are able to do 12 reps max, then perform 6 reps of the exercise, rest 20-30 seconds and perform a second set. Continue this until you are unable to perform 6 reps. Once you are able to peform 5 sets of 6 reps(30 total reps) perform a new one set max(How many pull/chin ups can you perform without rest?).
This will establish your new max reps for pull/chin ups. You can then re-set your workout. You can also vary this test by seeing how many reps you can do in a time limit. This can be anywhere from 1 to 2 minutes.
This continued test-workout-retest will keep you moving forward, motivated and goal oriented.
What exercises will make performing a Chin-Up easier.
Exercises that compliment improvement of the chin-up, or pull-up, are isolating those muscles that are engaged during the movement. When performing the chin-up movement there are specific Actions, namely scapular adduction, shoulder extension and adduction, bicep flexion and flexion of the wrist and fingers to grasp the bar.
Performing machine-based and isotonic free weight exercise incorporating these specific muscle actions will support strength gains that will improve your chin/pull up.
Seated pulldowns with varied grip
Pectoral Strength
Bench Press and Flys at varied angles
Seated or standing mid rows
Kneeling pulldowns
Bent-over Flys
Performing high rows with towels for increased grip strength
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