Are you one of the dedicated few who always show up to class early to do mobility work?
If so, congratulations! It's no surprise that you are one of your gym's top athletes because of all the extra work you put in to keep healthy and move well.

But have you ever asked yourself WHY you need to spend an extra 30+ minutes before
every single class?

How come you don't seem to keep; that mobility that you've earned through hours and hours of stretching, foam rolling and trigger-point releases?
It's a constant tug-of- war battle, going back and forth. If there was a way to save that time
and have full mobility straight away, would you be interested?

Read on.

Fact: Your brain will do whatever it can to protect itself

There have been stories of soldiers in war who have been stabbed in the torso, but are
completely oblivious to it because they are running away from deadly gunfire. This is
because the brain knows that gunfire is a more immediate and dangerous threat - the pain
from the stab wound pales in comparison to death

So if you have too much mobility without being strong enough to control it, your brain will stop you from moving too far.  It';s smart enough to prevent you from excessive flexibility because it realises the danger of being hypermobile, floppy and weak. In other words, you will become tight again!

So the solution to your constant mobility problem is... you need more STABILITY.  Instead of stretching your muscles and joints to their limit, they actually need to be strengthened in that end-range.

If we're talking about shoulder mobility, instead of doing a Lats stretch into shoulder hyper-
flexion (mobility drill), try doing some Band-Assisted Lift-offs (stability drill).

These are deceivingly hard to do...

Try a set of 10 and hold the top position for 3-5 seconds 

If you struggle with this, how can you safely hold a heavy barbell over your head when you
do overhead presses or snatches?

The same principle is true for the other areas of your body (tight hip flexors, anyone?)
So before you stretch/foam roll/trigger ball/smash/barbell EVERYTHING, ask yourself WHY am I so tight all the time?
​
It could save you a lot of time and frustration and get you closer to your fitness goals.

​Liked this content? Follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

About the Author:
Lawrence Khuu is a qualified Physiotherapist and Movement Specialist. His mission is to help motivated clients perform at their highest level through a combined hands-on treatment and exercise rehabilitation approach. He currently treats clients at Activ Therapy Casula.

Most people's warm up routine consists of a few random stretches of the calves, hamstrings, lower back and a few other key problem areas that they might have
 
They might do a slow jog or some star jumps to get the body warm and the blood flowing
 
But is this an effective warm up? Is this actually allowing you to perform better during your workouts?
 
Have a read of this short article and decide how effective your warm up routine is.

One big mistake with warm up routines that I see are that people focus too much on static stretching - an example of this is lazily holding a hamstring stretch for 1-2 minutes. Although this type of stretching before workouts can temporarily increase flexibility, it also decreases strength and power output which is not ideal for any activities that require your muscles to contract.
 
If you are looking to improve performance, you should instead be focusing on dynamic stretching. The difference here is that you are actually engaging your brain and muscles through repeated and quick movements.
 
Below is an example of dynamic stretching for the hamstrings and posterior leg muscles

A runner should feel great when he or she is running on the spot and doing a few stairs, just like someone who squats heavy loads should be easily able to do some light squats.
 
So after getting some more range of motion, we need to prepare the muscles to contract!
 
Missing this important step can lead to feelings of "sluggishness" and might even lead to increased risk of injury... most people can't go from 0 to 100 safely and consistently without a good warm up
 
One of our favourites for lower body activation is the slow reverse-lunge. Try a few each side for 3-5 sets. Your goal is to keep your weight on your front leg and maintain full control on the way down.

​The final point I will touch on in terms of warm ups is to consider what you actually have to do during your workout. Are you trying to prepare your muscles to lift heavy weights (strength/power training), to produce lots of force quickly (such as sprinting), and in what range of motion?
 
Also consider the requirements of a runner versus a powerlifter during their sport - completely different, right? These two groups of people surely cannot have the same warm up routine if they want to perform at their best
 
These factors will determine what movement drills are most appropriate for you as you prepare for your workout
 
For runners, you should include some plyometric work such as box jumps or skipping in order to prepare your body to rapidly accept and produce force through your lower body.
 
If you're a powerlifter, your warm up should include some light squats which are focused on moving the bar as quickly as possible. This can include banded squats/deadlifts or box squats at <50% of your max.
 
I hope this challenged your thinking a little bit as you tweak your warm-up routine and perform better.

​If you liked this content and would like to find out more, follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

About the Author:
Lawrence Khuu is a qualified Physiotherapist and Movement Specialist. His mission is to help motivated clients perform at their highest level through a combined hands-on treatment and exercise rehabilitation approach. He currently treats clients at Activ Therapy Casula.

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If you have ever had jaw pain, you will know how uncomfortable it is,  A pain that stops you from eating anything that isnt blended isn't much fun.  Having temporo-mandibular pain (jaw pain) stops you from doing anything that requires opening of the mouth and even small movements can cause clicking and locking in the jaw.

The temporo-mandibular joint (or TMJ) is made up of 2 bones with round surfaces (the mandible and temporal) with a disc in between that allows the glide and movement so you can yawn, eat, chew and talk.

This way this joint can get messed up in a number of ways including, bad teeth, grinding habits, poor bite patterns and neck issues that might relate to posture.  With all that we now we have a very angry disc. 

There are a number of different signs and each person will be a little different but the main things you will notice if you have temporo-mandibular pain are:

• Shifting, clicking, clunking or locking of the jaw
• Pain localised in the jaw joint or diffuse pain around the side of the head or neck
• Mouth feels tight when opening or unable to open fully
• Headache around the temples or side of head
• Jaw doesn’t appear midline / asymmetry to the jaw 

The differnt types really boil down to 3.

• Myogenic or muscle related, when there is weakness, tightness or there is poor muscle control of the jaw muscles. When there is tightness the jaw will get pulled towards that side. When there is weakness or poor coordination the jaw won’t open and close like it should.
• Discogenic or disc related, when the disc does not glide normally when opening or closing the mouth. The disc can shift out of place “sublux” or dislocate causing locking issues. In other words it feels like the disc rides over a speed hump when opening or closing the mouth creating a click or clunk.
• Growth issue: where there are uneven jaw growth issues or trauma to the jaw

the first step in treating it is identifying and addressing the factors above.  After that treatment can include a number techniques to assist the mucle and joint function:

• Functional massage of the jaw muscles: temporalis, masseter, lateral and medial pterygoids
• Correction of neck posture
• Trigger point release techniques
• Manual therapy techniques: joint traction, compression
• Motor control training
• Western acupuncture to relax the tight muscles
• Corrective exercise for imbalanced / dysfunctional jaw muscles
• Self – massage techniques: I can teach you how to massage the muscles of the jaw; intra-oral (some of the muscles of the jaw are accessed within the mouth) and extra-oral

Typically with treatment you should get less pain or improved opening and closing ability from the first session. Sometimes it will be a good idea to see your dentist to see if there are dental reasons for the pain.

​So you have some knee issues after exercising or maybe a lot of walking during work
 
It can feel like general tightness around the kneecap or aching and burning underneath it
 
It's usually there for most of the day, gradually getting worse as the day progresses.
 
You've seen your GP... rest and Voltaren tablets is what he offers you. You try and persist in doing your exercise sessions but the pain is just too great!
 
What you need to do is rehabilitate the knee and improve your walking and running biomechanics

Using a foam roller or massage stick, gently massage the lower portion of your quad muscles (just above the kneecap)
 
These strong muscles can pull hard on your shin if they are overworking and cause increased forces on your anterior knee structures, making them hot, puffy and inflamed.
 
Spending even 1-2 minutes massaging these muscles can make a big difference to how your knee feels
 
They can be VERY tender so be careful with how much pressure you use!

​If you've read my previous blog posts, you'll know that the knee is primarily a hinge joint (it goes forward and back only) and the hips/feet largely influence how it moves
 
So it makes sense to ensure that these surrounding joints are strong and capable enough to control the knee, right?
 
There's a lot more to it but one of the most common deficits we see with our clients suffering from knee pain is a lack of lateral hip stability... this forces the poor knee into a compromised position
 
One of the easiest ways to restore lateral hip stability is with the super-popular Clamshell exercise
 
It's a really effective way to activate the outside part of your glutes so that they can offer more support and stability to the knee. Start with a towel between the thighs with no resistance, and gradually progress if you are able to perform over 15 repetitions easily.

​Your contact with the ground is through your feet (obviously)... so why don't many people pay attention to them when addressing running-related knee pain?
 
Through the gait cycle, your feet has to be able to land in supination, control pronation, and re-supinate in order to effectively absorb shock and create propulsion
 
Using orthotics or shoes that BLOCK pronation is not the answer
 
You need to be strong enough to CONTROL pronation if you want to be an effective runner
 
A simple drill to restore pronation control can be performed by standing on one leg while holding onto the wall for balance
 
Make sure this movement is coming from your ankle/foot, not your knees or hips.
 
Slowly allow the inner arch to drop while remaining in control at all times, then proceed to lift it back up. Play within the “safe range” – can you control this easily throughout the wrong range on one foot?

Try these before your next run... I'm sure your knees will thank you for it
 
If you liked this content and would like to find out more, follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

About the Author:
Lawrence Khuu is a qualified Physiotherapist and Movement Specialist. His mission is to help motivated clients perform at their highest level through a combined hands-on treatment and exercise rehabilitation approach. He currently treats clients at Activ Therapy Casula.

​Everyone runs or walks each day... So we MUST be good at it right?
 
Wrong.
 
Doing something for many repetitions doesn't necessarily mean we are skilled at it ESPECIALLY if we are doing it incorrectly
 
For example, if you're running with poor technique over many kilometres, this will reinforce your movement habits.
 
So you're going to be really good at running with poor technique
 
Let's look at a few common examples of why some runners develop injuries:

When running, the most efficient place to land with each step is straight under your centre of mass (usually right below your hips).
 
Anything further in front of this will actually apply a braking force to your body, using up more energy and transmitting more force through your body
 
This is what runners will call "overstriding"
 
A few thousand steps of overstriding is no big deal for most people... they probably won't even notice. But what if you're running upwards of 20km/week and you're overstriding each and every step? Your body isn't going to be too pleased.
 
Have a look at your running from the side - where does your foot land in relation to your hip?
 
If you have this problem, try and focus on increasing your step rate (cadence) which will make it less likely to overstride

​Uncontrolled knee movement on the landing/stance phase of running is a big contributor to running injuries
 
The knee is primarily a hinge joint - it has a small amount of rotation to it, but it's main movement is straight forward and back (like kicking a soccer ball)... it is NOT designed to move side-to-side or to twist inwards or outwards
 
Rather, the hip and foot (surrounding joints) are much better equipped to do this
 
To check out what your hip is doing and if it functions well enough to control your knee, hop on the spot - is the knee motion controlled in line with the ankle, or is it not being controlled well?
 
If you have an unstable knee and add speed/load/fatigue/respiratory demand, can you figure out what happens next?
 
So if you see a runner with knees that move sidewards or twist excessively, then they most likely will run into some problems down the track

​This won't sit well with most podiatrists:
 
I HATE orthotics (when prescribed on their own)
 
Your foot is designed to CONTROL pronation and supination which is what most orthotics tend to block
 
The many muscles in the foot function to absorb shock when running, converting it to elastic energy to propel your body forwards, like springs in a car.
 
Add a physical block (orthotics) and those springs disappear
 
That shock absorption and propulsion disappears and your foot becomes weak and dysfunctional
 
Your super-cushioned, medial-arch supporting, expensive anti-pronation shoes might help you run further for a while, but your foot muscles are still WEAK
 
Just like wearing an ankle brace after a sprain... if you don't rehab it properly, your ankle will still be dysfunctional no matter how many bandages you put around it.
 
So what can you do about it?
 
Strengthen your feet and restore its FUNCTION!
 
If you can't control your foot in a sitting/standing position, can you imagine trying to control your foot when you run and put over 4x your body weight on it through THOUSANDS of reps per run?
 
Lift up all your toes - can you feel your arch lift up as well?
 
Most people DO NOT have a flat foot; rather they have a foot that flattens due to weak intrinsic foot muscles

​So which of these do you need to work on the most?
 
If you liked this content and would like to find out more, follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

​Maybe you're new to exercise and want to join your friends at the gym,
 
Or are you just coming back to it after taking some time off?
 
Whatever your situation, exercise is well known to have many health benefits including weight management, improved insulin sensitivity, elevated mood and increased resistance to cardiovascular disease.
 
It is ESSENTIAL for keeping healthy!
 
But before you start, here are a few things to consider so that you can get the most out of your training:

​Before embarking on a mission to improve your health, you need to set some goals.
 
Ask yourself: WHY am I doing this?
 
It's important to have a clear idea and focus on making this goal as specific and personal as possible. Compare the following for example:

• Losing 5kg in the next 3 months
• Losing 5kg of fat in the next 3 months in order to feel more energetic and happy, and to set the best example for my kids.

 
Which of these will resonate more with you when you don't feel motivated to go and exercise?
 
Take some time to really understand the real reason you have decided to start exercising. For some people, starting is the easy part - continuing through with it can prove to be the most difficult challenge...
 
And that's when you remind yourself what's at stake
 
Without setting your intentions, how do you know if your exercise program is effective or not?

Great! So you have set your goals. Now how are you going to achieve them?
 
This is where consulting with a good personal trainer can help you out
 
If your intention is to lose weight, you are (generally speaking) going to be doing more cardio than someone whose goal is to put on some size
 
What type of cardio do you like? Do you prefer running outside or on a treadmill? Or do you enjoy spending time on the crosstrainer? Perhaps you enjoy lifting weights, or doing circuit classes as a group? 
 
Whatever it is (and there is no wrong answer) you need to set a plan of action
 
For most people, your program will look something like this:

• 3-5 days of exercise per week
• Each session lasts between 45-60 minutes
• 2-3 sessions of cardio, and 1-2 sessions of weight training

Is your technique faultless or do you need some help to improve it?
 
Do you need help with the machines at the gym, or advice on the best way to train a certain body part?
 
... Do you know what you're doing?
 
This really important if you are to exercise for a long time!
 
There is NO SHAME in asking for help... the alternative is that you end up hurting yourself because of poor technique which can eventually lead to a a visit to your local Physio or Doctor
 
Save your time and frustration and do something about your technique before starting
 
A quick movement screen that we use in our clinic are:

1. Single leg balance
2. Overhead deep squat
3. Lunge

 
If you are struggling with any of these basic movements, can you think of how that will impact your training?
 
If you're new to lifting weights, we have a few guides for the most popular movements you will do at the gym. Here's one for the deadlift.(http://www.activtherapy.com.au/blog/4-steps-for-a-ground-shaking-deadlift)

Last but not least - be accountable to yourself
 
This means being consistent with your training routine and not missing sessions for crappy reasons
 
Some of the most common crappy reasons are:

• "I'm tired"
• "I don't feel like it"
• "I'm too lazy"
• "My friend isn't going so I won't go"
• "I'm tired"

 
It's harder than it sounds... that's why Step #1 is so important
 
One way to help you stay motivated is the Seinfeld Method
 
The rules are simple:

• Each time you exercise/eat well/etc., you cross out the date.
• See how many crosses you can get in a row
• DON'T BREAK THE CHAIN!

Hopefully these tips helped you out in making your exercise journey more successful, and a big Congratulations for making the effort to invest in yourself and your health!
 
If you liked this content and would like to find out more, follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

The squat is performed all over the world in gyms and off couches.

They are many variations: back squat, front squat, overhead squat, Goblet squat, box squat, safety bar squat and sumo squat to name a few. It's an awesome test of strength, control and flexibility.

There is a LOT of information out there about "the perfect squat" and what it should look like. 

This article will discuss why some of this information is FALSE and what YOU can do to make your squat better

MYTH #1 - Feet Forwards "Feet forwards" might be a good cue for some people but definitely not the majority. Most people will be comfortable squatting with their feet turned out 20-30 degrees.

Although feet forward will reduce the incidence of a foot collapse, it will also increase the incidence of excessive foot supination too much pressure on the outside of the foot

Turning out 20-30 degrees will allow the foot to be planted in neutral where it's most powerful It also improves hip positioning, allowing for better depth and reducing the incidence of pinching hips.

Don't believe me? Try it out for yourself.

​With our athletic clients, we use a simple "Hip Scour" to find the best position for the hip to be in during the squat. To perform this, lie on your back and flex one hip to your chest.

Begin to "scour" or circle the hip to find the position which is most comfortable (usually gives you most hip flexion range). This gives you an idea of the best squat width and foot position for YOUR body - it's not going to be the same for everyone! Pop on up and test your squat with the new stance

MYTH #2 - Knees Behind Toes The concern for forward translation of the knee is that it will give you knee pain. It's true that with increased knee-bending, knee joint and ACL stresses also increase. But it's important to consider the role of the hamstrings and posterior thigh during knee flexion.

These important group of muscles act to pull backwards on the shin and "balance" out the forces on the knee. If you initiate the squat with your knees bending first, you are likely not to be using your posterior thigh muscles to their potential... this will increase the pressure on your knee joints

If you initiate the squat with your hips, this will balance out the forces around your knee joint by loading your glutes and hamstrings first. Maybe that's why the best squatters have big butts?

It's impossible to keep your knees behind your toes for a full-depth squat without compensating in one way or another - common examples are going up on your toes, or by leaning your body forwards excessively.

Think about it: knees behind toes means your bodyweight is going backwards... so either you fall over on your butt, or you lean forwards a lot (or reach arms forward) to stay balanced.

For some of our clients, simply allowing them to let their knees go in front of their toes slightly improves their squat dramatically.

​Check out this remarkable image below - it explains everything:

MYTH #3 - Knees Out! Last but not least, "knees out" is a common cue that we hear everyday at the gym.

Its intention is to prevent the knee from collapsing inwards during the squat which increases stress on the medial aspect of the knee. But there are a couple problems: 1. If cued for the wrong athlete, it will cause him/her to excessively supinate the foot 2.

Can cause excessive tibial torsion rather than its intended hip rotation Both of these things can cause the knees to hurt during the squat You'll know this cue is for you if you feel excessive pressure on the inner side of your foot/heel or big toe, or your knees travel towards each other (uncontrolled) during the squat.

A cue that I've found to work better is "open your groin" (borrowed and modified from one of the best Powerlifters ever, Ed Coan) in order to activate the deep rotators of the hip rather than the lateral thigh (tight ITB and hamstrings, anyone?)

However, if you don't have a medial foot/knee collapse, DO NOT use this cue when squatting! This is a really common misinterpretation that can negatively impact your performance.

​Here is the amazing Barbell Physio himself, Dr Zach Long, demonstrating this idea. It's hard to see with shoes on but he has more weight towards the outside of his feet by overdoing the "knees out" cue. Note: Zach is doing this intentionally to educate his readers in his EXCELLENT blog post here (https://www.thebarbellphysio.com/the-truth-about-squat-depth-injury-rates-the-knees-out- cue/)

Do any of these apply to you?

There is no one-size-fits-all method to coaching and treating injuries - each athlete is different and must be coached differently!

The BEST way to see if any of these corrections are appropriate for you is by TESTING them under a light/no load. If you liked this content, feel free to drop us a Like and follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

​Happy Squatting!

If you're serious about training, you'll know what the shoulder press is. Also called the military press, there are many variations including the seated press, dumbbell press and push press.

Because of the challenging nature of the movement, there are many people who will either avoid this exercise or injure themselves doing it.  

Believe it or not, there is A LOT more going on when you lift a weight over your head than you might initially think. We won't go through that today because I know you're not that interested... you just want to lift heavy weights safely, right?

So lets jump into a routine that will take you 10 minutes or less to improve your shoulder press strength.

Minutes 0-2 - Shoulder

Circles Start with a general warm up to get the blood flowing through your shoulders. This will make it easier to change the tissue around the shoulder in preparation for the next 8 minutes of this routine.

Begin with small circles which will get bigger and bigger. Make sure you are always in control of the movement rather than flailing your arms wildly. Change directions and repeat for 2 minutes.

Minutes 2-4 - Pec Minor + Collarbone Release

You will need to invest in a massage ball if you don't have one already. These muscles act to pull downwards on the shoulderblade which limits the ability for you to move your arm over your head (in a shoulder press motion)

Releasing these muscles can produce dramatic improvements in shoulder function. Follow the under-surface of the collarbone from the shoulder all the way to the chest.

Simply place a massage ball (or similar) on these muscles and slowly and gently roll over them, thinking about releasing all the tension from them. They can be VERY sore so be careful not to add too much pressure - more pressure is NOT better.

​Spend 1 minute each side and move on to the next sequence

Minutes 4-6 - Rhomboids Release

Using the massage ball, release these muscles while lying on your back or against a wall

Once again this can be very sore so be mindful with how much pressure you are applying.

​Work on the inside border of your shoulderblade and slowly work your way up towards your neck, spending 1 minute each side for a total of 2 minutes.

Minutes 6-8 - Thoracic Extension

Place the foam roller in the middle to upper part of your back Interlock your fingers and support your head as you slowly see-saw over the foam roller.

You may hear a few clicks which is okay as long as they are not painful. Gently make your way up and down the upper back/thorax in the same manner.

It may help to breathe in and out deeply, imagining all that tension leaving your body on the exhale.

​An important tip is to always keep the ribcage down rather than letting it lift upwards in order to protect your lower back Spend 2 minutes on the roller before moving on

Minutes 8-10 - Single Arm Press

Now that you've released the tight muscles holding you back, you need to train the correct muscles to help move your shoulder blades and give you a really solid overhead press.

Using a LIGHT weight (3-5kg for most people), carry the weight with the upper arm parallel to the ground and the forearm vertical (90/90 position).

​From here, use your shoulder to press the arm over your head. I find this drill very useful for teaching the shoulderblade how to contribute to the motion correctly Perform 2 sets of 10-15 each side

So there you have it!

Give this routine a try before any of your upper body or shoulder pressing days and see the difference it can make. If you liked this content and would like to find out more,

Follow us on Facebook @ActivTherapyCasula for the latest updates.

If you've been to a gym before for long enough, you will know what this exercise is. It's basically picking an object (usually a loaded barbell) off the ground. Some people will say it's GREAT for building strength in the back.

Others say it's DANGEROUS. Can it be an excellent strength builder and dangerous at the same time?

The deadlift is primarily a hip movement, which means it requires you to hinge from the hips in order to generate power It also requires the legs to drive through the ground in order to get the bar up and movin.  At the same time, you need to be able to stabilise the trunk so that the power from the hips and legs actually transfer into the bar moving upwards - this is the KEY STEP which a lot of novice lifters get wrong. Instead of effectively bracing the spine to resist movement, they are actually using the back to pull the heavy weight off the ground!

Now you might get away with this for a while... until you injure a muscle/ligament/nerve/disc The best way to move a heavy object off the ground is to use the BIG muscles of the lower body (glutes, quads, hamstrings) while keeping the trunk (deep core) stable

But why do so many people get it wrong?

I believe we are becoming more and more sedentary as technology advances and starts to become an essential in our lives rather than a privilege. Prolonged sitting postures encourage the deep core stabilisers of the trunk to become weak and we lose our ability to move safely and effectively So when we encounter the task to pick something heavy off the ground, your body will choose its most comfortable way to do it.

For a lot of people, this is with a rounded back and straight legs How do we fix this problem and lift safely?

Here are 4 steps that you can implement immediately:

​#1 REST (from poor biomechanics) The only time I will ask my athletic clients to take a complete rest from training is if they are not safe to do so due to medical reasons I will however, always ask them to take a rest from doing certain movements if they are not moving properly and safely. This is because you body REMEMBERS how you move... If your deadlift sucks and you continue to practice, your deadlift will continue to suck. You will be much better off in the long run if you can get your technique spot-on, reducing your injury risk and making you a stronger athlete as you destroy your weaknesses

#2 Reduce the Weight

Leave your ego at the door If you can't handle the weight safely, it's time to take a couple of plates off the bar. Decreasing the weight will allow you to work on your technique and really OWN the movement.

One of my CrossFit clients came in to see me with persistent back pain from doing heavy deadlifts. Now this guy is STRONG, with a 200kg deadlift and 130kg squat clean.

Anyway, I showed him how to deadlift at the clinic by using his hips properly. I think he did 3 sets of 10 repetitions at only 40kg that day. He hasn't felt soreness in his glutes that badly for a long time! 2 weeks of daily rehab work and he hasn't had any back issues since.

#3 Modify Your Movement

If you're still struggling with the barbell deadlift, don't fret - MODIFY!

There is always an alternative movement or exercise for you to practice with. My personal favourite is the Kettlebell Deadlift which you perform by holding the handle of the bell. This is great for technique practice because you don't need to bend as far down, and you get used to the proper and most direct path (straight up and down) for the weight to travel.

​So ditch the barbell next workout, and perfect your form using a kettlebell or dumbell

#4 Get Assessed

An experienced set of eyes is invaluable... you need to find out how you're moving and if it is correct or not.

Start off by taking a video of yourself performing the deadlift. If you're experienced enough you may pick up a few technique errors to work on. Otherwise ask your trusted coach/personal trainer/therapist and get their opinion.

If you don't have a coach or a therapist, FIND ONE! You're training at the gym to become a healthier version of yourself... it's absurd to me how anyone who values their health doesn't have a trusted team of health professionals looking after them If you want to learn more about how you can improve your deadlift,

Our Foundations of Back Health guide is perfect for you! It's a 5-Step detailed guide with illustrations to help you improve your movements Fill out your details and download it here: www.activtherapy.com.au/back-healthfoundations.html

Now let's do some lifting! 

Most of our awesome clients that we work with share a few similarities:

- Aged between 30-45
- Parents of young children
- Want to keep fit and maintain a healthy weight
- Starting an exercise program after a long lay-off
- So why do these people get injured so frequently?

Let's explore a few ideas.

If you're moving into your 30's and 40's, your physiology is going to change. Metabolism slows down,  Muscle mass decreases, respiratory fitness drops at a gradual rate. This is all normal and part of life.

You tend to spend long hours at work and not get the sleep that you deserve. After all, young kids are expensive to take care of.  And that's only the start. You're also preparing breakfast and making lunch, taking them to school and back, bringing them to friends' houses, soccer training on weeknights, making sure they finish their homework, taking them to their games on the weekend...

They can be hard work, right?

So you're stressed!

And it changes the way that you breathe, how you move, your hormones, etc.

If you're a bloke, maybe that beard gets a bit wild and those grey hairs start showing. If you're a lady,  Maybe those lines around your eyes and forehead get a bit deeper.

And yes, you either put on a few kilos or your muscles start to turn soft.

So you're not recovering well, you're working long hours, you suffer from poor sleep, you're stressed and your weight changes. What do you do?

EXERCISE!

We all know the benefits of exercise: "feel-good" hormones, weight management, improved fitness, insulin sensitivity, reduced risk of heart/lung/brain disease, and the list goes on... BUT, there are 2 BIG MISTAKES that a lot of people make:

The first is doing TOO MUCH, TOO SOON

When we exercise or do physical work, we are actually causing micro-damage to our tissues. Normally this heals and recovers and we get stronger afterwards. But what if we do too much exercise and cause too much damage?

We don't have enough time to properly RECOVER which is counter-productive to making progress. And yes, your stress and poor sleep play a MASSIVE role in your ability to recover and remain healthy. The second?

POOR TECHNIQUE

Let's pretend (or maybe you don't need to pretend) that you sprained your ankle a while ago. I bet it was painful at the time, right? So your body - whether you realised or not - avoided putting weight on the painful ankle and actually started to compensate. That ankle/foot is now going to be weaker than it was previously. So what happens if we suddenly increase our running/cross-training/cycling/rowing?

Your technique will be ruined and cause imbalances and injuries to occur. Either the same side starts hurting, or the opposite side starts crying out for help. We see this so often that I had to educate our recreational athletes not to make the same mistakes!

Exercise is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT and has the ability to change lives - that's why you NEED to move well so that you it is sustainable.

After all, is your good health important only for a day?

Or is it crucial for a lifetime?