Self myofascial release (a.k.a foam rolling or spikey ball release) is being used by more and more people in the fitness and rehab world and it claims to do all sorts of things from injury prevention to enhancing joint range of motion. SO WHY SHOULD WE DO IT? Previously we were all told to stretch before a work out, but the research has shown that static stretching (i.e. holding stretches) has been found to decrease power output by up to 15%!!! Studies have shown that self-my

I'm sure you've heard it all before... you need to exercise in order to get healthy. With the fitness market exploding with different type of exercises classes from aqua aerobics to crossfit classes it can get a little confusing as what you should be doing and why. This article is here to help you make the right choices and help you understand WHY you should exercise. Why you should exercise Not long ago, weight training was left to the body builders, Olympic weightlifters, a

I’m sure a lot of you reading this have been seeing a lot of coverage of the recent Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang. We all know that these athletes train extremely hard in order to excel in their respective sports. However, there is a very fine line between training hard to achieve desired results and overtraining. Achieving a balance between exercise and rest is essential for self-regulation and improved sporting performance in the long term. So how much training is too

Hamstring injuries are among the most common injuries for kicking based sports (soccer, AFL, NRL etc.) This is due to the concentric force of the kick created from the hip flexors and quads exceeding the load capacity of the hamstrings to decelerate the leg. Although the hamstrings action is to flex the knee, it's functional role in running is to decelerate the leg and shin in a controlled manner so that it can then begin to assist the glutes in performing hip extension once

When completing rotator cuff strengthening a common problem is poor postural and scapula position. Particularly in the early stages of rehab, the rotator cuff must be working from a stable base. The origin of all the shoulder internal and external rotators stem from the scapula and as such require correct position to work correctly. Thoracic kyphosis is common due to the nature of office work and mobile phone usage and therefore we need to be in a more extended and neutral po

Squats - Free weight vs body weight What is ideal? It all depends on what purpose you are training for. As long as there is a level of overload and increased resistance you will be able to elicit a training effect. If you're looking to build pure strength and size you should go down the path of free weight. However if you're looking to develop endurance and are not focused on size, plyometric and body weight exercises will be more than enough. But be prepared to but in the

A good place to start when doing a shoulder examination is observation through range. Before going into hands on assessments it's important that we review the motor pattern and control exhibited by the shoulder. Are there any significant scars, bruising, deformities, difference in muscle mass or asymmetry? Without looking and observing, how can you paint the full picture and diagnose properly? Use your eyes before your hands. For more information book online @ www.strengthand

Have you wondered why no two training programs are the same? That's because every program made has to serve a specific purpose for the individual and athlete. Depending if you are in the off-season, pre-season, in-season, peaking, prepping, or just looking to improve from your last training session; every training program should be specific to your goals. The common mistake most beginners make is that they follow so called "icons" that have been training for years and years a

Speed and agility is vital in most sports and the ability to master these skills is key to SUCCESS in this endeavour. Each sport will have specific components that will require specialisation and focused training on. Speed can be broken down into 5 components: Reaction, Agility, Acceleration, Max velocity, and Speed-endurance. Pure sprinters such as for the 100m will be focused on mastering reaction, acceleration, and max velocity where as sports such as basketball will req

Fractured your collar bone? Sore or tight shoulder? Told you have a problem with your rotator cuff? Try using a pulley! The shoulder joint (glenohumeral joint) is a very mobile joint and requires a lot of flexibility and active stability to maintain its position during movement. After an injury it is very common to have the shoulder joint immobilised or given a time of rest within a sling. During this time, stiffness around the joint can often build up as well as atrophy of t

Have you sprained your ankle? Fractured a bone? Recovering from Achilles tendinopathy? Try the assisted calf raise! When recovering from any injury involving the ankle, at some point you will be required to strengthen up the surrounding muscles of the ankle particularly the calves (plantarflexors). The calf is an integral muscle used in everyday motion as well as performance and exercise. Without adequate strength and power provided from the calf during gait, compensatory s

When to introduce range of motion? Now that we have been given the all clear to weight bear on our leg, one of the most common and important questions is when can we start moving the ankle joint. A closed reduction within a cast is designed to immobilise the joint to allow for adequate bone healing, however the secondary effects include muscle atrophy, increase joint & muscle stiffness as well as loss of control and coordination at the ankle. The time frame of immobilisation