Author: Zac Cupples

Is Spinal Flexion Bad? – Movement Debrief Episode 110

Movement Debrief Episode 110 is in the books. Below is a copy of the video for your viewing pleasure, and audio if you can’t stand looking at me. Here is the setlist: Is spinal hyperextension useful for weightlifting?  How do I balance the need for extension during these moves? Is there a risk of disc injuries with spinal flexion? Are spine sparing exercises necessary to reduce trauma throughout the day? Do we want to minimize spinal movement? How should we move to encourage healthy spines? Are crunches safe? Do they help with abdominal development? Is it safe for someone with back surgery to perform spinal flexion?

Read More

Movement Principles and Breathing

There are a lot of exercises to choose from, tons of methodologies to practice, and lots of areas to focus on when it comes to training and rehab. How do you determine which stuff is most important for your clients? In a time where noise is at an all-time high, having sound principles that you operate from can help you stay focused on what matters most with helping your clients reach their goals. Principles, breathing, and so much more were on the setlist for the Flat White Podcast I had recently done. Topics discussed include: How to get the most out of attending seminars What are the top priorities one must focus on when working with a new client How programming differences in rehab and training scenarios to help the client reach their goals How to navigate when clients hit plateaus Which movement tests are my key decision-makers for designing programs Why anthropometrics matter with movement limitations The difference between movement variability and movement options and why everyone needs both The importance of developing movement fundamentals How all body systems influence each other How knowing the fundamentals of movement makes you better at assimilating information from seminars What are some basic activities that improve infrasternal angle dynamics The differences between a squat and a hinge, and how to improve each Click here or the links below to check it out. Flat White 36 – Movement Principles & Breathing With Zac Cupples on Apple Podcasts Image by Ichigo121212 from Pixabay

Read More

All About the Scapula – Movement Debrief Episode 109

Movement Debrief Episode 109 is in the books. Below is a copy of the video for your viewing pleasure, and audio if you can’t stand looking at me. Here is the setlist: What are normal scapular movements during respiration? Are these scapular respiration movements paired together as we move? Is passive exhalation a thing? What are the primary compensatory scapular positions for a wide and narrow ISA? What happens if further compensatory activity occurs? What type of compensatory strategy is a swayback posture utilizing? What are the best ways to gain proximal hamstrings to elicit a posterior pelvic tilt? How would you test whether a client needs inferior or superior posterior thorax expansion?

Read More

The Unsexy Side of PT

Struggle with mouth breathing? Much of the stuff taught on my site focuses on maximizing your breathing skills from the neck on down, but what happens when that is not enough? What if you still have issues with neck or jaw symptoms? Or worse yet, struggle with sleep? These are the topics we dive into on The Optimize Your Capacity podcast I did recently. You’ll learn all types of things featured in the netherworld of performance, including: Craniocervical posture and how to test for movement limitations in this region The “ideal” tongue posture to promote nasal breathing What a proper swallow entails to reduce neck strain What the keys are to having a dynamic respiratory strategy that maximizes movement options through the body Is there a “best” posture to sleep in? That depends on your body 🙂 and more! Click the links below to check it out! The Unsexy Side of PT: Zac Cupples (Apple Podcasts) Spotify Stitcher

Read More

Anterior Pelvic Orientation, Breathing During Squats and Deadlifts, and Handstands – Movement Debrief Episode 108

Movement Debrief Episode 108 is in the books. Below is a copy of the video for your viewing pleasure, and audio if you can’t stand looking at me. Here is the setlist: What is anterior pelvic orientation/tilt? How does this happen with different infrasternal angle presentation? When do I coach breathing sequences within a lift like the squat and deadlift? How does the breathing sequence differ if I am coaching a squat/deadlift for movement options versus max effort? What could a squat be useful at improving movement-wise? How about a hinge? What are the benefits of handstands? How can headstand and handstand variations be used to improve movement options?

Read More