Zac Cupples

January 23, 2023 Zac Cupples

Mouth Breathing – FIX it for Good

Why Nasal Breathing is Better Are you tired of CONSTANTLY mouth breathing? If not, you should be. It might be the KEY to improving your health. In this blog post, we’ll dive into: Check out the post and video below to get into it! Why Nasal Breathing Matters You might be thinking “Why does it matter how I breathe? Can’t I just breathe through my mouth like a normal person?” Considering the health of “normal people,” let’s think again. Let’s look at the positive health benefits of nasal breathing first. Nasal breathing: Contrast that with the negative health consequences of mouth breathing: Given the stark contrast, it makes sense to nasal breathe like a BOSS. But it’s more complicated than only breathing through your nose. According to this study, oropharyngeal exercises trumped nasal breathing alone for sleep apnea. Below are some examples of that in this playlist. Optimal nasal breathing requires the best of both worlds. Here’s how we can incorporate both concepts. The 3 Keys to Nasal Breathing There are three major keys to mastering nasal breathing: 1. Tongue posture 2. Lip posture 3. Nasal breath quality Let’s dive into how to nail each piece. Tongue posture The tongue should be GENTLY placed on the roof of the mouth between the teeth. This helps seal off the oral airway and pulls the nasal floor down. Sometimes, limited tongue mobility can impact this action. Here’s how to address the inability to achieve this posture. Can’t get the tongue to the

January 16, 2023 Zac Cupples

The Overpronation Hoax (and the truth)

You MUST pronate, here’s why Think you’re a victim of overpronation – the evil villain in the world of foot mechanics? Think again. I’m here to expose the truth… Overpronation is nothing more than a myth! In this blog, you’ll learn why that is and why you actually need to learn how to pronate well. Let’s dive in.

January 9, 2023 Zac Cupples

Neck Pain Stretches DON’T WORK (but this does)

The real reason your neck hurts If your neck ever hurts when… – You exercise – Work on the computer for too long – Taking deep breaths THIS POST is for you! Because the reason why your neck hurts is NOT that you have to stretch it. No. Instead, it could be because of one thing you are doing all throughout the day. The best part? This thing is TOTALLY under your control! What is it? Read the blog and watch the video below to learn about it!

January 2, 2023 Zac Cupples

The REAL Reason Your Back Hurts on Squats

This is how you reduce arching your back Squats can build MASSIVE legs, but not if you ONLY feel back, hip, and knee pain during. Are you someone who… – Can’t squat deep. Like…at all – Arch your back like CRAZY? If so, then addressing these issues can help you get so much more out of the squat. And the fix isn’t just flexing your back and hoping for the best. Instead, you have to look at the REAL reason why a deep arch in the lower back during squats occurs. Once you know the why, then you can determine the how. I’ll give you both of those in today’s post. Check out the post and video below to learn about it.

December 26, 2022 Zac Cupples

Uneven Rib Flare – Fix it For Good

Why does my ribcage protrude on one side? If your rib cage appears extra pointy on one side compared to the other, it may NOT be a structural thing. In fact, the way you move (or don’t move) could be CAUSING that rib to appear flared, or protruded. If there is a movement cause, then is there a movement solution to the problem? YES! This post will teach you: – What a rib flare is – Why it’s only present on what side – How you can use breathing and exercise to improve it! Check out the post and video below to learn about it.

December 19, 2022 Zac Cupples

What REALLY is Good Posture?

Is there such a thing? There’s a common misconception within the movement space that good posture is this one position that you must hold…all…the..time. But is that true? I THINK NOT. And that is one of many things that I discussed in this interview that I did on Jaw Hacks, a Youtube channel devoted to all things upper airway and breathing (a MUST follow). In this interview, we discuss a bunch of different things, ranging from: Simply put, you DO NOT want to miss this podcast. Watch the full video below: On the fence about committing the full 2 hours? Then watch this quick clip:

December 12, 2022 Zac Cupples

Split Squats | Front vs Rear Foot Elevated (The REAL Difference)

Programming and coaching of each variation Front and rear foot elevated split squats–often programmed, but why? In fact, there are KEY reasons why one version might be better than the other. What are these reasons? That’s what we will outline in today’s post. Not only will you learn the key differences between each, but also how to coach these exercises to maximally reap their benefits. Check out the video and blog below to learn more.

December 5, 2022 Zac Cupples

Split Squats – The 1 KEY to Make it Glute or Quad Dominant

This minor split squat tweak can lead to MAJOR changes By changing one small thing, split squats can become COMPLETELY different exercises. Working different muscles and exploring different ranges of motion. But what is that one thing? That’s what you’ll learn with this post. Here, we will dive into: – Split squat biomechanics – How to DRASTICALLY alter loading between quads and hamstring – How to MASTER technique to CRUSH lower body gains Watch the video and read the post below to learn about it.

November 28, 2022 Zac Cupples

Split Squats – Only Feeling the Back Leg (FIX)

Troubleshooting when you don’t feel the front leg working Split squats are an awesome exercise to build the legs, but not if you are ONLY feeling the back leg working. Why is it that the back leg is working so hard? Is there any way to fix this common issue on split squats? YES. In this post, you’ll learn why the back leg often gets overworked on split squats and what you can do about it! Watch the video and read the blog below to learn!

November 21, 2022 Zac Cupples

When Breathing Exercises FAIL | Case Study

If breathing exercises don’t change symptoms, what’s next? Although exercises I teach do WONDERS for symptom relief, you don’t always get the incredible results that people show on social media. Sometimes the results are mild. Sometimes you even FAIL. This case study I’m about to show you is an example of that. Here, you’ll see that I get pretty solid changes on the table, but symptoms are minimally impacted. What do you do then? Watch the video and read the case report below to learn.

November 14, 2022 Zac Cupples

The Flat Foot Fix

These movements will help you restore your foot arch If you have a flat foot, you may notice you also present with some of the following things: Feeling “stuck” in an anterior pelvic tilt/deep low back arch Your knees cave in during many movements You experience shin or knee pain (see this meta-analysis) Orthotics unfortunately aren’t working the way you thought they would either. Is there a conservative way to improve foot dynamics? YES! Choosing exercises that help the foot arch rise can be KEY to improving your foot dynamics. And guess what? NONE of them entail picking up marbles or curling your toes. Watch the video and read the post below to learn about it.

November 7, 2022 Zac Cupples

Tight Upper Trap – The Hidden Cause That Stretching Won’t Fix

The real reason your traps are tight The upper trap, the muscle along the sides of your neck, is a common cause of neck pain and tension. Most people try to fix this tension by stretching their necks. But I hate to break it to you… Stretching doesn’t work That’s because the upper trap is NOT tight for the reasons you’d think it was. In this post, I’ll give you the REAL reason the upper trap gets tight, and what you can do about it. Check it out below.