All Things Performance – Page 4

July 18, 2020 Zac Cupples

Hip Biomechanics in Movement

If you want clarification on how the hips work when you squat and shift, and navigate through common hip mobility restrictions, meet your post!

May 23, 2020 Zac Cupples

Programming Accessory Exercises

Learn how to use specific accessory exercise positions to improve your movement and fitness Movement Debrief Episode 122 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: When would crawling be useful to program? When would dead bugs be useful to program? When would crab walks be useful to program? When would tall kneeling be useful to program? When would half-kneeling be useful to program? What are the benefits of hanging exercises?

May 16, 2020 Zac Cupples

All About the Hinge

Hinging biomechanics, coaching, and programming Movement Debrief Episode 121 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 mechanics are involved in hinging? What range of motion restrictions does hinging improve? What are my favorite hinging exercises and when do I prescribe them? What regressions do I use to improve hip extension? How can I improve hinging for different infrasternal angle presentations? What mechanics does the Camporini Deadlift improve? How can a snatch grip RDL improve thoracic spine mobility? What is the foot position for a hinge and how do I coach it?

April 28, 2020 Zac Cupples

Assessing Compensatory Strategies

A deep dive into the practical application of respiratory mechanics When you deep dive into the biomechanics, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. You are trying to figure out how the scapula moves just so, or what is the big toe doing during this part of the squat…yikes! While greater biomechanical understanding is necessary, it’s not the most important piece. You can never lose sight of how to help your clients. That is the highest priority. Practical application. Which is why I think you’ll love my feature on the Upper Left Performance Podcast. It’s just enough of the details of movement compensations, with heaps of practical application! Topics covered include: What are the two common compensatory strategies people can present with? How does body structure influence one’s ability to move Simple assessments for determining one’s compensatory strategy How to adapt one’s training to maximize movement quality Click here or the link below to tune in! Upper Left Performance #14 Zac Cupples Image by pisauikan from Pixabay

April 12, 2020 Zac Cupples

Reaching: Theory and Practice

Learn how reaching and improve upper body mobility Movement Debrief Episode 116 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: How does airflow change at various reaching angles? How does airflow change with trunk rotation? What is the scapular orientation during shoulder extension? How does one with a posterior thorax tilt present? How do different carry variations impact airflow? How does forearm supination and pronation impact reaching? How can we sequence carries in a manner that allows for maximal airflow expansion? How can you tell if someone is using a compensatory strategy when they are lifting weights?

March 14, 2020 Zac Cupples

All About Squats – Movement Debrief Episode 112

Movement Debrief Episode 112 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 the biomechanical differences between a squat and a hinge? Would squatting not increase anterior pelvic tilt and hip flexor strength? Does squatting put too much shear force through the knee? Does ramp squatting put too much shear force through the knee? Is there such a thing as a “normal” infrasternal angle? Why does a hip shift occur in a squat? What are some strategies for reducing a hip shift in a squat? How do the following squat variations impact thoracic expansion: Goblet, Zercher, front, and back?

February 23, 2020 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?

January 23, 2020 Zac Cupples

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?

January 21, 2020 Zac Cupples

The Learning Process, The Axial Skeleton, and Squats – Rebel Performance Podcast

Are you struggling at structuring your learning? Or perhaps this whole inhalation and exhalation mechanics in regards to movement is confusing AF. Or maybe you are caught up in social media squat debates and don’t know what to believe anymore, or what is safe. If this sounds like you, then you’ll definitely want to check out this podcast I did on Rebel Performance. In it, we deep dive into all of these topics, and why it’s important for both your programming and that of your clients. I also make a surprise announcement on it 🙂

January 11, 2020 Zac Cupples

Pulling, Reaching, and Stacking During Big Lifts – Movement Debrief Episode 107

Movement Debrief Episode 107 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: Should one be hesitant to work on pulling exercises if the goal is to improve movement options? When would the following exercises be useful: lat pulldowns, face pulls, one-arm dumbbell rows? And when should they be avoided? Are band pull apart, Ts, Ys, and Is no-gos? What is reaching at the 0-60 degrees of shoulder flexion useful for? How about 60-120 and 120-180? Does encouraging a posterior pelvic tilt during a squat or a deadlift go against the lifting mechanics or support them?

January 4, 2020 Zac Cupples

Pregnancy, Pectus, and Bruxism – Movement Debrief Episode 106

Movement Debrief Episode 106 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: How can pregnancy affect one’s ability to move? Can pregnancy change one’s infrasternal angle? What type of adjustments and considerations should we make for those who are pregnant? What is pectus excavatum? How can this structural change impact movement options? What type of exercises can we use to improve movement when someone has a pectus? What is bruxism? What is bruxism’s relationship to upper airway? What are other potential related factors to bruxism? What are some treatment considerations for someone who has bruxism?

January 3, 2020 Zac Cupples

Top 10 Goodies of 2019

It can be incredibly challenging to keep up with the information overload that is the internet. This is why every Friday I send my newsletter subscribers (aka the fam) the select few things I found useful. What did the fam enjoy the most in 2019? Exercise, exercise, exercise. The overwhelming majority of goodies the fam loved were exercise variations that I’ve been employing with my peeps. If you want to see some good shit (you’ll laugh when you see it), sleep better, and move better, then definitely check out the top goodies from 2019. What’s crazy is there were a ton of high-ranking goodies that did not make the list. That’s why I encourage you to sign up for these on the newsletter, as 2020 will make the majority of the goodies fam exclusive. You’ll also get access to a free course, 5 hours of lecture on pain and breathing, and an acute:chronic workload calculator. I won’t even charge you extra, because it’s FREE! [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Yes, I want goodies and free stuff”] Without further ado, here are the top 10