Knee Mechanics During the Bodyweight Squat

A Note from Zac This week we have a guest post brought to you from my boi Benjamin Fergus, a Chiropractor friend of mine, who sent me an incredibly comprehensive video on squat mechanics. I first met Ben at a DNS course way back in the day, and he was a pretty sharp kid then. Having watched this video, I can see that his knowledge base has only grown. In this spot, Ben goes over the mechanics of the bodyweight squat, and I think you folks will tremendously appreciate his explanation of what is occurring at the knee. Once you’ve finished watching the video, check his stuff out at GRIP Approach. You won’t be mistaken. Enjoy! ~Zac The Knee’s Position in the Squat This overview of the ‘Complex Movements of the Knee Complex’ is not intended to tell you the right way to squat, but rather to show what is happening with the anatomy during movement and why. It also will show you how to read/name the movements with observation from the side and front. Here on earth gravity is king in a squat. We like to keep the line of gravity and center of mass (COM/COG) situated over the midfoot. All variations of the squat can be seen as unique attempts to move our mass closer to the ground while keeping the COM over the midfoot. There are no rights or wrongs named in this video, just a look at the possibilities of joint motion. What does ‘ knee internal

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All About Jobs – Movement Debrief Episode 20

Just in case you missed Movement Debrief Episode 20, here is a copy of the video and audio for your listening pleasure. Here were all the topics: Pre-Job Preparation Job Searching The Interview Process The Post-Interview Process Negotiations The Job If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube. They air every Wednesday at 8:30pm CST. Enjoy.                    Here were the links I mentioned tonight Resilient Performance Physical Therapy “Here’s How to Really Prepare for an Interview” by Ramit Sethi “The Briefcase Technique” by Ramit Sethi Roger Dawson’s Secrets of Power Negotiating Join my mentorship program, get a movement consultation, or let me design an online fitness program for you. Here’s a signup for my newsletter to get a free acute:chronic workload calculator, basketball conditioning program, podcasts, and weekend learning goodies: [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Get learning goodies and more”]  

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September in Review

Every week, my newsletter subscribers get links to some of the goodies that I’ve come across on the internets. Here were the goodies that my peeps got their learn on from this past August. If you want to get a copy of my weekend learning goodies every Friday, fill out the form below.  That way you can brag to all your friends about the cool things you’ve learned over the weekend. [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Hell yes I want weekend learning goodies every Friday!”] Biggest Lesson of the Month Much of our successes and failures can be linked back to the habits we have. I noticed many times this past month that ineffective habits I had picked up were hampering my progress and productivity. One simple change (eliminating a to-do list, blocking out time to do things) was a complete game changer for me. If you are doing something you don’t like, how do your habits keep you falling into that trap? Quote of the Month “Quality is not an act. It is a habit.” ~ Aristotle Very much linked to the above lesson. We need quality to become automatic, and who better to illustrate this than an O.G. like Aristotle. Hike of the Month This was a tough decision to make on multiple fronts. This month I hiked four National Parks, saw a National Monument, and did all types of ill stuff. Though Sequoia National Park will forever hold a dear place in my heart, Yosemite was hands down one of

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The Guide to Physical Therapy School

So peeps, I’m going on vacation this week. So instead of a debrief, I present to you the first legit episode of the Zac Cupples show. I’ll be putting these bad boys out occasionally when I have a topic that I feel would be better to riff on as opposed to discussing in a debrief or writing about. Here’s an outline of the topics I discussed Reasons to go into physical therapy What to look for in a PT school The goals of physical therapy school What you should take away from school What classes I recommend a student to take Enjoy!                  Here were the links I mentioned tonight All Gain, No Pain South College Physical Therapy Program Bill Hartman Continuing Education: The Complete Guide to Mastery Explain Pain Course Notes Therapeutic Neuroscience Education Course Notes Lorimer Moseley Explain Pain Course Notes Kettlebell Mashup FMS Level 2 Ultimate MMA Conditioning Dermoneuromodulation Course Notes ART Dry Needling Course Notes Spinal Manipulation Institute A Randomized Trial Comparing Acupuncture, Simulated Acupuncture, and Usual Care for Chronic Low Back Pain Here’s a signup for my newsletter to get a free acute:chronic workload calculator, basketball conditioning program, podcasts, and weekend learning goodies: [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Get learning goodies and more”] Also, check out the mentoring, movement, and training services I offer: Mentoring, Movement, and Training

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All Gain, No Pain Foreword

All Gain, No Pain  releases today. If you haven’t grabbed your copy of it yet, what the heck are you waiting for? ALL GAIN, NO PAIN   I had the honor and pleasure to write the foreword for this excellent book, which Bill has so graciously let me reprint. You can read it below, and if it doesn’t inspire you to grab Bill’s new book, what will? Foreword “Good morning!” He had that shit-eating grin on his face. The type of smile you see when your parents found out something you didn’t want them to know. That smile you saw right before your untimely demise. I knew damn well what that smile meant. Back then I was Bill’s student. A quiet, shy, and uncertain kid. After doing a deal with the Mafia to find his email, offering up my future first born to learn from him, and signing a blood oath, I somehow convinced Bill to accept me as his physical therapy intern. This was like meeting a rock star! Bill was all over Men’s Health magazine, T-Nation—the type of stuff young bucks like me were reading to get ahead of the curve. The last thing I wanted to do was let the guy down. Then I overslept. Stressed, frantic, and brushing only my front teeth, I made it to the clinic 30 minutes late. Only to be absolutely destroyed by that smile—a look that will forever be burned into my brain. I apologized, he mildly scolded me, and we

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Scars, Hands, and Handling not Getting Jobs – Movement Debrief Episode 19

Just in case you missed last night’s Movement Debrief Episode 19, here is a copy of the video and audio for your listening pleasure. Here were all the topics: Is treating scars essential? My thoughts on what hand therapy should look like How to act and react when you don’t get a job you think you want The R&B concert I went to…yes we riffed on that for awhile If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube. They air every Wednesday at 8:30pm CST. Enjoy.                      Here were the links I mentioned tonight Three Dimensional Mathematical Models for the Deformation of Human Fascia Camp Lo – Luchini K-Ci & JoJo Ginuwine Join my mentorship program, get a movement consultation, or let me design an online fitness program for you. Here’s a signup for my newsletter to get a free acute:chronic workload calculator, basketball conditioning program, podcasts, and weekend learning goodies: [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Get learning goodies and more”] Scars Hands Handling not Getting Jobs  

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All Gain, No Pain Book Review

For those of you who don’t know, my colleague, mentor, friend, and Daddy-O Pops Bill Hartman is about to release his upcoming book All Gain, No Pain. Though the book is targeted to those over 40 who are getting back into fitness either post-rehab or in pain, it includes an incredible amount of valuable content for just about anyone. If you want a lesson in physiology, breathing, variability, and stress, this book has it. If you want an excellent plan to get jacked, a plan that got me (not over 40 and not in pain) under 10% body fat for the first time in my life, this book has it. If you want tips, strategies, and rituals that’ll help you live a better life, this book has it. In spades in fact. Though I’m biased (I wrote the foreword and edited the book), it is one of the most comprehensive self-betterment books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. I want to extend that pleasure to you. The book releases this Monday, 9/25/17, on Amazon.com. But what if I told you if you act now you could snag a free copy? Yes, I said free!!! F….R….E…E #free It might be the best free thing you ever get. If you want a free copy of this absolutely outstanding book, click the link below to be directed to Bill’s website. Sign up, and you’ll get your free copy when this great read releases.   ALL GAIN, NO PAIN   If my stamp

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Squats, the (F)Utility of Research, Total Knees, and Pain vs. Suffering – Movement Debrief Episode 18

Just in case you missed last night’s Movement Debrief Episode 18, here is a copy of the video and audio for your listening pleasure. in this debrief, I was stumped! Andrew from Facebook asked a phenomenal question on the biomechanics of the squat, which led to great discussion on what it means and takes to squat.  Great contributions from Dani and Jonathan to the discussion. Here were all the topics: How I use research Influences on full knee extension and flexion post-operatively Changing perception of rehab post-total knee arthroplasty The problems with chasing pain Pain vs. suffering What is squatting, what it means, and the biomechanicsIf you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube. They air every Wednesday at 8:30pm CST. Enjoy.                  Here were the links I mentioned tonight Pain and Stress in a Systems Perspective: Reciprocal Neural, Endocrine and Immune Interactions On the (f)utility of pain Subscribe to the debrief on Itunes Join my mentorship program, get a movement consultation, or let me design an online fitness program for you. Here’s a signup for my newsletter to get a free acute:chronic workload calculator, basketball conditioning program, podcasts, and weekend learning goodies: [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Get learning goodies and more”] The (F)Utility of Research Total Knees Pain vs. Suffering Squats  

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The Derek Hansen Speed Seminar

It turns out the Hamptons isn’t just a place to live large. It’s also a place where great learning can take place. That is exactly what recently happened when me and my boizzz arranged a 1-day seminar with sprint coach extraordinaire, Derek Hansen. For those who don’t know, Derek is one of the best sprint coaches in Canada, and had spent 10 years learning from THE Charlie Francis. He is a wealth of knowledge in many areas, but the course focus was on all things sprinting, speed, acceleration, and periodization. The setup we arranged was very unique. We watched Derek coach three different athletes on sprint mechanics, and watching the man work was quite remarkable. His ability to find the right cue, verbiage, and drill to attain improved sprint mechanics was remarkable. He is definitely an artist at his craft. Point being, if you get a chance to hear the man speak, do so. You won’t regret it. Without further ado, here are the notes. [Note – I am not the best sprinter in the world, so bear with me on the videos]

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Challenges of Home Exercise Execution, Do You Really Have Sagittal Plane? and PT in 25 Years – Movement Debrief Episode 17

Just in case you missed last night’s Movement Debrief Episode 17, here is a copy of the video and audio for your listening pleasure. Here’s what we talked about: What makes getting patients to do their home exercises challenging. Strategies I implement to increase adherence. How I determine when sagittal plane control is adequate. What I think PT will be like 25 years from now. Major thanks to Dani Overcash, an awesome writer in her own right, for asking a really great question. If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube. They air every Wednesday at 8:30pm CST. Enjoy.   Subscribe to the debrief on Itunes Join my mentorship program, get a movement consultation, or let me design an online fitness program for you. Here’s a signup for my newsletter to get a free acute:chronic workload calculator, basketball conditioning program, podcasts, and weekend learning goodies: [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Get learning goodies and more”] Challenges of Home Exercise Execution Do You Really Have Sagittal Plane? PT in 25 Years  

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Challenges of Home Exercise Execution, Do You Really Have Sagittal Plane? and PT in 25 Years

[iframe style=”border:none” src=”//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/5716224/height/100/width/480/thumbnail/no/render-playlist/no/theme/custom/tdest_id/568557/custom-color/#87A93A” height=”100″ width=”480″ scrolling=”no” allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen] Here’s what we talked about: What makes getting patients to do their home exercises challenging. Strategies I implement to increase adherence. How I determine when sagittal plane control is adequate. What I think PT will be like 25 years from now. Check out this episode!

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August 2017 in Review

Every week, my newsletter subscribers get links to some of the goodies that I’ve come across on the internets. Here were the goodies that my peeps got their learn on from this past August. If you want to get a copy of my weekend learning goodies every Friday, fill out the form below.  That way you can brag to all your friends about the cool things you’ve learned over the weekend. [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Hell yes I want weekend learning goodies every Friday!”] Biggest Lesson of the Month You must first take care of yourself in all aspects of life before you can adequately take care of others. That includes personally, professionally, health, finances, everything. While I have done well in certain areas, I have lagged in others. This imbalance is one reason why I opted to take a job in a rural location. It has helped me strike a balance in many areas, and has eliminated potential distractions that could deter me from achieving that balance. Cryptic? Somewhat. But I think about those times that I’ve been sleep deprived and lost patience with my clients. My lack of taking care of myself in that instance limited my capability to take care of others. Are you taking care of yourself? Quote of the Month The only thing that separates successful people from the ones who aren’t is willingness to work very, very hard. ~Unknown I saw the above quote when I was staying at a hotel before hiking Capitol Reef. The

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