Infrasternal Angle Treatment 101

I measured the infrasternal angle…..uhhh, now what?

No doubt you’ve heard a bazillion things about the infrasternal angle. You maybe even have been measuring them pretty consistently and know it’s a big deal.

You know what we don’t talk about though?

What the hell do you do about it?!?!?

You’ll find out in this post

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What is the Best Posture?

Ever argue with someone about good posture?  Are you ready to tell them it’s all bullshit? We are meant to move, so the best posture is one that is constantly changing.  In fact, research shows movement variability, the changes we unconsciously make within movements, is a marker of health and reduced injury. How beefed up would your posture knowledge be if you knew… What “good” posture actually is? Can you really be “stuck in extension?” What “stacking” is and why it’s essential to movement? What are the best cues to change someone’s posture? Well those are just a few of the many things you’ll learn in today’s video interview I did on Phillipe Gervais’ Youtube channel. It’s time to finally silence those posture junkies. Time to have that difficult conversation with your mom (cue childhood trauma of mom telling me to sit up straight). Time to take your movement knowledge to the next level! Watch the video below and prepare to deep dive! Photo credit: Steve Leggat

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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

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All About the Ribcage

Learn how reaching and improve upper body mobility Movement Debrief Episode 117 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 order should I prioritize improving ribcage expansion? What is the manubriosternal joint? What happens when I have mixed compensations at the sternum? How can I encourage ribcage dynamics without increasing secondary compensations? What visual cues can I look at to see if someone can “stack?” What is different about infrasternal angle presentations between 90-110 degrees? How do I go about improving these particular infrasternal angle presentations? How can thoracic sidebending be useful with improving ribcage dynamics?

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Infrasternal Angle Compensations and Treatments

A deep dive into the infrasternal angle Movement Debrief Episode 115 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 primary compensatory strategies with a wide and narrow infrasternal angle? What would be secondary compensations seen with these infrasternal angles? What test results would each infrasternal angle have? What exercises should be programmed for inhalation and exhalation strategies? What is the upper thorax presentation for each infrasternal angle? What exhalation strategies should each infrasternal angle use? Are there times it’s okay to deviate from these strategies?

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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

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Top 10 Posts of 2019

At the end of each year, I like to see what you beautiful…sexy…outstanding people liked. What the fam….recognized (fam). This year, I really loved the topical variety and that the fam really wanted to hear from other people. Having Zac be a bit more like DJ Khaled if you know what I’m sizzlin’.  If you want to check out more about belly breathing, becoming a better leader, and the importance of a warm-up, then definitely check out this year’s top 10. Thank you again for making 2019 amazing! I hope to bring you even bigger and better stuff in 2020.

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