Tag: pump handle

Troubleshooting the Stack

Can’t talk to me? Then fine-tune your stack, fam! The stack is one of the foundational components needed for A TON of movements and for restoring movement, but what if you are struggle bus with this concept? What if you can’t get a full exhale or get the expansion you need? Or maybe you don’t even know where in the ribcage we should even see movement! Don’t worry fam, ya boy big Z has you covered. If you want to beef up your stack, and your conversation with Zac, then check out Movement Debrief Episode 153 below! Watch the video below for your viewing pleasure. Or listen to my sultry voice on the podcast version:  If you want to watch these live, add me on Instagram. Show notes Check out Human Matrix promo video below:  Below are some testimonials for the class:  Want to sign up? Click on the following locations below: August 14th-15th, 2021, Ann Arbor, MI (Early bird ends July 18th at 11:55 pm!) September 25th-26th, 2021, Wyckoff, NJ (Early bird ends August 22nd at 11:55 pm) October 23rd-24th, Philadelphia, PA (Early bird ends September 26th at 11:55pm) November 6th-7th, 2021, Charlotte, NC (Early bird ends October 3rd at 11:55 pm) November 20th-21st, 2021 – Colorado Springs, CO (Early bird ends October 22nd at 11:55 pm) December 4th-5th, 2021 – Las Vegas, NV (Early bird ends November 5th at 11:55 pm) Or check out this little teaser for Human Matrix home study. Best part is if you attend the live course you’ll get this bad boy

Read More

Shoulder Flexion Troubleshooting

Can’t get overhead? Let’s figure out how! If you can raise your arm fully overhead WITHOUT compensating, don’t read any further! But if you are like most of us, reaching overhead probably draws its fair share of LOLZZZ. Yet raising your arm overhead is HELLA important for things like lifting weights, moving your neck freely, and even rotation through the ribcage.  So if ya ain’t got it, you might want to work on it! That’s why I put out this debrief for you that dives into mechanics, what directions to reach and clarifies any confusion that may surround arm elevation biomechanics.  Let’s channel our inner Josh Groban and raise you up (your arm that is).

Read More

All About the Spine

How to maximize your spinal movement Movement Debrief Episode 118 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 happens to the thoracic spine and scapulae during inhalation? What compensatory strategy is present with a Dowager’s Hump? What treatments should one with a Dowager’s Hump focus on? What sitting posture is best? Should restoring sagittal plane motion allow for rotation to occur, or must you focus on rotation? When can the spine present with excessive lumbar flexion? What is the action of the lower trapezius on the spine? When could recruiting the lower trapezius be useful? Is the cat-cow exercise useful? How does a spinal fusion impact respiration?

Read More

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?

Read More

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?

Read More

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?

Read More

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?

Read More

Pecs, Extreme Postures, and Foam Rolling – Movement Debrief Episode 81

Movement Debrief Episode 81 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 set list: Are pecs still useful in improving lower thorax variability? Do you still use pec squeezes in treatment? With extreme kyphosis or thoracic spine flattening, what test results are expected? What treatment recommendations are there for these posture types? Should visual postural changes be expected in these folks? Is self-myofascial release useful?

Read More

Perfect Posture, Excessive Knee Bend, and SFMA – Movement Debrief Episode 68

Movement Debrief Episode 68 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 set list: What is perfect posture? Why do extension-based exercises not improve posture? How does respiration impact default posture? Why would the back knee bend in a yoga pose when it needs to be straight? What is occurring when we see knee bend when the hip is placed into extension? What can we do to rectify this issue? What are my thoughts on the SFMA? Why do I not use the SFMA? What is my current thought process instead? If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook . They air every Wednesday at 7pm CST. Enjoy! and the audio version…                  Here were the links I mentioned: Check out Human Matrix promo video below Below are some testimonials for the class Want to sign up? Click on the following locations below: December 8th-9th, Charleston, SC February 2nd-3rd, 2019, New Providence, NJ (early bird ends January 4th) SIGN UP FOR THE REVOLUTION featuring myself, Pat Davidson, and Seth Oberst February 9th-10th in Boston. MA A bunch of stuff on improving posture can be found here. Here is a debrief on occlusion. Below is a picture of the high lunge pose Here is the hip separation debrief. Below is an activity that I use to improve hip separation. Here is the hip

Read More

Breathing, Thoracic Spine, and When it’s Safe to Load – Movement Debrief Episode 63

Movement Debrief Episode 63 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 set list: How should the ribcage move during normal respiratory mechanics? How should the abdominal wall expand during normal respiratory mechanics? How should breathing during variability-based activities be coached? What are normal compensatory thoracic spine presentations with narrow and wide infrasternal angles? How can someone present with different thoracic spine orientations despite these “normal” strategies? What can you do to improve thoracic spine mobility in these cases? Is it safe to load compensatory movement strategies? If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook or Instagram. They air every Wednesday at 7pm CST. Enjoy! and the audio version…                  Here were the links I mentioned: Check out Human Matrix promo video below Below are some testimonials for the class Want to sign up? Click on the following locations below: Kansas City, KS on October 27-28th  Portland, OR on November 10-11  December 8th-9th, Charleston, SC (early bird ends November 11th) February 2nd-3rd, 2019, New Providence, NJ (early bird ends January 4th) Want to get a handout that explains normal respiratory mechanics? Click here, you’ll see pictures of the ribcage mechanics I mentioned Here is a link to the infrasternal angle debriefs Here is a link to the pumphandle debrief. Here’s a signup for my newsletter to get nearly 3 hours and 50 pages

Read More

Ribcage Pump Handle, Hip Rotation, and Compliance – Movement Debrief Episode 62

Movement Debrief Episode 62 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 set list: What are pump handle mechanics at the ribcage? How do pump handle mechanics impact thorax mobility? What treatment would you use to restore pump handle mechanics? What hip rotation limitations would you expect with various infrapubic angles? How would you treat hip rotation deficits? When a client says “it’s not hard for me anymore, why do I need to keep doing it?” how would I respond? If you want to watch these live, add me on Facebook or Instagram. They air every Wednesday at 7pm CST. Enjoy! and the audio version…                  Here were the links I mentioned: Check out Human Matrix promo video below Below are some testimonials for the class Want to sign up? Click on the following locations below: Kansas City, KS on October 27-28th (early bird ends September 30th) Portland, OR on November 10-11 (early bird ends September 30th) December 8th-9th, Charleston, SC February 2nd-3rd, 2019, New Providence, NJ Want to get a handout that explains normal respiratory mechanics? Click here You can learn about infrasternal angles here, here, here, here, here, and of course, here (protip – go in the order of here’s) Below is a move I like to restore pump handle mechanics Hip Extension debrief Below is a move I like to restore hip

Read More