At the end of 2008, I met with a foot doctor who wanted to immobilize me in a “walking boot” for one month due to my injured Achilles tendon. Not liking that scenario, I searched for a second opinion and that is how I met Juan Ruiz Tagle. Juan, who is now the training consultant at www.OneMileRunner.com, changed my training program and my running style. Functional training and a “stiffer” and more powerful running style has now taken me to the brink of my new event – The New England Marathon….One Mile At A Time.
Take a look at this video showing a few of my running exercises.
I hit the road tomorrow as I drive from Florida to New Hampshire. If all goes well, I should arrive in the New England area on Monday afternoon. My first race is the initial mile of the Boston Marathon on July 1st.
Monthly Archives: June 2009
Proper Running Technique
Proper running technique has been discussed and debated for decades. After experiencing Achilles tendon pain and plantar fasciitis pain, I needed to take a closer look at my running style and technique. Thanks to the guidance of my trainer, Juan Ruiz Tagle, at http://backtofunction.blogspot.com/ I have altered my running technique to allow other parts of my body to help take the pounding of my mile running.
Please take a look at this running video as I discuss what I have changed for optimal protection and optimal performance:
I will post my next blog, “Running Exercises,” on Friday evening, just before I take the long drive to New England on Saturday morning the 27th of June.
The Machine That Lengthens Muscle Tissue
One of the ways that I used to treat my Achilles tendon injury was visiting Meilus Precision Therapy in Sarasota, FL. I wrote a blog back in January about my initial visit to the Meilus clinic. This entry is a follow-up discussing how I repaired my injury and got back to training.
Dave Wallwork, the clinical director, helped me mend the muscles and tendons in my lower extremities. This revolutionary “robotic arm” is able to go deep in the muscle tissue without pain. The therapy takes shortened, hard muscles and lengthens them.
Here is a photo of Dave Wallwork and I before our last session:
Here is a photo of the robot on my Achilles tendon as I was seeking to break up any adhesions that occurred from my injury:
For better performance and quicker recovery, please visit Dave Wallwork’s website at www.sarasotameilustherapy.com for more information. The following video shows how the robotic arm pressed on my leg and Achilles tendon, but it is also works wonders on the lengthening the muscles around the hips, shoulders, and back.
Next week I will again share one of my new training exercises…until then safe travels.
Why Master Athletes Need Chiropractic Care
There are more master athletes today than at any time since the running boom of the 1970’s. Enter any race whether it is the local 5k or a sprint or Olympic distance triathlon and you will find by far the largest segment of athletes is in the master or over 40 category. This is true for bike races as well. I know this first hand as I lined up this past Sunday for a mountain bike race in the 50+ (sport master) category and there were 21 racers.
These athletes are just slightly past their competitive athletic peaks, but are still pushing their own personal limits. As the body starts to lose some of it’s strength, flexibility and aerobic capacity these athletes must do everything they can to maintain their competitiveness. They need to lift weights to maintain strength, continue with anaerobic intervals and tempo runs for endurance and speed and they need chiropractic care to keep their neuromusculoskeletal systems firing properly and their biomechanics in good working order.
Treatments can include spinal and extremity adjustment/manipulation, muscle work (pnf stretches to strain counter strain techniques), low level light (laser) to stimulate healing and activate muscle fibers, kinesiotaping to help with strained muscles to name just a few.
Take for example the US Postal Service professional bicycle racing team who won the Tour de France seven times in a row from 1999 to 2005. They had a team chiropractor who kept them riding everyday of the grinding 3 week tour and many times the team was the only one of over twenty teams to finish with all nine members still riding (all this through crashes and the overuse injuries that arise in such a grueling event). The riders all gave great credit to the team chiropractor for “keeping them in the game”.
Another example is football champion and all-star Jerry Rice who says chiropractic was an integral part of his long and fruitful playing career. So much so that he is now a professional spokesperson for the American Chiropractic Association.
Basically speaking, chiropractic adjustments have profound effects on the human nervous system and this is the system that controls and coordinates every function of the human being. What could be more important? Especially for a master athlete.
So if you find yourself accumulating some nagging aches and pains, instead of reaching for nsaid’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) think seriously about seeking out a well qualified sports chiropractor. Especially in light of recent research about nsaids that state:
American Journal of Sports Medicine
“Injured muscle fibers were shown to have incomplete healing because of medication (NSAID)
Archives of Internal Medicine
“NSAIDs have been shown to delay and hamper the healing of all soft tissues including muscles, ligaments, tendons and cartilage.”
“NSAIDs can delay healing and delay it significantly.”
Multiply that with the adverse cardiovascular and gastrointestinal side effects and you are playing with fire. Why on earth would anyone, let alone an athlete, take something (nsaids) that will cover up the symptoms and cause delayed healing. Then go out and train or compete and risk even greater injury. It makes absolutely no sense at all. You are better off controlling injuries with RICE (rest ice compression elevation)
You are much better off and safer with chiropractic care, especially the master athlete.
Planks Will Make Your Core Stronger and Not Hurt Your Lower Back
Planks done properly are a terrific way to strengthen your abs while protecting your lower back. The days of isolating and shortening your ab muscles are history! Your core is for stabilization, not isolation. Just because you feel an isolated burn in your abdomen while doing crunches does not mean that you are strengthening your abs properly. Functional training uses multiple joints and multiple muscle groups. The video below will show you different variations of the plank.
Some people feel that planks are boring, but this is just one of the ways that I strengthen my core while maintaining a neutral posture. By realizing the value of a plank, I think you will find an effective exercise for core development and strength. So walk away from the ab machines and “walk the plank” to core stabilization.
Punch Your Way to Upper Body Strength
My favorite upper body exercise is the punching matrix. It is a multi-directional, multi-functional exercise. We have rehabilitated shoulders and alleviated pain with this unique exercise. It will be part of my strength training 3 times a week this summer even as I am on the road racing 3 times a week.
Have fun punching your way to power!