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Keeping in line with this website's dedication to improving human movement and performance, this week's post is a list of everyday errors made by desk warriors and elite athletes alike. Errors that are made often, sometimes unknowingly, and hinder optimal movement....

Part 1 of Improving the Overhead Squat - Cueing and Maintaining an Upright Torso - can (must?) be read here. As we discussed last week, the overhead squat is nearly unmatched in its demands on stability, motor control, and power. One of the main faults in performance...

The overhead squat is nearly peerless in developing proximal stabilization and control over a huge range of motion. It drives an athlete's balance and proprioception (sense of the body's position in space) and demands/develops functional flexibility. It is a staple of...

Last week we discussed the importance of load ordering on squat mechanics. Had some great response to it so this week I want to discuss the analog to this in the upper extremity - pressing/pushing movements. Here's the problem:Are there any movements that have...

Any time you perform squats, pick up something from the floor, walk up the stairs, or even jump and land your body is making a compromise depending on how you initiate this movement. The result may leave you with you anterior knee pain (think Patellofemoral Pain...

Anterior (front) shoulder pain is a common complaint in athletes and gym-goers, particularly with high-rep push-ups and presses. This problem may be a motor-control issue (poor movement pattern and muscle activation/control), but oftentimes it appears to be a...

If you or your athlete cannot get the knee to full extension (straight) it's a problem - seriously. It can cause numerous performance deficits - both acute and chronic - a big problem if you want to produce maximal force in the lower extremities and avoid injury....

If your golf swing is weak and feels upper body-driven, poor lower extremity mobility may be stealing your power and leaving you as the guy no one wants to play with on a scramble. Or does your athlete look rigid on his lead leg while pitching (or rear leg while...

We must always treat, train, and move with purpose. So why should the way we manage musculoskeletal injuries be any different?True or false: you use and trust the mnemonic RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) when dealing with injuries?True or false: after a...

Pain or stiffness at the bottom of a squat? Unable to get low (NOT Li'l Jon low) for a dig? Bunion throb after running? Do your feet look like Frodo's?  Above is the foot of a collegiate volleyball player and high school national champion. Even big-time athletes have...

Stability Stars,Today's episode is a brief look at ways to improve core activation through Olympic style lifts. ALL Olympic lifts require a huge amount of core stability, however we will often see athletes do a poor job of organizing their trunk and instead relying on...

Fellow Power People,Two items in this inaugural post:1. The goal here is to be a resource for anyone interested in improving performance and optimizing movement. Look for a combo of video and written posts. Remember if we aren't always pushing the envelope of what we...

Power Pressers,I have had several athletes (and coaches) ask me about wide grip bench press (i.e. hands more than an inch outside shoulder width) and whether or not it's appropriate to use in the weight room, especially for young lifters.In order to effectively and...