In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics cardio is king for many of our patients. Although gaining in popularity, weight training unfortunately falls behind cardiovascular training in training frequency, intensity, and duration. Patients not performing strength training can run the risk of reduced bone density, loss of muscle mass, reduced performance, and...
The majority of people with low back pain will demonstrate altered coordination and communication between the nervous system and muscles. This leads to altered movement patterns which may perpetuate symptoms and lead to more chronic low back pain and muscle imbalances. Primary movers for our movement patterns (example: glutes) may be substituted for weaker, less tolerant...
Pain in the elbow is very common among weightlifters and CrossFit. It often causes individuals to lower the lifting load or ultimately modify the WOD. The most likely areas of pain are in the lateral elbow or medial elbow. Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for elbow pain. Medial...
The front squat is a commonly programmed movement in the CrossFit community. It is seen for high repetitions at low loads, low repetitions at high load, and everywhere in between. The front squat is trained to improve core stability, lower body strength, and is the receiving position for the clean in Olympic weightlifting. Many CrossFit...
When you see a CrossFit, weight training, or gym workout posted with overhead press, push press or jerks, and your first thought is that you are concerned about how your back will fair, then this post is for you. When pressing a barbell (or any object) directly overhead it is necessary to have a strong,...
Typical instruction for squat stance is a generic recommendation to stand shoulder width apart with your toes turned out slightly. This is a great starting point, but that does not mean it is the optimal stance for everyone. Whether you are a CrossFit athlete, performance weight lifter, or doing squats for general fitness, please read...
Has anyone ever told you only squat to parallel and no lower because it is dangerous or bad for your knees? Did anyone making this claim provide any evidence to support it? This is highly unlikely considering the research has proven that deep squats below parallel are not only safe but provide protective benefit against...
In our previous blog we discussed the best body weight exercises for the gluteus maximus. In this blog we will detail the evidence on the best strength training exercises utilizing weights for this muscle group. Neto and colleagues in Journal of Sports Science and Medicine reviewed the available evidence on weighted exercises commonly prescribed in...
If you only had time for one strength training exercise it would be hard to beat the squat due to its’ high recruitment of lower quarter muscles including the legs and core. Numerous variations of the squat including sit to stand, goblet squat, front squat, back squat, split squat, and zercher squats exist allowing individuals...
Resistance training is an essential part of any weekly workout program, but can become neglected when other activities compete for our time. On these shortened training days we should aim to improve our efficiency in the gym by utilizing methods which reduce our workout time but maintain its’ effectiveness. Supersets, performance of a set of...