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Exercise of the Week: Plank Bird Dog

5/5/2020

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I started doing this exercise from an Orange Theory online class and really liked it.  I have implemented it in many of my workouts and given it to patients.  It is great for:
  • shoulder stability
  • core strength
  • glut strength
  • cardio 

Plank Bird Dog

Start in a nice tall plank.  Don't over arch your back in either direction
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Next, bring your left knee to your chest
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Then swing your leg back and slightly up, engaging your glut and NOT over arching your back!

dominickRepeat the movement without your swing foot touching the ground.  Try 10-15 reps each side for 2-3 sets.  You can also mix it in with a sequence of other exercises you plan to do.  I have this inserted as a 60 sec exercise (30 sec each side) in many of my routines.

Please let me know if you have questions.

Stay active, stay safe!
​Dominick
dominick@sanramonvalleypt.com
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Warm Up that Core in 3 Minutes!

5/14/2019

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Just as you should spend a 5-10 minutes raising your internal body temperature before activity, you should spend a few of those minutes turning on your core.  This is not to be confused with an abdominal workout.  Again, before that run, basketball game, Cross fit workout, whatever; don't you think you should wake up the area of you body that connects your shoulders and arms to your hip and legs?  I used this as part of my warm up this week and really enjoyed it.

Check these 4 easy exercises out. 

10 times each side.
​
Rotation and Lift
core danville
Lay on your side, both knees SHOULD be bent to 90, with your hand together.
core danville 2
Rotate your trunk so both arms are flat on the ground.
core danville 3
Reach up to the ceiling with the 'bottom' hand, lifting that shoulder off the ground. Hold 3-5 seconds and return.
Quadruped Glut & Pull
core danville 4
Start on you hands and knees, arm in a row position, activating scapular and back musculature. Opposite leg STRAIGHT, making sure your butt is TIGHT. Hold 3 seconds.
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Straighten arm and bend opposite knee under. Hold 3 seconds.
Dead Bug Press
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Lay on your back, knees in "table top" with opposite knee and hand pressed together. Hold 3-5 seconds.
core danville 5
Keep pressing opposite hand to opposite knee and extend the opposite arm and leg straight, keeping the core tight and little low back movement. Hold 3-5 seconds.
Side Plank with Twist
core danville 6
Side plank. On your hand (or forearm if it's more comfortable) and sides of feet with the bottom leg in back and top leg forward. Hold 3-5 seconds.
core danville 7
Reach under and twist. Hold 3-5 seconds.
2 Comments

Getting Back After Having a Baby

9/6/2018

3 Comments

 
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As my son approaches 2, I reflect back on his short time here on this Earth and also my time as a parent.  I can't help but think about my wife, and the challenges she faced getting back to an active lifestyle she was accustomed to.  It took over a year for her to 'get it all back.' 

Since then, I have seen many postpartum women that come in with various aches and pains and it always takes me back to seeing my wife with belly out to here (extend hand away from body).  Needless to say, having a baby takes a major toll on your body, both physically and mentally.

So while I may not have had a child myself, I worked in a women's health clinic in the past, treated many postpartum patients over the years, and now seeing it all first hand, here are my tips, with links, to getting it all back.

So, I googled 'postpartum core exercises' and here are some of the top findings, with my professional, and personal, feedback:
  • Core Exercise Solutions by Sarah
    • some really great information, however I would re-number or prioitze her list a little differently...
      • 1. Diaphragmtic Breathing: always important.  Guy, girl, pregnant, not, young, old...you get the point...This point is VERY underrated
      • 2. Core: your kid totally stretched out your tummy, specifically your transverse abdominis (TA), and, with some crazy hormones and time, exercise can help put it all back.
      • 3. Glutes: isn't it always about the glutes?
  • ​6 Exercise for Rebuiliding your Core after Pregnancy
    • not that big of a fan.  I found the exercises she chose were on the advanced side,  This article lacked a progression, plus the form in some of her pictures was no bueno.
  • Restore Your Core: Progressive Exercises for Post-Pregnancy
    • a great article with great progression.  The only thing I felt lacking is a deeper talk about pelvic tilts, the basic building block of all core exercises

What's a Pelvic Tilt?

​Lay on your back.  Knees bent, feet flat.  press your low back flat on the ground without pressing through your feet....and keep breathing.
Picture
This is an anterior pelvic tilt. I can drive a train under my low back. This tightens the low back muscles and turns off the deep core muscles (TA).
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This is a posterior pelvic tilt. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT. Press low back flat into the ground, tighten deep abs and KEEP BREATHING!
​Here is my (quick) playbook for getting stronger after having a baby:
  1. start with pelvic tilts the first week or so.  Start with 10, 1 sec holds a couple times a day.  Build up hold times, rep counts, and sets as you feel stronger.
  2. Once you can do 3 x 10 of 10 sec pelvic tilts, you can move on and layer more complex movement like bridges, clam shells, marching, heel slides (see the last link).  You can even begin doing these on hands and knees.  Pelvic tilt/holds then layer on kicking back, donkey kicks, etc.
  3. At the same time above, you can begin mini squats, making sure at the top of your squat to lock knees, squeeze glutes, and tighten low abs (TA).  Deepen the squat, increase the reps and sets as you feel stronger.

I love to hear feedback! Hope this help some mamas out there!

​Dominick
3 Comments

The Dead Bug Press: A Great Twist on an Old School Core Exercise

12/14/2017

1 Comment

 
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The 'dead bug" has long been used as a go-to core exercise in physical therapy clinics everywhere.  While it is a great beginner exercise, I've always felt it needed a little bit more.  Recently, I came across a great tweak on this classic to make it more challenging and effective.

The Dead Bug Press

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Start by lying on your back, pressing your low back into the table.  This is your posterior pelvic tilt, engaging the abs and relaxing the back.  Next, press your opposite hand into your opposite knee.  In the picture, I have my right hand pressing into my left knee.
Picture
Next, simultaneously reach back with your left arm and kick out with your right leg, not letting the leg touch the ground.  To make it easier, you can tap the heel down.  PLEASE, do not let you back arch off the ground!
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Bring your other knee up to table top position and raise your free hand in the air.  Two things to make sure are happening: #1: your low back STAYS flat on the ground through this entire exercise #2: you are pressing hard into your knee...I tell patients to imagine squishing a bug.
Picture
Return to the starting position, maintaining the pressure with your right palm on your left knee and, yes, back flat.

​10-15 each side for 2-3 sets
There you have the Dead Bug Press.  I hope you can add it to your current ab routine.  Let us know what you think!

If you have any questions, please let us know. 

​Dominick
1 Comment

2 Simple Fixes to Your Plank

11/29/2017

4 Comments

 
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Oh no...Please do not tell me you are doing your plank like my patient above.  

This gentleman in his twenties came in with back pain.  He said he liked to do body weight exercises like planks, so I asked him to show me what he does.  
​

The red arrow not only shows the over-activation of his back muscles but it is also the location of his pain.  No wonder.
Picture

​The plank should be felt in the abs.  It's probably one of the most boring exercises out there, however one of the most effective.  Why? Well, to simplify it, you have 4 layers of abdominal muscles.  The top layer, the rectus abdominis AKA your six pack muscles (its there...somewhere), has a vertical orientation. Your next 2 layers, your obliques, run diagonally.  Your deepest layer, the transverse abdominis, has a horizontal orientation, wrapping around and attaching into the back, and functions similar to a corset (or a weight belt if you packing a little extra testosterone today).  The plank targets the transverse abdominis.

Two small tweaks to you plank and you could be activating this muscle, and making the exercise more difficult and effective while putting less load on your spine.  There is some research that proves it. 

1. Tuck your pelvis, tuck your tailbone, round your low back; all cues to POSTERIORLY TILT YOUR PELVIS.
2. Move your elbow AWAY from your body; increasing the demand on your 'core' and less on your shoulders/pecs
core, plank
Doing it this way is harder than it looks.   Start with 30 sec on, 30 sec off, 6 times.  Too easy? Go to 45 sec on/45 sec rest 6 x, then 60 sec on/60 sec rest 6x.  I tell patients to start on their elbows and knees and progress to elbows and feet.  If you can do 60 sec on/60 sec off 6 times with proper form like the last pic, your name should be on a plaque.

Have any questions? Let us know! Have a great week!
4 Comments

Don't Forget THIS Fundamental Component of Ab Exercises

1/10/2017

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Happy New Year!

With exercise and fitness, there is always the next newest and best thing.  

With that being said, never forget the fundamentals!  They should apply to any of the new routines and exercises you are encorporating.

With core stabilization exercises that are preformed on your back or in a plank, you should always start with and maintain a posterior pelvic tilt.  What does that mean?  Check out the pictures below:

​Anterior Pevlic Tilt

Posterior Pelvic Tilt

Picture
low back arched = low back tight + abdominals turned off; notice the angle of the wast line!
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low back flat = low back off + abdominals ON; notice the angle of the wast line!
Whatever the core exercise try and keep a posterior pelvic tilt to limit the back's involvement in the exercise.

Try it!  Lay on your back and arch yor low back off the ground.  Reach under and feel how tight your low back muscles are and then reach around and feel how loose your abs feel.  .  Now press your low back into the ground and feel your abdominals turn on; this is a posterior pelvic tilt.  Magic.  Please 
notice the angle of the wast line in the pictures above!

This goes for planks, scissors, marching, and leg lifts (especially leg lifts!!! No hands under your butt and back arching!).  

This applies when we are asking the spine to be straight and not for any flexion (ex: sit ups) or rotation (ex: Russian twists) exercises.  

If you have any questions, feel free to let me know!
​dominick@sanramonvalleypt.com
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