Tag Archives: mobility

Day 8 – KB Armbar Stretch

Posted on April 8, 2016 | Leave a comment

The Kettlebell Armbar Stretch is a unique move. It doesn’t feel like a stretch; it’s awkward; but it leaves your shoulders feeling great. What it does is set your arm deeper in the shoulder socket essentially putting the golf ball on the tee (the humerus on the glenoid fossa). You are doing an isometric hold of the scapula in retraction and depression and letting gravity set your shoulder. Trust me, it’s worth the price of admission. You can do this with a kettlebell, dumbbell or even a band but you’re going to need some resistance to make it work. Start light until you feel comfortable and secure holding the weight, then load it up.

Use two hands to pick up the kettlebell while laying on your back. Press it up over your shoulder. Keep your core tight as you roll over onto your side. Turn your hips over and point them toward the floor. Rest your head on your arm and keep your eye on the bell. Press your shoelaces into the floor, squeeze your butt and retract and depress your scapula. Stay there for up to two minutes. Initially, you may not be able to hold the weight for that long. That’s okay. Perform the armbar stretch two or three times on each arm for as long as you feel safe holding the weight. Use both hands to lower the weight slowly and place it on the ground.

Kettlebell Armbar Stretch from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge. Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge Tag me @coachpanda. Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options. Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time. Back off if it hurts.

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Day 7 – Camel Pose

Posted on April 7, 2016 | Leave a comment

The Camel Pose, also known as ustrasana (for you skritheads), is a great backbend that opens up the chest and shoulders and the hip flexors and quads. Traditionally it is done by kneeling and leaning back and placing the hands on the heels.  Sometimes people complain about it hurting their lower backs.  I like to use bands to alleviate the stress on the lower back.  Place a band across the squat rack at the height of your belt line so it crosses the top of your sacrum.  Place another band off the pullup bar and hook it under your armpits.  Kneel down and lean back. Move back far enough that the band around your lower  back is supporting you.  I show you a few different variations you can do with your arms.  You can support the back of your head if hanging your head back is uncomfortable.  You can reach your hands down toward your feet or hold on to some weights to help pull your arms back.  You can reach one or both arms back overhead to deepen the stretch.  Try to breathe deeply through the nose.  Initially it can be hard to breathe when in a deep back bend but keep trying to slow the breath down and allow each breath to be a little deeper.

Camel Pose from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.  Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge  Tag me @coachpanda.  Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options.   Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time.  Back off if it hurts.

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Day 6 – The Straddle Stretch

Posted on April 6, 2016 | Leave a comment

The straddle stretch is a classic move done by yogis, dancers, gymnasts and just about everyone.  There are lots of ways to do this stretch.  I prefer to use a band around my lower back attached to my feet.  The band helps give me a little more anterior pelvic tilt.  You will see in the first half of this video I modify the stretch by sitting up on some bumper plates. You must elevate your butt off the ground if you are really tight and cannot sit up straight.  If you don’t elevate your butt, you will merely be slouching instead of stretching which is pointless.  I like to use a little weight to help deepen the stretch.

Weighted Straddle Stretch. Day 6 of 30 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.  Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge  Tag me @coachpanda.  Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options.   Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time.  Back off if it hurts.

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Day 4 – The German Hang

Posted on April 4, 2016 | Leave a comment

The German Hang is the end point on a gymnastics move called a “Skin The Cat.” It’s also extreme shoulder extension, a range of motion many people are lacking due to neglect. We need shoulder extension to do dips and other fundamental exercises, however most of us just compensate for our shortcomings and leave ourselves prone to injury. Doing this stretch will help breathe some new life into your shoulders.

Use caution and common sense when stretching deep, remember to take your time to watch the video. Start slow and work yourself deeper into the stretch over time. Breathe slowly and deeply through the nose. If you are holding your breath, then you’re probably going too far. Back off until you can breathe deeply and slowly resume.  If it hurts or feels “sketchy” or you go numb, then stop.  Take it slow on this stretch, I have seen people get injured here because their ligaments and tendons were not ready for it.  Ease in to it slowly and don’t try to support your full bodyweight unless you have some previous experience with this stretch.

German Hang. Day 4 of 30 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.  Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge  Tag me @coachpanda.  Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options.   Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time.  Back off if it hurts.

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Day 3 – Supine Twist

Posted on April 3, 2016 | Leave a comment

I love this stretch.  It feels so good after a heavy lifting day.  Take your time setting yourself up comfortably for this twist.  If you’re really tight watch the variation at the end to modify this.  Also the weights are always optional so don’t feel like you have to go nuts.  You’re not going to win stretching all in one day.  Just take it easy and find your edge.

Supine Twist. Day 3 of 30 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.  Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge  Tag me @coachpanda.  Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options.   Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time.  Back off if it hurts.

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Day 2 – The T Spine Stretch

Posted on April 2, 2016 | Leave a comment

Today we focus on the Thoracic Spine and the Shoulders.  This stretch will help your overhead position as well as your pull-ups and ring work.  Most people are tight in the shoulders and thoracic spine from sitting all day and looking at their phones. This stretch will undue some of that bad posture. I prefer doing this with a medball under my back which I show at the end, but if you’re not there yet, use the foam roller.  Go wider with your hands at first and gradually work them closer together.

T-Spine Stretch. Day 2 of 30 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.  Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge  Tag me @coachpanda.  Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options.   Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time.  Back off if it hurts.

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Day 1 of the Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.

Posted on April 1, 2016 | Leave a comment

It’s April 1st, but don’t be a fool! You need to stretch.  Take the challenge with me and do a little stretching every day.

Here is all you have to do to take the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.  Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge  Tag me @coachpanda.  Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options.   Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time.  Back off if it hurts.

The first stretch is an easy one and you will be glad you did it. If you have been lifting weight it is going to take its toll on your spine. Decompress your spine and give your hamstrings a gentle stretch with this weighted GHD hang. You will feel like a new man.

Weighted GHD Hang. Day 1 of 30 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

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30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.

Posted on April 1, 2016 | Leave a comment

Stretching. static1.squarespaceWe all know we should do it, yet most of us don’t do it.  Then we all have the excuse, “I’m not flexible enough to go to yoga.”  Bitch please!  Maybe you like to use the “I don’t know how to stretch” excuse.  Perhaps you are just totally defeated and think, “I will never be flexible.”  Cut that shit out!  You’re better than that.

This month I’m doing a 30-day stretching challenge.  It’s as much for me as it is for you. I know how to stretch because I taught yoga for over 10 years but I still find it hard to make myself just sit there and stretch.  I decided I’m going to challenge myself (and all of you) to stretch deeply every day this month.  Flexibility loves company so please join me.

Here’s how it works.  Every day I’ll post a new stretch to my instagram account @coachpanda and I’ll post some videos here at forcedistancetime.com explaining them in further detail.  You can also go right to my vimeo page and watch the videos that will have more instructions.  For the super tight people there will be modifications and for the super supple there will be some challenging variations.

Use cautio162311n and common sense when stretching deep, remember to take your time to watch the video and read the instructions.  Start slow and work yourself deeper into the stretch over time.  Breathe slowly and deeply through the nose. If you are holding your breath, then you’re probably going too far.  Back off until you can breathe deeply and slowly resume.  Spend at least 2 minutes in each stretch on each side.  If you find it was easy, then stay there longer, or go deeper, or try a more challenging variation.  If it hurts or feels “sketchy” or you go numb, then stop.

Since it is a “challenge,” I want to introduce you to some stretch variations that you might not have seen and use some props you might not have used.  It’s going to be an adventure.  Join me!

Here are the rules for the 30-Day Stretch Fucking Harder Challenge.  Each day do the deep stretch, post it on Instagram and tag some friends to do it with you. Post your stretch with the tags: #stretchfuckingharder #supplepandas #30daypandachallenge  Tag me @coachpanda.  Come back here to my website or vimeo channel to see more details on each stretch and modifications and scaling options.   Try to stay in each stretch for at least 2 minutes per stretch per side. Remember to breathe slowly and deeply and start gradually and move deeper over time.  Back off if it hurts.

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The WOD Doc!

Posted on August 17, 2015 | Leave a comment

I was so blessed to be on two episodes of the Wod Doc this week. If you aren’t following him on social media or watching his videos, then you are missing out. The Wod Doc, a/k/a Tim, and I go way back to when I did his CrossFit Level 1 seminar back at my old box, CrossFit Virtuosity. Now he’s coaching and putting out videos and changing people’s lives. Spending a few hours with him, I was really moved by how many people came up to him and thanked him for his work. I see him at Regionals and at the Games working on athletes and I know athletes are at home in front of the computer benefitting from his work every day. I have to take this opportunity to thank him as well. I can’t wait to work with him again and to hopefully beat him in a workout one day.

This first video is Panda Stretch which was made famous right here! Since Wod Doc saw it go viral he had to have me talk about it a little and give him a quick demo. Here we see how to bias that full hip flexion first and then pull length into the hamstring by slowly straightening the knees. We also talk a little bit about down regulation and trying to stimulate the para sympathetic nervous system by breathing slowly and deeply and letting the back of the neck relax.

In this next video I introduce you to the Panda Stick. It’s PVC pipe with a rubber super ball taped to the end of it. I showed Tim the “R Cubed” diagnostic: reach, rotate and raise. Lying in child’s pose you reach the arm straight ahead, externally rotate the palm to the sky and then raise the arm off the floor. In the prone position you are biasing a slightly flexed spine, similar to a hollow position, and capturing full knee and hip flexion (hopefully). This allows us to see what your shoulder is truly capable of without compensation from a downstream joint.

We used the R Cubed as our test and re-test and used the Panda Stick for a little scalene release. I show the “Pin, Spin & Mobilize” technique from Yoga Tune Up. It’s a great technique to use on a delicate area like the scalenes which are sensitive to a lot of compressive pressure.

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The Power of Asymmetry

Posted on June 18, 2015 | Leave a comment

Most of us have blind spots: areas we do not propriocept well.  These blind spots hide in the movements we never do, but also live in the movements we do all the time.  Sometimes it pays to take a fresh look at some movements we know well to see if we can discover these blind spots.  I have a few exercises that I do for squats and lunges to help me break out of my routines.  I find these are extremely useful in targeting imbalances and in strengthening my core.  I learned these from Raphael Ruiz and am passing them on to you.

I will start with the squat variations which progressively get more challenging and then show you the lunge variations.  I recommend you video yourself doing these and watch them back to see how your body reacts to the uneven loading (just from watching these videos I see some areas that need improvement in my squat), also video your regular squat before and after doing these to see if there is a noticeable change in your squat.  Perform the squats slowly enough to feel where you lose balance or integrity and can reclaim it.  Roughly a 2 to 4 second descent with a 1 to 2 second pause in the bottom is good to get the most out of these squats.

Variation 1

Off-axis back squat.  Take a barbell place it on your back as far to one side as you can manage.  Try to stand symmetrically and keep the bar horizontal.  Perform 5 back squats trying to remain symmetrical.  Shift the bar to the other side and repeat.

The stimulus varies depending on how upright or “mature” your squat is.  For a vertical squat, the challenge is to avoid side-bending.   What you find is that your obliques work extra hard trying to keep you balanced.  For an immature squat, the stimulus is rotational in nature and you will be using your lower back muscles and obliques to counter rotate and keep yourself squared.

SquatsOffset1 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

SquatsOffset2 from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Variation 2

Barbell tip drops.  Use the same off-axis barbell position.  Perform a squat and hold the bottom position.  Now slowly bend sideways and touch the long end of the barbell to the floor and come back up to neutral before standing.  Perform 5 reps on each side.

This variation requires you to surrender your good squat position into a very unstable, off-balance position and then reclaim good position.  It will definitely work your core very hard as well as increase your strength and confidence in the bottom of the squat.

SquatsTipDrops from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

LungeTipDrops from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

Variation 3

Unilateral, Posterior to Anterior Banded Squats.  Tie a band to your squat rack and loop the end over one side of your barbell.  Walk out until you feel the tension is strong but not pulling you out of alignment.  Do a set of 5 squats.  Repeat on the other side.

Now instead of gravity’s usual pull down, you are contending with a rotational torque trying to spin you around as you squat.  This unusual force will cause many new sensations and cause you to focus on many muscles that you often do not focus on when squatting.  Screwing your feet into the ground and driving your knees out becomes the best strategy for stabilizing against this force.  Also the pull from back to front will encourage you to lift your chest and cultivate a more upright posture in your squat.  I found this to be a great corrective exercise for people that squat unevenly.

SquatsAsym from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

LungesAsym from Force Distance Time on Vimeo.

You should always be striving to master the basics.   Using variations like this to challenge yourself is a great way to build confidence in your mechanics, to uncover imbalances and to correct them.  Give these a try and let me know what you think.

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