THE

SKILL
OF BEING
PAIN FREE
HIP AND SHOULDER
PREHAB
DR. SCOTT DUNAWAY
 PART 1

Human Function:
Beyond Basic Anatomy
When we study the human body in school, we memorize the parts as if they
exist independently in the body. We see where muscles originate and insert
into bones. We see nerves that exit the spine at specific levels, which
innervate certain body parts or areas of the skin. All the information is
broken down in a very mechanistic way that does a major disservice to the
complex ecosystem of the human body in which these structures function.

My favorite example of this is the IT-band. When going through our cadaver
dissection in school, I expected to open the leg and find a nicely separated
IT band from the rest of the leg. When we got in there, it was nowhere to be
found. A fascial layer covered the entire leg and we had to purposefully cut
away similar tissue so we could "see" the IT band. There were no clear-cut
lines, no beginning and end. There was thickened fascia that extended past
the knee, up into the torso, and around the leg.

I also left anatomy and physiology thinking of muscles like a bunch of foot
soldiers taking orders from the brain, the "drill sergeant" if you will.
However, I began to realize the symphony of muscular contraction and
lengthening that occurs to perform all movement is more like a line of
dominoes. The brain pushes the first domino over, and the fascial system,
which ties this network of muscles together, takes it from there. This fascia
acts like a thin brain overlying the entire musculoskeletal system in which
patterns and postures are stored. Based on what happens to neighboring
tissues, the fascial system will cue a muscle to perform the necessary job to
help execute the brain's message.

So with this mindset, let me attempt to explain how our bodies function, or
more importantly, malfunction.

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 "A Series of Articulated Linkages"
This is how Stu McGill describes the connections of the human body; it
functions as a series of articulated linkages. This basically means the
function of one segment relies on the surrounding segments performing
their job adequately.

For example, the humerus connects directly to the scapulae via the
glenohumeral joint, which has direct connections to the clavicle, all of
which are connected to the neck via muscles and ligaments. Because of
these direct connections, it's not hard to appreciate the importance of neck
function in relationship to the shoulder. Yet, for some reason, as we see
larger degrees of separation, at some point we consider the relationships
to be too far away to consider them relevant to our shoulder. People find it
difficult to understand how a degenerated disc in the lower back could
affect the health and function of the cervical spine, and therefore the
shoulder!

It is this disconnect of not appreciating the series of articulated linkages

which makes symptom management (aka our entire healthcare system) a
far cry from injury resolution. However, understanding this concept will
lead you down the path of getting out of pain for good, instead of staying
in the revolving door of pain, to symptom relief, and back to pain again.

I introduce this topic to say this: if a structure is tight, don't assume it

needs mobility only. Look to the areas surrounding the tight structure and
make sure and see where you could add stability into the system.
Increasing your mobility, whether that be through an adjustment, massage,
or stretching, will require the body to stabilize and control this new motion.
If it is not stabilized, you will run the risk of injury and the body will lock
that area back down. In this light, a lack of mobility should be thought of as
an injury prevention default for the brain.

This is why in the context of body maintenance, you will follow the SAS
approach:

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    1) Strech
    2) Activate
    3) Strengthen

  More on this topic in the application chapters!

What Your Pain Is Telling You

Pain can become a very challenging topic when we take into account the
layered complications of systemic inflammation, emotional stress, and
chronic pain. On top of this, we also lump all pain together under the same
umbrella, and by doing this we hear things like, "No pain, no gain!” and
"The normal aches and pains of aging."

While a certain degree of soreness after strenuous exercise is ok, there is

no degree of pain which doesn't deserve your attention. Even if you're told
"that's where you hold your stress," as I often hear about upper traps, you
need to understand that allowing that underlying tension to be your norm
is a recipe for disaster.

When it comes to responding to pain, I typically see two opposite ends of

the spectrum. On one end, blunting the signal all together with
medications and shots, and on the other end, having a borderline
masochistic infatuation with pain from self-myofascial release. Each of
these have their unique reasons for inhibiting the true healing of tight or
painful tissues, and likely for you the appropriate response lies somewhere
between these extremes. For the purposes of body maintenance and the
application of these stretches and soft tissue work, I will always suggest
staying within the "comfortably uncomfortable" zone. While there is a time
and a place for an uncomfortable deep stretch or massage, if done
consistently, you can just be irritating injured tissues.

When it comes to giving blanket advice, you're always safe spending more
time expanding your comfort zone, as opposed to pushing your limits
when it comes to tissue mobility.

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 Movement Chains
This subject is key to understanding why I approach treatment and body
maintenance the way I do. Do yourself a favor and consider Thomas
Meyers' Anatomy Trains. With this resource, you'll gain a deeper
understanding of this incredibly important topic. With this book, I'm just
giving you the tip of the iceberg, if you will.

As I mentioned earlier, the body doesn't function like a bunch of

independent foot soldiers taking orders. Cascading throughout the
entire body is a web of connective tissue called fascia. This fascia forms
lines or chains of muscular connections that combine to support the
body in the context of movement. These chains can run from the toes to
the top of the head with all the muscles/tissues within the chain
performing a similar supporting job for both posture and movement.

Within the context of these chains (there are seven, by the way) certain
muscles will play more of a stability role, while others will have more of a
force production role. When a healthy posture and movement
environment are in place, these chains of muscles function beautifully to
create low-injury risk movement. However, when these conditions aren't
in place due to poor posture or lots of muscle isolation training,
dysfunction creeps in and will manifest itself as tension or pain.

Traditionally speaking, our go-to fix is to stretch the tight tissue or get
treatment around the painful areas, which leaves the rest of the
movement chain neglected. This will likely result in us not addressing the
issues which lead to the problem area being over-stressed, tight, and
painful in the first place. For instance, if the hamstrings are tight because
they are being asked by the brain to help stabilize the pelvis, releasing
this tension will not help unless we find the pelvis some more stability
outside the hamstrings.

I say all of this to remind you: the body doesn't function in isolation.
Therefore, our treatment, rehab, or fitness approaches shouldn't work in
isolation either.

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 PART 2

Breathing And Bracing

The best core exercise is proper breathing pattern.

Breathing is much more than respiration. Often people assume that just
because they aren't dying from a lack of oxygen, they must be breathing
properly. This is far from the case. Much like any other skill in the body,
there is a proper way and a faulty way to breathe. Not only is a proper
breathing pattern necessary for neck and lower back stability, it's vital to
proper physiological function.

This chapter will show the connections, both anatomical and

physiological, between proper breathing patterns and a pain free, healthy
life.

Neck Stability And Breathing

 Keeping in mind that we take on average 20,000 breaths a day, it is very
apparent that the muscle groups we decide to use are going to undergo
an extraordinary amount of stress in order to accomplish this task.

Now consider the additional stresses we put on the neck musculature

throughout the day. Supporting the movements of a 12-pound head
would be hard enough even if we had textbook posture, but who
honestly can say they have perfect posture all day?! To add injury to
insult, for every inch of forward head posture, the perceived increased
tension on the neck is an additional 10 pounds! This means a slight
forward head posture can almost double the stresses on the posterior
neck musculature!

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Adding the stresses of breathing to that mixture is a recipe for disaster
and will create tension all around the neck, chest, and upper back.

This buildup of tension in the posterior neck will shut down a key group
of stabilizing muscles for the neck by a process known as "reciprocal
inhibition.” This term is used to describe a neurological reflex which
relaxes muscles on one side of a joint to accommodate the contraction of
muscles on the opposite side of the joint. For example, when you flex
your elbow, the body will automatically relax the triceps so the biceps can
contract and move the joint. These muscles in the neck being "shut off",
together are classified as the deep neck flexors. They are analogous to
the "core of the torso" in the fact that when working properly, they
decrease stresses to the cervical spine, much like a stable torso will
prevent unnecessary damage to the lumbar spine. As a group, their
action is to basically keep the chin retracted and prevent over-extension
of the upper cervical spine. Therefore, the more tension we can get out of
the posterior neck, the better able we'll be to get these deep neck flexors
strong and active, and keep our head over our shoulders as opposed to
jutting forward like a chicken neck!

And here is where we encounter the problem…

The brain will choose discomfort in the neck over dying from no
oxygen…duh. This means that if you have trained a breathing pattern
which uses the upper torso and neck musculature to pull the lungs up,
instead of using the diaphragm to pull the lungs down, then your tight
neck will be a constant thing. Ipso facto, your stability mechanisms will be
inhibited.

Once a proper breathing pattern is trained, the upper traps, pec minor,
levator scapulae, sub occipitals, and other commonly painfully tight areas
will respond much better to soft tissue release and management. In
addition, with some simple drills we'll share at the end of this chapter,
you'll be able to stabilize and strengthen your neck, thereby giving your
shoulders a proper stable platform to anchor from!

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 Lumbopelvic Stability and
Breathing
 The torso functions like a cylinder with the roof being made up of the
diaphragm, and the base being made of the pelvic floor. This cylinder is
sometimes referred to as "the core" in mainstream fitness, and the
strategy for strengthening this "core" is to do things like crunches, or
planks, or medicine ball throws. While these exercises have their place in
a strength program, the stabilization of this cylinder comes from the
piston-type motion that occurs with proper breathing patterns.

When the diaphragm is used in the context of breathing, it contracts to

pull the lungs down, creating negative pressure in the lungs, thereby
allowing for full respiration. This motion creates intra-abdominal
pressure and should expand the abdomen in all directions, while the
muscles of the torso and pelvic floor create a rigid outer wall and floor to
resist these pressures. This increased pressure from the diaphragm, and
the resulting stiffening of the muscles of the torso, is what gives the
"core" its strength and protective effects for the lumbar spine.

True core strength requires the prerequisite of coordinated breathing

and bracing strategies. Attempts to strengthen the muscles of the torso
prior to addressing these foundational skills are likely to only strengthen
compensations. These compensations will require stability to be gained
elsewhere, such as the hips and mid-back; areas that are chronically tight
and hard to loosen up. You won’t gain much relief from stretching these
areas of the body if the brain is relying on them for stability during
exercise or daily movement. Therefore, every exercise should be a
practice in proper breathing while bracing that proper breathing.

If you have never focused on your breathing and bracing, it can feel a lot
like trying to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time. It takes a
lot of thought for most people and can become frustrating. Because of
this, I wouldn't suggest becoming hyper-focused on diaphragmatic
breathing all day! Instead, set aside a few minutes each day to focus on
your breathing practice using some of these different drills.

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Unless stated otherwise, these drills should be practiced in a relaxed, neutral
spine position for five minutes.

Breathing and Bracing Application

Breathing Drill #1: Breathing Properly

Simply take 20 slow, deep breaths, focusing on the feeling of expansion of

the abdomen. Think about your breath like you are pouring a glass of
water: it fills from the bottom to the top. As you breathe, monitor four
spots on each side of the abdomen: the lower quadrants (just below and
on either side of the belly button), the upper quadrants (just below the
ribs and sternum), the obliques (on the side between the lowest ribs and
the crest of the pelvis), and the flanks (just below the ribs, lateral to the
paraspinal musculature).

Breathing 101: Video Here

Breathing Drill #2: Ladder Breathing

Ladder breathing is a great drill for learning to take a 1:1 ratio breath. As
you "climb the ladder," you begin to unlock lung capacity that you didn't
even know you had! You can perform this by taking short choppy breaths,
or sustained breaths. For example, taking five short inhales, reaching full
lung capacity by the fifth breath, followed by five short exhales making sure
to expel all air by the last exhalation. This can be used as a great drill on
easy running days. Each time the left foot hits, take an inhale or exhale!

Ladder Breathing: Video Here

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 Breathing Drill #3: Box Breathing

Box breathing adds a component that really deserves its own book; breath
holding. As a matter of fact, Patrick McKeown wrote a book call The Oxygen
Advantage which goes over a lot of the physiological advantages of the
breath hold, particularly after the exhale. The concept with box breathing is
to perform a 1:1:1:1 ratio of inhale:hold:exhale:hold. Again, your goal is to
fully inflate and then fully exhale, while increasing the time it takes to
perform these breaths.

Box Breathing: Video Here

Breathing Drill #4: Breathing and Bracing

Finally, this breathing/bracing relationship exists on a continuum of an

inverse relationship, where the more tension you create with the brace, the
less breath you'll be able to pack into that cylinder. Think about a dial from
0 - 10. At zero, you are completely relaxed and focusing only on breathing,
like in Drill #1 listed above. At 10, you are completely contracted with no
breath, like you would be in the hole of a max squat. In this example, a light
job may land around a 2 while you may turn that up to 8 for a heavy
farmer's carry. To start this practice of fine-tuning your dial, I suggest using
an exercise called the "deadbug," performed in the manner shown in this
video:

Breathing And Bracing: Video Here

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 PART 3

Body Maintenance
Roadmap
Information without Structure Is Useless.

 Information without structure is useless.

In the age of information, there is no shortage of helpful tips. Whether
you're looking on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, newsletters, or reading
a book, your answer is out there. The problem is not that you are missing
the information, it's you're lacking the scaffolding to build a proper
program on. This structure will help answer questions like:

"How long should I hold this stretch?"

"How many reps of this exercise should I do?"
"How long should I hold this isometric?"

The reality to all those questions is: it depends. The only way to know for
sure what is right for an individual is to run safe, controlled experiments.
These experiments need a starting place which is more than just a
random collection of stretches and exercises, but a routine that
challenges the complexity of the body and its complex interdependent
parts.

So what is my suggestion for a good starting structure?

Stretch/Activate/Strengthen (SAS)
STRETCH: 5-7 minutes
This simply refers to lengthening tissue. It can be from self-myofascial
release, stretching, massage, yoga, chiropractic, or any method out there
geared towards getting more length in your tissue. For our purposes, I'm

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sticking with stretches which will allow you to gain some length before
supporting other areas surrounding the shoulders and hips.
I caution you to not be hyper-focused on this step as you can most
definitely over-stretch. Work on expanding your comfort zone, not
pushing the limits of your tissue extensibility in a single session. Perform
the 5-7 minutes of focused stretching every day for the next 14 days and
you'll begin to feel the difference between forced flexibility and earned
mobility.

Activate: 5-7 minutes

There is such thing as a "neurological block.” This simply means tissue is
not short due to scar tissue buildup or lack of fresh blood supply, but
rather the brain has put breaks on your movement to support nearby
structures, by splinting a muscle in a shortened position. This block will
require those unstable structures to be stabilized prior to allowing the
splinted muscle to relax. This is where performing focused isometrics or
mindful movements will help in your mobility efforts.

Strengthen: 5 minutes
In this context, when I say "strengthen," I'm really referring to improving
coordination: strengthening neurological patterns or "greasing the
groove" of quality movement to the point where it becomes part of your
auto-pilot. By integrating the new flexibility and stability you've gained in
the past two steps into more complex patterns, the brain will see the
need to keep the mobility gained. Practicing this routinely will begin to
establish better joint centration, better posture, and more freedom of
movement.

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 PART 4

Shoulder Routine
 This section will give you the tools to implement all the concepts we have
laid out up to this point. If this is the part of the book you've skipped to, I
strongly suggest going back to the breathing section first. Performing these
drills correctly will require a quality breathing/bracing strategy. These drills
have been ordered in a certain way for a reason. Within each section, you
can perform the drills in whatever order you like, but be sure you follow
the order in which the sections are laid out.

With regards to time, unless otherwise stated, perform each drill for 60
seconds to start with. With the stretches, move into and out of tension,
holding the "comfortably uncomfortable" stretch for 2-5 breath cycles.
Also, considerations for areas of complimentary soft tissue release will
accompany some stretches. These are best implemented as prep for the
stretch.

Remember: ALL OF THESE DRILLS ARE BREATHING DRILLS FIRST AND

FOREMOST!!!!

Stretches
The Bully Stretch

Internal rotation is on my top 5 of most commoly limited ranges of

motion.  If you lack this range, it's one you'll stretch for 1 week and all of
the sudden be restored.  Often times this will take weeks or months of
slowly remodeling these tissues.

  - Soft Tissue Considerations: Pec Minor; Upper Trap, Teres Major,

Infraspinatus/teres minor

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Shoulder Extension

With nearly all of our daily activities revolving around flexion (eating,
working, driving, pressing, etc), it's no wonder they body views this range as
unnecessary for daily life.  However, a lack of extension will set the stage for
lots of damage of both the Rotator Cuff and Labrum.

      -Soft tissue considerations: Pec Major, Biceps Brachii, Coracobrachialis, 

Pronator Teres, Common Wrist Flexors

Anterior Arm Line Stretch

Through the fascial connection, tension in the forearms, biceps, or chest will
have an effect on how muscles are able to contract and lengthen under
load.  This stretch will hit the entire arm line as well as the obliques.

         - Soft Tisssue Considerations: Pec Major, Sub Clavius, Biceps, Pronator
Teres, forearm flexors

BONUS MOBILITY DRILLS

Dowel Rod Internal/External Rotation

Thoracic Spine Extension and Rotation

Shoulder Controlled Articular Rotations

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 Activations

Seated Wall Angels

This drill is great for training/prepping the scapular retractors and

scapulohumeral rhythm in the overhead position. The best way to utilize this
drill is to find your end ranges, then hold isometrics by pressing through the
wall with your entire forearm. For beginners, this can be an exercise by
itself, but this drill can be a prep for overhead pressing regardless of your
fitness level.

Serratus Push Up Isometric

The previous drill focused on getting scapular retraction warmed up, and this
is the complimentary scapular protraction warm up. Before having proper
scapular stability through a full range, you  must first start with training the
beginning and ending points. This drill will also teach you how to maintain
and stable neck position during protraction, which is a key element to
shoulder stability.

Kettlebell Armbar

The kettlebell arm bar is wonderful way to train the Rotator Cuff of the
shoulder.  The Rotator Cuff's primary action is to create suction of the
humerus into the Glenoid fossa, allowing it to articulate with that joint in a
way that allows the shoulder to safely move through a wide range of motion.
When the rotator cuff is working well, tension in areas like the pecs, Levator
Scap, and Upper Traps will decrease because they won't be burdened with
the stability and power producing demand. This drill will improve that vital
function while also doubling as a good Thoracic Mobility drill.

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 Activations cont..

Bottoms Up Kettlebell Corkscrew

This drill really takes advantage of the unique shape and weight distribution
of the kettlebell. It's great for training Rotator Cuff competency while in
Internal and External rotation. With a slight scapular press, you can add
some stability challenge for the Serratus Anterior as well!

BONUS ACTIVATION DRILLS

Neck Planks

Hanging Variations

Bow and Arrow

Strengthening and Coordination

Rotating T-Push Ups

The Rotating Push up is a great drill to tie the obliques together with
shoulder stability. The key is to keep the torso rigid as you rotate keeping
the shoulder protracted so the Serratus anterior and external oblique can
learn to fire together. This link is a very important in the oblique sling and
spiral line of the body which is responsible for tying the body together
during any rotational movement patterns.

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 Strengthening cont....

Rotating T - Row
This drill works the opposite slings from the t-push-up. This will get the lats
fired up and working in unison with the pulling/scapular retractors. Getting
the shoulder into external rotation and depression before you begin your
pull will train the pulling pattern to NOT include the elevated and anteriorly
rounded shoulder, which so often leads to injury.

Deep Squat with Overhead Retraction

When trying to stabilize the overhead position, people underestimate how

important the obliques can be to this position. If the torso doesn't leak
energy by rotating or collapsing on one side, the retraction, external rotation,
and overhead pressing motions will be much more stable and safe. This drill
will break down these motions. It can be done in a half-kneeling or deep
squat position.

Scapular Circles

 This drill is one I start with no weight at all, then slowly begin to add weight.
Slow scapular circles, with a focus on proper engagement of the scapular
muscles, is necessary for shoulder and elbow health. If you find yourself
initiating shoulder motion by flexing the elbow first, you'll set yourself up for
elbow tendonitis as this motion will load the small muscles crossing the
elbow first.

BONUS STRENGTHENING DRILLS

Bottoms Up Variations
Rotating Side Plank

Eccentric Baby Get Up

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 A Finishing Thought On The Shoulder

 It’s very likely that your shoulder will not respond well to some of these
drills. Don't force the drills on your shoulder if you intuitively feel like it
doesn't "feel right.” Simply perform the drills you can do that comfortably
challenge you, and periodically re-visit those that don't feel good.

Take a week to get comfortable with all of these drills. Get an understanding
of what they feel like, how they affect you, and how your body responds the
next day. After practicing with these drills, my challenge for you would be to
consolidate your routine to include only two drills in each section. This will
end up being 10-15 minutes’ worth of work, which can be implemented
three to four days a week.

You can alternate this routine with the routine you develop from the hip
drills coming up, and this will be a great way to create durable mobility in
both the hips and shoulders.

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 PART 5

Hip Routine
This section will give you the tools to implement all the concepts we have
laid out up to this point. If this is the part of the book you've skipped to, I
strongly suggest going back to the breathing section first. Performing these
drills correctly will require a quality breathing/bracing strategy. These drills
have been ordered in a certain way for a reason. Within each section, you
can perform the drills in whatever order you like, but be sure you follow
the order in which the sections are laid out.

With regards to time, unless otherwise stated, perform each drill for 60
seconds to start with. With the stretches, move into and out of tension,
holding the "comfortably uncomfortable" stretch for 2-5 breath cycles.
Also, considerations for areas of complimentary soft tissue release will
accompany some stretches. These are best implemented as prep for the
stretch.

Remember: ALL OF THESE DRILLS ARE BREATHING DRILLS FIRST AND

FOREMOST!!!!

Stretches

Tactical Frog

This drill can be used both as a stretch for the Adductors and Hamstrings,
as well as being a great motor control drill for learning how to gain hip
flexion independent of lumbar spine flexion, which is a very common
injury mechanism.

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 Stretches cont....

Hip Flexor
Hip Flexion is one of the most neglected ranges in the human body.
Especially if you sit for extended periods of time, this will be a stretch that
which should be done on a regular basis.  Pay close attention to the pelvic
positioning, because this will help you avoid one of the most common
mistakes which is leaning to far forward over your front foot.

Hip 90/90 with Transitions

This dill will hit internal rotation and hip extension on one leg, while hitting
external rotation and hip flexion on the other leg.  Because of all of the
different components, it becomes a great warm up for nearly any lower body
demanding effort. Adding the transitions at the end will illuminate any
sticking points you may have getting into and out of these positions.

Hip Internal Rotation

 Limited internal rotation of the hip will lead to pinching, popping, and make
hip extension difficult as well.  I often recommend supersetting some hip
extension with your internal rotation stretches because of the need for
extension and internal rotation in gait.

BONUS STRETCHING DRILLS

QL/TFL (Lateral Chain Stretch)

Active Hamstring Stretch (Door frame Stretch)

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 Activations
DeadBug Variations
This is a progression from the Deadbug exercise you watched in the
"Breathing and Bracing" section.  While the basics of this drill can be used as
a beginning exercise for understanding the breathing and bracing concepts,
this video will give you progressions that will challenge the control of the
lumbopelvic complex even further.

Side Plank Variations

Training the lateral chain with the side plank is incredibly important for gait.
The lateral chain will prevent side-to-side shifting, which will create lots of
stress through the lower back, hips, and knees. Adding in these simple
variations will really challenge the side plank, once you're able to comfortably
hold the traditional side plank for at least 45 seconds. Start on your knees,
then move to the feet with the top leg in front.

BirdDog

The Birddog, when performed correctly, is a major core stability and

coordination challenge. However, most of the time, this drill is performed
with compensations, such as side shifting, which makes it appear very easy
to do. Also, this can easily irritate the low back if you get lower back
extension instead of hip extension. For this reason, do not lift the leg high off
the ground when starting. Follow the directions in this video and you'll see
just how difficult this exercise can be!

Glute Bridge Variatons

This is another great posterior chain drill and is one I use with people who
tend to overuse their hamstrings instead of their glutes. How would you
know if you're in this category? Simple: if you're doing a normal glute bridge
and your hamstrings begin to cramp, your brain is using hamstrings to
extend the hip, and not the glutes. In the case of hamstring cramps, you can
modify this by doing a hip thrust with your upper back resting on a bench.

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 Activations Cont...
BONUS ACTIVATION DRILLS

Kneeling Multifidii Activation

QL Walk

Airplane

Strengthening and Coordination

Single Leg Deadlift Practice

The SLDL is an exercise that is performed many ways. Straight leg, same
side foot/hand approximation, opposite foot/hand approximation, banded,
etc…our goal is not to argue which variation is better; It's to practice for
loading the hip, resisting rotation, and maintaining balance. Perform this
with the mindset of movement practice, not with reps/sets/muscle
strengthening in mind. Move slow and mindfully with a focus on bracing
properly.

Split Squat
This is another drill that can be used as an exercise in the traditional sense
of the rep/set scheme. However, when used in the context of body
maintenance or warm up, you want to view this as a moving meditation of
sorts. Thinking about maintaining a neutral spine, proper
breathing/bracing, and loading the hips while not feeling excess tension in
the lower back is our goal. Performing super-slow reps will allow you to feel
when compensation patterns take over.

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 Strengthening Cont...
Sliding Lunges

This drill will challenge your ability to load the hip in a variety of
positions/postures. It's important to understand that with any squat, lunge,
or hinge, you'll be loading the lower back, hips, and knees to some degree.
These sliding lunges will challenge you to load the hips first so they can
maintain most of these movement demands, allowing the knees and lower
back to be secondary supporters, not primary supporters.

ShinBox Get Up

Getting on and off the floor without using your hands requires lots of
mobility and control. That’s why the shinbox get-up is a go-to for me now. If
it feels too easy, it's likely you're not appreciating the nuances of keeping the
spine straight and stable as you load and create motion through the hips.
The big key here is maintain a solid core brace while controlling motion
around the hip as it starts its flexion/external rotation, and you drive up into
the extension and internal rotation.

BONUS STRENGTHENING DRILLS

Standing Banded Clam Shells

Rotating Side Plank

Goblet Squat Isometrics

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 A Final Thought On The Hips

The lumbopelvic complex, which includes the lumbar spine, the pelvis, and
hip joints, is an area where coordination is the major cause of pain and
injury in most people. Therefore, with these drills, don't perform anything
for high reps until you gain a deep understanding of how the hinge and
squat feel when maintaining a quality brace and stable spine.

This entire chapter has been about mobilizing tight ares, engaging areas
which are "not online,” and then integrating that new mobility and stability
into controlled movement. In doing this, you won't leak force through
spinal discs, or the menisci in your knee. Also, by maintaining proper
bracing patterns though all of these activations and strengthening drills,
you will limit the dysfunctional demands of the hip flexors, which often
lead to hip popping and pinching.

So don't assume just stretching, or strengthening the hips, glutes, quads,

or lower back will get you very far in the injury-prevention or recovery
world. While these may provide temporary relief, regularly practicing the
coordination of these systems will truly allow you to build strength and
mobility onto a solid foundation.

You can alternate this routine with the routine you develop from the hip
drills coming up, and this will be a great way to create durable mobility in
both the hips and shoulders.

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 PART 6

My Mount Rushmore

The information you've read in this short book is a distillation (and likely an
injustice) of books, seminars, DVDs, and various other educational avenues
I've consumed from giants in the rehabilitation/movement optimization
world. The list of those who've influenced my work would be too long to
put here, but for anyone interested in learning more about the subject of
optimizing human movement and injury resistance, check out these
heroes!

Dr. Kathy Dooley  is a Gross Anatomy Instructor, Chiropractic Rehab

Specilists, co-Owner of Castalyst SPORT, and founder of Immaculate
dissection. Do yourself a favor and go buy the Immaculate dissection
DVD!  It's a wonderful visualization of our muscles in real time movement.

Immaculate Dissection DVD

Perry Nickelston is a Chiropractic Physician with a primary focus on

performance enhancement, Corrective Exercise, and Metabolic Fitness
Nutrition. He is founder of the brand Stop Chasing Pain. If you want to
learn from him you can go to his RockTape seminars or his new Primal
Movement workshops.  To learn more about his workshops, go to his
website:
www.stopchasingpain.com

Craig Liebenson is a Chiropractic Rehab Specialist and author of

numerous books, including Functional Training Handbook, and many
more.  He runs LA Sports and Spine and has numerous DVDs on the
subject of flexibility and core stability.  His Prague School to Athletic
Development is on my radar for future courses to take in the near future.
Get  all of his information on his website:

www.craigliebenson.com

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 Gray Cook is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and most well known for being
the co-founder of the FMS and author of the book, "Movement". However,
you don't have to go to an FMS or SFMA seminar to learn from Gray.  If
you go to his website you'll find several DVD's from On Target
Publications where he speaks with people like Dan John, Stu McGill, Lee
Burton, and Greg Rose.
www.graycook.com

Stu McGill is a professor of spine biomechanics at the University of

Waterloo. He is world renouwned for his leading research in the area of back
pain and back pain recovery/prevention. His teachings and techniques can
be found on his website though books, interviews, and clinical courses. This
is a great start to anyone who is looking to merge the academics and clinical
applications of treatment/preventing back pain.

www.backfitpro.com

Charlie Weingroff is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Certified Athletic

Trainer, and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. His
background as a competitive power lifter gives him a unique insight into
what it takes to balance injury prevention and performance based
training. To get a better idea of his teachings, I highly suggest getting his
Training = Rehab DVD's.

www.charlieweingroff.com

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