Do your knees seem to be older than the rest of your body? Are they stiff when you get out of bed? Do they hurt when you walk up and down steps, play sports, run, squat, or lunge? 

If so, we might be able to help you avoid a costly scan or trip to a doctor/therapist! 

We have Dr. Zaki Afzal back with us for Part Five of our FIX YOUR BODY series to tell you how to assess knee pain safely so you know why you are having issues. 

Assuming your knee pain is movement-related, he has a few corrective exercises that you can do on your own that should help get you pain-free in no time!

Before we dive in, we want to quickly discuss when you SHOULD NOT do these assessments and exercises and some stats and facts that may help you better understand your knee pain! 

How Common Is Knee Pain?

Knee pain is the second most common cause of persistent pain, and one-third of all Americans report experiencing knee pain at some time or another.

Two of the most common reasons for knee pain are being overweight and improper form/technique during activity. 

If either of these is the root cause of your knee issues, there is a solid chance your knee pain is reversible, and something we can help you with — for free!!

Types Of Knee Pain 

The biggest difference in day-to-day knee pain versus pain that may be activity or workout related is that discomfort in those that are active is generally felt on the front side of the knee and sometimes only occurs when lifting or post-lift. 

Often, when people feel knee pain in the gym, they automatically think they need to take a week off training or go get an x-ray or MRI. Not so fast!!

There is a good chance that none of that is necessary! Remember what we’ve said throughout this series …. 

If your pain originates from a movement-related issue … movement is most likely the answer to finding relief!

Of course, you have to do the right corrective movements — which is exactly what we are helping you with today and why we’re doing this entire series! 

Speaking of, we’ve already gone over neck, shoulder, back, and hip pain! If you missed those episodes — you can find links to each at the bottom of this article!

Before we get started, we do want to make sure you know that these assessments and corrective exercises should only be done if you have knee pain that is movement or possibly joint-related. 

If your knee pain is ongoing, severe, due to an injury or medical condition, or is accompanied by any other symptoms —  you should see a doctor or physical therapist like Dr. Afzal for a one-on-one assessment.  

FIX YOUR BODY EPISODE 5: KNEE PAIN 

Below you will find three common movement related reasons for knee pain, assessments you can perform on yourself to see if this is your issue, and then a quick corrective exercise that typically provides INSTANT relief! 

Again, before trying any of these, you must ensure your knee pain isn’t something more serious. 

If you are confident your knee pain is movement-related, here are some possible root causes, assessments, and simple fixes!! 

If at any time you are unsure how to perform anything below, click on the video box above for a step-by-step video demonstration! 

COMMON ISSUE #1: POOR KNEE FLEXIBILITY 

As mentioned, most active people will feel knee pain in the front of the knee.

The “medical” term for this is Patellofemoral Pain. To break down this type of pain in really simple terms  …

• The patella is your knee cap.
• The femoral refers to your femur (the big bone in your thigh.) 
• Patellofemoral is just the relationship your knee cap has with your femur – which is the straightening and bending of your knee.

Most active people with knee pain will have pain after they workout around this area or slightly underneath. 

The first instinct when most people feel this pain is to stretch the quad. But that isn’t going to help because most of the time, this issue it’s not from the inability to bend the knee; it’s the inability to fully straighten the knee.  

You can check this really easily! 

Knee Flexibility Assessment

You want to see if you can get your “painful knee” as straight as your non painful side. The goal with this assessment is to check for symmetry side-to-side!  

• Sit on a table or hard surface with your knees straight out in front of you. 
• Evaluate if both backs of your knees hit the surface about the same. 
• Now evaluate if they hyperextend about the same. 
• Hold your knee down and see how high you can lift your foot up off the surface. Repeat on the other side. 

If you are lacking on either side, that knee may need more mobility to properly tackle day-to-day movements and activities in the gym.

There is a straightforward way to correct this! 

Corrective Exercise – Knee Extension Mobilization

This is an easy way to get your knee moving! All you need to perform this exercise is a foam roller or anything firm you can prop your foot on to slightly elevate it.

• Sit on a hard surface with legs extended and relaxed.
• Put the foam roller under the ankle of the “bad” knee. 
• Cup your hands around your knee and push downwards toward the table/ground.
• Push until you feel a good stretch in the back of the knee.
• Hold for about 2 seconds and ease off.
• Repeat this movement for 10-15 reps. 
• Immediately see how your knee feels! Perform the knee assessment again, go for a walk, go up/down some steps, do a squat movement, etc. One round should give you significant knee pain relief.

Tips:

• Do not place the foam roller under your heel. 
• You want to get a good stretch, but do not push too hard to where you feel pain or discomfort. Ease your way into more pressure. 
• As you progress and build more flexibility, try flexing your quad when pressing down on your knee.  

COMMON ISSUE #2:  TIGHT/RESTRICTED ADDUCTOR

If you feel achiness in the knees when lunging or in a deep squat position, you want to make sure your inner knee muscles are open and have a full range of motion. 

You may be shocked at what muscle in your leg could be limiting this from happening and potentially causing knee pain.

It’s your groin muscle!! 

During the bottom of a lunge or squat, one of the main muscles that help you get up is the groin muscle (better known as the adductor muscle) – which attaches to the inside of the knee! 

You want to ensure this muscle isn’t restricted, and the assessment for this is very simple. 

Adductor/Groin Assessment 

Nothing fancy here .. just perform a few deep lunges or squats and see what they feel like! Super simple, but don’t skip this step! 

You need to see if you feel any pain or restrictions. If they feel off, pay attention to how far you can go down, when and where you feel pain, etc.

This will be your “baseline” so that when you re-test – you will be able to better determine if the corrective exercise is working! 

Corrective Exercise – Inner Knee Soft Tissue Release 

This is very similar to the side glute tissue release we did in our hip pain video in the sense that once you hit “the spot,” — you will know!!

• Flip over onto your stomach.
• Prop yourself up on your side with the foam roller placed lengthwise under the inner part of your knee (to see the exact placement, click here.)
• Move around until you feel the spot that needs to be released. You will know when you hit it!! 
• Once you have found it, hold and then lift your foot up and rotate it up and down, so you are rolling back/forth on the adductor muscle. Work your way across the length of the muscle, stopping at about halfway up the thigh.
• Hit each spot for about 5-10 rotations, for 2 sets, with about 30 seconds rest between. 
• Switch legs and repeat. 

Re-test your lunge and squat. If you had pain before, you should notice instant relief. Or, if you didn’t have pain, you should notice that you are stronger coming out of the bottom of the lunge or squat. 

This is another example of where you feel pain may not directly represent where the pain stems from. 

Exactly why we are giving you multiple options to try out! Let’s move on to the next! 

COMMON ISSUE #3:  LIFTING FORM
You might not have bad lifting form; you just might not have an ideal form for preventing knee pain or not aggravating the existing pain. 

The few things you can do are – – limit range of motion, perform isometric holds, strengthen your quads, and make slight modifications to things like squats and lunges. 

Modify Lower Body Exercises

In our episode on low back pain, we discussed how allowing your knees to go over your toes is not inherently a bad thing. 

But if you have knee pain and still want to squat, it could be beneficial to not allow your knees to track over your toes simply because it can take a little bit of stress off the knee. Instead, sit back in your squat. Box squats are a great alternative. 

Same with lunges! There is nothing wrong with allowing your knee to slightly track over your toes if you don’t have knee pain. But if you do have knee pain, you may want to try shifting your weight more onto your hips to see if that relieves some pressure. 

Another good modification for lower body exercises is not going as deep as you normally would without knee pain. Have a marker you are going down to — then slowly move that mark lower and lower each training session. 

Remember, these modifications are temporary! You don’t want or need to use them forever!

The intention is to make small adjustments that take a little pressure off your knees while you are working through your knee issues, so that you can still exercise. 

You do eventually want to get back to the full exercise! 

Limit Range Of Motion and Use Isometric Holds

Limiting your range of motion and incorporating holds is a simple and very effective way to calm down an irritated knee.

An isometric hold is simply when you hold a position and the muscle is firing, but nothing else moves. Think .. wall sits, static lunges, or holding a leg extension in the contracted position.

These are really great low-level exercises because you are in complete control of how hard you squeeze, how long you hold, etc. You can push harder or softer, depending on how it feels. 

The idea is to start here. Eventually, after doing isometric exercises for a while, try adding in some limited range of motion until you work up to full knee extension!

If you feel any pain when attempting more range of motion, just scale it back! 

Don’t Write Off Leg Extensions 

Speaking of leg extensions, you may have heard they are a bad exercise if you have knee pain, but this isn’t entirely true.

In fact, Dr. Zaki says almost every patient he works with in knee rehab does some sort of knee extension because having strong quads can help avoid knee injuries in the future!! 

Before you totally write of an exercise, remember that nothing is inherently bad for a particular part of your body. It’s all about the context that it is performed in. 

If leg extensions hurt your knees, chances are you are just attempting to lift too heavy. Try scaling back before totally removing the exercise. 

This sort of reminds us of the running myth. I’m sure you’ve heard that running is bad for your knees … but again, it’s all about context!

If you already have bad knees, pounding the pavement for hours might not be a  great idea.  But Dr. Afza says studies have actually shown that recreational runners have stronger and more healthy-looking knee cartilage in imaging than those that sit on the couch! This kinda busts the myth that running “gives wear and tear on the knees.”

BUT …

What if none of these exercises work?!

What if you STILL have knee pain?!

As mentioned, you would want to see a doctor to rule out an injury, something mechanical, or anything more serious.

But there is another reason your knees could be bothering you. It is actually the most common reason people have knee pain.

If you are carrying around extra weight, there is a good chance your knees hurt because you are overweight. 

In that case, you may probably want some help getting rid of the excess fat in the fastest and easiest way possible.  The best way to do that is to diet and exercise based on your goals and body type!

A great place to get answers is our free body type quiz! 

It is only 6 questions, you get your results instantly, and we also give you the top three things you should be doing to reach your goals faster and easier based on your genetics! 

Take it for free — HERE!!

WE HOPE THIS ARTICLE AND VIDEO HELPED YOU FIGURE OUT WHY YOUR KNEES HURT AND HOW TO FIX THEM!! 

You need to consider the root of your pain! You should not attempt any of these exercises if your pain is extreme or not related to joints and muscles.

Please talk to your doctor, or if you are in the Las Vegas area, feel free to click here to contact Dr. Afzal. He would love to help you! 

If you are interested in the rest of our FIX YOUR BODY series with Dr. Afzal, here are the links to the episodes we’ve filmed to date! 

Episode 1 on neck pain — you can WATCH HERE.

Episode 2 on shoulder pain — check that one out HERE. 

Episode 3 on Back Pain – watch HERE

Episode 4 on Hip Pain – watch HERE

Come back next week! We are wrapping things up with ankle pain! 

Source – https://www.classicrehabilitation.com/blog/knee-pain-statistics-and-causes/

The post Fix Your Body Episode 5: Knee Pain appeared first on V Shred.

If you are dealing with pain in your hips, this quick read and video may be all you need to find some relief without having to make costly trips to a doctor or therapist. 

Many associate hip pain with age or an injury. But just like your back, hip pain doesn’t discriminate. 

Hip discomfort is something that anyone can experience — from a young high school athlete, a stay-at-home mom, someone that sits at a desk all day, and certainly a gym-goer!

If you don’t have any hip pain now, you probably will at some point, so you may want to bookmark this page for later! 

The exact cause of ANY body pain can often be difficult to pinpoint, but when it comes to the hips, the general location of your discomfort can usually be very telling about the underlying cause.  Important …. because knowing what is causing your pain is essential if you want to find relief! 

Our in-house expert physical therapist Dr. Zaki Afzal says when people are more active, they usually experience pain in the front of the hips. Whereas pain felt in the back or sides of the hips is generally seen more in the elderly or sedentary. 

Since we are focused on helping relieve hip issues that tend to come from being more active, this article and video will focus mainly on reasons you could have pain in the FRONT of the hips and some simple ways to find relief .. fast!!!

No matter where you feel hip pain, if it is due to an injury or accompanied by anything more serious such as (but not limited to) …. 

• A joint that appears deformed
• The inability to move your leg or hip
• Intense pain
• Sudden swelling
• Numbness/tingling
• The inability to put weight on the affected leg

DO NOT try any of these corrective exercises!! See a professional for a one on one assessment! 

If you missed our other FIX YOUR BODY articles and videos, this is actually part four of a six-part series we are doing on how you can fix your body at home!

We have already discussed the neck, shoulders, and lower back. After we talk about the hips today, we will wrap up the series discussing knee and ankle pain!

All previous episodes will be linked at the end of this article if you are interested! To make sure you don’t miss any future episodes – just hit the subscribe button HERE! 

Now, let’s dive into all things HIPS!

FIX YOUR BODY AT HOME: HIP PAIN 

STEP ONE: Perform A Self Assessment

The first thing you need to do if you are certain that your hip discomfort is movement-related is assess what motions you are most limited in. 

Here are two assessments to quickly perform that will tell you if restrictions could be causing your pain. 

Check Internal/External Hip Rotation 

Hip rotation happens when your knee is not moving, and your foot is moving instead. External rotation of the hip occurs when your foot moves inwards, and your hip turns out. When your foot moves out, and your hip turns in, that is internal rotation. 

You want to check both, and it’s really simple to do! 

• Get in front of a mirror, or put your phone in selfie mode so you can better see how you are moving.
• Take a seat with your feet off the ground.
• Hold the quad/knee of the hip you want to check.
• Take your other hand and help yourself rotate that foot in and out.
• Switch sides and repeat.

You should be able to rotate about 45-degrees for external rotation and at least 35-degrees for internal rotation.

If you can’t, we have some exercises below that will help give you better hip rotation range of motion! 

First, perform one more quick assessment!

Check Hip Flexion

Hip flexion is just a fancy phrase for how far towards your chest you can bring your knee. You want to make sure you have a pretty good range of motion here because this motion comes up a lot in your life. Getting out of a chair, out of your car, sitting on the toilet, squatting, lunging, leg press, etc. 

It is really simple to check your hip flexion! 

• Lie on your back
• Pick up one knee, let it bend, bring it toward your chest.
• See how closed you can make the angle between your torso and thigh.
• Check the other side.
• You want this to generally be 100-degrees or higher.
• If you have a limitation, you may notice your hip going “outwards” — this is very telling of how your pelvic is moving.

But wait, aren’t we talking about the hips? Why is the pelvis important?

Dr. Afzal says to look at it this way —  “The pelvis is the train tracks, and the hip is the train. The train is only going to go where the tracks allow.” 

If following your self-assessment, you discover that you are restricted in either of these movements; this could be why your hips hurt! We have some corrective exercises below that should help! 

STEP TWO: PERFORM CORRECTIVE EXERCISES

You can do some fast and easy fixes at home if either of the above movement restrictions is where your hip pain originates. Some of them only take 30 seconds and can often bring instant relief and changes in mobility! 

But don’t forget what we said earlier. If your hip pain is due to an injury or accompanied by anything more serious, do not attempt any of these assessments or corrective exercises.

3 THINGS THAT CAN QUICKLY HELP EASE HIP PAIN 

1: OPEN UP YOUR LOWER GLUTE

If limited hip flexion is your issue, you may need to work to “open up” a particular area of the lower glute just below your hip bone.

Yes, the glutes! Remember that everything is connected! To do this, all you need is a small hard ball (like a lacrosse ball) and the floor!

Ball To Lower Glute Soft Tissue Release 

This exact spot of soft tissue that needs to be worked on can be a little tricky to locate, but you will know when you find it because it will be pretty tender!

You must target the right spot for this corrective exercise to work, so you may want to check out this video for a visual of exactly where it is located and some tips to help you find it! 

Once you locate the “sweet spot,” now you just need to open it up! Here is how to do that in about 30 seconds! 

• Grab a lacrosse ball, tennis ball, or mobility tool that is designed for bodywork. Anything small and firm.
  
• Lie on the ground, flip over onto your back, and put the ball directly on the tender spot. You can also sit up and prop yourself up on your side. How you position your body depends on how much pressure you want to apply to the tender spot and what feels most comfortable for you.
  
• When you hit this tender spot, stop and “sink” into it and do tiny shearing movements. This is NOT going to feel good in the moment, but you only need to spend about 30-60 seconds stimulating the area.
  
• If needed, switch sides and perform on the other glute. 
• Reassess your hip flexion. You should notice a huge improvement in how much closer you can get your knee to your torso! 

Once this area is no longer restricted, you should have more range of motion to squat, lunge, deadlift, or do anything that requires your knee to go to your chest.

This type of compression/shearing is very different from merely foam rolling the glutes. But just like ANY soft tissue work, it’s not a permanent fix. We suggest throwing this into your current mobility work/stretching routine and/or on lower body days! 

2: GET YOUR PELVIS MOVING 

Remember what we said earlier. Your pelvis plays a major role in hip movement. 

If your pelvis isn’t moving how you want, your hips won’t either.

In the previous exercise, you applied steady pressure to the affected tissue. This next corrective exercise is more of an “active” exercise that helps get your pelvis moving. 

It can not only help increase your range of motion — it can also help build strength and muscle!

Front Foot Elevated Split Squat

You will be in a lunge stance and performing a split squat but NOT in the way you would typically perform them.

You will be working through a split squat type movement to see how much you can move your pelvis while your foot is on a platform. 

With this variation, there is one slight (but significant) “shift” of your hips that makes all the difference in whether this is a corrective exercise or not.  

• Place your right front foot on a stable elevated surface of about 4-6 inches and step back with your left foot a little bit. You will sort of be in a split squat/lunge position.
• Shift about 75% of your weight to your front foot and 25% to your back foot.
• You should feel the inside edge of your foot. Be careful not to roll to the outside part of your foot.
• While in that split stance, rotate your pelvis inward toward your front leg. You should automatically feel a slight stretch in your glutes and feel your groin muscle turn on. If you don’t feel it, stay in this position until you do.
• Once you feel it, slowly rotate your hip out and back for several repetitions.
• When you have mastered this back/forth movement and feel the muscles mentioned above are activated, you can move on to the next step and add the actual squat movement. Do not proceed until you FEEL those muscles working.
• Perform a slow and controlled split squat. Ensure your pelvis is rotated toward that front leg and stays there throughout the entire movement. With your hips shifted inward, it should feel totally different and more difficult than a regular split squat.

Dr. Afzal suggests doing 2 sets of 5-6 reps daily. You can do them to start your morning, before any activity you enjoy, or as a warm-up on your lower body days.

Once you have completed the exercise, lie on your back again and check your hip flexion. You should be able to bring your knee much closer to your chest!

You should notice less pinching in the front of the hip, but also, during squatting motions, you should notice your hips are doing most of the work instead of your back getting involved too soon.  

3: MAKE CHANGES IN THE GYM 

We’ve gone over things you can do at home or even as a warm-up before your lift, but what about when you feel pain during the lift itself? 

If you only have pain when squatting, or you have tried the corrective exercises above and still have a pinching feeling when you squat — you probably need to adjust your squat stance.

We touched on this in our back pain episode, but how you begin your squat could also be the source of your hip pain, and there is an EASY fix! 

Adjust Your Squat Stance 

Before you squat down, the “set up” will determine how much motion you have in your hips. 

If you start in an over-extended position (too much back arch), you will automatically shut down the room in the front of the hip. As you squat down, you will run out of room much sooner.

But if you start in a stacked position with your pelvis tucked under, you give the front of your hips more room so you can go deeper without feeling a pinch! 

To show you what we mean, try this. It’s a great visualization!

• Lie down on the floor.
• Go into an arched back position. If you aren’t sure what we mean by that, you can see Vince demo it at the end of the video above.
• Try to bring your knee to your chest. With your back arched like this, you won’t be able to get very far.
• Now, leave your leg up, but put your spine in a stacked position. That will instantly unlock motion that you already had!
  

If you are arching your back and not starting your squat in a stacked position, the pain you feel likely isn’t because of a range of motion restriction. You probably have the range of motion needed, and it’s just your squat set-up that is holding you back and causing pinching pain! Take 5 seconds to fix this, and the pinching should be gone instantly! 

WE HOPE THIS ARTICLE AND VIDEO HELPED YOU 

FIGURE OUT WHY YOUR HIPS HURT AND HOW TO FIX THEM!! 

You need to consider the root of your pain! You should not attempt any of these exercises if your pain is extreme or not related to joints and muscles.

Please talk to your doctor, or if you are in the Las Vegas area, feel free to click here to contact Dr. Afzal. He would love to help you! 

Next week we are moving down the body. Make sure you check back; we will be talking about knee pain! 

In the meantime, if you have any questions about this hip pain article and video, you can leave them in the comment section below.

The post Fix Your Body At Home Episode 4: Hip Pain appeared first on V Shred.

If you’ve never experienced back pain, consider yourself a minority. 

Experts estimate that up to 80% of the population will experience back pain at some time in their lives. 

Of course, those who are active put themselves at more risk, especially if you are using poor form in the gym or not taking proper measures to fully recover from workouts.

But back pain can happen to people of all ages and activity levels. Heck, you could be doing something as simple as picking up a piece of food you dropped on the floor and somehow tweak your back!

Be it from an injury, the gym, or everyday tasks — lower back pain is such a recurring issue that it is said to cost Americans upwards of $50 billion in health care costs each year!

The promising news is that many episodes of low back pain are mechanical, which means it’s an issue with the muscle or irritated joints. You probably don’t need a costly trip to a therapist or doctor for these types of pains.

With the proper at home assessment and professional advice — you may be able to fix your body at home!

To help you determine the root cause of your back pain and what you can possibly do to find relief, we brought in performance physical therapist Dr. Zaki Afzal. 

We will go over everything for you step-by-step in this article. But many people prefer visuals, so we also filmed Dr. Afzal going over each of these issues, assessments, and solutions! 

FIX YOUR BODY AT HOME: LOW BACK PAIN 

STEP ONE: Make Sure Your Pain Is Not Serious
Dr. Afzal says when someone comes to his clinic with low back pain, the very first thing he does is make sure it’s nothing serious! Never assume! You can’t skip this first step! 

You should not try any of these exercises if your back pain is ongoing, chronic, and/or in tandem with things such as …

• Pain that is so severe it wakes you up at night. 
• Tingling, numbness, or radiating pain down your legs. 
• Balance issues 
• Bladder issues

If you are experiencing any of the above or any other issue that seems off, please do not use this article or video to self-treat — go see a professional for an in-person assessment. 

STEP TWO: Give Yourself An Assessment
After you are certain your low back pain is nothing serious, you might need to do a few quick assessments to see where you are limited and what motions you are having issues with.

This will help you better understand the root causes of your pains, so you aren’t wasting your time doing the wrong corrective exercises! 

One thing to remember as you consider the root cause of your low back pain is that your back isn’t usually the culprit! Your back is typically the victim of other parts of your body not working the way you want!

We will discuss some of these other culprits in the next three episodes. For today, we are just going to key in on the lower back.  

3 COMMON CAUSES OF LOWER BACK PAIN
+++
SIMPLE WAYS TO FIND RELIEF AT HOME 

Just because you have low back pain does not mean you have an injury or something serious happening!

Dr. Afzal says that most back pain complaints he sees at his clinic are movement-related, and if it comes on from movement, he says it can generally be fixed with movement!

POSSIBLE ISSUE #1:  “Backward Bend” Range Of Motion
Healthy joints have a full range of motion, but to have that, you need to expose your body to each part of the range of motion frequently. 

Dr. Afzal says unlike a bent forward position, which most people spend a lot of time in (i.e., sitting,) the backward position IS NOT one we usually put ourselves in.

We rarely, if ever, experience a full backward bend throughout the day. Not putting our body in this position regularly can create range of motion limitations that can lead to back pain. 

Check Your Bending Forward & Bending Backward
Keep your knees and feet straight. Relax and reach forward and down toward the ground. Do you feel a good stretch going down the back of your legs? Or do you feel tightness and/or pain?  If it’s the latter, that may indicate an improvement needs to be made in your lower back.

Now, put your hands on your hips and do the same thing, except bend backward as far as you can. Do you feel pain in your lower back, or do you just need to stop because that is as far as you can go without falling backward? Grab a mirror or record yourself. You generally want to see your shoulders pass your heels as you bend backward.

If your shoulders did not go past your heels, or you felt any pain during the bent backward assessment, we have an easy corrective exercise that should help you open up.

How To Improve Backward Bend Range Of Motion
A great exercise to do to put your body in this position is the PRONE PRESS UP.

It is kind of like the “cobra” pose in Yoga, except you will NOT use your lower back or glute muscles to press up. 

• Lie face down on a flat surface.
• Put your hands in a push-up position.  
• Use your ARMS to push yourself off the table. 
• Try to get your elbows straight. (If your hips come off the table, that is fine.)
• Slowly lower back down
• Immediately repeat for 10  reps. 
• Start out doing 1-2 sets.

Important Tips

• Do NOT use your lower back or glute muscles. You need to turn them off so you can get a full range of motion through the back.
• Getting your elbows straight is important! That is your goal! 
• How often you perform this exercise will depend on how frequently your low back pain pops up and your lifestyle habits. For example, if you experience back pain because you sit a lot at work, this is an easy exercise to do. Instead of taking just a walking break, get on the floor and do a couple sets to 

Most pain isn’t because you are injured or because something is wrong; it’s usually because you are using an option of your body too much and not giving it the opposite direction!! 

Sprinkle in some extension (backward bend) throughout the day, so you aren’t spending ALL your time in flexion (forward bend), and you should see a considerable improvement! 

POSSIBLE ISSUE #2:  Nerves
You have nerves that run out of the back, down the back of your leg, and all the way down to your foot.

Even if you don’t have numbness or tingling in the leg or shooting pain, you can still have an issue with limitations in the way the nerves feel. 

Opening them up can make you feel better in terms of movement and pain. 

How To “Open Up” Your Nerves
People often think they need to bend over, reach for their toes, and hold a hamstring stretch when they have lower back pain.

It is true that muscles typically like longer stretching, but your nerves don’t like to be held in a stretch for an extended time.

If your back issues are because you need to “open up” your nerves, you want to avoid “static” stretching and incorporate some movement in the stretch.

Try this in-and-out movement called NERVE FLOSSING. 

• Lie on your back on a flat surface.
• Take your right knee and bring it toward your chest.
• Take both hands and put them behind your knee. 
• Straighten your knee until you feel a stretch down the back of your leg.
• Hold it for one second.
• Come back down and do that motion repeatedly in and out.
• Do this for 15-20 reps for 1-2 sets. 
• Repeat on the other side. 

Important Tips

• If you want a deeper stretch, point your toe down. 
• As you bring your leg up, also bring your head and chin up at the same time.

As for that last tip, you may be wondering how moving the UPPER body could help with LOWER back pain.

MRI studies show that when you move your neck, nerve movement happens all the way down your leg into your foot!  In short, this means that movements up top can move nerves down low! 

POSSIBLE ISSUE #3:  The Way You Squat
There is a huge fear in the gym-based population that they will “fall forward” and go into flexion when they squat. When that happens, people tend to go the opposite and over-extend.

If you ONLY squat that way, you will potentially cause stress on your back that can leave you having low back issues. Dr. Afzal says staying in a “stacked” position is much more efficient than going into an over-extended position.

Other “rules” that many have ingrained in their heads that Dr. Afzal says are probably NOT the best for your back …

• Driving your butt back when squatting.
• Not allowing your knees to go past your toes. 

I’m sure you are giving us that “say what” kinda look right now, especially on that second one about allowing your knees to go past your toes.

If you have knee issues, Dr. Afzal says that “rule” may possibly be beneficial. But probably NOT if you are concerned about keeping your back healthy. 

There was a study done that shows that you take 40% stress off your knees when you don’t let your knees go past your toes when squatting. But the same study also showed that not letting your knees go past your toes caused a 1000x percent increase of stress on your hips and lower back!!!

Is it worth the knee trade-off? Dr. Afzal says, probably not!

The bottom line with any lifting “rule” is not to immediately say something is off-limits. Dr. Afzal says that nothing is off-limits. It’s all what your body is used to and ready for. You need to find a squat position that works for you.

Dr. Afzal says safely allowing your knees to go past your toes is probably beneficial for most people with back issues or those hoping to prevent them.

How To Correct Your Squat To Lessen Your Risk Of Back Pain
Follow these simple steps the majority of times you squat. For a visual demonstration, click here.

• Do a gentle exhale. You want your ribs down and chest facing forward. 
• Slightly scoop your butt “under.”
• You should now be in a “stacked” position with your pelvis pointing down.
• Squat DOWN, not BACK. 

Important Tips

• The direction your pelvis is pointing is the direction your hips will go. When squatting, you want your pelvis pointing down because you want your hips to go in an up/down movement. An example of when you would want your hips to go back and forth would be when doing deadlifts. 
• You need to be pretty aware of your body to be able to “feel” this. One “cheat code” to help you “feel” this position a little easier would be to elevate your heels. You can do this by placing plates underneath your heels.  

Dr. Afzal says it is rare that any movement would be off-limits forever. Still, sometimes your body needs a break from the things that are giving you an issue, and performing your squats like this MOST of the time should reduce stress in your lower back — often immediately.

WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS THIRD EPISODE
OF OUR SPECIAL SIX-PART SERIES
 “FIX YOUR BODY” with Dr. Zaki Afzal

If you have any questions about this episode, leave them in the comments section HERE, and we will do our best to get you answers! 

Make sure you come back next week! We are moving on down the body and talking about how to fix your hip pain! 

If you missed Episode 1 on neck pain — you can WATCH HERE.

If you missed Episode 2 on shoulder pain — check that one out HERE. 

Source — https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/What-is-Chiropractic/Back-Pain-Facts-and-Statistics 

The post 3 Possible Reasons Your Lower back Hurts  and How To Find Relief appeared first on V Shred.

If your shoulder is bothering you and you aren’t sure why or how to find relief, you’re in the right place!

We’ve teamed up with a performance expert doctor for a really cool 6-part blog and video series called FIX YOUR BODY!

Today, we are focusing on SHOULDER PAIN!

If you do a lot of manual labor or hit the gym hard, you most likely have at least one part of the body that causes you some sort of discomfort.

Even if these pinches, aches, and pains seem minor or come and go —  it’s important to not brush them off.

Getting to the root of your muscle or joint pains and correcting them can not only prevent injury but can also make your workouts more effective! 

If your pain is muscle or joint related, you probably won’t need to see a doctor or therapist in most cases.

With the right expert guiding you, many body pains can be pinpointed and fixed at home!

We may know a lot about health and fitness here at V Shred and Sculpt Nation, but we aren’t doctors specializing in muscle and joint pains. So we called in performance physical therapist Dr. Zaki Afzal to help us out with this 6-part series.

Each week, Dr. Afzal offers his expertise as we work our way down the body to address the most common reasons people experience body pains and how you can correct them at home in an educated, safe, and simple way!

In Episode One, Dr. Afzal went over a few reasons people have neck pain and how to find relief at home! If you missed it, you can watch it HERE!

It was interesting to hear him explain why the source of most neck pain isn’t even in the neck! Everything is connected, so it makes sense that WHY you hurt isn’t always WHERE you hurt. 

The same goes for pain and stiffness in the shoulders. As you will learn today, when your shoulders hurt, the issue probably doesn’t even originate in the shoulder itself. 

Before we go over 3 reasons you could be experiencing shoulder pain and give you some easy at-home solutions, keep in mind that sometimes you need a one-on-one assessment from a professional.

DO NOT attempt any of the corrective exercises we are showing you if you have severe pain, accompanying issues such as numbness or tingling, or if you feel that your pain is not muscle or joint related. Speak to your doctor or a trained medical therapist.

3 SOURCES OF SHOULDER PAIN AND HOW YOU CAN FIND RELIEF AT HOME 

1:  RIB CAGE MOVEMENT
If you have shoulder pain when bench pressing, your ribcage could be the issue.

Because they are attached, if the ribcage doesn’t move the way you want it to, the shoulder blade will have a hard time experiencing full range of motion. 

Typically, this occurs because of internal rotation limitations, which generally happens due to the inability for the ribcage to move up toward the chest. 

In some instances, the issue could also be your sternum, which should move like a pump handle. If it’s not moving that way, you could have limited internal rotation, leading to shoulder issues.

To determine if either of these limitations are the source of your shoulder pain, you need to first test out your internal rotation range of motion. 

How To Access Rib Cage Internal Range Of Motion

• Lay on your back on a flat surface.  
• Bring the elbow of your right arm straight out to the side to form a 90-degree angle between your torso and arm. 
• Take your left hand and put it on top of your right shoulder to hold your shoulder blade down from the front, so it doesn’t move. 
• Lower your arm to see how far you can get your hand toward the table without the right shoulder blade coming off the table. You should be able to get to about 70-90 degrees. 

While you are in this position, go ahead and repeat going in the opposite direction to test external rotation. You don’t have to hold your shoulder down; just allow your arm to go back as far as you can without your shoulder lifting.

You should be able to go 90-degrees (flat/parallel to the ground) or further. If not, you could have limited external rotation. This is usually an upper back issue that manifests as neck pain, not shoulder pain, which we talked about last week in our neck pain video.

If you notice your external rotation is limited when doing this assessment, check out the 2nd corrective exercise demonstrated HERE. 

Corrective Exercise: Full Exhale Breathing
Getting the air OUT is what really unlocks the full shoulder and rib motion you need for healthy shoulders.

Something as simple as FULL exhale breathing can be the easiest fix. Yes, just breathing! But when done correctly, it’s a little more complex than it sounds!

• Lay on your back.
• Bend knees, with feet still on the ground. 
• Place a foam roller upright between your knees and squeeze with about 10% pressure. 
• Lift your toes and dig your heels into the ground (also about 10% effort.)
• Make sure your back remains flat on the ground/table.
• Take a deep breath in through your nose and then blow out ALL the air through your mouth (like you are blowing out candles.) 
• Two sets of about 5-6 reps should do the trick!

Helpful Tips
** Most people aren’t fully emptying their lungs. For this exercise to work, you need to get out every single drop of air.

** If you are doing this correctly, you should feel your lower abs come “on” pretty strong at the end of the exhale.

** If you don’t have a foam roller, you can also use a soccer ball or basketball. You just need something that is somewhat firm to put between your knees to squeeze.

2:  ISSUES WITH YOUR ROTATOR CUFF
If you feel pain in the front of your shoulder, it may be because of your rotator cuff.

To understand why it could cause your shoulder pain, it is important to quickly tell you what the rotator cuff is and what it does. 

The goal of the rotator cuff is to stabilize the shoulder ANYTIME it moves. 

If your rotator cuff doesn’t have control over your shoulder, it can lead to compensations that result in shoulder pain. 

One thing to keep in mind when correcting this issue is that the rotator cuff isn’t one muscle. It’s actually a collection of four muscles – the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor. Three are located on the back of the shoulder blade, and one is underneath the armpit. 

You’ve probably seen similar exercises to the one we are showing you. However, there is a very unique way that you need to perform the movement if you want to isolate the correct rotator cuff muscle that will help keep your shoulders happy and healthy! 

Corrective Exercise:  Side-Lying Rotation
This exercise is a great way to target the infraspinatus – the small rotator cuff muscle that needs to be strengthened to possibly help correct the root cause of your shoulder issues! 

You’ve likely seen this exercise performed standing. But the best way to perform the movement, especially as a corrective exercise, is lying down.

Dr. Afzal explains why and shows you how to do it in this video, but here is a breakdown of how to do it.

• Lay on your left side.
• Pin your right elbow to your side. It should NEVER come away from your body at any time during this corrective exercise. 
• Relax your shoulder blade. 
• Make a fist and rotate your arm up and back (again, keeping your elbow pinned to your side at all times) as far as you can without letting your shoulder blade move. You only want your infraspinatus muscle activated.
• Try doing a few sets of 10-12 reps a couple times a week or on your upper body training days.

Important Form Tips
** If you are doing this exercise correctly and targeting the part of the shoulder we are looking to isolate (the shoulder/rotator cuff muscle), you should feel some fatigue in the back of the shoulder even with 10-12 reps with NO weight.

** If you start to feel fatigue toward your neck, you are probably shrugging your shoulders too much and not using the shoulder itself. 

3:  FOREARM DIRECTION WHEN PRESSING
The key for proper form with pressing (whether it’s overhead or in the front) is in the direction of the forearms!

The direction your forearms are pointing is where you are applying force. You always want your forearms pointing straight up and down. 

How To Correct Your Forearms During Chest Press
When benching, be it with a barbell or dumbbells, any deviation in any other direction other than perpendicular is wasted energy because you are pushing your force in the wrong direction!

If you are using positions like this, you may not instantly feel pain, but you are in a much less efficient position.

For a good visual, check out this video.  

How To Correct Your Forearms During Shoulder Press
This same thing applies when doing a shoulder press.

You don’t want your elbows too far back. This limits your shoulder motion and puts your body in a position where it requires a lot more strain to lift the weight.

If your forearms are pointed too far back, you won’t be able to bring them all the way down to your torso when you lower the weight down.

You certainly do not HAVE to go all the way down when pressing. There are many times you should not use full range of motion. We are just saying you should be ABLE to. 

An easy fix is to just bring your elbows forward into a natural plane of motion.

You will know you are in a proper plane of motion if you can lower your elbows down to your side.

In short, whether you are performing a bench press or shoulder press, if you want to keep your shoulders healthy and get the most out of your lift, you’ve gotta pay attention to your forearms! Make sure they are always straight up and down from start to finish!

We filmed a video that goes over each problem and solution in little more detail…. 

If you are serious about fixing your shoulder pains, we suggest you watch it before trying any of these corrective exercises!!

ALSO, DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU MUST DO BEFORE TRYING ANY OF THESE SHOULDER PAIN SOLUTIONS!!

You need to consider the root of your pain! You should not attempt any of these exercises if your pains are extreme or not related to joints and muscles.

Please talk to your doctor, or if you are in the Las Vegas area, feel free to click here to contact Dr. Afzal. He would love to help you! 

Next week we are moving down the body. Make sure you check back; we will be talking about back pain! 

In the meantime, if you have any questions about this shoulder pain article and video, you can leave them in the comment section HERE.

The post 3 Possible Reasons Your Shoulders Hurt and How To Find Instant Relief appeared first on V Shred.

Body aches and pains are common for many people, especially those that hit the gym hard! That is why we decided to take a slightly different approach to the articles and videos we typically have here on the blog and our YouTube channel. 

We are starting a new series going over some body pains that most gym-goers have at some point. 

• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Lower back pain
• Hip pain
• Knee pain
• Ankle pain

Throughout this series, we will cover the entire body head to toe and give you some easy, safe, and simple ways you can FIX YOUR BODY AT HOME!!

We aren’t offering these tips from our point of view! We called in an expert! 

We teamed up with Dr. Zaki Afzal — a highly skilled expert performance physical therapist out of Las Vegas that specializes in working with professional athletes and active adults. 

We will be using his knowledge and expertise to show you how you can address common body pains you might be having and how you can ease them at home in an educated, safe, and simple way! 

As Vince puts it in the video they filmed that demonstrates everything we discuss below, “Dr. Afzal is a complete gangster of his craft.” 

We are lucky to have him as a special guest for this important series on how to keep your joints and muscles happy and healthy! 

For our very article and video together, we will be talking about a part of the body many people complain of having aches and pains — and that is the neck! 

Be it waking up with stiffness, difficulty moving it, or pinches and pains when doing certain exercises — issues with the neck are very common.

Dr. Afazl is going to go over a few reasons why your neck could be restricted and show you some easy and safe exercises you can do at home to get your neck pain free and functioning in a full range of motion!

**Important Disclaimer — Do not attempt any of these exercises at home if your neck issues are not related to joints and muscles. Dr. Afzal says that some signs your neck pain is NOT joint or muscular can include (but are not limited to) — numbness or tingling in arms, headaches that come about with neck pain, blurry vision, trouble hearing, trouble swallowing, trouble speaking, dizziness, or loss of balance.

Before following any tips in this article and video see a professional if you are unsure where your pains originate, or if you are having any of the above symptoms. 

Fix Your Body with Dr. Zaki Afzal

PART ONE: NECK PAIN

Many of the correction exercises described below will be much easier for you to grasp if you VISUALLY see them. 

Check out this video we filmed with Dr. Zaki and Vince going over each issue and demonstrating each corrective exercise in full detail!

Possible Reason #1:  RESTRICTED NECK ROTATION

To determine if a limited range of motion could be the cause of your neck pain, you need to first check and see if you have a true range of motion limitation.

If you do, there can be several reasons, but it is usually related to your shoulders not moving the way you want, which can lead to things like neck stiffness in the morning!

Here is how you access your range of motion.

• Make sure you are totally relaxed and seated upright. 
• Check  “cervical rotation” (for how far your neck can rotate left and right by turning your neck as far as you can to the right and then to the left.
• Evaluate how close you can get your chin to your shoulder and compare sides and see if you feel limited rotation to either side. 

If you feel like you can’t turn your head very far, or one side is more restricted than the other, this does not mean you have a neck rotation limitation!

To see your actual full neck range of motion, you need to lay down and repeat these steps while your neck is totally relaxed.

If your neck movement is better when you are laying down, you likely don’t really have a range of motion issue in your neck that is causing you pain. 

If this is truly the source of your stiff neck, you will have the same range of motion limitations lying down as you did sitting up.

Simple Exercise To Fix Limited Neck Rotation 

The answer to fixing this issue is NOT stretching. It’s building comfortability into the motion of neck rotation. 

If you have trouble turning your head and when you lay down, you have more motion than when sitting up — this is a simple and safe exercise to restore your range of motion while sitting up!

• While lying down, turn your head as far as you can to the right.
• Take your right hand and place two fingers on your right temple. 
• Push your head into those fingers to give a little resistance. 
• Hold for about 15-30 seconds, relax, rest, repeat for 2 to 3 sets.
• Do this 2x a day until you feel consistent relief. 

Sit back up and test it out! If you have a range of motion issue, you should see pretty immediate results! Your chin should get much closer to your shoulder than it was before! 

**Depending on how severe your range of motion issues are, you could do this exercise once and only need to do it again as necessary, or you may need to perform it 2x a day for a more extended time. 

Possible Reason #2: LIMITED UPPER BACK RANGE OF MOTION

Just because your neck hurts doesn’t necessarily mean it’s because of something going on in your neck! It could be because of your upper back.

A lot of the muscles that attach to your shoulder blade run to the base of your skull and throughout your neck. If you are limited in the motions of your shoulder blade, you will have a hard time moving your neck in its full range and may feel pain and stiffness in this area.

People are often taught to pinch their shoulder blades together to have good posture. But Dr. Afzal says if you are always sitting tall with your shoulders pinched together, the upper back muscles that run up to your neck will always be “on” and stiff, leading to a limited range of motion and rotation in the neck and result in neck pain and stiffness. 

If this is the cause of your neck pain and stiffness, you will need to  train your shoulder blades to open up, get some air in the area, and allow it to breathe.

Simple Band Exercise To Open Up Your Shoulder Blades

For this exercise, you will need a resistance band. The goal of the band is NOT for you to build muscle. You will not be pulling up on the band; you will actually be letting the band “win.”

• Sit on a solid surface with feet dangling (not touching ground)
• Loop a resistance band under the bottom of your feet.
• While holding the band with both hands, let the band pull you down. You don’t want to go to where our chin touches your chest. You just want your arms to be long and your spine and head totally relaxed. 
• While in this lowered position, you will try to turn your palms up. You should feel your upper back open up when you do this. 
• Take 8-15 deep breaths through your nose and try to push the air between your shoulder blades. How do you direct air? It is more of a learned feeling. To see it in action and learn more by clicking HERE. 
• Do 2-3 sets.
•  Make sure you AVOID shrugging your shoulders to your ears!!  If you do this, it will turn on the muscles we are trying to get to relax! 

You should get pretty instant relief and a better range of motion. If your neck isn’t turning better after trying this, then pinched together shoulder blades probably isn’t the root cause of your neck pain and stiffness. 

Possible Reason #3: USING INCORRECT FORM FOR ROWS AND PULL-UPS 

If the exercises above help open up your back some but don’t really change the way your neck moves, or if these exercises help, but you then have neck pain again during or after exercising, you probably need to check your form when performing exercises such as rows and pulldowns.  

Most people are taught to keep their shoulder blades “pinched back” through the entire range of motion for many back exercises – such as rows.

If you do this, all the muscles in your back will be “on” the whole time. As you let the weight go and you stretch forward if you aren’t letting go of the shoulder blades, all of your muscles in your back will remain “on,” and you will no longer know how to work in a full range of motion. 

An Easy Form Fix To Consider

When rowing, as you stretch your arms back forward and let the weight drop back down, you want to allow your shoulder blades to go all the way forward.

Make sure you do this without slumping down. Just let your shoulder blades go forward. This is a great way to open up  and ensure your neck isn’t taking the strain during your row. 

You can use this same theory with pull-downs.

With pulldowns, a lot of people set their shoulder blades down and back (like you are putting them in your back pockets.) This isn’t a bad position but typically won’t allow you to go through a FULL range of motion since about 33-40% of movement comes from your shoulder blades.

As you reach up, make sure you let your shoulder blades go up so that you get a full lat stretch. This will ensure you get that full range of motion you are looking for when you pull down!

BEFORE TRYING ANY OF THESE NECK PAIN FIXES…

Don’t forget that you should not attempt any of these exercises if your neck issues are not related to joints and muscles. Please talk to your doctor. 

Make sure you also watch THIS VIDEO to see everything in action! It’s much easier to get a visual before you attempt these corrective exercises on your own. 

And remember, as you perform these movements, keep in mind everyone’s body is different! How much pressure you use, how far you stretch, how many seconds you hold, etc., will all be very individual!

Just like you would with weights and cardio, if needed, start small and work your way up in intensity and frequency! 

One more thing … 

A one size fits all approach won’t work with all body issues. This series addresses some common problems MOST people have that have easy at-home solutions that should work for most people. 

But there is one time, a “one size fits all” approach never works, and that is when picking the diet and training program you use to reach your body goals!

To get the best results in the fastest time, you need to eat, lift and do cardio in a way that is best for your own unique genetics. 

If you don’t know your body type, we created a body type quiz that anyone can take! It’s free, only 6 questions, will instantly tell you what your body type is, and give you some free tips on how to figure out how you should be exercising and eating to see the best results!  CLICK HERE to check it out!

Next week we will continue our “Fix Your Body” series with Dr. Afzal. Make sure you come back to see what body part we are helping you with next!

In the meantime, if you have any questions about this neck pain article and video you can leave them in the comment section HERE.

The post 3 Possible Reasons Your Neck Hurts and How To Find Instant Relief appeared first on V Shred.

It is beyond frustrating to have a muscle group that won’t grow no matter how hard you train. 

When this happens, most people fall into the mindset that they need to work the muscle even MORE.

Extra volume can be a great way to focus on weaker muscle groups, but you want to be careful that you never OVERTRAIN. Even more important… you must ensure your muscles are recovering so they can benefit from your training sessions.

The word recovery could mean a lot of things:

• Proper Post Workout Nutrition
• Overall Diet
• Quality Sleep
• Taking Rest Days

All of those things are important…

However, there is a different type of recovery we want to talk about, because it’s something almost every gym-goer neglects!

Not taking advantage of this very short window of time when your muscles are begging for a little love… could be what is holding you back!

We are not talking about a supplement or post-workout meal.

This type of recovery is something you need to do BEFORE you jet home to feed your muscles. 

Even if you don’t have lagging body parts… skipping this step is most likely the reason you stay sore and stiff… despite sleeping, eating right, and taking rest days!

THESE 10-20 Minutes Could Hold The Key To Your Best Physique EVER!!

POST WORKOUT STATIC STRETCHING & SELF MYOFASCIAL RELEASE (SMFR)

Static Stretching is when you hold a stretch for a longer period of time. The goal is to hold the stretch as long as you’re comfortable. Ideally a minimum of 30 seconds.

There are two types of stretching, but this is the one you will want to focus on POST TRAINING. 

Self Myofascial Release (SMFR) is just a fancy name for using recovery tools (like a foam roller or compression round) to release tension in connective tissue (called fascia.)

Lifters usually rank these two things of low importance because of the extra time it tacks on to a training session.

Incorporating stretching and self myofascial release immediately following every lift shouldn’t be viewed as an option… it really is a necessity!! 

We get it .. you only have so many hours in the day to get it all done.

You are probably thinking there is NO WAY you are going to be able to spend any more time at the gym than you already do! 

We don’t want you to.

We believe that SMFR is so vital that we believe you should CUT YOUR LIFT SHORT… 

if that’s what it takes to get it done!

We aren’t saying that you should skip necessary or assigned lifts. But if you are doing extra training thinking it will help your lagging muscle group.. try ditching the extra set and use that time for recovery instead.

If you insist on keeping the extra volume… look for other ways to make your sessions shorter (put your phone on airplane mode, limit socializing, etc.)

Do whatever you have to do to include this crucial step into every single one of your training days. 

TIPS FOR POST LIFT STATIC STRETCHING & SELF MYOFASCIAL RELEASE

If you want to stretch and perform SMFR over your entire body .. go for it!  But it’s only necessary to focus on the muscle groups you trained.

• Start with SMFR first and then move into static stretching.
• Using a firm roller or compression round, slowly roll until you find kinks/knots and then sink into them. This is called compression. You can even do something called shearing, where you go slowly back and forth over the area. Do this until you feel the muscle release .. then move on. 
• GO SLOW! If you aren’t moving in a slow and controlled manner .. the muscles won’t have time to adapt to the pressure and you won’t release the tension. Do NOT rush!
  
• After you are done using the recovery tools, you are then ready to move on to static stretching. The ideal time to hold each stretch is 30 seconds or longer.
  

It is normal for SMFR to be a little bit painful. It should have the same feeling as a deep-tissue or trigger-point massage .. a GOOD KIND OF HURT!

If the pain is too intense… use less pressure.

If something feels “off”… stop. 

WHY POST TRAINING (and not before) 

We are always looking for ways to optimize (or should be.) Static stretching should ONLY be done when your muscles are warm. SMFR has benefits no matter when you choose to do it! However, post training is when you will get THE MOST benefit.

Taking time to incorporate SMFR and static stretching post lift will give you … 

• Increased flexibility & overall range of motion 
• Improved Blood Circulation 
• Elimination of Lactic Acid
• Enhanced Recovery (less delayed onset muscle soreness)
• Decreased Risk Of Injury
• Mental Clarity

Of course you can stretch and roll anytime! In addition to recovering after each lift, it’s never a bad idea to incorporate stretching and SMFR into your weekly plan.

We suggest a minimum of 1-2 days a week dedicating 20-30 min to your entire body.

Rest days are a great time for this!

But the crucial time to make sure you get it done… is as soon as you are done lifting!

One question you may be asking yourself is if you really need to do this the second you are finished training, or if you can get home and do it later.

It is best if you knock it out while you are at the gym. Once you leave, there is a much higher chance of making an excuse, or letting too much time pass. The prime time to do SMFR and static stretching is when your muscle is tense, worked, and warm. 

WHAT ABOUT PRE-LIFT

The type of recovery we are focusing on in this video and article is POST LIFT. 

Before you hit the weights, you do always want to warm up. But this will be a totally different type of session.

Before training you want to do something called DYNAMIC STRETCHING. This type of stretching is movement based. You aren’t holding a position like you would with static stretching… you go fluidly through an entire range of motion. 

If you want to learn more about this type of stretching, check out this video! 

SMFR does have its place pre-lift. There are benefits to spending a short amount of time loosening the fascia surrounding your muscles before a workout.

1-2 sets, spending at most, 15 to 20 seconds on whatever body part you are training is enough to work out any areas that may be bound up.

Many people also find great benefit in doing this between sets if they feel like they can’t get a muscle to activate! 

SKIP YOUR LAST SET (and do this instead)
You will feel better.. prevent injury.. and with time and consistency.. LOOK better! 

If you want to know more about proper nutrition and how you should be training, recovering, and supplementing for your body type — check out this FREE body type quiz!

It will tell you what training program is best for YOU and even what type of diet you should be following to achieve the best results .. in the quickest time!!

Would you like to see more videos on proper ways to stretch and perform self myofascial release? Leave a comment and let us know! 

The post Why I Stopped Doing My Last Set: The Most Neglected Key To Muscle Growth appeared first on V Shred.

Booze and bad decisions … we’ve all been there!

The price we pay for a night out is often a spinning room, a pounding headache, cotton-mouth, nausea, and a feeling of downright regret.

You may feel especially guilty once you realize you may be too beat down to get in your scheduled workout. 

Not so fast ….

Pending how much damage you’ve done .. moving your body may help give you some relief

BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT STRATEGY!! 

We are going to give you THREE workouts you can do. Each one is designed based on your “beat down” level! 

First, we want to explain how a workout can help get you back to normal! 

In addition to just getting you out of bed and stimulating blood flow….your big night out may have slowed the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones that can help regulate your mood.

Moving your body, even when you don’t necessarily feel like it, can help stimulate the release of endorphins, resulting in a better mood and a better state of mind.

You should use caution exercising following a big night out. If you went overboard, it is probably best to just call it a rest day!

But if you feel up for it, while exercise won’t help you fully bounce back, it can counteract some of the effects, and help you feel human again .. getting you back to your scheduled lifts .. faster!

HERE ARE THREE WORKOUTS
**pick one based on how bad the aftermath is **

MAJOR BEATDOWN – Yoga & Stretching.
Yoga may be your best bet because it’s gentle but still gets your body moving. Crawl out of bed (or just stay there) and do a short 10-minute full-body stretch or yoga sequence. Keep it nice and slow! You may want to avoid inversions (anything where your head goes below your heart.)Here are a few ideas….

CAT POSE
This one is great for relieving spinal tension. Which may help with your pounding headache!

BOAT POSE
This pose may help ease that “room still spinning” feeling … because it incorporates both balance and coordination. It also works your abs .. which could help with digestion and speeding up the detox process! 

KNEES TO CHEST
This is another one that can help out with a sour stomach and bloating. So it may help you if you feel a bit nauseous. 

CHILD’S POSE
This one is great for overall tension relief .. It promotes strong and steady breathing .. and improves blood circulation throughout the body. 

If all else fails… do the CORPSE POSE
For this one, all you do is lay on your back kinda spread eagle style .. breathe and meditate! 

MODERATE BEATDOWN – Low Impact Cardio.
You may not feel like pounding the pavement or jumping up and down, but a nice slow walk, swim, or cycle, will help get your blood flowing and give you a nice endorphin release.

Just jump on a treadmill, bike, cybex, elliptical .. or even better get some fresh air and go on a walk outside … for at least 20 min! 

LIGHT BEATDOWN – Light Full Body Circuit.
If you are feeling up for more than just some low to moderate movement, try a short, really basic full-body circuit workout.

One exercise per body part, just a couple sets of each in a moderate rep range, using lighter weight, bands, or even just body-weight. 

An example may be:

• Leg Extensions or Air Squats
• Hamstring Curls or Walking Lunges
• Calf Raises
• Bicep Curls
• Bench Dips
• DB Chest Press
• Lat Pull Downs
• Sit-Ups
• Rest and REPEAT for another round or two! 

We have tons of short workouts like this on our YouTube Channel that don’t require the gym at all .. so you can stay at home and sweat it out.

Save this article and use each “phase” over the days to come! 

Whether you plan to sweat it out post-party, take it easy, or wait and see what the dreaded day after holds … your body may be wiped out for more than one day!

It’s probably best that you start with the Light Workout in the video above and work your way up! 

While you are laying around in bed … this would be a great time to take our FREE BODY TYPE QUIZ! 

Knowing your body type will help you make the BEST decisions when it comes to picking your training and nutrition program! 

THIS QUIZ is only 5 questions and will immediately tell you your body type and give you the information you need to reach your goals faster… (after you are totally recovered from your night of regret!)

We hope this blog and these workouts give you an idea of how you can still stay on track… even after a night of bad decisions!!

The post Damage Control: 3 Hangover Workouts  appeared first on V Shred.

How do I get abs?! That is one of the top questions we get here at V Shred.

If it were as easy as doing sit-ups, everyone that trains would be walking around with a 6-pack.

But it’s not!!

To complicate things even more… there is a muscle you probably don’t realize you need to train to have a sculpted midsection… because (technically) it’s not an ab muscle! 

You need to work the Serratus… and there isn’t a single crunch or sit-up variation you can do that will get the job done.

In this article, we are going to tell you all about the serratus muscle and show you some very effective exercises that target it! 

WHAT IS THE SERRATUS?

The serratus is under your lats. It runs all the way back and attaches to the inner part of the scapula. 

Your body fat does have to be pretty low to be able to see them, but the serratus muscles look like three little “gills” or “shark teeth” … they look like ribs. 

Some people actually refer to them as RIB MUSCLES. They aren’t..  but they do attach to your ribs and span over the top 8 or 9 ribs.

You may have also heard them called the “boxers muscle” — that is because they are usually very well developed in many boxers because the Serratus is what contracts when you are throwing a punch.

HOW DO YOU TRAIN THE SERRATUS?
It’s not easy, and you have to really THINK about contracting it.

But there are a lot of great exercises you can do. 

Here are 4 SERRATUS SPECIFIC EXERCISES

(++ a killer serratus activation drill)

You work this muscle some when training back or chest, but because it is NOT easy to isolate, you want to do some targetted training.

Throw in a couple of these at the end of some of your ab training sessions each week.

EXERCISE ONE – DB PULLOVER

Get a full stretch and think about squeezing down into serratus

Go slow, and do NOT use too much weight! You will recruit other muscles if you go too heavy.

EXERCISE TWO – AB WHEEL ROLL OUT

Roll out, keeping your shoulder blades forward and down.

Open up your scapula and use mind-muscle connection to concentrate on using this muscle the entire movement. 

** If you do not have an ab roller, you can also do these using a spinning barbell, TRX system, or even bands**

EXERCISE THREE – PLANK UP (also called The Dolphin Plank)

You will be in a standard plank position, then you let your shoulder blades drop down and add the motion of pushing backward and forward. Go back into plank and repeat.

You can also do this in a push-up position. To do this, push up – then push further by rounding up an extra two-inch additional range of motion. 

EXERCISE FOUR  – BAND RESISTED SERRATUS PUNCH

Wrap a band around something behind you (doorknob or any gym equipment) so that the band is around waist height .. maybe a little lower.

Standing in a “square stance” .. let the band bring your chest and shoulder all the way back .. then think of pushing to the wall in front of you as far as you can. When you think you can’t reach anymore.. try to reach a little further to really get tension on the band.

You will be punching slightly “up” instead of straight out. Focus on contracting your serratus during the movement and then HOLD THE PUNCH for ten seconds in the stretched position. 

The serratus is one of the most critical muscles for the

overall look and development of your core!! 

Add in a few of the serratus focused exercises to complete your “ab” training routine! 

We should point out that if you ever want to SEE the serratus muscle (or any other muscle in your abs) .. you will most likely need pretty low levels of body fat.

To achieve this… it’s best that you eat and train based on YOUR BODY TYPE.

We have a FREE QUIZ that will tell you exactly what your body type is and what diet plan and training techniques are best for your genetics.

It only takes a couple of minutes .. check it out HERE!

The post The UNKNOWN MUSCLE That Gives You Sculpted Abs appeared first on V Shred.

If statistics are correct, most people reading this can expect to

Good thing you found this article because we aren’t going to let YOU be “most” people! Lower temps do not have to equal larger waistlines! You just have to have a plan! 

In this short read we will …

• Explain why winter weight gain happens. Knowing why is important if you want to prevent it and the reason is probably not what you think. In fact, it is partially not even your fault!
• Tell you why fall/winter is actually the BEST time to start a diet and training plan.
• Give you 7 easy pro tips that will help guide you through the next few months. 

You may believe winter weight gain happens because of the holidays. Those extra home cooked meals and holiday parties are certainly a factor.

But there is a DAILY issue you need to be prepared to fight if you want to avoid packing on winter pounds.

WHY YOU REALLY PACK ON POUNDS AFTER LABOR DAY

In the spring and summer months, you are given what we call a fitness freebie.

You get a seasonal motivation boost that doesn’t happen when temperatures start to drop, and you begin to pull out the chunky sweaters and comfy leggings. 

Not only is the sun shining (which makes you happier because of Vitamin D), you are wearing LESS clothing in the summer months.

I don’t know about you, but knowing I’m going to be exposing more skin makes walking in the gym a little easier. 

Covering up in layers, no doubt leads to the temptation to slack on body goals!

Knowing your arms, legs, and abs will be less exposed can easily be an excuse to slack.

Also, being layered up often means you don’t SEE the extra pounds, so they are easier to ignore.

But there is more to it than being bundled up….

The #1 reason you slack on health and fitness goals in colder months ISN’T EVEN YOUR FAULT!!

Of course, you have a part to play in all of this, but there is actually a scientific reason why you have less desire to train and eat healthy when the sunshine of summer fades.

We will explain why a little further down. But ya know what really stinks?

The scientific reason why we all experience these motivation slumps in the winter only adds to an even bigger issue with motivation.

It doesn’t matter what season it is motivation ALWAYS comes and goes!

Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter – you can NEVER rely on it!

So, what can you do when lack of sunshine and warm temps leave you even more tempted to hit snooze and reach for comfort foods?

You certainly don’t throw your hands up in the air and wait until January to make a resolution to crash diet to get your body ready for spring. Believe it or not, RIGHT NOW is actually the IDEAL time to get started! 

To help you out, and give you an extra edge on beating winter weight gain, we are offering a special end of summer 40% OFF promotion on ALL Sculpt Nation Supplements!  


CLICK HERE TO SHOP and use code: LABORDAY for 40% off your order!

Sculpt Nation supplements are a great addition to any fitness program to help you push past plateaus and take your results to the next level.

This sale is  only available for a limited time, so stock up for the winter months with 40% off while supplies last!!

Just click here and use the code LABORDAY at check out to redeem your discount.  

If you START NOW, you will develop discipline and a routine heading into the holidays. This will put you in a great place mentally and physically to relax and “indulge” a little more at all those holiday gatherings!

Look at it this way ..
Would you rather head into the holiday season already making progress toward your goals and be in a great spot (where it would be okay even if you did gain an extra pound or two?)

Or would you rather put it off and only add more fat on top of what you want to lose?

The answer is clear— the solution to getting the motivation needed to make it happen, not so much.

But don’t worry! We’ve got ya covered (no pun intended) with a few easy motivation hacks!

7 TIPS TO STAY MOTIVATED AS SEASONS CHANGE

One of the number one questions we always get is … “I am just not motivated. How can I motivate myself to train and eat better?”

As we mentioned earlier, it doesn’t matter what season it is, you can’t always rely on motivation. 

When you have it, great! You should certainly take advantage of it! But you have to know that it is totally normal to not have much of it. Even professional athletes lack motivation. 

You have to develop other daily habits that create discipline if you want to succeed long term!

Here are a few of our pro tips that we use with our clients, specifically when temperatures drop, and motivation seems to be at its lowest! 

TIP #1: Switch To An At Home Training Program

If you know that getting out of bed and stepping into the winter elements is going to be an excuse trigger, make a plan to train at home during cooler months! Some of the most effective and challenging workouts only require your body weight and maybe a set of dumbbells or some resistance bands.

A good fat-blasting, muscle-building sweat session can 100% be achieved from the comfort of your home!

Adjustable dumbbells, ankle weights, resistance bands, a jump rope, etc., are all things that are inexpensive and can easily be stored in a closet or under your bed and pulled out anytime you don’t feel like leaving the house.

But if you have the right training program, you don’t need any of that. 

Our favorite at-home bodyweight-only program is called MOVE. It was designed to help you achieve your fitness goals without a single piece of equipment, and each workout is under 20 minutes!

Learn more about MOVE by watching the video below!

CLICK HERE to get your copy of MOVE: 30 Day At-Home Program!

If you need a little extra “nudge” to get up and get moving, another pro-tip we use is keeping some PRE WORKOUT on your bedside table. Have it already blended up and chug it as soon as your alarm goes off!

By the time you have brushed your teeth and put on your workout clothes, you will have a nice little jolt of energy and tons of motivation to get going before you have a chance to come up with an excuse! 

At the bottom of this article, we will tell you about a big end of summer sale happening so that you can stock up on our favorite PRE WORKOUT for 40% off when you use code: LABORDAY at checkout! 

TIP #2: Make Your Workouts Seasonal

Embrace the change of seasons and take advantage of activities that you can only do in fall or winter! 

• Go on a fall hike and view all the gorgeous foliage.
• Try rock climbing.
• Walk around a corn maze or pumpkin patch with your family. 
• If you live in a snowy climate, go skiing, sledding, build snowmen with your kids, etc.
• Go ice skating.
• Lace-up your sneakers, go for a walk or run at night, and admire all the Christmas lights and decorations.

There are some things you can only do and see during specific times of the year. So instead of missing sunshine and water sports, focus on all the positive things that only come about with cooler temps!

TIP #3: Try Something Totally New

Sometimes a change of routine is all you need to boost motivation.

If you have been doing all your gym lifts alone, recruit a gym buddy! Try switching up your cardio by skipping your solo runs and joining a group fitness class instead. 

Another option is to allow yourself to slow down! If you have been crushing it all spring and summer with intense training and hardcore workouts, it may actually be time to take it down a notch. 

Going full force 365 can cause your stress hormone cortisol to increase. This can lead to a host of drawbacks, including weight gain, muscle loss, poor moods, fatigue, and occasional issues sleeping! 

We aren’t saying you should become lazy! But if you have been crushing it 24/7 all spring and summer, your body (and mind) may need to slow down.

Use the next few months to embrace a slower routine. 

• Commit to daily yoga.
• Focus on becoming more flexible.
• Switch to low or moderate-intensity cardio, instead of HIIT.
• Try out some bodyweight workouts instead of heavy lifting.

Giving your body a couple of months to recover might even make you more responsive when you decide to kick things up again come spring/summer!

TIP #4: Stay Accountable

The best way to stick to a plan is to have someone that you report back to. This could be a friend, family member, a social media community, or even a coach. 

Including someone else, or even just telling someone else about your health and fitness goals and asking them to check in with you to make sure you are sticking to the plan, is a great way to keep the promises you make to yourself.

If you prefer to fly solo, it helps to create visuals. Make a vision board, create a daily checklist you can mark off after each workout, or keep an accomplishment journal.

TIP #5: Set A Spring Goal

March may seem like a long time away, but it will be back before you know it, and 6 months is a long time to make significant changes. 

Setting a goal is a great way to encourage yourself to push past discomforts and temptation, but there is a science to goal setting.

The key to creating goals that stick .. be REALISTIC and SPECIFIC!

Let’s start with reality. You should always focus on one goal at a time and make sure you are being honest with yourself if that goal is really attainable.

If you know that your schedule will never allow you to work out 6 days a week, why would you choose a program that requires you to do that?

If you know it’s not healthy to attempt to lose 10 pounds a week, why would you aim that high?

If you love carbs, why would you go on a KETO diet? 

Doing these things will essentially set yourself up for failure. Set attainable goals that fit YOUR lifestyle. You can always bump things up if your schedule allows, or you notice you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. Just keep in mind that being realistic isn’t the same as not believing in yourself or making excuses. 

Moving on to being specific. The more specific you are about your goals, the more likely you will be to reach them. 

It may seem like it’s good enough to say things like .. I want to look good, lose weight, or get ripped! But you have to dig deeper than that!! 

Wanting to “lose weight,” for example, is an excellent place to start. But ask yourself what that means to you?

If you expand on that and say — “I want to lose 10 pounds of fat. I will do this by not eating any sweets and doing the V Shred MOVE program for 30 consecutive days. I am doing this because I want to have better self-esteem and a head start on bikini season.” — that makes your goal more specific.  

The more specific (and attainable) your goals are, the more likely you will be to not give up!

TIP #6: Reward Yourself

Once you have checked a “mini goal” off your list, treat yourself. Knowing that you have a reward coming to celebrate your efforts will make you want to achieve it even more. 

It may be tempting to make your reward one of your favorite “forbidden foods” but we never suggest that you reward yourself this way.

You aren’t a dog. You should never reward “good behavior” with food. Having this mentality can create a really unhealthy relationship with food.

You need to eat healthy MOST of the time, control your portions, and see food as fuel. But if you are craving something that isn’t quite as healthy as your grilled chicken and rice, never feel like you need to lose 20 pounds to “deserve” a bite of cake, or nice dinner out with your family. 

Instead of rewarding yourself with food, buy yourself something you have been wanting. Maybe some new workout clothes, a massage, or an extra $20 bucks in your vacation fund! 

If you think you need some nutrition guidance or want to learn more about creating a healthy relationship with food, take our free body type quiz and we’ll tell you exactly what type of diet will deliver results for your goals and specific body type. 

TIP #7: Make Mental Health Top Priority

Earlier, we mentioned that cold weather motivation dips may not be your fault.

I’m sure you have heard of winter blues. Well, it’s a real thing. Less natural light can cause dips in serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood.

The dark and dreary days of winter can also cause your body to produce more of the sleep hormone melatonin. This shift can disrupt your body and impact your sleep patterns and overall mood.

Here are a few ways that you can focus on improving your mental health.

• Invest in a light therapy box that simulates natural daylight.
• Make sure you are supplementing with or eating plenty of foods with Vitamin D.
• Start journaling. There is a lot of scientific evidence that supports putting your thoughts on paper provides a long list of benefits, including stress management, self-confidence, and goal setting. 

Suppose you still find yourself struggling with negative seasonal motivation shifts. In that case, you may need to experiment with taking naturally sourced herbs to help support brain health and a positive mood.

Here are a few with some great scientific backing to help boost mood.

• EnXtra: A natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredient that has been shown to help increase dopamine levels.**It is also one of the first and only natural caffeine-free patent-pending botanical ingredients shown to boost mental alertness & acuity for hours or ending in a huge caffeine energy crash.
• Piper Nigrum Fruit Extract: A very specific type of black pepper that has been shown to help increase both serotonin and dopamine.
  
• L-Theanine: A powerful amino acid that is believed to help reduce occasional anxiety brought on by stressful situations.

You can find all of these natural herbs (plus 3 more) in a one of a kind supplement called NEUROCTANE.

As part of our big end of summer sale, this brain and mood booster along with Sculpt Nation’s entire line of body optimizing supplements are 40% off for a limited time!

Just click here to shop and use code: LABORDAY at checkout for 40% off your order!

BOTTOM LINE IF YOU WANT TO STAY MOTIVATED YEAR ROUND
When you put away the shorts and swimsuits and shift out of bikini season, it’s common for motivation to “fall back” with the clocks. 

The seasons have to change (unless you live near the equator) – so you have to figure out ways to not let your fitness goals go into hibernation mode! Pumpkin spice lattes are only here for a limited time, but getting into shape isn’t seasonal! It’s a year-round commitment!! 

Combining Sculpt Nation supplements with V Shred’s diet and training programs is a great way to get a head start on keeping those winter pounds at bay this year. 

This combo has helped tens of thousands of happy customers reach their goals faster and easier!

(Click HERE now and use code: LABORDAY for 40% OFF — Prices will go back up after Labor Day weekend!)

The post 7 Ways To Avoid Seasonal Burnout appeared first on V Shred.

Even if you aren’t Irish… chances are someone is trying to get you to head out to a St. Patrick’s Day party.

After all, it is the fourth most popular drinking holiday here in the U.S.

There will be endless green beer on tap, shots of Irish whiskey, and sugary green drinks galore… creating the perfect storm… for the worst post St. Patrick’s aftermath ever!

If you wake up feeling beat down, dehydrated, and still worn out, the last thing you will feel like doing is hitting the gym.

But THE RIGHT SWEAT SESSION could be the perfect POST ST. PATRICK’S STRATEGY !!

We have THREE workout options for you to choose from.

You will get those in a second…We have to convince you to get out of bed first!!

Let’s talk about what a big night can do to your body and how exercise can help!

Several things can occur….

• Dehydration: Your body will try to “keep up” by increasing urine production. This is also why you end up feeling beat down and dried out — you are super dehydrated.
• Upset Stomach: Your stomach is a wreck, and you feel nauseous mainly because you have irritated your stomach lining.
• Body Aches/Food Cravings: Your blood sugar also may have hit rock-bottom, which would explain why you feel so beat up or have cravings for greasy foods.

Here is where you find yourself SWEARING that you will never go out again!!

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT GO AWAY?!!

Before you even consider working up a sweat with one of the workouts we are giving you… you have to work through some of the damage done.

You may not feel like eating … but your body is begging you for nutrients.

Your biggest defense might be some BCAAS and Electrolytes, but this combo should actually be consumed BEFORE a big night!

What we are about to share could actually fight or block the Post St. Patrick’s Aftermath!

Before you go out .. before you pass out .. and as soon as you wake up after a big night out .. pound some BCAAS and electrolytes!

As mentioned, you may wake up feeling dehydrated.

Try adding a scoop of Sculpt Nation BCAAS to a zero or low-calorie electrolyte based drink. The electrolytes and vitamins combined with the essential amino acids and mineral complex found in Sculpt Nation BCAAS may help keep you from feeling … as crappy.

Our next tip …We want you to drink ANOTHER GREEN DRINK!!

This GREEN DRINK is not what you are thinking!

After a big night out, your body craves nutrients. If you can’t fathom eating a meal .. at least try to down a serving of our Sculpt Nation GREENS. 

This green beverage should be a daily staple anyway! If it’s not, now would be a good time to get started! Plus, you’ll actually look forward to drinking it since you can choose from 3 flavors strawberry, peach or original GREENS flavor!

Sculpt Nation GREENS is packed with botanicals, phytonutrients antioxidants, and adaptogenic agents like Collagen, Turmeric Root, and Rhodiola Root.

These superfoods will help you cleanse and support detoxification processes by giving your body the power of numerous fruits and veggies .. which is what your body always needs .. but especially after a big night out.

If you are really struggling, you may even want to double or triple your daily dose of GREENS.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with 30% off All Sculpt Nation supplements including GREENS when you use coupon code: SHAMROCK30 at checkout! Click here to shop.  

After you have done some damage control (and only if you feel hydrated enough) .. you can try to get moving.

How will a workout help get back in the game?

In addition to just getting you out of bed and stimulating blood flow…. The night out may have slowed the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones that can help regulate your mood. Moving your body and getting some exercise, even when you don’t necessarily feel like it, can help stimulate the release of endorphins, resulting in a better mood and a better state of mind.

You should use caution exercising following a big night out. If you went way overboard, it is probably best to just call it a rest day!

But if you feel up for it, while exercise won’t help you fully bounce back, it can counteract some of the effects, and help you feel human again ..getting you back to your scheduled lifts .. faster!

HERE ARE THE THREE WORKOUTS
**pick one based on how bad the aftermath is**

MAJOR BEATDOWN – Yoga & Stretching.
Yoga may be your best bet because it’s gentle but still gets your body moving.
Crawl out of bed (or just stay there) and do a short 10-minute full-body stretch or yoga sequence. Something is better than nothing! Keep it nice and slow, and you may want to avoid inversions, which is anything where your head goes below your heart.

MODERATE BEATDOWN – Low Impact Cardio.
You may not feel like pounding the pavement or jumping up and down, but a nice slow walk, swim, or cycle, will help get your blood flowing and give you a nice endorphin release. Just jump on a treadmill, bike, cybex, elliptical .. or even better get some fresh air and go on a walk outside … for at least 20 min!

LIGHT BEATDOWN – Light Full Body Circuit.
If you are feeling up for more than just some low to moderate movement, try a short, really basic full-body circuit workout. One exercise per body part, just a couple sets of each in a moderate rep range, using lighter weight, bands, or even just body-weight.

An example may be:

• Leg Extensions or Air Squats
• Hamstring Curls or Walking Lunges
• Calf Raises
• Bicep Curls
• Bench Dips
• DB Chest Press
• Lat Pull Downs
• Sit-Ups
• Rest and REPEAT for another round or two!

We have tons of short workouts like this on our YouTube Channel that don’t require the gym at all .. so you can stay at home and sweat it out.

Save this article and use each “phase” over the days to come!

Whether you plan to sweat it out post-party, take it easy, or wait and see what the dreaded day after holds … your body may be wiped out for more than one day! You may want to start with the Light Workout and work your way up!

We hope this blog and these workouts give you an idea of how you can still stay on track… even after a night of bad decisions!!

Don’t forget our sister company Sculpt Nation is having a special St. Patrick’s Day sale on ALL supplements!  Click here to SAVE 30% and get FREE SHIPPING on all supplements $75+ with code🍀Shamrock30 🍀

The post How to AVOID and FIGHT The St. Patrick’s Day Aftermath appeared first on V Shred.