We're kicking off Thursday with a little functional anatomy for you this week. I've heard "I know I should keep my shoulders down and back" a few times in the last week, so I thought I would clarify! The TLDR* is highlighted below (*too long didn't read). The rhomboid muscle is highlighted in blue below. It is often the centre of attention from therapists and desk workers who claim they "know they need to keep their shoulders down and back more" to help with their posture and neck pain. It...
27 days ago • 2 min read
Elite and everyday athletes hire us to help them get faster. Sometimes they want a faster 5k, marathon or triathlon race time. Other times they want a faster 30m sprint time to be competitive in the sport of bobsleigh. Yet other times, they want to cover just a little more ground in their weekly 30 minute run to feel some sense of progress in their fitness and improvement in their health. For our Conditioning Workshop that we taught twice in the last year (this weekend is the 1 year...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Tendons have been on my brain a lot this year since I've suffered 3 tendinopathies that have left me feeling a little unprepared. Rehabbing them has been different than other injuries I've faced!I've been reading, seeking, and trying new techniques to help them heal, and I feel like somewhat of an in-the-trenches expert at this point 10 months into the journey. I've helped many others with tendinopathies before, so why has it been so hard for me to follow my own advice? I wish I knew... So...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Ever had a shoulder injury that concerned you - so you demanded an ultrasound, xray or MRI to figure out why things were pinching and bugging you so much? Based on the shoulder survey we put out a few weeks ago, at least 10% of our newsletter responded that they have recently been dealing with some shoulder issues recently. While there is a time and a place for digging deeper into diagnostics for why things are hurting, here's the other side of the coin: Girish et al (2011) In the associated...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Today we're launching SHOULDER FOUNDATIONS! With Shoulder Foundations you get FIFTY SIX HOURS of workouts for less cost than hiring us for a 1-hour to assessment to help train and rehab your shoulders. Within it are 3 chances to rate your shoulder progress instead of guessing if your shoulder is getting better. It's the shoulder program for people who inherited brains not money. It works for people with money and bad shoulders, too. If you've been patiently waiting for the day where you can...
3 months ago • 1 min read
In the last 4 months, Nick and I have been putting our heads together with physiotherapist Cassandra Downe to make the best 12-week shoulder training program you've ever tried. We've done something similar before with the launch of Foot Foundations in 2021 and Hip Foundations in 2022. The reviews have been stellar, and everyone has continuously asked "When are you doing Shoulder!?!", so it's almost time to finally launch our 2024 labour of love. Before we dive into Shoulder Foundations and...
3 months ago • 1 min read
We're super pumped to announce that we're working HARD on our new 12-week Shoulder Foundation Program and anticipate it's launch THIS summer 😍!! HERE is a teaser video I made today. A common misconception is that keeping shoulders "down and back" solves all postural and shoulder issues, but true shoulder health involves the movement of shoulder blades and shoulder rotation, supported by a stable and mobile ribcage and spine. Passive treatments like ice, heat, and stretching, while useful at...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Technology is seeping into every corner of every gym these days, from 24/7 heart rate variability tracking bands, to force plate testing, to air displacement plethysmography pods for body composition analysis, and apps to track and analyze our workouts. At Vital, we think merging the hard numbers and quantitative analysis, with the more qualitative movement approach is where the magic happens. Knowing that your right quad is 10% stronger than the left can be helpful to some, but pairing that...
5 months ago • 2 min read
We got a little personal in last week's email and I'll do that again today. 2 days ago I ran the freaking Boston Marathon! They say getting there is the marathon, and racing the event is the reward. Pretty shit to get cramps and blisters as rewards if you ask me! Jokes aside - what an incredible experience. I came across this video yesterday which sums up the experience beautifully. In the lead up to this marathon, almost NOTHING went to plan for me. From tendonitis in the hip and countless...
6 months ago • 1 min read