
	The Renkens Center Newsletter Volume 1; Issue 2

The Foam Roller - Another Asset For Tissue Quality

Nowadays, one would be hard pressed to find an athlete – both recreational and professional - who does not have a skilled manual therapist that they call upon. Working with people everyday, I have come to realize that the majority of pain syndromes are caused - or at least begin with - muscle imbalances. I feel confident in the techniques I employ knowing that I can help restore tissue quality, which in turn helps restore normal movement patterns, which in turn lessens pain. A skilled manual practitioner is the best option, yes, but having a therapist available at one's disposal is not always a feasible option. It is the other 23 hours of a day that I am not working with a patient that can stall the healing process. What are they doing to maintain that tissue quality that we attained? One of tools that can be used is correctly using a foam roller.

Some highlights of the foam roll include the following:

* Foam rollers come in a variety of lengths and consistencies.

* It can be used on almost any area of the body.

* You can control the intensity with your own body weight.

* High density foam rollers cost very little and last a long, long time.

Foam rollers can be used to help restore normal tissue quality as well as for injury prevention and performance enhancement. In fact, I think the best time to use the foam roll protocols is on a daily basis before workouts. Use of the foam roll before activity helps decrease muscle density by spreading out fascia and promotes a better warm up. Use of the foam roll after workouts may help muscles recover from strenuous exercise or if the muscles are sore. The key is to use the roll properly and with the right protocol for specific conditions. I will elaborate more on specific uses of the foam roll in future installments for the newsletter.

To learn more about how to best use your foam roller specific to your needs, schedule an appointment today at: www.therenkenscenter.com

"Determination gives us the resolve to keep going
in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you."

Movement of the Month:
Kettlebell Goblet Squat

Last month I described the kettlebell Swing – a very effective exercise to enhance glute activation and hip extension. This month’s movement is the kettlebell Goblet Squat.

Hold a kettlebell close to your chest like a steering wheel. The handle of the kettlebell should be directly beneath your chin. As you squat down, push your butt out behind you, and keep your chest up. Looking straight ahead at all times, squat as low as you can and pause at the bottom. Contract your abs, glutes, and quads for maximum tension and stability. Rise back up fully extending the hips and knees and repeat. Breathe in as your lower yourself down to the bottom and exhale as you stand up.

Again, the practicality of using the kettlebell is perhaps its greatest asset. It can be done virtually anywhere and if done properly, can provide a great workout by itself. Many of you expressed an interest in kettlebell training and learning the basics. I am offering an introduction to kettlebell training series which will consist of 8 classes over a four week period. Throughout the series I will teach various kettlebell movements as well as demonstrate various ideas for program design – including combining exercises, sets, reps, and frequency. To make the opportunity most efficient and affordable, I would like to teach groups of four to six individuals. If you or a group of your friends would like to learn how to add another aspect to your program – and in the process improve your fitness - please call 386-7060 or email me at josh@therenkenscenter.com .

"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out."
-Robert Collier

"Spontaneous healing....all the circuitry and machinery is there; the problem is simply to discover how to turn on the right switches to activate the process." - Andrew Weil

The human body is an amazing organism. It has the ability to coordinate millions of functions simultatneously every single second of every day. Among all of it's capabilities is its uncanny ability to heal and repair itself.

Now that brings us to your choice. Yes, you have a choice….You can either heal fast or slow – it’s up to you (insert picture on right). If you heal slowly, then you run the risk of healing with a significant distortion that absolutely will hurt you. Because when you distort the structure, when you distort the movement patterns, you have strain going into the body in a way that it should not, and it is only a matter of time before the next time bomb; i.e., pain, shows up. You never really know when it is going to be, or in what form. We do know, however, that it is absolutely going to happen.

Furthermore, our body is composed of a series of structural kinetic chains, where a dysfunction or imbalance in one area can quickly lead to dysfunction in other parts of the body. How many times have you had a pain in one area of the body only to have it seemingly go away, and shortly thereafter show up at some other area of the body! The biomechanical changes that you make as a result of pain can cause more pain, stress, strain, and other injuries far away from the original site of the problem.

When something hurts, we are wise to pay attention. When faulty movement patterns and compensation is not interrupted and resolved, there will be strain going where it shouldn’t, and that is when people start breaking down prematurely. Pain is not normal. I always laugh when someone tells me that they are training for a particular event and that this little ache or this little pain is "all a part of it". It is as if they go into the training EXPECTING that they will HAVE to endure pain and discomfort. Your feet, legs, back, shoulders, and any other body part should not be hurting and interferring with your activity. This a warning! Find out why it hurts, and what to do to stop the pain so you can get on with what it is you love to do. I have always thought that if you can't move, it is very difficult to live a productive life. By applying the right treatment procedures and proper rehabilitative programs when applicable, most people can not only treat their current injury, but can also prevent future injuries from occurring. This can of course be accelerated if the pain and, more importantly, the underlying cause is addressed sooner rather than later.