Training

by Keith Scott

Not all injuries are really injuries.

Huh? What the hell does that mean?

It’s simple…over the years I have “magically cured” a lot of people’s injuries quickly because so many injuries are not really injuries, rather they are muscle spasms or knots that are causing pain and dysfunction.

This is not to say that these knots don’t cause major pain and problems…they do. It also doesn’t mean that they are to be ignored, because many spasms or knots are a sign that either something was tweaked and needs to be fixed, or that the shit is about to hit the fan (in other words, they are a warning signal to you that you are really going to get hurt.)

Muscle spams or knots can occur anywhere and to anyone. I don’t think there is a single person alive (maybe other than a baby) that doesn’t live with spasms or knots of some kind. Not all are going to kill you or cause problems. I have them in my neck and traps almost every day of my life as many people do.

I am talking more about the spontaneous knot or spasm that shows up after a training session that causes so much discomfort or pain that you think you have an injury. The truth is, you just might.

Knots occur naturally when you get injured (strain, sprain, etc.), for example, almost 100% of the time. So you have the pull (or strain) and also knots to go along with it. It is the body’s way of protecting itself. 

Sometimes knots occur for what seems like no good reason at all.

Be Proactive

I almost always tell people to foam roll, use a LAX ball, get a deep tissue massage, ART, etc… when there is pain or an injury.

(Note from Jay: I find the Voodoo Floss Bands to be extremely helpful with elbow, knee and ankle issues)

Take care of the knot or knots and you are at least half way to feeling much better. In some cases, getting rid of the knot might be all you need to do.

So, without even knowing what you did, just dealing with your soft tissue (i.e. knots, spams, adhesions) can really make a difference. So why not make that part of your plan? It really can’t hurt in the majority of the cases.

Avoid Movement Deficiencies & Dysfunction

The other thing to realize is that having knots or spasms can and will cause you to have movement deficiencies and cause dysfunction. When you are knotted up badly, you won’t function normally. This can cause pain, weakness and over time other problems.

The rotator cuff is a prime example. Many guys have major knots and adhesions in the cuff and don’t even realize it. It is many times the cause of shoulder pain and problems.

With my baseball guys I will take about 5 minutes at the end of their session and work the knots out of the rotator cuff and almost 100% of the time, tightness, pain and weakness are gone. They feel great and also report that they throw better and faster the next day.

It isn’t magic, rather it is what I call “Resetting the cuff” so it functions the way it is supposed to function. Add some proper strengthening to the routine and they tend to maintain this over time. 

This is something that we can all do anywhere in the body.

This is why soft tissue work is so important. We don’t always do it enough or correctly, but something is better than nothing. 

So, back to the original point…”Not all injuries are injuries.”

The take home message is that when you are in pain or feel like you just injured yourself (or both) you may have an injury. You also might just have some spasms. Either way, you will have spams and knots.

And, either way, taking care of those spasms will help you feel a lot better. Sometimes it can get rid of the problem in an instance. Sometimes it just makes things feel better.

***Don’t assume that you are NOT injured and you just have spams. Always assume that you might have an injury, but don’t panic either. That is why soft tissue work is vital and in many cases can be a great self-diagnostic tool too.

This morning, you probably didn’t think twice about slinging a work tote over your shoulder or picking your sneakers up off the floor. But there may come a time when one of those simple motions will trigger a backache bad enough to cause you to call in sick, see a doctor, or at the very least, take a few painkillers. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, four out of five women will develop a back injury at some point in their lives. But with a few simple changes, you can prevent yourself from becoming a statistic. The trick, says Douglas Chang, M.D., chief of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center, is separating the misconceptions from the facts. We asked Chang and other experts to set the record straight on how to best prevent and heal aches and pains.

MYTH #1 Lifting heavy objects will strain your back.
FACT Most injuries are caused not by what you pick up, but how you do it. The proper form: Squat, keeping your back straight. Grab the object, bring it close to your body, then stand; your thigh and butt muscles should do the lifting.

Just grabbing a pen off the floor? It’s still important to be careful, because simply twisting the wrong way can harm your back. “One of the worst moves is bending over to the side while staying seated with your feet planted on the floor,” says Rahul Shah, M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon in Winter Park, Florida. “Twisting your back in two directions at once may strain the disks that cushion your spinal vertebrae.” This repetitive trauma builds up over the years and can weaken your spine. “If your back is already vulnerable,” says Shah, “the wrong movement could easily trigger an injury.”

MYTH #2 Sitting up straight keeps your spine in line.
FACT While your mom was right to stop you from hunching, holding yourself too erectly isn’t as good for your back as you think. “It puts a lot of stress on your disks, especially when you do it for long periods of time,” says Santhosh Thomas, a doctor of osteopathic medicine and medical director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Spine Health in Westlake, Ohio. In fact, researchers at Woodend Hospital in Scotland found that people who sat at a 90-degree angle strained their spines more than those who reclined at 135 degrees.

What’s a woman to do? Adjust your posture a few times a day, recommends Shah. “Lean back in your chair with your feet on the ground and make sure there’s a slight curve in your lower back.” That way, he explains, you’ll distribute your body weight more evenly, as your shoulders and upper back muscles will take some of the pressure off your spine. If you often find yourself slouching at your desk at the end of the workday, consider using a cushion to support your lower back and keep your spine in alignment.

What may be even more important than sitting correctly is taking frequent breaks from your desk throughout the day. To boost circulation in your back muscles and lessen fatigue, stand up every half hour and take a five-minute stroll or stretch every hour. Do some of your work while standing up to give your spine a little reprieve. Take a phone call on your feet, or place a report on top of a waist-high filing cabinet so you can stand and read it.

MYTH #3 Most exercise is hard on your back.
FACT Researchers from Samsung Medical Center in Korea found that working out at least three times a week actually reduced the risk for developing chronic back pain by 43 percent. Exercise strengthens your back muscles and increases blood flow to the disks, helping them withstand daily strain. Hitting the gym regularly also keeps your waistline in check, which has a huge payoff for your back: A study in the journal Spine revealed that overweight people were nearly three times as likely to go to the hospital with a back injury than those at a healthy weight. Even as little as 5 or 10 extra pounds can put stress on your spine, increasing your risk of injury. Opt for low-impact aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming, or using the elliptical machine, to strengthen your back without putting excess pressure on your disks or joints.

Still, it’s important not to do too much. Overexerting yourself—by lifting too-heavy weights or stretching past the point of comfort—is a surefire way to injure your back. To protect yourself while working out: Warm up with at least 15 minutes of light cardio to increase blood flow to back muscles. Next, observe your form in the mirror when lifting weights. Your back should always be straight, whether you’re working your biceps or your legs. Finally, avoid overstretching or bouncing; those movements jar the spine and muscles.

MYTH #4 Back pain is always caused by an injury.
FACT Between juggling a huge work deadline and planning your sister’s bridal shower, taking a time-out may seem like a luxury. But when it comes to caring for your back, it’s essential. According to a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, women who feel overwhelmed at home or work are more than twice as likely as their calmer counterparts to have lower back pain. “Mental stress causes the smallest units of the muscle, the fibers, to tighten,” says Ulf Lundberg, Ph.D., a professor of biological psychology at Sweden’s Stockholm University. Over time, clenched muscle fibers wear down, upping the risk for injury. And to make matters worse, your body’s natural response—an increase in muscle tension—can aggravate existing back problems.

So the next time you feel the pressure rising, make a point to work at least half an hour of relaxation into your day no matter how frenzied you feel. A hot bath or shower is one of the best ways to decompress, because heat can relax your back muscle fibers. To boost the benefits even more, use lavender-scented bath beads or soap: In a Japanese study, people who sniffed the calming scent had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Your back already in knots? Get a massage. Find a massage therapist near you through the American Massage Therapy Association.

MYTH #5 Alternative treatments don’t work.
FACT Nearly one in six Americans has tried some form of alternative therapy to ease an aching back, according to the National Institutes of Health. And for good reason: Studies suggest these treatments may be more effective than conventional physical therapy and medications in some cases. In fact, in a recent German study, half of the lower back patients who received two weekly acupuncture sessions over six months reported a significant reduction in pain. The needles may stimulate the release of pain-relieving brain chemicals, say experts. Find a licensed practitioner from the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Research also shows that seeing a chiropractor may help you feel better faster. These practitioners believe back pain is caused by dislocations in the vertebrae. During an “adjustment,” gentle force is applied to your spine to stretch your joints and realign them. To find a licensed chiropractor near you, consult the American Chiropractic Association.

MYTH #6 A super firm mattress is best for your back.
FACT Actually, it might be the source of your pain. Trying to find a back-friendly bed is like playing Goldilocks: A too-soft mattress doesn’t offer enough support, while a rock-hard one can increase pressure on the spine. A study in the journal Lancet found that those who snoozed on a medium-firm mattress experienced less back pain—and popped fewer pain relievers—than those who slept on a harder one. Can’t afford a brand-new bed? Consider buying a pad such as those from Therapedic (from $30; bedbathbeyond.com) to cushion an extra-firm mattress. If your bed is too soft, place a bed board, like one by Duro-Med ($35; drugstore.com), beneath the mattress to prevent it from sagging.

By Jason Ferruggia

Ever since I first discussed the importance of “the power look” and how important it is to earn respect and separate you from the pencil necks, I am repeatedly asked about how to build big traps.

The best trap building exercise in existence is the deadlift. One need look no further than the massive trap development of elite powerfliters to see how effective this exercise is at building these intimidating muscles.

Pussyfooting around with light weights will never get the job done. You need to deadlift heavy weights (with picture perfect form) for sets of 1-6 reps. A good goal for most lifters is to be able to pull at least double bodyweight.

For massive traps aim for 2.5 times your bodyweight. If you want traps like Goldberg make your goal to pull 2.5 times bodyweight for a set of five. Deadlifts should be performed once every 4-14 days (depending on if you’re a beginner or more advanced lifter). If you’re small and weak you can deadlift more often. When you get strong and can move a lot of weight the deadlift will take a lot out of you and be more difficult to recover from.

Beginners can do multiple sets but advanced lifters should work up to one top end set.

If you can’t deadlift perfectly from the floor with pristine technique, it is recommended to pull from rubber mats, blocks or pins in order to prevent lower back injuries. No sense in getting hurt when you’re trying to get yoked. Always train safely and intelligently.

Any discussion about how to build big traps would not be complete without discussing the Olympic lifts and their various pull variations. Programming snatches, cleans, high pulls and clean pulls into your workouts regularly is another great way to build huge traps.

If you could only choose one of these I’d recommend the snatch. It’s the easiest on the wrists and elbows and also keeps your shoulders healthy when done properly. Unlike deadlifts, Olympic lifts can be done with high frequency. Olympic lifters train these lifts every day. But they drop the bar which makes a huge difference.

If you don’t have the luxury of dropping the bar then snatches can be done 1-3 times per week for an average of five sets of three. They are usually done first on a full body or lower body dominant day, although there’s no reason why you couldn’t do them on an upper body day.

Shrugs are another weapon you can use in your trap building arsenal. Some people like heavy partial range shrugs, and others like lighter full range shrugs. I say do both. Load up a bar and do a few sets of 6-10 cheat shrugs one day and grab some dumbbells and do 2-4 sets of 12-15 full range reps with a 2-3 second hold at the top of each rep on another day.

Incline shrugs are another good option and these can hit the mid traps a bit better. Alternate between standing and incline for full trap development.

Finally, there’s the farmers walk. This will pack meat on your traps in a big way when heavy weights are used for sets of 20-60 seconds. I’d recommend doing them once per week for 2-4 sets of about 30 seconds average. Work up to heavy weights and wear a belt on these.

Below is an example of how you can incorporate all of these trap building exercises into a four way upper/lower split:

Day 1
Snatch- 5 x 3
Upper body pressing and pulling

Day 2
Squat- Top end set of 3-5
Rack Deads- 1 x 6
Lower body assistance work
DB Shrug w/ Hold- 2 x 10-12

Day 3
Upper body pressing and pulling

Day 4
Snatch- 5 x 3
Lower body assistance work
Farmers Walk- 2 x 30 sec