Amazing Feet on TED Talks

The feet truly are amazing and if you have not seen TED Talks, you are really missing out.

Optimal foot/ankle function is essential for elite athletic performance.

Messed up feet/ankles = messed up hips =  piss poor athletic performance

I loved this talk, especially since I did a Masters in Mechanical Engineering focusing on Biomechanics.

Check out this one below!

What do you think?

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

PS

Thanks to Laree at DaveDraper.com for initially posting this one

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Are you making your workouts easy or hard?

Check out this video of Olympic super start Apolo Ohno training.  Tell me what you see most of the time:

What do you notice when he competes?

What did you see?

Do you see what I see?

He is the most decorated Winter Olympian and there is nobody competing on the level he is for the length time he has in speed skating.

Watching him skate is a thing of beauty. Power and grace. Extremely fluid. He makes it look very easy, but is competing at the highest level.

Why is it that most (not the readers of this blog of course, way too bright for that)  are making it look hard?

The goal is to make the difficult LOOK easy.

Make it look easy and get BETTER results.

Sounds insane I know.  Try it first before you dismiss it.  Test it.

As the old saying goes, success leaves clues.

Drop me a line in the comments below and let know your results!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

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Testimonial for Mike T Nelson: Hip Flexor and Groin Tight and Painful on Squats

Mike T. Nelson single handedly took me out of pain in 10 minutes.

I had been doing many months of heavy front squats when my right hip flexor and groin area became extremely tight and painful. No matter what method I used, it just simply would not let up. After suffering for weeks, I decided to call on Mike.

During his consultation he showed my some joint mobility/ Z-Health type drills and I was doing squats about 3/4 of the way to rock-bottom in 10 Minutes!

My pain was a solid 8 out of 10 at its worst before the consultation. 5 days after the consultation with Mike T. Nelson I was at Grip N Rip 2.0 (a workshop in Woodbury, MN) hitting Personal Records on the Deadlift, PAIN-FREE.

Stop wasting time at your local doctors office and get out of pain and start moving BETTER with Mr. Nelson.

-Dustin Williams, Owner of Wrought Iron Strength and Conditioning, Hugo, MN.

If you are in pain, you are limiting your performance.

If this can be done for pain, imagine what we can do for your performance!

Now It Is Your Turn!

A Huge thanks to Dustin for taking the time to write that up and taking action to look for an answer to his pain and movement issues.

• If you are interested in a phone consult, for a limited time they are only $90 per session (normal rate is $110) and are 100% guaranteed.  If you are not happy for ANY reason, there is NO charge, email me by clicking HERE
• If you are in the St. Paul, MN area, you can see me in person for $110 per session (normal is $125) and it is 100% guaranteed also, email me by clicking HERE

Drop me an email by clicking HERE to move better with less pain today!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

PS

If you are still not sure, see all the other testimonials below

Mike T Nelson and Extreme Human Performance Testimonials

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Gym Movements Biofeedback, Z-Health Joint Mobility, Where is the hard data?

Walter Miller, Strength Athlete, Middleweight wrestling champion circa 1919

I am back!  Did you miss me?

Thanks for your patience with my response to comments last week. Jodie and I had a blast in Baja Mexico at a small town called La Ventana. We went down with some friends to hang out, see that orange thing in the sky that they call the sun and kiteboard.

We had a blast and Jodie did great kiteboarding too! I got out and rode 4 days (every day that there was wind) and even did a 7 mile downwinder back to where we were staying. More details to come soon.

Gym Movements, Z-Health, Hard Numbers Please!

One of the requests that I have received is one asking for hard numbers. Since I am a researcher, I like numbers. Heck, I did a whole MS in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Mathematics, so I better like numbers! ha! To be honest, they were never my strong suit, but after years of practice I got pretty good at it. When I started I did not think any math beyond Calc 4 even existed, wow, I was wrong.

I need to thank Kevin who is a strength coach on the East Coast for taking the time to do this. While this is far from a peer reviewed, placebo controlled study, it does show us some important things.

Take it away Kevin!

Mike

I purchased Gym Movements and I am really looking forward to the video. This past weekend I have been testing myself and 2 of my high school clients with both Z Health and some of the material I saw from the Gym Movements clips. this past weekend I had a girl I train do the following

Step 1 Toe touch test

Step 2. Vertical Jump Test (18 inches on a jump mat)

Step 3 do a “bad squat on the toes for 10 reps

Step 4 Jump again (16.4 inches)

Step 5. do some Z Health drills (ankle and hip mobility)

Step 6 Retest vertical and hit 18.2

Step 6. Static stretch (hit 16 inches)

Step 7 Z Health drills (18.5)

She looked at me like I was crazy and asked what I was doing? I filled her in and she was very interested in what I had to say

With me this weekend I have been doing static stretch tests, Active Isolates tests and Z Health test and EVERY TIME. I get more range of motion with the Z Health Drills I learned from Sara’s DVD.

I will let you know what I think about the Gym Movements DVD, but I think a combination of the Gym Movements DVD and getting the Z R-Phase is what I need

I am amazed how much your body “clears up” by just doing the ankle Mobs.

Thanks

Kevin

What Did We Learn

Now we have some hard numbers to show that what you do training wise and mobility wise has an IMMEDIATE effect upon your body.

Good training and mobility results is massive changes, very fast! I first learned this at the R-Phase cert from Dr. Cobb. When I do Z-Health sessions, the whole premise is that you have them walk (gait) and then try a Z-Health drill, then have them walk again. If their gait (walking movement) is better, that is a good drill. If not, then try another drill.

Exercise will have the same effect.

Good exercise= better movement and performance

I Want To Hear From You!

What are your thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments and if you have any similar data, I would love to hear from you!

Rock on
Mike T Nelson

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Brett Farve Case Study:  Pain Decreases Performance

I am so stoked about the Vikings game this Sun night!  It is going to be close but I predict Adrian Peterson will have a break out game and silence the crowd, thus allowing Brett to pass for some major yardage and a win.

Can you say………Superbowl!!!  (Fingers crossed)

Pain Decreases Performance

As you know, I tend to write about pain because it has a bad effect on performance.

This is especially true for accuracy.  If you are in pain, your ability to accurately perform on the playing field will be diminished.

Let’s look at our good buddy Brett Farve.

You see that the number of interception last year (and some other years) was very high.  It was well know that Brett had a pesky shoulder that was causing him pain.  In 2008-09 he threw 22 interception and this year, only 7 so far to the wrong guy.

This year (after getting the pesky said shoulder fixed), the interceptions dropped by a ton!   Hmmmm…….

The Perfect Case Study?

Of course this is not a perfect case study in any sense, but my guess is that pain in his arm dramatically affected his passing accuracy.

What do you think?

Who Will Win This Sunday?

Drop a comment on who you think will win the big game this Sunday night vs the Saints!  I say Vikings!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

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Will Static Stretching Make Me Weaker?

Yes! Next question?

“But I love to do it and it feels good. Plus my strength is not going down, so you are full of crap”

I get lots of these emails. Literally I do.

This is not really even debateable in my opinon.  From the latest study below, the authors state:

“There is an abundance of literature demonstrating that a single bout of stretching acutely impairs muscle strength, with a lesser effect on power.”

Of course static stretching is not going to make your knee cap shoot across the room or make you instantly as weak as a kitten; but I don’t feel it is an optimal way to increase strength and movement efficiency.

If I Don’t Static Stretch, Can I Move Like Crap?

Most don’t want to give it up since they assume their movement will get worse. I agree that athletes of all types need to move well and movement quality is of high importance, I just don’t think static stretching is the best tool. I would much rather have athletes do dynamic work and joint mobility work (like Z-Health).

What About Long Duration Static Stretching?

An even worse idea!  Yes, I understand the proposed concept of very long (5-20 minute) static stretches to reset muscle length, but there are much better ways to do it.  What is the cost of this practice?  Who in their right mind is even going to do it beyond the most motivated athletes? Many barely warm up as it is in most gyms.

I stole this one from my buddy Frankie, “Drugs make you feel good too, but I would not recommend them.”  So just because something feels good does not automatically mean it is good for you?  How do you determine if an exercise is good for you?  I would go with some form of biofeedback.

Comments?  What do you think?

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

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REFERENCES

Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2009 Dec 18. [Epub ahead of print]

To stretch or not to stretch: the role of stretching in injury prevention and performance.

McHugh MP, Cosgrave CH.

Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, New York, USA.

Gym Movement Trailer

The time is coming.

It will be here very soon!

Do you want to learn how to break a personal record at the gym virtually every time using biofeedback and other methods?

Do you want to gain muscle and lose fat?

I am betting that you do!

Thoughts?  Comments?  Let me know!  I want to know what YOU think.

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

PS

Be sure to get the inside knowledge by being on my newsletter list.  You will be the first to get Gym Movement once it is released and free videos instantly.   Sign up today at

Extreme Human Performance Newsletter Sign Up

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The Future of Exercise Training: Programming with Biofeedback Videos

This is the future of all training, exercise and program design.   I know that is a bold statement, but training based on biofeedback is not brand new.  It has been around as long as training itself, but virtually nobody does it on a conscious level.

What is Biofeedback

Biofeedback is nothing more than taking the information your body is giving you and then using it to dictate/guide your training. This can be heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), range of motion, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), lactate testing, ventilation measures (metabolic cart), bar speed (Tendo), Omega Wave, etc

Andy Potts

Andy Potts used biofeedback exclusively for his training. To quote the Popular Science article “Andy Potts In less than five years, has morphed from an overweight former swimmer into a member of the athletic elite” This is someone who has competed at the Olympic level.

I Don’t Have Fancy Equipment

Notice that you don’t need fancy equipment for all the measures above. We will get to that soon.

What Is Optimal?

How can a piece of paper with your training program on it account for your TOTAL stress on THAT day.  It CAN’T. You need some feedback. Great coaches do this all the time!

What you need is a template approach and then the freedom to modify it according to YOUR stress.   That is optimal!

Experience?

I’ve been doing training based on this for about 2 years now.  Sit back and enjoy his videos on the secrets to using biofeedback.  Huge thanks to Adam for putting up the video in conjunction with The Movement.  Look for much more on this coming soon, so stay tuned.

This Seems Too Mystical

It seems either too mystical or too obvious.

Exercise either makes your movement either better or worse.  The choice is yours.

We want exercise to make you move better.

This gives us a way to see if that is true!

Biofeedback Videos

Programming with Biofeedback Part 1

Programming with Biofeedback part II

Programming with Biofeedback part III

Your Turn!

Now go out and DO this!  Seriously, try it and let me know what questions you have.  I know Adam is taking questions on it of course at his site

The Road Less Traveled

Leave me some comments and let me know what you learn! Time to take action!

Rock on

Mike T Nelson

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How to Harness Brain Neuroplasticity for Extreme Human Performance

Are We Missing the Boat?

Ever seen something that you were pretty sure was true and all the evidence was pointing in that direction, but you still felt a large chunk of the data was missing?

I always feel like that trying to explain some concepts in Z Health and how  your brain is in control of your performance in the gym and on the field.  Optimize your brain and your body HAS to follow.

How does the brain get information?

Eyes + Inner Ear (vestibular “balance”) + Joints (proprioception) = Extreme Human Performance

Optimize each one of these and you are set.   This will also allow you to add strength and not degrade your movement performance when done correctly.

If you come to me as an athlete that wants to be a D1 football player and coach says you need to get stronger.  Let’s say I add 100 lbs to your squat in 6 months, but in the process you move like you are dragging your right leg.  Did I make you stronger?  Yes!  Did I make you a better football player?  No!  Will coach (and you) be happy?  No!  What you are really saying is that you want to be a better football player and you and your coach think that strength is the ONLY way.

Strength is great and a huge component to athletics, but it should NOT come at the cost of movement efficiency.    How can we get an increase in performance without making you walk like Ethel?  THAT is the key and we need to look at the brain.

Data Please

Watch the slide show below.  It is a bit crazy, but hang in there

If you only get one thing, here is the take away

“The physical characteristics of your BODY IMAGE may affect how your brain works your body”

I would even go as far to say that they will instead of may (but we need more data of course).  If your brain is the key to performance, than maybe there is something to this body image thing.  The brain can actually change over time, so it is not fixed even if you are an older adult (concept of neuroplasticity).

Body Image, But I Already Look Good!

Not that type of body image there Fabio!  Body image is referring to the map that your body generates of yourself. When I busted up my ankle several years ago, I had a horrible map of my right ankle at the time. It just felt like a big lump and very “dumb.” It was not uncommon that I would bump it against things in my home (which does not help the healing process). My body image (map) of my right ankle was horrible. How do you think my ankle performance was at the time? Horrible! I could barely move it at all due to the injury.

To a lesser extent, this happens to all athletes. If your wrist wrist does not have 100% mobility, the body map is fuzzy because of it.

The Fix Is In

How do we fix it? For most, starting on the joints is key since they take a fair amount of abuse from desk jockeys with mousie right hand to elite athletes with crazy shoulders from throwing 90+mph fast balls to football players hitting each other at mach 2. Daily living takes its toll and getting all the joints to move through a full range of motion to clean up the body image (map) and allow more performance.

Remove the Brakes

Less than optimal joint mobility is breaking your current performance. I like the Z Health R Phase for mobility work since it targets the joints, but just plain movement is a great start.

Summary

We have evidence now that your body image will affect your performance. Fix your body image (movement map) by first starting off on some joint mobility and watch your performance sky rocket.

Rock on
Mike T Nelson
PS
Leave any comments below and tweet the heck out of this one! Much appreciate all the help!

REFERENCES
Full paper at
Interdependence of movement and anatomy persists when amputees learn a physiologically impossible movement of their phantom limb

References below taken from
Physiologically impossible movement of phantom limbs explained

1. Damasio A (2000) The feeling of what happens: body and emotion in the making of consciousness. (Vintage, London).
2. Churchland PS (2002) Self-representation in nervous systems Science 296, 308-310.
3. Ramachandran VS (1998) Consciousness and body image: lessons from phantom limbs, Capgras syndrome and pain asymbolia Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London – Series B: Biological Sciences 353, 1851-1859.
4. Price EH (2006) A critical review of congenital phantom limb cases and a developmental theory for the basis of body image Consciousness and Cognition 15, 310-322.
5. Moseley GL, Olthof N, Venema A, Don S, Wijers M, Gallace A, & Spence C (2008) Psychologically induced cooling of a specific body part caused by the illusory ownership of an artificial counterpart Proc Natl Acad Sci 105, 13169-13173.
6. Moseley GL, Parsons TJ, & Spence C (2008) Visual distortion of a limb modulates the pain and swelling evoked by movement. Curr Biol 18, R1047-R1048.
7. Parsons LM (2001) Integrating cognitive psychology, neurology and neuroimaging Acta Psychol. (Amst). 107, 155-181.

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I trust you had a great Turkey Day (if you are in the USA) and a great weekend to everyone else. Jodie and I took a short trip to South Padre Island Texas for some kiteboarding time and had a blast. I got to ride 4 days and Jodie got in some great practice with the kite 3 times. I will have more details on it very soon.

Just a quick note that I had an article on “Pain and Performance” published on Boddicker Performance. I know what you are thinking, “Ugh, that sounds about as much fun to read as having a testicle removed” but I tried my best to make it a bit more entertaining while staying true to the science. You will have to be the final judge on that, but here is some feedback

“You are the only person I know who can make reading about the pain neuromatrix pain free for everyone.   Great post”  –Dustin Schlichting

Go there and find out for yourself. (Note, it is a bit hard to read, so feel to print it out. Carson is working on changing the format soon).

Pain and Performance

Rock on

Mike T Nelson