For the fitness athlete, ankle mobility may be the most critical joint in the body. Without adequate ankle dorsiflexion, many functional movements like squats, push presses, and running will have altered form. The following article will outline what we believe to be the five best drills to improve ankle mobility. As an illustration of how poor ankle mobility can impact …
On Episode 4 of the Performance Plus Podcast Dr. Zach Long and Coach Johnny B discuss how to program mobility work. Topics include The most important detail of programming mobility How to structure a mobility program When to implement mobility work (before or after a workout) The appropriate amount of time to foam roll/do lacrosse ball work What to do …
On episode 3 of the Performance Plus Programming Podcast, gymnastics expert Pamela Gagnon joins Coach Johnny B to detail the strict strength pre-requisites for gymnastics movements. Here are the topics we covered in this episode: The 2 foundations of gymnastics movements How many reps of strict gymnastics do we need to have before progressing onto kipping? One of the best …
Building to your first strict handstand pushup requires considerable upper body strength and balance. You will need to get comfortable being inverted while building strength in the triceps, shoulders, pecs, and back muscles. Here is a basic guideline for learning the strict handstand push-up against a wall. For more help developing gymnastics strength, download our FREE 3-week Gymnastics Booster program! …
The pistol squat is a challenging exercise for many athletes due to the strength, balance, coordination, and mobility demands. If you are frustrated with your pistol squat progress, check out this video from Dr. Zach Long (aka The Barbell Physio) which covers a few great pistol squat strength progression exercises. We also have two recommended programs for athletes trying to …