Handstand Archives | Movement Vault

Ankles & Hips: July 7

It’s funny seeing you here. What’s a _______ like you, doing in a place like this. Oh, I know, you are one of these people that takes care of themselves, knows the benefits of proactive healthcare, and loves to perform at their highest level. You are in the best place possible! Wednesday Movement Vault starts in 3, 2, 1……Let’s go!

Equipment Needed: 1) Padded Mat. We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your ankles and hips. We are starting off with a muscle/facia release for your calf muscles, specifically your soleus and gatrocnemius. You don’t need any tools for this technique as you will be using your own hands. Yes you do have the power to release your own muscles, with your thumbs and the proper guidance. Next, we are working on an active end-range stretch for the back of your ankle. The key with this movement is to first make sure that you stretch out the back of your ankle as much as possible, and then contract your muscles while they are being stretched out. Next we have a full range of motion activation movement for your ankles. Focus on moving your ankle in the biggest circle as possible. Try to use every little millimeter of range of motion that you have. You really need to put in the effort on these. We are finishing up with a muscle activation technique for your hips. Try to bring your leg as far out to the side as possible while keeping your low back flat. Focus on only moving your hips.

Full Body: July 6

Pro Tip of the day: Being able to turn off muscles is just as important as turning them on. If your muscles are always on aka contracted, you will not be able to move that joint as well. If you have a muscle that is fully contracted you will simply not be able to move that joint. This isn’t usually the case, but does happen in extreme neurological conditions. What does usually happen is a very low level constant contraction in a muscle, which causes that muscle and joint to be tight. This is usually caused by your body trying to protect itself due to a previous injury, or because it doesn’t feel safe in a certain position. Take tight hamstrings for instance. This is usually due to your body wanting to protect your low back. It does this by trying to stop you from bending over. This is achieved by “creating” tight hamstrings. I could go on for pages on this topic, but I will stop here. Have fun today!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded Mat (optional). We’ve got a jam packed, shorter routine for you today! We are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of the entire body.

We are starting off with 90/90 transitions. The key with these is to use as much support as you need. This could mean 2 hands or 1 hand down behind you for support. Focus on driving your knees apart while you transition. We are then working on a movement that works on hip and spine mobility, as well as core stability. Remember to push your hips back and to the side when lowering. Finally, we are working on a shoulder and core activation movement. Try to lift the front of your chest as high off of the ground as possible as you reach.

Wrists & Shoulders: July 5

Welcome back! Today’s theme is: Every joint matters! With all of the computer work, phone work, and small tedious tasks that most of us perform on a daily basis, wrist mobility is also very important. The amount of weak wrists that I have seen and continue to see is astronomical, especially the muscles on the back of your wrist, your wrist extensors. Today’s routine is all about the wrists, with a little bit of shoulders sprinkled in. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded Mat. Every joint is important, including your wrists! Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your wrists and shoulders.

We are starting off with an wrist stretch and activation movement. The key with this one is to slowly lower the back of your hands down to the mat. You are activating your wrist muscles, while you stretch them out. Next we are working on one of our favorite shoulder and scapula/shoulder blade range of motion and activation movements. Focus on keeping your hands high and moving as far in to each range of motion as possible. Finally we are working on two different wrist end-range stretch isometric techniques. Focus on stretching your wrists out and then activating your muscles. If you have any pain, don’t stretch out your wrist quite as much. Find a pain-free range of motion.

Flow: July 4

Does it pay to dedicate a little bit of time to your joint health? Absolutely! Spending time now, significantly lessens the chance you will have joint issues later in life. As Movement Vault grows, one of my goals is to significantly decrease the amount of joint replacements every year. This is a lofty goal, but every person that we can help, will be one less person on the potential joint replacement list. If you have great joint mobility and joint health, is there still a chance you could have joint issues down the line, yes, due to severe car accidents, and other uncommon reasons. But this is a very small percentage of people, with the majority of joint replacements being preventable. It time to get into some proactive joint maintenance!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Shoulders & Upper Back: July 3

We’ve got a very effective upper body focused routine for you today! One of our areas of focus are the tricep muscles, which are located on the back of your upper arm. Most people don’t think of tight triceps as contributing to tight shoulders, but they do. Your tricep muscle does indeed cross your shoulder joint. Sometimes this can be the missing link to improving your shoulder overhead flexion aka having good mobility when lifting your arm overhead. Have fun today!

Equipment needed: 1. Mobility ball, Kettlebell or, Foam Roller (3 options for the muscle/fascia release). 2. Padded Mat (optional). Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your shoulders and t-spine aka your upper back.

We are starting off with a muscle/fascia release for your triceps. Your triceps are located in the back of your upper arm. We are using either a kettlebell handle or mobility ball, but you can sub out a foam roller if you would like. We are then moving on to an end-range stretch isometric technique to stretch out your lats, rotator cuff, and the front of your shoulders. The key is to stretch out your shoulders first and then contract your shoulders. We are then moving on to a upper back activation movement. Focus on activating your upper back muscles as your peel one millimeter of your chest off of the ground. We are finishing up with a shoulder activation movement. Fight to keep your arms and hands as high as possible in each position.

Full Body (60 min): July 2

Summer is in full swing, it’s Saturday and so that means one thing, it’s time for a longer Movement Vault routine. This routine hits just about everything. The best part is, if you don’t have time for the full routine, you can always perform a little bit now and a little bit later. The first part of the routine is muscle/fascia release work, followed by a plethora of different active stretches and muscle activation techniques, followed by a short flow. Happy Saturday!

Equipment needed: 1. Mobility ball or lacrosse ball. 2. Padded Mat. Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of almost every area of your body.

We are starting off with three different muscles/fascia releases for your hips and shoulders. The muscle releases are targeting your gluts, rhomboids, and pecs. We are then moving on to 90/90 end-range stretch isometrics to improve your hip internal and external rotation. Next we are working on 90/90 transitions. We then have segmented cat camels to activate your entire back. We are following this with y’s, t’s and i holds super-setted with an upper back aka t-spine stretch and activation movement. Finally we are finishing up with a flow that is focused on your lower body.

Flow: July 1

When it’s Thursday, it only means one thing, it’s time to get your Movement Vault flow on! I am going to keep it short today, so that you have all the time to dedicate to your body and joints. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Hips & Shoulders: June 30

Welcome back! It’s time to fire those glutes today aka get your butt moving in another gear. The glutes can get a bad wrap from time to time for “not activating.” There is some truth to this, but not entirely true. I could give a two hour lecture just on this topic, but I won’t bore you. Instead let’s jump right into it. Let’s go!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded Mat (optional). Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of the hips, shoulders, and ankles. Today’s routine is all about activation at your end-ranges of motion aka while being stretched out. We are starting off with a hip abductor and adductor stretch/ activation. Your abductors are the muscles on the outside of your hip such as your gluteus maximus and medius. You adductor are the muscles on the inside of your hip. We are then moving on to a core, shoulder, and back rotational activation movement. Really focus on lifting your chest and shoulder as high as possible. Finally we are finishing up with an ankle end-range stretch isometric technique. This one is all about activating all of the muscles on the front of your ankle.

Shoulders & Hips: June 29

You are building the castle and repairing it! I talked to someone last week that contacted me because they unfortunately have low back. I have unfortunately heard this same story thousands of times. When I was talking with him he just wanted to see so that I can fix him, and he wasn’t interested in why this injury occurred, what contributed to it, and how he could prevent it from happening again. Oh, I forgot to mention his back has been a problem for 8 years and “flares” up 3-4 times every year. He has been to other clinicians in the past that would do some hands on techniques to him and after a number of weeks, he would be back to normal. And then he would re-injure himself…and the cycle continues. Yet the people he saw didn’t discussed the “why” and “how” to prevent this from what he said. Most pain and injury is avoidable. And on top of everything he said, he wasn’t even interested in the how or why, or even preventing it, he just wanted to be “fixed.” I gave him some tough love and said if you have the right guidance you should be able to fix yourself in most cases and more so most likely won’t be in his situation if he is doing the correct proactive “stuff” aka what we do in Movement Vault. That was a long rant, with the moral of the story, you can fix yourself with the right guidance AND you will most likely not even need to be “fixed” with the right proactive guidance. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Lacrosse or mobility Ball. If you don’t have a lacrosse ball, you can substitute a foam roller. 2. Padded Mat (optional). Today we are focusing in on giving your lats and shoulders exactly what they need.

Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your shoulders and hips. We are starting off with a muscle/fascia release for your lats. These are the big muscles on the side and back of your upper back. Next we are working on an active stretch technique called end-range isometrics for your lats, posterior rotator cuff muscles, and all of the muscles on the side of your upper body. Try to get as deep into the stretch as possible before starting the active contraction portion of the stretch. We are finishing up with 90/90 transitions. Focus on driving your knees away form each other as you transition from one position to the next. Use your hands for support if it is difficult to go no-hands. Get it guys!

Feet & Hips: June 28

Welcome back! Huge high five for giving your joints what they need on this Monday. Joint care is everything. We are starting this week’s programming on the right foot, literally. Optimizing your feet and toes will help you create the stable and mobile foundation for you to move upon. Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Mobility ball or lacrosse ball 2. Something to put your big toe up against such as the corner of a wall, piece of furniture, or box. 3. Padded Mat (optional). Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of your feet and hips.

We have a saying at Movement Vault, “Don’t skip feet day.” Your foot mobility is as important, if not more important than any other area of your body. We are starting off with a muscle/fascia release technique for your plantar fascia and the muscles on the bottom of your foot. Next, we are working on your big toe end-range stretch isometrics. The key is to stretch out your big toe as much as possible before contracting your muscles. Finally, we are finishing up with an end-range stretch technique for your inner thigh muscles aka your adductor muscles.

Flow: June 27

Flowing in to this Sunday with some joint moving and grooving. We are going on a mission, a mission to seek out greater joint range of motion. Strap in and get ready to take your joints to another level. 3, 2, 1, Have fun!

Equipment needed: 1. Padded mat. Today is a flow day!

Shoulders, Upper Back & Wrists: June 26

Saturday Movement Vault vibes are all about that joint health. I posted an Instagram/Facebook post yesterday discussing the importance of joint health and longevity as it pertains to not only professional athletes, but also all humans. It is really cool to be able to lift a lot of weight, run really fast, jump really high, run very long distances, climb mountains….the list goes on, but if you are stuck on the “sidelines” with an injury or pain, none of that matters. This sideline could be an actual sideline of your sport, but can also be the sideline of life. If pain and/or an injury is keeping you for doing anything that you want to do, that is not a good situation. Movement Vault’s primary mission is to keep you IN the game, doing everything you want to do in your life. The fact that you are staying consistent with it is everything! Have fun today.

Equipment needed: 1. Padded Mat (optional). It’s time to open up the front of your shoulders! Today we are working on the flexibility, mobility, and stability of the shoulders, t-spine aka your upper back and wrists.

We are starting off with an end-range stretch isometric technique for your pec muscles, which are the muscles located in the front of your shoulders/chest. Make sure you are as stretched out as possible, without pain, and then start to activate your muscles. Next we are working on a t-spine activation movement. Slowly lift one millimeter of your chest off of the mat at a time and then slowly lower back down. Finally, we are finishing up with a wrist full range of motion activation technique. Move your wrist in as big of a circle as possible, activating all of the muscles around your wrist.