Movement Challenge Week of 4/20/2020
Step 1-Take the Test
When was the last time you were in a full squat? Like a REAL full squat…When I ask patients this and show them what a full squat really is, I usually get something close to…
“Oh that?!? Wow… I’m not sure I have done that for years.”
Or…“I don’t know, but it’s been quite a few decades at least…”
This is a problem we need to correct.
Check out my video here
Getting into a full squat is a test. If you can’t, then usually problems occur.
I am a strong believer that EVERYONE should be able to get into a full deep squat and stay there for 10 minutes.
I am also a strong believer that if you can get into a full squat for 10 minutes, you might be able to avoid hip replacements, knee replacements and spinal surgeries. So, worth the investment.
Here is the good news….If you work at it, it gets better.
Check out the next post below to see how you can make it better….
Step 2-Okay, Let’s improve your squat!
Full squat test didn’t go so well? No worries…. I can help
Check out my video here
Know that this is a long process, but its worth it! To give you an example, I started working on this in my early 30s. Pretty young, right?
It took me 6 months of practicing every day to get to 10 minutes
So if you get frustrated during the process, remember that!
Movement Challenge Week of 4/13/2020
Step 1-Take the Test
Can you crawl? This week we are challenging your entire body with a movement that you may have not done since you were a baby.
Check out my video here
So why is it important to be able to do this movement?
If you can crawl forward and backward for 30 feet keeping your back flat, it tells us a few things…
- Your shoulders and neck are probably pretty healthy.
- You have really good control of your lower back.
- Your hip and core strength are pretty good.
- You have good total body coordination and integration of left and right sides of your body.
So try this out at home. Walk off 30 feet in your house or outside if its nice and see if you can do a 30 foot bear crawl forward and backward.
Shoot a video and send it to me or post it on our FB page. If you are struggling with this, just email me at travis@robbinsptwest.com!
Step 2-Crawling didn’t go well?
I got the fix…
By the way, that is a much more difficult exercise than you think, right?! Dakota makes it look easy, but he is a PT so he gets a lot of practice, hahaha!
So here is a quick video showing you a few things you can do to improve your bear crawl…
Check out my video here
Hope this helps!
Movement Challenge: Week of 4/6/2020
Step 1-Take the Test
I hope you liked last week’s movement challenge. I know I did and I am working on my score. Now onto the second challenge. I am happy to say I am much better at this one, hahaha.
PUSH UPS!!!!
Watch the video below where I show you how to do a proper push up and take the test
Check out my video here
Ok, so why is this movement important? I’m glad you asked…
Some doctors at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health compared the cardiovascular health of 1,104 active adult men over a 10-year span. All participants were firefighters, with an average age of 40.
Here is what their test results told us…
Those who had done 11 or more push-ups at the start of the study were less likely to have had a heart problem than were men who did 10 or less. And the more push-ups they could do, the lower their rate of cardiovascular incidents. Those able to do more than 40 push-ups experienced the greatest risk reduction. Subjects that could do 40 or more had a 96 percent reduced risk of heart trouble in comparison to those who were able to do only 10 or fewer!
Want to read the study! Have at it!
Read the complete study here
Any questions? Email me at travis@robbinsptwest.com! No questions? Great! Email the video of your challenge to lauram@robbinsptwest.com or post on our FB page @ www.robbinsptwest.com/RobbinsPTWest!
Step 2-How do you improve your push up number?
Ok, you have decided that after reading that research article in the last email (good job reading research by the way! Not easy!) that you think it’s a good idea to improve numbers.
This video is for everyone from those of you that can not do a single push up to people who can do a few dozen. The only thing you need is a desire to improve your score!
Check out my video here
Ok, quick re-cap from the video…
If you can do 1 push up or less…
- Start with the push up on your knees modification
- Do 3-5 sets of your max number of reps while keeping good form
- Do this workout every other day until you can get up to 10 push ups from your knees for 5 sets.
- Once you can do that, you can move to regular push ups! Great work!
If you can do at least 5 push ups with good form…
- Do 3-5 sets of your max number of reps while keeping good form
- Do this workout every other day until you can get up to 20 or more reps per set for 5 sets.
Talk to you guys soon, check back next week for our next challenge!
Movement Challenge: Week of 3/30/2020
Step 1 – Take the test
So, we have had a little extra time on our hands at Robbins Rehab recently for obvious reasons. I have had this project bouncing around my head for a while and now with our schedules being so slow, I actually have time to work on it. I need your help…
The Sit-Rising Test, by Brazilian physician Claudio Gil Araujo.
(He actually studied this in a group of over 2000 people ages 51-80.)
The test is simple, Start from a standing position, lower yourself to the ground and then stand back up without support. It tests an individual’s balance, strength and overall mobility.
Check out my video here
Here is how to score yourself..
You start with a score of 10. You subtract points for the following:
- Hand used for support: -1 point
- Knee used for support: -1 point
- Forearm used for support: -1 point
- One hand on knee or thigh: -1 point
- Side of the leg used for support: -1 point
Make sense? Great! Now you try…Shoot a video of your test, post it on our FB Page or email your video to lauram@robbinsptwest.com and you will be entered into a drawing for a FREE T-shirt!
Step 2-Let’s Work on your Hip Mobility 
OK, so maybe you didn’t get a 10 on our movement challenge yesterday and you want to work on that. You are in good company… because I felt a little upset that I didn’t get at 10! Especially after I got videos like this from my PTs.
Click below to watch these videos of your PT’s getting 10’s just in case you didn’t see them on our facebook page.
In this video I go over what you and I need to do to get our hips moving so that we can improve our score…
Check out my video here
Step 3-Let’s work on your hip strength
Now if your hip mobility is good, but you still can’t get a 10 on the Stand to Sit to Stand test, your limitation might be weakness in your hips.
There are literally thousands of hip exercises I could give you… but these are what I believe to be the most important when it comes to getting off the floor…
Check out my video here
Work up to adding more weight and more reps and you will be rocketing off the ground in no time!
Note: I would not do these every day. Work on doing these exercises 2-3 times a week with at least one day of rest inbetween.
If you have any questions, email me at Travis@robbinsptwest.com
Stay Safe.
PS: If you don’t follow us on FB and you want to post your video there, here is the link to do so – https://www.facebook.com/RobbinsPTWest/
