Use your Core

In many sports, daily life, and much so in Jiu Jitsu being able to have control of our core is essential to healthy living, optimal performance and a healthy spine. The core consists of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC) . This is where the body’s center of gravity is located and where all movement begins. When training , there is one common denominator: injuries are abundant -from muscle tears, to overstressed ligaments , tendons, and of course stress fractures. The reason many times could be from not maintaining a strong base of special exercises for not only the muscles , but also for increasing ligament and tendon hypertrophy. Therefore, focusing on special small exercises to build up strength in the tendons and ligaments, will help prevent injuries, increase your overall lifts, and allow the tendons and ligaments to support the musculature growth and handle the overload caused by constant lifting. Lastly, building up your core with specific progressive exercises (plank, plank on ball, medicine ball wall throw, single arm dumbbell chest press with rotation on physio ball ). This will insure your core stays strong, which will allow your body to handle everything else.

In closing, doing these things in combination with myofascial release on the muscles worked after, and throughout the week for at least 45 seconds to a minute on the tender areas multiple times, will ensure that your musculature /nervous system as its all connected stays supple and pliable , allowing it to adapt, grow and not tighten up which will lead to optimal performance once again, and avoid injury in the long run.

Make your routine fun! Include stretching, Myofascial release, and progressive training , working small body parts with drop sets, partials , super sets will greatly improve your performance, and can be done multiple times a week with high repetitions/lower weight, without over taxing the nervous system .

Train smart, train hard, stay ready and motivated.

Until next time friends,

Wetek Personal training and Massage Therapy Staff