The Transformation of Strength and Power

By David Westerman LMT, FAFS  
Are  we  utilizing  “authentic”  principles  of  Function  when  designing  our  strength  and  

power programs?  

Is  there  a  special  population  that  might  be  missing  two  of  the  most  important  bio‐ 

motor abilities in their training and rehabilitation programs?  

As  a  former  collegiate  and  professional  strength  and  conditioning  coach,  strength  

and power were (and are) the two most emphasized bio‐motor abilities.   

Take,  for  example,  the  “power  clean”  in  an  athletic  weight  room.  This  is  one  of  the  

most  utilized  exercises  in  “power”  [...]

Calcaneal Eversion: The Switch That Turns On The Engine

 

By my friend, mentor and all around good guy David Tiberio PhD, PT, OCS
GRAVITY, GROUND, and the SWITCH 
The internal power sources that drive the body are the hips and trunk: the core of the body. There are many ways to activate that power source, but probably the most important for upright function in our gravitational [...]

The Hips: The Monster Under the Bed

 
 
A few weeks ago, my six-year-old nephew was sleeping over at our house. I was awaken in the middle of the night by him exclaiming, “Uncle Joe, there’s a monster underneath my bed!” I went into his room and said, “Be nice to him and he’ll be your best friend. Give him a pop tart or [...]

The 4 Pillars of Human Movement

When you think of human movement it can be broken down into 4 basic categories.  Locomotion, Level Changes, Push/Pull and Rotation. These represent the 4 pillars of human movement as described by JC Santana in his book Functional Training; Breaking the Bonds of Traditionalism.  When designing rehab or fitness programs that are functionally based it [...]

Getting Hip To the Elbow

Medial elbow pain known as “golfers” elbow and lateral elbow pain known as “tennis” elbow can be quite painful and debilitating.  Most people complain of difficulty with gripping and twisting activities and can make lifting difficult.  Numerous modalities can help this condition such as rest, ice, electrical stimulation, stretches and iontophoresis.  While treating these conditions [...]

Biomechanics-When The Foot Hits The Ground

 

When the foot hits the ground:
     The calcaneus everts
     The talus drops down and in
     The tibia advances forward, internally rotates and abducts
     The knee (unlocks) flexes due to the tibia moving a little faster than the femur
     The femur internally rotates
     The hip internally rotates, flexes and adducts 
   [...]