Postural Awareness: Thoracic Mobility (Part 1)

Thoracic mobility is of major importance throughout sporting activity, more specifically any exercises or activities exhibiting overhead movements (pressing, pulling, shoulder rotation e.g. tennis serve or bowling in cricket) or where spinal position (neutral spine) is of importance in limiting injury risk (squatting, dead lifts, power cleans etc.).

Thoracic mobility is a common problem for athletes of differing sporting environments, the severity of which depends upon numerous factors, including: genetic characteristics, maturation, typical movement patterns required within a sporting discipline, the repetition of these movements, athlete knowledge and their training techniques designed to counterbalance any movement or postural discrepancies. A majority of thoracic problems stem from tightened anterior muscles in comparison to posterior, causing a forward/rounded fixation of the shoulders.

There are a number of exercises specific in returning or enhancing thoracic mobility. The video below showcases some examples which will improve overall thoracic mobility, in turn potentially enhancing more complex movements and minimising any associated injury risk.

Mitch

Medicine Ball Power Exercise Variaitons

The following medicine ball exercises replicate movements in numerous sporting events that require powerful, explosive movements such as mixed martial arts (defending on ground, driving legs/pushing and pulling opponent), rugby league (tackling, defending), golf and tennis (swinging club or racket) and netball (passing and positioning). The main focus of these videos is the continuation of momentum (note 'ripple effect' of the body shown throughout the exercises) in order to achieve a set movement goal. There are countless options in terms of alternatives, let us know of further exercises you come up with for your sport.

Alternatives include: Squat throws, squat rotational throws, squat backwards overhead throw, lunge push pass, lunge rotational pass against wall/partner. Any balance, catch, unilateral and bilateral variation exercises of the upper and or lower body are available to you - the range of exercises is only limited by your imagination!

Mitch

Functional Training Tools: The Surge Part I

I have recently attained an exciting new piece of exercise equipment, the 'Surge.' This is a hollow plastic tube, similar to that of a Vipr. What makes this product stand out when compared to the competition is the fact that it is designed to be filled with water. This allows for an active resistance, one that constantly changes, providing an enhanced stimulus for the user. The inconsistency of hyrdo-resistance further provides differing levels of difficulty depending upon how much water is within the Surge and the intensity at which the user is moving.

Another great characteristic of this product is the sound elicited when moving, this provides feedback to the user and allows for correction throughout exercise. Slow, silent and controlled movements typically represent prehabilitation and rehabilitation exercises, whilst loud, crashing movements are utilised for strength and power development.

Any sporting movement can be replicated with the Surge, ranging from complex movements such as power cleans (surfing, rugby union etc.) and rotational movements (club or racquet sports) to simpler resistance movements such as deadlifts, squats, bent over rows and bench press.

Casey Stutzman has a breif description and demonstration of the surge here. You can look forward to more videos detailing the Surge from Innovate in the coming weeks.

Mitch