👋 Hey. Welcome to issue #118 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (4 min read):
🏋️ Intra-abdominal pressure
If you want to instantly increase your strength and protect your back in the gym, add two steps to your usual lifting sequence.
Rather than:
- Get into position
- Lift
Do this:
- Get into position
- Inhale into the belly
- Brace like someone’s gonna slap you in the gut
- Lift
The breathe and brace create pressure around our core (intra-abdominal pressure).
The pressure is then detected by special nerve cells (called baroreceptors).
Our baroreceptors then send signals around the body trying to control blood pressure.
So we get an increase in nerve signalling, the nerve cells of our working muscles fire harder, and we get an increase in strength.
Kinda like when you beat Verstappen, get on the F1 podium, and put your thumb over the hole to spray the bubbly everywhere. The pressure creates the power.
But intra-abdominal pressure is also a 2-for-1.
It also increases the stiffness of the spine (one study found by 8-31% vs resting levels). So less risk of injury.
Strength isn’t just about muscle.
It’s a skill.
Breathe and brace.
🧠 Experiential surgery for Alzheimer's
Chinese researchers have developed a surgery to potentially treat Alzheimer’s.
Called Deep Cervical Lymphatic-Venous Anastomosis or LVA.
It’s early days. But initial results are positive.
The surgery has been done 42 times. At one and two-month follow-ups, many patients showed improvements in memory and social interaction.
Promising signs ahead for neurodegenerative diseases.
🤸 Kelly Starrett's MobilityWODs
I stumbled on Kelly Starrett's first ever youtube videos.
14 years ago, he was sharing "MobilityWODs" (workout of the day).
Essentially, a short mobility exercise and why it's good for ya.
Quality.
You'd be feeling pretty good after just a few days of it.
Here's the first 5:
- Deep squat – 10 mins (accumulated)
- Couch stretch – 2 mins each side
- Calf release – 2 mins each side
- Psoas release – 4 mins each side
- Shoulder extension – 2 mins
Our lifestyles tend not to get us in these positions.
So if we don't do them intentionally, we'll lose the ability to.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
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The Everyday Athlete Newsletter is not a licensed health service nor a substitute for professional health advice, treatment or assessment. The information shared in this email is general and written for a specific audience. If you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional.
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