1. Could we get a dynamic warmup list to do before any game or practice. 2. A list of muscles to train along with the exercises relevant to lacrosse e.g., quads, dumbbell walking lunges.
From Nate: Thanks! Plenty of ways and tons of options to warm up for a practice or game. Here is a link to a video as a very solid option and goes over the type of concepts that can be helpful when warming up. Glute band work in any capacity can be helpful but you don’t have bands on when doing the running drills (the video is trying to also promote the bands) th-cam.com/video/xVF1Z-wz6-k/w-d-xo.html There are also a ton of exercises to work each muscle group so tough to answer with an extensive list, but I will include some concepts that could be helpful! Shoulders: pulling, some sort of external rotation, pressing movements-such as overhead press, scapular Ts, single arm rows with rotation, push ups or bench in various angles, banded or cable external rotation. Core/lumbar: split stance rows with rotation, lunge chops or lifts against band or cable in split stance or kneeling, med ball up and over slams or rotation throws. Hips: train flexion against band or cable, adduction or groin against band or cable, extension with RDLs, KB swings, hip thrusters, lateral with glute band work, lateral lunges etc. Quads with knee extensions, lunges, leg press, jumping etc. Hamstring with hurls with machine or ball, RDLs, KB swings etc. Calves with heel raises with knee straight and also with knees bent, pogo hops etc.
From Nate: Thanks! A classic yoga flow is always a great option! (such as a sun salutation flow, especially to wake up in the morning, you want it to be more relaxed and slow/calm at night with floor based movement and calming the breath). But as a reference-Standing forward bends (lumbar and hamstring stretch) to table top and inch worm into plank, downward dog, into runners lunge or worlds greatest each side, cobra into childs pose etc! You can make it easier by focusing on 1-2 movements at a time-cobra into childs pose, down dog to runners lunge or worlds greatest, cat camel then perhaps open book rotation stretches. Focus on breath during the movements and stretch comfortably
As a player heading into their 30's i've started to notice my body isn't recovering as it used to so my question would be is what is the most important muscle to stretch before rigorous activity and on average how long should they stretch?
From Nate: Thanks! As we reference in the video, prior to competition/practice, it is more important to do a dynamic warm up and not focus on static or prolonged stretches. Therefore, you do not need to hold the stretch-more so do the movements you will plan to do while playing, such as jogging, cutting, shuffling etc and start at 50% speed/intensity, and ramp it up over a time of 10-20 minutes. You want to feel nice and warm and already sweating during the warm up. No stretch of one muscle will prepare you, more so warming up your entire body-spine, hips, knees, ankles etc. I will reference warm ups in other questions as well. I share a video link in a different answer that shows a option of a warm up applying the concepts.
From Nate: Thanks! Doing what is called Controlled Articular Rotations or CARS, very specific wrist cirlces, and then flexion and extension in various angles, at your wrist while holding your stick can be a great wrist warm up and strengthening movement. Modify where you hold on your stick to make it easier or more difficult. You could also consider doing light wrist mobility work on all fours and put light weight into your wrist into flexion, extension, and work your arm over you hand in different directions. Shin splints can be quite challenging! They can typically start with some sort of improper training-running too much too soon, training only on hard surfaces, having improper or comfortable enough footwear, or not being strong enough in your lower leg muscle to withstand the forces you are putting through your legs. Seeing a sports PT to be evaluated can be great to really help determine the cause. But consider modifying the training as able to decrease the intensity and you can also work on anterior tib raises, heel raises in knee flexed and extended positions etc. Another little tip could be tying your shoes or cleats while you actively have your ankle flexed up toward you/the front of you ankle muscles contracted, so that you don’t tie your cleats too tight.
Q for Nate; how should you go about training/preparing for high impact in our lower body ie preparing ankles/knees and such to make quick change of direction/planting and that sort of thing ?
From Nate: Thanks! It is key to have great baseline calf and ankle strength-strong with heel raises with knees straight and also knees flexed. Then possibly modifying your lunges (lateral, fwd, lateral) to be performed while having your heel raised to strength your ankle as well etc. Then working on a great warm up routine that I will highlight in other questions. But in particular for the ankle-pogo hops, skipping, fwd/bk pedaling and lateral shuffling on toes (heels elevated during the movements) and then gradually building into lax movements of shooting, sprinting, cutting prior to practice or competition-ie: doing reps at 50% intensity/speed, then 75%, then 100% etc.
1. Given the different demands of the position, what conditioning and warmup drills would you recommend for a goalie? 2. And are your recommendations for any lacrosse player's workouts the same for men, women, boys and girls? [Or how do age and gender matter when designing the most important elements of a lacrosse player's workout?] Thanks very much!
From Nate: I reference this is some other questions, but in general for goalie warm up and conditioning-focus on training spinal rotation and flexion for mobility and with resistance training, then also working on great hip mobility and glute strength (into hip flexion, rotation, extension, abduction to side or lateral) to assist with being able to squat deep, then rotate into kneeling positions of various angles, lunge, twist etc! There are tons of ways to do this so it is difficult to recommend exact exercises. In general, I would say high school/college/professional (ages 16-40) the concepts are very similar and for male/female-focusing on training all planes of motion-fwd/bk, lateral, and rotational with strengthening and power development (lower body, core/spine, shoulders, neck etc) while also working on skill work on field and running, cutting etc. Rotational and lateral movements and strength work are often forgotten about and programs typically focus on straight plane fwd/bk motions such as forward lunges, double leg squats, heel raises etc. Training only straight plane motion doesn’t prepare the body to perform the demands of lacrosse. For younger boys and girls, resistance training/strength work is still totally safe and very beneficial, but could be possibly more beneficial to shift the overall focus on developing movements patterns and skill development. IE: learn out to run and cut, jump and land with good lower body control, shuffle, rotate and shoot drills while doing the other movements/multitasking. Younger kids still need to develop strength but developing the foundation of movement is huge and then strengthen on top of that
Would love any recommendations for warming up for a workout (lifting followed by rowing or running) that would specific target hip flexors and lower back. (I’ve been dealing with a sciatica issue that some days after work make it pretty painful just to drive home. I’ve backed off rowing as that seems to trigger it most but the pain is still there to some degree)
From Nate: Thanks! I would possibly first try and dial in your rowing form, the overall time you row, the depth of the hip flexion (knees toward chest), and the intensity of the row resistance to see if one of those is a contributing factor (modify one at a time). Rowing is a great exercise! Some great possible warm up movements for low back could be knees to chest or childs pose, sidelying open book rotation stretches, then some kneeling dynamic hip flexor stretches/rocking and worlds greatest stretch, then progress into lumbar activation with standing rows against resistance (band or cable) and RDLs with resistance-mobility and dynamic stretches into muscle activation, then start the row session slower, less hip flexion, and light resistance and ramp up gradually. It could be best to be examined by a skilled PT to assess if there are any impairments or deficits that you could work on as my recommendations can only be very basic without an examination.
Q. What are the best ways I can get my ankle stronger for less injury’s. (I’ve had a problem for years that my ankles are weak and would just give up and I recently tore 2 ligaments on my left ankle 8 months ago)
From Nate: Thanks! This one is tricky! I would recommend working with a sport med physical therapist to assess your ankle stability and help you really dial in ankle stability exercises and gradual progressions to return to playing at full speed that is specific to your history. General exercises could be-heel raises from elevated surface with your knees straight and then also with knees bent a bit, then anterior tib raises, lateral band walks with band around feet, dynamic balance on foam pad with heel slightly elevated, pogo hops (double and single leg) etc. Then warming up well before competition or practice! (referenced in other answers)
Less of an exercise question and more about the profession, what’s Nate’s clinical background that led him to the PLL? I’m also a physical therapist and would love to hear how het got to the big leagues!
From Nate: Thanks for the question! I have been in clinic practice for approx. 7.5 years. Very early in my career I completed a sports medicine residency, and this was huge with mentoring and growth. Since then, I have worked at Howard Head Sports Medicine, which is a very high-level sports and orthopedic practice, and we work closely with the highly skilled surgeons and orthopedic teams of The Steadman Clinic. Working in a great clinic providing one on one care, and getting great reps with all sorts of level of athletes, body types, etc has really helped to set my foundation of my knowledge base, manual therapy background, confidence with management of injuries etc. My clinic also offers a great continuing education program in which each year I am constantly striving to learn and grow and enhance my knowledge and skills. I also pursued additional certifications and knowledge tracks, not only to learn, but to prove my knowledge in sports, strength and conditioning/performance, manual therapy, dry needling etc. Through this time, I have been preparing to break into pro sports and this included building a professional network of PTs throughout pro sports, connecting and learning from them, listening to podcasts of those in positions that I have been striving for etc. Therefore, when the opportunity came along to possibly work with the PLL, I was ready to capitalize on it clinically and mentally and work hard to provide great care and help the league in any way I can. Keep growing and putting yourself out there to learn and connect! Each PT has a different route to learn from so make it work for you! Thanks again
From Nate: Thanks! It is very difficult to give only one stretch or exercise without an examination, but the “worlds greatest” stretch is a great way to start. It is very modifiable, depending on your ability, and can help with your hip and spine mobility while also great as part of a warm up! It is also very important to make sure you are training your core strength/endurance with different planes of movement (I reference this in other answers). Then it can also be helpful to be mindful of gradually increasing the intensity of shooting during a practice session and in warm up while also tracking number of shots, like a “pitch count” to help with your pain. Perhaps start at a number that feels comfortable and gradually increase the number over weeks to see if that also helps your pain
From Nate: Thanks! There is no exact or best workout. Mainly, following the concepts of working your hips through good ranges of motion can be very helpful! Any sort of hip flexion, and then hip adduction movement with bands or cables, in standing positions(preferred over lying position for functionality and balance) can be very helpful for hip flexors and adductors (groin). Otherwise, mixing up you lunges (such as lateral, forward, reverse) and squats (narrow stance mini depth, to wider and sumo style can be helpful! And anywhere between), and doing banded glute work (mini band above knees or at ankles). Another tip: start with lighter weight while training the movements and progress overtime!
From Nate: Thanks! If you have an acute (or new) back injury, best thing would be to see a skilled sports medicine physical therapist! But in general, gradually building up the intensity of your warm up and making sure to train all planes of motion can really help with back injuries. I reference some yoga flows in a different answer and other warm up concepts throughout questions that could be helpful!
Some examples could be: Cat camel type movements, “thread the needle” dynamic movements, foam rolling of upper back, banded thoracic rotations in split lunge position (rotate towards side of front leg and can be done against a wall), wall angels for upper back activation and shoulder blade warm up, and single arm rows with rotation against band or cable resistance are all possible example
I'm a goalie who has had lots of lower back issues! Just keep up the core work? Any other suggestions. Loss half of last season with issues. Go Burros!!!
From Nate: Thanks! Some tips that could be quite helpful: make sure you are training all ranges of motion of your back-flexion, extension, rotation and with not just mobility, but with resistance training as well. Many players are afraid of doing resistance training in more dynamic movement patterns of your spine due to outdated approaches or old school medical providers making them afraid based on outdated advice (such as never squat or deadlift again or don’t flex you back). If you play goalie, or any sport in general, your spine has to move dynamically in various ranges of motion to be successful and in very intense ways, therefore, you need to train those movements in order to be prepared. Core work is great, but not if it is super basic and only in midline or “neutral” positions. If that is the case, you need to gradually build out of that. Then of course you will be training your “core” with lateral lunges, deadlifts (single and double leg), goblet squats, rows with rotation, Jefferson curls etc. Everyone is different and seeing an up to date fitness/sports med physical therapist would be great to dial these in!
Eccentric contraction for performance, concentric contraction for injury performance. (Up in one, down in two.) (Stabilized) single leg work for knees and daily hangs for shoulder. Source: I have a lot of opinions :-)
From Nate: Thanks! Very broad question. Working your joints through as close to full ranges of motion as able with resistance exercises is a great option! And staying consistent with workouts each week and properly recovering between. Taking your joints through full ranges of motions-IE: shoulder and hip rotations, extension, flexion, abduction. Spine rotation, flexion, extension. Knee flexion and extension etc and then adding light resistance and progressing overtime can be extremely helpful! If you strengthen through full ranges of motion then you also don’t have to focus a ton on “mobility” because you will “lengthen while you strengthen” and a general concept that could be very helpful. All strength exercises should be to comfortable ranges and can gradually improve over time. If you have any large limitations, it would be great to be assessed by a sports med PT!
From Nate: Thanks! It can be quite helpful to start with some upper back mobility work (I reference this in a different answer, check it out!) then do some banded activation with single arm rows with rotation (as in, not just reach forward and back with your back being stationary and only moving your shoulder, but reach and rotate through your spine across your body and row and rotate toward the working arm, like starting a lawnmower movement).
From Nate: Thanks! Working with a skilled sports med PT is the best thing to do to come back! Finding a PT in your area that specializes in or works consistently with ACL patients is key. It is very important to be very strong in your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves etc and gradually build up on the field progressions and to pass return to sport testing with the sports med PT! The decision to return to sport should be a group decision from your orthopedic MD, PT and yourself and should include components of your quad strength being great compared to percent of your body weight (as close to 100% body weight as able), the comparison of your ACL tear side compared to non-injured leg of quads, hamstrings etc, and having a great hamstring to quad ratio of 60-80% on each side, being able to perform force plate vertical jump testing or another way of measuring it, and then having great control in single leg squat, jumping and landing, great running form etc and all of this should correlate with you having great confidence, progressing on field running, cutting, contact over numerous weeks, and then also timeframe out from surgery (generally 9 months or longer!). Make sure you are going through testing and objectify your return and making it a gradual process and not just using your time out of surgery to “clear” you.
1. Could we get a dynamic warmup list to do before any game or practice. 2. A list of muscles to train along with the exercises relevant to lacrosse e.g., quads, dumbbell walking lunges.
Garage Strength did a pretty good video on exercises for lacrosse players.
From Nate: Thanks! Plenty of ways and tons of options to warm up for a practice or game. Here is a link to a video as a very solid option and goes over the type of concepts that can be helpful when warming up. Glute band work in any capacity can be helpful but you don’t have bands on when doing the running drills (the video is trying to also promote the bands) th-cam.com/video/xVF1Z-wz6-k/w-d-xo.html
There are also a ton of exercises to work each muscle group so tough to answer with an extensive list, but I will include some concepts that could be helpful! Shoulders: pulling, some sort of external rotation, pressing movements-such as overhead press, scapular Ts, single arm rows with rotation, push ups or bench in various angles, banded or cable external rotation. Core/lumbar: split stance rows with rotation, lunge chops or lifts against band or cable in split stance or kneeling, med ball up and over slams or rotation throws. Hips: train flexion against band or cable, adduction or groin against band or cable, extension with RDLs, KB swings, hip thrusters, lateral with glute band work, lateral lunges etc. Quads with knee extensions, lunges, leg press, jumping etc. Hamstring with hurls with machine or ball, RDLs, KB swings etc. Calves with heel raises with knee straight and also with knees bent, pogo hops etc.
Not only lax goat , unbelievable role model. Thanks for your endless contributions to the game Paul.
Nates one of the best PT students ive ever had, so fun to see him keeping the PLL pros healthy
1.Morning mobility work/ nightly yoga work. Fav exercises including them.
2.how should your wrist feel when shooting. Angle and placement of finsh
From Nate: Thanks! A classic yoga flow is always a great option! (such as a sun salutation flow, especially to wake up in the morning, you want it to be more relaxed and slow/calm at night with floor based movement and calming the breath). But as a reference-Standing forward bends (lumbar and hamstring stretch) to table top and inch worm into plank, downward dog, into runners lunge or worlds greatest each side, cobra into childs pose etc! You can make it easier by focusing on 1-2 movements at a time-cobra into childs pose, down dog to runners lunge or worlds greatest, cat camel then perhaps open book rotation stretches. Focus on breath during the movements and stretch comfortably
Lacrosse markings in the middle of football season? impressive...
As a player heading into their 30's i've started to notice my body isn't recovering as it used to so my question would be is what is the most important muscle to stretch before rigorous activity and on average how long should they stretch?
Open that question up to any older athlete (i'm rolling at 53 ... and it takes a lot more time to heal up)
From Nate: Thanks! As we reference in the video, prior to competition/practice, it is more important to do a dynamic warm up and not focus on static or prolonged stretches. Therefore, you do not need to hold the stretch-more so do the movements you will plan to do while playing, such as jogging, cutting, shuffling etc and start at 50% speed/intensity, and ramp it up over a time of 10-20 minutes. You want to feel nice and warm and already sweating during the warm up. No stretch of one muscle will prepare you, more so warming up your entire body-spine, hips, knees, ankles etc. I will reference warm ups in other questions as well. I share a video link in a different answer that shows a option of a warm up applying the concepts.
You made it sound like you would come back to the pll for a minute
How should we treat joint pain in the joints that we use while playing the sport e.g. knee, wrist, ankles.?
are there any warmups that can help with wrist mobility, and and thing that can help with shin splints
From Nate: Thanks! Doing what is called Controlled Articular Rotations or CARS, very specific wrist cirlces, and then flexion and extension in various angles, at your wrist while holding your stick can be a great wrist warm up and strengthening movement. Modify where you hold on your stick to make it easier or more difficult. You could also consider doing light wrist mobility work on all fours and put light weight into your wrist into flexion, extension, and work your arm over you hand in different directions. Shin splints can be quite challenging! They can typically start with some sort of improper training-running too much too soon, training only on hard surfaces, having improper or comfortable enough footwear, or not being strong enough in your lower leg muscle to withstand the forces you are putting through your legs. Seeing a sports PT to be evaluated can be great to really help determine the cause. But consider modifying the training as able to decrease the intensity and you can also work on anterior tib raises, heel raises in knee flexed and extended positions etc. Another little tip could be tying your shoes or cleats while you actively have your ankle flexed up toward you/the front of you ankle muscles contracted, so that you don’t tie your cleats too tight.
What are the best workouts to strengthen your hips and hip flexors?
Q for Nate; how should you go about training/preparing for high impact in our lower body ie preparing ankles/knees and such to make quick change of direction/planting and that sort of thing ?
From Nate: Thanks! It is key to have great baseline calf and ankle strength-strong with heel raises with knees straight and also knees flexed. Then possibly modifying your lunges (lateral, fwd, lateral) to be performed while having your heel raised to strength your ankle as well etc. Then working on a great warm up routine that I will highlight in other questions. But in particular for the ankle-pogo hops, skipping, fwd/bk pedaling and lateral shuffling on toes (heels elevated during the movements) and then gradually building into lax movements of shooting, sprinting, cutting prior to practice or competition-ie: doing reps at 50% intensity/speed, then 75%, then 100% etc.
What are the top three off-season exercises to prep for the upcoming season?
1. Given the different demands of the position, what conditioning and warmup drills would you recommend for a goalie? 2. And are your recommendations for any lacrosse player's workouts the same for men, women, boys and girls? [Or how do age and gender matter when designing the most important elements of a lacrosse player's workout?] Thanks very much!
From Nate: I reference this is some other questions, but in general for goalie warm up and conditioning-focus on training spinal rotation and flexion for mobility and with resistance training, then also working on great hip mobility and glute strength (into hip flexion, rotation, extension, abduction to side or lateral) to assist with being able to squat deep, then rotate into kneeling positions of various angles, lunge, twist etc! There are tons of ways to do this so it is difficult to recommend exact exercises.
In general, I would say high school/college/professional (ages 16-40) the concepts are very similar and for male/female-focusing on training all planes of motion-fwd/bk, lateral, and rotational with strengthening and power development (lower body, core/spine, shoulders, neck etc) while also working on skill work on field and running, cutting etc. Rotational and lateral movements and strength work are often forgotten about and programs typically focus on straight plane fwd/bk motions such as forward lunges, double leg squats, heel raises etc. Training only straight plane motion doesn’t prepare the body to perform the demands of lacrosse. For younger boys and girls, resistance training/strength work is still totally safe and very beneficial, but could be possibly more beneficial to shift the overall focus on developing movements patterns and skill development. IE: learn out to run and cut, jump and land with good lower body control, shuffle, rotate and shoot drills while doing the other movements/multitasking. Younger kids still need to develop strength but developing the foundation of movement is huge and then strengthen on top of that
Would love any recommendations for warming up for a workout (lifting followed by rowing or running) that would specific target hip flexors and lower back. (I’ve been dealing with a sciatica issue that some days after work make it pretty painful just to drive home. I’ve backed off rowing as that seems to trigger it most but the pain is still there to some degree)
From Nate: Thanks! I would possibly first try and dial in your rowing form, the overall time you row, the depth of the hip flexion (knees toward chest), and the intensity of the row resistance to see if one of those is a contributing factor (modify one at a time). Rowing is a great exercise! Some great possible warm up movements for low back could be knees to chest or childs pose, sidelying open book rotation stretches, then some kneeling dynamic hip flexor stretches/rocking and worlds greatest stretch, then progress into lumbar activation with standing rows against resistance (band or cable) and RDLs with resistance-mobility and dynamic stretches into muscle activation, then start the row session slower, less hip flexion, and light resistance and ramp up gradually. It could be best to be examined by a skilled PT to assess if there are any impairments or deficits that you could work on as my recommendations can only be very basic without an examination.
what’s the best way to strengthen your ACL and loosen your hip flexors??
Q. What are the best ways I can get my ankle stronger for less injury’s. (I’ve had a problem for years that my ankles are weak and would just give up and I recently tore 2 ligaments on my left ankle 8 months ago)
From Nate: Thanks! This one is tricky! I would recommend working with a sport med physical therapist to assess your ankle stability and help you really dial in ankle stability exercises and gradual progressions to return to playing at full speed that is specific to your history. General exercises could be-heel raises from elevated surface with your knees straight and then also with knees bent a bit, then anterior tib raises, lateral band walks with band around feet, dynamic balance on foam pad with heel slightly elevated, pogo hops (double and single leg) etc. Then warming up well before competition or practice! (referenced in other answers)
Less of an exercise question and more about the profession, what’s Nate’s clinical background that led him to the PLL? I’m also a physical therapist and would love to hear how het got to the big leagues!
From Nate: Thanks for the question! I have been in clinic practice for approx. 7.5 years. Very early in my career I completed a sports medicine residency, and this was huge with mentoring and growth. Since then, I have worked at Howard Head Sports Medicine, which is a very high-level sports and orthopedic practice, and we work closely with the highly skilled surgeons and orthopedic teams of The Steadman Clinic. Working in a great clinic providing one on one care, and getting great reps with all sorts of level of athletes, body types, etc has really helped to set my foundation of my knowledge base, manual therapy background, confidence with management of injuries etc. My clinic also offers a great continuing education program in which each year I am constantly striving to learn and grow and enhance my knowledge and skills. I also pursued additional certifications and knowledge tracks, not only to learn, but to prove my knowledge in sports, strength and conditioning/performance, manual therapy, dry needling etc. Through this time, I have been preparing to break into pro sports and this included building a professional network of PTs throughout pro sports, connecting and learning from them, listening to podcasts of those in positions that I have been striving for etc. Therefore, when the opportunity came along to possibly work with the PLL, I was ready to capitalize on it clinically and mentally and work hard to provide great care and help the league in any way I can. Keep growing and putting yourself out there to learn and connect! Each PT has a different route to learn from so make it work for you! Thanks again
What’s the best stretch or exercise to get rid of lower back/hip pain when shooting and doing other daily activities
From Nate: Thanks! It is very difficult to give only one stretch or exercise without an examination, but the “worlds greatest” stretch is a great way to start. It is very modifiable, depending on your ability, and can help with your hip and spine mobility while also great as part of a warm up! It is also very important to make sure you are training your core strength/endurance with different planes of movement (I reference this in other answers). Then it can also be helpful to be mindful of gradually increasing the intensity of shooting during a practice session and in warm up while also tracking number of shots, like a “pitch count” to help with your pain. Perhaps start at a number that feels comfortable and gradually increase the number over weeks to see if that also helps your pain
Love your content man♡♡♡. What are the best workouts to strengthen your hips and hip flexors?.
From Nate: Thanks! There is no exact or best workout. Mainly, following the concepts of working your hips through good ranges of motion can be very helpful! Any sort of hip flexion, and then hip adduction movement with bands or cables, in standing positions(preferred over lying position for functionality and balance) can be very helpful for hip flexors and adductors (groin). Otherwise, mixing up you lunges (such as lateral, forward, reverse) and squats (narrow stance mini depth, to wider and sumo style can be helpful! And anywhere between), and doing banded glute work (mini band above knees or at ankles). Another tip: start with lighter weight while training the movements and progress overtime!
Best workouts for young teens to build strength without injuring themselves.
Best warmups and rehab exercises for lower back slipped Disks injuries
From Nate: Thanks! If you have an acute (or new) back injury, best thing would be to see a skilled sports medicine physical therapist! But in general, gradually building up the intensity of your warm up and making sure to train all planes of motion can really help with back injuries. I reference some yoga flows in a different answer and other warm up concepts throughout questions that could be helpful!
Love your content man♡♡♡
What is the best way to warm up and stretch the muscles in your upper back?
Some examples could be: Cat camel type movements, “thread the needle” dynamic movements, foam rolling of upper back, banded thoracic rotations in split lunge position (rotate towards side of front leg and can be done against a wall), wall angels for upper back activation and shoulder blade warm up, and single arm rows with rotation against band or cable resistance are all possible example
I'm a goalie who has had lots of lower back issues! Just keep up the core work? Any other suggestions. Loss half of last season with issues. Go Burros!!!
From Nate: Thanks! Some tips that could be quite helpful: make sure you are training all ranges of motion of your back-flexion, extension, rotation and with not just mobility, but with resistance training as well. Many players are afraid of doing resistance training in more dynamic movement patterns of your spine due to outdated approaches or old school medical providers making them afraid based on outdated advice (such as never squat or deadlift again or don’t flex you back). If you play goalie, or any sport in general, your spine has to move dynamically in various ranges of motion to be successful and in very intense ways, therefore, you need to train those movements in order to be prepared. Core work is great, but not if it is super basic and only in midline or “neutral” positions. If that is the case, you need to gradually build out of that. Then of course you will be training your “core” with lateral lunges, deadlifts (single and double leg), goblet squats, rows with rotation, Jefferson curls etc. Everyone is different and seeing an up to date fitness/sports med physical therapist would be great to dial these in!
the PLL needs to let players that normally would play sr a/ msl let them play this is by far the shittest rule/agreement with the players
Go get ‘em, Brother!
What is the single best stretch to open and create more flexibility in the hips
Best groin strengthening exercises
Question for Nate: What’s the best way to keep healthy and strong joints (knees, shoulders, etc) as an athlete?
Eccentric contraction for performance, concentric contraction for injury performance. (Up in one, down in two.) (Stabilized) single leg work for knees and daily hangs for shoulder. Source: I have a lot of opinions :-)
*injury prevention
From Nate: Thanks! Very broad question. Working your joints through as close to full ranges of motion as able with resistance exercises is a great option! And staying consistent with workouts each week and properly recovering between. Taking your joints through full ranges of motions-IE: shoulder and hip rotations, extension, flexion, abduction. Spine rotation, flexion, extension. Knee flexion and extension etc and then adding light resistance and progressing overtime can be extremely helpful! If you strengthen through full ranges of motion then you also don’t have to focus a ton on “mobility” because you will “lengthen while you strengthen” and a general concept that could be very helpful. All strength exercises should be to comfortable ranges and can gradually improve over time. If you have any large limitations, it would be great to be assessed by a sports med PT!
best way to activate your back and get more mobility for when you are turning it into your shot.
From Nate: Thanks! It can be quite helpful to start with some upper back mobility work (I reference this in a different answer, check it out!) then do some banded activation with single arm rows with rotation (as in, not just reach forward and back with your back being stationary and only moving your shoulder, but reach and rotate through your spine across your body and row and rotate toward the working arm, like starting a lawnmower movement).
See you on field on Sat. on Valentine's
I really hope he comes back but I know it is probably not going to happen. :(
What is best for trying to go d1
how to maintain pliability while strength training
I live in Massachusetts
Will you ever come back to the pll fr
Hello Paul
Please fix Connor Fields. My favorite player. Sad to see him go down. Wish Epple wouldn't have blew out his shoulder.
Best things to do to come back from an ACL tear
From Nate: Thanks! Working with a skilled sports med PT is the best thing to do to come back! Finding a PT in your area that specializes in or works consistently with ACL patients is key. It is very important to be very strong in your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves etc and gradually build up on the field progressions and to pass return to sport testing with the sports med PT! The decision to return to sport should be a group decision from your orthopedic MD, PT and yourself and should include components of your quad strength being great compared to percent of your body weight (as close to 100% body weight as able), the comparison of your ACL tear side compared to non-injured leg of quads, hamstrings etc, and having a great hamstring to quad ratio of 60-80% on each side, being able to perform force plate vertical jump testing or another way of measuring it, and then having great control in single leg squat, jumping and landing, great running form etc and all of this should correlate with you having great confidence, progressing on field running, cutting, contact over numerous weeks, and then also timeframe out from surgery (generally 9 months or longer!). Make sure you are going through testing and objectify your return and making it a gradual process and not just using your time out of surgery to “clear” you.
am I the only one with a hip problem?
Maybe you should SELL out Gillette , before you praise it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!