An Examination of Whether Heel Strike is Dangerous or Safe for Running

I remember back in high school, I tried out for the track team. I was a lanky, out-of-shape freshman but I fell in love with running. Lo-and-behold, it only took a few weeks to run into injuries (no pun intended). It was shin splints, and I soon became … Continue reading

For the better part of this month of November, I’ve been dealing with two bouts of the common cold. Seriously, I feel like crap. What makes it a bigger slap in the face is that I rarely get the common cold, ever.

I’ve always wondered whether or not it was a good idea to exercise while sick. Some people have … Continue reading

In my last blog post, I mentioned overpronation being a factor for causing heel pain.

The thing is, overpronation is a catch-all diagnosis that runners are given when they experience injuries due to poor running mechanics. Instead of focusing on fixing running technique, doctors/PTs/shoes-salesmen tell others that they’ve got the dreaded overpronation, like it’s some sort of disease that needs … Continue reading

Plantar Fasciitis… It’s Like Walking on Glass

Taking your first step out of bed, just to feel a burning sensation under your foot, is not a pleasant way to start your day. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2 million people each year experience this discomfort each year.

Unfortunately, I’ve dealt with this very issue as … Continue reading

I am an advocate of self-help. If you want something done right, then why not do it yourself?

Sure, it’s easier said than done, and we’ll need to seek the help of an expert in certain situations. However, arming yourself with the right tools and knowledge to approach these situations is empowering.

This most definitely applies to injuries. With my … Continue reading

(This article was originally written on Nov. 10, 2013 but has been revised on Feb. 21, 2016 to reflect a more accurate understanding of the topic.)

As some of you may know, I’ve dealt with quite a few injuries over the past few years.

One injury that remains steadfast in its mission to piss me off is recurring shoulder impingement. … Continue reading

Deadlifts.

The Man-Maker, the King of all Exercises, the Lift of the Gods, the Only Exercise You Should Be Doing – these are just a few of the nicknames given to this “beast” of an exercise known as the deadlift.

It’s both simple and technical. To deadlift, you pick up the barbell off of the floor, stand up straight, and … Continue reading

I’ve heard quite a few times that bodybuilders are simply “puffy”, lack strength, and have “muscles filled with water”.

These claims have come about because of the discussions about muscle hypertrophy. Well, I would say they’ve come about due to misunderstandings of muscle hypertrophy.

There are two kinds of muscle hypertrophy: sarcoplasmic hypertrophy and myofibrillar hypertrophy. The former, sarcoplasmic, increases … Continue reading

Shedding Light on the Knees-Out Debate

“Knees-out” is a coaching cue that is quite popular, due to the fact that novice lifters tend to let their knees cave-in during squats. In recent times, this cue has been used not only to fix bad technique, but to encourage the lifter to push the knees outside the path of the feet. This … Continue reading