"That's Just The Way I Am...."

I can't even begin to count the number of times I've heard this line from clients when describing they're nagging low back pain, their "weak core," their painful feet that are so structurally weak that they can't exist without their orthotics and $150 ultra-supportive shoes, etc., etc. For the longest time, that's been standard thought and what we have been told by our doctors, and other medical "experts." We get old. And as we get older, our bodies "wear out" and we start to have pain because that's just how it is.
If this is the case, we have been wasting our time for decades by exercising, and training, and working hard to get "fit." With this logic, wouldn't those people who are using their bodies the most be the ones in the most pain, the most "worn out," and in worse shape than those who have "conserved energy," and minimized the wear and tear? Not to say that some of those people aren't in pain, or worn out. But that would be due more to improper training than the training itself (another topic for another day). Don't we look those "ultra-healthy" people and realize that they're doing something good and think we should or wish we could be that way too? And you would if your back didn't hurt, or your feet were better, or your knees weren't bad....
And those people are "super-human" and are just made differently, right? Wrong! I'm pretty sure all of those people have the same number of muscles, and bones, and heart, and lungs, and joints as everyone else. They've just chosen to do something with them!
So what can you do? The first step is to realize that the current condition you are in is not permanent! We all have starting points, and this is yours- you can only go up from here!
So what about that pain you've had for years that's not allowed you to do what you want to do? That's not permanent, either! There's exciting news out, written by one of the world leaders in pain research, Dr. Lorimer Moseley, about the actual physiology of pain and what it means. If you want to read the actual scientific explanation and research, it's very fascinating. Here's the link: "Reconceptualising Pain According to Modern Pain Science"
What this article says, in a nutshell, is that pain is actually a signal sent to and processed by the brain. The brain then interprets the signal, and decides whether or not that tissue is perceived to be "under threat." If there is perceived "threat" to the tissue, the brain will allow you to feel pain in that area as a warning sign that something is wrong, and needs to be addressed. Pain is an action signal, not always red light!
What does all of this mean? It means, if you address and reduce the threat, the pain will subside! The majority of pain receptors in our body exist in our joints, and for a good reason. If our joints aren't healthy or aren't protected, we lose our ability to move. So those pain receptors exist in the joints to make sure they stay protected. But, we also have receptors, called mechanoreceptors, that exist in our joints as well. Mechanoreceptors are movement sensors. When a joint moves, they are stimulated and send a signal to the brain as well. These movement signals travel approximately 200 mph, while pain signals travel approximately 50 mph (example: when we step on something sharp, it takes almost a whole second before we say "ouch!"). So, when a joint moves appropriately, mechanoreceptor signals flood the brain, speed past the pain signals, and override them. If the movement is good, and safe for the joint, the "good" signals (movement- because, as we know, joints were designed to move) override the "bad" (pain) signals, the brain no longer perceives a threat to that area, and won't allow us to feel that pain. If the movement is dangerous or not appropriate, the opposite will occur. Injuries do occur, and do cause pain. But, it is well documented that tissue injuries heal within 4-6 weeks. The residual pain that is left after that time is your brain's remaining perceived threat to that area, and is still protecting it from another injury because proper movement hasn't been totally restored.
What this is telling us to do is move! Move well, and move appropriately, and your pain will gradually subside as your movement improves. If this is a new concept for you, or you've tried doing some sort of movement program before without success, find an expert who can help you and progress you appropriately. Nobody is too old or too "broken" to improve. As humans, we have the amazing ability to always adapt to any stress that's placed on our body. That's how we've survived and evolved over centuries. So, appropriate training, with the appropriate focus will allow you to improve from any starting point.

"From Seed to Table"

I watched a great documentary on PBS last night called "Nourish." A great theme that kept coming up (and a great reminder for us as we are at the store selecting our meals for the week) is the idea of "knowing the story of your food from seed to table." We all have stories. And, if you think about it, the food we eat has a story as well. Where did it come from? Did the workers who grew/raised it get paid fairly? Were they exposed to any harmful chemicals or pesticides? Was our food exposed to any chemicals or pesticides? How far did it travel to get into your hand now? The answers to all of these questions have large implications. These answers affect our health, they affect our community, they affect our environment, and ultimately affect our world. Making one positive decision, such as paying an extra 39 cents/pound for organic tomatoes vs. conventional, has a ripple effect that starts internally in our body spreads further than we are able to see. Know the story of your food and, more importantly, be sure you like that story! If you like the story, you'll most likely enjoy the food more. Your body will thank you for it, and so will the thousands of farmers who worked hard to bring it to you!

I Will Survive!

Are human beings really wired for performance, or are we wired for survival? Based on the fact that such a small percentage of the population would be considered high-level performers, I'd suggest we're more wired for survival (not my own observation- there are others who'd agree). We have primitive reflexes that are driven towards protecting ourselves. Think of what happens when something scares us, or an object is careening towards us. The chin drops to our chest and shoulders elevate towards the ears to protect the neck. The chest collapses and arms flex around the chest and head to protect the heart, lungs, and head. The abdominals tighten to protect the internal organs. If we're seated,the legs will flex up to also protect the mid-section. All of this happens as a split second reflex. We don't train ourselves for that, "just in case."

Taking this concept further, wouldn't we be able to get more out of our training if we took this approach- making our bodies more injury resistant by restoring mobility, improving movement patterns and coordination, and strengthening our bodies in functional positions and ranges that we exist in throughout the day? The brain is the ultimate governor, and will only allow us enough access to our bodies to protect ourselves but not enough to cause injury.

For example, if one doesn't have very good balance and agility, would you think that person would be able to run very fast down the street? Chances are, probably not. We might say- "That's because that person is not in shape or not athletic." And we'd be correct- partially. But, could it also be that because that person is not in a survival situation, that person's brain wouldn't allow him/her to go faster than he/she has the ability to stop from? If you think about how most true injuries occur (not just pain- that may or may not be an injury- more on that in a later post!), it's usually caused by an external force or a movement that occurred so quickly, the brain didn't have time to stop you from doing it.

Confusing and deep? I agree. It's a very different paradigm shift from our typical performance-driven training. Could it be that "releasing the brakes" would give us the most benefit and better results than trying to improve a higher level skill that we don't yet have the ability to master?

Radiolab (by NPR)recently published an interesting pod cast series on limits of the body, brain, and science. The first, "Limits of the Body" is very interesting. It contains stories of various endurance athletes who pushed their bodies to the limit. All show the power the brain has over the body, how much the body is actually capable of, and how strong the survival instinct truly is. If you have 30 minutes, it's definitely worth listening to!

It Starts From the Ground Up.... Continued

After reading studies and articles and debates on this issue over the past 6 months or so, I decided that just reading isn't enough. After all, most research studies and experiments conducted in labs are very controlled, which is, in my opinion, quite the opposite of real life. I attended a cutting edge training seminar from Z Health called Essentials of Elite Performance and learned even more about how the body works and how important the joints in our feet actually are. Over 1/3 of the joints in our body are located in our feet. What is the main function of joints?- movement! For some reason, our shoe industry and training community have decided that this is a "faulty design" and decided to start designing shoes and orthotics to keep those joints stiff and not allow them to move. Understandably so, as most of our population spends most of our time seated and don't have the foot strength and mobility to support the impact of running. Running shoes allow those people to get out and run more comfortably. Noble intention, but very misguided. Designing something to support an inefficiency instead of actually getting to and correcting the root of the problem is what we've trended towards over the past few decades. We forget how adept our body is to changing and healing itself! So, I entered into my own "lab." I bought a pair of the Vibram Five Fingers shoes and proceeded to train for a half marathon over 3 months.

My first run was very interesting. I started out small (or so I thought), only running 3 miles (at that point I had an easy 8 mile base in Nike Frees or other running shoes). The first 1/2 mile to mile felt a little strange, and my feet felt a little stiff. Then, all of the sudden, my feet loosened up, spread out, and I took off. My stride shortened into a land and push, my feet opened up at impact, and my toes gripped the the ground. I've never felt more sure-footed! I cruised through the remaining 2 miles- feeling disappointed that I was home already, wanting to do more but knowing my body wouldn't like me if I did much more. As it was, my run felt great, but my calves punished me for the next few days. I realized that I'd tapped into a whole new way of running that my body is going to love... eventually. In retrospect, 3 miles was a little aggressive for my first time.

Lesson learned, I slowly increased my distances over the next few months. My gait changed into an efficient, smooth short stride with a springy push off. I learned to run easy and smooth, which in turn made me fast! I had 6 mile and 8.5 mile training runs that ended up being PR's! I completed the 1/2 marathon with little problems. I didn't set any records, but it wasn't my slowest half, either. I ran smoothly and easily the entire race, but didn't quite have enough kick to push faster and hit my PR goal. I can feel this style of running gait is more natural and efficient, and I'm excited about where it (and my legs) will take me in the future!

And, as a bonus, my body's never felt better. The occasional achiness in the knees and ankles I used to get after the long runs is gone. My hip mobility has never been better. In truth, this shouldn't be a bonus, this is what should happen as a result of our training. We train to get stronger and feel better, not the other way around. Too often, we tend to try to feel better so we can train some more. If our training is breaking us down and making us worse, why are we doing it?!

I can't attribute this totally to just running barefoot. Religiously practicing the Z Health R Phase Dynamic Joint Mobility Drills has also played a large part in how I feel and move as well.

All this to say, I'm a 100% believer that the closer we are to barefoot, or "natural," the better our body is going to respond to our training and improve. The more "connection" our brain has with each of our hundreds of joints, the clearer our proprioceptive "map" will be and we will move more efficiently. Not only is there science to back it up, I have first hand experience as well- which in my mind carries a lot more water!

Questions about shoes, running gait, or this new Z Health Training? Post a comment,or email info.fitnessevolved@gmail.com