How to Eliminate the Top Five Triathlete Training Injuries – Part 2
March 2, 2017
Wouldn’t you rather be a part of the 13% of athletes that are injury free? Back [Click Here]
Strength training without a plan is just indiscriminate training. How do you know where you are weak? And what exercises are actually eliminating injury risk not increasing it?
Strength training becomes very effective when you learn this one skill: How to keep the spine stable when the arms and legs are moving resistance. This includes weights, resistance bands, or your body itself.
Here are some quick exercise videos that show you how to begin eliminating injuries by targeting weak and inflexible areas.
The Body Band-It design teaches your body how to stop the spine from moving when you apply loads to the arms, legs, or both, to make movement happen. The more you improve at this skill, the faster and more injury resistant you become. And even better still, your body will work more effectively by eliminating energy leaks in the trunk as it becomes the non-moving platform for the arms and legs to work from and athletes simultaneously see significant and rapid improvement in PRs
Work these exercises and begin to experience the results we’ve seen across triathletes, cross fit athletes, professional athletes, collegiate athletes, master’s athletes, Olympians, and national champions.
- Knee (25%) – [Eliminate Knee Pain – Running Striders ]
- Lower Leg (23%) – [Standing Hamstring Curl
- Lower Back (23%) – [Squat Down Strength Series]
- Shoulder – [Squat Press/Shoulder Press]
- Upper Leg – [Effective Lunge Stretch ]
To accelerate your results and customize a personal program, please join me at webinar or an upcoming live demo to try out the Body Band-It for yourself.
Live Training Demos: Learn how to remain pain-free while training as hard as you like.
Upcoming Events:
DATES:
March 25th (12pm -2 pm)
April 22nd (12pm – 2pm)
LOCATION:
Transcend Fitness/ Carousel Crossfit – 591 Durham Road , Newtwon, PA 18940
Wear training clothes.
COST: $49 Deposit which will be refunded when you attend the event. Space is limited to eight athletes.
How to Eliminate the Top Five Triathlete Training Injuries
March 2, 2017
Triathlete injuries are common with extensive time training on the bike, on the road, and in the water. It is almost the expected condition of being a triathlete. A recent study* of 174 triathletes confirmed high injury rates as nine out of 10 of the athletes (87%) experienced setbacks with some form of training related injury. This high injury incident rate still existed even though 16% of training time was focused on other cross-training activities like strength training that are often intended to improve performance and reduce injuries.
Triathlete Richard Varga retires from the World Triathlon Series stage 5 with an injury June 12, 2016 in Leeds, UK
Here are the results of the top 5 injuries identified in the study:
- Knee (25%)
- Lower Leg (23%)
- Lower Back (23%)
- Shoulder
- Upper Leg
Here is a quick breakdown of total training time identified in the study: 48% Bike, 24% on Running, 12% on Swimming, and 16% Cross-Training (weight-lifting, skiing or other activities).
Coach Kaehler (certifications) has dedicated his professional career toward helping others recover from injury and surgery, and helping athletes of all levels close the gap and perform at their true potential while simultaneously preventing injury, just as he did throughout his extensive success as an elite athlete. [Read More about Coach Kaehler]
The good news is that advancements in training equipment and methods mean you can have it all. Dedicate most of your time toward for your events, and experience substantial performance gains and reduce injury with minimal time dedicated to body balance.
Wouldn’t you rather be a part of the 13% of athletes that are injury free? [Click Here] to Learn How.
*British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2013; 47: 856-860 -“High prevalence of overuse injury among iron-distance triathletes”
Tired of tight ankles?
February 24, 2017
Tired of tight ankles? Tried all sorts of stretches with no real change in flexibility while your squat depth or catch is still limited? If so you are not alone. How can I improve my ankle flexibility is a question I am frequently asked.
Standing Calf Stretch Using Resistance: VIDEO
Concept 2 Calf Stretch: VIDEO I have just shot two videos that will show you how to improve ankle mobility. Check them out!
Interested in learning more about the Body Band-It? Join me on March 25th (12 -2pm) at Carousel CrossFit, 591 Durham Road, Newtown, PA 18940. At this event you will learn how you too can integrate the Body Band-It into your training routine, just like multiple top collegiate rowing programs already have. You will quickly see why these programs are keeping quiet about the results they are getting with their athletes.
Come try out the Body Band-It now by signing up for this FREE session. Just contact me at (coachkaehler at gmail.com ) What are you waiting for?
You won’t make a performance jump until you do this!
January 23, 2017
Doing more squats, cleans, or squat centric training routines will not yield big performance changes until you have developed the ability to keep the trunk stable (in control) when moving the legs and arms underload. Learning this skill will not only better channel all that quad, glute, and lat power, it will also significantly reduce your injury risk with progressively loaded training programs.
Optimal training potential is uncovered by systematically training your trunk to provide a non-moving foundation for the extremities to work from and requires more specificity than seen with traditional “core” work.
Feeling and understanding the difference between controlling (no movement) the spine when the extremities are moving under load versus when the spine is allowed to move along with the extremities underload, is the key to optimizing athletic performance. Without this “internal” feeling an athlete has no perspective between the two available options.
The evidence that an athlete has yet to master this spine control skill shows up as weakness and/or inflexibility in specific extremity muscles. I see this when I initially take athletes through my “Body Balance Evaluation Process” (1,500+ athletes). The other evidence manifest when athletes suffer from non-traumatic injuries (with progressive loading) or have recurring passive tissue stiffness in the discs and/or joints following more aggressive workouts. Everything clears up when athletes learn the control skill.
Imbalances quickly correct once an athlete gets the correct internal muscle activation feeling and starts mastering control.
Learning how to control your spine posture is a skill anyone can learn but requires constant training and activating the proper muscles to maintain control when training. Below is an excellent starter drill which start to have you become more aware of the only two options available.
In the VIDEO (slow motion) I show that you can maintain a completely upright spin, versus a slumped spine posture, through the finish and recovery with minimal loss of my natural spine position.
While I train spine control all the time and it has become second nature anyone can improve this posture. It does take a lot of strength and postural endurance to maintain this powerful position especially when rowing for longer periods of time, but the yield is a powerful finish that keep you connect all the way to the release.
Drill: 10 sets of (10 to 30 second on/ 10 seconds off) – VIDEO
Set-Up – Go to your finish layback position and then sit tall by setting your spine curves to your current standing posture. To better understand this posture (current spine curves) place your back, head and feet are against a wall.
Now start a pick drill and practice keeping your trunk absolutely still. Initially it will challenging to hold the stable spine position when compared to the slumped spine finish. As you get stronger at being able to maintain this finish posture you will start being able to put more force on the handle and feet[RK1] . This is the real key to being able to hold onto your finish all the way through.
Step Two I will discuss he next step in this sequence in another post.
**If you are interest in learning more about this unique approach and how you can actually change your posture, please feel free to reach out to me or come to one of my upcoming Body Band-It or Body Balance Events.
Hip Depth At The Catch – Moving and at a Pause
January 11, 2017
Athletic skill can be improved or advanced by getting better at controlling your trunk when you generate force through your extremities to create movements. Trunk control will be challenged by four factors or variables, that we can manipulate, which include intensity, range of motion, volume, and speed. The better you become at controlling your trunk when loading the arms and/or legs during desired movement the more athletic you become.
When we knowingly, or unknowingly, overload one or more of the variables mentioned above we can begin to lose stability of trunk or spine. This not only increases our risk of injury it also reduces the power and strength our extremities can generate.
Rowing offers a unique challenge in that our hips are blocked by the seat which makes controlling the trunk an even a bigger challenge as we approach the catch. With proper training we can learn to keep the spine relatively stable and upright, close to an anatomical position, during the entire rowing stroke. Without this purposeful trunk control training the common default is to allow the spine to curl over into a “C” shape posture, which takes less effort to maintain, however this position reduces power and increases injury risk. The most powerful position for the human spine is the anatomical position. You can find your current position by lying flat on the floor totally relaxed with your legs out straight and feet under the hips with your arms at your sides).
The video link here is a good way to better understand how you get reach at catch. A trunk controlled catch get most of the reach by getting the hips in deep (hip dominated), while the moving or “C-shape” spine tends to be a more shoulder/spine reach dominated stroke. While both movement patterns work the end results are different.
Watch this quick video to see how you move into the catch.
You hip depth should be the same whether you are using momentum to get your catch reach or when you pause at the catch. Your hip and handle depth should be exactly the same whether you are rowing or when you pause and hold your catch position.
If you are interested in learning how to develop this skill and get better at controlling your trunk please email me. I will be holding a number of classes (starting in February 2017) to help you start mastering this essential skill.
Make Sure You Are Not Doing This As Erg Season Starts!
November 10, 2016
Video #4 gives additional insight about how you move your spine during a squat or rowing stroke. Mastering spine control when the extremities are under load is a skill anyone can learn and it makes you a better athlete. It will help you generate more power, strength, and sport endurance while significantly reducing the potential of injury during training.
If you suffer from low back stiffness or pain during or after a training session then you are asking your spine to do unnecessary moving work. This movement system keeps certain muscles in your extremities inflexible and weak as the spine is doing the work for them. Other evidence is a stiff back when you get up in the morning following a hard erg or rowing training session. You should never wake up with a “stiff” back.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could eliminate training related stiffness and/or pain altogether? Or do you feel like you should have more power and flexibility? If you answered yes then this information will help you to start solving these conditions.
The solution is straight forward, stop using your spine as a moving worker and train it to be in control. The challenge is that this skill is an internal process that you must be able to feel internally to correct. Feeling the difference between when the spine is allowed versus when it is provides a non-moving foundation is the critical step to mastering this skill. Without this perspective you will continue to operate as usual and reinforce the moving spine system where traditional strength training and rehab methods will just reinforce what you are already good and you will remain stuck.
So if you are looking to eliminate stiff and/or painful joints/back and have not seen improvement no matter what you have tried this is why. Muscles recover great, joints and discs not so great. Why not learn how to optimize your spine control process. Master your body.
If you found this post helpful please share! VIDEO
I will be hosting some live events so I can share this process in person. Please stay tuned I will be posting more information on these upcoming events.
Please email with questions or comments.
Power, Posture, and Performance – 2K Erg Drill Video #2
October 18, 2016
Today’s video (#2) is a simple yet powerful drill that I show my client’s after I have taken them through my Body Balance Evaluation Process or “Kaehler Method” process. I use this as a warm-up drill before every rowing session.
To answer the above question, yes, posture does matter if your goal is to keep injury free and be more powerful. But what is good posture? You must understand your current whole body posture which is done by lying on a firm floor on your back where your arms are placed at your sides with thumbs up and your feet directly under your hips. Your spine curves in this position helps clarify your current “ideal spine position”. This position will change over time if you do specific strength and flexibility training, or not.
Your spine posture dictates your extremity positioning.
Ideal rowing posture varies depending on which coach you ask. I instruct my patients, following a rigorous hands on training session, to start working on building proper trunk strength and flexibility that will allow them to row as close to their “ideal spine posture” as possible.
The closer an athlete can get to their ideal position the better their performances will be. In addition injury risk is all but eliminated. It’s that simple. Athletes must be willing to do some real work to move towards better posture and make permanent changes that become the new default posture. It is easy to row with a rounded spine but that is a less effective position and leads to many rowing related injuries.
Posture, Power, and Performance – Erg Drill Video #1
October 11, 2016
I just shot a quick two minute video with a training tip I share with my private clients.
While this may appear like an easy drill it is actually challenging to repeatedly maintain this trunk position at the finish. The ability to maintain your natural lumbar and thoracic spine position at the finish takes a lot of trunk power and control and the rewards are a stronger, longer, and more connected finish.
You can determine your natural and safest spine position by lying on your back on the floor with your legs out fully straight. The key to getting the most out of this drill is to maintain this position while doing the drill. I call this spine position your “ideal spine” position.
I am doing a reboot on getting – ”new” information out to you and this is the first of a series of videos and short, short articles I will be posting in the next several weeks.
If you do not want to receive these informational emails anymore please “Unsubscribe” at the bottom of the page. We will miss sharing our training tips with you.
Posture, Power, and Performance – Erg Drill Video #1
Does your training include enough down work?
May 30, 2015
You are probably asking what the heck is down work and how do I know if I am doing any in my training.
I just shot a new video (3:01), yeah it is in the woods, and is the first of several videos describing some basic things you should think about when training.
The focus of the first video is on training in the up and down (vertical plane) and some simple points you need to consider when building out a program.
I have not lifted a weight in over seven years but I do strength train three to six times per week on the Body Band-it.
Whether you lift weights or not you must make sure you are including enough downward plane training repetitions in your regular training routine. (knees-to-elbows, physio-ball curls are two examples of downward exercises)
Targeted strength training optimizes all your other training and results and really keeps you from getting injured no matter how hard you train. I use this process with all of my private clients.
Email me to TODAY to see how you can get your very own Body Band-it and start training like no one else.
Training Tips to Maximize Recovery. #1
February 12, 2015
Nutrition is a key part of training and recovery and it cannot be overlooked if you are looking to maximize your results.
I am sharing a nutrition insight that I use on a daily basis.
Ingredients you will need:
- Whey protein – I use vanilla flavor (you can also use another form of animal protein if you like; egg or soy)
- Juice
- Water
Just before bed place about 2oz. of water in a glass and mix in about 2 to 3 grams of whey protein. I use the scoop provided (20 grams if full) and fill it up about 1/8 of the way which is roughly the height of a pencil sideways. Drink the protein mixed in water immediately before you go to bed.
Then immediately after you wake up in the morning place about 2 oz. of juice in a glass and then mix in the same amount of whey protein, 2 to 3 grams, and drink it right down. Then eat your normal breakfast when you are ready.
Having a constant level of the nine essential amino acids in your blood stream when you go to sleep and wake up is critical in maximizing your anabolic hormones (testosterone and growth hormone).
Testosterone blood levels are typically the highest at night in both men and women. To maximize anabolic growth we must make sure the nine essential amino acids are present in your blood stream while you sleep.
Here is to maximizing your training results!