Simply Not Easy

When ya know, ya know. This group of people I was a part of has been filled with strong connections and so many memories. The kind of brother and sisterhood that everyone should experience in some way shape or form. Good times, great people, pure joy.

An analogy I came up with while training with some good friends continues to provide an interesting framework for working out and movement practices. Comparing still images and videos to static exercise capacities and dynamic sport performance. Like all good thought tools, time to play with it and explore.

Not only is it more effective, it's way more enjoyable too

When a declaration of intention is made and backed up by every ounce of power you have.... That is an incredible power of human will. When it belongs to you, charge on. When it doesn't and it's for a battle worth fighting, provide that strong hand of assistance for better leverage. This one had be pumped up!

9.11.21 9.11.01 20 years doesn't make it any less real. Never forget, always remember.

The mind is a very curious thing. Many of our thought patterns are habitual and can lead us down dangerously shallow roads if unexamined. This happened recently to me. Sending out my reflection and a reminder to stay alert and alive to how our thoughts hinder or help our ability to thrive.

Having the privilege to either learn from a skilled and seasoned mentor or to be one yourself is an extremely fruitful pathway. When both are effectively combined, progress and fulfillment have immense certainty when expressed within something you enjoy.

Reflecting on a recent realization I had. This is one to continue to ponder over time. Self doubt is an Illusion.

A happy mistake, or maybe they're called accidents. They can be good. Thankfully I didn't have the big one, haha. Rather I stumbled upon an opportunity to shift my focus in an unexpected situation - a situation I otherwise wouldn't have sought out. Always lessons to be learned and joys to experience.

We hear it all the time. You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Time to take this a layer deeper.

What rock do you throw that makes the biggest splash? What action do you take that has the most significant effect? In this episode we draw on philosophy from the 80-20 rule, The One Thing, and the late legendary coach John Wooden. With my own personalized spin, of course.

In the world of physical therapy there are groups of clinicians that are either gun-ho for hands on joint moving/pushing and those who spend very little time there that report it's minimal utility. The balance is often in the middle. It can be extremely effective when used as an adjunct in the right situation for the right reason. As long as all things lead to better movement. I'm a huge fan of having options. Not training a skill, to not have confidence in its application, is not reason enough to not do it. If you choose not to, no worries, as long as there is a clinically minded reason based on the patient to back it up.

Let freedom ring loud and clear. May we never forget those to sacrificed to make it possible. God Bless America.

I had a recent privilege of learning from a combined group of a physiatrist, pain management MD, and a spinal surgeon. All three of these professionals brought great experience and insights, was fantastic to hear how essential they viewed good physical therapy to be. The principles of the relationships I speak about can be applied for success in any feild. A trademark of excellence that should be a standard of care.

My thoughts and reflections on a recent reading, Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. Here is my favorite quote from spending time in its pages: 'You search far too much, that in all that searching you don't find time for finding' 

Strength Ain't Daily Life. At least for the large majority of us. We need strength to live a wholesome life with our normal activities. However, daily tasks usually don't allow us to strengthen ourselves enough to make a meaningful change, or even to maintain our current capacity.

It was an awesome weekend taking a scoliosis course from Kellie Grimes. To say that this experience only brought the tip of the iceberg into view would be an understatement. It left me hungry and excited for far more.

Our deepest gratitude and reverence to those who paid the ultimate price, who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Every successful person you know was an overnight success... To someone

The subtle difference may effect your level of success, depending upon how you define success. Only one provides the opportunity toward fulfillment. The choice is, and will continue to be, yours.

Happy Mothers day to everyone out there. In thinking of some of my physical therapy mentors I'm drawn to how they've consistently invested in their growth throughout their career. Not just in the early years either, continually. These guides showcase aspects that I aspire to have in the future. Yet, they are all so different.

In the medical setting what happens when someone comes into an appointment with a single specific concern that exists in a single specific area? A sigh of relief from the medical practitioner of course. What happens when the pain is unclear, behaves strangely, and in a multitude of locations. I approach this delema from the physical therapy perspective.

Sharing part of a case about a patient with chronic misunderstood pain. This was a fun one for me. 'Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler' - Einstein

The analogy of a spider web is well suited to growth and networking opportunities. As always, there are far more than a single spider or web in a forest. Each have their advantages. Diversity may be a friend in this area.

It's the same, but different, but how different really? I highlight a physical therapy case of a future high caliber essential worker with a new onset of back pain and delve into the management strategies used.

Far more of a question to ponder than facts to be told. A question I was asked to reflect on by one of my mentors early in my career. One I still reflect on and refine. I share my journey, so far, in searching an answer than resonates with me. This applies to far more than physical therapy, the health field, or any given career. Ask this question of yourself for any given role you fill. Your answers will provide great insight.

There are many effective motivating tools to lead us to better action. Don't mistake those tools for the desire itself or the deeper meaning behind the desire.

It feels great to be back. Everything has a season, flow within that season without forcing a damn thing. The passion will come without having to make things grueling and giving yourself unneccesary resistance. I'm changing this podcast up going forward in a way that will better serve my growth.

Every season has a reason. Breaks aren't bad. Time for me to get after this OCS! What are you getting after? Purposeful Adaptation.

Who you actively choose to learn from, at any stage of your life, will have a profound impact. Make sure they are someone worth pursuing. Not only for who they are today, but for who they are becoming. If your mentor isn't learning themselves, then you done messed up and made a poor life choice.

When are we cool with having asymmetries, when is it a metric of needed progress, and when is it desired? We take a look at one way of judging these thoughts in the contexts of our workouts and repeated movement patterns.

Too many diets, fads, and trends lack the key ingredient: sustainability. I'm all for grit, determination, and discipline. I'm also a huge supporter of efficient consistent behaviour changes to make us better. Good results don't always need momentous changes. Stay true to you.

We take an intro skim of the topic of Scoliosis. What it is, what can we expect, and what we can control. Yes, it does have a large muscular influence. We also mention a few inspiring athletes who share the diagnosis who continue to redefine possible.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers became not only the first NFL team to play in their home stadium for the Superbowl, but to win it as well as they beat out the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. They held both, Mahomes, and the entire team to not scoring a touchdown the entire game. No doubt Patrick Mahomes has a full and incredible career ahead of him, but the current champ Tom Brady (7 time Super Bowl winning GOAT) said we're not passing that torch off yet. This playoff run by Tom Brady will be remembered by the world class quarterbacks he had to outduel every step of the way to win his 7th Superbowl. I'm rooting for a Superbowl rematch next year.

I can't stress this enough. For myself or anyone else. Adequate sleep needs to be a priority and is often the rate limiting factor for health and performance.

An interesting case continues. Part 2 on visit 2 holds a wealth of enticing updates.

Thankful for where I am, thankful for where I'm from, and thankful for the journey ahead. This small landmark in time reminded me of it all.

It's one thing to know what proprioception is, another to use it joint by joint at a time, and another to integrate it with sport specific strength.

Most major one on one combat competitions have some form of weigh ins. At least the legal ones, we won't talk about *!&#+ (**b A few years ago these weigh ins were shifted to an earlier time with good intention for the fighter's health. In a 2021 paper, 'Evaluation of the Early Weigh-in Policy for Mixed Martial Arts Events Adopted by North American Athletic Commisions', by Gwynn Curran-Sills, we take a look at the repercussions.

After last episode I thought it would be fitting to stay in the same region. Talking about what tendinopathy is, and what it isn't. Diving specifically into the Achilles, why location matters, and two theories to successful rehab management.

It's an unfortunately common injury in sports, and especially in basketball. Celtics guard Marcus Smart is the latest victim of the eccentric loaded step back mechanism of injury. The same one that struck Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets, and a similar mechanism to the infamous Kobe Achilles rupture where he stayed on the court for his free throws. We also talk about the first steps before progressing through a return to sport criteria for these athletes.

Tao Te Ching, the ancient Chinese 'book of the way'. A philosophy and religion in one. Method and belief to remain in the present moment and the entirety of existence. If you're curious for more I highly reccomend checking out the YouTube channel by Dana White (not UFC) with modern day Tao Te Ching meditations.

I had a really enjoyable physical therapy evaluation of a martial artist that I'm sharing some of during this episode. It sheds light on the intimate interplay between our physical self, and our relationship to our physical self, and everything they effect.

2020 was the year of self discovery in reflecting through adversity. 2021 is the year of self creation through action.

Remembering the great late Kobe Bryant, along with the rest in that tragic crash a year ago, along with all who have come before us who dedicated their life to a nission and lifting others up with them. R.I.P. you stunning souls. Today, let's play life with passion.

The phrase 'salt of the earth' always struck me weird, isn't that a bad thing? Too many people have too much. Back in the day it was a high commodity. Keeping people healthy and a essential preservative. It's no longer hard to come by, but it's often not optimized. Time to get our nutrition strategic with these electrolytes.

Coming fresh off a con ed course on the topic I share some of my thoughts for why proprioception is important for upper extremity function, how we can start to assess it, and train it more intentionally.

The NFC & AFC NFL champions have been crowned. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host Superbowl LV after beating the Green Bay Packers 31-26. They will face the defending Superbowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs after the Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills 38-24. The last team to win back to back Superbowl was the Tom Brady lead New England Patriots, defeating Andy Reid. Can't ask for a better matchup than Mahomes vs Brady. The last time these two met in the playoffs was an overtime Patriots win on the way to Brady's 6th Superbowl victory in Superbowl LIII. With the last 2 QBs to win the Superbowl, we got a thriller rooted in history.

When you can't physically go there, frequent your favorite place in your mind. I've got mine.

Today, January 22nd 2021, is officially my one year anniversary of my first day working at my first job as a physical therapist. It's been one heck of a year!