G'day everyone!

Im matt from Townsville Australia. It's great to be apart of this community and looking forward, hopefully, to a consistent and fruitful movement practice.

Im hoping to share my training priorities, background, injury/training history and goals. I would like to hear your advice/direction/insights on how it might be best to tackle this thing.

TRAINING PRIORITIES
6x 15-25min priority sessions and
4x 1hr main sessions per week

1) Rehab/prehab old reoccurring soft tissue injuries
2) Postural alignment and integrity
3) Regain & improve 'lost' ranges of motion (global extension, hammy/hinging, hip int/ext, dorsi flexion)
4) General strength capacity (calisthenics context)

BACKGROUND
- 32yo, 86-90kg, 177cm tall.
- Currently training 1xhour 4-5 days/wk entry level calisthenics/ mobility,
- Experience in barbell/db contexts (140kg deadlift, 100kg deep back squat, - 90kg bench, 70kg Press)

- ex runner (16'30" 5km & 39'48" 10km) [race weight ~73kg],
- ex swimmer 3-5km session (~1''30"/100m pace),
- ex field hockey

INJURY HISTORY / INEFFICIENCIES
- Weak-tight neck (crunchy and tight in end ranges)
- Tight scaps-traps (locks up after a few weeks back in the pool, to the point where I can't hold a streamline!)
- Tension and sore to touch (SMR) lower abdominals (from navel down)
- Occasional nerve impingement in low back (~L4?) triggered by slouching whilst driving, skipping (if glutes aren't activated)
- Reoccurring calf injury when returning to running (5-6week mark). Mid shin level, feels like it's in the aponeurosis area between the soleus and the gastroc. Can currently do 5x60s skipping on wood/concrete every other day no problems.

INITIAL GOALS (to create project pathways for...)
1) Restoring strength, mobility and tissue quality in my scaps/traps/neck and lower leg
2) Developing strength capacity (calisthenics context) & large frame mobility
3) Create a project pathway for lateral development in the floor communication domain

QUESTIONS:
- Any comments on my injuries and tissue quality problems, have you experienced any of this and had success pre/rehabbing?
- Any comments on what you would and include in the program, if this was you?
- I was thinking of attacking BAS (horizontal) and SAS strength (vertical) for my first couple of training blocks for body strength development. That way I get exposure to both planes and both BAS & SAS. is that advisable or would you attack it differently?

Hi Matt,

Great to have you on the platform & in the community! And also for sharing your journey. There's a lot of advice to potentially give, so I'll aim to be concise with some recommended protocols and you will simply need to give the rest to the practice & observe how your focus-areas (namely injuries & restrictions) develop over the necessary time. Briefly, r.e. you priorities in general, they look very sound. These are things you can easily invest a good year or two of practice into, and it would be very well placed at that. Being able move injury-free is really something worth investing in, especially for those of us (and I speak from experience) have had to work "around" these things for some time. It's time to clean out the skeletons in the closet!

1) NECK, SCAP & TRAPS: you mentioned that you are doing so in another thread, but yes initially explore the area with SMR protocols and also to alleviate any pains/restrictions as they appear - also ideally before any focused work on the area (e.g. neck & scap protocols). I personally always used to keep a hard rubber ball in my bag when I've been injured in these regions in the past, specifically for this reason.

There are now a bunch of new SMR resources up in the library. The two which may give you some valuable info are: https://www.movemorevrl.com/manual-therapy-self-myofascial-release-smr/videos/smr-for-scapulae-spine and, the most convenient and allowing you to really pinpoint super-hypertonic regions (aka 'knots'): https://www.movemorevrl.com/manual-therapy-self-myofascial-release-smr/videos/smr-using-a-tennis-rubber-ball.

I also advise for general "emptying" (and also affecting fascia along the whole upper-back line) to practice the '3-5' emptying sequence' DAILY: https://www.movemorevrl.com/videos/3-5-mins-emptying-sequence and also to plug in practice of the 'Prone cross-arms stretch' (another new addition) https://www.movemorevrl.com/shoulders-scapulae-neck/videos/prone-crossed-arm-stretch - this can pair well with the 'End-range neck rotations', which you mentioned in your other thread. Lastly, this isn't in the library as it's awaiting a new, full-resource edit, but here's a specific neck-routine you can also plug into practice: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_xpQ1JK7R4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

2) LOWER ABDOMINALS - another new addition, practice this one also daily my friend (first thing in the morning, empty stomach) with special care/attention to the abdominal region. You will likely find some very sensitive things in there, and it can take much time for this hypertonicity to subside. But it will, with the daily practice and it has many, many other benefits too. It just takes 3-5': https://www.movemorevrl.com/videos/manual-mobilization-abdominal-cavity-diaphragm-ribs Further, if you do happen to practice any type of high-repetition "abdominal" work, e.g. traditional "crunches", I would drop it. It will just add fuel to the fire. You will be fine with just isometric work (so you SA "lever" & SAS push isometric work will be find. Just lay off any reps on reps of concentric reps, if you happen to do any...

3) LOW-BACK: again, if it's anything acute, you can explore the lumbar-spine with SMR here: https://www.movemorevrl.com/manual-therapy-self-myofascial-release-smr/videos/smr-lumbar-ql-glutes-piriformis-1 In general, plug in DAILY practice of hanging to ensure decompression of spine - accumulate ideally a MINIMUM of 3-4' minutes as day hang time - you can work on any variations you like (pronated, supinated, close-grip, 1-arm...) but just ensure that for decompression it's PASSIVE-hanging. Active hanging etc. is more specifically SASS work. Whilst the 'Spinal work' collection will be the next to finish giving you many, many more tools (just awaiting some new edits), you can focus on going through all the phases for the 'Spinal rolling' practice here: https://www.movemorevrl.com/local-spine-scapulae-patterns/videos/rib-cage-and-pelvic-rolling-2023-re-edit - it's enought for at least 6 months of focused work, and it should develop the region in the meantime. Even practice of contexts such as 'Spinal pumping' https://www.movemorevrl.com/videos/spinal-pumping-breathing-craniosacral-exploration

4) CALF: again, a newly added SMR resource here for lower-leg aspects to explore, toward managing superficial hypertonicity: https://www.movemorevrl.com/manual-therapy-self-myofascial-release-smr/videos/smr-lower-leg-calf-achilles It is, of course, no fix. I would personally review the resource here: https://www.movemorevrl.com/videos/unilateral-ecc-calf-raise and look toward the 'positional isometrics' execution toward rehabilitation, following those protocols for a good 1-2 phases of 6-8 weeks practice. From isometric execution, you can move onto eccentrics after a phase or so. Also whilst you can do skipping of wood/concrete with no problems, consider if its necessary every other day in terms of contributing toward MINIMISING hypertonicity in the area. Lastly, with calf, keep in mind that this can be due to many things, including running gait. If running is you passion, it may be worth looking to a running coach or seeking out a workshop, or at least studying deeply online, if you do not already, to asssess if there's anything patterning-wise which can help to improve your symptoms. Generally, if it's something recuuring, it's something in patterning...

Hope that helps - sorry just writing this quickly before shooting out to teach to apologies for any typos/missing info - please ask if anything needs clarification.

I will get back soon on your BAS/SAS questions & likewise to your other thread.

All the best for the ongoing practice my friend!

Move well

Jason

Back again - r.e. this:

"I was thinking of attacking BAS (horizontal) and SAS strength (vertical) for my first couple of training blocks for body strength development. That way I get exposure to both planes and both BAS & SAS."

It's an interesting proposal & I understand how you got there. It's definitely a possibility, but I feel it would be incomplete - when it comes to capacity-development, I advise practicing both SAS & BAS in ALL planes of motion. The main exceptions I normally have are BAS horizontal & vertical/overhead pushing, whereby you could alternate projects between blocks as they are quite transferrable mechanics, patterns & capacities. Also overhead SAS/S - this is more the realm of inverted HS work and 'Press HS' contexts, so I would normally leave it to those programs, although, if you don't have a HS practice, you can still plug some foundational overhead SASS and press-like contexts into UBS programming now & then, just so you're not a stranger to them.

The question is always then "how", to do it all, because it seems like so much. Well, you just have to be selective, and PROGRESSIVE. Basically, start with really basic BAS push/pull and develop solid MECHANICS, patterning & quality (using progressive tempo & variables to your advantage, as they are outlined in programming recommendations). For SAS, even just start with SASS (scapular-strength) contexts in the different planes of motion. They are generally low-intensity so you can practice a lot of different contexts. As your movement-quality & mechanical-understanding develops, so will your capacity & conditioning, allowing you to practice higher-intensity contexts in their place.

Here's an example beginner UBS session focused on SAS/BAS development, can be practiced up to 2x per week:

BLOCK 1 (develop variables/variation over 2x phases)

A1. Scapular pushup variation (SASS horizontal flex.)
A2. Active hang variation (SASS vertical pull)
A3. AG-support/table variation (SASS horizontal ext.)
1-3 rounds

B1. CTB chinup/pullup variation (BAS vertical pull)
B2. Protracted pushup variation (BAS horizontal push)
2-4 rounds

C1. Knee-to-bar progression (SAS vertical pull)
C2. German-hang OR 'Pseudo' (SAS horizontal flex.)
2-4 rounds

D1. Ring support variation (SASS vertical push)
D2. Ring-row (BAS horizontal pull)
1-3 rounds

Range of rounds volume is given wide so you can be flexible with how you feel & getting a second session in. If you can only get 1x per week in, try the full rounds. If you can get to, adjust volume to make it sustainable.

---------

BLOCK 2 (develop variables/variation over 2 phases):

A1. Scapular-pushup & 'tuck' variation
A2. Knee-to-bar variation
A3. Floor or rings L-sit
1-3 rounds

B1. Chin/pullup OR Rope variation
B2. Protracted PIKE pushup OR 'QDR' rotational pushup
2-4 rounds

C1. SAS rings routine (with GH or back-lever variation)
C2. P-bar pike-extensions OR 'Gallop' locomotion pattern
2-4 rounds

D1. 'AG to manna' variation
D2. Protracted pushup OR 'Negativa' pushup
D3. 'Trident' ring-row variation

You'll notice that there's no emphasis on vertical BAS push here (e.g. dip contexts). This is because I feel this is a secondary capacity-development context. It doesn't have much transferability. IF you can German hang & protracted-pushup, you can dip. But, as it does need a little focus, you would place it maybe in the next Block after this one and develop capacity.

Further, whilst I've grouped together BAS & SAS contexts in the same rounds in the 'main body' of practice, you can also alternate them - I would just recommend to always alternate push/pull, regardless of BAS or SAS. Go by how your tendons are feeling. If they are getting stressed out, maybe SAS contexts back-to-back are too much - so reduce/split them.

Does that all make sense? Let me know with all questions my friend!

Yours in movement,

Jason

@Jason

Thanks for taking the time to give high quality feedback. I will go through these over the next few days put a plan together and share it.

🤙 Harro