How you rack the bar for overhead press (and any lifts) matters. If you're still holding the bar in your hands, then the set isn't over quite yet and you should still consider how you're handling the bar.

If you're leaning the bar back into the rack, it's time to stop. When you lean the bar back into the rack instead of walking it back in, you're increasing your risk for developing or exacerbating symptoms and risking your safety. So even if you feel just fine, leaning the bar back into the rack is risky because there is always a small chance that you could miss the hooks.

In this episode of the PRS podcast we'll talk about leaning vs walking the bar back into the rack on overhead press and why it matters.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Secret Society of Barbell Mastery

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Doctors often recommend a "simple" arthroscopic knee surgery to address knee pain associated with meniscus tears. And athletes often believe that because their meniscus is torn, they will always have pain and need surgery. However, in most cases, we recommend you don't have knee surgery for simple meniscal tears for a variety of reasons.

If you've ever wondered if a knee scope is the answer to your knee pain with the diagnosis of a meniscus tear, we urge you to think again.

• The majority of people without knee pain have meniscus tears

• Surgery can actually cause more long term pain, symptoms, and dysfunction

• The long term outcomes of surgery versus conservative treatment are not typically better

→ When and why not to have surgery

→ When surgery can actually make your knee pain worse

→ Signs and symptoms surgery is the better option

It's entirely possible to overcome a meniscus tear and continue to barbell train or powerlift. While the process seems slower to rehabilitate the knee without surgery, it's actually not and you'll be able to train without interruption.

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Taking videos of your barbell lifts allows you to improve training outcomes, reduce injury risk, improve training autonomy and decrease financial barriers to coaching. The problem is that taking videos can feel cumbersome or make you feel like you're "that person" in the gym. And you might wonder if it's really necessary, especially if people used to get by just fine without recording themselves.

We have this tool that allows us to enhance our training, our coaching businesses, and our clinical outcomes, so why not use it? Videos allow us to provide additional feedback, keep additional documentation, compare and measure progress, and helps us fine tune our training.

If we only go based on what it "feels like" we're NOT optimizing our training.

In this live episode of the PRS Podcast we'll discuss why athletes, coaches, and clinicians could all benefit from using videos as tools to optimize their own training or their clients' training, regardless of whether they're working with a coach or client remotely or in-person. We'll also talk about how to enhance video analysis by improving the quality of your videos and unique ways to provide feedback remotely for coaches and clinicians who aren't working with clients in real time or seeing their lifts in the gym.

If you're enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

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Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

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A common technical issue we see with the barbell squat that may lead to knee pain or other injuries or issues, is not achieving full knee extension on the last rep of the set.

1. Anterior knee pain

2. Hitting the rack with the plates on the way in

3. Missing the hooks when trying to re-rack the weight

4. A weak lockout

So if you or your lifters are struggling with any of these things on the squat, this less-than-ten-minute episode on the PRS Podcast is for you!

If you're enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery

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Get in touch with the show!

Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com

Email: [email protected]

Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

If you're enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery

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Are you too old to lift weights and barbell train? There is often a negative connotation associated with barbell training and the aging population. The thought is, it's not safe to lift heavy weights if you're old. But when done optimally, it's safe, leads to improved function, and protects long term health.

Our goal with bringing on some of our clients is to share their unique stories, experiences with barbell training, and how their training has impacted their lives positively despite the negative medical narratives and belief systems surrounding barbell strength training in hopes that it inspires even just one person out there.

In this series of interviews each episode consists of a PRS client sharing their journey of overcoming injuries and illnesses, recovering from surgeries, and navigating changes in their lives and the role that barbell training has played throughout this process for each of them. These are just a handful of our clients that are truly inspiring and motivating and we hope that sharing their stories will inspire you, your patients or clients, or your family to incorporate barbell training into your life or continue barbell training during challenging times.

In this interview, we'll sit down and speak with PRS client, Doug, who is a healthy, physically active skier, golfer, and retired engineer. Interestingly, Doug decided to pick up barbell strength training at 77 years old which is not something many people his age are willing or excited to do.

In this episode, Doug shares his story about how he was gingerly introduced to barbell training by his son, and how he decided that strength was the key to maintaining his healthy lifestyle for years to come. We're sharing Doug's story in hopes that it helps your parents, patients, clients, friends, or even yourself, realize it's not only safe, but beneficial for long term strength and longevity, to barbell train, no matter how old you are. It's never too late!

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Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com

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Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

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Achieving a full bench press lockout is one of the most important components of the bench press for optimal strength development, injury risk reduction, and a qualifying lift in powerlifting competitions.

While most people think of the lock out as the end of the bench press movement, there is also a lockout before the movement of the first rep starts. A common but often overlooked issue we see with the bench press is that the lifter does not fully lock out their elbows on the bench press after the un-rack and before the start of the first rep.

1. Elbow pain
2. Biceps pain
3. Shoulder pain
4. A week lock out
5. A delayed start command in competition

So if you or your lifters are struggling with any of these things on the bench press, this less-than-ten-minute episode on the PRS Podcast is for you!

If you're enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

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Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com

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Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

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While the deadlift is not as tough on your knees as the squat, you may experience anterior knee pain when deadlifting. If you're wondering what to do when your knee hurts while deadlifting, we're here to help!

As with the squat, in the deadlift the knees are bent. However, there is less knee bend, less concentric muscle motion, and almost no eccentric muscle motion in the deadlift. Because of these reasons, we tend to see less knee pain with deadlifts than the squat. However, that does not mean you'll never experience knee pain with the deadlift.

In this episode of the PRS Podcast we discuss the "bottom" position of the deadlift and how suboptimal positioning has the potential to contribute to knee pain.

1. Depth (or hip height in the start position)
2. Bar Placement
3. Eye Gaze
4. Tension
5. Balance
6. Torso Position (in the start position)
7. Footwear

However, in the deadlift, there is one additional technical contribution to knee pain that we do not see in the squat.

Listen to the full episode on the PRS Podcast to learn how to address knee pain while deadlifting and what the secret issue is that you may be doing.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• 10 Minute Tip 6: The Conventional Deadlift: How To Deadlift With Optimal Form to Lower Injury Risk
• How to Conventional Deadlift (Youtube)
• The PRS Lifting Manual
• Pain & Injuries Podcast Series Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• Book a free consultation with a PRS Clinical Coach

If you're enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

Join our Facebook Community for free form checks, live Q&As & more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRS.Barbell.Mastery

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Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com

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Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

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Chronic pain, injury, and illness often holds people back from being physically active and participating in competitive or recreational sports. This may lead to identity loss, depression, and poor health. Medical doctors frequently warn people against barbell training with such considerations, but in fact, barbell training is one of the few things that can positively impact change long term.

Our goal with bringing on some of our clients is to share their unique stories, experiences with barbell training, and how their training has impacted their lives positively despite the negative medical narratives and belief systems surrounding barbell strength training in hopes that it inspires even just one person out there.

In this series of interviews each episode consists of a PRS client sharing their journey of overcoming injuries and illnesses, recovering from surgeries, and navigating changes in their lives and the role that barbell training has played throughout this process for each of them. These are just a handful of our clients that are truly inspiring and motivating and we hope that sharing their stories will inspire you, your patients or clients, or your family to incorporate barbell training into your life or continue barbell training during challenging times.

In this interview, we sat down and spoke with PRS client Keri who has been active since she was a swimmer in high school. After becoming a mother of two, Keri picked up ultra running and triathlons which she enjoyed very much but over time, the long hours, hard sessions, and poor recovery and nutrition took a toll on her overall enjoyment of the sport and physical health. Unrelated to endurance training, Keri has a history of chronic joint pain with genetic rheumatic conditions that affect her knees, back, and eyes and most recently experienced a major knee injury. After receiving conflicting information about her diagnosis from multiple doctors she felt lost and depressed.

We're sharing Keri's story to highlight how our athletic endeavors, motivations, and enjoyment ebb, flow and change across the lifespan and how barbell strength training has reinvigorated her, improved her mental and physical health, and sets an example for her young daughters, despite the various medical conditions she's been diagnosed with.

If you're enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

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Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com

Email: [email protected]

Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

Alyssa IG: @alyssahope_prs

When we see the heels pop up, knees slide forward, or a forward shifting bar path in the squat, we know that your squat technique is not optimal.

While this may not inherently be a problem or cause an injury, over time, a forward squat can lead to missed lifts, stalled progress, or unexpected injury.

In this episode of the PRS Podcast we discuss three indications that you're too forward in your squat and how to fix it.

1. You're moving too fast
2. Your descent tempo is uneven
3. You're dive bombing

Listen to this short, less-than-ten-minute episode to get all the details on identifying why you're shifting forward in the squat and which is the best technique in order for you to correct it.

If you're enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review on Apple or Spotify.

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Web: https://www.progressiverehabandstrength.com

Email: [email protected]

Rori IG: @rorimegan_prs

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