In this week’s SportSquire Wellness Corner, Brad highlights and reads an article (link below) that captures the science-backed benefits of regular exercise.

The 6 Science Backed Ways Exercise is beneficial to your body and mind:

1.) Reduces Inflammation

2.) Reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke

3.) Slows the aging process

4.) Promoted “New Brain Cells”

5.) Helps Treat and Prevent Depression

6.) Reduces risk of dementia

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2017/05/23/6-ways-exercise-benefits-the-body-and-brain/

Tune into this week’s episode of SportSquire as Brad Howell DPT, OCS and Brad Shupe DPT, CSCS discuss strength and conditioning and rehab of the Athlete including concepts surrounding ground based training, difference in competitive rehabilitation guidance vs normal patient, and dialogue around flexibility training concepts.

Brad speaks about his personal slide with running over the last month and some insights he learned as he “pivoted” and started the momentum up again.

Have you been slacking with your personal wellness? Use today to pivot and gain momentum!

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time.”

-Thomas Edison

Courage doesn’t always roar...sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow’.”

-Mary Ann Radmacher

In this week's episode of SportSquire, we address Strength and Conditioning Focal Points for Building a More Athletic Baseball Swing.

Brad organizes the episode through speaking about:

1. General vs Specific Training Principles

2. Importance of Athletic Development

3.Understanding the Importance of Translation from Training into Sport

4.) Having an Appreciation for the Breakdown of the Swing (Stance, Load Phase, Timing, Launching Phase, Follow Through)

5.) Movements to Focus On and Training Recommendations Within Each Movement (Squatting, Hinging, Lunging, Isometric Stabilization of Ant/Post spine, Pulling/Pushing, and Rotational Core Work)

Get with a good baseball trainer who has expertise in hitting and learn more about technique so you can better understand how to better program the training for these athletes.

Go BUILD better swings!!

In this week’s SportSquire Wellness Corner,Brad discusses the importance of structuring your execution and references the book the 4 disciplines of execution. The 4 disciplines are:1.) Define your Wildly Important Goals, 2.) Focus on Lead Measures, 3.) Create a Cadence of Accountability, 4.) Keep a Compelling Scoreboard. You can apply these steps to your personal wellness journey as well and Brad talks you through encouragement of how you can make that happen for yourself!

In this week’s episode of SportSquire, Brad talks about the benefits of Sprinting which include:

1.) Maximizing Time and Results

2.) Helps to build muscle and reduce fat

3.) Improves your core strength

4.) Sprinting builds power in an unparalleled manner.

5.) Improve your heart health

How do you pick which sprinting program is right for you? Mix it up based on your goals.

1.) Beginner Sprinters Workout:

1-min. jog

30-sec. sprint

Repeat 6–8 times

2.) Train Fast Sprint Workout

3x 10–12 sec. @ 85% effort (or fast but not all-out) at 8% incline

90-sec. recovery walk or jog

5x 10–12 sec. @ 95% effort (as fast as you can possibly go) at 1% incline

90-sec. recovery walk or jog

3.) Power Sprint Workout

15 x 200m (or ⅛ mile) at a hard effort

Do a 200m recovery speed walk or jog in between sets

4.) Hill Sprint Workout

Run ⅓ of the of the hill at a fast pace, then jog down at an easy pace

Run ⅔ of the hill at a fast pace, then jog down at an easy pace

Run all the way up the hill at a fast pace, then jog down at an easy pace

Rest for 2 min.

4 x 20 sec. sprints up the hill followed by an easy jog down

In this week’s SportSquire Wellness Corner, the emphasis is on making friendships an intentional priority in your life. There are many benefits to positive, healthy friendships and Brad covers some of the researched benefits for individuals who enjoy regular socialization with friends.

Challenge: take inventory and reach out to friends old and new to make an effort to make your friends a genuine priority in your life!

In this week’s episode of SportSquire, we highlight how to Unlock Your Potential By Learning The Science and Benefits of Consistency. Learn briefly about the Theoretical Theory of Consistency.

Topics Uncovered:

1.) Why is consistency so important?

2.) Why is consistency so difficult to execute?

“Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” -John Maxwell

“Embrace the boredom of consistency.” -Tom Allen Indiana University Head Football Coach

“Consistency is the most overrated of all human virtues... I'm someone who changes his mind all the time.”- Malcolm Gladwell

In this week’s episode of SportSquire, Brad speaks about the SEVERAL benefits of practicing regular diaphragmatic breathing. He also speaks to the negative affects of shallowing breathing.

When you breathe from your upper chest (shallow breathing) rather than your lower abdominal (diaphragm) you can develop pain in your back, neck and shoulder muscles, which can cause neck tension, back issues, headaches and migraines.

Posture is KEY! Try slouching forward and taking in a deep breath. Now sit or stand up straight and take a deep breath. Notice how much more air you can breathe when your chest is opened up and you are sitting/standing taller? Posture can hinder breathing and shallowing breathing can cause tight upper cervical/chest muscles that can impact your posture. Breathing and posture go hand and hand and if not checked can cause a vicious cycle of dysfunction that can be hard to break. 

Diaphragm breathing basics

Here’s the basic procedure for diaphragmatic breathing:

Sit in a comfortable position or lie flat on the floor, your bed, or another comfortable, flat surface.

Relax your shoulders.

Put a hand on your chest and a hand on your stomach.

Breathe in through your nose for about two seconds. You should experience the air moving through your nostrils into your abdomen, making your stomach expand. During this type of breathing, make sure your stomach is moving outward while your chest remains relatively still.

Purse your lips (as if you’re about to drink through a straw), press gently on your stomach, and exhale slowly for about two seconds.

Repeat these steps several times for best results.

Numbered breathing

Numbered breathing is a good exercise for gaining control over your breathing patterns. Here’s how you can do it:

-Start with inhaling through your nose for 1 second and double the exhale. Repeat the seconds of inhale up to 8 and always try to double your exhale time through pursed lips.

Rib-stretch breathing

The rib stretch is another helpful deep breathing exercise. Here’s how to do it:

Stand up straight and arch your back.

Breathe out until you just can’t anymore.

Inhale slowly and gradually, taking in as much air as possible until you can’t breathe in anymore.

Hold your breath for about 10 seconds.

Breathe out slowly through your mouth. You can do this normally or with pursed lips.

Use these tips to help improve your overall wellness TODAY!

Tune into this week’s SportSquire Wellness Corner as Brad unveils the history of the saying from the title of today’s episode as well as the benefits of eating regular apples if you do not have allergy or food sensitivity to apples. Years of research tell the story of the long term health benefits of eating apples regularly.