All posts in Strength Training

5 Great Exercises To Strengthen Your Core

5 Great Exercises To Strengthen Your Core

As physical therapists, one of the problems that we encounter most frequently is low back pain. Did you know that statistics show that 8 in 10 people will experience an episode of low back pain in their lifetime? 80%! If you haven’t had to deal with back pain yet in your life get ready – chances are it’s coming! But did you also know that there’s a lot you can do to prevent pain/help it feel better? Whether you have back pain right now or have had it in the past, strengthening your core is one of the most important steps you can take in resolving/preventing this problem. Today on the Fit Stop Blog, one of our back pain specialists, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT will be sharing 5 of the best exercises you can do to strengthen your core muscles. Keep reading for more!

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5 Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing

5 Exercises Every Runner Should Be Doing

I love this time of year – the sun is getting warmer, the days are getting longer, the trees and flowers are blooming, and spring is in full swing. Of course with spring comes the start of a different time of the year… RUNNING SEASON! It’s time to get the running shoes out and get out there and hit the road! Did you know you can actually run longer, faster, and injury-free if you’re strong in the right muscle groups? We’ve got our resident running expert, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT here with us today discussing 5 essential exercises that every runner needs to be doing. And they are…

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Strengthen the hips to keep the low back and knees healthy

Strengthen the hips to keep the low back and knees healthy

As a physical therapist, I am in the business of prescribing exercise.  It is something I do all the time – all day, every day.  As a physical therapist, I am also in the business of treating pain related to the joints in the back and knees.  These two joints contribute a good portion of the pain that a lot of us experience every day.  At the Fit Stop,  these two areas (back and knees) make up the largest portion of what we treat every day. That being said, it may come as something of a surprise, that when I prescribe exercise for these two joints, a good chunk of those exercises actually have to do with the hip joints.  Does this make sense?  I believe it makes a lot of sense.  Today, one of our orthopedic specialists, Toby Bluth, will explain why we look to the hips when we treat back and knee pain, and share a few of his favorite hip exercises with you.

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Best Pre-season Routines For Little League Baseball Players

Best Pre-season Routines For Little League Baseball Players

“Pitchers and catchers reporting!” I love to hear the sports announcers say it. It means that baseball is right around the corner. Though there is still snow on the ground in some states, kids, parents, and coaches are starting to get their arms ready for the rigors of the baseball season ahead.

The overhead throwing motion is a very unnatural motion. Furthermore, for a growing &  developing athlete, growth plates have not fully developed. It is important for even the highest level baseball player to work through a gradual process of arm strengthening exercises to improve accuracy during the pre-season and remain consistent throughout the competitions. Today one of our throwing rehab specialists, Tyler Bluth, PT, MPT is discussing 5 important tips to ensure your little leaguer enjoys a healthy, productive season playing at his/her finest! Keep reading for more!

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How to fix chronic pain

How to fix chronic pain

We’ve all been there before. You have an injury that, for some reason, is hanging around a lot longer than it should. You’ve “tried everything” including ice, ibuprofen, rest/taking time off, and every rub/salve/pain patch you can find, and yet your pain persists. What gives? How come you just can’t heal like when you were younger (we get that question A LOT!)?? Well chances are you’re doing a lot to treat the SYMPTOMS of your pain, but nothing to address the CAUSE of your pain. Today one of our specialists, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT, is discussing why you might be hurting for longer than necessary and what you can do to start to feel better. Keep reading for more!

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10 Exercises To Get Ready For Ski Season

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Are you ready?

The weather has definitely taken a turn here in Utah! Like the fall leaves the temperatures are dropping as winter is fast-approaching. In fact I woke up the other day and, while driving my 8 and 6-year-olds to school, noticed there was some snow up on the mountain tops. They perfectly summed up my feelings about the upcoming season when they literally replied in unison… “SNOW!!! Dad can we go skiing?!?!”

While there may not be enough white stuff to shred just yet, we know that it is coming! Are you ready?! Some of the most-common injuries we encounter through the winter are skiing/snowboarding related. Fortunately, many of these injuries can be avoided with the proper strengthening in key muscle groups of your legs, hips, and core. Today on The Fit Stop Blog, one of our outdoor recreation specialists, Jared Beckstrand, PT, DPT, is sharing 10 of the best exercises you can do to get ready for the upcoming ski/snowboard season. Get started right now to ensure an entire season of fun, healthy shredding!

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5 Neglected Muscle Groups and How To Strengthen Them

5 Neglected Muscle Groups and How To Strengthen Them

Have a sore shoulder? Or maybe as a runner, your knee has started to bother you out of the blue, and you just don’t know why?  Or maybe it’s that back or neck that just won’t get better?  As a physical therapist, I deal with these problems all of the time, and I know how frustrating these aches and pains can be.  They can really set us back and prevent us from doing what we enjoy most.  However, I am a firm believer in the benefits of strength training and how it relates to pain.  Simply put, people hurt less (and reduce the risk of these injuries in the first place) by moving more and improving/maintaining muscle strength.  Even the most active among us (most often times ,the avid runner) have muscle weaknesses that need to be addressed.

So what are the muscle groups that get neglected the most-often? Today one of our sports-rehab specialists, Toby Bluth, PT, DPT, shares 5 of the most often-neglected muscle groups and how to strengthen them. Keep reading for more…

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