Why Warm Up?

First up for those who mightn't read to the end, please SAVE THE DATE - 6th April if you're keen to be involved in a wine tasting evening. Watch this space for more information in the coming weeks.As we look toward the cooler months, Andy is having jackets and another run of t-shirts made. These jackets are breathable but wind and water resistant, and the t-shirts are super lightweight and comfortable to train in. If you're interested in purchasing either, please order using this form before next Friday. Below are images of the men's cut. 

Don't forget how important it is that you arrive in time for the warm-up! A warm-up is essential before exercise for several reasons:

1. Injury Prevention: Warming up increases blood flow to muscles, making them more pliable and less prone to injury during vigorous activity.

2. Enhanced Performance: It prepares the cardiovascular system, gradually increasing heart rate and oxygen delivery to muscles, improving performance and endurance.

3. Range of Motion: Dynamic stretching and mobility exercises in a warm-up help improve joint flexibility and range of motion, enhancing movement efficiency and reducing the risk of strains or sprains.

4. Mental Preparation: A warm-up helps mentally prepare for the session, allowing you to focus on the movements and muscles in use.

Starting the session together and on time is also the best way to make the most of your hour, and the opportunity to work together in a group.Thank you to everyone who has made the effort to get their sessions locked in with Andy on Sundays. This really helps Andy and Poppy with planning, and the commitment you make to yourself and setting the intention to turn up, might make the difference on a less than ideal morning. If you need to change sessions or can't make it, just drop Andy a message. Here's some highlights from the week. It's great to see some challenging modifications - excellent effort, Rach! 

Avoid Rehab With Prehab?

Welcome to Autumn! In the next few weeks a freshness will creep into the morning air, reminding you how great it is to start your day with outdoor exercise. Congratulations to those who sweated it out on Thursday morning in particular - I hear it was pretty tough.

Unfortunately, the mulching situation hasn't been resolved as quickly as we hoped, and sessions will need to remain at the skate park and adjacent arches for the time being. The change of scenery seems to have kept things interesting and certainly provided some variety for the photos. 

Hopefully everyone is feeling good as the warmer months slip by, but it's worth taking note of any tightness, lack of joint mobility, weakness or imbalance that comes up. It can be easy to dismiss these things as an unavoidable byproduct of getting older or working harder, but the reality is that without addressing these, many will eventually find it impacts their exercise. Some will need time to recover, others will fall short of their performance potential.

A better approach is to work some prehabilitation (prehab) into your routine. Prehab is a proactive approach to injury prevention and performance optimisation. While rehabilitation focuses on restoring function after injury, prehab aims to identify and address potential weaknesses and imbalances before they lead to injury. Once potential problems are identified, targeted exercises can improve joint stability, muscular strength, flexibility and mobility, which also leads to more efficient movement, more power and better overall performance. 

Shoulders, lower back, hips, knees and ankles are typical target areas. If you have more serious concerns it is worth having an assessment done by a physio, who will put together a personalised rehab program for you. If you are looking to make smaller proactive adjustments, I've included links below to a few videos from The Prehab Guys. Their youtube page has loads of content if you're keen to look into other areas of concern.

Squat Prehab

Hip Mobility

Running Prehab

In addition to targeted exercises, remember to focus on good form and engaging the appropriate muscles with good alignment throughout each session. Recovery strategies such as foam rolling, stretching and mobility work will also help alleviate muscle tension, improve tissue quality and reduce the risk of overuse injuries and keep you in the park at Daybreak.

Here's some photos from the week. Andy will be taking the session this Saturday, and looks forward to seeing you in Balmain! Have a fabulous weekend. 

Glorious Glutes

It's not a good time to be mulch. As of yesterday, contamination had been found at more than 45 sites across the state and sadly that seems to have included Bicentennial Park. Paul shared photographic evidence of the ugly fences (thanks, Paul!) and all sessions at Glebe from Wednesday onward were run at the arches (normally reserved for wet weather). Andy and Poppy will continue to monitor the situation and make decisions to ensure the group's safety. Hopefully you'll find interesting challenges at the temporary location and be back in more picturesque surroundings in no time. 

All evidence suggests Kathryn is having a fabulous time in India. I'm sure she'll have plenty of stories upon her return, but in the meantime, what a stunning photo in front of the Taj Mahal.

This week's focus is a big one: I like big glutes an´ I can-not lie... More is better when it comes to glutes, especially if speed is your goal. Strong glutes will help you run faster by literally pushing you uphill, providing essential power and stability. From a more functional perspective, they are vital to prevent injury. Strong glutes protect the lower back, hips, knees and ankles by creating proper alignment and stability. Where issues already exist, strong glutes can improve plantar fasciitis, decrease calf tension, and relieve pelvic floor tension and deep hip rotator pain. The positives don't end there. Years ago, my sciatic pain was resolved through improved glute function - what a relief! 

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to glute exercises. Lunges, squats, dead lifts, bridges, kicks, hip thrusts, and step-ups are all on the menu. Varying the tempo, adding weight and including isometric holds, are all beneficial in working slow and fast-twitch fibers to optimise strength and performance. Make sure you're mindful of squeezing your glutes to ensure good activation, and work through the full range of motion.

It's important to remember that a strong muscle isn’t a tight one. By definition, strong muscles need to be able to lengthen in order to contract. Tight muscles are often weak muscles that need more strengthening through their full range. The better active range you have in the hip, the more you’ll benefit from naturally using your glutes for everyday life. If you're working hard to build strong glutes, it's definitely worth taking the time to balance this with some hip and glute stretches (or a fabulous yoga session!). Your posture, balance (and butt) will thank you. 

Photos for the week are below as always. Have a fabulous weekend!