Bill Hartman

Author: Bill

  • Friday…Catching Up on golf fitness, Rachel Cosgrove, and Assess and Correct

    Welcome to Friday…

    If you missed it last night, Dr. Bret Hoffer and I did a great interview discussing all aspects of golf fitness.  We talked for over an hour and covered some very important topics and shot down some common misbeliefs.  Even if you missed it, you can still hear it as well as listen to seven other golf fitness pros HERE.  For those that were on the call, I hope you took advantage of the special discounts.

    My friend Rachel Cosgrove has a new book that became an instant best-seller.  If you’re having trouble understanding why women have issues losing body fat, this is the book to get.  You can get it at The Female Body Breakthrough. She’s also going to have a terrific coaching program to go with it, so make sure to sign-up.

    Good luck to our guys from IFAST who are participating in the USAPL Monsters of the Midwest powerlifting meet this weekend.  If you go to the website you can see one of our mascots, Kyle, pull an easy 500 pound deadlift at a bodyweight of 165. 

    Assess and Correct  feedback is starting to roll in and it’s nothing short of spectacular.   Don’t forget to check out the FAQ is you have questions about it.

    Don’t forget to root for the Colts this Sunday as they take on the evil New England Patriots.  It’s always a great game to watch.

    Have a great weekend.

    Bill

  • Assess and Correct Q & A

    We’re already getting great feedback and questions regarding Assess and Correct, so I thought I’d start this week by answering a common question.

    Q: Bill, I noticed that you, Mike, and Eric use the seated 90/90 position as part of one of your progressions in Assess and Correct.  I read somewhere that some people had concerns about it irritating the posterior hip capsule.  What’s your take on this?

    There are some therapists and trainers that are concerned that the hip capsule can be stretched to often resulting in a “loose hip capsule” and hip joint instability.  My response to this is that it’s possible but unlikely during intentional stretching activities.

    If you consider the way capsular tissues adapt to stress in actually adding length, you need very long duration, low load forces applied repeatedly over a long period of time.  Doing so results in what are called plastic adaptations.  This means that the tissues adapt by adding true length to the collagen fibers that make up the capsule which is a relatively permanent adaptation.

    Occasionally, we’ll have to use this type of stretching if we encounter a shortened capsule in the PT clinic or in the gym, but it is truly an exercise in self-discipline and determination as it is not very comfortable and may last up to 20 minutes at a time several times a day.  Most plastic changes in the real world are a result of repetitive behaviors or postures that place tissues on stretch under low load conditions such as chronic postures or crossing your legs the same way for extended periods of time as many people do rather than the result of typical stretching protocols.

    Considering the volume of total exercise, the protocols used in Assess and Correct, AND the way connective tissues adapt to stress, it’s doubtful that hip capsule will be overstretched.  The exposures aren’t long enough to result in plastic capsular changes.

    Bill

  • Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0, Golf Fitness, and Assess and Correct

    Warp Speed Fat Loss 2.0

    You all know I’m a fan of Warp Speed Fat Loss…

    Well, Fat Loss Jedi, Alwyn Cosgrove, has just released a new (read
    ‘revolutionary’) workout that you can download right now (at no
    cost)

    This program uses Alwyn’s new ‘4x Method’

    Just a quick warning…

    This workout is intense!

    Give it a try this weekend. I’m told that there will be more info
    on this ‘4x Method’ next week.  You can get it here.

    Golf Fitness

    I’m going to be talking with Dr. Bret Hoffer as part of his “Golf Fitness Gurus-LIVE!”.

    If you’ve got questions about what are really the most effective methods to improve your golf game, you’ll not want to miss it.  I’ll be chatting with Bret on Thursday, November 5th at 9 p.m. EST.

    Assess and Correct

    Assess and Correct:  Breaking Barriers to Unlock Performance has been out less than a week and the positive feedback has been terrific so far.  Even before they’ve received their videos A & C users are remarking that the e-manuals and bonuses that you receive immediately make it the best training program they’ve ever purchased.

    Keep in mind that the new-release discounted price will last through this weekend, and then it goes up to the regular price.  Get it now.

    Have a great weekend.

    Bill

  • Assess and Correct is Here!

    assess-and-correct-3D-DVDR01Yes, it’s finally here.

    You can now get Assess and Correct:  Breaking Barriers to Unlock Performance. 

    If you’re one of the many who’ve benefitted from Magnificent Mobility and Inside Out:  The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up,  Assess and Correct will take your performance to the next level.

    You’ll start by completing 27 self-assessments to identify your key weaknesses and mobility limitations.  Based on the results of your self-assessment, you’ll select from 78 different exercises that will target and help eliminate these limitations that are preventing your personal best performance on the field or in the weight room.

    We’ve also added some pretty solid bonuses including:

    The Assess and Correct Assessment E-manual.  This is the corresponding manual to DVD #1 that you can refer to regularly to keep your program focused on your needs.

    The Assess and Correct E-manual.  This is the corresponding manual to DVD #2 that includes photos and descriptions of each exercise that you can take to practice or the gym.

    “The Great Eight Static Stretches” E-manual.  These are our favorite 8 static stretches you can use daily to complement your Assess and Correct program.

    The “Optimal Self Myofascial Release” E-manual.  These are the same techniques we use with our athletes and clients to allow you to work on your own soft-tissue issues.

    The “Warm-ups for Everybody” E-manual.  This manual provides 38 different warm-up programs for 19 different sports and conditions.

    Remember the special offer ends Sunday November 1st at midnight EST.

    Head on over to www.AssessAndCorrect.com for a video intro and sample from the DVD.

    Bill

  • Corrective Case Study

    I thought you might like to see some true results of our corrective programming at IFAST. I’ve been meaning to post this for a while, so I apologize for the delay.

    Rich Before
    Rich Before

    This is Rich. Rich was training for the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon that we have each year in May as part of the activities associated with the Indy 500.

    Rich came to us in February and had been running since Christmas. He’d recently recovered from his second knee surgery (one on each knee) and was having a lot of morning stiffness and some chronic calf tightness on the right.

    Rich’s assessment showed some rather significant deficits in hip rotation and especially hip extension on the left as you can see. He was literally stuck in hip flexion which resulted in some pretty poor glute function.

    His malalignment was so significant that you can see the pronounced cervical extension that he was totally unaware of.

    Basically, here’s what we did to produce the current correction:

    Identified activities that negatively influence Rich’s alignment

    Rich must drive a lot for his job and he tends to sit in a crooked alignment in the car. We had him jam a pillow between the console and his hips to improve his alignment while sitting. He also made an effort to stop and get out of the car more frequently. Had Rich not been compliant with this part of the program, I’m certain that we wouldn’t have seen such a powerful change.

    Identified range of motion limitations and the source such as short or stiff musculature or weakened musculature

    For shortened tissues we utilized eccentric quasi-isometrics and appropriate exercises that emphasized a range of motion to that would promote restoring muscle length. Stiffened muscles received more standard stretching protocols and mobility exercises followed by strengthening the antagonist to improve balance of stiffness around the affected joints. You can learn more about this type of programming HERE.

    In regards to his strength training, not only did it reinforce his mobility, but it also emphasized regaining stability, first proximally and then peripherally.

    All of Rich’s gym time was done under supervision of one of our coaches to assure proper technique was emphasized at all times.

    Rich After
    Rich After

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    As you can see in the comparison, Rich made some outstanding progress in his realignment. We’re currently working on a physical challenge for his upcoming 50th birthday and continuing to work on his corrective programming.

    Bill