Movement Upgraded Podcast

Getting older doesn't have to mean getting stiffer and experiencing more pain, injuries, and struggles with movement. But, if you talk to anyone who does experience those things, they love to tell younger people to "just wait until you're older". In this episode, I'll share some of my observations from people who tend to make these comments, give an overview of discomfort tolerance as it relates to movement, and share 3 simple movement habits or things to consider as you move throughout your day (that aren't just doing CARs).

If you've ever been curious about what you're supposed to be thinking about to brace during lifting, and what the difference between bracing and the valsalva maneuver is, this episode will clear that up for you. You'll also learn about intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), how it's created, the muscles involved, and why you don't want to think about "drawing in your belly button".

While injuries suck, they are often hidden learning opportunities. In this episode, you'll learn 4 of the big learning lessons injuries can bring, my favorite questions to audit your movement practice & identify gaps that might have contributed to your injury, and 2 ways people get stuck and miss learning opportunities during an injury.

For a long time, many people believed that if they lifted heavy, they would become more stiff and inflexible. In recent years, many of us have been sharing that this is not necessarily true and that flexibility and strength can co-exist. Yet, we still see people who are super strong that are also very inflexible. So what gives? In this episode, you'll here the 3 main reasons this can happen & what you can do to avoid it and instead ensure you become strong AND bendy.

Dealing with chronic ankle sprains can be super frustrating and keep you from doing things you enjoy like running or hiking out of fear of yet another injury. Unfortunately, it is common to have multiple additional sprains after an initial injury. In this episode, you'll learn some of the big gaps in most rehab for chronic ankle sprains & 4 things to make sure your training is including to get out of the chronic ankle sprain cycle.

Once you've gotten a taste of how good mobility work makes you feel, it's common to want MORE of it. And when you're active and enjoy the full spectrum of fitness, it can be hard to figure out how to schedule it all in. This is exactly what this episode is all about, thanks to a question submitted on a Q&A from IG.

This episode is dedicated to my fellow recovering perfectionists and high achievers. We're covering how this all-or-nothing mindset can keep us from showing up and practicing things in fitness, even if our performance is not quite meeting our expectations.

Mobility work tends to be a little more nuanced and specific than some of the other types of exercises. While you don't have to understand every detail behind the exercises, it can be helpful to understand a little more about them so you can get the most out of your efforts. In this episode you'll learn the 3 main things to understand about the exercises you're doing and how that can help you.

These are the 3 phases I have people go through when I work with them on their movement. It's a simple framework I use to select exercises and progressions based on the person's needs for their goals at that time. This episode is specifically focusing on applying it to exercises focused on building more control and awareness.

I am a big proponent of developing regular practices to check-in with our bodies. In fact, I work on it with most of my clients and have blogs and podcast episodes created all about checking in with and listening to your body. AND it is entirely possible to have a check-in practice that is too much or too often that it ends up stalling or derailing your efforts in rehab, keeping you in the pain cycle. In this episode, you'll learn: why checking in too often can be problematic, how checking in with your body too much contributes to the chronic pain cycle, and the beginning steps in finding more of a middle ground with this practice

Taking time away from an activity or movement can help you overcome a nagging pain initially, but most people I work with find that it doesn't help in the long term. As soon as they jump back into their workouts or activities again, they find themselves back at square one with the nagging pain or injury. In this episode you'll learn 3 of the big reasons this advice is keeping you from getting better.

"I hold stress in my upper traps" was one of my personality traits for a long time. While I'm not proud of that, it was my reality. What I failed to understand was that I wasn't special- we all carry stress in our necks as a normal physiological response to threat- and that there are more things that can be done to feel better (beyond just 'reducing stress'). I share all of that and more in this episode.

While the original "big 3" aren't bad exercises, they are not my most prescribed for anyone I work with who has low back issues. In this episode, you'll learn the top 3 things I do tend to prescribe or help clients work on when it comes to low back issues, and why I tend to choose them.

I've been lifting semi-consistently for ~12 years, and I wish I would have learned these 3 things much earlier. When it comes to getting strong, the main ingredient needed to drive those adaptations is intensity (and of course you need to be adhering to a solid strength program). These are 3 things that helped me tap into greater intensities in my training, and are 3 things for you to consider if you're looking to get strong.

With half of the industry recommending stretching and half saying stretching is useless and that you just need to strengthen, it can totally be confusing about which you need to do. In this episode, you'll learn why this is a false dichotomy (oops, spoiler alert!), what most people typically need, and 3 questions to work through to determine what your body needs.

If you've been lifting for a while and wondering if you're lifting heavy enough weights, this episode is for you. While any form of resistance training is a great start, to really see the benefits carry over into preparing us for the loads that life places on us, heavier loads and higher intensities are necessary. This episode will cover why heavier loads are important from a functional standpoint, the 6 signs that you may benefit from heavier weights, and a few actionable ways to start lifting heavier.

In this episode, we are covering the benefits of a daily CARs routine. Routines get boring, and sometimes simple daily things can feel like they aren't doing much or can have that much of an effect. This episode will remind you of the importance of CARs, diving deeper into some of the science of one of my favorite benefits: better body awareness.

Handstands are a fun skill to practice and can be a great way to challenge your body in a new way. In this episode, I break down programming for handstands, with some of my favorite ways to work on the mobility and strength needed for this advanced skill.

In this episode we're using a little bit of logic and a little bit of science to explain the chronic nagging tightness or discomfort you have, why it's probably (k)not what you think, some things you can do to change it, and why I recommend them.

I had no idea 2023 was going to end with closing down our in-person clinic that we had worked hard to build over the past 7 years, a cross-country move, and a major renovation of our new house. But that's exactly what happened. We essentially gutted our new house and restored it within 7.5 weeks - right during the holiday season. It wasn't easy, but it was a process that we were more prepared for than I ever would have thought. It turns out that a lot of the skills we work on when pursuing lifelong fitness also apply to other processes too. Processes like renovating a house. Tune in to hear how these things parallel and whether or not I think the process was worth it.

In the past decade or so, it has become increasingly popular to villainize static stretching. The trends have been to promote the more palatable dynamic stretching as the "good witch" of flexibility training. If you're confused about the difference between the two and which you should be doing, this episode will offer you some clarity.

This could alternatively be titled 'Things I Wish I Knew In Gymnastics." Training for your splits is no easy task, but it also doesn't need to be super complicated. If you've got your eye on splits training, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we're tackling another common rehab 'diagnosis' that gets thrown around a lot - a 'pinched nerve'. Learn what it really means, how it gets misconstrued, why I don't like the term, and what I prefer to use instead to help my clients feel more empowered.

It's that time of year again, so we're diving in with some reminders as you reflect on your past year & set goals for 2024. Wisdom accumulated from a decade in fitness + years of coaching sprinkled with some reflection questions to get your brain thinking a little bit deeper.

100 episodes! To celebrate this milestone, this episode is a little different. Ryan joins us to interview Jen about who she is behind the scenes. Tune in for a fun, flipped episode all about your host.

Trying to break the nagging injury cycle is WORK and it can feel super tough to navigate. In this episode, I'm sharing the 3 most common coaching points I work on with clients going through this process. Tune in for some golden nuggets of pain and injury wisdom!

We recently moved back to Indiana where both myself & Ryan were born and raised, after living in Tampa, Florida over 9 years. We originally moved to Tampa for chiro & DPT school, and stayed because paradise, am I right?! Over the years our priorities shifted & it no longer made sense to stay in Florida. In this episode, I'm sharing some of the behind the scenes & major life lessons I've learned from this whole process.

In this episode, we're covering the idea of 'corrective exercise'. Spoiler alert: it's not my favorite term, and we'll do a deep dive into all the reasons why, as well as what to think about instead.

Once you experience a taste of how great you feel doing CARs consistently or how life-changing lifting heavier weights is, it's very common to want to share that with those you love. In this episode, I'm sharing some tips on ways to gently encourage these behaviors, including a simple, evidence-based framework that I use for behavior change with my clients, too.

Four lifting cues to consider retiring (and what to think about instead). In the past several years of practice, I've helped a lot of people rethink their approaches to fitness. Unlearning cues or "rules" of doing certain exercises is always a part of this process. In this episode, we're discussing 4 very common 'cues' for lifts that might be worth reconsidering. A couple of them may surprise you!

If you've ever been told you have knee valgus or that your knees cave in too much, this episode is for you! In recent years, the fitness industry has been more obsessed with injury prevention, but sometimes we go a little too far with demonizing movements and try too hard to "correct" movements without evidence to justify such interventions. In this episode, we're tackling what knee valgus actually is, why there is a lot of hype around knee valgus, whether or not it is something to be concerned about, and a simple framework for addressing it.

It's not news that prolonged sitting & being sedentary is not great for us. Most people can tell how their bodies feel when they're stuck at a desk all day vs when they are able to be more active. But they're not sure what to do about it. Tune in to hear some advice on combatting the effects of prolonged sitting, especially if you're someone with back pain or neck tightness.

If you spend a few moments scrolling through mobility posts on social media, it won't be long before you're inundated with dozens of posts about all the things wrong with your hip flexors and all the problems they cause. They are the infamous scapegoat for everything in rehab and mobility, but are they really that important? In this episode we'll talk about strengthening vs stretching hip flexors and whether or not this blame is misplaced.

If you've ever been told you have a "hip shift" in your squat or feel like you notice some hip shifting near the bottom of your squat and worried what it means or if you should do something about it, tune in to this episode. We're breaking down this idea, whether or not it's actually something to be concerned about, and some common things that can contribute.

If you've ever been told your glutes are "turned off" or felt like you need a billion glute activation drills or have come across the 'diagnosis' of 'gluteal amnesia,' then this episode is for you. We're busting this myth while also breaking down what actually may be happening if you relate to these ideas in your own body and what you can do about it.

"Just do yoga" has been advice touted by providers and people all over the internet for all kinds of things from pain relief to injury prevention to improving flexibility and performance. While yoga has many benefits - some of which we will cover in this episode - it isn't the answer to every ailment, especially those listed.

If you've ever wondered about banded distractions or mobilizations, their efficacy, and what they're supposedly doing, this episode is for you. Tune in to hear some thoughts about these types of drills & whether or not they are helpful for your mobility goals.

If you've ever been told you are "quad dominant" or heard that term thrown around, this episode is for you. We're covering some of the problems with this idea, where it came from, and recommendations on how to address what is actually happening with people who are often told or feel they are "quad dominant."

The fitness industry LOVES to preach about the importance of discipline and how you just, "don't want it enough" when you miss your goals or struggle with staying consistent. We're flipping that idea on it's head and talking about what you actually need in this episode!

We're getting a little deep here discussing body image and nutrition, so if those topics aren't your jam, please skip this episode. But if you're someone who's started lifting and felt frustrated at your clothes not fitting like they used to, this is an episode for you.

It is not uncommon for people to have gone through multiple providers or bouts of physical therapy and still be dealing with the same problem. More often than not, it isn't your fault. In this episode, we'll talk about some of the main reasons the rehab you might have received wasn't what you actually needed.

Workout classes are very popular, but they aren't for everyone. In this episode, I'll share my thoughts on classes and their pros and cons, particularly on the higher intensity classes like Crossfit, Orange Theory Fitness, and F45.

"Injury Prevention" is a very popular clickbait social media trend. Of course it is, pain & injuries suck, and we'd all love to avoid them if at all possible. In this episode, we'll talk about why 'injury prevention' isn't actually a real thing, and what we should focus on instead.

Dr. Jen is joined by Dr. Ryan for this guest episode, where they discuss their thoughts on the idea that "it's all connected" and "where you think it is, it isn't" regarding pain and injuries. Have we gone too far with this concept or is there some merit behind these ideas? This episode answers those questions and more!

In this special guest episode, Dr. Jen is joined by Christina Montalvo, a personal trainer and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with an MBA who's on a mission to liberate women from diets, ellipticals, and bad entrepreneurship advice. Tune in to hear how Christina has navigated a shifting relationship with fitness & movement over the years and how that's changed her approach.

In part 2 of this mini-series, we're covering some tips on making the switch from conventional to a minimalist or barefoot shoe, WHY it's so important to approach the switch with caution and intention, and some recommendations for those not quite ready to make the switch yet. Tune in for a full breakdown on all the things you need to know! Learn more about the Movement Upgraded Mobility Membership Get 10% off Vivobarefoot shoes with code JENHOSLER

Shoe questions are one of the most common questions I get as a physical therapist. This is part 1 of a 2-part series about minimalist/barefoot shoes, where we discuss the benefits of switching to a more minimalist or barefoot shoe and what a recent systematic review says about the differences in running with a conventional shoe vs a minimalist shoe.

The type of goal we set can directly impact alot more than you may be aware of. In this episode, we'll cover why the main goal most people set in rehab may not be the best one to prioritize, and what to focus on instead.

If you identify as a recovering perfectionist, this episode is for you. There are alot of sneaky ways perfectionism shows up in our movement journeys, and before we can change it, we must be aware of it first. This episode will highlight some ways your (or your brain's) attempts to "get an 'A' on the test" are keeping you from making progress.

Believe it or not, boundary-setting is a regular topic of conversation I have with clients because a lack of boundaries very often contributes to alot of frustration and emotional spiraling, which can often affect our pain but also our behaviors. In this episode, we're diving into 3 of the most common boundaries that my clients (and probably you) benefit from working on and some tips on how to go about it.