Movement Upgraded Podcast

It's not uncommon to see multiple different providers for an injury and get multiple different explanations or recommendations. As frustrating as it is, it happens. In this episode we'll talk about why it happens and how to navigate that situation, as well as how to find a provider you trust.

The lens through which you view yourself and your capabilities can have a profound effect on your progress, either helping or hindering. In this podcast episode, we'll talk about the difference between a fixed and growth mindset, how having a fixed mindset can show up in fitness and rehab, with 7 very specific examples, and how to begin reframing your thoughts to move towards a growth mindset.

Understanding your own energy and how to manage your life in a way that supports your energy fluctuations can be a defining factor in making lifestyle changes. In this episode, we're covering the basics of looking at your life and daily tasks from an energy-management and cognitive load perspective.

In this episode, we're covering how I manage my own scoliosis as well as what changes I make and what I prioritize in programming for those I work with who also have stable scoliosis. Scoliosis isn't something to be afraid of, but it is something to take into consideration. Tune in to hear what I recommend prioritizing.

This could really also be labeled as 10 things I've quit doing as a movement professional, or 10 mistakes I've made in my 5+ years out of school because I have for sure done most of these at some point. It's inevitable to make mistakes, and we can learn so much from them. The goal of this episode is to spark reflection, whether you're a movement pro or a client.

Nerve glides and nerve tensioners are not a new concept. But they have gained increasing popularity over the years as our general awareness of rehab has increased thanks to social media. While there is no "unicorn treatment" that can magically get rid of your pain, neurodynamics exercises *can* feel like the closest thing, when they are warranted. Tune in to this episode to learn about your nerves, how they are often misunderstood, and where a lot of people go wrong with neurodynamics exercises.

Our brains are super creative. They are always filling in the blanks and interpreting the information we hear and take in. And most of this work is done without our awareness. Many people hold beliefs about their bodies and injuries and pain that they aren't even fully aware of, and a lot of my work is helping clients unpack those stories, and oftentimes also challenging them. Tune in to this episode for a small glimpse into what that can look like and a few ideas to help spark that thought process.

Early on in my fitness journey, I swore off running. I confidently declared I would "never be a runner". Then about 3 years ago, I changed my mind. Tune in to this episode to hear me get a little vulnerable about my relationship with running and how it has evolved over the years. If you've ever struggled with feeling like an outsider in the fitness world, definitely give this episode a listen.

A couple months ago, I shared on Instagram that I'd be switching my next block of training to focus more on mobility. I was met with some questions and requests to share some insight into what that looks like. In this episode, I share a mini-breakdown of what the first month of this block has looked like, how I'm approaching my training as a combination of some conventional strength and unconventional strength training mixed with mobility work, and some of the why. Some of it is a bit experimental for me which has been very fun.

This is part 2 of Alex Beasley's story. If you haven't listened to Part 1, go back to episode 57 first. In this episode, Alex shares more specifics in her attempts to address the movement aspect of her persistent low back and hip pain, as well as her experience with working with myself to implement more mobility training, and what she's learned from shifting to a season of addressing weaknesses versus chasing performance. Tune in to these episodes for a glimpse of the rehab process, from Alex's perspective.

In this episode, Jen is joined by Dr. Jocelyn Wallace to discuss rehab and care of women post-myomectomy/hysterectomy. Jocelyn is a physical therapist who specializes in women's health and coaches women to get back to pursuing fitness after undergoing one of these surgeries. Jocelyn shares her own experience with fibroids and surgeries, why rehab should be a gold standard for these surgeries, what rehab typically looks like, and more.

In this episode, Dr. Jen breaks down a brief overview of the difference between correlation and causation - 2 science terms we use in research to describe the relationship between 2 or more variables. She also explains why understanding the difference between these 2 is important, and provides a handful of examples to demonstrate how assuming causation can be problematic. Listen to this episode to expand your brain & begin to think about information and your own experience a little more critically.

In this short episode, Dr. Jen breaks down the answer to this question and where the dichotomy began. The explanation and answer will probably surprise, so tune in to learn.

This is one of the most commonly asked questions we get at Movement Upgraded. While the real answer is "it depends", this episode will break down some of the nuance and context needed to figure out how much of your training time needs to be dedicated to mobility work. Give this episode a listen if you'd like some guidance on the amount of mobility work we recommend for most people.

Continuing on our series breaking down some of the biggest misconceptions and things we work on for each body part, we bring you the foot & ankle episode! Each of the topics we cover in this episode could probably have their own episode, so we introduce you to some of the main issues we see in rehab and fitness with the ankle and foot. Topics covered include ankle mobility for squatting, banded distractions for ankle mobility, "over-pronation", chronic ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, and more!

In this episode, Dr. Jen is joined by Dr. Chris Pieton, a physical therapist who specializes in women's health. Dr. Chris discusses some of the main misconceptions and myths about pelvic floor physical therapy and provides some of her top tips for a healthy, happy pelvic floor. They're probably not what you think. Tune in to hear advice far beyond "just do kegels" in a conversation that just begins to unpack all the layers of pelvic floor health. Check out Dr. Chris Pieton's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@movewithDrChris

Britta is a strength & flexibility coach for pole, circus, and dance athletes looking to improve their performance, a true master of her craft, and a former student of my course Movement School. She works with athletes by blending weightlifting, flexibility, & mobility strategies to help her clients perform better and get the results they seek. In this episode we chat about the importance of weight training to support dance and performing arts training, common issues she comes across that holds her clients back from their goals, the importance of different seasons of training, and some of the science and why behind her big recommendations.

Alex is a strength coach whom I have had the pleasure of working with virtually for 1.5 years now to address some long standing back and hip pain she dealt with for years. In this episode, Alex tells her story and the different providers she saw, what she has learned through the process, and how it's impacted her coaching & programming for clients.

Stretching is an important tool that has received unwarranted hate over the past decade. While it is not a great tool for pain directly, it is often necessary to improve flexibility. In this episode, we're covering the most important things to include if improving your flexibility is a goal of yours.

While movement is a main part of pain management, there are handfuls of other tools and lifestyle factors that physical therapists can (and should) address that have a major impact on chronic pain. In this episode, we're covering one of our favorite tools that I implement with almost every client in some way shape or form. Tune in to learn what it is & some of the simple ways I have clients implement it.

Most injuries happen from doing too much too soon, after not doing enough for too long. When we have new fitness goals, or aim to increase how much movement we're doing, it's important to keep in mind that adaptations in our bodies take time. In this episode, you'll learn 3 tips or things to consider so you don't get sidelined with an injury or burnout.

January always brings a fun energy for goal-setting and self-reflection. But coming off a hectic period of the holidays with our schedules thrown off, this may not be the best time to do so. In this episode, Jen shares some of the things she's learned making changes over the past decade, and a few things to consider before heading down the introspective path to set goals.

Another episode in the series where we break down different joints/areas of the body and discuss common themes about rehabbing them. In this episode, Dr. Ryan joins Dr. Jen in discussing common issues or missing links we see in rehab of the knee, the main things we focus on, and a few tips or things to consider if you're struggling with neck pain, tightness, or discomfort.

"Listening to your body" is one of the pieces of advice that is often well-intentioned, but usually unhelpful. In this episode, Dr. Jen walks you through how to begin to cultivate a relationship with your body that lends a hand to implementing this advice. Spoiler alert: it's less about a skill that you master and more about a practice that you implement.

Another episode in the series where we break down different joints/areas of the body and discuss common themes about rehabbing them. In this episode, Dr. Ryan joins Dr. Jen in discussing common issues or missing links we see in rehab of the shoulder, the main things we focus on, and a few tips or things to consider if you're struggling with shoulder pain, tightness, or discomfort.

These are 3 of the most popular exercises given to people for rehab for anything from low back pain to plantar fasciitis. And they also happen to be unhelpful for most people. Tune in to this episode to learn why Dr. Jen hates to see these exercises prescribed so much, why they get prescribed so often, and things to look for when working with a clinician to ensure you get results you want.

Valleys and plateaus when you're working towards a goal are not only common, but expected. While they can be super frustrating, there's often some logical explanation for why you're not seeing the results you want. In this episode, we're covering 3 tips for when you're struggling with a valley or plateau in your progress, one of which might surprise you.

Another episode in the series where we break down different joints/areas of the body and discuss common themes about rehabbing them. In this episode, Dr. Ryan joins Dr. Jen in discussing common issues we see in rehab of the neck, the main things we focus on, and a few tips or things to consider if you're struggling with neck pain, tightness, or discomfort.

The idea of doing breathwork has become increasingly popular over the past several years, which is awesome because we're finally beginning to see and understand the effects if can have on our bodies and health. Unfortunately, it has become a bit of a buzzword with generic advice like "do breathwork," which isn't entirely actionable. In this episode, you'll learn 4 different types of breathwork, and what they can do for your body. This will be particularly helpful if you're a coach or clinician wanting clarity on programming breathwork for your clients.

Perfecting your lifting form has been touted as the cure-all for everything, including preventing injuries. But how much does it really matter? Has it been overemphasized? Can we even define the perfect lifting form? Tune in to hear Drs. Ryan & Jen discuss these answers and more about lifting form.

The holidays have either already begun or are just around the corner, which for most people can mean a busier time with more things to manage, more appointments and people to see, more responsibilities, schedule changes, and to top it all off, less daylight. This often leads to fitness and self-care taking a back seat, which isn't ideal for most people. Tune in to this episode for a couple tips to avoid giving up on movement and self-care all together, so you don't have to "start all over again" after the New Year.

If you've dabbled in mobility work, you've most likely experienced the infamous muscle spasm/cramp that happens when exploring previously uncharted territory. In this episode, Dr. Jen explains why muscle cramps happen during mobility work (spoiler alert: it's more than just a lack of potassium that can be solved by eating a banana), what insight that gives us on our mobility journey, and what you should do about it if/when you experience it.

Have you ever gotten into a groove with fitness, seen some results, and then life happened and you weren't able to continue along your routine? And you get super upset and maybe a little angry and stressed about not being able to continue? And maybe because you can't sustain what you've done, you give up all together? This is the trajectory of a lot of people. It is unrealistic to expect your fitness routine to look the same for the rest of your life. We cannot expect our bodies to always tolerate pushing our fitness at a high intensity and chasing PRs. In this episode, we breakdown what different seasons of training might look like, and how to make peace with the particular season you are in. Tune in for a little help with your mindset around being into fitness for the long haul.

Special guest Dr. Lauren Rivera joins us to bring education surrounding the TMJ and orofacial pain. Tune in to this episode to learn about the TMJ, TMD, and other disorders that can contribute to jaw, head, and neck pain; as well as some actionable habits you can start working on now if you suffer from jaw pain, clicking and popping, or teeth grinding.

Recovery has without a doubt become a major buzzword. From tools and gadgets to cold exposure, there are all kinds of opinions on the next best way to "hack" your recovery. In this episode, we're chatting about what recovery really is and why we should even care about it, as well as 4 of the main evidence-based ways to "hack" your way to better recovery.

If you spend a few minutes on a social media explore tab looking at movement & exercise recommendations for pain or mobility, it won't be long before the word "posture" gets thrown around as the end-all be-all answer to overcoming pain. Whether it's forward head posture, upper cross syndrome, or anterior pelvic tilt, it's all centered around one thing: your posture. In this episode, Dr. Ryan Hosler joins me to chat about what posture really is, whether or not it's something you need to address, and more.

Most people start exercising with an aesthetic goal in mind. Of course they do - it's the way exercise is packaged to us, especially to women. However, exercise has so much more to offer us than that. In this episode, we're diving into the repercussions of an aesthetics-only mindset as well as how to begin making the switch towards looking at fitness as a means to a better life overall.

A lot of people think that going through rehab means pain will go away entirely, but that's not always the case. Most rehab timelines include bouts of increased pain, especially if this is something that has been a chronic issue for a while. In this episode, Dr. Jen coves 3 tips she gives all her clients for navigating a flare-up of an old injury. Tune in to hear her recommendations - they might surprise you compared to the old traditional recommendations of sitting on an ice pack and resting.

Navigating the rehab process for a nagging injury can be super frustrating. It's not as simple as it may be portrayed on popular social media accounts. It takes a lot of awareness and digging to uncover the big contributing factors to your nagging pain. Today, we're covering the top 4 reasons people experience pain flare-ups. They probably aren't what you think!

I've mentioned these in most of the episodes so far, so it only makes sense to dedicate an entire podcast episode to explaining CARs. We're covering what they are, why they are important, what benefits they offer, and how I like to coach people to do them.

I have earned the title "protein queen" from close friends & family because of my "obsession" with protein. While I am far from obsessed, I do pay a significant amount of attention to my protein intake for the reasons discussed in this episode- from managing hunger & cravings to mitigating injuries. Tune in to hear why it's important, how much is recommended, and some tips & tricks to getting the amount you need (it requires more effort than we think to get enough protein and most women I work with are not consuming enough). Show Notes Resources: https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

We talk alot about "tissues" and training tissues or remodeling tissues, but what the heck does that really mean? In this episode, we're answering that question. Be prepared to look at exercise from an entirely different lens than you're used to!

After almost 5 years in practice and working with thousands of people, it has become obvious that most people don't fully understand physical therapy and rehab. In this episode, we're diving into the 3 most common misconceptions patients we've worked with (and people we've talked to) have about rehab and why it's closer to fitness coaching than your typical doctor visit.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to work with us to tackle a nagging injury, tune in to this episode. We're diving into what an assessment looks like as well as what you can expect from us and what we require from our clients to help them achieve their goals.

I'm never shy when it comes to my disappointment with DPT school. While much of what I hoped to learn was glazed over or hardly touched on, there were a few things the education and process really helped me learn. In this episode, we'll cover the 3 biggest unexpected things I learned or developed through DPT school, AND we even touch on how my understanding of the differences between a trainer and a physical therapist changed as I went through school and began practicing.

It can very often feel like there isn't enough time in the day to take care of ourselves. With the new-er focus on mobility, it can easily get overwhelming with how much there is to work on and how little time there is to do the work. If you've ever wondered how much time you should be dedicating to mobility work, this episode is for you!

While strength programming has really progressed in recent years, there are still some things that could be upgraded for better results. We definitely can't prevent injuries, but we can do better to address common issues most people face as they get older. Tune in to this episode to learn the 3 things you can upgrade in your strength programming to help mitigate injuries.

It can be so frustrating to work on your mobility and feel like nothing is happening. Mobility work progress is definitely like watching paint dry - slow and boring. BUT there should still be progress. If you're struggling with results, tune in to this podcast to learn one of the most common reasons that's happening. It might surprise you!

Learning something new is never easy. Yet as adults, we sometimes put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be good at everything we try, and then we get frustrated when we don't succeed. Mobility work is no different. In this episode, we cover the journey I take clients through - the 4 stages of learning, what that looks like at each stage, and signs you're progressing at each stage.

In this episode, Dr. Jen breaks down 3 of her favorite ways to implement mobility work into strength training programs. Programming is a science and an art, which means there are many ways to achieve similar results. The goal of this episode is to keep things simple and to not overwhelm you with an abundance of options. If you are a coach interested in programming mobility or a movement nerd who likes to program for yourself, definitely listen to this episode.