Welcome to the

SPC Archives

Find related articles and learn more about our process at SPC.

Search

Tag: injury

The 4 Reasons Exercise is Hard to Start and Maintain

Starting an exercise program usually begins with a detailed look at your goals and a plan to achieve them.  Showing up consistently is assumed. After decades in the health and wellness industry as a personal trainer, strength coach, exercise physiologist, and physical therapist, I’ve seen firsthand that the problem isn’t your goals, program structure, or knowledge of the importance of exercise. You already know regular exercise is crucial. Nor is the problem finding a place to work out, scheduling gym time, or getting the right equipment for home. The real issue is execution: showing up and doing the work.  Exercise is hard to start.  Exercise is hard to maintain. Why? There are four major reasons: Evolutionary Mismatch We did not evolve to exercise; we evolved to conserve calories Our ancestors developed in an environment with limited access to calories. The body’s ability to conserve energy allowed humans to survive periods

Read More »
Physical Therapy Tucson

The 10 Strategy Mistakes of Repetitive Injury When Exercising

Do you want to get back to exercise but keep on getting hurt? The merry-go-round misery of a repeatedly injured exerciser is a common complaint at Smith Performance Center. When someone shows up, our physical therapists listen to a series of injuries that seem to occur every time they get into a workout routine. The exerciser finishes rehab and heads back to their respective sport. The first few days go well, but inevitably the same problem comes back. In our clients’ minds, their body has lost the ability to stay healthy. They believe age is driving the problem, or the joints are shot. They think the activity they choose to do is too vigorous and must be replaced.  These are not the problem.   The cycle of repetitive injury is a strategic mistake. Returning to activity with a strategy We believe in a process called the SPC Phases. A phase at

Read More »
Injury screening process explained

The Dynamic Recursive Model of Long Term Development: A key principle in our strength training and physical therapy methodology

Why Do We Focus on Long-Term Development in Strength Training? Activity brings benefits and risks. Every step, competition, or practice is an exposure that impacts the body. The questions – how do I get better and how do I stay healthy – are part of a dynamic and constantly changing system (Figure 1). We can model that system to show how the activity, like running or playing football, impacts your next exposure. The Basics If you are a runner, you need to run. If you want to get stronger, you need to lift. If you want to be a great triathlete, you need to swim, bike, and run. If you want to shoot well during a basketball game, you have to shoot over and over. ​ You get the picture (maybe).  There are no prodigies (Ericsson 2004). Reaching your potential requires effort and time. However the very activity you participate

Read More »