Super-Stiffness

3001Fitness • Oct 23, 2017

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s Super-Stiffness!

 

Okay, before you start to get the wrong idea this post is not going to be about an all-natural “male enhancement” pill that you see on TV at 3 in the morning. So what is super-stiffness then? Super stiffness is the idea of creating as much tension as possible during an exercise in our body and joints.

 

I first learned about super-stiffness while doing my internship with Greg Streblow a strength coach and physical therapist in Cortland, NY.

 

How does super-stiffness help certain exercises?

Super-stiffness helps by preventing a thing called energy leaks. During an exercise you want to create as much force as you can in a certain direction to move whatever you are trying to move whether it be a dumbbell, your body, or a weight stake on the cable machine. Energy leaks occur when super-stiffness is not created and not all of the force is produced in the right direction.

 

If you remember back from middle school science class one of Newton’s Laws was that energy is never created nor lost. In this case during exercise if super-stiffness is not created often times the lost energy is going to go into unwanted joints and other structures such as tendons and ligaments. This energy over time can lead to some pain and discomfort in joints such as backs and knees.

 

Here are a few examples of how super-stiffness can help certain exercises

½ Kneeling Landmine press

In this exercise you can notice during the first few reps super-stiffness was not created. Notice the large arch in my back. A way I created stiffness was by adding a tennis ball in the opposite hand and focusing on a strong and tight half kneeling position. These helped me become super-stiff and gave me the energy used to press the bar towards the celling.

Squat  

During the squat video if super-stiffness is not created you will notice my knees caving in towards each other. This will cause energy leaks and add unwanted stress to the knee joints. During the next few reps focusing on spreading the floor with my feet super-stiffness was created and all the energy was used to stand up tall and tight.

Deadlift

During the first two reps on the deadlift super-stiffness is not created and my back is extremely rounded at the bottom and over arched at the top. During the second two reps trying to break the kettle bell with my hands creates super-stiffness. My back is in a much safer position so all my energy can be used to drive my heels through the floor. At the end I finish tall and tight.

 

 

 

Share This Post!

More posts ...

By Christina Jodoin 18 Aug, 2023
Several weeks ago I asked you to send questions you have about nutrition, eating skills or body image and I got a bunch of great questions! Thank you!!! In this week’s video, we are covering a question that comes up a lot: What can I eat for lunch that:requires little to no prep, will keep me satisfied, and is not highly processed? Do you struggle with that midday break to eat lunch like me?? Many of my clients have come to me really at a loss for lunch specifically, because they haven’t made a plan, and they either grab handfuls of random things together, go through a drive thru, or skip it all together! Does that sound like you? Well, check out this week’s video to see my recommendations for how to make sure those lunches don’t thwart your progress to reaching your health goals. As always, we will start where you are!
By Christina Jodoin 14 Aug, 2023
Eating at home more than going out to eat is one way to make progress on your health and nutrition because it puts you in full control. The trade off… eating at home requires having food on hand to prepare those meals, which requires time each week for planning and the time it takes to go to the grocery store. It’s work. Well, your resident nutrition coach (ME!), is here to teach you one simple thing you can start doing THIS WEEK to simplify your meal planning, save time, and save money. Watch this week’s video for a step-by-step on how to set up an Instacart account and grocery lists, plan your meals in advance, and order groceries from the comfort of your own home. With the convenience of online shopping, you can browse through a variety of healthy options and have them delivered straight to your doorstep in no time. Check out the video below to see just HOW easy it is to order your groceries online !
By Christina Jodoin 10 Aug, 2023
Are you a “perfectionist"? When you strive for perfection, you have good intentions. You want to take care of your health, feel your best, and live a long and happy life with loved ones. One way that perfectionism can show up in our health is through a fancy term known as cognitive distortion also known as all-or-nothing thinking. Striving for excellence can be a really wonderful thing! It means it is important to you to look after yourself! However, all or nothing thinking can also lead to disappointment, burnout, and self-criticism when we inevitably miss a day, or go “off plan”. When our focus is on getting a “perfect” outcome, we lose satisfaction and enjoyment along the way and lose sight of other measures of progress. Want to know one of the greatest predictors of long term success with any behavior change? FLEXIBILITY. Flexibility allows you to come as you are on your best day AND on your worst day. It fosters self-compassion, and helps you to keep moving forward. Check out this video below to find out more!
Share by: