JUNE 2019 | ISSUE 7

#QUOTEOFTHEMONTH

A message from Founder and Owner, Coach Tristan Mitchell:

“This month we are fortunate enough to be hosting The Foot Collective for a workshop and with that in mind I want to talk about something that I think is so important to your overall health and performance and that is; your feet. The foundation of any strong structure is vital to that structures stability and that includes your body. The problem for most people is that they have developed a weak foundation as they have aged and a major culprit for that is the footwear they put on every day. Think about what shoes are designed to do at their most basic function – protect the bottom of your feet from sharp and other damaging objects and protect them from cold temperatures or other environmental extremes. Your feet have 26 bones, 33 joints and thousands of nerve endings, they are very complex and that complexity rarely gets to express itself in the modern day shoe. Shoes should not be designed to stop your feet from doing what a millennia of evolution has designed them to do.

Most traditional trainers or running shoes are narrow and tight around the foot, not allowing for it to expand and contract as it naturally would. They are inflexible so toes and other joints almost never work through full ranges of motion, slowly eroding their ability to do so. Combine that with a heal to toe drop that keeps the calf and Achilles at a constant shortened state and the ankle gets in on the restricted range of motion party that your shoes are throwing. Lastly, they have a massive amount of cushion, deadening the sensory feedback to the brain and causing the musculature to become weak and in some cases almost completely shut down from what it are meant to be doing structurally.

Now this may seem like a dire situation when considering what shoes are popular and what are not. In some ways it is dire, Nike and other massive shoe companies have championed how their shoes will make you better for decades. But the reality is that for the vast majority of their shoes will simply act as a cast to your feet. A cast that is being worn all day, every day. Making your feet weak, incomplete and potentially contributing in a large way to other movement, strength, and stability issues up chain.

This is why when you are in Lions Den we do our very best to get you out of your shoes or into shoes that allow your feet to operate as they are supposed to because there is light at the end of this tunnel. As more and more information is becoming available about the negative impacts of traditional shoes (we didn’t even talk about office shoes!) there is a growing movement within the health and fitness industry to recognize the problem and be able to coach to some solutions. New companies are popping up all over the internet making footwear that is designed to allow your feet to work like feet. Providing the bare essentials what footwear should provide, and many are making very good looking shoes while doing it, including out guests this month - The Foot Collective!

I implore you to come learn from some of the industry leaders (who we learn from!) and sign up for this months TFC Workshop (details below) to find out how to build the strongest foundation for your body!”

THE FOOT COLLECTIVE WORKSHOP

Sign up here! If you are a Lions Den Member you will receive a 15% discount, email us for the discount code!

THE PRIDE’S PRIDE

Abby Richards

Lions Den is so lucky to have people like Abby who continue to inspire us through hard work and consistency. We know this is only the beginning of her fitness journey and cannot wait to watch her complete her first marathon! But she won’t be doing it alone. Personal Trainer, Lindsey Green, is going to train alongside Abby for the next year as they both do something they’ve never done before and run 26.2 miles next Spring. Give Abby a high-five next time you see her in the gym! We need more doctors like her.

#MOBILITY

Toe Mobility by Coach Joel Freiboth:

In support of this month's theme, and in anticipation for The Foot Collective workshop, it’s only fitting to discuss some extremely important foot mobilization techniques designed to reanimate the toes.

Toe Splice Mobilizations

For many of us, toes are a very neglected area of the foot and if not cared for are susceptible to abuse and deformation. Stiff feet and toes can compromise a person’s proprioception, and over time will adversely affect your athletic performance and quality of life. There's good news though, with consistency one can restore the structure, strength and suppleness of their feet and toes. The following mobilizations were first introduced to us by Kelly Starrett who gives credit for them from Kit Laughlin. Time is precious commodity so we recommend you apply this technique while watching TV, reading, or just relaxing.

Finger Splice Option

Barring structural malformation (i.e. webbed toes) fingers should be able to fit between toes without pain or discomfort. If not, this becomes an indication that the fascia is glued up and toes are probably weakened. This option will re-establish better proprioception and stretch out fascia at both top and bottom of the foot.

Spread and Pull Option

This is an extension of the Finger Splice and naturally follows it in sequence. This option focuses on individual toes and their pairings to again promote better proprioception and mobilize fascia.

These options are only a couple among several that can be used in sequence to alleviate any pain and suffering caused by chronic foot pain, turf toe, and/or bunions. Best practice is to make a concerted effort to eliminate use of tight and constrictive shoes and flip-flops (does not include sandals with a back strap) and replacing them with shoes that have a wide toe box to allow the toes ample room to express themselves. Also consider spending time barefoot and/or in toe spreaders designed to address stiffness and tightness in and around the toes. Spend time in them for as often as possible with the goal being to build up tissue tolerance. Daily toe maintenance is easy because it takes little to no equipment and can be done anywhere so there are no excuses. If interested in learning about the other options, a sequence regiment can be prescribed by one of our staff members.

Or, you can schedule a half-hour private with one of the “Mobility Nerds” or Coach Joel himself to get a more personalized session for your particular tissue ailments. We would love to chat with you about your favorites techniques and give you a checkup to make sure you are moving right.

TRAINER SPOTLIGHT

Get To Know Coach Jennifer Wallstedt

There is no better feeling than after you complete a great workout. Especially, when you push through a workout you did not want to do in the first place.

I really like the Japanese Proverb: ‘Fall down 7 times and get up 8!’ The body is an amazing tool: it’s smart, strong, and so adaptable.

Incorporating a variety of movements into your workouts can keep you stable, strong, and help prevent injuries from happening. I wish I had a more movement oriented strength and conditioning growing up. Maybe then I would have prepared my body to better handle the rigors of soccer.

I tore my ACL and meniscus when I was 17 years old. As you can imagine, I had to have surgery. I did 12 months of rehabilitation to get back on track, but the entire experience changed my life for the better as I realized what good exercise could do for me.

I had never looked at exercise that way before, improving my movement and increasing my strength to be able to enhance performance. Needless to say that I have never looked back! The impact that continuous exercise had on my rehab and has had on the rest of my life is huge. My goal at Lions Den is to help my clients experience that same benefits that I have and to help them prevent injury, enhance their performance, and maintain optimal health! If you are interested in a complimentary assessment with me to test your movements and learn more about how exercise can positively impact your life, contact me!

#ZEALMEALS

Meal of the Month: Brunch Benedicts

This month's Zeal Meal is for all of our weekend brunchers!

Why we chose it

If you like eggs Benedict, you're going to love their trio of Benedicts, offered only on Zeal's weekend brunch menu. With three options to choose from, you're sure to find that one of these entree options hits the spot.

What it is

Their Benedicts (and all of their other egg dishes at Zeal) feature eggs from free-range hens. Did you know that compared to eggs from caged chickens, free-range eggs contain: 

• As much as twice the omega-3 fatty acids

• Up to three times as much vitamin E

• Less saturated fat

• Less cholesterol

How you can get it

Stop into Zeal and enjoy their weekend brunch menu, Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30am - 2:30pm and choose between their three delicious Benedict options, all served with house potatoes:

#PODCAST OF THE MONTH

The Foot Collective #shoptalk Ep. 14 | The History of Footwear