Testing Debrief FAQ (virtual)

(horizontal push)

Primary Muscles used

Pec major and minor, anterior deltoids, serratus anterior, triceps, lats, middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids major and minor

What does this do for me?

Being able to do pushups - the right way- means so much more than just bragging rights. While you might see videos or social posts of "influencers”doing lots of pushups and looking "fit", most likely they're recruiting the wrong muscles, leading to gaps in strength and opportunities for injury. If they happen to be doing those push ups well or right, no matter what they may be promoting, we guarantee those folks did not get there with push ups alone. We want our Spears Strongers to recruit the right muscles and succeed with pushups in a way that not only feels great to achieve but also translates to better living. The strength required for push ups is the same strength that will help us maneuver in our pursuit of the dust bunnies under the couch, in getting up and down off the floor playing with our dog, kids or grandkids, in pushing and dragging a trowel through the dirt, following through in our forehand swing on the tennis court, hanging decorations on the wall, or transitioning between certain movements in a Spears Strong workout. While the primary muscles in charge of this movement are in the shoulders, chest and upper back, the stabilizing muscles are in the abdomen and middle and lower back. Being able to hold our torso in alignment with our hips and shoulders, support our back and maneuver up and down in a push up indicates that we have the strength and the range of motion to perform well in our day to day activities and sport of choice with little to no fear of injury to our shoulders or neck.

Why Is this So Hard?

Many of us are stuck with shoulders rounded forward to varying degrees, with shortened/continuously contracted pec muscles. This is coupled with “stuck” shoulder blades. To put it simply, a limited range of motion and/or a reduction in the nervous system communicating with this area of our body reduces our ability to fully access the strength of the muscles listed above. Over time this can lead to muscle atrophy and compensating patterns.

Additionally, this movement requires many joints to move together. Your shoulders have to flex and extend, your shoulder blades have to retract (pull together) and protract (pull forward), your elbows have to flex and extend, and you have to stabilize your spine. All at just the right times! While we are designed for complex movements like this, having so many joints and muscles groups coordinating means that every limitation in strength or range at the shoulders, shoulder blades, spine, ribcage, neck, wrist, or elbows will make this movement more difficult.

How do I get better at this?

Improving strength and range in your shoulders and upper back, you’ll find that your strength improves greatly before you see any visible increase in muscle mass simply due to the increased nervous system activity! Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making push ups easier include elbow curls, clappers, pullovers, wall glides, hand leg opposites, cats and dogs, active letters, tricep bridges, inchworms, downward dogs, dog rockers, and many, many others.

Other movements that will feel easier as your push ups improve include downward dog squats, arm circles, holding your arms behind your head, playing tug of war with your dog, and carrying all the groceries in from the car in one load.

(vertical pull)

Primary Muscles used

Lats, teres major, deltoids, trapezius (upper, middle and lower), levator scapula, rhomboids major and minor, rotator cuff muscles, biceps and triceps.

What does this do for me?

Wall glides are a fantastic way to strengthen the shoulders and back, and open up chest and shoulder muscles that are holding us in a forward-shoulder position and restricting the upper and middle back. When upper and middle back are restricted we can begin to develop a hunched position that is often a major contributor to low back pain, that can restrict our hip movements, such as when squatting, and over time will shift our center of gravity forward, increasing our fall risk.

Strengthening these areas of the shoulders and back and being able to perform this movement well will make it easier to throw a ball, a disc or a spear, to swing a racket or a golf club, to get things on and off a top shelf, hang curtains, shelves or Christmas lights, to dig in the garden, to squat, to pick up a kiddo or a bag of groceries, to cross the monkey bars at the park, or to put your suitcase in the overhead bin on an airplane.

Why is this So Hard?

This movement will be more difficult the more stuck you are in forward-shoulder position, as is often the case for desk jockeys (whether sitting or standing), cyclists, drivers, and more. The more we have to fight tight, restricted muscles, the more energy it will take to perform a movement. For many of us, this movement requires a lot of fight because it requires reaching back and up at the same time, which are both directions we don’t often reach in our modern life and society.

How do I get better at this?

Work on your shoulder and back range of motion. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making wall glides easier include elbow curls, pullovers, upper spinal floor twist, active letters, cats and dogs, arm circles, dog or cobra push ups, and many more.

Other movements that you may see improve as your wall glides improve include pull ups, push ups, inchworms, downward dog squats, bear crawls, squats, lateral hand hops, handstands and cartwheels.

(hip flexion/extension/rotation strength integrity)

Primary Muscles used

Quads, hamstrings, adductors (inner thigh), glutes, lateral hip rotators

What does this do for me?

Lunges cover all directions of hip and knee movement, plus require a fair amount of foot and ankle movement, and a lot of stabilization through both lower and upper body. Therefore, while a lot of the work is in the lower body, our core needs to be really active with these too! Being able to do lunges well means you are going to be more stable on your feet, are more likely to be able to handle ballistic movements like running or jumping, are going to be stronger when moving side to side (lateral movement), and are less prone to knee or back injury.

Strong lunges will make it easier to put pants or socks on without sitting down, to hop across some rocks or a log to cross a stream, to tackle longer hikes with more elevation, to move quickly in any direction across a tennis, racquetball, pickle ball or basketball court, to carry laundry up and down the stairs, to clean out the back of the car, or to walk on the beach with your family.

Why is this So Hard?

Lunges require both big movements and a lot of stabilization, at the same time, while our feet are split wide so our points of contact and balance are spread way out.. We are supporting our weight and bending at the toes, the ankle, the knee and the hip, all while trying not to fall over and to keep our upper body stable and upright. There’s a lot for our nervous system to be doing with these! They can be restricted by both tight and/or weak hips, legs, back and abs. If your hip flexors are not able to lengthen enough, it will pull your torso over your front leg, making it tougher to balance and creating more work (and therefore fatigue) for your front quads and hamstrings. As you lower into a lunge, the quads of your back leg are being stretched out quite a bit. This can create a strong pull through the knee (where our quadriceps attach) which can feel painful or scary.

How do I get better at this?

Improving hip range of motion and glute strength is often the best first step to improving lunges. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that will help improve your lunges include shoulder bridge, tricep bridge, root kicks, kneeling groin, spreadfoot glides, pendulum steps, all variations of storks, all variations of squat, hero leans, downward dog, lateral leg lifts and many more.

Other movements that will start to feel easier as your lunges improve include squats, inchworms, downward dogs, bear crawl, stepping up (onto a box or other high surface), stepping over something in your path, running, walking, skipping and dancing!

(hip flexion/extension/rotation strength integrity)

Primary Muscles used

Glutes (all: maximus, medius, minimus), lateral hip rotators, hip flexors, quads, hamstrings, adductors (inner thigh muscles).

What does this do for me?

Reverse rotational storks are a “hip opening” exercise that cover all directions of hip and knee movement, plus require a lot of stabilization through lower leg, hips and core. Being able to do Reverse rotational storks well means you are going to be more stable on your feet, are able to or getting closer to being able to handle ballistic movements like running or jumping, are going to be stronger when moving side to side (lateral movement), and are less prone to knee or back injury or falls.

Strong reverse rotational storks will make it easier to put pants or socks on without sitting down, step over obstacles on the trail, to tackle longer hikes with more elevation, to move more easily in any direction across a tennis, racquetball, pickleball or basketball court, to carry laundry up and down the stairs, to clean out the back of the car, or to walk on the beach with your family.

Why is this So Hard?

This movement requires stabilization from our core and our planted leg, and a large range of motion from the rotating leg. Reduced strength and reduced range of motion in the hips can both be detrimental to balance. Additionally, adductors (our inner thigh muscles) are frequently a very tight and stuck spot, and they’re a sneaky one because we often don’t even feel them until we’re stretching them. However, adductors being restricted and/or weak can be a major contributor to low back pain or tension, knee pain and vulnerability, loss of stability in our lower body and a reduction in our stride length, which can lead to greater fall risk. During reverse rotational storks, we need our adductors to help with stabilization on the planted leg and we need them to lengthen on the rotating leg. We also need our glutes to be stabilizing on the planted leg and pulling our leg back as we externally rotate on the moving leg. It’s a lot of movement and simultaneous stabilization, through areas that are often restricted and difficult to tap into.

How do I get better at this?

Improving hip range of motion and glute strength is often the best first step to improving reverse rotational storks. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making reverse rotational storks easier include shoulder bridge, tricep bridge, root kicks, frog glutes and active frog, kneeling groin, spreadfoot glides, pendulum steps, all other variations of stork, all variations of squat, hero leans, downward dog, and many more.

Other movements that will start to feel easier as your reverse rotational storks improve include squats, lunges, inchworms, downward dogs, stepping up (onto a box or other high surface), stepping over something in your path, running, walking, skipping and dancing!

(vertical push)

Primary Muscles used

Lats, teres major, pecs major and minor, rotator cuff, serratus anterior, triceps, biceps, quads, hamstrings, trapezius, deltoids.

What does this do for me?

Downward dog squats require us to support our own weight upside down and hinging at the shoulders and hips. It requires upper body and lower body strength simultaneously, but also good spine, shoulder and hamstring range of motion. Being able to do good downward dog squats means you’ll likely have an easier time pulling laundry out of the washer, crawling on the floor with your kids or grandkids, pushing yourself up and down off the ground, pulling weeds, digging in the garden or pushing the lawn mower, following through on your backhand swing on the tennis or raquetball court, shooting a basketball, spiking a volleyball, or bending down to pick something up.

Why is this So Hard?

Downward dog squats are usually restricted by tightness in the spine, shoulders, hips and hamstrings. Every time you lift and lower yourself you have to fight that tightness, making each one take extra effort. You may also end up overworking the chest and front of the shoulders because the work never leaves those areas, due to being too restricted to get into the upper back and back of the shoulders. This can lead to faster fatigue. It also can be restricted by weakness in the same areas. In this case, fatigue will be the primary limiting factor.

How do I get better at this?

Improving shoulder and back range of motion and strength and hip range of motion and strength. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making downward dog squats easier include airbench, wall glides, cats and dogs, dog rockers, spreadfoot glides, shoulder bridge, dog or cobra push ups, all variations of leg lifts and pullovers, elbow curls, and many more.

Other movements that will start to feel easier as your downward dog squats improve include bear crawl, lunges, pull ups, all variations of squats, walking, walking up stairs, stepping up backwards, ice skating, inchworms, and more.

(core,quad,hamstring strength integrity)

Primary Muscles used

Hamstrings, glutes, quads, abdominals, iliopsoas, spinal erectors

What does this do for me?

Airbench requires all of the muscles of our hips and legs to be working at the same time. Because of this, it's a great movement for restoring even pull of all your hip muscles on your pelvis and thigh bone, restoring alignment in your pelvis and low back. Pressing your back into the wall will require both your spinal erectors (long muscles that run the full length of your spine) and your abs to be working, making this a core movement as well as a lower body one. Being able to perform an airbench well and working to increase the amount of time you spend in an airbench will make it easier for you to squat down to pick something up. It will also minimize back pain, make you more stable on your feet, improve muscle endurance so you can walk, run or just be on your feet longer, and increase your comfort with discomfort.

Why is this So Hard?

Airbench is a tough movement that requires a lot of muscular effort and endurance. Tightness, weakness and decreases in nervous system activity to core, hips, back and legs can make it tough for our body to recruit muscle fibers, causing early fatigue. Particularly, restriction in the middle and upper back and tightness through the front of the torso can make it difficult to brace the back into the wall, requiring extra effort to stay upright against the wall. Most people rely heavily on their quads when first doing airbenches, and quads are definitely a dominant muscle group in this movement. Working to get hamstrings active as well (by pressing heels into the floor) can distribute the work a little more evenly. Also, the airbench is such a great movement for turning these muscle groups back on and increasing that strength and endurance that many find that their airbench is one of the first and fastest movements to improve.

How do I get better at this?

Improving hamstring and glute activation, hip and leg strength, and back range of motion will help your airbenches become easier. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making your airbench easier include shoulder bridge, all variations of squats, hero leans, downward dog squats, root kicks, all variations of leg lifts, crunches, hand leg opposites, elbow curls, pullovers, all variations of storks, and many more.

Movements that you might find easier as your airbenches get easier are walking, squats, inchworms, downward dog squats, flutter kicks, roll ups, supers, bear crawl, and lunges.

(hip/back rotational strength integrity)

Primary Muscles used

Tensor fascia latae, iliopsoas, quads, hamstrings, rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, tibialis anterior.

What does this do for me?

Wishbone kicks test our ability to stabilize ourselves while in hip rotation and moving the leg. Internal rotation is a very difficult movement for most folks, but it is important to maintaining strength integrity throughout all hip movement. Additionally, wishbone kicks require a lot of core stabilization and strength, as you are anchored down at the torso while performing wishbone kicks. Being able to maintain this stabilization through the core as the leg moves through rotation, flexion and extension is important for maintaining a stable gait, for easy transfer of weight from one leg to the other as you walk, run, or traverse uneven surfaces.

Feeling confident with wishbone kicks will make it easier to hike, move laterally across the pickleball court, and squat down to pick something up. You may also experience a reduction in low back pain or knee pain as your hamstrings, quads and hip flexors begin moving better together.

Why is this So Hard?

Because of all of the aforementioned stabilization! That’s a lot of core work. Plus, you will have to fight any restriction in hamstrings, low back, inner thighs and hip flexors while performing wishbone kicks.

How do I get better at this?

Increase hip, leg abdominal and back nervous system activation for better strength and range.

Movements you regularly see in your workouts that will make wishbone kicks easier include shoulder bridges, root kicks, femur rotations, kneeling groin, standing pendulums, leg lifts, downward dog, cats and dogs, dog rockers, crunches and abdominal presses, hero squats and hero leans.

Other movements that will start to feel easier when your wishbone kicks get easier include pendulum steps, hula, walking or running uphill, squats, lunges, getting up and down off the ground, and climbing stairs.

(horizontal pull)

Primary Muscles used

Triceps, lats, teres major, rotator cuff, rhomboids, trapezius, glutes, hamstrings.

What does this do for me?

Active tricep bridges strengthen the back of the body, including back, back of the shoulders, glutes and hamstrings, while stretching out the chest, front of the shoulders and arms, hip flexors and quads. As your tricep bridges improve you might find it easier to stand and sit with better posture, throw a ball or hit a ball with a racquet, to start the lawnmower, to pick up something heavy, to put your carry on in the overhead bin while traveling, to vacuum and mop, shoot a basketball or throw a frisbee, and more.

You may also find that chronic neck and shoulder pain or tension are diminished, that you can run, walk or hike longer without neck or shoulder pain and without getting a stitch in your side, and you may have an easier time maintaining smooth, relaxed breathing during all activities.

Why is this So Hard?

Active tricep bridges challenge many commonly restricted areas of the body, such as the chest, front of the shoulders, biceps, back and hips. Fighting these restrictions makes it much tougher to perform this movement, and it is often accompanied by weakness or reduced nervous system activity to the glutes, back and triceps or back of the shoulders, making it tough to access strength in the muscles performing this movement. Many folks struggle with moving their shoulder blades at all or through full range of motion, and being able to contract shoulder blades puts this movement not only in the arms and shoulders but also the upper back, distributing the work throughout more muscles.

How do I get better at this?

Improving shoulder and upper back range of motion will help you recruit more muscles to better perform this movement. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making active tricep bridges easier include all variations of pullover but especially reverse pullovers, elbow curls, shoulder blade contractions, cats and dogs, downward dog squats, shoulder bridges, hand leg opposites, active cobra, active twist, pelvic tilts, lateral leg lifts, spreadfoot glides, active letters, arm circles, and more.

Other movements that may feel easier as your tricep bridges improve include push ups, lunges, pull ups, rows, a swimming breaststroke and backstroke, static run, walking, running, inchworms and more.

(total body strength integrity)

What does this do for me?

Getting ourselves up and down off the ground is crucial to maintaining good strength and function throughout our life. It requires full body strength and coordination. Burpees test our ability to do that at speed, adding in a test of our muscular and cardiovascular endurance. The more burpees you can do, the more ease you will find in getting up and down to play with your kids or grandkids, in tackling challenging trails in the gorge, in spending long days gardening or tending to your property, in taking on tougher opponents on the court or the golf course, in following a herd of elk through the woods, or any other challenge you may want to take on.

Why is this So Hard?

Because burpees are a full body movement, any and every area of tightness or weakness will contribute to how challenging these are. Plus, using all of your muscles and working to do them as fast as you can will get your heart rate up, adding a feeling of breathlessness to the challenge. Because this requires a lot of core strength and coordination, restrictions in back range of motion are going to restrict your burpees the most, as restrictions in the back correlate strongly with restrictions and weakness in the core.

How do I get better at this?

Know where you are restricted and weak and work on improving that. Full body movements like this will be affected by any and every gap in our strength and range. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making burpees easier include cobra or dog push ups, reverse pullovers, arm circles, elbow curls, inchworms, downward dog squats, all variations of squat, tricep bridges, abdominal presses or crunches, shoulder bridges, lateral throughs and dive throughs, and more.

Some movements that might feel easier as your burpees improve include running, walking, squats, flutter kicks, skipping and inchworms.

(total body w/ ballistic strength integrity) 5/1

Primary Muscles used

Hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, glutes, adductors, abdominal and back core stabilizers

Inchworms: Pecs, triceps, lats, teres major, trapezius, abdominal and back core stabilizers, hamstrings, quads, glutes.

What does this do for me?

This movement challenge is testing total body strength and ability to perform ballistic movement. Many of our day to day activities and sport/recreational activities are total body movements, such as carrying a laundry basket through the house and up and down stairs, or getting up and down off the floor to play with the kids or to clean, or getting groceries out of the car. Also, moving forward, back and laterally across the basketball court, hiking to a viewpoint for a photo op, carrying buckets of fertilizer or wheeling a wheelbarrow full of bark chips around the yard.

When you find this movement challenge getting easier you’ll likely also find yourself able to walk, run or hike faster and over more challenging terrain. Or you may find that you’re less wiped out after a day of gardening and yard work, able to keep up with your grandkids at Disneyland, or feeling confident accepting invitations to new, active activities with your friends and family.

Why is this So Hard?

This is three tough, full body movements in one challenging sequence! You’re moving from upright movement with stabilization to horizontal movement with stabilization, fighting gravity from multiple angles. Moving from wide squats to hip-width squats requires core stabilization as well as hip strength, whether you’re stepping or hopping between them. Inchworms require not only total body strength, but any restriction in legs, shoulders or back range of motion will require you to use more effort in order to fight or work around that restriction to do these.

How do I get better at this?

A major sticking point for all of the movements in this sequence is back and hip range of motion. Improving back and hip range will help all of the movements in this sequence get easier. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that will help this sequence get easier include cobra and dog push ups, elbow curls, all variations of pullover, downward dog squats, spread foot glides, cats and dogs, shoulder bridge, tricep bridge, crunches, upper spinal floor twist, dog rockers, airbench, and more.

Other movements that you’ll likely find easier as this sequence gets easier include walking, running, skipping, stork jacks, bear crawls, mountain climbers, and more.

(upper/lower body strength integrity)

Primary Muscles used

Triceps, rhomboids, trapezius, lats, pecs major and minor, spinal erectors, iliopsoas, serratus anterior, glutes.

What does this do for me?

Roller coasters are a test of upper and lower body strength that are typically restricted most by lack of range of motion through shoulders, hips and back, or by a lack of strength in the same areas. Being able to do roller coasters well means you are able to support your bodyweight while moving through the full range of motion of your shoulders and while moving your hips from deep flexion to your full extension. Which means improving your roller coasters will make it easier to pick things up from the floor, place things on a high shelf, hang curtains or lift your kiddo to the top of the slide. It may also become easier to follow through on your golf swing, run faster, and be on your feet for a long time.

Why is this So Hard?

Roller coasters often feel very awkward when you first start doing them because they require smooth coordination between your shoulders and shoulder blades, and upper and lower body. In order to pull yourself forward and stay low, you have to get deep into the upper back and shoulder range, which is an area that may have reduced nervous system activity and therefore feel very weak. The same is true for hips and low back, as you start in very deep hip (and knee) flexion and then move to the very end of your available hip extension. In other words, not only do roller coasters require enough strength to hold yourself up and push yourself up, they also require a very large range of motion in areas that are very restricted for most people living in our modern society.

How do I get better at this?

Improving shoulder, back and hip range of motion and strength will make roller coasters easier. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making roller coasters easier include elbow curls, all variations of pullovers, active letters, shoulder bridge, tricep bridge, hand leg opposites, wall glides, cats and dogs, and dog or cobra push ups.

As your roller coasters get easier, you may find that full push ups, planks, inchworms, lunges, squats, and many other movements get easier. You may also find you have an easier time walking, running, skipping, and crawling.

(upper/lower body strength integrity)

Primary Muscles used

Triceps, rhomboids, trapezius, lats, pecs major and minor, spinal erectors, iliopsoas, serratus anterior, glutes, tensor fascia latae, quads, hamstrings, rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus.

What does this do for me?

Active hand leg opposites show your ability to stabilize and balance while moving both upper and lower body through a large range of motion. Coordinating opposite sides will also help with balance, as well as core strength through twisting movements or movements with reduced points of contact (such as skipping or skating). Getting strong with your active HLO may help you also feel strong while vacuuming or mopping, chopping wood, dancing, walking over uneven surfaces, or going up and down stairs.

Why is this So Hard?

These are a much bigger movement than they seem like they would be, and challenge full body strength. As you reach your opposite arm and leg out, it becomes tougher for your planted arm and leg to stabilize the longer the other limbs get. As you bring them back and try to reach elbow and knee together, you are almost doing a crunch while still having to hold yourself up. The more engagement and coordination you can get with your shoulder and upper back, and hip and low back, the easier these will get, but often we default to leaning into our joints or just using the shoulder or the low back, so muscles that are more easily fatigued are doing most of the work.

How do I get better at this?

Increase nervous system activation (and therefore, range and strength) of the back and abdominal muscles for better core stabilization and less fatigue or fight through restriction. Movements you regularly see in your workouts that are making your active hand leg opposites easier include glute squeezes, root kicks, leg lifts, shoulder bridges, elbow curls, all variations of pullovers, kneeling groin, downward dog and downward dog squats, cats and dogs, dog rockers, and crunches.