What if an old scar is causing your brain to erroneously map where your body is in space? In Part 3 of a series on the neural hierarchy, I speak with my podcast producer, Tony, all about the proprioceptive system and how our sense of where our body is in space lives not in the body, but rather in the brain. I discuss why the proprioceptive system is closely related to performance and pain, and how this system ties in with the rest of the neural hierarchy to make decisions about movement,...

What if your tight calves are actually caused by a deficiency in how your brain perceives balance? In Part 2 of a series on the neural hierarchy, I speak with my podcast producer, Tony, all about the often overlooked vestibular system and how it is integrally related to balance, posture, respiration, blood pressure, and potentially, pain and performance.  I discuss some clues that might make me suspect someone has a vestibular deficiency, how I can test the vestibular system, what kinds of...

The neural hierarchy is a powerful explanatory framework for how our brain relies on sensory information when we are active, but what if the vast majority of the movement and fitness industry only focuses on the least important sensory system?  Today, I speak with my podcast producer, Tony, about the neural hierarchy.  I outline what the three sensory systems in the neural hierarchy are and focus on the visual system which accounts for 70% of the sensory information that our brain receives. ...

Have you ever managed chronic pain? Or, maybe you've struggled to come back from an injury. Maybe you've had issues with your menstrual cycle as an athlete and need some tips on how to better care for your body. All of this and more is the reality of professional athlete, Lila Lapanja. If you're interested in learning how a Professional Alpine Ski Racer has walked through this journey and is coming out the other side with better health and performance than ever, you'll love this episode.  In...

The immediate feedback self-assessment process is a powerful tool, but what do you do if you're getting negative or confusing results?  Today, I speak with my podcast producer, Tony, about common problems that can occur during the self-assessment process and how to know when you need to make some changes.  I discuss the importance of body awareness, how changing the speed or the load of an exercise can change how your body responds, why negative results are just as important as positive ones,...

Understanding how pain works and where it comes from is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle when it comes to solving your own pain issues. Pain can be very frightening for people because they generally associate pain with damage, but this is not necessarily true. Today, my goal is to introduce you to pain science to help you learn about what pain is, where it comes from, and why it exists in the first place.  We cover these 4 main concepts: Pain lives in the brain Pain does not...

When you have pain or mobility issues, many will offer advice on what you should do, whether it's stretching, foam rolling, certain exercises or even surgery.  Today, I speak with my podcast producer, Tony, about how I think about applying interventions to relieve pain and get your body moving properly.  I discuss what happens when you apply a stimulus to the body from a neurological perspective as well as how to then assess whether it's helping or not.  I also discuss different types of...

Have you ever managed an autoimmune disorder or do you know someone who does? Engaging in fitness while managing something like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has it's ups and downs. The goal for this episode is to share some insight into how to navigate your symptoms so you can continue to live an active, healthy lifestyle.  In this episode, I interview one of our very own Strength & Mobility Dojo members, Alissa Frazier. Alissa and I talk about: How her MS symptoms originally presented and...

Have you ever wondered - what exactly is a minimalist shoe? Or, maybe you haven't heard of them but you need some strategies for improving your foot health. Today, I share my first introduction to minimalist shoes, how to ease into barefoot-style shoes and why it's so important to get your feet a pair of "ninja booties." I discuss some of the key features to look for in a minimalist shoe, how to perform a shoe test to identify the flexibility and mobility of the shoe itself, how conventional...

The hardest people for me to help are the ones that aren't moving on a regular basis. Today, I speak with my podcast producer, Tony, about why inactivity leads to all sorts of other problems downstream and why it's so important to maintain a regular movement practice. I discuss some of the main causes of inactivity, from pain and injury to sedentary lifestyles, and dig into some core concepts like the movement box and the pain vortex, that can help us understand what happens when your...

Have you ever managed chronic pain? And, maybe you wake up wondering what's going to hurt next, maybe it's your knee or your hip and then it's your shoulder. If you've ever dealt with pain and have spent endless hours searching for resolutions, this episode is for you.  In this episode, I interview one of our very own Strength & Mobility Dojo members, Dr. Shaun Puro. Shaun and I talk about: His personal experience with chronic pain and what it was like running into dead end after dead...

How often do you think about breathing? Breathing is something we do all day, every day, 24/7, and yet many of us have some form of dysfunctional breathing. Today, I talk with my podcast producer, Tony, about how I learned that breathing dysfunction is often linked to pain and other seemingly unrelated problems, and that fixing your breathing is one of my go to solutions for difficult to solve issues with my clients. I talk about mouth breathing and upper chest breathing vs nasal breathing...

Have you ever wondered how a young athlete becomes a trainer, coach, and educator? Or just how someone might get into brain-based fitness in general? Today, I’m going to talk with my podcast producer, Tony, about how I got started from a young age in fitness, and how my training and understanding evolved into the neuro-muscular approach that I use today. I go over my first experiences in strength training, wrestling and physical education, my own struggles with chronic pain and injuries, my...

Is your workout routine leaving you tired, sore, and stressed all the time? Or, on the other hand, do you feel like you never seem to make much progress despite sticking to a program you like? Is there something that you know you’re “supposed to do” in your routine but that you always skip? Today, I’m going to talk about balance in training, what it looks like and why it is so important to keep in mind over the long run. I’m also going to talk about how you can assess whether your own...

In this episode of the Kruse Elite Podcast, I share a brief story about how I injured my hamstring with stretching. I explain how using a "seek and destroy" mentality and chasing tightness with repetitive stretching is a bad idea. I introduce some simple solutions that are much more effective tools for when you have that stubborn chronic tension that just wont go away. And, how you can actually assess your response to any exercise that you're trying by using our immediate feedback assessment...

In this episode I'll teach you my #1 exercise for eliminating low back tension, improving total body mobility and more! I even take you through an assessment process so that you can understand how your body is responding to the exercise. I hope you enjoy this episode and, if you do, please leave a review on iTunes.Finally, if you want to learn more about the Diaphragm Stretch and other exercises for improving your health and performance  join our free community. Every month we host free...

In this episode of the Kruse Elite podcast, I introduce you to my favorite educational tool called the Threat Bucket and guide you through a simple 3 step assessment process that you can use to understand your body's response to any exercise. This is the exact process that I used to get myself out of chronic pain and it's the process that I use with all of our clients and members to help them achieve their goals with moving better and eliminating pain! I hope you enjoy this episode and, if...