Training edition

Here's this week's round up of your questions! If you want to submit your question, you can do so here:

What are the best exercises to tone and strengthen the hamstrings? What's the best hamstring workout?

As always, there are no "best" exercises or "best" workout for everyone out there. There are individual factors to consider.

I do have a recent post talking about some of my favorite hamstring exercises: hip hinge movements (SL RDL, deadlifts, etc.) and Nordic hamstring curls to name a few.

I also have my exercise library in my app that has things sorted by muscle group/skill/etc. so there's an entire section filled with hamstring exercises (with progressions/regressions too)!

Can you explain the pull up method on the wrists you use for muscle ups? How can I increase my wrist mobility for muscle ups, etc?

I personally use the false grip for my muscle ups. I go over the false grip, why it's helpful, and more in the YouTube video linked below.

It's helpful cause you don't have to adjust your grip from the pull up to the dip phase of the MU, but it does require a lot of forearm strength, so it's not meant for those with wrist pain.

This is the method I teach in both the bar and ring muscle up program in my app too!

To start to build mobility and strength for the false grip, you can use some of the exercises in the YouTube video linked above, but I also have a follow along wrist prep session in the app too that would be helpful!

Shoulder stabilizer warm up for handstands

There are a few things I like to include in my handstand warm up depending on what my goals are for the session and the specific person's areas of weakness/what they need to work most:

Wrists:

• Mobility - quadruped rocks/circles are a classic
• Strength/activation - quadruped flexions/extensions or fists are classics

Shoulders:

• Mobility - of the shoulder joint and also mid back/pecs - I love open books with an overhead circle cause it loosens up all these things or wall windmills
• End range strength (including closed kinetic chain and open kinetic chain scapular stability and activation drills) - serratus push ups, bear to down dog, child's pose Y's, etc.

Flexibility:

• Back/hip flexibility depending on what the session includes (ex different shapes require different demands) - splits, back bends, etc.

All these exercises are in my exercise library in the Paradigm of Perfection + Train app and there are warm ups included in all my handstand programs (4 total in the app)!

I play baseball and always bat/throw with my R side. Any advice to train to keep my body even?

The biggest thing is to first consider if these imbalances are symptomatic. If no, keep in mind that asymmetries are normal.👌 We have 2 lobes of the lungs on one side of our body and 3 on another, it's normal to have slightly more hip internal rotation on one side, etc.

Depending on the sport you do, you may have more or less imbalances. Ex. baseball pitchers will have more ER on their throwing side and less IR - this actually creates a shift in their normal ranges over time too. Plus, gymnasts practice their skills only on one side.

If they are symptomatic or you'd like to minimize them, you can check out the YouTube video below - but remember, some asymmetries are okay!

What's a good daily stretch and mobility routine for athletes?

It all depends on the specific person, their sport, etc. As always, there isn't one best routine for everyone!

Generally speaking, a good general beginner daily routine would be my Anti-Sitting Mobility Program and a good intermediate program would be my Intermediate Mobility Program - both of which are full body mobility programs and are in the Paradigm of Perfection + Train app

I also have some mobility workouts on my YouTube that can be used depending on what your goals are too!

How or what flexibility do I need to improve to raise my legs below the bar in a skin the cat?

The toes to bar/leg lift and skin the cat requires a ton of different things:

• Hamstring flexibility
• Back mobility (lumbar flexion/bending forward)
• End range quad and hip flexor strength
• End range core strength
• Grip strength
• Shoulder strength

I also have an L sit workout in my app and the calisthenics fundamentals programs which have some progressions for these!

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That's it for this week! If you have any questions to clarify my answers or found it super helpful, go ahead and hit that reply button!

Don't forget you can ask your questions below to be featured in an upcoming email!

Best, Laura Kummerle No one is perfect, and that in itself, is perfect!

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