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The American PT concept for runners regeneration

by with No Comment Regeneration EN

Winter is characterized by cold, early darkness and inconsistent weather conditions. These conditions often interfere with running training and force regular runners to take long breaks during the cold months. Whereas in summer long laps are performed after work, in the winter regeneration phase the focus is increasingly on short but effective runs and additional indoor training.

We have developed a sophisticated training plan to guide you through the winter months and treat minor instabilities from the previous season that can rob you of your strength and performance and in the long term lead to dysfunctions and injuries. In order to find and eliminate these dysfunctions, we pay increased emphasis on your breathing, movement and fitness.

Breathing

Before we can move properly, we must breathe properly. Breathing gives us stability and at the same time guarantees full mobility. A dysfunctional breathing can cause painful tension and back pain. The result is pain, careful movement and lost training days. To avoid this, we work specifically on your breathing technique for more energy and performance.

Movement

Movement is the foundation of all sports. To move freely, we depend on mobility and stability. If any of these are missing, energy leaks occur. They rob us of a lot of strength and lead to unnecessary wear and tear of our joints and ligaments. With the so-called runner’s TÜV we can recognize injuries and dysfunctions and correct them with specific exercises.

Fitness

In order to achieve optimal performance in training and competition, we need to be sufficiently fit. Running requires strength and stability in our posture, a lot of endurance to maintain this strength over several kilometers and explosive power when the finish line is in sight. During the quiet winter months, the focus for runners should therefore be on stabilizing the back and trunk muscles, so-called core training, functional and joint-gentle muscle building and fascial training to prevent shortening of the tendons and muscles in the legs.

  • First we treat all pain and movement restrictions (e.g. blockages) with
    Chiropractic, dry needling, fascial treatment and various physiotherapeutical
    techniques.
  • Next we test breathing, movement and fitness. In case of dysfunctions, corrective
    exercises offered.
  •  If we can‘t find any dysfunctions, we offer individual training, training plans and group training to prepare for the next season.

American PT will help you enjoy running again and optimize your performance so you can get back on track in spring.

Yours Michael Boettcher

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EMS- intense, effective and time-saving

by with No Comment Performance PackagePersonal Training EN

What is EMS?

Electrical muscle stimulation (or EMS) is a new training method in which the muscles are made to tense up by electrical impulses. A special suit equipped with electrodes directs the impulses to the specific muscle groups and causes them to contract. This principle, in contrast to normal training, allows deeper lying muscles to be accessed. Sports scientists and physiotherapists use this method to build up strength, increase performance or to recover after an injury.

 

How does EMS work?

With every movement we make in everyday life, the brain sends a command to tense the corresponding muscles by means of bioelectric impulses. During EMS training, this principle is amplified many times over, meaning that the muscles are put under much greater tension. Various training modules can be used to train individual muscle groups or stimulate the metabolic process. When used regularly, this time-saving and highly effective whole-body training does not only have a positive effect on general fitness and performance, but can also strengthen the back muscles in a targeted manner. The skin and connective tissue also benefit from EMS training. The contractions stimulate the blood circulation and thus demonstrably reduce cellulite.

 

How often is training performed?

Only twenty minutes of EMS training per week are sufficient to achieve training success. The pulse strength can be gradually adjusted according to the fitness level. To increase the training effect, we combine conventional training with weights or TRX bands with EMS training in a wireless suit. This allows freedom of movement and expands the training possibilities a lot.

 

What are the advantages of EMS-Training?

EMS-Training is versatile and is particularly suitable for strengthening back muscles, which are often neglected in everyday life. It can also be used to eliminate muscular imbalances. Through targeted training of the deep muscles, EMS-Training loosens tension and stimulates blood circulation. This in turn strengthens the connective tissue and ensures a finer skin texture – and all this with only 20 minutes of training per week.

Have we aroused your interest? Then book an appointment for EMS training today. We look forward to meeting you!

 

Your American PT Team

Krankengymnastic am Gerät

Pelvic floor training

by with No Comment Physiotherapy

Why the pelvic floor muscles support our entire body center

Pelvic floor muscle dysfunctions are widespread in our society, but are still kept out of public talk. Women are most often affected, especially after one or more pregnancies. But the muscles of the pelvic floor also slowly weaken in men over the age of 75. Targeted exercises can provide relief and help those affected to enjoy a better quality of life.

What is the pelvic floor?

In medicine, the pelvic floor is the area in the pelvic cavity between the pubic bone and the coccyx, which is interwoven with connective tissue and muscles. The pelvic floor consists of several layers of muscles, tendons and tissues, holds the organs in place and ensures controlled opening and closing of the body’s orifices.

What muscles are there in the pelvic floor?

The muscles in the pelvic floor are arranged in three layers that effectively close the entire pelvic outlet. These three layers stabilize the position of organs in the abdominal cavity and the back. If the pelvic floor is overly stressed, problems such as bladder weakness can occur. This happens, for example, during childbirth, but can also be triggered by obesity or heavy lifting.

How does a weak pelvic floor feel?

In women and men alike, the pelvic floor can be weakened by obesity, physical overload, poor posture, pelvic surgery and, in some cases, medication. The most common symptoms that occur with a weak pelvic floor include, urinary incontinence and lower abdominal pain.

What are the possible consequences of weakened pelvic floor muscles?

Overstretching and overloading the stabilizing muscle layers in the pelvic floor can lead to bladder weakness or even lowering of the internal organs. Accordingly, such pelvic floor weakness can have serious consequences. For prevention, regular pelvic floor exercises under the guidance of a physiotherapist are advisable.

What treatment options are available?

Regular pelvic floor exercises can help to strengthen the weak muscles in the pelvic floor. If the symptoms are already present, they can be treated well with targeted exercises for the pelvic floor. The physiotherapist can create an individual exercise program for this purpose and accompany the execution of the exercises accordingly. The pelvic floor can only function properly when load and resilience are in balance.

Yours Michael Boettcher

 

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Stretching – lengthen your muscles

by with No Comment Personal Training ENPhysiotherapyRegeneration EN

Stretching exercises maintain the flexibility of muscles and the mobility of joints, which is a prerequisite for a healthy musculoskeletal system. Stretching can also improve training performance, relieve tension and reduce stress.

An indispensable part of professional sports

That’s why stretching exercises are a must in professional sports. If the sport requires particularly explosive movements or flexibility, stretching afterwards is indispensable. It increases flexibility, reduces muscle shortening and has a positive effect on performance. Stretching should be done for at least five minutes after each fitness session to promote recovery. One-sided movement patterns and incorrect posture can also be corrected through stretching exercises.

Effects on the musculoskeletal system

In the long term, stretching primarily improves the mobility of joints and surrounding structures. Tendons and ligaments are strengthened, and muscular imbalances are corrected in the short term by lengthening shortened muscles, thus reducing tension in the muscle. Additionally, it can reduce stress and restore circulation.

In the field of physical therapy, stretching is used to reduce muscular imbalances and correct problems caused by muscle shortening, as well as speed recovery from injuries.

Stretching correctly

However, to avoid injury, some important rules should be followed when stretching:

  • Stretch dynamically before the fitness session, as the muscles are not yet warmed up and thus injuries can easily occur.
  • The movements should be performed slowly and in a controlled manner
  • It is better to do static stretches after the training session.
  • Do not forget to breathe
  • The pain should be sustainable at all times
  • Always stretch on a non-slip surface

Static and dynamic stretching

Static stretching involves trying to pull the muscle to be stretched as far as possible and holding this position for 20-30 seconds. Static stretching should never be done before a workout, as it can reduce performance and lead to injury. Static stretching exercises are also not recommended if muscle soreness is noticeable.

Dynamic stretching exercises, on the other hand, consist of gentle movements that could also be described as springy. The muscle is stretched for a few seconds, but can always contract again. This form of stretching promotes blood circulation and thus also the oxygen supply to the muscle and is therefore particularly suitable as a warm-up before the fitness session.

If you want to improve mobility and promote health through regular stretching, you should be patient in your approach. The muscles need a few attempts to stretch properly, so it’s better not to rush things.

Your Michael Boettcher

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Planking – Strong for the core

by with No Comment Performance PackagePersonal Training ENPhysiotherapy

The plank is considered the supreme discipline of core exercises. As simple as the forearm support may look, if you try to hold it for longer than 30 seconds, you quickly realize how many muscles are working simultaneously to hold the position and how much effort it takes to persevere in a supposedly resting position. What started as a snap idea of two teenagers led to a real mass phenomenon around a strong body core. Today, planking is an integral part of an effective workout and an essential part of personal training.

What does Planking mean?

The Plank has become a pioneer of all core exercises for muscle building, because with only one fitness exercise and without any weights, not only the abdominal muscles are trained, but also the trunk, back, leg, hip, shoulder and chest muscles at the same time. So one exercise is enough to keep the whole body fit and at the same time train coordination and endurance. Planking is great for preventing back pain or strengthening overall fitness. Sit-ups, on the other hand, train only dynamic strength and are therefore unsuitable for back training. Planking is therefore the ideal exercise for a healthy spine.

Why is planking so effective?

The forearm plank is an isometric exercise. It is therefore performed without movement. Isometric exercises strengthen the so-called maximum strength and endurance. Due to the continuous muscle tension, which is held as long as possible, the muscle is under maximum permanent tension (isometric contraction). Back pain is often the cause of a too weak trunk or a permanent incorrect load on the spine, for example due to long periods of sitting in the home office. The result is pain. Planks help to compensate for imbalances in the spine and can improve posture. Not only is the core strengthened, but the entire body – especially the back.

What muscles are used in planking?

Planking strengthens the entire body, especially the core, back, leg, hip and gluteal muscles, as well as the shoulders and chest. The longer the position is held, the greater the endurance and maximum strength is increased at the same time.

How does the Plank work?

When doing the exercise for the first time, care should be taken to perform it without pain. Therefore, it makes sense to approach the exercise gradually in order to avoid injuries. The starting position of the Plank is in the prone position and supported on the elbows. The shoulders should be placed just above or in front of the elbows. The easiest variation is to lift the pelvis and support yourself with your knees. If that is too easy, you can straighten your knees and support yourself on your feet. It is important that the knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line, that there is no hollow back and that the pubic bone is drawn towards the sternum. Now it’s time to persevere! First, try to hold the position as long as possible without losing tension. After that, you can progressively extend the time and gradually incorporate additional movements.

What are the variations of planking?

Meanwhile, there are many variants that target different muscle groups and increase the difficulty of the exercise. The classic variation is a wide base between both elbows and between the feet. You can further challenge the abdominal muscles by progressively pushing the elbows further forward or statically pulling the elbows toward the pelvis. To target the oblique abdominal and back muscles, one can lift either one arm or one leg alternately. If someone wants even more of a challenge, the plank can be performed on an unstable surface. A pezzi ball or exercise ball is best for this. Due to the fact that the forearms are on the wobbly exercise ball, enormous strength and stability is required to keep the balance.

 

Yours Michael Boettcher

Nutrition Coaching

Cold season – defying the weather with exercise and nutrition

by with No Comment Nutritional CounselingRegeneration EN

The winter period is characterised by cold weather and little sunlight and tugs at our energy.
Warm clothing and long walks outside are good for health and general well-being. If you want to protect yourself against colds in winter, you should pay particular attention to a healthy diet and get plenty of exercise. In our practice for alternative medicine and physiotherapy we offer a wide range of possibilities for exercise and relaxation as well as nutritional advice. Defy the cold weather and say goodbye to your cold!

The right diet is essential

Food plays a central role in our lives. It supplies not only our body, but also the soul and spirit with nutrients and energy. Like everything else in life, nutrition must remain in balance, only in this way can optimal health be achieved. Especially during the cold season, you should pay more attention to your vitamin intake to strengthen your immune system. The body needs sunlight to produce vitamin D. In the winter months, the daily sunshine hours are few and often there is no opportunity to use these few hours for outdoor activities. The consequences are: Exhaustion, lack of drive or concentration problems. With our nutritional advice tips, we help you to bring your health and your diet back into balance.

Exercise is the key to optimal health

Regular exercise is not only good for our musculoskeletal system, but also stimulates the metabolism. This in turn leads to increased performance and, in the long term, to more energy. Movement is therefore essential for health. Physical processes such as digestion, circulation and respiration are strengthened – and ultimately so is the immune system. With the special personal training in our physiotherapy practice, we combine ambitious training with the latest scientific findings from sports and movement medicine. With your personal training goal in mind and a mobility test, problems are recognised and corrected, mobility is improved and fitness is increased.

Relaxed through the day

When it comes to strengthening the immune system, relaxation is an important part of our health, along with exercise and nutrition. Stress and lack of exercise can lead to muscle tension and attack our immune system. With massages, we release all forms of tension in the muscles. In this way, we help you with tension pains and at the same time stimulate the blood circulation and metabolism. The immune system is activated and cold viruses have no chance.

If you have any questions about nutritional advice, personal training or massages, please call us or make an appointment via our website.

Your Michael Boettcher

Kettlebells

Kettlebells – dynamic and advanced training

by with No Comment Performance PackagePersonal Training EN

Kettlebells – or dumbbells – have been used as “round weights” for training since the end of the 19th century. Kettlebell training is highly effective: it involves training the entire body and promotes stability, mobility, strength and coordination. At the same time the cardiovascular system is stimulated and effective fat burning is achieved. In order to achieve optimal results, we use Kettlebells as part of the personal training in our practice in addition to other modern sports equipment.

Always in use – the body core

Training with Kettlebells addresses several fitness components simultaneously: strength, endurance, flexibility, speed and coordination can be trained with just one exercise.
Because most Kettlebells exercises involve complex movements that address entire muscle groups simultaneously, coordination and mobility are important components of Kettlebell training. Lighter dumbbells, which allow more repetitions, are also suitable for endurance and cardio training. Even though each exercise has a different focus – shoulders, arms, legs or back – the center of the body is trained each time.

The ideal whole-body training device

In contrast to training with other weights, the Kettlebell has the center of gravity of the training weight outside the hand. This means that the torso-stabilizing muscles always work with it. In addition, the dynamic exercises increase the condition and stimulate fat burning. Therefore the ball weight is also suitable for training units in HIIT or TABATA style. The goal of training with the ball weight is above all to build up functional strength, explosive power and stability and to strengthen the cardiovascular system as well as tendons and ligaments.

Convince yourself of the versatility of the ball barbells in individual or group training. Call us and arrange a free trial lesson!

Yours Michael Boettcher

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Neck pain – causes and treatment options

by with No Comment ChiropracticOsteopathyPhysiotherapyRegeneration EN

The most common cause of neck pain is tension in the neck/shoulder area. These are usually caused by monotonous movements or an incorrect sitting position at the workplace. Especially in the home office, people do not pay attention to their sitting position, because not everyone has a fully equipped workroom. People often work at the kitchen table or on the sofa, which can lead to permanent incorrect strain on the spine and thus to pain.

What types of neck pain are known to occur?

If the pain is caused by tension that is not based on injury or pathologically changes in the vertebral bodies, it is called non-specific pain. Those are often caused by lack of movement, incorrect sitting posture in an office chair, shallow breathing or overweight. If the pain is the result of an injury or surgery, it is considered to be a specific pain, since the cause can be precisely determined: We adopt a relieving posture and the body tries to avoid movement and the pain that comes with it.

What other factors can contribute to neck pain?

Tension in the neck and shoulder area and resultant muscle hardening can also be favored by the following factors: monotonous movement patterns at work, shallow breathing, psychological factors such as stress and anxiety, posture problems or insufficiently trained neck muscles. The joints are stressed incorrectly or too much, we feel uncomfortable, flabby and have pain. The diaphragm remains largely inactive, the respiratory muscles are put under much greater strain, the muscles in the neck tense up and pain occurs.

How can neck pain be treated?

In our physiotherapy practice we offer various treatment options for neck pain. Starting with classic physiotherapeutic applications such as massages and manual therapy, dry needling, functional training, muscle building in the neck and shoulder area or physiotherapy on the machine. We accelerate the healing process and restore the mobility and stability of your musculoskeletal system so that you can live permanently pain-free and without tension.

Yours Michael Boettcher

Nutrition Coaching

Nutritional advice

by with No Comment Nutritional Counseling

Food plays a central role in our lives, not only as a primary source of nutrition and energy for our body, but also for our soul and spirit. Like everything else in life, nutrition must always be in balance. Only in this way, we can maintain our physical and mental health.

As a naturopath, I occasionally reached my limits when it came to pain relief. Although the patients joints, muscles and the musculoskeletal system appeared to be fine after the treatment, some of them still complained about ongoing pain. Notably, it all came down to their body weight, which played a massive role in the outcome of the treatment. Obesity and joint wear and tear are directly related and reduce the effect of a therapeutic treatment, vitamin and mineral deficiency caused by an unbalanced and unhealthy diet als contribute to a negative outcome.

A blood test gave us the necessary answers and made me realize, that nutrition is an important part of the regenerative processes and has a direct impact on therapeutic treatments.
Other patients asked about the influence of nutrition on their wellbeing in terms of exhaustion, lack of energy and difficulties in concentrating. Despite being healthy from a medical point of view, they felt exhausted and often blamed it on their age or stressful lifestyle. Others, however, were aware of their poor diet and obesity, but did not know how to get out of their situation or Weren‘t motivated to start a diet. Often these patients also complained about digestive disorders and were looking for a holistic and natural solution to their problem.

Therefore I decided to attend a 14-month seminar on “Holistic nutritional counseling” for naturopaths and am now looking forward to expanding our treatment offers, adding a new and very important element of health-oriented applications within the practice: Nutritional advice

First we need to collect all the important data around you and create a profile, then we analyze your general eating habits, which you write down for a week in a kind of diary, and then we Are going to show you how you can optimize your nutrition and which foods you should keep your hands off in the future. Following your new diet plan, we can implement and maintain good eating habits for your future self. Our goal is to make you feel more energetic, joyful, Create a better Body image and reduce pain.