The 8-Week R-Phase Training Course

By Jordan Vezina ZHPS Master Trainer

Introduction
I initiay o!!ered this "ourse as an 8-#eek ne#setter $ased training %rogra&
dei'ered $y e-&ai ea"h Sunday( I re"ei'ed a ot o! great !eed$a"k !ro& end users as to
ho# it i&%a"ted and i&%ro'ed not ony their o#n training $ut their #ork #ith "ients as
#e(
This training %rogra& #as $uit !ro& &y e)%erien"e #orking *+-*, hours a #eek
in the studio using R-Phase #ith &y "ients sin"e -+.+( So&e o! these ti%s you #i ha'e
heard $e!ore/ and so&e are %ro$a$y uni0ue to &y e)%erien"e(
In &y o%inion the $est #ay !or us a to i&%ro'e our use o! not ony R-Phase $ut the
entire Z-Heath syste& is to share our kno#edge and e)%erien"e #ithin our "o&&unity
o! %ra"ti"e(
It "annot $e e&%hasized enough that a o! this "o&es !ro& the #ork o! 1r( 2ri"
Co$$ "reator o! the Z-Heath syste&( To %ro%ery use this %rogra& you #i need to
ha'e an a"tua R-Phase &anua and 1V1( 3ou "an %ur"hase one onine $y "i"king here(
-Jordan Vezina
ZHPS Master Trainer
4#ner o! 5'erage To 2ite Per!or&an"e
Creator o! The Pain 6ree 7ette$e Method
Week One: Lengthening
In your R-Phase &anua !or #eek one you are going to see t#o di!!erent days( 3ou
#i see a day &arked 86u Body Training Session8 and another &arked 8Short 6o"used
Training Session8( 2a"h #eek #e #i $e !o"using on a di!!erent set o! dris !or this Short
Session(
This #eek it is engthening in a %ositions( Many %eo%e &ake the &istake o!
ending short shri!t to this %art o! training/ $ut I #i te you that nege"ting the %ra"ti"e
o! this ski #i %otentiay short "ir"uit e'erything ese you do #ith R-Phase( It is that
i&%ortant(
Consider that %art o! the !o"us o! e'ery dri is o%ening u% 9a&&ed 9oints( I! I
ha'e generay %oor %osture I #i $e "reating "o&%ression in &any o! &y 9oints/ #hi"h
in turn "an "ause the& to $e "hroni"ay 9a&&ed( This a%%ies to the 9oints o! the s%ina
"ou&n as #e/ and so i! I do not take the ti&e to kee% this 'ery i&%ortant series o!
9oints o%en during &y R-Phase %ra"ti"e I &ay a"tuay $e doing !oot dris to o%en u%
those 9oints #hie si&utaneousy 9a&&ing the 9oints in &y s%ine/ hi%s/ et"(
In this 'ideo o$ser'e the dra&ati" di!!eren"e in Madeine8s resuts doing the e)a"t
sa&e dris #ith a sou"h 's( ong s%ine(
In the $eginning as you %ra"ti"e engthening it #i &ost ikey $e hard to a"tuay
8!ee8 your %osition in s%a"e( 4!ten you #i think you are engthened $ut in !a"t you are
sti sighty !or#ard( 5s you i&%ro'e the $ody a#areness 8&a%s8 in your $rain you #i
start to i&%ro'e at this ski( 5s you are #orking on this you are aso $eginning to 8re-
%rogra&8 your ner'ous syste& to ado%t a engthened out neutra stan"e as your de!aut/
's( the sou"hed !or#ard head %osition &any "urrenty e)hi$it as their 8neutra8 stan"e(
6or &ore in!or&ation on $rain &a%s %i"k u% the $ook 8Body has a &ind o! it8s o#n8 $y
Sandra Bakesee(
Beo# are so&e "ues to ook !or as you %ra"ti"e(
.( 3our #eight shoud $e s0uarey on your hees #hie your !eet re&ain !at(
-( Side your head u% and $a"k( 4!ten #hen an athete engthens out they %ut their
ne"k into e)tension 's( rea"hing a true neutra( 4ne odd "ue is to 'isuaize your
head riding $a"k#ard u% an es"aator and then &i&i" #hat this #oud ook ike
#ith your o#n head(
*( 5s you engthen et your shouders dro%( Initiay you &ay !ind they rise #ith
your head(
:( Maintain a $aan"e o! tension and rea)ation in your &us"es( ;ook !or &us"es
that you are "hroni"ay tensing u%( Pri&ary o!!enders are the gutes and 0uads/
%arti"uary !or kette$e i!ters(
,( Che"k your %e'i" %osition( 5 s&a degree o! anterior %e'i" tit <$et $u"ke
%ointing to the ground= is nor&a( So&e sour"es indi"ate :-> degrees !or &en and
>-.+ degrees !or #o&en/ though this 'aries( In &y e)%erien"e &ost ha'e &u"h
&ore than this/ %arti"uary i! they e)%erien"e "hroni" $a"k or hi% %ain( 3ou &ay
ha'e to a"ti'ey "orre"t this/ though you shoud not 8!or"e it8( I(2( "reating a hard
stret"h or strain to do so( 5so ook !or a atera tit or rotation in the %e'is(
Whie the $eo# %hoto is o$'iousy e)aggerated/ &ost %eo%e de&onstrate a
!or#ard head and o'ery !e)ed thora"i" s%ine #hen they 8think8 they are standing u%
straight( 4ne #ay to "orre"t this is to 'ideo yourse! as you %ra"ti"e your neutra stan"e(
This &ay see& ike a ot o! #ork/ $ut the ong-ter& %ayo!!s are i&&ense(

Here is a #ay to "orre"t your %e'i" %osition $y getting so&e additiona ta"tie
in%ut( 6ind the $ony %oints on the !ront o! your %e'is and use the& as a guide
<de&onstrated $eo#= to re"ognize 9ust #here your %e'is is( 5'oid "reating a
"o&%ensation so&e#here ese su"h as e)tending the u&$ar s%ine/ $ending the knees/
et"( 3ou "an aso %a"e your thu&$s on the %oints <5SIS= and your &idde !ingers on you
u%%er 0uads( Then %ush the a%art <?%@1o#n= and use that to assist your engthening(
;ast u% #e ook at head %osition( I indi"ated %re'iousy ho# di!!i"ut this "an $e(
Beo# I de&onstrate a #ay to use your o#n hands to again %ro'ide so&e additiona
ta"tie in%ut in order to 8re"ognize8 the orientation o! your head in s%a"e( 5s you do this
ensure you are not "reating too &u"h %ressure #ith your !ingerti%s as you &ay a"tuay
9a& your "rania sutures(
I "oud %ro$a$y #rite -+ %ages on this/ $ut I #i hod &yse! $a"k and end it
here( 4ne thing to understand is that !or &any %eo%e easiy getting into a engthened
out neutra stan"e #ithout a ot o! thought and "uing #i $e a %rodu"t o! ong ter&
stru"tura "hange( 4!ten #e do a !e# Z 1ris and %ain goes a#ay/ a toe tou"h i&%ro'es
$y si) in"hes/ shouders o%en u%/ et"( Ho#e'er in &any "ases it takes ti&e to re&ode
tissue and a"tuay 8"hange8 your $ody( I! you ha'e s%ent ten years in a !e)ed s%ine@
!or#ard head %osture it #i not get !i)ed in !i'e &inutes/ $e"ause it took a ot o! ti&e !or
you to get 8good8 at doing that( I! you !oo# the "ues in the &anua and in this "ourse/
and %ra"ti"e #ith the e)%i"it goa o! getting $etter((( you #i(
6unny ho# that #orks(
Week Two: Feet and Ankles
This #eek #e are ooking at !oot and anke dris( 6or our %ur%oses these are
"o&%osed o! anke tits/ toe %us/ si) %osition ankes "ir"es/ and !u anke "ir"es(
Be!ore ooking at these dris it is i&%ortant to re"ognize ho# e)"e%tionay tight
and dys!un"tiona the a'erage %erson8s !oot is/ e'en those #ho think they ha'e 8good8
!eet( Bearing this in &ind $eo# are a "ou%e o! things to %re% #ith and #at"h out !or(
.( Be!ore doing your dris try ighty 8$u!!ing out8 your !eet and ankes #ith a to#e
!or a$out a &inute( Here you are %ro'iding so&e sensory in%ut to assist in
"ari!ying your $rain &a% !or these areas( This &ay assist in redu"ing sti!!ness
and %otentia "ra&%ing $e!ore the dris( Pre and %ost-assess this the sa&e #ay
you #oud any other dri( 3ou &ay a"tuay re"ei'e a %ositi'e resut 9ust !ro& the
to#e #ork(
-( Wat"h out !or "ra&%s( These are 'ery "o&&on in the $eginning( 1o not try to
%ush through the&/ treat the& the #ay you #oud any other %ain res%onse( 5o#
the !oot to rea) and then "hange the s%eed or range o! &otion(
Ao# #e #i get into the dris the&se'es(
.( 5nke tits- Here you ha'e $oth atera and &edia tits( In your R-Phase 1V1 and
&anua you ha'e 8targets8 !or ea"h dri( It is i&%ortant to &ake sure that not ony
are you hitting the a"tua target/ $ut aso that you are not hitting unintended
targets( 2)%eri&ent #ith the aternate !oot %ositions in the &anua and see i! one
in %arti"uar gi'es you a $etter resut $oth in hitting the target and in %ost-
assess&ent( 2nsure your s%ine is not ateray !e)ing as you go into the tit( It
&ay take so&e #ork to get the 9oint to o%en $ut #e #ant to adhere to the
ee&ents o! e!!i"ien"y outined in the &anua/ and $a"k o!! i! #e !ind ourse'es
de&onstrating starte( 5s you #ork on the &edia tits ensure you are not "reating
%ressure in the &edia knee 9oint( 4n"e again/ ensure you are hitting the target
and ony the target(
-( Toe Pus-
.( Baan"e( Too &any %eo%e start their toe %us !reestanding/ !ighting !or their
$aan"e and %utting the ner'ous syste& into threat at the sa&e that they are
trying to "reate %ositi'e in%ut( This #i not #ork( Begin your %ra"ti"e using a
ta$e/ "hair or a #a !or $aan"e( 2'ery singe %erson I ha'e e'er seen use the
#a ended u% eaning into it/ %ri&ariy $e"ause they #ere ooking do#n( Stay
engthened and kee% a ight %ressure on the #a/ $ut a'oid using your
!ingerti%s so you are not 9a&&ing the& u%( 3ou shoud $e a$e to %u your
hands a#ay !ro& the #a #ithout !aing into it(
-( ?se a $oster !or your !oot( 5 yoga &at/ a ha! !oa& ro/ a s0uishy $a/ et"( I
ha'e ost tra"k o! ho# &any %eo%e I ha'e seen doing toe %us on "on"rete or
#ood !oors and insisting it didn8t hurt 8that $ad8( This &ay not $e a %ro$e&
on"e your !eet are !e)i$e and "onditioned/ $ut there8s a high ikeihood you
are not there yet( Pus there is no do#nside to using so&e %adding(
*( 2ither 'ideo your toe %us !ro& $ehind or ha'e so&eone ese &onitor your
%osition( It is su%er "o&&on !or so&eone in a &idde toe %u to a"tuay $e in
a &ini-outside toe %u( I! you are &isaigned you #i not hit the target(
:( Be %atient #ith inside toe %us and side your eg out to an ange 's( straight
$ehind you( 1onBt $e azy a$out this( It see&s &any %eo%e ha'e a $ig
%ro$e& #ith siding their eg out to the side( 4n"e you do this you #i ha'e
$etter e'erage to o%en u% the target 9oint( Most %eo%e are 'ery sti!! in the
inside toe %u/ and it &ay take so&e ti&e o! genty #orking on it to get it to
o%en u%( 1o not re'ert to 8harder is $etter8 and try to !or"e it( This #i not
#ork(
*( C Position 5nke Cir"es@ 6u Cir"es
.( 6o"us on the &o'e&ent o""urring $et#een the inside and outside anke
$ones( 3ou "an 'isuaize a "ue $a sitting $et#een the t#o &aeoi/ and the
!oot rotating around it(
-( Be a#are that your toes &ay $e dri'ing the a"tion( Ideay they are rea)ed
<uness I a& %ur%ose!uy %uing the& in or out !or a dri 'ariation= and the
a"tua anke 9oint <%oint #here the ti$ia and !i$ua integrate #ith the taus= is
doing the #ork( Re&e&$er that i! a 9oint is restri"ted in its &o'e&ent it &ay
get unintended assistan"e !ro& its "osest neigh$or/ in this "ase the toes( 3ou
&ay aso !ind so&e rotation o! the !e&ur o""urring(
*( 6o"us &ore on the hee than the !ore!oot( This shoud $e a ,+@,+ &o'e&ent/
not the !ore!oot doing &ost o! the #ork and the hee 9ust &o'ing a itte(
:( 3ou shoud a"tuay $e a$e to tra"e "ean/ %re"ise "ir"es in a si) %ositions( In
the $eginning this &ay see& i&%ossi$e/ %arti"uary in dorsi!e)ion/ $ut #ith
enough dei$erate %ra"ti"e you #i $egin to o%en u% the anke 9oint and !ind
this $egins to !ee natura(
4$'iousy there is a ot &ore to these dris than #hat I ha'e #ritten a$o'e( I! you
are a trainer and these ti%s and "ues are starting to %ay o!! !or you it &ay $e ti&e to start
seriousy ooking at an a"tua R-Phase Certi!i"ation( 3ou "an $e rest assured that it is not
9ust : days o! earning &o$iity dris/ $ut aso de'ing into a o! the theory and %ra"ti"e
o! #hat R-Phase is and #hy it #orks(
Week 3: Hips and Pelvis
6irst #e are going to address hi% "ir"es( Most %eo%e auto&ati"ay think that
doing dris ying do#n is !or those #ho are de-"onditioned or !or reha$iitation "ases/
$ut in &y e)%erien"e e'en ad'an"ed users "an $ene!it !ro& doing dris ying do#n( 4ne
"ase #here this is 'ery true is #hen doing hi% "ir"es( I! you $egin doing the& standing
you &ay ne'er reaize 9ust ho# unsta$e your %e'is is $e"ause you are oading it/
e!!e"ti'ey "reating a !ase sense o! sta$iity( When you ay do#n and a"tuay try to 9ust
&o'e the !e&ur in the a"eta$uu& <hi% so"ket= the !irst thing you &ay noti"e is your
%e'is #o$$ing around( This a#areness #i he% you to sta$iize the %e'is and $egin
reay "reating the &otion !ro& the !e&ora 9oint itse! 's( the o#er $a"k( So that #e are
"ear/ $eo# is an i&age o! the a"tua target( Ho%e!uy yours does not ook e)a"ty ike
that( D=
To %ro%ery %er!or& these dris ying do#n you #i $e su%ine !or the !ront and
"ross$ody "ir"es/ side ying !or the side "ir"es/ and %rone !or the rear "ir"es( 6or the
rear "ir"es you #i need a sta$e $en"h or ta$e you "an %artiay hang o!! o! !or !u
range o! &otion( Pease &ake sure it #i not !a o'er #ith you on it( Throughout a o!
these %ositions %a"e a hand i! %ossi$e on the hi% so you get so&e ta"tie !eed$a"k as to
#hether the %e'is is sta$e or #o$$y( In the $eginning <%arti"uary side ying= you &ay
need to an"hor yourse! do#n #ith $oth hands to "reate sta$iity( I! you !ee dis"o&!ort
on the eg that is on the $otto& %a"e a to#e or %adding $eneath it(
On the Pelvis: Pe'i" dris are o!ten hard $e"ause you don8t a"tuay 8!ee8 #hat
is ha%%ening( In the Pe'i" 5@P tits you #ant to ensure that the %osterior tit is not 9ust
you eaning $a"k or in"reasing your knee $end( We dis"ussed %re'iousy ho# &any
%eo%e are o"ked into an e)"essi'e anterior %e'i" tit/ #hi"h is #hy getting a !u
%osterior tit is o!ten di!!i"ut( The atera tits %resent their o#n %ro$e&s as #e( Many
%eo%e #i !ind they "annot e'en "o&%rehend ho# to do this %ro%ery( 4ne he%!u dri
is standing on a $o"k or ste% and etting the non-standing eg dro% do#n $eo# the
sur!a"e o! the !oot o! the standing eg 'ia the %e'is titing ateray( When doing this
ensure the knee o! the standing eg stays o"ked( Most %eo%e #hen !irst trying this dri
#i re!e)i'ey $end the standing knee as a "o&%ensation( We do not #ant that/ #e #ant
a "ean atera tit(
Week 4: The pine
6irst #e are targeting s%e"i!i"ay the u&$ar and thora"i" s%ine(
Lu!"ar:
The u&$ar area is tri"ky !or &ost %eo%e due to the !a"t that &u"h o! the
%o%uation has had so&e in"ident o! $a"k %ain( 2'en those #ho ha'e not &ay $e
hesitant to %er!or& o#er $a"k &o$iity dris due to the "o&&ony a""e%ted notion that
it is easy to hurt your o#er $a"k( This idea &akes the o#er $a"k an auto&ati" 8high
threat8 area !or &ost %eo%e( To he% #ork through this #e #i take a !e# ste%s(
.( 2du"ationD It is good to ha'e an a"tua #orking &ode o! the s%ine so that you "an
de&onstrate ranges o! &otion/ seg&ent size and sha%e/ et"( This he%s take so&e
o! the !ear out o! the &o'e&ent(
-( Take a good historyD 3ou don8t #ant to !ind out ha!#ay through a u&$ar "ir"e
that the "ient has t#o !used 'erte$rae( These e)er"ises "an sti $e done $ut &ust
$e &odi!ied so that you are not trying to %ush through a range o! &otion that is
not there(
*( Pa%ate the s%ineD ;earn to !ee ea"h seg&ent as #e as the orientation o! the
s%inous %ro"esses( This #i he% you i! in an other#ise heathy s%ine the athete
is 8stu"k8 in ter&s o! getting ea"h seg&ent &o'ing( 5 ight ta%%ing or ru$$ing &ay
assist in getting the seg&ent &o'ing( I ha'e !ound this to $e es%e"iay i&%ortant
#ith u&$ar #ork(
:( Pre% #ith the u&$o-%e'i" hourgassD This is a great dri !or getting the athete
to rea) and start to oosen u%( It #i aso $egin to redu"e the 8threat8 around o#
$a"k #ork(
Thoracic:
The thora"i" s%ine is a &ysterious !ig( Most %eo%e you #ork #ith #i ha'e a 'ery
tight thora"i" s%ine/ either o"ked in !e)ion or 9ust 'ery tight in neutra( When #orking
#ith the thora"i" 5@P gides in the &anua it is i&%ortant to use a o! the& and to
%ro'ide %enty o! ta"tie !eed$a"k in the #ay o! ta%%ing the s%ine/ ight ru$$ing/ et"(
?sing a sho#er $rush is 'ery handy !or doing the sa&e !or yourse!( Just getting the
s%ine &o'ing is not enough/ you #i #ant to ook !or a s&ooth and e'en ar"h !ro& T.-
T.-( 4!ten you #i get a "ient8s s%ine &o'ing/ $ut you &ay see a !at s%ot #ere a !e#
'erte$rae are o"ked u%( This is #here a%%ying so&e der&a ayer sti&uation &ay he%
to get the seg&ents &o'ing( 3ou "an aso &ake great use o! 'isua re!e)es( ;ooking u%
#i enhan"e e)tension #hie ooking do#n #i enhan"e !e)ion(
We o!ten see instantaneous "hanges #hen utiizing Z-Heath dris/ $ut !or &any
%eo%e oosening the thora"i" and regaining &otor "ontro #i $e &ore o! a ong-ter&
"hange( This is #hy it is i&%ortant to sti"k #ith it and o'er ti&e you #i see
i&%ro'e&ents( 5n interesting tid$it that &any do not reaize is that getting the thora"i"
s%ine &o'ing &ore e!!i"ienty #i he% not ony #ith your o'erhead #ork $ut aso #ith
your s0uat(
Week #: $ervical pine
;ast #eek #e !o"used on the u&$ar and thora"i" regions o! the s%ine( This #eek
#e #i ook at the "er'i"a s%ine( I! you are not !a&iiar #ith the ter&inoogy these are
the 'erte$rae in your ne"k(
6or the "er'i"a s%ine #e ha'e the !oo#ing drisD
Rotations
;atera Tits
;atera Eides
Rotating 6igure 88s
Siding Aods
6u Cir"e
;atera Tit #@ ;atera Eide
Cir"es
Versus $reaking do#n ea"h dri #e are going to ook at so&e genera guideines
that #e "an a%%y to a o! the&(
Mo'e the entire C-S%ine( 4!ten %eo%e #i do these dris ony &o$iizing !ro&
C, u%( What #e #ant to do is get the entire "er'i"a s%ine &o'ing/ a the #ay do#n to
C>( 3ou "an o"ate this $y !inding the to% o! your shouder $ade and siding do#n the
to% o! it and into the s%ine( 3ou #i and on C>( 6or those o! you #ith anato&i"a
kno#edge you #i !ind it has a arger s%inous %ro"ess than the rest o! the "er'i"a
'erte$rae(
Mo'e ony through a "o&!orta$e range o! &otion( 3ou &ay $e te&%ted to 8%ush8
through tension or dis"o&!ort/ $ut this de!eats the %oint o! the dri( I! you start #ith
ony the "o&!orta$e range o! &otion you shoud !ind it starts to in"rease 0ui"ky(
Wat"h !or "o&%ensations( 6or instan"eF in the "er'i"a rotations you &ay !ind
that at end range o! &otion you $egin to tit 's( %ure rotation( We #ant to &ake sure
that #e are hitting the target #ith our dris and "reating ony the range o! &otion that
#e intend(
Cer'i"a dris done %ro%ery "an $e hugey $ene!i"ia !or redu"ing ne"k and
shouder tension as #e as i&%ro'ing other ranges o! &otion( 4ne thing to "onsider is
that "er'i"a dris %arti"uary in the $eginning o! your &o'e&ent %ra"ti"e "an $e 'ery
high threat and 'ery ta)ing( It is a good idea %ost "er'i"a #ork to do so&e dris that
you kno# re-set you(
Week %: houlders
In this se"tion #e #i $e ooking at the shouder and s"a%ua dris( S%e"i!i"ay C
%osition shouder "ir"es and s"a%uar "a&sha!ts(
houlder $ircles
We ha'e si) di!!erent shouder "ir"es outined in the &anua( To%/ $otto&/ side/
rear/ !ront and "ross$ody( Beo# are so&e ti%s !or i&%ro'ing your %er!or&an"e o! these(
.( 2nsure you are hitting the target/ #hi"h is the geno-hu&era 9oint( This &ight
see& si&%e enough/ $ut I ha'e !ound athetes o!ten are dire"ting this a"tion #ith
the hand 's( the shouder( Part o! the e!!e"t this has is o"king and uno"king the
e$o# and on o""asion "reating 'irtuay no &otion in the a"tua shouder 9oint( It
&ay he% to !ind the target #ith the !ingers o! the non-#orking hand in order to
get so&e ta"tie !eed$a"k(
The Eenohu&era Joint
-( Parti"uary !or the to% %osition shouder "ir"es use a &irror so that you "an see
#hat is ha%%ening in regard to kee%ing the e$o# o"ked( To% %osition is one o!
the hardest and you &ay !ind it 'ery di!!i"ut to kee% the e$o# o"ked using
%ro%rio"e%tion aone( In the $eginning your to% %osition &ay not $e 'erti"a/ $ut
a"tuay %ointing &ore !or#ard(
*( Mo'e #ithin your "urrent range o! &otion( To%/ rear and "ross$ody !or &ost
%eo%e #i "haenge your e)isting R4M( Resist the te&%tation to %ush into
tension or %ain( 5so o$ser'e #ith "ross$ody i! the e$o# is uno"king or i! you
are rotating your torso to get !urther o'er( In the $eginning "ross$ody &ay $e a
'ery s&a &o'e&ent(
:( ?se a Gthu&$s u%B %osition #hen %er!or&ing your shouder "ir"es so that you #i
see i! you are aso rotating the hu&erus &ediay@ateray(
capular $a!sha&ts
.( Begin these #ith your ar& out to a :, degree ange 's( straight out in !ront( This
#i $e ess "haenging(
-( To $egin #ith you &ay "hoose to !irst !o"us on u%@do#n and !or#ard@$a"k as
se%arate e)er"ise( Most #i !ind $a"k <retra"tion= and do#n <de%ression= to $e
the &ost di!!i"ut( Mastering these se%aratey !irst and then &o'ing to the !u
"a&sha!t &ay $e &ore reaisti"(
*( Parti"uary !or this e)er"ise it is idea to ha'e so&eone "uing you( Ha'e a %artner
%a"e a thu&$ on the in!erior ange o! your s"a%uar !or you to %ush against as
you #ork into de%ression( 3ou &ay !ind you suddeny %i"k u% an e)tra in"h or
t#o o! R4M(
5s #ith a dris re&e&$er to "ontinuay assess and re-assess( Whie there is a
$ene!it to "orti"a &a% "arity in %ro%er %ra"ti"e o! a 9oint &o$iity dris #e do #ant to
note #hi"h "reate a %ositi'e or negati'e resut(
Week ': (l"ows) wrists and hands
This #ra%s u% our e)a&ination o! the R-Phase 8 #eek training %rogra&( I kno#/
#e8re a #eek short( That is $e"ause ne)t #eek is the re'ie# o! the 8 #eek %rogra&( I
#oud suggest that on your o#n so&eti&e in the ne)t t#o #eeks you set aside a $o"k o!
ti&e to re'ie# the %re'ious #eeks o! this "ourse and do a thorough 8%ra"ti"e8 o! the
"o&%ete R-Phase(
This #eek #e ook at the e$o#s/ #rists and hands( This is a !airy $ig one !or the
sa&e reason that the !eet are so i&%ortantD High nu&$er o! 9oint arti"uations( These
aso are the dris that %eo%e o!ten ha'e the &ost trou$e #ith( Most o! us s%end a ton o!
ti&e doing 'ery s%e"i!i" earned tasks #ith our hands@#rists and going outside o! that
#e %ra"ti"ed !ra&e#ork tends to $e e)traordinariy di!!i"ut(
(l"ow $ircles
2$o# "ir"es #i initiay see& &u"h ess "o&%i"ated than the other dris #e
ha'e "o'ered/ $ut as #ith those other dris there is &ore going on $eneath the sur!a"e(
.( 4n"e again ensure that you are hitting the target/ #hi"h in ay&an8s ter&s is the
e$o# 9oint( 5'oid e)"essi'e #rist or shouder &otion as these are $oth
"o&%ensatory a"tions(
-( When %er!or&ing $oth to% and $otto& %osition "ir"es shouder &o$iity #i
%ay a roe( 1o not try to "reate a range o! &otion #ith the e$o# greater than
your shouder &o$iity #i ao#( Parti"uary a'oid torso &o'e&ent(
Wrist Waves*$ircles
.( The $ig key #ith #rist #ork is to understand that it is the a"tua #rist 9oint itse!
that is $eing &o$iized 's( !o"using on the !orear& $ones or the hands( It is 'ery
"o&&on #hen an athete is %er!or&ing #rist #ork to a"tuay $e &o'ing the
hand $a"k and !orth #hie the #rist is 'irtuay &otioness( In a #rist !e)ion@
e)tension #a'e the %ath o! tra'e !or the !ingers shoud $e ess than the ength o!
the %ath o! tra'e !or the #rist( 5t either end o! the #a'e the #rist shoud initiate
the &otion $a"k in the o%%osite dire"tion 's( the !ingers initiating the &otion(
-( In the atera gides it is i&%ortant to ensure that the #rist is not $reaking into
!e)ion@e)tension to "o&%ensate !or a a"k o! R4M( Eeneray the i&itation #i
$e in radia de'iation as &ost o! us are in unar de'iation 0uite !re0uenty as that
is the key$oard %osition(
Fingers
.( 6inger #a'es are %ro$a$y &u"h harder than you reaize and re0uire a great dea
o! e)a&ination and %ra"ti"e( It is "o&&on !or a %ra"titioner to $e 'ery i&ited in
their R4M #ith this e)er"ise $e"ause it is 9ust another o! those things that #e
rarey do( I ha'e aso o$ser'ed that !or so&e reason &ost %eo%e a#ays !inish
this &o'e $y sna%%ing their !ingers into e)tension/ e!!e"ti'ey s%eeding the
&o'e&ent u%( I "a this G!airB( 1onBt ha'e !air( Maintain a "onsistent s%eed(
-( 6or the !inger "ir"es &u"h o! this #i "o&e do#n to ti&e and %atien"e as there is
a huge !ine &otor "ontro "o&%onent here that &ust $e re$uit(
Ready for I-Phase?
4n"e you ha'e #orked your #ay through R-Phase "onsider %i"king u% the I-Phase
&anua and 1V1( 5so kee% an eye out !or &y u%"o&ing &anua and 1V1 %rodu"t GThe
Pain 6ree 7ette$e MethodB( The %er!e"t &i) o! 7ette$es and Z-Heath(
Jordan is a Z-Health Performance Solutions Master Trainer and Kettlebell Enthusiast.
In addition to workin with ZHPS Jordan is the owner of !"erae To Elite
Performance in Palo !lto #!$ a former Marine #or%s Infantr& Sereant$ 'od&uard$
and current husband and ste%father. He has a lo&al do and a cat who is... unfriendl&.