This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/T2psovQ3dUI Mike: You can't fix your back pain unless you know what type of back pain you have. Brad: We're going to show you a simple one-minute test that's going to help you determine what position to treat your pain and get rid of it. Back pain is typically a result of the spine being either too arched or too rounded. Mike: And after the test, we will show you some exercises to fix the problem that you have. Brad: There you go. All right, the test is quite simple. You simply lay down like Mike is doing, with your legs flat, and then you hold that position for 30 seconds and feel how your back responds to it; if the pain level's at a one, 10 is as high as maximum pain, so get a number. What number are you at, Mike? Mike: Zero. Brad: Zero. So he feels good in this position. Then after 30 seconds, you're going to bring the knees up, keep your feet on the floor, and then we're going to hold that for 30 seconds. And then after 30 seconds, what number is the pain in your back now? Mike: Two. Brad: So zero; it's a little worse now. Okay, now we're going to go up bring your knees to your chest, and hold it in this position. Hold that for 30 seconds and after 30 seconds? Mike: It's a five now. Brad: It's a five. And back down. So we know that flat, it was zero, knees up, it was two, and all the way up was five, so we're going to use that information to get some exercises that will help him. Now in Mike's situation, when his knees were pulled to his chest, his pain was the worst. In other words, his back was flexed. We want to go in the opposite direction. That means Mike is going to lie on his stomach and do press-ups. Mike: So we're doing a press-up. Start with a mini press-up to just go up to where you feel the pain, and then go back down. You can try to hold it for a few seconds when you're up here, and then relax. If you feel comfortable, you can press up as high as pain-free range allows you to. So go up and down. How long should they hold these? Brad: Just a second or two. Mike: And then go back down. Brad: A maximum of 10 reps. Mike: Yep. Start there. Brad: And then repeat within an hour, as long as it continues to feel better. Now, on the other hand, if doing the test, knees down created the most pain, and knees up felt better, then you're going to do this exercise. Mike: So, start with your legs on the bed. Bring one knee to your chest. Try to keep it in a line. Don't go too far out. Don't go too far in. Keep it in a straight line. If this seems very simple for you, you can scoot down to the edge of the bed. Mike: You're going to want a firm surface, so maybe you have a high kitchen table at home, a countertop, something like that, a mat table, whatever. With some beds, you could fall off the side so be careful. So now at the end of the table, I'm going to let this leg go down and I'm going to bend my knee, try to get it to 90 degrees if you can, and I'm going to bring the other knee towards my chest. Now, if this is easy, you can make it harder going more off the edge of the table. If this is hard, you can always bring your leg up a little bit. This is going to stretch this hip flexor and this glute muscle, but it will help with your back pain. Brad: Again, we're going to probably hold this for 15 to 30 seconds, as long as it feels like a good stretch. Mike: Yep. And then bring your legs together again and switch sides. So bring it up and bend this knee. Brad: All right now, if you're still having some problems with this, the back pain's not getting better, we have another alternative. You simply go to our Back Pain Program. Mike: This'll talk about if you're more flexed or more arched, meaning your spine. Click on what videos relate to you. It also comes with a PDF printout going through the exercises and what we've talked about in that video. Brad: And it is absolutely, completely free. It's our gift to you and it's a good deal. There are 40 videos. Don't look at them all. Just pick out the ones that pertain to you. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/DMrdx4mU9p0 Brad: All right. If you are a beginner runner, and whether your goal is to finish your first event, lose weight, or simply get your fitness improved, this information is for you. We are honored to have Dr. Jake Hegge here. He is a physical therapist and a running coach, and he is the one to get some expert information and opinions. Jake: Well, thanks for having me. Excited to be here. I've been a huge fan of the show for years, and we even go way back. You were kind of like my mentor back when I was in PT school. Brad: Oh, I don't know about that. Jake: That's kind of how we originally met. So, here we are today. So, I'm a physical therapist down in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I work at a private practice, primarily work with athletes, usually obviously on the running side of things. So, anything hip and below is kind of my specialty. Also, I have a coaching business called Trail Transformation, where I work with athletes all over the US to help them reach their running goals. And it was kind of a spinoff from the PT side of things, where typically we see people in the clinic, rehab them, get them on their way, get them out the door, "Hey, let's start running again." But the biggest issue with running injuries is usually doing too much too soon. So, we were looking for a way, how do we transition from the rehab side of things back into the performance side of things. Brad: Jake, I don't want to interrupt, but I want to. Jake: Yes, of course. Brad: We talked about athletes. Now, I know one person in particular, he was 60 years old, 61 or 62 now, he never ran a day in his life, and he decided to run a half-marathon. He did do it, but he needed your help because he had knee problems. So, you don't just coach strictly athletes, you do coach people, lay people. Jake: Oh, yes. Brad: Beginner runners. Jake: All levels. Yeah. And that individual in particular, is super interesting. He had some meniscus problems. The doctor said he should never run again. But he wanted to keep going, and it was like, hey, as long as we can manage this thing, manage your symptoms, increase training load progressively, get on a good mobility and strength routine, and he's been crushing it ever since. He's still running half-marathons. Brad: He just ran one in California. Jake: Yes, he did. Yep. Brad: So, very good. Why don't we talk about it, maybe in order? We have three things, but we may talk a little bit further. Common reasons why people come to you, whether it's because they're a beginner runner, or they want to increase their speed, or they want to run without nagging injuries. Jake: Yeah. So, the biggest thing to kind of avoid the injury side of things is the whole progression. So, the number one reason, like I said, for injuries early on is doing too much too soon. They're increasing their volume or increasing their speed too quickly. So, for a beginner, I would say the best thing you can do is start with a simple run-walk program. It might be running for 30 seconds and then walking for a minute. It might be even running for two minutes and walking for three minutes. But that slow, gradual increase of running duration. And after you get maybe five minutes of continuous running and a couple minutes of walking, then you can start doing more, maybe you run a full mile nonstop. But the biggest reason for injury is doing too much too soon. Brad: Sure. Now, if you start with a beginner runner, and you're doing it not in person, but you're doing it over Zoom or whatever online, you assess them, and then you'll give them, "Well, let's start at 30 seconds or running for five minutes first." You'll kind of come up with a safe plan. Jake: Yeah, so that's where it ultimately comes down to. Communication. What their baseline is, what their current fitness levels are, their experience, and ultimately their future goals, too. So, it might be, hey, maybe a minute is too far or too long for right now, and they're just getting out of breath. So, maybe we have to bump it down to 30 seconds. But gradually, over time, the unique thing with the human body is it gets stronger, right? It's that progressive load. Brad: Now, I would want to say, if it was me going to you, I would be like, "I want to run more, 3 minutes? I'm doing a 5K run." I would want to run at least two miles the first day, and I'd get sore feet probably, Achilles tendonitis, or something like that. So, that must be a challenge. Jake: It is. Yep. A lot of people just want to go for it out of the gates, but it's thinking big picture. How do we safely increase that volume, and ultimately feel good while doing it, right? If you were to go for two miles out of the gates, chances are you're huffing and puffing, all the muscles are sore. You want to be able to increase things sustainably and feel good while doing it. Brad: Right, right. What's the second thing? Jake: Second thing, shoes. Shoes are very, very important. I used to work in a running store down in La Crosse. Brad: I remember that store. Jake: Yep. Grand Bluff Running. That's where I started the PT practice in a back room. It was basically a closet, but that's where it all got started. So yeah, shoes are the biggest thing. There's so much out there. Structure, minimalist, zero drop, wide toe box, all of those kinds of different variations or fads that are out there. But ultimately, it comes down to comfort is king. The shoe should feel kind of snug on the foot. My big three things when telling someone to look into a shoe is the heel, does it feel nice and snug? The arch, does it feel supportive? But not overdoing it where it's pushing your foot laterally. And then the other one is the toe box. So, make sure that you have at least a thumbnail of space. Those are a little too big for you, there. Look at that. Even wearing at the toe box. Brad: I only wear these on video. Can you imagine? I'm even wearing that, and I've never done anything but walk from there to here with them. Jake: Okay, fair enough, fair enough. But yes, typically one thumbnail between the edge of the shoe and your longest toe. For some people, that's the big toe. For some people, it's the second toe. Brad: So, the width of the shoe in the toe box area. I'm under the understanding that if it's too tight, you're going to cause problems. Jake: Yes. Agreed. So, it's interesting you bring that up, though. I just had a patient about two weeks ago. He kept running into this issue of his forefoot feeling so tight, and he was even going in wider shoes. And I bring out the Brannock device, which is how you measure shoe size, and I throw him on it. And he's been wearing 12s, and I throw him on it and it says 10-1/2. And I'm like, "You've been wearing a size and a half too big." And so, you could see the pivot point, basically the break point of the shoe was way off, so where his widest part of the foot was actually in the narrow section of the shoe. So, shoe fitting is also very important. But yeah, the heel, is nice and snug. Arch, is it supported? And toes, is there enough wiggle room? The other big thing, too, is are the shoes updated. So, I'll typically have people just do a simple break test. If you push on both ends of the shoe, does it bend in the middle? And obviously, I just wear these around the clinic, so they don't have a lot of wear and tear on them. But typically, in shoes that are worn, you would see a really big break here in the forefoot, meaning that some of the cushion is gone, and you probably are due for a new pair. Brad: Sure. Yeah. I mean that shoe question, I think so many people are wondering, am I wearing the right shoe? Things are hurting. The shoe and improper footwear may cause problems in the knee, the hip, or even the back. So, obviously. Should we go on to the third point? Jake: Let's do it. Let's do it. So, the last one that our PTs specialize in, is the mobility and stability side of things. Brad: So, mobility. We're running. What do you mean by mobility? We know we're going to run. Jake: Yes. But make sure you have enough movement in the joints and the muscles, the hips, knees, and ankles, to make sure that you're not just overcompensating with other muscles in the chain. Brad: So, flexibility, muscles are tight, maybe not allowing your knee to rotate that whole mechanism. Jake: Exactly. And then, the stability is the actual control of the mobility of the joints and the muscles. So, if I were to pick one specific area to focus on for beginners, it would go back to one of our favorite movies, Happy Gilmore. Remember what Chubbs tells Happy when he's teaching him how to putt? Brad: For those who don't know, this is the Adam Sandler golfing movie. Anyways, what does he say? Jake: He says, "It's all in the hips." So, the biggest thing is making sure that the hips are mobile and also stable. So, one of the most important ranges of motion with running is hip flexion as well as hip extension. Jake: And the biggest thing that we see a lot of, with just posture throughout the day is our hips are kind of in that forward contracted position, making sure that when we're running we can get into that extension. So, a really simple exercise would just be a simple standing lunge, basically tilting the pelvis back, squeezing that glute and you should feel a really good pull in the front side of that hip. Brad: This motion, right here. Jake: Yep. The pelvic tilt, and then contracting the glute, and you should feel a real good stretch in the front of the hip. Brad: If you sit a lot for a job, and you want to start running, that will most certainly be tight, I would imagine. Jake: Exactly. Exactly. So, the reason this is so important is because when you have good hip extension, it allows the glutes to actually fire. It allows you to get that full extension in your knee, and you can then push off more with your calves. Versus if you're just kind of going through this little range of motion, you're kind of just shuffling along, versus getting that full natural stride. Brad: Right. Jake: And then the other component is the stability side of things. So, not just having the mobility in the hips, but the actual stability. If you think about running, it's basically jumping from one leg to the other thousands of times. And what we see a lot of is, that people don't have good lateral hip stability, so their hips kind of drop, or they twist, or they just can't develop enough force out of the glutes to propel them forward. Brad: So, people who have that. Say they're starting to run. Will they feel that, or will they feel weakness, or is it one of those things that you're not aware of? Jake: You're usually not aware of it. And it's one of those things that, once you actually get them strengthened and stable, and you actually can use your glutes, it feels so much easier. Brad: Sure. Jake: But what usually happens is, other parts start to compensate. Meaning, you might feel it in your knees, you might feel a little bit more soreness kind of in the lower shins, because the muscles higher up the chain aren't doing their job. So, a really simple exercise that I like is just working on some single-leg balance, but getting into a little bit of that single-leg squat position, so you're really working those lateral hip stabilizers. And the other component of that is, then, getting into a little bit of hip extension on the other side to kind of simulate that running motion. Brad: Can you turn and show us the profile so they can see there? Jake: Yep. Brad: Now, if you're doing this at home, you might need something to hold on to, the cupboard, furniture, or a Booyah Stik. Jake: A little bit of balance assist. So, making sure that the knee isn't going over the toes, you're not letting the knee collapse in, either, you're just kind of sitting back. Think about hinging back like you're sitting back into a chair. So, loading up that glute muscle, and then just a nice easy side motion. It kind of throws your balance off a little bit, but you should feel good activation there in the back side of the hip. So, this is one of my favorite beginner exercises, just so people know what it feels like to activate the glute muscle. Brad: So, they might want to do that 10 reps on a side, 20? Jake: Yep. Something simple, 20 reps pre-run, just to get things firing and active. Brad: Sure. So, we're talking about the glute maximus or that abductor a little? Jake: Yeah, a little bit of both. The glute med, glute max, because you're kind of getting into that extended position, but you also have to stabilize the lateral hip so you're not just dropping down. Brad: I think the basics of whatever you're doing, hips and the center of gravity, is so critical. When I first started running 25 years ago, I just thought of my leg muscles. I didn't think about the core. Jake: Exactly. Brad: I never did core exercises. And I thought, why do I need core exercise? Now I know. Jake: The core is the foundation of it all. Right? Brad: Right. Jake: A lot of people just want to strengthen their quads or the hamstrings, but the stronger you can get your core and your glutes, it just makes everything else down the chain work that much more efficiently. Brad: Good. Now, if someone is a beginner runner, and they say maybe they could use your services, is that available? It doesn't matter where they live. Jake: Yeah. As I said, we work with people all over the US. So, it's all done remotely. We have a program that we use for the actual running prescription, telling them to go run X amount of miles or run-walk X amount of duration, the mobility/strengthening routines, and then obviously the communication side of things through email, phone calls. Brad: So, typically someone might have an evaluation with you the first time visit? Jake: Yep. Brad: And then do you see them once a week or twice a week? Jake: It's kind of unlimited in terms of just the more questions you ask. Because as PTs, we have all of this knowledge that we can give people, but we have to take into context their current situation, their previous experience, and their goals. Brad: So, it's specific to their needs. Jake: Exactly. Brad: It's efficient so they don't need to see you 100 times. Jake: Exactly. The whole goal is to keep people out of the PT clinic. Right? Brad: Right. Jake: It's like we want to make sure you're having fun, staying healthy, but also able to reach your goals and not get hurt. That's how the whole coaching side of things in our world came to be. Brad: And I think reaching back to that initial evaluation with Bob, where he had already been running, knee hurts, the MRI said torn meniscus, the doctors said in a conservative way, which most doctors will, "You're 60 years old. You're going to run half-marathons? That doesn't make any sense, so you can't run anymore." And Bob's like, "But it doesn't hurt. I can still run." I knew him, and it's like, I wasn't going to tell him to go run. But anyway, I'm glad he got a hold of you, and he's very happy because he loves running. Jake: Yes. Yep. And he's a hard worker. Brad: No doubt. Jake: And quite successful. Brad: All right, very good. For beginner runners, this is excellent. I wish I would've known someone like you 25 years ago when I started running instead of running without shoes that don't have any support whatsoever. Good. Jake: Awesome. Brad: Dr. Jake Hegge, thank you very much. Jake: Thank you. Brad: Have a good day, and run on. Dr. Jake Hegge's Clinic: https://www.mydynamicphysio.com/ Dr. Jake Hegge's Coaching Websites for Runners: https://www.trailtransformation.com/ Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

Our main goal in strengthening the hip is to strengthen the Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Minimus, and Gluteus Medius. In addition to the three Glut strengthening exercises, we will show; you should also be doing the stretching exercises outlined in the video entitled “Bob & Brad Stretching Program for Hip Pain (Based on McKenzie Approach)” In fact the stretching exercises should be given priority. All the gluteus muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus) play a large role in stabilizing the hip and pelvis. However, the gluteus maximus may be the most important stabilizer of all because it helps keep the head of the femur (top of the hip bone) from sliding forward in the hip socket. If it slides forward it can pinch against soft tissue structures (like the labrum) and cause pain. How that happens - the glut maximus is weak or not firing correctly so the hamstrings take over causing the femur to slide forward. Bob suffered from this weak glut max/dominate hamstring situation (twice in his running career) resulting in hip pain in the front of the hip. He literally had to stop running for a while. Eventually, he changed his running style to engage the gluteus maximus more. Weak gluteus maximus muscles or gluteal amnesia are quite common. We have become a nation of sitters. When we sit a lot, the glutes become weak and disengaged. Also, with sitting our hip flexors become tight, and that reflexively contributes to the weakness of the gluteus maximus. Exercises to Strengthen the Gluteus Maximus (beginner): A. Bridging with feet against the wall. (squeeze a quarter between your butt cheeks). Push feet against the wall. This will activate your quads and deactivate your hamstrings- so your glutes will work better. B. Clam Shell Exercises C. Gluteal pumps Advanced Exercises to Strengthen the Gluteus Maximus: A. Lateral step-ups. B. Goblet squats C. Using exercise bands to perform pull-throughs. Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in August of 2023. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkNcQTRCa0Y&t=322s Brad: Alright, seniors, you've got pain in different parts of your body. We're going to show you a stretch routine that's going to help alleviate your pain. Mike: So whether you're dealing with a history of pain or want to keep your body feeling younger, we have a stretch for you. So we've created a pain chart and if you're looking at it, you decide which stretches you need to do. So first, pick your problem area, and then next to it you can see which stretches you will need to perform to help fix this problem. Brad: Now this will all make sense and it's going to be a customized exercise program for you. The example of Bob will make it very clear. Mike: So let's look at Bob's pain. He was experiencing neck, upper trap, back, hip, and foot pain. So when Bob was experiencing neck pain, referencing the chart, he would choose the prayer stretch. For his foot pain, he would choose the calf stretch. So he decided to incorporate all six stretches into his routine and they worked wonders for his pain. Brad: Now in your situation, you may only need to incorporate two or three of these stretches depending on the location of your pain related to the chart. All right, now we're going to show you all six stretches one at a time and explain which areas they're going to alleviate the pain with. The first one is the prayer stretch, and this is a really generalized stretch. It works out well for everything from headaches, and neck pain, to the shoulder, and the arm, as well as stretching out the back muscles, which will help the lower back, mid back, and down to the hip as well. Mike: To perform the prayer stretch, you're going to start in a quadruplet position on all fours. I'm then going to sit my butt to my heels while keeping my hands pushing into the mat. Once I'm in this position, I'm going to stay here for two to three breaths, relax, and then return to the starting position. Now go down as far as you comfortably can. Your base as support with your feet may vary. I have my toes touching and my knees out wider. Your anatomy will dictate what is comfortable for you in this position. Brad: Good. So we're going to get a good stretch here. You're going to keep your head in the neutral position. Don't sag it down too much or do not look up. And this is why it's such a nice stretch. We're stretching the hip, the muscles in the back, the shoulders, and as well as the upper traps and whatnot. It's a great stretch to work for many pain sources. Bob, does this one all the time. Now if getting on your hands and knees like that is a problem, simply use a chair at a cupboard or a tabletop. A smooth one is good. You'll sit with your arms out in front of you and slide your hands across the surface. You can put a towel underneath to make it a little easier and do the same stretch and then back up. Do that again for two to three breaths and repeat it as tolerated. Brad: Stretch number two is going to help the shoulders. We call it the angel stretch and you'll see why. Okay, for this stretch, works best if you have a 6-inch diameter foam roller. It's 36 inches long. However, you can do it without a foam roller and simply on the floor. Mike: To begin, place the foam roller at your belt line. Then I'm going to lie down on it. Now if your head can't touch the foam pad, or it's uncomfortable, you can place the pillow back there and that's perfectly acceptable. Now what I'm going to do is put my hands at my side. My thumbs are pointing up towards my head as I go up and lift, I try to keep my hands touching the ground. If you are like me, at some point you might start lifting your hands off the ground because I don't have that much range of motion in my shoulder. And then you're going to return back down. This is going to help teach your scapula to function properly and get your shoulder mechanics working again, which should help alleviate a lot of the pain you're experiencing. Brad: Now, if you do have shoulder problems or this creates pain in one shoulder or the other, you're going to want to not do the stretch so aggressively. These should not create any sharp pain, just a simple stretch. So you may look like a snow angel with a broken wing. Mike: Yeah, just go up as high as tolerated. If I can only go shoulder height, that's fine to start. Eventually, just try to work your way up more. Brad: And stretch number three is a hip flexor stretch. It's a good stretch and it does cover a number of parts of the body, including the lower back, the hip, the IT band down into the knee as well as the foot and the ankle. Now this stretch is best performed in a firm bed or if you happen to have a massage table in your closet. But seriously, you can do it on a table or countertop if you can safely get on one and be comfortable. Mike: So to perform this, my buttock is going to be towards the edge of the mat here. The closer it is to the edge, the more stretch you will feel in your hip flexor. I'm beginning with both knees to chest. This should feel good. I'm slowly going to lower one leg down off the edge of the mat while maintaining this knee to my chest. Once I'm here, I'm going to bend my left leg as far as I can. I'm starting to get a hamstring cramp now, so I'm not going to go any further than that. You're going to hold this for 30 seconds, then you're going to reset, back both knees to chest, and perform this on the opposite side. You can perform two to three repetitions with 30-second holds on each leg. Brad: And just remember, while you're doing this, relax and breathe and allow the gravity to bring the leg down to stretch that hip out. Mike: One thing I forgot to mention, as you're bringing this leg down, try to keep it in a straight line. You don't want to be too far out, especially if you have IT band syndrome. Brad: All right, the next stretch is a calf stretch. It's a simple stretch and it's very direct. It does cover knee pain, calf pain as well as foot and ankle. Brad: We're going to show you two versions of this. The simplest one, you simply take a wall, put your hands on the wall, take the foot that you want to stretch or the calf you want to stretch, and put it farthest behind like I am here. Make sure your to is pointed straight ahead like this, not like this. Straight ahead. Put your heel to the ground if you can, do the best you can, and lean forward with a straight knee here and then relax. Do that for five seconds or so. Flex the knee and stretch again. Trying to keep the heel on the floor. It stretches both muscles if most complete. Mike's going to show you a little bit more advanced level of stretching it and you'll see why. Mike: For this variation of the calf stretch, you'll need to use some stairs. It's preferable if they do not have carpet as you do not want to slide off the step. To perform, I'm simply going to put the ball on my foot on the edge of the step and let my heels sink down to the floor. I'm holding onto both railings for support here. You can hold this for five, to 10 seconds. Go all the way up to 30 seconds, whatever feels good for you. If you want a little more of an advanced stretch on this, you can perform this with one leg only and you'll get even more stretched because all your body weight is going through that one calf. Don't overdo it, just do what feels good for you. Brad: All right. Stretch number five is the booyah stretch. We'll show it in just a second. It covers the head for headaches, neck, upper trap, as well as shoulders. Now with this stretch, we call it the Booyah stretch because we use the Booyah Stik. You just need a stick, a doweling, a broom, a mop head, or something that's about 5 feet long and reasonably sturdy. And then you're going to use it in the same manner. Mike: So the side that is painful, we'll say my right side, reach up your hand as high as you comfortably can with your palm facing away from you like this. Once I'm up here, I'm going to lean in this direction, keeping my hand in the same position. As I'm doing this, I'm feeling a good stretch through my shoulder as well as my back actually. And it just relieves all the tension up here, relieving some of your pain issues. Brad: So you can do it in a seated position. Mike's doing it here on the table. It can be done in a chair. You put the stick on the chair. Or a standing position like I am. It works well. So do whichever feels better or what's more convenient. All right, the sixth and final stretch we're going to show is the rectus femoris, which is a muscle that goes from the kneecap or the patella all the way up to the front to the hip. A long thin muscle, but it has a lot of influence on pain and it's going to help reduce pain in the back, the hip, as well as the knee. So pay attention close to this one. It gets missed a lot. Mike: There are numerous ways to perform a rectus femoris stretch. We're going to start with the basic one in a sideline position. So I'm going to be stretching my right leg here. On my left leg, I'm leaving my knee bent to feel a little more stable. If you're fine with it straight, you can certainly do that as well. Now what I'm going to do is clasp my hand around my ankle and I'm going to bring my hip back while bending my knee. So if I was way up in front of me, I'm not feeling a stretch. You want to keep your hip nice and straight, bring it back, and flex the knee. Hold this for 15 to 30 seconds and you can perform two repetitions to three. Now, if I were going to do this on the other side, I would have to lay on my right side and pull my left leg back. Brad: So the nice thing about this stretch, is you can do it on your bed or on the floor. The bed really works fairly well with this one. Sometimes it's too soft, but this is okay. You can do this standing and I'll show you that in a second. Now, standing is a very nice and convenient option. However, you really have to have good mobility and good balance. So you can put your hand on a cupboard or something to maintain balance. So you're going to go on one leg and grab the other ankle. Now I'm going to pull backward. Again, as my knee goes back, I feel that stretch. And you'll feel it from your hip down to your knee. Again, you can see why you need more mobility and good balance to be stable and safe with this. Make sure you do it on both legs. Hold, again for 15 to 30 seconds. That's your choice. Okay, there you have it. We've demonstrated all the stretches, and how to do them. Now again, to personalize this, only do the stretches for the parts and the body pain that you need, and they work out very well. Mike: And if you want to check out more videos, you can stretch to check out our video "7 Experts Share The Best Stretches For Age 50+". Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/FFNH-u-COT4 Brad: We have worked literally on thousands of total knee replacements. By we, I mean, Bob, myself, and Mike. We've done it for years and we know firsthand what's going to get you the best results overall. Mike: And for the best results, you want to know what you need to do before having surgery. Brad: And that's the point. Most of our patients have had prehab, in other words, classes prior to surgery. However, most of them have not followed through on doing their exercises prior to surgery. And that's critical. Mike: Unless the surgeon orders you not to do them, which in certain cases happens if a knee is just too worn out or it's very painful, they might not have you do them. But it's important to do them if it's applicable to you because you're going to improve your range of motion and get better strength before the replacement, making the recovery process go faster. Brad: Absolutely. The better shape you are in before going in, the better results afterward. The primary goal with prehab is to get the full range of motion. In other words, that sore knee, the one that's going to get surgery has full extension as well as, as much flexion as possible. Once you have that, then you also want to get as much strength, mostly in the quadriceps, and in the hamstrings. However, you do not want to ignore the hip strength because that will be affected by a weak knee. We'll show you that as well. Mike: And you want to make sure to do these exercises one to two times a day and start roughly about a month before surgery because again, after surgery these are going to become a lot easier and your knee rehab is going to go smoother. Brad: That's right. And a nice thing about the prehab, the exercises you do after surgery are very similar and some are actually identical. All right. So typically, it's about four weeks prior to surgery. You'll be starting these and for range of motion, a real common exercise, if you have a smooth floor, you take a towel, put it down, and then you simply do what we call wax the floor. So you go back and forth to get the range of motion in the joint. Now you want to have full extension. So what you're going to do is slide it all the way out, toes come up, and get that knee to fully extend. It may already go to full extension, then you're done, you don't have to work that. If not, you can compare it to the other leg. If one is straight and the other one isn't, we need to get them to be equal. Doesn't always happen. It depends on how bad your knee is, but it will help. Brad: Then we want to bend it. You'll do 10 more to straighten it and then pull it back to bend it. You can take this foot on the heel or the toe and give it a little pressure to get the flexion. You can actually grab it around your knee if you have enough mobility and pull it up towards your chest to get the full range of motion. Not everyone will get that either, but the whole idea is to increase the range of motion. Brad: Now we do have another option that works very well, especially if you don't have a smooth floor. Okay, now this is a really nice option. You can use this tool known as a knee glide. It works excellent for knee replacements. It's built very well, and it's very light. Mike's going to demonstrate how it works. Mike: So right now I have it set up for knee extension like Brad was showing earlier. So I go out as far as I can. I hold it, kind of lean forward, and press down whatever is tolerable for you. Do not make it hurt more than it already is. And you're also going to stretch the hamstrings a little bit here. If you haven't done an extension range of motion exercise, your hamstrings are probably tight, and they have to learn to elongate again. So not only is your joint bothering you, but these muscles have to get stretched out as well. Mike: Now if I want to work on flexion, meaning bringing my knee back, you're going to have to scoot it a little more under your chair for that and you can bring it back. It slides really nicely. If you're like me and have bad ankle range of motion, you can certainly bring your heel up. It's not going to hurt the amount of knee bending you're having. You might want to get a chair that doesn't have something right under the seat for your leg to catch on but bring it back as far as you can. You can also assist with the other leg to bring it back and hold it there as well. You can hold it for 10 seconds, five seconds, or whatever you can tolerate, do that five or six times. Brad: There's one more big advantage to the knee glide, it has a stilt so you can actually go downhill. Now we've found with experience that sometimes the range is really accelerated by going downhill because of the angle of the knee, and the ankle, as well as moving downhill. So there you go. Brad: All right. Now, if your knee is so painful, it's hard to walk on and doing this is uncomfortable, you can actually do this on your couch long seated, or in your bed, and it works very well. Brad: The real big advantage is if you're having a hard time getting full flexion this way, we're going to show you how you can use a belt with that. So what you do to get more knee flexion is simply take a belt, go around down by your ankle, and you're simply going to pull and stretch that. Stretch, and usually, if you go a little lower with the belt, you get better leverage. You'll figure that out very quickly. Brad: And then for full extension, if you're by yourself, you just simply lock your knee down. If you have someone you trust, they can give you gentle pressure or simply go up in a long-seated position to get full extension there. You can also work it into flexion and pull here. It's just a real, another handy option. And you really do need a knee glide to do the option. The great thing about this is you will use this in bed after surgery as well because it's going to be sore for that first week. Mike: Another option if you do not want to have a knee glide or you're sick of doing floor scrubs, is if you have some type of bike of sorts or a fitness membership at a gym, you could certainly use a bicycle there. Or if you have a pedaler at home, you could do that as well. Now, the closer you are to the pedals, the harder it's going to be to flex your knees. So if this was further away from me, it would be a lot easier to flex my knees. So what you want to do is start with the rocking motion, if that's easy and tolerable, you could certainly do the full range of motion, go forward and backward. You see the closer I get to the pedals, so they'll be adjusting the seat on a stationary bike, the more knee flexion I'm going to get. You can also go further away if you want to work on your knee extension and push your knees straight as well. Mike: I would start with no resistance to begin with. Just get the range of motion going. If you have the full range of motion and it feels good, you could certainly add resistance, but that's going to be more for strengthening. Brad: That's right. And again, if you have a stationary bike as opposed to using this as Mike mentioned, the height or how high you have the seat or how much you lower it is going to be critical. So you have to work with that carefully. Okay, what we're going to do next is some strengthening exercises. You have your range of motion. Now, one basic quadriceps strengthening exercise is to simply kick straight out as high as you can and down. So it's not up and down as fast as you can. It's meaningful and slow. Hold it, and go back down. That's one and that's two. And when you do it like that, you will definitely notice a big difference versus a short, fast motion. I call it cheating. Brad: So if this is too easy, you can do 10 of them, and it's like you need some more resistance, you can simply add an ankle weight. I've had people who don't have an ankle weight simply put on a winter boot. If you live in the south or it's warm, put on a heavier shoe. It doesn't take more than a couple of pounds to make a difference and do the same thing. Three sets of 10 would be great before. After surgery, you'll get to that, but it'll be a couple of three weeks for sure. Mike: Another way to make it harder is just to hold it up there for three seconds. Brad: An isometric. Mike: And then go down because you get an isometric strengthening at the top. I'm going to show you on the knee glide. If the knee glide is easy and your range of motion is good, you could certainly do this with an ankle cuff like this as well, or a boot as Brad was saying. I don't know if the boot will fit too well on this footplate, but maybe. Brad: It'll fit. Mike: Maybe cowboy boots would. Brad: It'll fit. Mike: So I just go back and forth like and obviously, to make it a little more challenging, you want to put the kickstand up, and then you can go uphill. Making it more challenging for the quads. If I want to turn it around, it's going to be more challenging for the hamstrings to pull towards me with some weight to resist it. Brad: And actually, with the hamstrings, I've rarely had to put ankle weights on. Typically without the weights is adequate to work on it. Let's go on. There are other options for hamstring strengthening. Mike: Yes. Brad: Another way to get those hamstrings stronger, if you do have some resistance bands, or a loop band, put it on something solid like a handrail for your steps or a piece of furniture that's very heavy and you do need a loop. So it's nice if you have these, you simply just loop them together and you have your loop resistance bands and just put it around your ankle. Get the distance proper so that you pull it under and you'll definitely get a hamstring strength and naturally change your resistance simply by moving your chair in or out for more resistance. Three sets of 10 is the goal. Start out with 10, see how that goes. Don't overdo it the first week. Mike: Another simple exercise to try if you feel comfortable with the other ones is just some basic mini squats. So you're just going to bend your knees a little bit and then straighten back up. Do not do a full range of motion squat. Do what your knees can handle. Try to get some bend and some straightening in it. Hold onto something for support. You can do it at a stairwell, a countertop behind a chair like Brad is going to demonstrate, and just try to do 10 reps each set and try to do three sets if it's possible for you. Brad: So the big thing is, like Mike mentioned, is don't go down too far. If you go too far and your knee starts to hurt, you may collapse and fall, and it'll be a big problem. So if you feel that way, have a chair behind you so you can sit pain-free, be cautious, and take it easy. If it starts to hurt, you're done, go back up. Don't think a little pain is okay and more pain is better, not the way to do it. Good precautions. Stay safe. And that knee will get stronger. Mike: And the last part is hip strengthening because the hip is connected to the knee, so we want to strengthen that as well. So the first exercise is just going to be marching or hip flexion. You can alternate or just do one leg at a time. Hold onto something for support. You could do it behind a chair like Brad, or at a countertop. Hold onto a cane if you feel steady and just make sure you feel safe with this. Do 10 repetitions on each leg. Brad: If it feels too easy and you can go up to two or three sets of 10, you want more weight, simply take that ankle weight and put it on again, or a pair of shoes. Heavier shoes offer more resistance. So out to the side is next. Make sure you don't lean over with this. Just the leg is moving. There you go. You won't go as high, but that's okay. Mike: Toes pointed straight ahead. You're going to feel this on both hips as well. And you're just going to do 10 reps. And then once you're done, switch legs. Brad: Yes. Mike: You get work on both legs because as you're trying to balance here, the leg you are standing on is working as well. Brad: And then you do the hip extension, make sure the knee stays straight. We're not bending the knee. We have already done that. We're working the hip, knee straight, and kick behind you. This is what you'll want to do. And again, wait if you want. Mike: 10 to 15 reps. Work up to three sets if it's tolerable for you. Brad: That's right. Both legs, it's all good. Once again, prehab, what you do before is really going to make a difference because it gets the knee prepared, and you're already ready for the after-surgery rehab. Mike: You'll be prepped and very studious and ready to go. Brad: Your surgeon will be proud and you'll be happy because you'll be going to the ballroom dancing. Yes, yes. People are going to be doing the waltz, the polka, and even the jitterbug. Mike: I can't do those. And my knee is fine. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) C2 Massage Gun with Heat and Cold Therapy Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

All the gluteus muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus) play a large role in stabilizing the hip and pelvis. However, the gluteus maximus may be the most important stabilizer of all because it helps keep the head of the femur (top of the hip bone) from sliding forward in the hip socket. If it slides forward it can pinch against soft tissue structures (like the labrum) and cause pain. How that happens - the glute maximus is weak or not firing correctly so the hamstrings take over causing the femur to slide forward. A weak gluteus maximus is also known as gluteal amnesia. To the layperson, it could be described as flat-butt syndrome. Beginner Exercises to Strengthen the Gluteus Maximus (beginner) 1. Bridging with feet against the wall. (squeeze a quarter between your butt cheeks). Push feet against the wall. This will activate your quads and deactivate your hamstrings - so your glutes will work better. 2. Clam Shell Exercises Can also be performed on the back. 3. Gluteal pumps (On knees and Hands or lying on your stomach) Advanced Exercises to Strengthen the Gluteus Maximus: 1. Hip Thrusts 2. Goblet squats 3. Band pull-throughs. Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/V6ENZecQUIE Mike: Say goodbye to back pain with this one stretch. Brad: And learn how your hip flexes, those muscles that bring your knee, can be part of the problem and an easy way to fix it. All right, when it comes to back pain, sometimes you need to look at other areas of the body where the pain is actually causing the problem. In this case, the back pain on Sam is coming from tight hip flexors. The two forgotten hip flexors, in my mind, connect from the pelvis all the way down to the knee. And what we need to do is actually stretch those, relax those so that the pelvis goes in the right position, therefore taking the stress off the back. And there goes your back pain out the door. Mike: So, if your hip flexor muscles are tight, it's going to pull your pelvis downward, or this is called an anterior pelvic tilt. What this does is put increased pressure on your lower back, your spine, and your nerves in this area, increasing your lordotic curve. Brad: Which causes compression forces. This is something I have experienced. And particularly, people with stenosis in their back will probably feel this even sooner and with more pain. Mike: So for beginners, Bob is going to demonstrate the stretch we're going to do. He's going to bring both knees to the chest and make sure his back is feeling comfortable in that position. Brad: I just wanted to emphasize that this positions the back flat into the bed. You'll probably be doing this on your bed. Mike: And then, he is going to bring one leg down slowly to touch the mat while holding this leg up. If this feels good, you can progress to the next step. If this is bothersome, do not progress yet. It is too early. Brad: So, what you're going to feel is a stretch on this hip that is straight. Again, like Mike said, if it's painful, if it's too much of a stretch, you're not going to progress. Mike: So, if the first stretch felt good, this is the same stretch except for Bob having moved closer to the edge of the mat. If you do not have a firm mattress at home like you're going to fall off, maybe you have a large dining room table. You can do this on there as well. So, Bob's going to start with both knees to the chest, and he's going to lower one leg down. We're just going to do the same side. Now, Bob is doing a good job of keeping his leg lined up. You do not want it to go too far out or too far in. And he also wants to keep this knee pulled towards his chest. As you can see, if he's tight and he pulls up, his leg wants to pop up. So, he's a little tight in his hip flexors. Brad: Do you feel that, Bob? Bob: I sure do. Brad: That's right. Now, I should go like this and I could really give you an extra stretch, but most of the time that's for the professionals to do. So, just do this as so. Mike: Also, you want to make sure Bob's knee is bent to 90 degrees if you can handle that. If that feels too tight or you start quivering in your leg, that means your hip flexors are too tight, so you can relax it a little more. If Bob feels comfortable in this position, he can eventually slide his butt all the way to the edge of the mat, getting even more of a stretch. Brad: All right, so Bob actually shifted forward his knees farther off the edge of the bed, and he's getting a more aggressive stretch. And again, the more this foot comes underneath or towards the bed, you're going to feel that stretch quite a bit more. So, just use that as your way to adjust the stretch. The goal is three times for 30 seconds each. You may not start that way, maybe only 10 seconds three times, but build yourself up as the muscles stretch causing that back pain to relax through time. Brad: All right, once again we end another episode with our famous lines. Be healthy. Mike: Be happy. Brad: And be... Mike: Helpful. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

When it comes to self-care and recovery, massage guns have become a popular choice for many individuals seeking relief from muscle tension, soreness, and pain. Bob and Brad, known for their commitment to providing quality products, offer a wide range of massage guns to cater to various needs and preferences. In this article, we will delve into the differences and benefits of their massage gun lineup, including the C2, Q2, X6 PRO, D6 PRO, Air 2, Uni, and T2 massage guns. Whether you're a professional athlete, a fitness enthusiast, or someone simply looking to relax and rejuvenate, Bob and Brad have a massage gun to suit your needs. C2 Massage Gun The C2 Massage Gun is an ideal entry-level choice for percussion therapy beginners. Its compact and portable design ensures on-the-go relief, while the user-friendly interface makes it accessible to those new to massage guns. Despite its simplicity, the C2 doesn't skimp on functionality, featuring variable speed settings for a customized experience. With powerful percussion capabilities, it effectively addresses muscle tightness and tension. Whether you're a novice or prefer a straightforward solution, the C2 delivers efficient muscle relief in a sleek package. Benefits: Compact and portable design Suitable for beginners Variable speed settings Q2 Massage Gun The Q2 Mini Massage Gun is a compact and convenient solution for on-the-go percussion therapy. Designed with portability in mind, it is not only suitable for beginners but also easy to hold, ensuring a comfortable grip during use. Despite its smaller size, the Q2 Mini doesn't sacrifice functionality. It features variable speed settings for a customizable massage experience to effectively address muscle tightness. The Q2 Mini's powerful percussion capabilities, combined with its ergonomic design, make it a practical choice for those who prioritize simplicity, portability, and ease of use. Benefits: Interchangeable massage heads Multiple speed settings Versatile and customizable X6 PRO Massage Gun The X6 Pro Massage Gun stands out as a high-performance option in the realm of percussion therapy. Its advanced features cater to both beginners and enthusiasts alike. With a sleek design and ergonomic handle, the X6 Pro is not only powerful but also easy to hold, ensuring a comfortable and controlled grip during use. What sets it apart is the inclusion of an All-Titanium Alloy Massage Head, offering the added benefits of heat and cold therapy. This innovative feature enhances the massage experience by providing targeted relief with temperature variations. Combined with variable speed settings, the X6 Pro offers a personalized and professional-grade massage, making it a top-tier choice for those seeking power, versatility, and advanced therapeutic capabilities in a massage gun. Benefits: Professional-grade power Deep muscle penetration High-quality build D6 PRO Massage Gun The D6 Pro Massage Gun is a cutting-edge percussion therapy device. With a sleek design and a multi-grip feature for improved ergonomics, it ensures a comfortable and controlled hold during use. Offering variable speed settings, the D6 Pro effectively addresses muscle tightness, delivering a personalized massage experience. What sets the D6 Pro apart is its remarkably quiet operation, providing awesome performance without unnecessary noise. With the highest 16mm amplitude, it delivers powerful percussion for optimal muscle relief. The multi-grip design enhances ergonomics, making it easy to handle and control. The D6 Pro is a top-tier massage gun that combines advanced features, quiet operation, and a customizable massage experience, making it an ideal choice for those seeking professional-grade performance in a percussion therapy device. Benefits: Smart features and customization High-quality build Advanced motor Air 2 Massage Gun The Air 2 massage gun distinguishes itself with its unique triangular ergonomic design, which provides a comfortable grip and allows for precise targeting of muscle groups. In addition to its design, the Air 2 operates at a lower noise level compared to many other massage guns, making it perfect for those who prefer a more peaceful and discreet massage session. Despite its reduced noise output, the Air 2 doesn't compromise on power or functionality, making it a great choice for anyone who values a quieter massage gun. Benefits: Triangular ergonomic design for comfortable handling Low noise operation Effective percussion therapy Suitable for quiet environments Uni Massage Gun The Uni is a versatile and budget-friendly option for those who want a quality massage gun without breaking the bank. It comes with multiple massage heads and adjustable speed settings, making it suitable for various muscle groups and preferences. The Uni is a practical choice for individuals looking for affordability without compromising on performance. Benefits: Budget-friendly option Multiple massage heads Adjustable speed settings T2 Massage Gun The T2 is an upgrade to Bob and Brad's lineup, offering an ultra-compact and portable design with a longer battery life. It's designed for on-the-go convenience, making it the ideal choice for travelers or anyone who needs a massage gun that can easily fit into a bag or backpack. The T2 delivers impressive performance and is a reliable companion for quick muscle relief wherever you go. Benefits: Compact and portable design Longer battery life Travel-friendly Choosing the right massage gun from Bob and Brad's lineup ultimately comes down to your specific needs and preferences. Whether you're looking for a basic, budget-friendly option like the Uni, a high-performance, tech-savvy model like the D6 PRO, or a quiet and ergonomic upgrade like the Air 2, there's a massage gun that can cater to your requirements. Bob and Brad's dedication to quality and innovation ensures that no matter which model you choose, you'll be on your way to experiencing the benefits of percussion therapy and muscle relief. For tips on how to maximize the effectiveness of your chosen massage gun, be sure to check out our comprehensive massage program. So, take your pick, and start your journey towards better recovery and relaxation today!

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in February of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/lT9Aw6OQVgI Brad: All right. These three exercises are quite easy. They only take 30 seconds if you do them properly. You can do them in a seated position or lying prone or on your stomach on the floor. If you're older or you have some problems lying down, this position Bob is in is good. A pillow underneath the chest. Bob: Folded. Brad: Yeah. Fold the pillow. The hands are going to go over the head. The first exercise, five to 10 reps, is simply to lift your hands up towards the ceiling. Elbows will raise a little bit, but not much, and back down. Up and hold, one to two seconds, and back down. Make sure you breathe while you do this, and do five to 10 repetitions. Brad: The next, more advanced move, is to bring the hands up and the elbows go up at the same time. Go ahead, Bob. Do five of those. What we're doing is strengthening the muscles of the shoulder blades, bringing them together for posture. That also frees up the movement of the shoulder blade so that that shoulder joint does not get jammed up, causing impingement. Bob: I like this. Brad: Yeah. It works well, doesn't it, Bob? The last and final phase is to put your arms in a W-shape and then lift up. That's a little more aggressive, isn't it, Bob? Bob: Yep. Brad: Yep. Once you get good, you could go right to this phase and skip the first two, which even makes it easier. But it is a really nice posture exercise, again, freeing up the shoulder blades, which helps that shoulder mechanics. I'm going to show you how to do it on the floor next. A little more advanced. If you feel comfortable going onto the floor. I would not do this on a bed, it's too soft. A pillow, again, under the chest, elbows on the floor, hands above just lying on your head. Again, lift the hands straight up towards the ceiling. Let the elbows come up with, and think about squeezing those shoulder blades together while you do this. Brad: Once you can do 10 of those easily, and you can feel that movement, then you're going to lift the arm, the hands, and the elbows go up even more. Big difference. That little bit right there really moves the scapulas/the shoulder blades better. It strengthens your posture and frees up that scapular rotation. Brad: Again, the final one, arms out in the "W", like you're flying like Superman and up like this. Bob: There we go. Brad: Again, really focus on shoulder blades coming together. Arms up and keep your head level. Don't let your head down. Bob: I got to tell you, Brad. These are excellent. Brad: Yeah, Bob hasn't done this series yet. He's very impressed. Bob: That's good. Brad: Bob is happy with it, and I am happy. Bob: Everybody's happy. Brad: Then we concur. There's no doubt in our minds that it's a winner, for sure. Once again, we can fix just about anything except for... Bob: A broken heart. Brad: Right. This exercise isn't going to do anything for it. But it'll help your shoulders. Take care. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

All the gluteus muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus) play a large role in stabilizing the hip and pelvis. However, the gluteus maximus may be the most important stabilizer of all because it helps keep the head of the femur (top of the hip bone) from sliding forward in the hip socket. If it slides forward it can pinch against soft tissue structures (like the labrum) and cause pain. How that happens - the glut maximus is weak or not firing correctly so the hamstrings take over causing the femur to slide forward. ,Bob suffered from this weak glut max/dominate hamstring situation (twice in his running career) resulting in hip pain in the front of the hip. He literally had to stop running for a while. Eventually he changed his running style to engage the gluteus maximus more. Weak gluteus maximus muscles, or gluteal amnesia, are quite common. We have become a nation of sitters. When we sit a lot, the glutes become weak and disengaged. Also, with sitting our hip flexors become tight, and that reflexively to contributes to the weakness of the gluteus maximus. Weak gluteus maximus muscles can contribute to back pain, hamstring injuries, and as mentioned hip pain. Some signs your glut max may be weak: The Chair of Death. You must love the name, but it is not as ominous as its name. Stand in front of a chair with your feet under it and your knees touching the seat. Put your arms straight out in front of you. (See Photo) Squat down and try not to let your knees push into the chair. If your knees are hitting the chair or you are even moving the chair, your glutes may not work properly. If your knees are hitting the chair you may be initiating the squat with your quadriceps. Lie on the floor or bed face down. Place your hand partially on your buttock (palm) and partially on your hamstring (fingertips). Lift your leg straight up from the floor. Which muscle kicked in first? Your hamstring or your glut max. The glut max should be firing first or at least at the same time as the hamstring. Check your other side. Get into the same position on the floor or bed with your face done. Bend your right knee 90 degrees or to a right angle. Attempt to lift toward the ceiling. Are you able to do so easily? Have a friend or family member push down on the back of the thigh or hamstring while trying to hold it up. Compare to the left leg. Check out the full Hip Pain Relief Program series of videos along with downloadable guide sheets for each video on our website here: https://www.bobandbrad.com/health-programs/hip-pain-relief-program

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in June of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/Xcg8zKFnOAU Brad: As a therapist and working with people for many years, I have found, and I think any therapist would agree, that as we age, it gets more difficult to walk. Aches, pains, and limping can come in and can actually lead to falls. So this challenge is going to be faced and we're going to show you options to eliminate this problem with our lifestyle. Mike: And we're going to show you an exercise to help improve your walking, balance, and leg strength. Brad: By the end of this, you're not only going to understand why to do the exercise, but you'll be able to do the exercise and work on that walking pattern and become more graceful. Mike: So the muscle we're going to talk about is called the tibialis anterior or as Brad corrected me, anterior tibialis. It means the same thing. It's this muscle right on the front of the shin bone. Do you want to talk about a little bit, Brad? Brad: Sure. If you put your fingers right in that muscle belly and you pull your toes up, you will feel the muscle fibers contract, and as you go down, they relax. It's a very critical muscle, it's a part of walking, and that's how people oftentimes stumble or fall because this muscle is weak and the toes or the forefoot is not being elevated. Mike: In the next section, we're going to talk about why it's important to strengthen this muscle for your walking. Brad: And also how to strengthen it. Mike: So the first reason you want to strengthen your tibialis anterior is if you're the person that commonly trips over your own feet or toes by not lifting your foot up enough when you're walking if the tibialis anterior is weak, this is commonly what causes you to fall over. Brad: Right. A couple examples of this are drop foot or slap foot. If you have a tendency to do foot slap, in other words, when you walk your heel comes first as normal, and then that forefoot of the foot slaps down, you can actually hear it with people as they walk on a hard floor. This is going to help eliminate that problem as well. Mike: Strengthening this muscle can help rapidly improve your balance, stability, and your ability to move side to side without tripping over as well. Brad: Right. It's amazing what one muscle can do as far as improvement or making your balance a little off. So one way or another, we're correcting it. Mike: Now, to strengthen the tibialis anterior muscle, we have to bring your toes up off the ground while leaving your heels down. We're going to do this against the wall. This is a slightly more advanced version. If you're too weak, we will show a different version you can do seated right after this. So to perform this, you need an open wall space. Get your back flat against the wall and then slowly walk your feet out. The further your feet are away from the wall, the more challenging this is going to become. So to start, be closer to the wall. Brad: Before we go any farther, it's absolutely critical to make sure you have shoes on or your feet do not slip at all because once you bring your foot out, they could slide out and then we'll have a problem with safety. So make sure that is very stable before you get started. Mike: So once you feel secure here, you're going to do toe raises and you're going to go up and down nice and slow. As you can see, my knees are straight as I'm doing this. I do not have a bent knee. Nice posture against the wall. And you're going to aim to do 25 reps and do three sets of that, but do it throughout the day. Now, if you're brand new to this, maybe start with five to 10 reps the first day because you might have some sore front shin muscles the next day when you wake up. Brad: So Mike, are you saying if this was too difficult, could we bring our feet in even closer? Mike: Yep, and then make it a little bit easier. And if I go out farther, then I'm really going to work that muscle a little bit more. It just adds a little more resistance without actually adding weight to yourself. Brad: You may want to hold onto a stick or be by a wall or a chair just for stability. It really can make a big difference in feeling comfortable while you're doing this. Look at those anterior tibs working. Mike: And people often don't strengthen this muscle group so you might feel a little bit of a burn when you're first working it. Most people, when you walk, you work the other muscle group, the calves, so this is going to feel a little different if you're not used to it. Brad: That's right. Don't overdo it. You don't want to be sore the next day. 10 repetitions, if you haven't done it, it'll probably be good for the first day. Mike: So now we'll show a seated variation. Brad: All right, now, if you have severe weakness with your anterior tib and you're unable to lift that foot up even without resistance in the seated position, this could be very likely after a stroke or an injury, something of that nature, or maybe you've been sedentary for a while because of an illness and you're elderly, this can be extremely taxing. So what we're going to do in a firm chair, not a lounge chair, what you can do is take a cane and you're going to actually help pull up the foot, get a little stretch is okay. At this point, this is called an eccentric exercise. We're going to take the cane away and hold that foot there. And you'll find if you're really weak, and that's not unusual where, "Oh, it's even hard to hold it there." So the first step is up. See if you can hold it for three seconds, one, two, three, and then let it down slowly. It's important that you let it down slowly. That's where the eccentric comes in. You don't need to understand that. Just believe us because it's been studied a lot and it does help. So up, let it down slow, and do 10 repetitions like that. Brad: Do that for three or four days and hopefully within a week or so you'll be able to pull that up without the cane. You know your progress is good at that point and then work your 10 to 15 repetitions like that. Brad: And then you can go over to the wall after you get to that point. Usually one to two weeks, you should be there. If it's longer, it's okay. Particularly if you've had some nerve damage or a stroke, then the progress will take longer. After you've strengthened that muscle and you feel the difference in strength, it's really important to monitor your walking or we call it gait in therapy. Actually, look in a mirror if you can, if you have a hallway and you can look in a full-length mirror and watch your feet, and then think about pulling that foot up and bringing it down. And if you watch it, that's feedback into your mind and that will also stimulate those muscle fibers to pull that ankle up and get back into a normal walking pattern. As a matter of fact, I think some people are in such a habit, that they have no idea that they're dropping that foot until they stumble. But if you think about it and do the exercises, it works out really strong and it's a definite win-win situation. Mike, do you think anything about that? Am I doing okay? Mike: I think you're doing okay, but if you'd like to watch another video about how to improve your walking, check out our videos "Physical Therapist Shows How to Walk Correctly," and "Fastest & Easiest Way To Walk Properly." Brad: Very good. Good luck everyone. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.

This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in April of 2023. For the original video go to https://youtu.be/kpJgcExIF7Y Mike: Want to improve your posture, strengthen your legs, and alleviate pain in your back, hips, and knees? Brad: We have seven daily exercises that you can do and they're specific so that they're going to improve your posture and get you stronger so you not only feel strong, but you look incredible. What do you say to that? It's true. Good posture, you look better. Yeah. Mike: Onward and forward. The first exercise we're going to show you is called the split squat, which we've talked about many times. You can do this many variations, but you're going to put one foot forward, one foot back, you support if needed and you're going to go down. You can touch your knee to the floor if you need. Don't ram it into the floor hard though, and go nice and controlled. Just try to do 10 reps if you can on each leg. Switch after 10 and you're going to get a good single leg strengthening aspect to this exercise. Brad: We get some stretching on the hip flexor of the back leg as well, so it's a really nice complete exercise for the legs and hip. The next one is snow angels. It's going to be done on the floor, carpeted or hard floor. Take a sock, roll it up, and you're going to put that right below your neck and this is going to help your posture and mobilize the thoracic spine and the upper area between the scapula. Brad: It feels good. Simply lie and relax. Bring your hand up over your head if you can keep your hands dragging on the floor. Now my left shoulder was tight for a while and it would literally come off the floor and I'd feel a stretch, but after working on it for the last month or so, I can go flat to the floor and I'm very happy. Typically 10 repetitions is all you're going to want to do. You can do more if you'd like. Mike: So the next exercise is actually a stretch. So you lay down on your back and you're going to start with both knees to your chest, making sure your back feels comfortable. You're going to scoot to the edge of the mat, however much you can, and feel safe. Then you're going to lower one leg down while keeping the other knee towards your chest. You're going to try to hold this for 30 seconds. Brad: So you notice he's bringing his foot under the table. That helps stretch the hip flexors and thigh. This is going to be done on the edge of your bed. So you can obviously accomplish this or you could try it on a table if you've got a good solid table. Mike: Yes. Then you're going to bring both knees back to the chest and then switch legs. You could do two sets of 30 seconds on each leg. Brad: Relax and breathe with all of these right from the beginning. All right, the next stretch is the doorway stretch. If you're not tall enough, as you'll see, you'll use a broomstick, a dolly, or Booyah stik. So you'll see it very briefly. Mike: Okay, the first exercise we're going to do is actually a stretch. So what you're going to do is bring your arm up to the top of the door frame. You're going to push into the top of the doorway and then you're going to lean into it. Try to get that shoulder blade to go back up in place. You could hold this for 10 seconds or so and then come out and try to do that three to four times. Brad: I just want to explain why this works. So here we've got his shoulder blade and he's going to actually drop his weight down. This is going to pull the shoulder blade up, stretching these muscles, allowing that shoulder blade to get up where it needs to be so we don't have that impingement and those other irritants going on causing that shoulder pain. How do you feel, Mike? Mike: I feel good. Now we're going to show you another option if you can't lift your shoulder this high. Brad: Or if you've got a really tall door. Mike: Or if you're short. Brad: Yeah, yeah. Mike: Okay. An alternative is if you can't reach up to a doorway or your shoulder pain is limiting you, go as high as you can on a stick, mop handle, broom handle, or whatever. You could be sitting or standing for this and then try to lean into it. It's the same exact concept. Take it away, Brad. Brad: Yes. The mop is a little short, so if I do it seated, it's too short. So you can put it up on the table or the cupboard and reach up as far as you can. I'm going to drop down and that's stretching the muscles, allowing that shoulder blade to get up where it belongs. Again, five to 10 seconds, three to four repetitions, and do it four or five times a day. Mike: The next exercise is wall slides. You'll need a wall for this. Put your thumbs up, pinkies touching the wall, and go straight up the wall as you can tolerate, and then come back down. Brad: Now there are a few things that you really need to focus on with this. You're not going to be pressing hard into the wall. It's a gentle slide up, very little, just a touch. Now when you start to go up, there's one thing you need to focus on and we're looking at the scapula here. Now, lift up your shoulder blades. So you elevate the shoulder blades. I want you to think about that and come back down. This is kind of hard to visually see. Let's tighten up that. Now, elevate the shoulder. There you go. Right there. You'll feel your scapula actually move across your rib cage when you do that. 10 repetitions are good. Great for posture, and neck pain, if you have headaches, all these can be helpful because of repositioning the shoulder blade with this exercise. Mike: The soldier blade. Brad: All right, sideways walking. For this, we're going to walk sideways obviously, but we want to have soft knees. In other words, flex the knees. Get in a good posture. You can put your hands on your hip and do this without resistance like I'm demonstrating now. 10 to 15 feet to the left, 10 to 15 feet to the right. If you want more resistance, and some of you will, you may want to get a loop band like Mike has. Go ahead. Show them how to do it. Mike: I have a little booty band. Make sure it is taut, not slack. Bring your knees out and you're going to step sideways. Obviously, my range of motion is going to be a little bit smaller than Brad's because this has resistance to it, so it's kind of hard. I'm feeling the burn here. Brad: This specifically strengthens the hip abductors, which is great for your gait, your stability, and walking as well as that lower back. You can do it if you have regular resistance bands, works great. If you want to get a little more resistance, you can pull it up or reposition your feet and that makes a big difference. You'll clearly feel these muscles burn after just a minute or two of doing that. Mike: Also great for line dancing. The last exercise we're going to do is called glute pumps. So you're going to get on all fours or you can get on your elbows as well, depending on what's comfortable for you. You're going to kick your butt up towards the ceiling, but you're not going to go through the full range of motion. You're going to pick a range in here and just kind of isolate it and go up and down. Try to do 30 repetitions in total. Brad: A little key on this one to isolate the glute is to rotate your heel or your leg in and then do it. You get a little more isolation into that glute, which is helpful. If you don't want to go in this position, you can go up to a cupboard or a table, and again, do the same thing. I'm going to rotate that femur, externally rotate it, and work those small isolated, kind of like doing plyometrics, but it's not really. Do that for 15 to 30 seconds. Feel those glutes burn. Brad: All right, there you go. That's seven exercises altogether. Do them all, or you may not want to do all of them, but you can do them at least once a day. Some of them you can do throughout the day. Mike: Yes, and make sure to be healthy. Brad: Be happy. Mike: And be helpful Brad: And? Mike: Be careful. Brad: Yeah, goodbye. It was a good time. Visit us on our other social media platforms: YouTube, Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, Wimkin, Mewe, Minds, Vero, SteemIt, Peakd, Rumble, Snapchat, Clapper, Threads Bob and Brad also have a Podcast where we share your favorite episodes as well as interviews with health-related experts. For this week’s Giveaway visit: https://bobandbrad.com/giveaways Bob and Brad’s Products Pain Management: C2 Massage Gun (US) Fit Glide Q2 Mini Massage Gun (US) Knee Glide Eye Massager T2 Massage Gun Air 2 Massage Gun Foot Massager X6 Massage Gun with Stainless Steel Head Leg Massager Holy Cowabunga Cream Uni Massage Gun D6 Pro Massage Gun Back Massager Posture Pad Lite Foot Massager EZBack Massager Weighted Heating Pad Hand Massager Fitness: Resistance Bands​ Pull Up System Pull Up Bands Wall Anchor​ Grip and Forearm Strengthener Hanging Handles​ Hand Grip Strengthener Kit Stress Balls Stretching: Booyah Stik Stretch Strap Bob & Brad Amazon Store and other products Bob and Brad Love Check out our shirts, mugs, bags, and more in our Bob and Brad merchandise shop​ Medical Disclaimer All information, content, and material on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Affiliate Disclaimer: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. We are highly selective in our products and try our best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.