Alpha Project Podcast

Meet Maddie Watkins, a coach, educator, and gym owner in Bethesda Maryland. We take a deep dive into her life as a coach, why she became a trainer, how 202Strong works with their athletes and clients, and why you should have a trainer and maybe even a physical therapist in your life!

We also dive into the challenges she had during COVID with one of her gyms shutting down, getting all 4 wheels stolen form her car, and personal challenges!

You don't want to miss tis episode.

Welcome Sunny and Lauren from Sunny and Lauren's personal training studio. Sunny and Lauren help provide a space for personal trainers to be their own business owners, while giving those who are starting or continuing their fitness journey the best personal trainer for them. They are active in the fitness community and a great resource for other trainers. Hear more on today's podcast!

Tyler Holt is a licensed massage therapist and practices visceral manipulation, neuro-meningeal manipulation, and craniotomy-sacral therapy.  Tyler is an amazing clinician in the Frederick Maryland area and your don't want to miss out all the great things we talk about on this episode!

#Alphaprojectphyzio, #Massagetherapy, #Physicaltherapynearme, #Physicaltherapyfrederick, #Massagetherapyfrederick, 

Have you every heard of Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy?  If not it's something that can be life changing for so many people. If you have leakage when lifting or running, incontinence, pain during intercourse, tailbone pain or pelvic pain pelvic floor physical therapy can help!  We are talking with Dr. Veronica who is a pelvic floor physical therapist and has treated hundreds of women AND MEN who have these problems!  Check out this episode to learn how pelvic floor physical therapy can help you with your problems.  

#pelvicfloorphysicaltherapy, #Pelvicfloor, #diastasicrecti, #tailbonepain, #endometriosis, #leakage, #painduringintimacy

Please welcome Jonny Slick Founder and Co-Owner of Straight Shot Training! Straight shot training is a personal training studio in Frederick Maryland.  On this episode we take a deep dive into nutrition and the importance of eating and fueling yourself properly!  There's a lot of misconceptions about nutrition and Jonny and the Straight shot team are here to clear it up!  We also talk about the new hit drama on Netflix "All of us are dead" and the nutrition needs the characters would need ( specifically water) during the show. 

#Alphaprojectphyzio, #Straightshottraiing, #Nutrition, #CrossFit, #Allofusaredead

Are you a distance runner with an ache or pain?  Do you know other runners who are having aches and pains?  There's an ugly statistic that 70% to 80% of distance runners get injured in a given year..... that is crazy!  If you'd like to find out why this statistic is so high AND how you can avoid this problem check out this episode!

We're talking about anterior pelvic tilt!  We see a lot of patients who have this and wanted to to dispel some myths about it.  We will also be diving into what causes anterior pelvic tilt, and how to fix it.  If your pelvis is anteriorly rotated and you'd like to learn how to fix it this is a great episode to listen to!  

Anterior pelvic tilt can cause a wide range of problems: knee pain, low back pain, sciatica, unable to activate your glutes!( just to name few).  Its difficult to be athlete and have an anterior pelvic tilt ( I would know, I had this all through highschool and college).  Learn how to fix your pelvic tilt today!

On this episode we dive into a topic I myself am a novice on.... the pelvic floor!  I dive into the performance and injury prevention standpoint of this muscle group!  Hint.... it is part of your core and you need it!  Next week we'll have Veronica Brugmann DPT, who is a pelvic floor specialist, dive in deeper to what we can do to treat things like pelvic pain, incontinence, leakage, pain with intimacy, and more! 

Have you ever made a plan to start something and never end up doing it?  Maybe a New Years resolution to get healthier? Starting a business?  Training for a marathon?  One of the biggest mistakes we make is aiming forever.  When I mean forever I mean taking a VERY long time to take any action.  For instance, planning your New Years resolution to go to the gym and never actually going to the gym.  We get hung up on every single detail that we aim, aim, aim, and there is never a shot taken.  Listen in to find out how to not let this happen to you and to take action in the new year. 

#Alphaprojectphyzio, #CrossFit, #Distancerunning, #Health&fitnessfrederick

Hey guys!  This episode is actually an episode from my good friend Jonny Slick's podcast: Straight Shot Radio.  I made a guest appearance on the podcast and we dived into some great topics!  Why you shouldn't Ice, the benefits of just moving, and why more and more people are seeking out a Physiotherapist or a Performance Based Physical Therapist!  We're having a workshop on knee pain at Straight Shot training on Saturday January 8th at 9:00am at Straight Shot Training  as well.  If you've been struggling with knee pain for a while this is a great opportunity to learn how to take care of it on your own!  

https://www.straightshottraining.com

#Straightshottraining, #straightshotradio, #Alphaprojectphyzio, #Physiotherapy

Welcome to another spade of the podcast!  On this episode we are talking about the holidays, in particular, reflecting back on how your year went. Many people make goals for the new year, however, they never actually follow through with their new goals.  This most likely occurs from making a bad goal, or not having a plan to achieve that goal.  How do we make a "good" goal or have a plan??  You look back at the prior year and reflect.  This is something most people never do.  Reflect back on how your year went.  Did you grow as a person?  What did you accomplish?  Did you get a new job?  Maybe this wasn't that good of a year for you?  That makes reflecting easy as we know what we'd like to improve on!  

Looking back at our past is the best way to plan and make improvements for the future.  This is especially true at this time of year where we are spending time with our loved ones and have the time to reflect!  I spend some time this episode telling a story of my last year of running indoor track in high school.  That was the most satisfied I've ever felt in my life.   It wasn't just the race I had run, but all the effort that was put in and the constant setting of new goals.

#alphaprojectphyzio, #physicaltherapy, #Crossfit, #distancerunning

When is the last time you had no distractions, no IPhone next to you, it was nice and quiet, and it was just you and your thoughts?  If it's been a while ( or you've never had peace and quiet!) this episode is for you!  We spend a lot of time talking about physical health and improving things like knee pain, hip pain, low back pain, etc.  However, your mental health is just as important!  In todays world we have unlimited knowledge in the palm of our hand ( iPhone).  However, this blessing is a curse with unlimited distractions that can and will distract you from your goals and accomplishing your pursuits in life.  

In this episode we talk about the importance of having "alone time" or time by yourself to be with your thoughts.  Want to know why this is important??  Check out this episode!

#alphaprojectphyzio, #Distancerunning, #CrossFit, #Frederickmaryland, #Germantownmaryland

Have you been to a health care provider and didn't have the best experience?  Maybe it was a physician not listening to you or a a physical therapist that moved you from a heat pack, to the bike, to some cookie cutter exercises.  Choosing the right provider for can be challenging and sometimes takes a lot of trial and error to find the right one.  On this episode of the podcast we go over what to look for in a healthcare provider! Maybe its someone who actively listens to you??  Listen to this episode to learn more about how to choose the right provider for you!

https://www.alphaprojectphyzio.com

#alphaprojectphyzio, #Distancerunning, #CrossFit, #physiotherpy

Welcome to another episode!  On this episode we take a deep dive into your low back pain!  Low back pain is an epidemic in our society and is one of the largest causes of people seeking out the care of a physician.  We will be diving into what causes low back pain, in particular for weightlifters, distance runners, and the active individual!  We will also be covering 3 of our favorite exercises to help strengthen the muscles that may be causing low back pain.  If you've been struggling with low back pain you don't want to miss this episode.

#lowbackpain, #alphaprojectphyzio, #distancerunning, #CrossFit

"The Obstacle Is The Way" is a book written by Ryan Holiday that is a fantastic read!  It talks about how to make obstacles in your life work for you and not against you.  What about knee pain?  Low back pain? or maybe you tore your achilles tendon or ACL and needed surgery?  These are still obstacles, just a different kind of obstacle.  On this episode we talk about why most people never actually get out of pain and solve their problems.   Most people get an ACL re-construction or see a physical therapist for there achilles tendon pain and go on to eventually re-tear their ACL's or pull their achilles again. Why does this occur??  Most people take the easy road and put a half hearted effort into taking care of their bodies and their aches and pains instead of taking the harder more difficult route ( which is full of obstacles in your way!).  Luckily, the people we get to work with have made the decision to take the path of most resistance ( obstacle path) and they are rewarded for it later one with no pain and an understanding of how to take care of their bodies own their own.  

#alphaprojectphyzio #health&fitnessfrederickpodcast #crossfit #distancerunning  #Obstacleistheway

https://www.alphaprojectphyzio.com

https://www.amazon.com/Obstacle-Way-Timeless-Turning-Triumph/dp/1591846358

Welcome Maggie Gise to the podcast!  Maggie is an extra special guest because she is a physical therapist!  Not only is she a physical therapist, but she has her own pelvic floor practice!   Pelvic floor therapy is one of the most misunderstood fields of physical therapy!  A pelvic floor therapist can help with urinary incontience from pregnancy, constapation,  erectile dysfunction, low back pain, etc.  Maggie has a unique skill set and we talk all about how she got started and how she can help you!

https://www.gaiawomenspt.com

#gaiawomenspt.com, #MaggieGise #pelvicfloortherapy, #FrederickMD, #Maryland #CharlsetownWV

On this episode we tackle a question I get ALL THE TIME.  What makes up good running form?  Is it your cadence, arm swing, where your foot is landing?  Maybe all or some of the above?? :). We will tackle 5 must haves that make up running.  If you are missing some of these important parts of your running form, than you may have a lot of opportunity to fix your running form, decrease aches and pains, and become a better runner!

#frederick #germantown #alphaprojectphyzio #health&fitnessfrederickpodcast

In college I was told that I'd have to choose between being an athlete, getting good grades, and having a social life.  I took this at face value and never challenged it.   I could not have it all, I was told.  However, now I see that that advice is wrong.  Utterly and completely wrong.  It's not that I couldn't juggle those three tasks and life roles, I just didn't know how to plan and prepare myself in order to handle the increased work demand.  If I just had a plan going forwards on how to allocate my time, I would have been much more successful in college with having more of a social life!

#germantown, #physiotherapy, #crossfit #frederick #alphaprojectphyzio #physicaltherapy 

Welcome to another episode of the podcast!  On this episode we are talking about a simple concept and a VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT.....strength training.  Most people say" Yeah we get it, we need to strength train".  The question we have fort them is... why are you strength training?? Most people can't answer that question.  Some good answers are to be able to lift more weight, so my knee doesn't hurt, so I can perform my job.  Some life changing answers are: so I don't fall down, break my hip when I'm 80 y/o and die in the hospital.  Pretty powerful stuff, and very real information.  Listen in to learn how strength train may just save your life one day ( Sooner or later!).

#Alphaprojectphyzio #germantown #Frederick #physiotherapy #physicaltherapy #podcast

On this episode we talk about something that is rarely talked about, and that is the Joint by joint concept!  This has been popularized by one of the most well known physical therapist, Gray Cook, and dives into why we commonly see knee pain, low back pain, overpronation, and many other impairments/ aches and pains!  If you're interested in learning how to take care of your body on your own check out this episode!

#Frederick, #HealthandFitnessfrederickpodcast, #Germantown, #Alphaprojectphyzio, #physiotherapy, #Physicaltherapy

On this episode we're doing something a little different!  I'm diving into a couple stories from some patients I have seen and are currently seeing and really diving into some things they went through and why they ended up working with me.  Many times patients find themselves frustrated with the current model we have for physical therapy and also the current mode we use for treating muscle skeletal injuries/aches and pains.  This is a sneak peak into many of the problems my patients were facing and why they ultimately decided to invest in working with me and actually start investing in their health care.  Get ready for some truth bombs!

#Frederick, #Germantown, #physicaltherapy, #physiotherapy, #Healthcare, #healthandwellness #Alphaprojectphyzio

Jen West is a massage therapist in Frederick Maryland and is also a personal trainer and is certified in fascial stretching.  This really gives her a unique perspective and approach to how she works with each of her clients.... I would know from personal experience!  We dive into a lot of topics on this episode such as, what is fascia?  Why do athletes get injured?  Why fascial lines are important when it comes to your recovery or how fascial stretching can assist in your mobility if you've been sitting all day.  

http://fredericksportsmassage.com

#frederickMD #Fredericksportsmassage #massagetherapy #sportsmassage #physiotherapy

On this episode we take a deep dive into plantar fasciitis!  This has been the scourge of many runners and athletes with products and shoes promising relief from this painful syndrome!  However, what if you could treat this without changing your shoe wear or having to wear a plantar fasciitis sock every night? Tune into this episode to find out all things plantar fasciitis and how you can stat to treat this on your own!

#physicaltherapy #frederickmaryland #germantown #physiotherapy

JJ is the owner of 495 Strength and Performance and has a vast amount of knowledge in the strength and conditioning world!  We dive into alot of different topics including: why you should do some form of strength and conditioning, why you should invest in your health, and how to have longevity later in life!

https://www.instagram.com/coachjj_495strength/

https://495strengthandperformance.com/

Sl Studios is a new Co-Working Studio in Frederick Maryland with its own personal Gym!  This is the first of its kind in the area and I had the pleasure of having Hannah and Jimmy King on the podcast!  Hannah is the owner and has been a personal trainer for the last 5 years!  On this episode we talk about the health and fitness community as a whole and how SL Studios is changing the way people work and workout!

#SLStudios #alphaprojectphyzio

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is an account that you can use to pay for health care expenses!  Many times employers can contribute to these accounts and their is a plethora tax benefits that you can utilize with these accounts!  Not to be confused with a Flexible Savings Account (FSA), HSA's are becoming more popular and are a fantastic way, to not only pay for your healthcare but, to save for your health care! ( and maybe even retirement!). This is one of my favorite episodes I've done, hands down, because of how passionate I am about you taking control of your health care!  HSA's are here to stay, especially as people are starting to realize that insurance is not what it used to be!  Join me on this deep dive into HSA's and why you might be a perfect candidate to start investing in your health care!

Tamari and I have been working together for the past 4 weeks and she has seen some amazing results!  She essentially went from being unable to run 3 miles without pain to being able to run more than 30 miles a week in this 4 week time span!  She is an Ultra Runner who was at the end of her rope when it came to her arch pain.  She had seen orthopedists and other physical therapists and had seen little to no improvement in her arch pain.  We dive into how she wasted time, money, energy, and emotions on seeing the wrong provider.  I actually give her alot of credit because she decided to take a chance and work with us even AFTER getting burned by the insurance based route she went through.  This included thirty... I'll say that again... THIRTY $35 copays, and visits to a specialist ( that weren't covered by insurance anyway).  Tamari's story is all too familiar to us at Alpha Project Phyzio & Performance, where an athlete was not treated properly and gets spit out of the system.  Listen today to find out how Tamari changed her running career, and life, around for good!

We had a lot of positive feedback from last episode so we wanted to expand upon icing even more!  As much as we don't Ice, we sure do love talking about it! :)  We also introduce the D2R2 model in this episode!  This D2R2 model stands for Desensitize, Decongest, Reperfuse, and Restore. This is the basics of how to treat an ache/pain, and injury!  This also happens to be the model that I use with most of my patients. If you want to learn more on how to invest in your health and your body then this episode is for you!

On this episode of the podcast we take a deep dive into resting and icing!  Should we do it?? Should we not??  What does the research say?  Being told to rest and ice an injury or ache/pain is something we commonly do, however does it actually do anything?  Are we solving the problem or are we just masking the pain?  These are just some of the questions we will be answering and more in this episode! 

On this episode we talk all things shin splints!  Many runners have them or have had them at one point in their running careers and they are not pretty!  We talk about what they are, why they are painful, what causes them and ( most importantly) how to treat them!  If you or someone you know has shin splints, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn about them!  

On this episode we have on Lauren Cramer!  She is a running coach who lives in Hagerstown, Maryland and she has clients all over Maryland and the "Quad" state area!  Lauren has coaches hundreds of distance runners and has a wealth of knowledge to share!  We delve into the unique needs distance runners have, how strength training is important, why a gait assessment its important, and how a running coach may help you on your running career and journey!

Welcome Andrew Kenas to the Podcast!  Andrew is a Physical Therapist in Charlotte North Carolina and has his own Physical Therapy practice.  Andrew's practice is much different than the average physical therapy clinic as he mostly sees crossfit athlete, barbell athletes and people that are active who want to remain active.  Andrew and myself have many similarities in that we are trying to change the way that physical therapy care is given.  If you've been to physical therapy before and was bounced around between clinicians, was given cookie cutter exercises, or didn't get better, then this is the perfect episode for you!  If you are active and want to learn about how to get the best care possible for yourself then please tune in!

Louise Valentine's story is inspiring and mirrors the journey of myself. She decided to no go to medical school and instead became a massage therapist.  Eventually she worked her way to the NFL and was treating high end clients.  She then made another huge life change and became a military spouse.  Louise has a passion for health and wellness and has dedicated her life to helping people find that passion in their own life.  We dive into many topics such as: issues in the current health care industry, why no all practitioners are created equally, and how Louise has helped clients reach their wellness and fitness goals!  You don't want to miss this one!

 Learn how to connect with Louise below!

Learn more:

Website: https://www.teamvalentineproject.com

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Breaking-Through-Challenge-Self-Doubt/dp/B08L3XBW5J/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Breaking+through+challenge+and+self+doubt&qid=1618941492&sr=8-2