There you are in the gym, just trying to get through your workout. All the while ignoring that jerk that has been trying to pick up the gal in the sexy leotard with his latest pickup line. And then, here he comes, Joey-Doo-Dah-Doo. Oh, no, you think to yourself, What gym science am I going to learn today? A! How ya doin? Joey Doo-Dah-Doo here! I see yer trainin back and chest today. Remember, make sure you pull all the way down to your chest if you want a fully developed back. And dont forget, if you wanna develop big pecs like me, be sure to bring that bar down to your chest on yer bench press. Just take it from me, Joey Doo-Dah-Doo! Now scuse me, I gots to go get my protein shake. You shake your head, go back to your set, and laugh at how all that protein has gone to Joeys head.

Now were not saying NEVER to bench to your chest or pull down to your chest during your lat pulls, but your risk for injury increases exponentially by doing so. (were not going to go into that subject here.) But, maybe you listened to Mr. Doo-Dah-Doo for too many years before you began reading Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness and got the true skinny on sensible exercise by informed and experienced authors.

Maybe that shoulder has just been beat up for way too long. If thats the case, your injured shoulders (or any other joint) may be holding you back from training at your best. And not training at your best is not going to help you win your next show anytime soon! So weve got to fix that injury FAST!

Dr. Castro and I work tirelessly to promote the world of drug free bodybuilding and work with many athletes that are opposed to putting drugs in their body to solve their joint aches and pains. In our practice, Dr. Castro uses a soft tissue application that has been helping to heal injuries without long rest periods. Enter ACTIVE RELEASE TECHNIQUE or ART

ART is a patented, state-of-the-art soft-tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatic, plantar fasciatis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common - they often over use injuries.

Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. Dr. Castro uses his hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements that mimic actual function or range of motion. These treatment protocols - over 500 of them - are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that affect each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach. Each course of therapy is individually designed to resolve the patient's problems.

Through my Therapeutic Fitness work or Dr. Castros practice as a Soft Tissue Specialist, we treat many bodybuilders and athletes who constantly struggle with injures. Try telling a bodybuilder who is training for a show to stay out of the gym; see how quickly the use of profanity and choice words of where you should go comes hurling at you. We understand that never say die attitude because we too are athletes. Its very difficult to tell an athlete to do nothing. That is the beauty of ART, you are expected to go back to your activities and see what degree of pain or discomfort you experience. Depending upon that discomfort, your treatment might continue for several treatments or clear up within a few!

Lets briefly revisit our shoulder example: The most common shoulder injury is to the subscapularis, one of muscles that comprise the 4 muscles of the rotator cuff. The subscap muscle stabilizes the humerus (upper arm bone) in the shoulder joint. If the muscle becomes weak due to adhesions of the muscle fibers (either calcium deposits or scar tissue) then it fails in its job of stabilization, allowing the humerus to move forward during certain exercises. This causes impingement on several structures on the anterior aspect of the deltoid. It is not desirable for the humerus to come forward as this creates degrees of pain in the shoulder most often associated with heavy or over abused bench pressing. A muscular imbalance is created and needs to be rectified.

To alleviate your shoulder pain, the ART practitioner will treat the subscap through the armpit. (This is not the most pleasant experience, we wont lie to you!) However, its referred to as the magic muscle for solving shoulder problems. Dr Castro treats more shoulders than anything and through his own shoulder pains, was how he first became acquainted to ART. Now, not only does he administer ART, he teaches it all over the country.

Why is treating the soft tissue a more sensible approach to treating an injury versus that of traditional therapies? Good question! Traditional Physical Therapy and the like concentrates MORE on strengthening and stability. You cannot take a structure that is weak due to adhesions within the muscle fibers and strengthened it. Those fibers are bound together with scar tissue or calcium (binding agents that promote stability but prevent true contraction and functionthink of dry paint in a paintbrush.) Those adhered fibers will not contract or stretch until they are manually worked out through ART.

SO, this is the protocol:

Treat the compromised muscle/joint through ART

Start getting the muscle back to normal texture, tension and function

THEN, begin using a specific strengthening program for the injured area.

So if youre suffering from a nagging injury that has kept you from training at your best, find an ART provider that will help get you back into action FAST! Then you can get back to the gym and start training to be the next WNBF pro. (Just remember your fake mustache, glasses, and nose mask so Joey wont recognize you!