Elite Performance Institute

Dr. Max: “3 hours of sleep doesn’t affect me.”

Georgie: 👀

🐶: “I’m not a doctor, but I think you need a nap.”

Turns out a medicine ball and a Swiss ball are not the same thing. 😂

Maybe sleep is important after all.

Clamshells are a simple way to work the outside of the hip, but there are a lot of ways to progress them.

This progression moves from easier to harder:

Level 1: Regular Clamshell
Level 2: Isometric Clamshell
Level 3: Isometric Clamshell With Wiggle
Level 4: Modified Side Plank Clamshell

Start with the level you can control well, then progress from there. The goal is clean movement, good pelvic control, and feeling the outside of the hip do the work.

Think your ankle stability is good?

Start at Level 1 and work your way through all 4 exercises. The challenge increases quickly.

Fire hydrants are a great way to work hip stability, but not every version is the same.

This progression moves from easier to harder:

Level 1: Side-Lying Fire Hydrant
Level 2: Quadruped Fire Hydrant
Level 3: Modified Side Plank Fire Hydrant
Level 4: Standing Fire Hydrant

Start with the level you can control well, then progress from there. The goal is clean movement, good pelvic control, and feeling the outside of the hip work.

Glute med strength matters for hip stability, running mechanics, and single-leg control.

This progression moves from Level 1 to Level 5:
Clamshell → Side-Lying Hip Abduction → Lateral Band Mini Walks → Standing Fire Hydrant → Modified Side Plank With Hip Abduction

Start with the level you can control well, then progress from there.

Foam rolling your quads? Try this simple upgrade.

Instead of only rolling back and forth, find a stiff or tender spot, stay there, and slowly bend your knee. Adding movement can help you work through the area more effectively and make your foam rolling feel more productive.

Small tweak, big difference.

If you’re doing dead bugs but not really feeling your core, this is a common issue.

When the knees travel too far toward the chest and break the plane of the hip, you lose the stabilization this exercise is supposed to train.

A simple fix is placing a foam roller on your stomach. It gives you immediate feedback and helps you maintain better positioning throughout the movement.

One small adjustment can make a big difference.

A lot of people blame pain on bad posture, but the real issue is often staying in the same position for too long.

Your body doesn’t want one perfect posture all day. It wants movement. When joints and tissues stay under the same stress too long, they can stiffen up and become less tolerant.

That’s why the best posture usually isn’t some perfect position. It’s your next one.