Cross-Pollination Vol. 13

When the answer isn't answering, question the question.

Critical Non-Essentials 

CNEs are Paddi Lund’s idea of deliberately improving the small details around a customer’s experience that aren’t essential to delivering the core service, but are critical to how that service is perceived and remembered.

Being good at what you do is a must. 

But also being good at the non-essential things can be a difference maker. 

Similar to Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara.

And no different when it comes to training:

The main program drives the adaptation.
And the accessory work supports one’s ability to keep doing the main work.

They’re non-essential.

Until they’re critical.

It’s the conditioning work that gymnasts do and the deliberate warmups and GPP that we see in track and field.

Maybe the fill gaps where the programming may lack. Maybe they expose limitations in movements outside of those that are normally required or performed. Or maybe they merely help distribute load across the system. 

I don’t wan’t to use the term preventative, because I’m not sure it is. But I’d like to perhaps suggest durability promoting. Perhaps.

Again, 

The main program drives the adaptation.
Everything else supports one’s ability to keep doing the main work.

The  Critical Non-Essentials.

Because not everything needs to be essential to be important. 


Tipping

Wrote about transactional vs transformational and performative vs transformative last week.

A principle in coaching that I connected to the current landscape of social media.

But as I go about in my daily work and coffee purchases, I think the same applies then.

With colleagues: it’s easy for us to be transactional. A “how are you” that’s more of a greeting than it is a question. Looking down at our phone/computer while talking to a peer.

At the coffee shop: this is where it got me. Tipping.

This is getting out of hand. Coffee baristas pointing to the POS machine and asking for a tip without asking about your day. I don't mind tipping, but it’s about the interaction, the service. Isn’t that what a tip is for? To thank someone for their GOOD service?

Because if you’re just transactional, I don’t see any reason to tip…especially at Starbucks.

But if we strike up a brief conversation, meaningful pleasantries, then I’ve likely enjoyed my experience and would be more than happy to tip.

But back to when working with our athletes/patients, for many of us, being transformational is a genuine skill. But when interacting with our peers, it’s often easily forgotten.


In season tendinopathy

The current process is that tendinopathy generally needs load. In the off-season, I think that’s relatively simple, though not necessarily easy, to do.

During the season however, I think it’s trickier. 

Microdosing?

Is more load actually the answer?

In large part, for many structures…I think so. Yet for others… I don’t know. 

We know that most loads, when dosed appropriately, are stimulative.
And other loads are analgesic. But is that always the solution?

Because why are tendinopathies still challenging?

And what about load distribution and dispersion?

We saw through the Buchheit and King paper that squeeze test readings for the adductor are whole system outputs. Meaning that indirect improvement (i.e. addressing limitations upstream) can positively affect and show improvement in squeeze test values. Without direct training of the adductors. 

In runners, glute med tendinopathies are common. Especially in hobby joggers.

So should we directly load these as well? Possibly. But what if they’re relatively elite and run 100+ mile weeks?

Could we then create overload?

I don’t know. I’m just thinking out loud.

Is more load always the answer?

Are clamshells and captain morgans sufficient? Are single leg squats and suitcase carries sufficient?

And what if someone needs a better functioning system more proximally? What if they need stronger quads? Or improved foot and ankle stretch shortening?

But back to the in-season. Adductor issues in hockey. 

Load monitoring?

How about load distribution and dispersion.

We talked about this. Again, the Buchheit and King paper.

Maybe this is where we need to spend more time. At least between games 20-60, if not beyond.

Because the load is there. Often it’s high.

Maybe we just need to distribute it better.

Maybe it’s not just about tissue capacity. 

Maybe it’s also about above and below.


Random Closing Thoughts
​

• Frontal plane problems sometimes have sagittal and transverse plane solutions.
• If the scapula isn't moving properly, stop looking at the scapula.