Should I Take Vitamin D?

In this post:

• how to know if you should take supplemental vitamin D.
• the “sweet spot” for vitamin D blood levels.

Author:
Nick Ortego is a health coach specializing in biohacking for runners. He integrates modern methods with the ancient wisdom of yoga to help runners get the most out of every aspect of life. He is the owner of N 2 Action, a wellness studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offering personal training, health coaching, yoga, and fascial stretch therapy.
Also find more on the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube Channel

Transcript:

Hi Nick Ortego here today. I’m
answering the question: Should I take

vitamin D? The best way to know if you should
take vitamin D is to have your levels

tested, your blood levels tested. You can
do that through your doctor. The doctor

can order that test and you’ll get your
blood work back. You can also order it

yourself. I’m gonna put a link in the
description to a place online where you

can order that test and have the blood
drawn locally. It’s about sixty dollars

to get your vitamin D tested, or if you
want to have your doctor do it and your

insurance may cover it as part of like a
regular checkup. But anyway you want to

get your levels tested. That’s how you
know for sure should I take vitamin D.

Having inadequate levels of vitamin D
can lead to a lot of health problems.

If they’re very low it can interfere with
bone formation about a thousand

different genes in your twenty four
thousand or so genes in your human body

rely on vitamin D to activate them. So
it’s involved in a lot of different

processes. The level you want to shoot
for, the sweet spot for vitamin D levels,

is between 40 and 60 nano grams per
milliliter.

That’s a millionth of a gram so it’s a
very small unit. What’s been shown in

studies to take most adults up to at
least 30 nano grams per milliliter is

4,000 units a day. That may or may not be
true for you. That’s just a study with

most adults getting their levels up to
30 nanograms per milliliter with 4,000

units a day of supplementation. There are
a lot of factors that can change how you

turn sunlight into vitamin D and there
are a lot of factors in how your body

processes it, so testing is the best way
to know also if you do have adequate

levels. If you
have your vitamin D in that sweet spot

between 40 and 60 there’s no benefit to
bumping it up above 60. There’s actually

some detriment. So if you look at the
whole population the people in the 40 to

60 range of vitamin D have the lowest
all cause mortality and then those that

are far below that range have higher
mortality and those above that range the

80 to 100 or so have increased risk of
mortality, so the sweet spot seems to be

40 to 60. You can get your levels tested
with Wellness FX. I’m going to put

the link and the description of this
video I’m also gonna link to a very

simple and informative infographic from
FoundMyFitness, Rhonda Patrick. There’s

this great blog called FoundMyFitness. It
has a lot more info on the specifics of

how vitamin D does all these things in
your body, but the easiest ways to know

is just get tested. Otherwise you’re just
making a guesswork.

You got any benefit from this video? Then
leave me a comment below and if you’d like

to get more content not available on the
blog or the regular YouTube channel, then
click the link connected to this video.
You’ll have a chance to sign up for the
Run Better Now VIP Club. Thank You.

How To Use The DCT Proflex: Calf Stretch

In this post:

• use the DCT Proflex to stretch your calves.
• a tool to optimize ankle range of motion.

Author:
Nick Ortego is a health coach specializing in biohacking for runners. He integrates modern methods with the ancient wisdom of yoga to help runners get the most out of every aspect of life. He is the owner of N 2 Action, a wellness studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offering personal training, health coaching, yoga, and fascial stretch therapy.
Also find more on the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube Channel

Transcript:
Hey it’s Nick Ortego here. I’m going to
show you how to use this thing. It’s
called the DCT proflex. I’m gonna put a
link where you can get this thing in the
description of this video. It’s
basically a way to give yourself
leverage when you’re doing a calf stretch,
or an ankle range of motion exercise.
It straps on kind of like a boot. You can
see the harness here. It comes in different sizes.
These straps that determine the size are
interchangeable. So the trainer model
comes with all the sizes and the
personal model comes with just the size
that you order. I found that sometimes
putting a towel in, a kind of flattened
out towel can help it get on your ankle
or your foot more securely just
depending on the size of your ankle and
foot. I’m gonna put that in there, so
there it is. And you really just put it
on like the boot. So you see, I got it on.
Pull the tongue up into my ankle, being
sure that the tongue is not has not slid
down toward the toes. Then pull the
strap and pull it over. It’s velcro. Now
my ankle can move. You want to feel like
your heel is back in that socket in
the back side of the boot apparatus.
After you move your ankle around a few
times you can pull it a little bit
tighter and get it more secure. So you go
into a position lying down on your back.
Then grab these straps. As you can
see, I can use these straps for leverage
to pull my ankle into dorsiflexion.
There’s a few ways that I like to do it
And the makers the dct pro flex. DCT is a
acronym for a dynamic contraction
therapy or training something along
those lines. They have a very specific
method where you pull into a stretch, and
then contract the muscle while it’s
being stretched. I’m not going to go into
that so much as just to show you the
different ways you can use this and if
you are more interested in the DCT
methods check out their website. They
have great courses about it. I haven’t
taken any of them yet, but very
interesting, very intriguing. So you can
start with just the leg on the floor and
pulling straps on both sides. So I’m just
pulling in dorsiflexion stretching
the calves. I can also pull more with one
side than the other. So I can throw some
inversion and eversion into the
dorsiflexion. I’ll pull it back you
can also pull it more to one side or the
other depending on which strap I’m
pulling with. So the way I like to do it
is just starting at the bottom. Legs are..
the leg that I’m stretching is on the
ground. The other knee can be bent or
straight and I just pull the toes back.
I also pull more on the inside to
get a little inversion and more on the
outside to get a little eversion. The
ankle is a multiplanar joint, it moves in
all three planes so stretching the
muscles that control
ankle motioned you should also stretch
them and those different planes. I can
also start to bring a little bit of a
hamstring stretch in, and I can choke up
the straps kind of wrap them around my
hands and then I can have my knees
straight, and I’m pulling the ankle into
dorsiflexion. Here another thing that I
can do is put both straps in one hand
and pull the leg over to that side. And
then I can put both straps in the other
hand and pull it over to the other side.
The inside and the outside trying to
keep my hips squared up and keep the
hips kind of flat I don’t want to be
turning, totally turning over, turning my
hips with my leg because then I’m not
moving the actual hip joint. But what
this tends to do is stretch all of the
tissue that is continuous with the
calves, all the fascial tissue that’s
continuous with the calf muscles, and the
Achilles tendon all the way up the chain.
If I pull it across my body, I’m
getting into the outside of the
hamstring and into the hip abductors and
the IT band. I pull it to the
outside of my body and getting more into
the adductors the inner hamstring and
these muscles on the inner thigh. After
I’ve gone through that method another
thing I like to do is bend the knee and
just pull it into dorsiflexion with the
knee bent. This way I’m getting a lot
more stretch on the soleus or the lower
calf muscle. I can keep
pulling the straps and start to
straighten out my knee and whenever I do,
I keep some tension on the calf. I’m shifting the stretch up into the
gastroc, the belly like muscle in the
calf and into the hamstrings.
I’m definitely a big fan of this DCT
proflex. I was a little skeptical if it would work
well but it’s probably the most
effective calf stretch method that I’ve
found that you can do on yourself. Some
of the FST methods that a
practitioner can do on you are
probably a little better,
but if you don’t have that availability,
the DCT Pro flex is an excellent tool.
I’m a big fan of it, been using it.
Ankle range of motion issues are a big
factor in a lot of injuries, so if you
can increase your ankle range of motion
you’re gonna be ahead of the game for
performance and injury prevention. I’m
also going to link to a video that shows
you how to see if you need to improve
ankle range of motion. That will be on
the end screen of this video. If you
got any benefit from this video or you’d
like to get more content that’s not
available on the blog or the regular
YouTube channel, then click the link that
I’m connecting to this video where
you’ll be able to sign up for the Run
Better Now VIP club.

How To Use The DCT Proflex: Resisted Dorsiflexion

In this post:

• strengthen the anterior tibialis to prevent shin splints.
• how to use the DCT Proflex.

Author:
Nick Ortego is a health coach specializing in biohacking for runners. He integrates modern methods with the ancient wisdom of yoga to help runners get the most out of every aspect of life. He is the owner of N 2 Action, a wellness studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offering personal training, health coaching, yoga, and fascial stretch therapy.
Also find more on the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube Channel

Transcript:
Hey it’s Nick Ortego here. I’m gonna
show you how to use this thing. It’s
called the DCT pro flex. To do some
resisted dorsiflexion to strengthen up
the anterior tibialis muscles. Muscles on
the front side of the shin there. So the
best way that I’ve found to strengthen
those muscles is with this thing that’s
called the DCT pro flex. I’m going to
leave a link in the description where
you can get one of these. But the
attachments hook on your foot like a
boot. They can be turned around so your
foot can be with the toes on this side
and the heel on this side. That way
you can use these straps to pull and get
leverage for a calf stretch or an ankle
range of motion exercise. And the other
way you can use is to turn everything
around these straps. These
harnesses. The boot mechanism can turn
around, detach turn around and go back in
the other way. And in that way you’ll
have your toes coming out of the short
end so it looks like this. From there,
pull this strap over, tighten it up and
there you go. So I have leverage
to be able to pull my ankle into plantar
flexion, and then I can resist with
dorsiflexion. You can use this for a
stretch by just pulling and pointing
your toes or you can use it for
strengthening. That’s what I’ll show
you. I found a lot of people, not many
people need to really stretch, not many
people really need to stretch this
muscle. It’s more of a need for
strengthening with most people. You might
be different so have that checked out by
a good PT or corrective exercise trainer.
So from here toes are pointed and then
what I’m going to do just pull my toes
back and then apply resistance with
these bands. So I’m pulling on these
bands on these straps and then I’m
pulling my toes back and forth. I’m
giving constant resistance. The
muscles in the front of my shin have to
contract against the resistance I’m
giving with my arms and the resistance
I’m giving with my arms is being
multiplied by the leverage of this
machine. So what I recommend to start
with is a few sets of ten to twelve.
Really just pulling the toes back and
then giving only enough, only enough
release of your resistance where you can
get the toes to pull back. Then
really cranking on it on the negative.
You’re pointing your
toes under control you’re really pulling
that hard with your arms. Be honest with
yourself. Give yourself as much
resistance as you can handle. What I’ve
found is this is a really good way to
strengthen those muscles. You have so
much leverage that you can use to put a
load on those muscles. Start with just
one set. Don’t do too many don’t
do too much volume when you start out. It
can be get really sore. You got any
benefit from this video? Then leave a
comment below. If you’d like to get more
content not available on the blog or the
regular youtube channel, then click the
link connected to this video you have a
chance to sign up for the Run Better Now
VIP club.

How To Use The Pelvic Clock

In this post:

• a unique tool for helping you move your pelvis.
• a helpful technique to reduce or prevent lower back pain.
• how to use the Pelvic Clock.

Author:
Nick Ortego is a health coach specializing in biohacking for runners. He integrates modern methods with the ancient wisdom of yoga to help runners get the most out of every aspect of life. He is the owner of N 2 Action, a wellness studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offering personal training, health coaching, yoga, and fascial stretch therapy.
Also find more on the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube Channel

Video Transcript:
Hey it’s Nick Ortego here. I’m gonna
show you how to use this new toy that
I’ve been playing with. It’s called the
pelvic clock. It’s basically a little
dome that you place under your pelvis.
There’s an indention.
It’s about the same shape as the human
sacrum. You place this right under the
sacrum or the base of the spine where the pelvis is. And then you can perform
circular motions and rocking motions
with this underneath your pelvis. So the
way you do it is place it directly at
the sacrum. If you find your tailbone
that’s a little too low. Above the
tailbone but below the lower back, that’s
about where your sacrum is. You want to
have the the narrow end down going
towards the foot side of your body like
this. You lie down on your back. lift
your hips up. Find the placement about
right there. So from here I can do small
little pelvic motions. I can tilt it
to the six o’clock position. The six
o’clock would be in that way just
pretending that I have a clock behind my
hips. I can tilt it to the 12 o’clock
position. Tilting the pelvis back. I can
also tilt the pelvis to the left and to
the right into the three o’clock and
nine o’clock positions. I want to be very
careful that I’m only moving my pelvis.
Not just rolling my whole body around
with the legs and everything. It’s just
everything else stays flat on the floor
and I’m only tilting the pelvis
Once you’ve mastered the control of
these three. six, nine, and twelve o’clock
positions, you can do a circular motion
pretending that you’re going around the
clock clockwise and counter clockwise.
The benefit of this: it just gets all
these little muscles around your lower
back engaged in fine control of your
pelvis. Really good if you feel like your
pelvic motion is uneven if you’ve had SI
issues and one side just seems to move
better than the other. This can be a good
way to wake up the movement and just
learn where your movement is more
restricted and where you may need to
mobilize things. Give that a try. I’ve
enjoyed it and clients who have really
felt a good benefit from this thing. I’m
going to put a link in the description
where you can get it. Full disclosure I’m
not affiliated with them in any way. I
just like it. If you’ve got any benefit
from this video then leave a comment
below. If you’d like to get more of
content that’s not available on the blog
or the regular YouTube channel, then
click the link connected to this video,
you’ll have a chance to sign up for the Run Better Now VIP Club

How To Be Sure Your Glutes Are Working Properly

In this post:

• glute activation test and glute activation exercise for better performance and injury prevention.
• protect your knees and lower back by ensuring your glutes are working properly.

Author:
Nick Ortego is a health coach specializing in biohacking for runners. He integrates modern methods with the ancient wisdom of yoga to help runners get the most out of every aspect of life. He is the owner of N 2 Action, a wellness studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offering personal training, health coaching, yoga, and fascial stretch therapy.
Also find more on the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube Channel

Video Transcript:
Hey it’s Nick Ortego here. I’m gonna
show you how to activate your glutes
when you’re performing the movement we
know as hip extension. That’s when
you’re pushing your leg back behind your
body. A very common muscular imbalance is
that the glutes are inhibited. They’re
under active and it leads to a lot of
problems having to do with poor
performance and injuries. Lay
down on your stomach in prone position.
Raise your hands in front of your
forehead and your forehead down on your
knuckles like this. Let’s take a couple
of breaths into your belly before you
start. Just to relax everything. From
here, you’re gonna squeeze your left
glute and then raise your left leg to
one inch high. Then back down and
squeeze your right glute and raise your
right leg about one inch. A lot of times
when you see if the glutes are under
active and the hip flexors are tight, what
we’re gonna see is when the leg Rises,
there’s a lot of pelvis rotation and
lower back extension. What we’re trying
to do is first engage the primary
extensor, which is the glutes. First
engage the glutes and then lift the
whole leg up where the knee comes up
about one inch or more. Only lift the leg
so far as you can without causing the
lower back to hyperextend or the pelvis
to rotate. It’s very key there that you only
lift the leg a little and only
accomplish the movement by moving the
hip joint and not rotating the pelvis or
hyper extending the spine. Give that a
try. A good method is to go
for about a minute or 90 seconds or do a
certain number of reps on each leg,
usually higher repetitions because we’re
trying to send that signal and really
just activate the glutes by lifting just
the weight of your leg and really firing
the glutes before the movement happens.
Just to ensure that the glutes are
accomplishing the movement and the
movement is purely at the hip and not at
the lower back or the pelvis. Give that
try. Got any benefit from it let me
know by leaving a comment below, or if
you have any questions leave a question.
Also if you’d like to get more content
that’s not available on the blog or the
regular youtube channel, then click the
link that’s connected to this video. You
will have a chance to sign up for the run
better now VIP club.

Indian Club Wrist Pronator And Supinator Exercise

In this post:

• how to use Indian clubs to work the wrist pronator and supinator muscles.
• how to increase intensity by increasing momentum.

Author:
Nick Ortego is a health coach specializing in biohacking for runners. He integrates modern methods with the ancient wisdom of yoga to help runners get the most out of every aspect of life. He is the owner of N 2 Action, a wellness studio in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, offering personal training, health coaching, yoga, and fascial stretch therapy.
Also find more on the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube Channel

Transcript:
Hey Nick Ortego here. I’m going to show
you how to use Indian clubs
to work the forearm muscles specifically
the pronators and supinators.
Start with a good grip on the Indian
club with your pinky finger halfway on
the little ball that’s on the end like
that. And then hold them directly in
front. From the side it looks like this. My
elbows are bent at about 90 degrees and
then I’m going to move the Indian clubs
one direction then the opposite
direction,
kind of like windshield wipers. Now I can
do this slow and maintain control these
are pretty light Indian clubs and this
is pretty easy. So it would be suitable
for a warm up. I can also increase the
speed and when I increase the speed I’ve
got more momentum to reverse on either
side. In this exercise it’s pretty much
weightless when the head of the Indian
Club is directly over my wrist. The
place where there’s the most resistance,
the most work for the muscles, is at the
end of the range where I have to reverse
the momentum. So if I create more
momentum with a faster movement, I’m
going to have to reverse more momentum
with my own muscles to go faster. Creates
more tension in the pronator and supinator muscles. Also just be sure that
keeping the elbows bent at about 90
degrees the side looks like this and
that you’re not you’re not turning it into
a shoulder exercise. We’re trying to keep
the forearms, muscles in the forearms
working as the movers. The shoulder
muscles will work as stabilizers in this
exercise. Give that a try if you got any
benefit from it leave a comment below.
Like to get more content it’s not
available on the blog or the regular
YouTube channel? Then click the link
that’s connected to this video you have
a chance to sign up for the run better
now VIP club.