Ep. #799: Laura Kummerle on Ninja Warrior Training, Bodyweight Workouts, and Rehabbing Injuries

In this podcast, I chat with physical therapist, Dr. Laura Kummerle, about a variety of subjects, including Ninja Warrior Training, the benefits of bodyweight training, how to train around repetitive stress injuries (and when to see a physical therapist), and more.

In case you’re not familiar with Laura, she’s a former collegiate gymnast turned full-time orthopedic physical therapist who received her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Florida. She also completed an orthopedic residency, making her an OSC (orthopedic clinical specialist).

Laura not only has the educational background, but she competed in season 11 of American Ninja Warrior, so she knows a thing or two about the practical application of calisthenics, as well.

Beyond that, she posts her unique, gymnastics- and ninja-inspired workouts on her Instagram, and we’re happy to have her on the team as a Legion Athlete.

So without further ado, if you want to learn how to train like a Ninja Warrior (and what that even is), what bodyweight exercises you should be doing, how to train around repetitive stress injuries, and a whole lot more, you’re going to like this podcast!

Timestamps:

9:40 - How do you train for ninja warrior? What does ninja training look like?

10:51 - How do you program the training for Ninja Warrior?

12:09 - What's commonly used for grip training?

12:30 - How common are ninja gyms? Where can you find them?

14:26 - How much training is required to be a Ninja Warrior? How quickly can you become "good" at Ninja Warrior?

17:41 - Who can benefit from bodyweight exercise?

19:50 - What are the benefits of focusing on mobility, control, and strength at end ranges of a movement?

20:42 - What bodyweight exercises should you include in addition to strength training?

22:52 - What should you do if your knees move inward while squatting?

26:25 - What cues have you found helpful for correcting form issues?

27:28 - What upper body bodyweight exercises do you recommend?

27:45 - What are the benefits of handstands?

31:13 - What is "end range" of an exercise?

31:43 - What other bodyweight exercises should people consider doing?

32:58 - How do you program cossack squats?

40:18 - The benefits of mirrors and taking video of your sets

44:50 - How do you work around repetitive stress injuries?

48:18 - When should you go see a physical therapist?

56:16 - How do you address knee pain?

58:40 - What should you do when you get an RSI?

1:00:23 - Should you train a non-injured side to maintain muscle?

1:00:38 - What are neurological crossover effects?

Mentioned on the Show:

Books by Mike Matthews: https://legionathletics.com/products/books/

Laura’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paradigmofperfection/

Laura’s website: https://paradigmofperfection.com/