Strength Training with EDS/Joint Hypermobility? 9 Things You Need to Know

In this episode we discuss why we need to look beyond stretching and find better options for managing Ehlers-Danlos and hypermobile pain, especially the feeling of extreme muscle tightness that many hypermobile people experience.

Featuring Guest Host: Shant Rahman

WHERE TO FIND SHANT:
INSTAGRAM - @strength.revolution
Book in for an online consult with him HERE
(or in person if you're in Melbourne)

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**Disclaimer: the information in this podcast is not medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Consult a good doctor before engaging in any new exercise.**

Your Host - Annie Short: Strength Coach, Exercise Scientist, Powerlifter, Bodybuilder, and Ehlers-Danlos'er

Don't forget to follow me for more EDS + training content:
INSTAGRAM - @annieshortstrength
TIKTOK - @annie.short
YOUTUBE - @annieshortstrength

The Olympia is the biggest bodybuilding stage in the world. As a bodybuilder, you can't climb any higher than this. Imagine how gruelling the prep is, now imagine doing it with the added challenges of Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Marie Pontini is a former chemical engineer, director, finance & insurance, and business owner. She was officially diagnosed with an aggressive form of MS in 2016, then received her hEDS diagnosis in 2017.

In 2018, with unbearable neuropathic pain, Marie started bodybuilding as a way to empower herself over the situation - "the gym pain is one that I choose". She started competing in 2019, and is currently prepping to compete at the Amateur Arnold competition on 29th February 2024. Provided her body allows it, her flights are already booked to compete at the Olympia in October 2024!

Nothing about what Marie does is easy. Over the years she has had to make adaptations to her training and nutrition as both of her conditions progress. Because of paralysis in her digestive system, right now she has to water fast (under medical supervision) and her only way to train for the Arnolds is using a mind-muscle connection method without any external load.

In this podcast we talk about some of the ways Marie has adapted the training to her changing symptoms, the obstacles she's currently facing, how she finds her limits with MS and hEDS, her thoughts around finding/redefining your identity with chronic illness, and her mentality when it comes to navigating these two conditions. I want to thank Marie for sharing her story so openly, as well as sharing her infectious smile and energy.

00:00 Intro
01:53 Welcome Marie
04:30 Getting Into Bodybuilding
09:50 Challenges In Bodybuilding
14:45 Gastroparesis Testing
15:53 Adapting Strength Training for EDS & MS
24:11 Emotional Flexibility
31:24 Training Helps EDS
38:55 Having Fun With Training
42:07 Letting Go Of Control
47:23 Denial Isn't The Answer
01:01:53 Redefining Yourself After Diagnosis
01:08:16 Supporting Marie's Journey
01:09:48 Final Words
01:11:02 Outro


IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT MARIE TO REACH THE ARNOLD STAGE, HERE IS THE LINK TO THE GOFUNDME:
https://gofund.me/3b40e290

As Marie is currently funding her prep with disability income, any donations - big or small - are appreciated.

Or if you want to follow Marie on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariepontini/

CONTENT WARNING: This podcast discusses heavy topics including medical assistance in dying (MAID)
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**Disclaimer: the information in this podcast is not medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Consult a good doctor before engaging in any new exercise.**

Your Host - Annie Short: Strength Coach, Exercise Scientist, Powerlifter, Bodybuilder, and Ehlers-Danlos'er

Don't forget to follow me for more EDS + training content:
INSTAGRAM - @annieshortstrength
TIKTOK - @annie.short
YOUTUBE - @annieshortstrength

Today's guest is Abbey Phillipson. Abbey has Classical EDS and is a Fitness Coach, she's competed in bodybuilding, is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified Nutritionist & Personal Trainer, and received her Bachelor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University of Michigan (specialising in behavioural neuroscience amongst disabled populations).

When Abbey was 16, her spine and tailbone disconnected, resulting in an L4, L5, S1 stage four slip. This required surgery to reconstruct the area and fuse the lower part of her spine, so she spent the rest of high school using a wheelchair and walker. Three years after the surgery, Abbey started weights training and found that it completely transformed her life and significantly improved her EDS symptoms.

TOPICS COVERED:
- Building muscle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Abbey's Classical EDS symptoms and how they affect training
- How Abbey's mental & physical approach changed over the years between her "wheelchair phase" and when she started taking training seriously
- Victim mentality when you have EDS (but not in the way you think)
- Setting training goals beyond just getting healthy for people with Ehlers-Danlos
- Owning and celebrating your EDS while striving for more
- How we approach the first few months of lifting for clients who have EDS

Thanks so much for coming on Abbey! I loved the conversation and I know the listeners will too.

Find Abbey on INSTAGRAM: @abbeyphillipson

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**Disclaimer: the information in this podcast is not medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Consult a good doctor before engaging in any new exercise.**

Your Host - Annie Short: Strength Coach, Exercise Scientist, Powerlifter, Bodybuilder, and Ehlers-Danlos'er

Don't forget to follow me for more EDS + training content:
INSTAGRAM - @annieshortstrength
TIKTOK - @annie.short
YOUTUBE - @annieshortstrength

The sacroiliac joint is one of the most common problem areas for people with Ehlers-Danlos or even anyone with hypermobility but it’s also one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed areas.

I have been working with Shant from Strength Revolution (@strength.revolution on instagram) for the past 3 years to manage the SIJ pain caused by my Ehlers-Danlos/hypermobility.

Shant’s protocols have helped me come out on top of bodybuilding competition prep, powerlifting competition prep, and training through many flare ups - and this is exactly what we are discussing in this podcast taken from a recent Instagram Live we did together.

Over the years I’ve also sent him plenty of EDS clients and I’m stoked with the results I’ve seen them get.

In this live we discuss: 

• Why the SIJ is such a problem for people with hypermobility
• Why it’s such a poorly understood & misdiagnosed area
• How hypermobile people need a different/ongoing approach to rehab
• Common symptoms of SIJ dysfunction
• Suggested approaches for SIJ rehab in hypermobile individuals

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**Disclaimer: the information in this podcast is not medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Consult a good doctor before engaging in any new exercise.**

Your Host - Annie Short: Strength Coach, Exercise Scientist, Powerlifter, Bodybuilder, and Ehlers-Danlos'er
Guest - Shant Rahman: Rehab Genius, Exercise Scientist, Strength Coach, and Athlete

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more EDS + training content - @annieshortstrength

So you've got Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or Joint Hypermobility and you want to do strength training, but you've got no idea if you should do high reps or low reps. 

Or maybe you're coaching someone with EDS/hypermobility and you need some pointers on how to approach it. 

Which rep ranges should you do?
And are there any you should avoid??

In this podcast, your host Annie Short discusses the most up-to-date approaches to rep ranges for strength or muscle gain, and how this information applies to the hypermobile population. 



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**Disclaimer: the information in this podcast is not medical advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Consult a good doctor before engaging in any new exercise.**

Your Host - Annie Short: Strength Coach, Exercise Scientist, Powerlifter, Bodybuilder, and Ehlers-Danlos'er

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram for more EDS + training content - @annieshortstrength

This episode explores how to approach your return to strength training after an Ehlers-Danlos flare-up, or after an extended time off because of injury (or life just getting in the way). 

"I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and I get a lot of joint pain. I strength train [or want to]. Do you have any advice?"

This question is one of the most common things I'm asked. 

In my opinion, strength training is an incredible way to manage EDS and hypermobility. I've used it to reduce my pain, increase my quality of life, change my body shape, improve my health, and represent my country in a sport. So firstly, well done on picking one of the best forms of exercise for your body. 

But at the same time, strength training with hypermobility or EDS can be really tough. Very few people understand how to adapt training for this body type. If you want to get the most out of your training, you need to know your body, and if you have hypermobility there are actually some things you can do to maximise your results and feel stronger in your body. 

Here are 9 of the most important considerations that I have learnt over the past 15+ years of strength training with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. 

**DISCLAIMER: I'm not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. I'm sharing my own personal experiences for entertainment purposes only.**

On this episode I talk about one of the biggest factors that's improved my training - my warmups. 

I'll share the principles behind how I (a powerlifter with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) changed my warmups to significantly reduce pain, get stronger, and improve my training in general. 

I apologise if this is a bit rambly - these are ideas I'm used to teaching my clients over multiple sessions and I found it hard to articulate it all in one short podcast! It's a little bit technical too - so if it's too rambly to understand or you want a more simplified version, send me your feedback on instagram - @annieshortstrength 

Happy training!

And *full disclaimer* this isn't advice and I'm not a doctor - these are just my own experiences that I'm sharing for entertainment purposes only. Consult your doctor before exercising and NEVER train through pain.