January 13, 2022
Ben Patrick (the “Knees Over Toes Guy”), is the coach and founder of the “Athletic Truth Group” (ATG), a gym and online training service based out of Clearwater Beach, Florida.
Ben overcame debilitating knee and shin pain, as well as subsequent surgeries, through a personal journey taking knee and foot strength training means to their fullest potential.
With his methods, Ben transformed his basketball career, going from being continually injured and under-achieving to having a successful junior college stint through improving his own knee health and performance. This culminated for Ben with a scholarship offer to Boston University for basketball, but due to NCAA eligibility rules, Ben turned it down and began training athletes.
Many people have been recommending Ben’s methods as completely transformative in their knee pain, and recently I've begun experimenting with his programs, so thought I would have Ben on the show to discuss his very unique approach to healing the knees.
During our discussion, you'll discover:
-How Ben became involved with treating knee pain…06:50
- “What would John Stockton do?”
- Chronic knee problems from age 12-20
- “Knees over toes” was considered taboo for the longest time
- Pressure within reason causes a body to age biologically younger
- It's a knee ability program (abiliknee.com is available btw)
- Jumping is the #1 cause of knee pain among young people
- Ben addressed knee problems by taking care of his hamstrings as a younger man
- Painkiller addiction can increase the risk of injury by masking the pain
-Why walking backward is so beneficial to the health of the knees…21:45
- Aka “retro walking“
- Walking backward actually is doing knee-over-toes training
- Strengthens completely different muscles
- Take a step backward, you see your knees are above your toes, putting pressure on the knee
- Sled on turf walking backward at least or as much as walking forward
- Sled on turf to create the pressure without the jarring effect
- Torque Fitness push sled – bulky and expensive
- Only you move the sled, vs. squats
- Brian Johnson, The Liver King
- Effect of Retrowalking on Pain, Functional Disability and Functional Mobility in Patients with Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis
- Also alleviates lower back pain
- 4-week study on reverse walking
-Fundamental knee exercises that can be done anywhere, anytime…37:22
- Motion and compression of fully bending the knee
- Full knee bend gets a bad rap; research shows it's a desirable quality
- Find your 100% pain-free knee bend
- Pain-free knee secrets:
- ATG split squat requires more recovery than walking backward
- Knee Ability Zero by Ben Patrick
- ATG for Life by Ben Patrick
- Start with the Bodyweight program
- Charles Poliquin
-Why focus on the tibialis muscles and hip flexors…48:57
- Stronger shin muscles = a lighter-feeling body
- We all have the same odds of knee problems as obese people without focusing on the tibialis
- Video of tibialis raise
- MJ dunking from foul line video
- We all have tight hip flexors
- Hip flexors are the biggest differentiator between sprinters and average folk
-Tools and techniques to strengthen the knees…56:16
- Push/pull a car in neutral
- Training Sled is the most important
- Slant surface
- Industrial size door stop on Amazon
- Back extension
- Monkey Feet on a dumbbell
- Monkey foot exercise
- Hip Flexor exercise
- Knees Over Toes tibialis raise
- ATG Gyms
- Knees Over Toes Guy Youtube channel
-Why Ben doesn't heavily focus on the glutes in his program…1:03:47
- Bret Contreras, The Glute Guy
- ATG Split squat and forward/backward sled walking works the glutes
- Knee Pain Bible by Christopher Kidawski
- Torque Fitness
-And much more…
Upcoming Events:
- Keep up on Ben's LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldlife.com/calendar
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Resources from this episode:
– Ben Patrick:
- Knees Over Toes Guy
- ATG Online Coaching
- Knee Ability Zero by Ben Patrick
- ATG for Life by Ben Patrick
- Knees Over Toes Guy Youtube Channel
- Tibialis Raise Video
- Hip Flexor Exercise
- Monkey Foot Exercise
- The Better You Are Backward, The More Protected You Are Forward, But Why?
– Other Resources:
- Knee Pain Bible by Christopher Kidawski
- Brian Johnson, The Liver King
- Bret Contreras, The Glute Guy
- Charles Poliquin
- Effect of Retrowalking on Pain, Functional Disability and Functional Mobility in Patients with Chronic Knee Osteoarthritis
- The Efficacy of Backward Walking on Static Stability, Proprioception, Pain, and Physical Function of Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Retro-Walking Improves Symptoms, Pain, And Function In Primary Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomised Control Trial
Episode sponsors:
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–Optimize: I use Optimize, and I have for years. I recommend you check it out. To learn more and get your free membership, go to optimize.me/ben
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Look into Dan Buglio
“ Pain Free You”
He and many others have healed their pain with his method.
Alan Gordon ,LCSW-C also is great.
Go to TMSwiki.com
Learn all about this mind body approach and become pain free for life!!!!
Works productively in groups of all sizes to get tasks done.
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A different issue is really that video gaming became one of the all-time most important forms of recreation for people of nearly every age. Kids participate in video games, plus adults do, too. The actual XBox 360 is one of the favorite games systems for people who love to have a huge variety of games available to them, and who like to play live with other people all over the world. Thank you for sharing your ideas.
“Wow! At last I got a blog from where I be capable of actually get helpful facts
concerning my study and knowledge.”
Is there any Ben Greenfield discount codes for monkey feet, tib bar or slant boards?
I’ve learned about your program from my son who has signed on to your program. I’m intrigued and encouraged by what I am learning gabout your program and started trying the exercises with him to see if I would be a good candidate. Since doing the first set of exercises and stretch regiment I having swelling and pain in my knees and difficulty walking down stairs. I’m 61 and normally extremely active ( a
downhill skier, water skier, tennis, squash, hiking, yoga, weight training ) and have been physically active and fit my entire life. I had a water ski accident in August of 2020 where I suffered a complete avulsed hamstring tear with a 12 cm gap and an avulsed medial meniscus tear. The knee was surgically repaired however I was never able to receive the hamstring repair due to Covid medical delays and surgical cancellations. I have been doing recovery physio since September 2020. As my injured leg recovers my supposed good leg has become worse and worse. 10 months of non-weight bearing and living on one leg took its toll. MRI of un-injured knee shows normal deterioration for a 61 year old physically active woman. I am struggling to regain my life back ( cross country skiing, downhill, racket sports, discomfort in everyday life). Am I a good candidate? When I hear of your recovery I wonder; Can I recover. I’m hesitant to progress with your program yet prepared to work through it as long as I don’t make my situation worse. I’m thankful for no sciatic pain and ability to walk properly.
Look up Dan Buglio
Pain free you
Life changing
Damn it. Exactly at 12 years old I started developing patellar tendonitis. I was really into sports like skateboarding and snowboarding, then I did volleyball. Today I am 32 and I have hard core tendonitis. I’ve been told it looks like I have four knees and I have been in daily constant inflammatory pain for the last twenty years because I have been told by doctors that my only options are to cut out the inflammatory tendons and it will come back, or get steroid injections that are temporary also.
Will give this program a bash, looking forward!
Tendonitis can be alleviated rather quickly by Chinese medicine. The trouble is that not all Chinese doctors are good–at all. A good one can alleviate even quit serious and long standing troubles in one or two sessions. They use acupuncture. Some might include moxa. It is true. Have received such treatment.
Thanks to both Ben’s for putting out tons of useful and extremely accessible health information, FOR FREE!
Hey Ben,
Great information! What are your thoughts on cycling on a spinning style bike backwards? Or concept 2 rowing? To help build knee strength. Or is it best to walk backwards?
Thank!
-PJ
Fabulous information and most helpful for someone like me with years of knee issues.
I just wish Ben G would let his guests do more of the talking. Highly arrogant.
Dan Buglio
Pain free you
Hello Ben Patrick, thanks for all the great value you put out. I noticed you have two books on Amazon released only a month apart, what is the difference between them?
Hi Ben and Ben,
Here’s a question for Ben (KOT Guy) – i previously undertook a hip flexibility challenge which involved daily, long held (5 minute) static stretches. I thought it was doing me some good but in hindsight, it potentially contributed to a labrum tear as scans and xrays showed that i have a cam deformity and these stretches were causing it to impact on the labrum ….so, the walking backwards thing i totally dig but part of me is super nervous about the impact of doing something like the split squat when I know i have this hip deformity?
Your input is appreciated.
Alastair.
That was a great show! I’ve been out in my garden pushing and pulling a wheelbarrow of bricks and a day later my VMO has felt like it has been worked so certainly strengthening the right muscles for the knees. One question though, hopefully not too late, most people’s tibialis (particularly on the right is very often in isometric contraction whilst driving so why work the tibialis? I found the knee with the most problems is my right and it is when I stop working the calves and put it down to too much tension on the tibs during driving. I would love to know your opinion on this. Thanks!
Great episode! I’d like to do sled work but live on a dirt road. How can in use a sled on a dirt road? Or something like it?
Thanks!
Hey Ben (Greenfield), you mentioned the program you put together addressing the S.I. Joint and Hips…any chance you could post a link with that?
I’ve been unsuccessful in finding it. Thanks brother!
It was called "Run With No Pain". You could likely Google it.
Loved the episode! Just bought the book. I’m really interested in the sled exercises. Are there any cheaper sleds that would be ok to use while saving up for a nicer one that will have a similar effect? I see some push/pull ones on Amazon that are much cheaper but without wheels and wondering if they might suffice or if I should just wait until I’ve saved enough for the larger one. Thank you!
Ben KOT Guy- I didn’t notice anything about torn Meniscus / ACL recovery. Can your ATG exercises result in full knee range of motion even with torn meniscus? Pre-injury I could do it no problem (I trained with Charles Poliquin)
So, how long for the backward walking?
I heard Ben say on Dr. Berg’s podcast to start out by doing about 100 steps forward then walk forwards 100 steps then do 100 teps backwards then 100 forward to start. I did this and was in my feet and ankles. sore for a few hours. Then that night I could actually lay down without severe knee or hips pain. It was unbelievable. I had actually been considering a knee replacement after 20 years of left knee pain after a 1/3 of my medial menicus had been removed in 2002. I have been doing just the backwards walking for a week and still no pain. I want to do his other exercises now. Good luck. This works but start slow if you are really in bad shape.
I thought this was a podcast normally backed by science.. I guess not.
This guy comes across phds and all biomechanists all the time. Just to take his post down and never respond with actual science or research
Greetings, I agree with you completely that science has to backup claims that are made. I’ve pushed back on the site here when people make outlandish claims, particularly around COVID.
However there seems to be solid research on backward walking check out this study-
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30229667/
Thank you so much! That’s exactly right. There’s not a single thing I do that I can’t show you studies showing exactly why it’s needed and underrated.
In my case I’m actually taking a stand for the science that is proven but not being used. Here’s an article by a Doctor of Physical Therapy: https://link.medium.com/97AaId7qvmb
You are welcome for sacrificing my career to help people WITH SCIENCE <3
Please clarify what you are talking about….are you talking about Ben Greenfield, Ben Patrick or what!?
Around 44 min Greenfield asks Patrick so that’s the secret, doing reverse out knee pain and split squats? Having listened to Patrick for nearly 2 years I think he was trying to say the secret is about understanding how to regress things that you cannot do. At this point he describes how he had to use negative weight or assistance and then could progress. Mentions taking the ego out. So the secret is don’t get caught up in what you cannot do and start doing what you can do and make some progression. It’s kind of like physical therapy finally to get people in pain back to doing regular things extended all the way through explosive athletic training came together. None of this is a quick fix but the principles Patrick are laying out are super important. If your body isn’t using it then it’s not going to be ready when you try to do something more aggressive. Build from the weakest links into the stronger lifts. I highly recommend going over and subscribing for at least a while with Patrick and you’ll figure it out.
Hi Billy, I think Ben’s (KOTG) pretty honest about which parts of ATG are backed by science and which are extending research. From what I’ve heard in other podcasts Ben is hoping science catches up with specific studies around movements such as ATG split squat. Here is a study on backward running https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331050160_Backward_Running_The_Why_and_How_to_Program_for_Better_Athleticism and this one is a thesis paper on https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/12637. Here’s a Systematic review of Range of motion on specifically related to hypertrophy https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2050312120901559
Wow! What a great show. Chock full of useful information. My advice go to youtube to top-off on this subject. I’m definitely going to give the backward walking a try. Note also on youtube are a bunch of videos on DIY Drag Sleds. More shows like this Ben!
Awesome! Thanks Mike!