Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab cover art

Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab

Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab

By: Dr. Nicolas Kuiper
Listen for free

About this listen

 Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab - Your Daily Health Authority Welcome to Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab, the daily podcast that gives Ontarians the competitive advantage in health, wellness, and recovery. Hosted by an AI-powered narrator and brought to you by Dr. Nick Kuiper of Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness in Burlington, Ontario, this show delivers evidence-based health strategies in just 3-5 minutes every weekday. Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, recovering from a sports injury, managing stress and mental health, or simply want to optimize your physical performance, Absolute Edge provides actionable protocols you can implement immediately.© 2025 Dr. Nicolas Kuiper Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Episode 39: Debunking Ontario Wellness Myths — Why Your New Year's Resolution Is Already Set Up to Fail

    Episode 39: Debunking Ontario Wellness Myths — Why Your New Year's Resolution Is Already Set Up to Fail
    Dec 30 2025
    **Why Your New Year's Resolution Is Already Set Up to Fail** Right now, millions of people are writing down ambitious goals. Lose 30 pounds. Go to the gym five days a week. Finally fix that back pain. Get in the best shape of my life. And statistically, **80% of them will have abandoned those goals by mid-February.** This isn't a willpower problem. It's a strategy problem. The entire framework of New Year's resolutions is fundamentally flawed. --- **The Myth:** January 1st is a fresh start. A clean slate. The perfect time to overhaul your life and become a new person. It sounds inspiring. But it's built on three false assumptions that virtually guarantee failure. --- **Three False Assumptions:** **False Assumption 1: Motivation Is Enough** Motivation is an emotion—and like all emotions, it fluctuates. It's high on January 1st. It's lower on January 15th when it's cold and dark. It's gone by February when life gets busy. Motivation gets you started. It doesn't keep you going. What keeps you going is systems, habits, and momentum built through consistency—not intensity. **False Assumption 2: Bigger Is Better** Big goals lead to overwhelm, burnout, and failure. They require too much change too fast. Small goals—the minimum viable dose—lead to big results because they're achievable, build confidence, and create momentum that compounds. A 10-minute daily walk beats a gym membership you use twice and abandon. **False Assumption 3: January 1st Is Special** January 1st is just a Thursday. Your body doesn't know it's a new year. Your habits don't reset at midnight. The "fresh start" is an illusion—and a dangerous one, because it implies other days aren't good enough to start. --- **The Real Problem: All-or-Nothing Thinking** Resolution thinking says: either I do this perfectly, or I've failed. Miss one workout? Failed. Eat one bad meal? Failed. This is why 80% fail—not lack of willpower, but a framework with no room for imperfection. --- **What Actually Works — Five Principles:** **Principle 1: Systems Over Goals** Goals tell you where to go. Systems tell you how to get there. Instead of "lose 20 pounds," build a system: "I eat protein with every meal. I move for 20 minutes every morning." The system is the daily action. The goal is the byproduct. **Principle 2: Identity Over Outcomes** Instead of "I want to exercise more," adopt the identity: "I'm someone who moves every day." When actions align with identity, they stop requiring willpower. **Principle 3: Minimum Viable Dose** Start so small you can't fail. Want a movement habit? Start with 5 minutes. Not 30. Five minutes is too easy to skip. Once it's automatic, expand. Consistency over intensity. **Principle 4: Anchor to Existing Habits** Habit stacking: "After I pour my morning coffee, I do 5 minutes of joint mobility." The existing habit becomes the trigger. The new habit becomes automatic. **Principle 5: Track Visibly** Put a calendar on your wall. Mark an X every day you show up. The chain becomes its own motivation. If you miss a day, never miss two. --- **The Anti-Resolution Protocol for 2026:** **Step 1: Choose One Thing** Not five things. One thing. What single change would have the biggest impact on your health? **Step 2: Define the Minimum Viable Dose** What's the smallest version you could do every day without fail? Make it almost too easy. **Step 3: Anchor It** Attach it to something you already do daily. **Step 4: Track It** Build the chain. Protect the chain. **Step 5: Expand Only After Consistency** After 30 days of consistent action, then consider expanding. Grow slowly. --- **Key Takeaway:** New Year's resolutions fail because they're built on motivation, dramatic change, and the illusion that January 1st is special. None of that works. What works is **systems over goals, identity over outcomes, minimum viable dose, habit anchoring, and visible tracking.** Don't set a resolution tomorrow. Build a system instead. --- **SEO Keywords:** Burlington physiotherapy, Ontario chiropractor, New Year's resolution, why resolutions fail, habit building, systems over goals, identity change, minimum viable dose, habit stacking, consistency over intensity, momentum building, behavior change, James Clear, Atomic Habits, sustainable change, January fitness, New Year health goals, Dr. Nick Kuiper, Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness, Burlington rehabilitation, Ontario wellness, GTA health, Southern Ontario healthcare, 2026 health goals, anti-resolution, habit anchoring, visible tracking --- **About Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness:** Located in Burlington, Ontario, we don't just treat symptoms—we build systems for lasting health. Let's make 2026 the year you stop starting over and start building. **Connect with Us:** 📧 Email: drkuiperdc@absoluterw.com 🌐 Website: AbsoluteRehabWellness.ca 📱 Instagram: @absoluterehabwellness --- *Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab is brought to you by Dr. Nick Kuiper of Absolute Rehabilitation and ...
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • Episode 38: Absolute Advantage Kickstart — The Week Between: Why This Is the Most Important Week of the Year

    Episode 38: Absolute Advantage Kickstart — The Week Between: Why This Is the Most Important Week of the Year
    Dec 29 2025
    **The Week Between: Why This Is the Most Important Week of the Year** It's Monday, December 29th. Christmas is behind you. New Year's Eve is a few days away. And right now, you're in what I call "the week between." This strange liminal space where most people check out completely. The tree is still up. The leftovers are still in the fridge. Nobody really knows what day it is. And the default mode is to coast until January 1st. But here's what I want you to understand: **this week isn't a throwaway. This is actually the most important week of the year.** --- **Why This Week Matters:** Most people treat December 26th through January 1st as an extension of the holidays. Then January 1st arrives, and they try to flip a switch—cold turkey, aggressive goals, white-knuckle willpower. By January 15th? Burned out, overwhelmed, or injured. But what if instead of coasting, you used this week strategically? What if these five days became a gentle recalibration—so January 1st isn't a jarring restart, but a seamless continuation? This is the advantage of the week between. Everyone else is checked out. You're quietly rebuilding. --- **The Post-Christmas Reality:** After the travel, gatherings, disrupted sleep, and indulgences, things have shifted: - **Tissues are stiff** — Days of prolonged sitting and irregular movement have left joints restricted - **Inflammation is elevated** — Alcohol, sugar, processed foods, and stress have inflammatory markers running high - **Circadian rhythm is off** — Late nights and inconsistent schedules have confused your internal clock - **Motor patterns are sluggish** — Stabilizers and movement patterns have started to decay - **Momentum has stalled** — Whatever routines you had are interrupted The question is: do you let it compound for another week, or start turning it around now? --- **The Week Between Protocol — Your 5-Day Strategic Plan:** **Day 1 (Today): Reclaim Your Morning** - Hydrate first: 16-20 oz water before anything else - Get natural light: 10-15 minutes outside, no sunglasses - Move for 10 minutes: Joint mobility, a short walk, light activation **Day 2: Restore Joint Mobility** - 10-15 minutes of CARs: Hip CARs, shoulder CARs, thoracic CARs, lumbar CARs, ankle CARs - Slow, controlled, full range of motion - Actively lubricating joints, stimulating capsules, improving motor control **Day 3: Address Inflammation** - Hydration: Half your body weight in ounces daily - Nutrition: Front-load meals with protein and fruit, minimize processed foods - Alcohol: Consider a break until New Year's Eve - Sleep: Move bedtime back toward your normal schedule **Day 4: Rebuild Activation** - 3-5 minutes daily: Glute bridges, dead bugs, bird dogs - Quality over quantity—feel each muscle engage - Rebuild neuromuscular connections **Day 5: Set Your Intention** - January 1st becomes a continuation, not a restart - Set specific outcomes: Less pain. More energy. Better movement. Stronger performance. - Write it down. Make it concrete. --- **The Monday Movement Mandate (15 Minutes):** **Minutes 1-5: Joint Mobility** - Hip CARs (1 min) - Shoulder CARs (1 min) - Thoracic CARs (1 min) - Lumbar CARs (1 min) - Ankle CARs (1 min) **Minutes 6-10: Activation** - Glute bridges: 2 sets of 10 - Dead bugs: 2 sets of 8 each side - Bird dogs: 2 sets of 8 each side **Minutes 11-15: Movement** - Walk, light movement, or gentle cardio - Get heart rate up slightly - Breathe, move, reset --- **Key Takeaway:** Most people rely on motivation—they wait for January 1st, ride the wave, and crash when it fades. But motivation is unreliable. **Momentum is reliable.** Small actions, repeated consistently, that build on each other. By using this week strategically, you're building momentum now—so when everyone else is struggling to start, you're already moving. **Consistency beats intensity. The week between is your secret weapon.** --- **SEO Keywords:** Burlington physiotherapy, Ontario chiropractor, post-Christmas recovery, holiday recovery protocol, New Year health goals, January reset, morning routine, circadian rhythm, inflammation reduction, joint mobility, Hip CARs, shoulder CARs, thoracic CARs, lumbar CARs, ankle CARs, glute bridges, dead bugs, bird dogs, momentum building, consistency over intensity, Dr. Nick Kuiper, Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness, Burlington rehabilitation, Ontario wellness, GTA health, Southern Ontario healthcare, New Year wellness, holiday stiffness, post-holiday inflammation --- **About Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness:** Located in Burlington, Ontario, we're here to help you finish 2025 strong and start 2026 even stronger. If the holidays left you with more than just stiffness—a flare-up, nagging injury, or building pain—don't wait until January to address it. **Connect with Us:** 📧 Email: drkuiperdc@absoluterw.com 🌐 Website: AbsoluteRehabWellness.ca 📱 Instagram: @absoluterehabwellness --- *Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab is brought to you by Dr...
    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
  • Episode 37: Debunking Ontario Wellness Myths — Why Your "Tight Hamstrings" Aren't Actually Tight

    Episode 37: Debunking Ontario Wellness Myths — Why Your "Tight Hamstrings" Aren't Actually Tight
    Dec 23 2025
    **Why Your "Tight Hamstrings" Aren't Actually Tight** You've probably said it yourself. You bend forward, can't touch your toes, and conclude that your hamstrings are the problem. So you stretch them. Every day. For weeks. Maybe months. And nothing changes. Here's the truth that might surprise you: most "tight hamstrings" aren't actually tight. They're neurologically locked—and stretching them is the wrong solution. --- **The Myth:** If a muscle feels tight or restricts your range of motion, it must be shortened and needs to be lengthened through stretching. It sounds logical. But it's fundamentally flawed. Muscle "tightness" is a sensation—not a measurement. Research from the University of Queensland found that people who report feeling "tight" often have normal or even above-average muscle length when measured objectively. The sensation of tightness didn't correlate with actual tissue restriction. --- **The Four Real Causes of "Tight" Hamstrings:** **Cause 1: Neural Tension** Your sciatic nerve runs directly through your hamstring region. When that nerve is irritated—whether from your lower back, your piriformis, or anywhere along its path—it creates a protective response that feels exactly like muscle tightness. Stretching a nerve under tension doesn't help—it often makes things worse. **Cause 2: Anterior Pelvic Tilt** When your pelvis tips forward—from prolonged sitting, weak glutes, or tight hip flexors—it puts your hamstrings on constant stretch. They're already lengthened, all day long. Your hamstrings aren't tight—they're overworked, fighting to control a pelvis being pulled forward by your hip flexors. **Cause 3: Core Instability** Your hamstrings are secondary stabilizers of your pelvis and spine. When your deep core muscles aren't doing their job, your hamstrings pick up the slack. They tighten not because they're short, but because they're working overtime to create stability your core isn't providing. **Cause 4: Protective Guarding** Sometimes tightness is your body's way of protecting an injury—even one you don't know you have. A disc issue, a hip joint restriction, even an old ankle sprain can cause your hamstrings to guard protectively. The tightness isn't the problem—it's the symptom. --- **What To Do Instead:** **Step 1: Identify the Root Cause** Get assessed by someone who looks at the whole chain—your lumbar spine, pelvis, hips, neural tension, and core stability. The site of the symptom is rarely the source of the problem. **Step 2: Address Pelvic Position** Focus on hip flexor mobility and glute activation. Hip flexor stretches with PAILS and RAILS, glute bridges, and posterior pelvic tilt exercises will do more for your hamstrings than any hamstring stretch ever could. **Step 3: Build Core Stability** Restore the primary stabilizers so your hamstrings don't have to compensate. Dead bugs, bird dogs, pallof presses, and anti-rotation holds. Quality over quantity. Control over intensity. **Step 4: Use Active Mobility, Not Passive Stretching** Hip CARs, active straight leg raises, and eccentric loading all improve mobility while building strength and control. Passive stretching just lengthens tissue temporarily without addressing why it was tight in the first place. --- **Key Takeaway:** Tightness is a sensation, not a diagnosis. When your hamstrings feel tight, your body is telling you something—but it's rarely "stretch me more." If you've been stretching your hamstrings for months or years without lasting change, stop. Get assessed. Find the root cause. --- **SEO Keywords:** Burlington physiotherapy, Ontario chiropractor, tight hamstrings, hamstring tightness, why stretching doesn't work, neural tension, sciatic nerve, anterior pelvic tilt, core instability, protective guarding, Hip CARs, PAILS and RAILS, glute activation, hip flexor stretches, motor control, dead bugs, bird dogs, pallof press, root cause treatment, Dr. Nick Kuiper, Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness, Burlington rehabilitation, Ontario wellness, GTA health, Southern Ontario healthcare, muscle tightness myth, flexibility myths debunked --- **About Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness:** Located in Burlington, Ontario, we don't just treat symptoms—we find the source. Let us help you understand why your body is doing what it's doing, so we can fix it for good. **Connect with Us:** 📧 Email: drkuiperdc@absoluterw.com 🌐 Website: AbsoluteRehabWellness.ca 📱 Instagram: @absoluterehabwellness --- *Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab is brought to you by Dr. Nick Kuiper of Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness in Burlington, Ontario. Episodes air Monday through Friday, delivering evidence-based health strategies in 3-5 minutes.*
    Show More Show Less
    7 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.