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Hi guys, I wanted to get some information about trigger points... Lately i've been experiencing quite many trigger points in my back muscles... I am very frustrated because they are happening quite often. I have a foam roller and I use it quite frequently but yet they are still appearing here and there... I've asked some friends that have similar trainings like mine and they didn't experience any. What am I doing wrong? I have to say that i mostly have strength trainings (for maltese, iron cross, planche, etc...) and not really take a lot of time to stretch after the training or in the rest days. I've read that trigger points are more of a poison in your muscles and not really a result of overtraining. What provoques them? Is it the lack or mobility and stretch? Lack of vitamins? Lack of muscle-relaxation? What should I do to prevent their appearance? Is it possible to get rid of them forever? What should I do in the case I get a trigger point (apart from massaging the area regularly with foam roller/golf ball)? HELP Thanks in advance, Oscar

Hello all. I am a gymnast on a college club team and have never had a formal coach or any formal training...so I'm stuck with a love for the sport and desire to grow, but no resources to help me. I've become very comfortable on rings, and although I'm still a little ways away from completing Coach's list of things to master before training a cross, I'm actively training the whole list with lots of stretching and no undue injuries or pain and making significant progress. I know I don't have nearly enough muscle or tendon strength to actually train an iron cross, and I completely don't intend to, as I love my elbows dearly. However, I find that using MASSIVE amounts of resistance with bands and lowering to a cross is a very fun and relaxing exercise. It's literally almost a challenge to go/push down all the way because I use so much resistance, knowing I'm not ready to actually attempt such a strenuous move. Most of my knowledge of rings comes from personal experience and research, which I kinda hate. I have heard the shoulders should be rolled forward for a cross, the elbows down and locked, and the head neutral. I know there are a million other factors about which I know nothing, such as protraction, shoulder girdle, angle of hands, etc. Like I said above, I don't intend to actually train the cross at all, but I will probably continue to do my cheesy super-resistance holds because they are exhilarating and relaxing, and I feel literally no discomfort anywhere doing them. But while I'm at it, I'm a huge fan of perfected and safe form and would rather have a very good idea of what I'm doing while I'm doing this, even if I'm handling little to no weight. I hope to one day far in the future train the cross when I am ready, and if I am developing habits right now, I'd like them to be good ones. I was wondering if anyone can give me a basic run-down of all the key points of proper cross form, including information on angles of joints, physiology, common errors, and basic anatomy. As I'm looking for a pretty in-depth description, I would even love to just be pointed to a very good book or resource that has this information. I promise I take my health very seriously, have read many of these forums about prerequisites, and am not doing anything stupid. It is mostly out of a love for knowledge and the sport and innocent curiosity that I want to know how a cross works. While I understand how discouragement can be a great thing, I swear I have zero courage or intention to train a cross already, and would really just love some information. Any help, info, or direction would be greatly appreciated. Much thanks, -Hunter