So this writing starts because of this lady approaching me for PT when I was teaching swimming this morning. She asked me to train her for IronMan China next yr and she got some injuries from her weekend easy rides. No deal due to cost.. But it triggered a very frequently visited thought in my mind.
Often ppl with a fitness goal in mind come to me and talk abt injuries after their so called easy and normal workouts.. More often than not, Neck & Shoulders and Lower back ranks the top two injuries followed by knees and hamstrings then ankles.
The first qn I ask is if they know their body parts and how they work?
After that then I ask abt stretches.
If we don't even know the origin and insertions of your commonly trained/utilized muscles, how can we stretch them (let alone train or even activate them) properly?
This is a note to most of you in my circle working out too. I had a case study of this lady who trained in a very prestigious sports team and got injured.
After some medical testing on the healthy leg.. they found that the VMO(inner part of quads, FYI quads have 4parts) of the quads are not activated at all during her squats in strength training session. The weakened part of the caused a ACL tear in a pylometric jump in one of her "Normal" daily training. How can? So much for being able to perform at a high level eh?
Now if i may ask, What about the rest of your life? Are you going to spend it telling everybody around you I did this and I did that and brag about how many injuries you have?
I, for one, will prefer to spend it doing LSD and working out smartly and improving til the ripe old age before I die.
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Food for thoughts:
1) muscles work in pairs, one contract, the opposite will stretch.
2) muscle fibers contract by fibre movements starting from insertion to origin. To stretch a muscle, we have to hold the insertion in place and try to shift the origin away from the insertion.
3) a stretch for each muscle part should be at least 30secs to overcome the stretch reflex.
4) gym strength training are always high intensity. No such thing as easy strength training day unless it's an off day.
5) during strength training.. Always train with stability activation, activate your core.
Reason? You can't apply force in real life situation unless you're stable. Ever tried walking down the stairs with your TV? it probably weigh way lesser than what most regular gym geeks does in shoulder press or bicep curls but notice how hard is it to walk down the stairs with that thing in your arms and having to walk down 1 stair case at a time and often the arms are probably strong enough but the legs, back and body in general already starts to give way. One thing that stays strong? A man's ego.
Anyway, Below list from easiest to hardest stability training.
I) lie down
II) seated
III) squat (knee behind toes, 90degrees knee flexion at max)
IV) standing (no left to right or front n back swaying)
V) single leg standing (same as standing)
6) during strength training(Not power lifts), make sure there is no momentum involved. Strength training requires activation of muscles(I.e thinking about it).. If you just swing the weights around, not only will you not be training the contraction of the muscles but the swinging momentum of the weight can cause hyperflexion/hyper extension of joints and thus injury.
7) cardio workouts above RPE of 8/10 are hard workouts. Easy runs, bike and swims are not suppose make you breathless to the point that you can't talk during the session/immediately at a short break.
8) plyometric workouts(tuck jumps, 10secs sprints, power lifting) are ALL high intensity due to the high speed contraction of vast amount of muscle fibers.
9) you're only as strong as your weakest link(s). What good is an arm that can carry 100kg db curls but the back can't even stand straight with that weight? What good is a 20kg shoulder press if you can't even flex your arm to scratch your back due to inflexibility and untrained shoulder stabilizers?
10) CORE MUSCLES =
I) Lower back
II) Glutes
III) Hamstring
IV) Calves
V) Hip stabilizer muscles (Pic below)
VI) Abdominal Muscles
Hip stabilizer/mobility muscles
Quadratus Lumborum: Inner muscle that helps oblique in Trunk Lateral flexion/stabilization
* Iliacus: prime mover for hip flexion or for flexing trunk on thigh during a bow.
* Psoas major/minor: same as iliacus, also effects lateral flexion of vertebral column (spine); important postural muscle.
** Iliacus and psoas major are commonly referred to as Iliopsoas, also HIP FLEXOR muscles.
T.A. or Transverse Abdominis: Muscle that acts like the weight belt power lifters wear. This is the MOST IMPT muscle all athletes need to train and learn to activate (sucking in and up of your "inverted triangle" with the base at your hip bone). This muscle wraps around your whole abdominal region and holds your guts in place and stabilize your hips as you move your legs. Doing planks with stomach sucked in also tends to activate this muscles.
Sartorius: The paired stabilizer band/muscle to ITB. Primary functions are: Assists in flexion, abduction and lateral rotation of hip, and flexion of knee. Secondary function when in concentric contraction, it holds your knee in correct hinge joint alignment as you squat/sit/stand/climb. When activated, it eliminates/prevents lateral movement of knee.
Tensor Fascia Latae -> Iliotibial Band/Tract: Commonly known as ITB. Works in pair with Sartorius for knee stabilization and also aids in hip flexion.
Adductor Longus & Gracilis : Breast strokers.. These are the muscles you use to squeeze your thighs together. Not your ankles.
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Shoulder stabilizer/rotatory cuff muscles:
Supraspinatus:
Helps in abduction of arm in first 10 to 15 degrees, after which rear deltoid takes over majority of abduction.
Infraspinatus:
Also helps in abduction of arm.
Plays major part in conjunction with Teres Minor(below) to rotate the upper arm bone/humerus outwards. Keeps the arms rotated towards the back, those who have problems closing the arms, you need to train this.
Teres Minor:
Plays minor part together with Teres minor for humerus external rotation. Together with Teres Major it holds the humerus bone against the shoulder joint.
Subscapularis:
Performs internal rotation of the humerus bone. When the arm is raised, it draws the humerus forward and downward. (FREESTYLE SWIMMER'S CATCH POSITION EVERYONE.) It is a powerful defense to the front of the shoulder-joint, preventing dislocation of the head of the humerus
These 4 muscles help you to keep your shoulder girdle stabilized when you raise your arms or apply force with your arms. The humerus bone is your upper arm's bone and it is hanging on your shoulder with some tendons and muscles, it is not as sturdily attached as per your knees or hips with so much support. These SITS muscles presses the humerus bone FIRMLY against your shoulder joint and thus prevents it from dropping out.
Thus training these 4 muscles will help prevent injury coming from the arm/shoulder rotation movements from Swimming/Throwing/racket or batting sports.
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End of simple introduction to human physiology. Those are the minimal number of parts you ought to know in order to start proper physical training without injuries. Without stability in joints, the big/fast guns/muscles are as good as Nothing.
Cheers
KK
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A POST TO BOAST ABOUT WHAT I KNOW. I am very VERY extremely concerned about everyone working out around me. Those whom I know and I care for. I hope I can be of help in every single bit/ways that I can by means of what I've studied and learned from Mr Chan and Many experienced coaches and teachers that I've chanced upon in life.
Special Thanks to my workout buddy Peilin, My shifu Mr Chan (Senior FI of SSC) and also Shirley Cheah, Consultant of Singapore Gymnast National Team for the wonderful teaching.
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