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Stabilization
by Maylene Wise 3.29.04
(www.slowtwitch.com)
Editor's note: Maylene Wise is a strength and conditioning coach in Raleigh, North Carolina. She can be found at atp4athletes.com. She is a triathlete herself, and can be contacted at maylene@atp4athletes.com.
I received many responses from my article last month asking for additional advice. Since most of the questions asked were common I decided to post them here. Keep them coming!
Q: What exercises do you recommend for triathletes?
For Stabilization, or Anatomical Adaptation, I normally prescribe the following exercises:
• Squat
• Press (such as a push up)
• Pull (such as a pull up) (12 reps each, 2 sets)
• Walking Lunge
• Swimmer’s cable
• Swimmer’s reverse cable (12 reps each, 2 sets)
Those are for the prime movers, all are functional and closed-chain where possible. Then I move on to the supplemental core stabilization which is always at the end of a workout. You do not want to fatigue the muscles that will help stabilize you during the exercises for the prime movers. Remember that ALL your exercises can be core strengtheners, all the ones listed above are, these are just extra.
• Crab Walk
• Back curl (opposite of a crunch, standing up)
• Crunch sequence
• Plank
Most of these exercises I described in the last article.
Some other exercises that I like to recommend are clock lunges and Runner’s cable extension and Runner’s cable curl. The DVD shows all these exercises, their variations (for example, pull could be a pull up, cable pull or row) and progressions.
Q: I feel real silly doing these exercises. The guys at the gym look at me like I am an idiot!
This is pretty common but what I find is many of those guys could not do them and believe me, they try, just in the privacy of their own homes. I realize the exercises look strange but once you try them you can see where they would increase strength the way we need it. Besides, you may be creating a new trend at your local gym. Pretty soon all the babes will be coming to you and asking why you do those movements!
How often do you advocate (times per week) weight training for triathletes?
2-3 times per week during the off season and 1-2 times per week during season. The above workout (2 sets of 12 reps) normally takes about 30 minutes, add warm-up and stretch and you are done well within an hour.
Do you recommend resistance (like bands and cords) over just stacking on the weights at a gym?
I prefer smooth riding cable units because it tends to give a more consistent resistance than bands, bows or tubing. The longer you stretch tubing, the harder the force, which is not consistent with the movement in athletics. In most movements your body needs to overcome the greatest force at the beginning of the movement, to get started, not the end. However, I understand many people do not have access to cable machines so I recommend tubing but depending on what exercise is performed, various thicknesses. For exercises needing great intensity and has little range of motion (say, in crab walk, you only move about a foot or so) then I recommend a thick band. For the swimmer’s pull I recommend the thinnest tubing since you will need a somewhat consistent pull for about 4 feet of distance, and start far enough away from the anchor to provide the resistance you need at the start. The thinner the tubing, the less difference in force over a certain amount of distance stretched.
You mention a one legged squat. Can you go over the correct form and where do you put the other foot? How do I progress?
The squat can progress from a stable two legged squat to one legged (can use a finger or two on a wall to help stabilize) and one legged with an implement used to further challenge your stability. Your spine all the way through the neck should remain neutral, knees not cross over the toe line (the J-Lo action here helps prevent that) with shoulders and hips in alignment. Watch that your knees or ankles do not invert or evert (fall in or out).
How about an article on the physiology of and literature on plyometric training?
It’s coming up in “Power Endurance”, after “Max Strength” which will be coming soon. My belief is I can’t teach a person to jump until they can first land properly.
Where should I be placing the most force when performing the squat? My natural tendency is to lean on the outside of my foot.
I normally see athletes placing the majority of force on the outside of their foot when they have vastus medialis (inside quad) weakness. Athletes who over pronate tend to put more force with the inner part and notice an inversion at the knee or ankles as well. Force should be uniform throughout the foot with attention to the area under the first and second metatarsals or what is commonly referred to as the “ball” of the foot, which is our strongest force point for cycling and running. Make sure the heel stays down and stay away from heel lifts and work on flexibility in that area if needed.
Q: Can you help me with a current injury?
I recommend seeing a qualified physical therapist or physician that deals with athletes, especially elite runners. It helps when they are familiar with functional exercises and trying to figure out the cause rather than just treat the current injury. Strength and conditioning specialists like myself can help with prevention of injuries and are often called upon to help with rehabbing a patient since insurance normally runs out before an athlete is well enough to get back in the game.
Hope this helps. The next article will get into periodization and the Max Strength phase. Let me know what else you want to read and thanks for the opportunity!
Maylene has a brand new DVD out that details the exercises in the first two articles. Click on the image at right for details.
