Issue 067
November 2010
By Paul McVeigh.
We've previously mentioned the joint-by-joint approach to strength and conditioning. To recap: as you move through the body your joints tend to alternate between needing mobility and stability. The ankle needs mobility, the knee stability, the hip mobility and so on. When a mobile joint loses mobility it can lead to pain and dysfunction further along the kinetic chain. We outlined a few exercises designed to keep your mobile joints moving well and this time we’ll take a look at the joints requiring stability.
If a stable joint becomes mobile (unstable) the structures that support it can start breaking down. Over time this can lead to impaired performance, pain and injury. Staying on top of what your joints are doing is a key component in sporting longevity.
For the most part you can help prevent breakdown by ensuring that the joint above and below is moving properly. Sometimes this isn’t enough and other factors (such as weak muscles) can compromise joint stability.
The Black Eyed Peas and gluteal dysfunction
“Whatcha gonna do wit’ all that junk, all that junk inside yo’ trunk?” said The Black Eyed Peas. How about avoid back and knee injury, perform better and look awesome in tight shorts?
A common problem in cultures with service economies, where workers find themselves sitting down a great deal, is gluteal amnesia. The seated posture causes hip flexors to tighten (among other undesirable things), which effectively switches off your booty muscles. The gluteals’ main job (hip extension and resisting hip flexion) gets taken up by the hamstrings and lower back muscles (the lumbar spine is supposed to be stable, remember). As these muscles haven’t evolved to do this job as well as the glutes; the hamstrings and lower back pick up overuse problems that may lead to injury.
Weak or inhibited hip musculature can also lead to pain in the knee, as it can cause the femur to collapse inward and internally rotate during certain activities. Knees shouldn’t really twist that way, and during high impact movements (like, say, fighting) your ACL might take you down itself by snapping in half.
So what can you do if your butt isn’t pulling its weight? Activation exercises (like glute bridges) are often the way to go. These are low-intensity exercises that ‘wake up’ the dormant muscle and make the athlete more aware of what they’re supposed to be using. That muscle can then be integrated into more conventional lifts to help keep your glutes doing their jobs.
The lumbar spine – move it and lose it
The joint-by-joint approach maintains that the lumbar spine – in the lower back – requires stability. Increasing the mobility in this joint is a great way to hurt your back. All training geared towards this area should be designed with the prevention of movement in mind. Planks and side planks are our first port of call, but once you can hit two minutes on both of these with great technique there’s a lot of stuff to play with. Landmines, ab wheel roll outs and asymmetrical farmer’s walks are all great progressions. These movements can improve athletic performance and reduce injury risks by ensuring that your core musculature is strong and able to resist movement.
Shoulders and scapulothoracic joints
The scapulothoracic joint refers to where your shoulder blade attaches to your upper torso. It’s a joint that requires stability but can often be a little too mobile. This is bad news as it acts as a stable base from where your shoulder can display its mobility. The wall slide and floor slide exercises are great as they combine an activation exercise for the lower traps (important for scapulothoracic stability) and a mobility exercise for the shoulder. This should help offset any potential shoulder problems you might have coming your way.
Stability warm-up
- One-leg glute bridge 8 reps
- Resistance band ‘wide outs’ 30 reps
- Landmine 10 reps
- Asymmetrical farmer’s walk 10M
- Wall slide 8 reps
By combining these exercises with the previous exercises listed, you’ll have a complete warm-up plan that will keep you functioning at your best.
Paul McVeigh is a sports scientist and professional fighter, and he’s ranked the number one bantamweight fighter in Europe. He trains fighters out of The Griphouse gym in Glasgow, Scotland.
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