Kicking into gear

The last week has been focused on getting time on the bike, interval training, running for cross training, along with core workout three times a week...oh and work let's not forget that.

My time on the bike has been divided between both road and mountain; mostly road right now as I work on hills and build up aerobic strength and build up endurance. This past weekend I did a run which included hills and plenty of them. I feel good; a little sore on Sunday; but overall I felt like I could continue after I finished a run.

During one of the rides I had an interesting conversation about how much stretching I do, when I do it, and has it helped. I can say this; if it weren't for stretching and pilates I wouldn't have half the riding ability I do today.

I hear it so often; no time to stretch after working out, to sore(??), will do it when I get home..So why stretch; well one it improves flexibility, thus improving muscle balance, which minimizes chance of injury and reduces soreness to muscles after training.

My own experience as an athlete was set aside 20 minutes per day usually morning to stretch along with post workout stretch. Now usually this stretching had me holding a stretch between 30 seconds to a minute; with the thought that the stretch (static) was doing what it was meant to do; lengthen the muscle. There would be days I the soreness in my muscles would increase after the stretch; but I always thought that's what is meant to happen.

I started looking around and seeing what other trainers, coaches, and athletes were doing in terms of stretches; and in some cases seeing quicker gains on others then I was witnessing on myself. I saw them working with stretching ropes and doing slow motion sprints with leg kick holding for very short periods of time, releasing, then repeating 10 to 12 times. This observation would be my introduction to a form of stretching called active isolated stretching (AIS); and I spoke to other athletes; their endorsement and the improvements notices; I knew this was the change I was looking for in my routine.

Unlike the traditional static stretching routines where one eases into a position and holds it for a period time the reflex causes the muscles tremble as it fights the stretch which invites injury to the muscle. While this type of stretching is better then no stretching it has its limitations; since the muscle has a stretch "reflex" that is activated after a rapid movement or a short period after the stretch

AIS has a different take or thought process on how to improve flexibility and reduce the risk of trauma on the muscle by putting the body into best anatomical position both to maximize an isolated stretch and reduce the chance of injury. You hold each position for only two to three seconds; then you return to the start position and relax.

The stretch is repeated eight to 12 times for optimal results. The benefit of repetitions is to increase blood flow oxygen, and nutrition to the muscle tissues. In effect, AIS is a warm-up in itself.

While stretching is not the quick answer to injury problems; it is recommended athletes stretch prior to training to prepare the muscles (AIS); and post training gentle stretching to regain any flexibility lost during hard exercises and muscle fatigue.

As runners, cyclist, and other endurance athletes get older; they lose range of motion. Stretching is the best method to maintain flexibility.

I recommend doing the exercises below; repeating the movements up to 12 times.

Single Leg Pelvis Tilt
Muscles stretched: low back and gluteus maximus

Lie on back with legs straight. Flex the exercising knee and pull it toward chest by contraction of hip flexor and abdominal muscles. Place hands behind thigh to prevent pressure on knee and provide assistance.

Straight leg hamstring
Muscles stretched: hamstrings

Lie on back with legs straight. Slowly lift one leg using quadriceps (front of thigh). Assist with rope at end of movement. Note: if you have a history of back injury, bend the non-exercising leg to stabilise the spine.

Gluteals
Muscles stretched: gluteus mediusminimus, lateral hip, piriformis

Lie on back with legs straight. Flex left knee at 90 degree and left and place rope around mid-foot, clasping rope with opposite hand. Use left hand to stabilize thigh by clasping at knee. Contract abdomen and hip adductors to lift knee towards opposite shoulder. Assist with rope and outer hand.

Piriformis
Muscles stretched: external rotators of hip including piriformis, tensor fascia latae, and iliotibial band

Lie on back with left leg moved inward across center line, foot pointed inward. Wrap rope around arch of right foot. With knee straight, contract quadriceps, upper hip, and abdomens to (1) lift leg toward chest (see pic) and (2) bring leg across hips.

Quadriceps
Muscles stretched: rectus femoris

Lie on left side and bring both knees to chest. With the left hand grasp foot from outside. With right hand, grasp right ankle and extend right thigh back by contracting buttocks and hamstrings and, assisting with hand, heel should press into buttocks.

Hip Flexor
Muscles stretched: rectus femoris

Kneel down on left knee (place pillow or cushion under same knee). Moving forward onto flexed front leg (right) keep pelvis and back stable by contracting the abdomen. As you move forward, contract buttocks and hamstrings to flex left heel to left buttock. Assist stretch with one or both hands, bringing heel to buttock as flexibility allows.

Adductors (long)
Muscles stretched:long adductors, longus, magnus, gracilis

Lie on back with legs extended and wrap rope around arch of left foot. Point left foot inward and lift leg to side by contracting outer thigh and hip muscles. Assist with rope, pulling outward.

Adductors (short)

Muscles stretched: short adductors, pectinius, adductor brevis, proximal and long adductors

Sit with soles of feet placed together. Contract outside of hips, spreading thighs as far as possible. Use arms between knees to assist stretch at end of movement.

Achilles tendon/soleus
Muscles stretched: lower and deep calf including Achilles tendon

Sit with right leg fully straight and left knee bent at 90 degrees. Wrap hands around balls of foot. Lift toes toward body, contracting shin muscles and assisting with pull from hands.

Upper Calf
Muscles stretched: gastrocnemius

Sit with legs fully extended and about six inches apart. Loop rope around the ball of left foot. Straighten left knee and pull toes towards you by contracting shin muscles. Assist with rope. For deeper stretch, lean forward at trunk and allow foot to leave floor when pulled.

Source: Trinity College Dublin Athletic Club

Feeling it the next day....

So you had a good exercise day; in fact you pushed until you felt the burn through out the legs and arms; and not for just a short period; but for an extended duration.

A valuable piece of advice I was given one day regarding training; "You will never know what it feels to run 6 minute miles if all you do is train for 7 minutes"; essentially what was being said is if you train the same day after day you will never become physically stronger or have greater endurance.

Its important in any sport to work out hard a few days of the week for an extended duration to teach the muscles how to improve using fatigue as the tool. The next day you wake up; and you feel sore in the muscles that were exercised; and you know what caused it; its the prevention part that people start to look into.

Next-day muscle soreness was thought to be caused by lactic acid build up; but recent studies have shown this is not the case. Lactic acid built up in the muscles during periods of max endurance; will reduce immediately once you cool down; and there is no residual left after a period of time. So cooling down doesn't prevent muscle soreness; neither does stretching after exercising since muscle contraction isn't the culprit either.

The soreness is caused by damage to the muscle fibers themselves. Studies completed; revealed that the muscle fibers on the day after a hard workout showed signs of bleeding along with disruption of the fibers themselves when contracted. The degree of muscle damage can be determined by measuring an enzyme in the bloodstream called CPK. A creatine found in muscles; CPK is released into the bloodstream when muscles are damaged. Researchers measuring CPK levels in the bloodstream; have deteremined that poeple who continued to exercise when feeling soreness in the muscle are the ones to feel on the next day as well.

There is no real prevention; but rather this soreness should be used as a guide to your training. I do days where I push until I start to feel the burn; back off; then continue the pace again and exercise to this burn. I continue until my muscles start to feel stiff and fatigued and then the workout stops. The next day depending on how sore I am I either take a recovery day, slow the pace, or do a cross training activity. Experience and recommendations from others have told me not to train those muscles again until the soreness has gone away; you risk an injury to that muscle group.

This may be why I believe in cross training so much; push hard a few days a week in my primary sport; do active stretching on the muscles the day's between; and look to other activies to teach my body new tricks.

Alternate sports therapy 2.0

Came across a great article in the October edition of National Geographic Adventure magazine on alternate forms of therapy regarding sports injury therapy. Having recently gone though similar experiences wanted to chime in with my own experiences with a couple of the methods mentioned.

Competing in both cycling and long distance running; I have suffered a few knee injuries along the way. Most were minor in that I didn't tear or damage a ligament or cartilage; but the injury has left me hobbling around for some time.

Usually the remedy would be to take a anti-inflammatory; in my case I recommend Aleve; along with RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method of healing. Though recently the aching in my knee spread up to my hip causing me to be sidelined from training; which as we all know makes for a fun individual to be around. At first I thought it was more tightness of the IT band; so I hit the foam roller every day for about an hour; with little relief when I started to run.

So after speaking to a few sports medicine specialists; who were advocating alternate forms of treatment; besides the normal surgery followed by PT regemin. I decided to explore what one treatement called Prolotherapy; which is refered to the "Anti anti-inflammatory"; which is an injection of typically glucose, distalled water, along with lidocaine, and in some cases zync may also be part of the active substance. The difference with prolotherapy; unlike a normal anti-inflammatory drug is it promotes the growth of tissue in areas where the tissue has grown weak.

I decided to try over the course of a two month three injections into the knee; both leaving it a little tender at first; but after the two months the pain had significantly reduced and the stability has returned. Is it for everyone; no; it really depends on the severity of the condition; again its best to consult with a sports medicine specialist.

The other therapy I decided to try was a treatment called Active Release Techinque (ART). With most endurance atheletes; injuries to joints are quite common due to stress repetitive movements. Usually scar tissue builds up in the muscle, tendon, and ligaments to stabilize the area; but this build up also hinders the stressed area from returning to normal function. ART is meant to examine and treat these areas where the scar tissue has built up.

I visited a therapist who specializes in what some may feel is a form of toture; after the first couple of sessions. They dug their fingers and thumbs deep along the quad and knee region to release the built up scar tissue; for those who have seen the body hair removal scene from "40 year old virgin"; I had very similar verbal outbursts. After the session though my knee felt limber; and the normal flexability had returned without the pain.

Both of these treatments though come with a cost; both are typically around 120 - 150 dollars a session; with an added bonus that your insurance company may not cover. I benefited by both treatments; again on recommendations given to me; what it does provide is alternatives from what has been perceived as the only options for recovery out there.