OK, welcome to the first Synergy blog. How very exciting! The 2009/10 season is fast approaching and it’s at this time of year that I start thinking about winter and everything I need to do to prepare for it. Of course this year has been somewhat crazier in the build up to December as it is Synergy’s first official season working under its own steam as a UK ltd company. But despite the big response we have had from clients booking and re-booking with us this year and keeping us busy I am in the process of putting together a physical conditioning programme to prepare myself for life back on the hill.
As some of you will remember, I broke my ankle last year on day 6 of the season which, given the embarrassingly sedate nature of the accident, probably came about as a result of doing too much too soon with a body that simply was not conditioned (strong enough) to the forces of snowboarding again. Towards the end of the season at the British champs I also damaged my LCL in my left knee (it was my left ankle that I broke as well by the way) and did ‘something’ to my middle back. As such I will be revisiting a physiotherapist (as opposed to a physio-terrorist…..be warned there are good and bad ones!) to get some help targeting these weak spots to avoid any further problems and get them prepared for some strength work (squatting!!!)
Over my years as a professional instructor and (part time) competitor I have had my fare share of injury and encounters with medical personnel as well as contact with personal trainers and strength and conditioning experts. I intend to blog with this gained knowledge and add to it a healthy mix of Mens health/fitness magazine advice and a few other bits and pieces from online sites. Furthermore, I will be asking questions of a gym in Manchester called “Primal Fitness” that is run by a close friend and fellow snowboarder of mine called Fernando (follow the monkey link in the footer of the page)
I am going to assume that those of you who are reading this either Ski or Snowboard and have some understanding of the movements we make in each of these sports and would like to know more about preparing for time spent ‘clipped in’ on the hill. Saying that I am sure there will be lots of stuff here that will be useful for all sorts of activities (except blading as the only preparation suitable for the activity of blading is death!)
Our posture when riding is critical for us to get the most out of our muscles allowing us to flex and extend sufficiently to maintain balance and apply varying forces to the bits of wood beneath our feet. Therefore, right from the get go I don’t intend to spend much time talking about or acting to isolate muscle groups. Riding is very dynamic and demands great agility and speed of reflex throughout a wide range of movements. Often the biggest thing holding a rider back is a lack of movement and lack of strength throughout what movement they do have. You can be a technical wizard but if you aint got some muscle there’s only so far you’ll go. Loads of injuries in snowsports come from accidents at high speeds and from long drops back to earth that put your limbs through movements that you can’t handle and result in sprains and pulls that put you out of action relatively easily. So becoming strong throughout full ranges of movement is as much about injury prevention as it is about getting any better at something.
So first things first; STRETCHING. This is an area of soo much contention and some people swear by it and defend it with their lives while others can take it or leave it. Here’s my opinion so whatever yours is remember it’s always good to try something new. Firstly, stretching can be done statically or dynamically. Each has their benefits but they also have their place and most people mis underdstand that. Static stretching as part of a ‘warm up’ should be banned!! Stretching a cold muscle (group) will actually lead to a reduced range of movement (in the short term) therefore immediately increasing the risk of injury to that particular muscle (group). Without going into the science (we could start a whole other blog if you fancy?) just take my word for it and give some dynamic stretching ago the next time you hit the gym or the track or before you clip into your bindings. Take your time warming up with a slow jog and begin rolling your shoulders and rotating your arms in small circular motions to get the blood flowing and the joints lubricated. Then begin with larger movements ‘stretching’ the muscles as a result of the movement without ever holding the muscle in the stretched position. Try some low level plyometric exercises (leaps and bounds) bringing your knee gradually higher and higher to your chest while jumping. The ministry of funny walks is another, rather strange, set of movements designed to put your legs through full ranges of flex and extension putting muscles through their paces without ever holding a static stretch. I swear by this method of ‘warming up’ and feel 100 % better about setting off down a run having done it. Yes I get some queer looks doing the birdie dance and some squats before I set off but hey ho! I have recently been (re)introduced to the hula-hoop by my disconcertingly overzealous girlfriend who recently bought one having witnessed a nine year old girl in the park with one making her, I quote “feel very jelous”! Anyway if you can find a better example of a dynamic warm-up then please tell me.
All of this however, doesn’t mean you can’t stretch old school! If you’re a girl who loves yoga (yes thats right, a girl) then wicked, please continue and impress your partner with all of your knew found flexiness, if it makes you happy then do it. But bear in mind there is little point in being flexible if you’re not strong throughout the (new) range of movement that you have. If you are a man however, and indulge in this yoga thing then you need to have a quiet word with yourself before hitting the squat rack and learning the error of your ways! I am going to say this only to keep certain people from defiling the cover of your Geri Haliwell DVD…..if yoga really makes you happy and you really feel it releases stress and the breathing techniques cleanse your soul then fine, do it, but please please become familiar with an Olympic bar sooner rather than later!
I will say that the emphasis put on breathing in Yoga is very good and whenever stretching (statically or dynamically) always concentrate on your breathing. So you’ll notice I said static just above! That’s right, it’s not been outlawed just put in the bottom drawer for use when it’s really needed, like when dealing with or recovering from injury. I am currently receiving physio for a really interesting condition that means I am doing a lot of stretching. Said hula-hooper even got me watching Geri for a session last week as she thought parts of the ‘sun worshiper’ move would help….reluctantly I see her point but know that as soon as I can lift a weight again Geri may find herself with a big curly moustache!
So what’s my problem? My hips have all but completely seized up! I had no idea either! During most seasons my legs become strong, strong as in biomechanically super sized and extremely capable! Most of this strength however, comes from my riding and a mix of styles, some that demand a great deal from the legs (try extending at the bottom of your arc in a turn instead of sitting). One style that I don’t tend to change though is my sort of lazy back posture that looks good (and gives me some impact absorbtion high in my spine) but means I don’t engage my gluts an awful lot and my hips as a result don’t get the same pasting that my legs do. So after 5 months off and not dealing properly with my injured knee and back i.e. sitting around getting stiff, my hip and hamstrings have given up on me! I will not forget the sound of astonishment from my physio when she began to flex me! Needless to say I needed some help here.
It turns out my IT band is to blame and not my untreated LCL in my knee. A damaged ligament (soft tissue) usually takes about 6 weeks to heal. It’s been 5 months now and I still have knee pain, especially walking down stairs. So her diagnosis has blown me away (a physio-terrorist could get this really wrong…this is your second waring) I need to treat the stiffness in my hips and the tension in my IT band to sort my knee out. My It-band is so tight that it has begun to go numb in places…seriously… It’s not the sort of thing that I prod regularly enough to detect! Its tightness means it is touching the outside ligaments of my knee and causing the pain and swelling of the sack that holds the fluid around the outside of the knee cap (bursa). It is the pain from this, right over the LCL, that made me think the problem was still my LCL…….wrong!
The solution to all this, that will allow me to get on and back into the gym, is a fairly simple one. Stretching! And yes you guessed it…..static stretching…….aghhhhhhh! 3 times a day I need to do some pretty hefty stretching moves to help my flexibility as follows.
Quads: Think classic quad stretch. Remember to keep you pelvis tilted forward like you were engaging your gluts. Try and keep straight in the back and avoid the typical ‘banana’ posture creating by pulling your foot too high (past the point needed to stretch) forcing you to break at the waist slightly. This stretch should pull your hip abductors as well as your quads when done right,
IT –band: I am not sure I have ever knowingly stretched this! Standing side on to a wall, about a foot and a half away, place your outside foot over your inside one to make it the one closest to the wall. Then push your hip into the wall and lean your head away from the wall. Staying upright will stretch the band and bending forward slightly will then stretch the glut as well…excellent!
I am also stretching my hamstrings and my calf muscles. Fernando tells me that I should get into the habit of rolling a ball under my bare foot first. Give this ago, its amazing! Bend down and try to touch your toes with minimal effort gradually putting some effort into it. Then role a hard ball (a tennis ball will do but Fernado says use a harder dog ball!!) and roll it under your foot getting it right into the arch. This kills me but bear with it and really push into it for about a minute before swapping foot. Now slowly bend down to your toes again and see if it’s any easier to touch your toes or get any further for that matter. By rolling the ball under your foot it realises lots of tension up the back of your leg and allows you to stretch further!!! WOW! Let me know if you get the same results. Any reflexologists out there should feel free to shed some light on this.
Another thing that he’s got me to do is build my own foam roller to roll around on top of. You need to see the pics but if you can take the pain (there will be pain) this is a great way to release tension in any muscle group you chose to use it on. Rolling over my IT band is probably worse than child birth and may result in random shrieks but it’s worth it. While I am on this subject take your ball (tennis or otherwise) and sandwich it between your back and a wall and go for your life….. circling and squatting to push it into all the sore areas of your back…..I can do this for hours!
I stretch 3 times a day and I normally always start with a few full depth squats, breathing slowly exhaling on the way up, to get the blood flowing a bit. I hold these static stretches for about 15-20 seconds not being too I shy push for some burn but not at the loss of form and concentrating on what I am stretching. I also do my best to ‘lock’ my legs once an hour for 15 secs tensing my quads as tight as I possibly can. This helps to build muscle around the knee and realign the patella (very important, particularly if you suffer from flat or over suprinated feet)
Ok, im stopping now! This first instalment was way too long! I promise other entries will be more to the point. All comments and questions welcome, just remember I am not an expert nor qualified in anyway, this is just a bit of wisdom sharing to get you all thinking about ways to approach training so you have the best possible time on the slopes or anywhere else where you want to avoid potential injury.
Next: more physio chat and more about some basic strength conditioning in the gym and at home. Cue Fernando!
September 20th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
What a pleasure to read!! 3 years ago I damaged my hip playing tennis and 6 months later my knee went due to bad support from my GP. Have now been seeing an osteopath for 3 years who found the real problem – siezed hips, which have caused IT band issues, lol! after finally being classed as “stable” (something that really doesn’t sit well!!) have just got a great starting/rehab programme from a “sports scientist” at my gym who also introduced me to a reebok foam roller to lie on and stretch out the IT band – never have I enjoyed the pleasure pain thing so much but can’t wait as hopefully within a couple of months I will finally be pain free and able to get back to the slopes – much to my osteopaths dismay – however that’s what I pay him for – to put me back together!! lol
September 21st, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Hi there, let me start saying that your web site looks amazing. Well done!
Where to start without making it incredibly long and boring.
For the purposes of this article, lets just focus on the joints of the lower body – The ankles, knees and hips.
Whether you are walking, running, jumping or snowboarding, these joints must work together to produce movement and power.
Flexion and extension of your knees and hip is what keeps you on that board regardless off the trick you are trying. Injure either of those two and you’ll need to come back on the next plane from Switzerland or Germany!
Some joints are designed to be mobile, others to be stable. This function alternates as you travel up the body – Ankles = Mobile, Knees = Stable, Hips = Mobile. If one of your mobile joints is stiff, and lacks the necessary range of motion, your more stable joints will have to compensate for this inadequacy. I.e. If your ankle or hips are tight, your knees will have to compensate – This is the most common cause of knee injuries in boarders.
Add in the fact that ankle mobility is already considerable restricted by your boots and you can see how this can quickly become a problem!
Your hips should therefore become the focus of most of your training… The power to make a perfect 360 actually comes from your hips, and you need sufficient mobility in the hips to safely absorb the impact when you land after catching some big time air.
A well designed training program should focus around ensuring adequate strength and mobility around the hip joint, while simultaneously developing strength and stability at the knee joint.
The following are just a few of the muscles that originate/insert, flex/extend the hip and knee joints: Quadriceps (Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Intermedialis, Vastus Medialis), Ilipsoas (Iliacus,Psoas), Sartorius, Pectineus, Tensor Fascie Latae, Gracilis, Priformis, Gemellus Superior,Obturator Internus, Gemellus Inferior, Obturator Externus, Quadratus Femurus, Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris long head, Biceps Femoris short head, Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus), Gluteus Maximus, Medius and Minimus.. and I can go forever.
As you can see there are a lot of them. In order for them to work properly they need to be activated and work in balance with one another. Due to the “fabulous” technology (escalators, lifts, cars, conveyors at the airports, bottoms that open the door for you..) some of those muscles get lazy making other work harder. When the imbalance develops is when your bad karma begins!
To make matters worse, we tend to go to the gym and actually work on the muscles that are working and make them stronger, and the already lazy/weak muscles continue to get weaker, thus exacerbating the imbalance. You might look like an Adonis, but you are not necessarily working out smartly, you are not addressing the problems, and ultimately you are not getting ready for the next season.
You take your imbalanced body to the slopes put it on a snowboard and demand it to go fast, jump high, land hard, twist or even worse try that crazy trick that you saw on TV last night when you were getting drunk in the bar. You just had that coffee with rum on the slope at 10 am so you are indestructible! Come on bring it on! Then you wonder why you get injured?
So what do you need to do? Well, Get off the cross trainers and static bicycles (spinning lovers!), don’t go near a smith machine to do your squats, and forget trying to lift monster weights on the leg-curl machine. To keep your joints healthy and prepared avoid any machines that isolate your joints a provide stability to your movements.
Snowboarders need to bring the past to the present. To develop power and mobility in the hips stick to full range of motion Deadlifts, Squats, and cleans, multi-joint, free weight compound exercises that’s what you need! To develop strength and stability around the knee, include plenty of single leg work too – Lunges, Step Ups and Single Leg Deadlifts are all great choices.
If you live around Manchester just come to Primal Fitness and we can improve your mobility, flexibility, strength, endurance, power, stamina. If you don’t live around Manchester sign up in our forum and you can ask questions (www.primalfitness.co.uk)
Donnie, Stretches? Well. that is a subject where there is a lot of discussion and controversy (It is a subject that requires an entire article) . I am just going to tell you where I stand. I normally use the foam roller and the dog ball(harder version of the tennis ball) and roll from my Achilles tendon up to my shoulder blades before my training. This process, called Myofascial release (sounds dodgy but it is not!), is a form of soft tissue therapy intended for pain relief and increasing range of motion and tissue quality. Techniques include manual massage for stretching the fascia and releasing bonds between fascia, integument, muscles, and bones. The fascia is manipulated, directly or indirectly, supposedly to allow the connective tissue fibres to reorganize themselves in a more flexible, functional fashion. I use the foam roller because it is much cheaper than paying a masseur to do it for me every time a train! (I’d rather save the money for the snow season in Davos)
I normally do not stretch statically before training but that depends on what type of training ( again we have leave that for another time). Normally general public shouldn’t stretch statically before a regular workout, but should do the dynamic warm-up as you suggested in your article – you’ll just have to take my word on that!
The best time to do static stretches is just before go to bed when you are going to leave the body relaxed for several hours so that the muscles can adapt to their new length.
Donnie your case is different as you are actually recovering from a injury and in your case it is good for the rehabilitation of the muscles.
I promised myself not to be as long as Donnie but there were few points to mention and I could not keep that promise, apologies!
In a nutshell what to take from this:
1) Think what you do and try to be as active as you can.
2) When going to the gym try to pull, push, drag things. Try to exercise with compound movement, multi joint exercises. Do mobility activation exercises. GET OFF THE MACHINES!! BE MANUAL!!
3) People from Manchester area Primal Fitness is the place to get fit for Davos and the Synergy boys next season! (People from other cities I am sorry that you don’t have Primal Fitness but you can ask us questions in our forum)
4) Start your workout with foam rolling and dog balls!
5) Look after your body through the year and it will not let you down on the slopes in Davos next season!
This is all from me for now!
Fernando
Primal Fitness
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Great stuff….keep it coming!