‘If one muscle is overactive and tight another is underactive and weak'

Once enrolled on a triathlonCoaching.uk.com programme we ask you to perform a simple movement and provide us with feedback on the results. You may upload a video of yourself performing the exercise should you have the necessary technology or simply supply the relevant information in an email.

The feedback you supply will help us to provide you with information about muscles in your body that might be ‘weak' and underactive and which are possibly overactive and ‘tight'. From this we will offer guidance on stretching techniques and specific strength exercises.

For example in figure 1 below you will notice that the person's knees have ‘rolled in' during the squat analysis. This could be a sign that they have ‘overactive adductors' (tight inner thigh muscles) and they need to foam roll these muscles (figure 2) and then stretch the muscles (figure 3). This could also mean that the gluteus medius and maximus (buttocks) are weak and need strengthening by performing a single leg squat (figure 4).

Performing such exercises will help restore the muscles to their correct length, create more power and prevent movement compensations which only lead to one thing – Injury!

Most people that we come into contact with have muscle imbalance and as a result have muscles that can not create the desired amount of power and speed. We could all spend money on a new shiny bike yet not be able to power it effectively to improve our speed on the road. Worse still, should you ignore these muscle imbalances you will actively increase the imbalance until eventually this leads to injury.

When did you last stretch your hip flexors?

Weak gluts (buttocks) and tight hip flexors (front and top of thigh) are common examples of muscle imbalance . In triathlon we use the hip flexors in swimming, biking and running (these muscles are also highly stimulated to sitting in a chair) the hip flexors easily become overactive. The gluts, as the opposing muscle are stretched (they are lengthened when we sit) and become underactive and weak. This can create a major problem for triathletes. If you can not contract the gluts effectively because they are weak and lengthened then you will find the quadriceps will take over in cycling. Although the quadriceps are used in cycling and can perform the movement required, they can not perform it as efficiently as the gluts and they do not posses the endurance capacity that the gluts have either. (Ever rode your bike fast and the thighs swell up?)

As a TriathlonCoaching.uk.com athlete you will receive all the latest scientific rational for stretching and conditioning your muscles to prevent muscle imbalance.