Joint Stabilizing
The lateral-balance board lunge is a Tom Masi favorite. Neutral posture in
conjunction
with hip, knee, ankle, and core stabilizers are required for balancing.
Joint stability refers to the durability and strength of the shoulders,
hips, knees,
and
ankles to safely withstand and deliver variable forces.
Robert Bellano has an unstable left knee. A small sport ball properly aligned will
help align & stabilize
the joints and innervate the vastus medialis,
gluteus medius, and adductor muscles.
When training inexperienced and/or unstable clients it is important to
develop
proper innervation patterns.
When I met William Bellano in January of 2004
he was only three feet tall.
Since machines stabilize the action of a movement,
they can be
useful 'training wheels'
for joint alignment. However,
true joint stability
can
not be found by utilizing only weight machines.
PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE
When muscles contract to create a movement and/or resist external forces
(momentum, impact, gravity) they also displace stresses upon the skeletal system.
The major joints of the body need to be muscularly balanced in order to stay
sound
and to endure static, repetitive, and dynamic stresses throughout their
'active ranges of motion.' Employing a variety of exercises on a consistent basis
can help stimulate and balance synergistic muscle-innervation (stabilizing) patterns.
Resistance training (especially with a balance ball or board), cycling, hiking, yoga,
sport bands, speed and plyometrics (advanced)
are all just part
of the
formula for
preventative maintenance.
I hate to admit it, but this guy is a very good friend of mine.
Charles "Chuck" Shafer launches a cliff in the Vail Back Bowls circa 1995.
This used to be me. These days the only place I go for 'big air' - is in my lungs.
Chuck and I have had first-hand,
involuntary experience on the importance
of comprehensive joint-stability training.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
While recovering several times from skiing injuries (ACL reconstruction,
fractured/dislocated shoulder, etc.), and after months of physical therapy,
I would become impatient (and as a patient you can never have enough patience).
Feeling fine and a little over-confident, I would exert myself during an activity
only to be reminded of my instability with a sharp "twinge" from the various body part.
Injured/recovering joints can be great "teachers" as they are very sensitive
to all movement and pressure. Ironically, healthy joints that have never been
injured do not communicate well. They are typically tough and internally
insensitive until they have a problem... then, like children, they do not stop
complaining. Sometimes they ache for seemingly small reasons.
I am happy to report Chuck and I have recovered.
Soft powder moguls on a beautiful sunny day ...I must be skiing Highline in Vail, CO.
I love to ski fast but it is dangerous fun. This picture was taken Friday February 13th, 2004:
No injuries all day! Good Luck? Proper athletic training with countless hours of
exercise will create great luck for anyone.
BODY BALANCING
Spine Neutralizing, Core Conditioning, Flexibility, and joint stabilizing
overlap one another. They are co-dependent, inseparable, and equal in importance.
These are primary, muscle-balancing, fundamental development pre-requisites
for every single person (active or sedentary). Ever play paper-rock-scissors?
Take a distance runner who can barely touch his toes, add a power lifter who can
not safely throw a wiffle ball, and mix in the yoga instructor who can not carry
her own luggage. These are just real life examples of imbalances among athletes.
After mastering one aspect of an athletic endeavor, many athletes develop
adaptively shortened (tight) and/or lengthened, over-used, and/or over-stretched
muscles. This can lead to potential injury and chronic pain syndromes. Ironically,
sedentary people tend to have similar symptoms for the opposite reasons.
There is a minimum requirement of 'balanced body' focus necessary for
each individual, athletic or otherwise.
SPECIFIC NEEDS
Obviously a naturally flexible woman does not need as much stretching as the
powerfully built but tight football player. However, if she happens to be a
professional dancer she 'needs' to stretch anywhere from one to
four hours or more every day!
The time and intensity requirements for optimum performance in a
specific endeavor are ten-fold more than what is necessary for being
a healthy, well-rounded, and active individual.
Yet, many athletes and average health club members alike do not vary in
the disciplines of their personal exercise regimens. This not only limits
potential, it also decreases the over-all body stability/durability in other
disciplines. For example, can the power lifter (a dynamically stable athlete)
run five miles (endure repetitive impact) without hurting his hips, knees,
and/or ankles? Can the competitive swimmer do a pull up
without injuring her shoulder or elbow?
Can the over-worked desk jockey play intramural basketball on the
weekends without going to the hospital and getting into trouble with his wife?
"Hurry, take the picture!" ~ I always practice balance ball drills on a crash mat.
This particular maneuver requires/improves equal core strength and shoulder stability.
COMMON SENSE
Striving to become stronger (endurance, speed, and power), increasing flexibility,
and eating properly should be the focus of every active person. Yet, just because
someone has the ability to bench press 500lbs. or the stamina/willpower to
run 100 miles in 20 hours, does not mean it is 'healthy' for them to
perform these extreme events. I have seen too many beginner, amateur,
and professional athletes seriously injure themselves from doing way too much.
Please
see
Spine Neutralizing
Core Conditioning
Plyometrics
Sport-Specific Training
Post-Physical Therapy Regimen.
Jeff Archibald
ACE Certified Trainer
310 890 6783
24 hour phone messages
jeff@boldfitness.com