hard training always finds your weak link

[Climb01742]

the last 3 weeks have been my toughest training so far. until now i've been pretty injury free. today was a hard day of riding: a 40/40 day. 2 x 20 min at 65-75 rpm, 80-90% effort, then 2 x 20 min at 100 rpm, 89-90% effort, with 5 min rest between intervals, and with WU and CD about 2 hours in the saddle. tomorrow is 3.5 hours steady endurance.

and my body has shown me what my weak link is: left gluteus medius, which when its weak and tight, recruits the quadratus lumborum, and screws that up too! in normal human speak, think of your upper/outer butt muscle and your lower back/side. both of these have been locking up on me lately. i'm stretching like crazy, using a tennis ball to do trigger point stuff, and got a massage today.

if this were a regular summer, i'd back off a bit. but mt washington is in about a month. i'm trying to walk the edge between pushing my body without breaking it. well, i now know what i need to work on this fall/winter, strengthening-wise. your body will find its weak link. but for now, could anyone suggest an exercise or two to strengthen the glut medius? i'm trying lateral leg raises, with my leg angled back a bit. any other ideas? and any good stretches for the glut and the quad lumborum? any and all suggestions totally and genuinely appreciated. i had a feeling that the injury free spell was a lucky streak flirting with danger. now, if only i can tiptoe on this edge for 5 more weeks... ;) thanks!

[keno]

I'm not sure if this one will address your issue, but it may. Lying on a massage table, or dining room table, etc., lie on your side (so that your chest/back are perpendicular to the table) with your upper body about 45 deg to the table suface and with your lower body hanging off beginning at the bottom of the obliques and just above the bone (pelvic girdle, I believe). Hang on to the table edge in order to keep your upper body solidly on the table. In your case, you would lie on your right side so your left leg is above the right one and so the left side will get the stretch. Move the upper leg a little forward of the lower one and let the weight of it stretch the lower left back and glute. You can control the stretch with the same side obliques. You can fiddle with the angles any way you need to in order to get to your areas of contention.

I hope I've explained it sufficiently for you to try it. Good luck.

keno

[93legendti]

Are you sure it is not an overuse issue, rather than "weakest link"? Every time my body has said to ease off or take time off and I didn't listen I was sorry. On the other hand, I have taken 2-3 days off after a month of hard riding and come back even stronger.....

[Climb01742]

keno, thanks, i'll try that on the diningroom table! (better clear it with s.o. climb, first, eh?)

93legend, that's a good question. this coming week is a "recovery" week. i may take a day or two off to see if it helps. i know it's dumb, but i feel like a wimp when i take a day off.

another thing hard training shows is...i ain't got no top end! last thursday did 6 x 45 sec all out 100% effort intervals. let's just say, tom boonen has no worries from me. i got no sprint. :D

[keno]

take the Nike route - just do it. Love means not having to say squat. Absence of marriage definitely brings that into play. Maybe an "Oh, sorry." If all else fails, seek forgiveness. Let's keep priorities in mind here.

keno

ps Wear clean clothes and do before riding or after clean up.