[null, {"document_url": "http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/2009/10/balance.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LHPxKP5tZg0/St88x5GndKI/AAAAAAAABZU/1v-M5ITuzBY/s400/Balance.jpg", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LHPxKP5tZg0/St88x5GndKI/AAAAAAAABZU/1v-M5ITuzBY/s400/Balance.jpg", "formatted_filename": "Balance"}, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]
Labels: injury, instability, kinetic chain training, training bob banks said...

Forgive me, but my last swallow of Oly just came shooting out through my nose.

The word "balance" is not one I equate with "Steve Edwards".

We're talking about the "Steve Edwards" who as soon as he found a mercado that would sell him chia seeds and pinole essentially switched his entire diet....right? That guy?
 Steve Edwards said...

My crash test dummy status means that I need to explore everything. I haven't yet explored balance, so that's what I'm doing. And thanks for reminding me; I have to place a bulk order for chia seeds. I'm nearly out!
 
Balance has always been important in my training too. For example, I believe that sweet and dry vermouth should be balanced in the Perfect Manhattan. Stabilizer muscles . . . like those developed through the disciplined use of a cocktail shaker?

 
You should pitch that idea to these guys:

 Reedster said...

I'd be up for some info on building those stabilizer muscles. But I don't think my injury was caused by muscle instability. I think it was caused my the force of gravity showing me exactly how powerful it can be.
 
stability only helps for non-contact injuries, which yours was definitely not. i've got so many stabilizer exercises to do that i could do them all day. i'll have to make some videos one of these days.
 
You mean, beyond cocktail shaking?

 Hassan90X said...

Steve so do you reccomend training the stabilizer muscles?
does 'nt yoga do the same for you?
it would be awkward to do 100 repetitions with 4 lb!
what do you reccomend?
 
without climbing much in the last 5 years i've felt my body slowly pulling into a knot. lower back & neck are getting chronically sore and core strength is not what it used to be. i think climbing every week kept me limber and tough as a nail. now i mostly just ride my bike, which does keep one's aerobic capacity tuned up, but does nothing for flexibility.

i better just go climb more.

as for 24 hour races, the 24 Hours in the Sage in Gunnison, CO is the funnest 24 hour race i've done. i'd recommend it over the Moab race. that's just me though.

Mark McD
 
Hassan, you're correct in that yoga is excellent for this. Also, since you do 90X and Insanity you're ahead of most people, as these programs address stabilizer muscles more than most sport-specific programs do.

Non athletes who train scientifically are likely the least vulnerable, since many modern trainers are well aware of the importance here. Those who target sports performance and looks are the most likely to be far out of balance because they focus on arbitrary targets, like bench press max or seeing their six pack.

That said, Brett Hobel (or RevAbs) is our most qualified stability expert as he trained uder Paul Check.

But, yeah, once we figure out how to get this info out there (post testing on moi), you should be regularly testing your benchmarks for stability and adjusting as necessary.
 John Smallberries said...

Is this where you start advocating slacklining and hula hoops?
 Scribings of Yore Friends, Reference, & Assorted Oddities Subscribe To Steve's Blog