Comments on: Perfectly Balanced (Strength Ratios) http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/2008/03/07/perfectly-balanced-strength-ratios/ Jen Sinkler, Experience Life senior editor, compiles a hodgepodge of fitness information, including perspectives on sports-oriented training, random fitness trivia and tales from the gym. Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:13:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Halvo http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/2008/03/07/perfectly-balanced-strength-ratios/#comment-72 Halvo Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:32:20 +0000 http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/2008/03/07/perfectly-balanced-strength-ratios/#comment-72 Tell Y to come look at my legs for hamstring dominant legs. You've seen my quads with your own eyes. They are not alot weaker but I am convinced my hamstrings are stonger than my quads. The plus side of this is that my lower back feels fantastic almost all the time. Wish the same could be said for my upper back... Tell Y to come look at my legs for hamstring dominant legs. You’ve seen my quads with your own eyes. They are not alot weaker but I am convinced my hamstrings are stonger than my quads. The plus side of this is that my lower back feels fantastic almost all the time. Wish the same could be said for my upper back…

]]> By: Jen Sinkler http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/2008/03/07/perfectly-balanced-strength-ratios/#comment-43 Jen Sinkler Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:41:56 +0000 http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/2008/03/07/perfectly-balanced-strength-ratios/#comment-43 Check EL's "<a href="http://www.experiencelifemag.com/issues/march-2007/fit-body/office-imbalance.html?ht=office%20imbalance%20office%20imbalance" rel="nofollow">Office Imbalance</a>" from March 2007 for a couple suggestions. There are also some variations on traditional stretches that may make them more effective in Mike Robertson's "<a href="http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=640906" rel="nofollow">Hardcore Stretching, Part II</a>" at www.t-Nation.com. In a different T-Nation article ("<a href="http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=560555" rel="nofollow">Weekend of Strength</a>"), Pavel Tsatsouline likens tight hip flexors to driving with the parking brake on, and offers a few more tips: "When stretching hip flexors in the kneeling lunge movement, keep your hands behind your back and not on the forward knee. Put your knee on a pad or pillow; the top of your rear foot should be on the floor, not the ball of your foot." Lastly, you gotta read Eric Cressey and Mike Robertson's evaluation of the case study in "<a href="http://www.t-nation.com/readArticle.do?id=462481" rel="nofollow">Neanderthal No More III</a>"; the subject has "bilateral pain in hip flexor/groin regions during quad dominant movements. Pain is worse on the right, but present on the left as well." Sound familiar? Looks like you may want to have your biomechanics evaluated.... Check EL’s “Office Imbalance” from March 2007 for a couple suggestions. There are also some variations on traditional stretches that may make them more effective in Mike Robertson’s “Hardcore Stretching, Part II” at www.t-Nation.com.

In a different T-Nation article (”Weekend of Strength“), Pavel Tsatsouline likens tight hip flexors to driving with the parking brake on, and offers a few more tips: “When stretching hip flexors in the kneeling lunge movement, keep your hands behind your back and not on the forward knee. Put your knee on a pad or pillow; the top of your rear foot should be on the floor, not the ball of your foot.”

Lastly, you gotta read Eric Cressey and Mike Robertson’s evaluation of the case study in “Neanderthal No More III“; the subject has “bilateral pain in hip flexor/groin regions during quad dominant movements. Pain is worse on the right, but present on the left as well.” Sound familiar? Looks like you may want to have your biomechanics evaluated….

]]> By: Kim http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/2008/03/07/perfectly-balanced-strength-ratios/#comment-42 Kim Sat, 08 Mar 2008 02:37:24 +0000 http://experiencelifemag.com/blogs/survival-of-the-fittest/2008/03/07/perfectly-balanced-strength-ratios/#comment-42 I was struck by Sarah's comment about tightness in the hip flexors leading to low-back pain. I have pretty chronic ENTIRE back pain, but I've also noticed I have a tendency to get groin/hip flexor injuries (incidentally, only on my right side). I feel like I have a pretty good quad to hamstring strength ratio. So this leads me to believe that I am just generally messed up and must deal with this pain for the rest of my life. I'm used to it. But I guess my question is what kinds of things can I do to get rid of the tightness in my hip flexor or help prevent injury in that area? Is that related to hamstring/quad stuff? PS. Let's just say no muscle group is going to help you if you FALL OFF THE MOUNTAIN while snowboarding! I was struck by Sarah’s comment about tightness in the hip flexors leading to low-back pain. I have pretty chronic ENTIRE back pain, but I’ve also noticed I have a tendency to get groin/hip flexor injuries (incidentally, only on my right side). I feel like I have a pretty good quad to hamstring strength ratio. So this leads me to believe that I am just generally messed up and must deal with this pain for the rest of my life. I’m used to it.

But I guess my question is what kinds of things can I do to get rid of the tightness in my hip flexor or help prevent injury in that area? Is that related to hamstring/quad stuff?

PS. Let’s just say no muscle group is going to help you if you FALL OFF THE MOUNTAIN while snowboarding!

]]>