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ART experience?

kimmydctkimmydct
in General Training Discussions
Pretty excited.... Went to get a physical strength assessment tonight based on some recent EN convos and the doc pegged my issues with a few simple tests. (I know from past PT experience). It isn't all weakness, some issues are tightness which ART can help. I know little about it except what the doc told me. His exact words when looking at my right vs left shoulder was something like "it's like 2 different bodies". Looking forward to fixing stuff. Anyone have ART experience they'd like to share? Here are my issues: weakness and or tightness in psoas, pirformis, glute medius, hip flexors, shoulder area (sorry cant remember the fancy term on that one). I think several are fairly common in triathletes.

Comments

  • russGrussG
    Hi Kim - Can't beat a good assessment - gives you a great roadmap for moving forward. My chiropractor does ART - hurts in the moment, but it makes a huge difference that lasts afterward. I keep going back for more. Hope it works for you - I bet it will, but I look forward to hearing about your experience.
  • Brenda RossBrenda Ross
    Getting things unstuck is one thing to do, but then it moves to strengthening the areas that are week. You really need to find someone who can give you specific exercises geared toward your weaknesses.
  • CarlCarl
    Kim-
    I often get flare ups of my ITBS. Yes I have a imbalance issue/weak glutes but I was referred to a chiro that does ART two years ago and boom he had me like new after 3 treatments!! Stretched me silly but no joke it works!!!
  • kimmydctkimmydct
    Brenda- yup they will def do that.

    Carl- good to hear! I don't have any issues right now but want to prevent them. Especially as I work on speed vs distance this year....
  • RumpoleRumpole
    ART made a huge difference for me. WRT psoas and the like, you are a female version of me (only likely faster). Tennis ball under the glute; lots of foam rolling, and once you can do a squat -properly- (no leaning forward; drive your knees out), hit the kettlebell swings and turkish get ups. (TGU=lie on your back with a LIGHT dumbell in one arm. NOw stand up while keeping the dumbell always over your head. Lots of youtubes on this, but that's really all it is. The goal is to keep the weight bearing in the same place as you stand, and it exposes all kinds of imbalances. Try it with no weight first--just keepling your hand there can be tough).



    I could not run in the beginning of the OS (even on the beginner plan) because my hips were so lousy and everything just locked up and so substituted functional strength intervals. A combination of ART, Graston, squats, swings, planks, and pushups got me to the point were I could run. 20 minutes of work. 40 ON, 20 sec off, moving up to 25 min @ 1 min ON, 20 sec off. 3x a week.



    It works. Crank the tunes and it's not at all boring.YMMV.


  • Nate ParadyNate Parady
    one key point my Chiro made to me as a Triathlete is not just building strength in the glute and hips but reminding your brain that you have these muscles. I'm still working on my strength and will do so for years to come, but the first time I did a bridge while on my back my hamstrings locked up. My brain wasn't activating my glute to do this exercise. Now, 5 weeks later, I can do these all day long by using my glutes.

    I am slowly starting to run again fighting the ITB gods. My ITB is still at times sore at the point of injury, but what I notice when I run is my legs are staying in line more than in the past. I can remember that my knees would sometimes touch while running, now they don't do that. I'm assuming the hip and glute strength is keeping my legs in line and ultimately preventing excessive pulling on the IT band which is cause when your knee bends towards the center.

    His other observations of Triathletes are that although we are typically in really good shape, we have a TON of issues because we are so focused on exercises that do one thing repeatedly. biking and Running are very hamstring and quad focused. Next time you are riding your bike reach down and feel your glute...notice how its not doing anything.

    Kim, Very smart to try and get ahead of the curve. Most of the exercises you can do in your living room while watching TV....For anyone who has done Tris for any length of time, my guess is they have weak glutes and hips by comparison to their quads and hamstrings...

    p.s. IT Bands seem like poor body design if you ask me...I hate mine right now.
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