Sneaky nasty muscle imbalance

I went to see a physio last week. Her judgement after a couple of tests: You have weak abs. Your inner core is not working.

What!? But I can plank 3 minutes, what is this?

I'd had my suspicions after struggling with the special sit-ups that were part our roller derby fitness test. Then I recalled a pilates session where all the old ladies were rolling up and I just could not. There was a picture that I'd spotted on Google, weak abs going with weak glutes. Yes, the previous physio judgement had been weak glutes... and hamstrings.

My body didn't know about the muscles.

Obliques ...and what else is there?

I started roller derby some 4 and half years ago, having not been very active for years. My body started using the muscles that it knew about - quads and external obliques. Only now I know that my body wasn't firing up my glutes, hamstrings or inner core. They'd got so lazy from all the sitting down and my body had forgotten how to use them.

Through training my quads and obliques got stronger and stronger.

They started compensating for the lazy muscles which got weaker.

I mastered 3 minute plank, not knowing that in fact it was the massive obliques doing the job... I've got nice core strenght! Actually, no. It was an illusion. Stupid body!

Piece of advice to all new to derby

On hindsight, I should have told myself 4 years ago: 
You have started a sport. Get conditioning, get your body better as whole. Stretch to get more flexible and to stop your body being pulled into a twist by tight muscles. Make sure all your muscles are firing up! Strength train rather than letting your sport to train your muscles - you'll end up all wonky. Physios offer muscle strength tests, which would not be a bad idea to do at an early stage.

If I went to gym, I would not just train one action. I did not realise this when I started derby. I'd be just skating.

Crossed pelvic syndrome

It did not help that my other activities favoured the same muscles - cycling and sitting.

Only when I started getting problems with my hips this 'whole body' thing has started opening up to me.

•  poor balance because of inner core is not helping me
•  muscle cramps from overuse and resulted tightness
•  supertight hipflexors - weakness and tightness producing poor posture
•  not using what's supposed to be the biggest & strongest muscle, glutes
•  hip pain, slowly worsening 

A big thank you to all the physios I have seen, now I have a way to start patching myself up:

•  Stretching, stretching, especially hipflexors and quads
• activating lower abs, just contracting them a little, reminding my body they are there
•  telling my glutes to work when doing squats, doing bum-squeezes as activation exercise
•  fully appreciating the benefits of pilates, yoga and all those gentle balance & body control exercises 
• foamrolling, massage, sitting on tennisballs (quite nice!)

 further reading - http://www.jandaapproach.com/about/