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/

I was fresh meat once

andrewsimsimages.co.uk

If you're Fresh Meat and look at those Travel Teamers of your league and think they've always been like that... and that you'll never be that cool... look what I found. I look very cute. Here is my hint for Fresh Meat: dig your league archives and find some photos and video what your league star skaters used to look like. Scroll down to the bottom for some LRG gems. You won't believe what a couple of years of derby does to you! Gives you a kick to keep going!

I started roller derby in May 2010. I had the advantage that I could already skate - I am from Finland after all so winters were spent on ice skates and I had inlines too. Although I had the foundations, I was totally a piece of Fresh Meat. I remember trying to backwards skate. I did not move an inch... Plough stops were my enemy. My knees were pointing inwards. I bite my lip every time I need to go in. I think I skate low.

Fresh meat knees

Concentration!

Denim shorts were the thing in 2010! My first wrist guards served me for a long time, they were great - mum had bought the from a charity shop in Poland whilst on a road trip in Europe. My first skates were Sure-Grip Rock Flames with Twister wheels.They were too big and I even wore woolly socks and two insoles in them.

Look at those skinny legs

I did not like my superskinny ankles. I am so glad what roller derby has done to my legs. They desperately needed some muscle!

Derby stance?

More concentration

PS. What do you think London Roller Girls might have looked like? Check it out: