Get Up, Stand Up, Stand Up For Your Health

Building strength is not just about lifting weights.

This is only part of a greater whole, what I refer to as the "strength triangle", the sides of which are "mobility", "stability" and "resistance". Weights fit into the last category and should only be added once the first two have been addressed.

Mobility is quite simply the ability to move every joint through its full normal range of motion, freely and without pain.

Stability is the capacity to maintain a stiff centre against which joints can exert force efficiently and safely. It is often referred to as "core" but this is only part of the picture.

• Firstly because "core" sometimes gets associated with "six pack" and it is a whole lot more, the entirety of the torso, front back and sides.
• Secondly because stability is an active process that needs to be performed in conjunction with exerting force. Controlled, purposeful breathing is the simple and effective way to learn how to do this to greatest effect.

Resistance, the final side of the strength triangle, can come in many forms or which weights are just one, albeit the most common.

Each of these sides matters, even if you have no intention of ever entering a gym. They are essential to a healthy life allowing daily chores can be done easily and without pain..

Each of these sides matters if you are a cyclist. Thousands spent on an aero or time trial bike is wasted if you do not have the mobility to ride it in the correct position. Power that should be transmitted to the pedals is squandered if you cannot maintain a stable upper body. Many aches and pains are not due to the bike, they occur because hips, knees, ankles and other joints do not move correctly. Often the resultant pain will not even be felt at the problem site but be expressed as a symptom elsewhere e.g. the back or the butt.

Depending on your starting point improving your strength triangle will take more or less time one. One golden rule though is that, especially for mobility and stability, little and often is much the best approach.

Just 10 minutes a day is enough. Even less is better than nothing so long as it is done every day.

As an example, I would highly recommend one simple exercise that simultaneously develops both mobility and stability and onto which resistance can easily be added in a progressive safe manner.

It is called the "Turkish Get Up". It requires no equipment, just a small amount of floor space. It's nothing more than a variation on one of the most fundamental human actions, picking ourselves up off the floor to stand on two feet.

The great thing about this movement is that it uses every single major joint and bone in your body. Because it is asymmetric each is works individually. So this will help pinpoint any weakness that may be hidden if one side is compensating for the other. This asymmetry also means that just doing it without any weight still puts some extra load onto these joints and bones. It is this load that will help build them up and keep them healthy as the principle of "use or lose it" applies equally to every aspect of our bodies not just our muscles. And all the while it develops full all round core stability. (Once mastered weights can always be added later. Typically these are kettlebells  but anything will do, even just a bag or can of something from the larder.)

There are numerous examples of how to do this on Youtube. Here are three examples

This is a good introduction that highlights the key aspects of the move
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM2oTXgnDRU&t=26s


This is a longer detailed view which also shows how to use a kettlebell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpRbsl6A7ys&t=11s

This is another overview explaining the benefits to runners (which apply equally to us cyclists) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F2LoBm6II0

 Here are some extra comments from my experience.

• Break the move into small steps and feel confident with each before moving onto the next
• Start with just a tennis ball. This is better than nothing as it gives a focus which makes the move easier and allows an easy upgrade to add weight, even if it is just a small rock.
• Film yourself. You may not like what you see but it will help develop the correct form which will help make the move easier and reap the rewards it brings.
• It may feel very hard at first, especially if you have not done anything like it since childhood. However do not be discouraged, it will eventually make the accomplishment of being able to complete the move from start to finish all the greater.
• One of the great things about this exercise is that it engages both halves of the body separately. So you may find one side easier than the other.  This is useful information, long term asymmetry is one of the root causes for many conditions put down to "aging" and should be corrected. One way to do this is prioritise the weaker side. 
• Think about breathing. The exercise consists of a series of steps, prior to each breathe in a relaxed but purposeful way as if your lungs are trying to fill your full torso in every direction, brace and hold this as each step is executed.
• Just start doing two getups, one each side, per day. While this can become a full blown strength workout at the start its main purpose is to build foundations and for this it is fine to start small and build up later.
• If any one aspect of the move causes especial problems then it will be helped by mobility drills that target that area. Post in the comments if you need advice on these.

Good luck.

My Morning Routine

Updated: XX


Here's something I wish I had started doing 40 years ago. It's a simple routine that I do each morning after breakfast. It helps set me up for the day but could equally well be done in the evening or just before bed.

All in it takes about 15 minutes and consists of the following

7 Minutes Freestyle Mobility.

This is just hitting a few areas with basic mobilisations. Seven minutes is about the right time as it is enough to hit three areas lightly or spend a bit more time on a couple. Or maybe spend the full whack on a particularly gnarly area (step forward adductors.) I don't get concerned about timing or specifics, I just do what feels right until the alarm sounds.

1 minute Camel Pose https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/camel-pose

A great opener for the whole front part of my body from the knees upward and a great way to counter the tightness that comes into this area as a result of spending long hours on a bike

XX 1 minute Downward Dog

The counterpoint to Camel opens up the posterior chain.  I don't hold this static but move back and forth to floss the hamstrings and open up my overhead.

1-2 minutes Squat

Just dropping down into the bottom of a squat and spending time there using breathing and contract/release to explore all the corners of the position. I have been astonished how just doing this every day has made my creaky old knees feel so much better. It's also a great progress test. When I started I could barely get my hips below my knees and a minute felt forever. Now my hips sink much lower and spending a couple of minutes feels almost comfortable

XX Side Planks

Each side, currently 30s, increasing by 1 second each day. This is the only "core" exercise I find difficult

Couple of Turkish Getups

The Turkish Getup is the best single exercise that I know of to fully mobilise and put a little load into my entire body and every joint. I do a couple each side with a light weight as I am more interested in this from the mobility rather than the strength viewpoint at this time of day.

Bench Press/Single Arm Row

Just one quick of each, weight a 3-5 max limit. I'll do 1-2 reps less than max just concentrating on form.

That's it. If I have a bike workout I'll move straight on to that, all set up and ready to go.

TRS Overhead 14 Day Challenge

Just started The Ready State's 14 day overhead challenge.

Should be interesting as this is one of my weaker positions.

Still just the warmup routine seemed to make a difference last night and I can feel my shoulders this morning which I take to be a good sign.

Daily Mobility- Pulling My Socks Up

I'm not a fan of gyms, I think it's much better to try to incorporate exercise into your general routines and/or make it as easy as possible.

With this in mind I'll be doing the occasional post on things I do along these lines.

The first is very simple. When putting my socks on I do it standing up straight, then bringing each knee up as high as I can, then putting the sock on while maintaining balance.

It's a great little drill that both tests and develops mobility and aids balance which is always important, especially when knocking on a bit.

The Strength Triangle - Mobility

Mobility should be something you work on before lifting any weights.

It is something that we almost all are born with and are masters of when at our youngest. It is something we lose not due to age but bad habits, repeated day after day, week after week, year after year.

Mobility is quite simple. It is the ability to move every joint through its full normal range of motion, freely and without pain.

If you cannot do this then you should not attempt to lift heavy weights. It is not the weights causing the damage it is the compromised movement pattern. This will put stress on areas not adapted for the purpose. They will do their best but in time they will fail.

Heavy weights in fact are not the issue at all. If your hips, knees or ankles do not function correctly then eventually just walking will start to resut in pain. Your legs may be fine but your back will hurt, again because its muscles, bones and other systems are not being allowed to work as nature intended.

So, first thing, test yourself.

This is really easy. All you have to do is a set of simple movements while videoing yourself. Full guides for how to do this are in [The Supple Leopard] but right now just do the following

• Squat (your hips should end below your knees with no big curve in the spine, feet should be only slightly canted out, not splayed like a pregnant duck)
• Try to touch your toes bending at the hips keeping legs and back straight (stop when you cant do both)
• Lift both arms straight above your head at the same time (they should be straight right to the top, no bend at the elbows)
• Scratch your back (you should be able to leave no part untouched)
• Do a press up (your arms should remain perpendicular to the floor throughout)
• Balance a broom on the front of your shoulder and put both hands under it palms up (like a weightlifter about to push the bar above their head, your elbows should be nice and high, not pointing at the floor

Even if you never plan to lift a weight in your life do this. If you are less than good on any of the above trying to improve them will make the chores you have to do every day easier.  If you are good now, great, but keep testing every now and then. One of the biggest ills put down to aging is losing mobility which is mainly nothing to do with the passing of the years but rather allowing bad habits become the norm.

In passing I consider it very sad that at school I was taught the intricacies of the rugby offside law during PE which is utterly useless but never taught about the above which is of vital importance not only to be able to compete in any sport but also just live a good life. 

It is never too late to work on your mobility. I will forever be in the debt of Callum the bike fitter who introduced me to the work of Dr Kelly Starrett. At first this was just to be able to get a bit more aero on a TT bike, But as I followed his program of 10 minutes mobility per day every day I felt the years drop off me and I regained ranges of movement I thought lost forever. I am more like a leopard at 61 than I was at 31.

So the cure for mobility is simple, buy "The Supple Leopard" and/or follow Kelly Starrett. Unless you can still move like you did when your were a 10 year old you won't regret it.

Mobility, Stability, Resistance – The "Strength Triangle"

A triangle is the strongest shape. Look anywhere and if strength is a requirement you will find a triangle. 

Nothing exhibits this more clearly than they beautiful simplicity of one of the most efficient machines ever devised by a human, the bicycle.

So it is a shame then that when training articles, especially from cycling sources, talk about "strength" they mostly do so in such a poor way. They immediately jump into the details of exercises, sets and reps.

By doing this they are missing two sides of the "Strength Triangle" which is essential in order to properly conduct a strength training program.

These missing sides are "mobility" and "stability". The third side is "resistance" and together it is these three key things that make whole that is much greater than the some of its parts in helping make you truly "strong".

Each of these sides is a major area in its own right, each with dedicated resources including full training programs and specialist books.

Do each full justice then is beyond the scope of this blog. What I will do though is, in some later articles, briefly cover what each of the sides of the strength triangle entail and where more information on each can be found..