| If you participate in mountain biking long enough then | | | | also extremely helpful in strengthening tendons and |
| odds are you will end up with an injury at some point. | | | | ligaments. Since these structural portions of a joint |
| The injury scale varies, ranging from surgery and | | | | are usually part of the original injury, they are in a |
| intense physical therapy to simply needing time off | | | | weakened state upon return. That is one of the |
| with some ice. However, what almost all injuries have | | | | major reasons that the odds of re-injury are so high |
| in common is that there is usually a gap between | | | | upon return. This makes doing everything that we |
| where rehabbing the injury leaves off and the level | | | | can to strengthen them as quickly and safely as |
| of strength and coordination needed to safely and | | | | possible a major priority during the post-rehab period. |
| effectively return to the trail. | | | | There are numerous ways to emphasize the |
| In order to best bridge that gap you need to | | | | eccentric, some more practical than others. So, for |
| undertake a well thought out strength and | | | | most the two easiest ways are to slow down the |
| conditioning plan. Both scientific studies and real world | | | | eccentric portion and by using the 2:1 technique. |
| results show us that without this added approach the | | | | Slowing down the eccentric means exactly that - |
| odds of re-injury are much higher and the level of | | | | lower the weight down to a count of 3-5, really |
| performance upon return is lower. Simply going into | | | | making sure that you keep tension in the muscle on |
| the weight room and randomly doing some exercises | | | | the way down instead of simply turning the muscle |
| is not the best way, though, and may in fact make | | | | off and letting gravity pull the weight down. |
| the situation worse without the right approach. In | | | | The 2:1 technique consists of raising a weight with 2 |
| order to maximize your strength training program for | | | | limbs and then lowering the weight down using 1 limb. |
| injury rehab you must follow these four components | | | | For example, a great lower body variation of this is |
| when planning out your workouts: | | | | the 2:1 bodyweight squat. Set up a bench behind you, |
| -Train Unilaterally: It is extremely important that when | | | | lower yourself down using one leg and then use both |
| you start your post rehab training that you train each | | | | legs to stand back up. Emphasizing the eccentric |
| limb separately. When you do bilateral exercises such | | | | portion of your exercises, especially on the injured |
| as bench press or squats the stronger side will take | | | | side, will help you return structural integrity in a safe |
| over the movement and try to protect the weaker | | | | and effective manner. |
| side. This just reinforces the strength imbalance that | | | | -Emphasize Compound Bodyweight and Free Weight |
| usually accompanies an injury. | | | | Movements: Since one of the major goals with a |
| If you do not force the weaker limb to work just as | | | | post rehab program is to restore full function as |
| hard as the stronger limb then you will never fully | | | | quickly as possible, it is very important to use |
| address the strength imbalance, making it practically | | | | exercises that work a lot of muscles in a coordinated |
| impossible to return to pre-injury performance levels. | | | | effort. Using isolation movements and machines may |
| For the lower body this means doing exercises such | | | | help return strength to a specific area but unless |
| as split squats, step ups and lunges (just to name a | | | | your body can properly coordinate that area with the |
| few) and for the upper body this means doing single | | | | rest of the surrounding musculature you will not have |
| arm dumbbell bench press, pullovers, rows and | | | | the function needed to safely and effectively return |
| shoulder press. Incorporating this strategy right off | | | | to the trail. Remember that your body coordinates |
| the bat will ensure that balance is restored as quickly | | | | itself to create movement patterns, so using |
| as possible. | | | | bodyweight and free weight exercises to train these |
| -Follow the Weak Side Rule: This one ties in with | | | | movement patterns instead of individual muscles will |
| training unilaterally. Since the injured side is usually | | | | return full function in the fastest manner possible. |
| weaker, it is important that you do not unknowingly | | | | As you can see, there are several potential benefits |
| continue to reinforce the strength imbalance. To | | | | to incorporating a well structured strength training |
| make sure that you do not fall into this trap do your | | | | program into your post rehab strategy. Besides the |
| weaker side first in order to let it dictate the load | | | | physical strength and control you will also gain the |
| and reps for the stronger side. Once you have | | | | mental confidence from knowing that you are doing |
| completed your first set on the weaker side do that | | | | everything that you can to ensure your success. |
| same load and number of reps for the stronger side, | | | | Seeing your injured side performing well in a |
| no matter how easy it may feel. In fact, if it is a | | | | controlled environment like the gym will do wonders |
| major imbalance then you will want to add in one | | | | for your confidence in the chaotic environment of |
| extra set for the weaker side until it starts to catch | | | | the trail, letting you simply perform instead of |
| up. Only by using this approach can you guarantee | | | | constantly wondering if you are going to re-injure |
| the success of your post-rehab program. | | | | yourself. Fitter, more confident riders also tend to |
| -Emphasize the Eccentric: Studies have shown that | | | | have more fun upon their return, which is still what it |
| the eccentric, or lowering, portion of an exercise not | | | | is all about. |
| only yields some of the biggest strength gains, it is | | | | |