Myofascial Release – Your New Best Friend

By: Rob Foreman

As an endurance athlete since high school I’ve had my fair share of injuries. Some were significant, requiring invasive surgery and others needed just a couple days of rest. Hindsight has taught me that the majority of these were preventable:  I probably shouldn’t have run my first two marathons within five weeks of each other and swapping some bench press time for flexibility exercises during college would have done me good. Self-control can be your best asset in injury prevention, and as endurance athletes, we are notorious for having very little.

The dedicated triathletes out there know the critical moment I am talking about… when you feel the twinge in your tendon and keep running, when something pinches in your shoulder and you keep swimming or when your knee stiffens up but you still go for that long ride because you don’t want to miss a solid day of training. It has been my experience that triathlon tends to attract the serious “nothing will get in the way of my PR” kind of personality.

Since I can’t convince you to take a day off, I’ll introduce you to another painful aspect of endurance training (which I’m sure you’ll embrace) so we can prevent some of the overuse injuries that endurance athletes are prone to. One of the best, and most under utilized techniques at our disposal is myofascial release. This technique reduces adhesions within our connective tissue and allows muscles to move more freely over each other and within their sheaths. By releasing adhesions — or bound up muscle fibers — we can relieve tension within muscles and at their attachment points therefore diminishing the possibility of injury.

Myofascial release can be accomplished in a couple different ways. Due to personal budget constraints, I rarely spring for the first approach, a deep tissue massage. However, if you’re one of those competitors who dropped 6,000 dollars for your tri bike — by all means, don’t cut your massage therapist (he/she better be a good one) out of your payroll — there are benefits to allowing a professional to push their elbows and body weight into every little nook and cranny between your muscle fibers. But don’t expect a series of miracles, regardless of what you spend, it still won’t rid you of your cellulite.

The second approach, which is my specialty, would be self-inflicted torture treatment. This can be accomplished with a few different tools:  the foam roller, the “stick,” the lacrosse ball, the tennis ball, trigger point release systems and a number of other similar products. These test how much pain you’re willing to inflict on yourself. Body weight is most commonly used to apply pressure to the adhesions.

            Directions:  Begin SLOWLY rolling your problem areas and don’t assume you know where these are. It’s easy to identify a sore tendon but harder to identify what specific imbalances are creating that soreness. Work muscles groups above and below the sore tendon to help identify adhesions. Once you find a particularly bound up group of fibers, apply pressure to that area (prepare to insert a leather belt into your mouth because you hit the sweet spot, just make sure to breathe).

            When to do it: I find myofascial release particularly beneficial on rest days and in the days before competition. I also recommend doing it before a workout. It can help work out some of the kinks in muscles before they are fully warmed up.

Common Problem areas in triathletes:

            IT Band and Quad Complex:  The Iliotibial band runs from the hip to the knee on the outside of the leg and is arguably the most painful area to roll. Use a foam roller or ball and lay sideways or in the prone position on top of the device. Keeping your forearm(s) flat on the floor slowly move back and forth over the ball or roller. Move from just above the knee to just below the hip flexor or pelvic bone.  Be sure not to roll over the knee joint itself.  This can help reduce knee and hip pain.

Calf and Lower Leg:  It takes strength to hold oneself up to do this technique and can be more work for your upper body but bear with me. Start with the roller directly above the Achilles tendon and roll with both legs on the roller up to the back of the knee. Do not cross the knee joint. Continue up and down while doing “windshield wipers” with your feet. To increase discomfort effectiveness, stack one leg over the other and repeat.

            Upper and Middle Back:  Miles and miles on the bike can lead to a stiff neck and middle back. Start by crossing your arms across your chest with a foam roller perpendicular to your body just above the small of your back. Roll slowly from the lumbar-thoracic junction to the base of the neck. Repeat, then lay your head over the roller so your neck is directly on top of the roller. Turn your head from side to side. Next, lie on your side with the roller at the junction of your ribs and Lat roll toward the armpit releasing the Lat.  If you experience any numbness or tingling in your arm or hand while doing this one, stop.

            Chest: This is often an over looked area in triathletes and can get tight from the aero position and laps in the pool. Put a lacrosse ball, tennis ball, or myoball against a wall and lean your body weight into the ball applying pressure on one Pectoral at a time. Do not cross over into the Anterior Deltoid. Switch sides and repeat.  Ladies may not like this one, so work around those delicate areas as women have tight Pecs too.

Myofascial release is one of many methods we can employ to maintain healthy muscles. The basics — proper hydration, diet and rest — are all important in fueling injury prevention as well. Now go forth and grimace as you contort your body on a lacrosse ball on your living room floor while your family dog stares at you in curiosity.  Stay healthy through the summer and I’ll see you at the Nations Tri!

About BA Rob:
Rob's career in fitness was originally inspired by his HS cross country and collegiate rowing coach. He has a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach. After college Rob wanted to try a challenging and dynamic event so he signed up for his first Triathlon. Rob has only participated in Olympic distance races but plans on doing his first Half Ironman this year. He considers himself a recreational participant and enjoys pushing his mind and body to the limit. Rob was one of the Achieve Triathlon Camp coaches and has spent years as a youth swim instructor. If you see Rob on the race course you're probably passing him on the bike leg.

KEEPING IT FRESH

Expanding your boundaries to become a better triathlete

By BA: Travis Siehndel

Like many of the athletes that will participate in the 2012 Nation’s Triathlon, I didn’t grow up as a lifelong athlete. I came to endurance sports fairly late in life when I took up running after college as a method to stay fit. I didn’t initially think of myself as a runner and I certainly hadn’t embraced the ‘running lifestyle.’   I also quickly learned that I’m not the type of athlete that can log a lot of mileage running on the road. Even now, I have a hard time running more than 4 times a week while keeping the aches and pains away. But as a new runner, I was having a hard time running pain free more than three times a week.  My daily runs were beginning to feel more like a chore than fun. After a couple of seasons running 10k, 10-mile and marathon events, I was in a rut and I needed a change to keep me active.

In one of those lucky events of life, a friend of mine suggested that I give a triathlon a shot. Once I got over those initial fears of trying something new that so many of us feel, I signed up for my first race, joined the DC Triathlon Club and the rest is history.

What quickly drew me to triathlon is the lifestyle feel of the sport. Suddenly I realized that I wasn’t limited to a few achy runs a week but I now had room for 3-4 bike rides and swims as well. This ability to add activity to my daily life was exactly what I had been looking for when I began running and I had finally found a home in the multisport lifestyle.

Now that I have been racing triathlon for a few years, I still have to work to keep things fresh to avoid getting back into that dreaded training rut. If you are feeling stuck, change can be as simple as trying a different distance in your triathlon events. You can try going longer and attempting a new distance. Or maybe even going shorter to try and quicken your speed and pace.  Then again, if you are really looking to expand your boundaries, you can try a different sport altogether.

In another lucky occurrence, last year a great friend of mine talked me into getting a mountain bike. With the help of our friends at The Bike Rack, I picked out a new bike and began taking to the many great parks and trails that we have in the Washington DC area.  This season, in addition to racing a few Olympic and 70.3 distance races, I’m also attempting some off-road challenges.

First up on the docket is an adventure race at the end of April. Training for this event has already introduced me to new methods of training including mountain biking at night and orienteering off-trail in the backcountry with the help of nothing but a map and compass. I’ve also challenged myself to race an off-road triathlon and the Shenandoah Mountain 100 mountain bike race this fall. So far, training for these events has added variety to my training and has already reaped great rewards with my regular triathlon performance. My baseline fitness has improved and my cycling is as strong as it has ever been. 

Look for my race reports following these events to see how getting dirty on the trails has helped me keep my training fresh. In the meantime, leave us a comment and let us know what tricks you use to keep your training exciting!

Altitude Training – Passion Challenged, Patience Required

By: BA Becky McLean

A fellow triathlete and someone dear to me showed me this quote “A great triathlete is not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion”.     Well, that passion has been tested recently.  Why you ask?  Because altitude sucks.

I relocated back to Denver in January after living in Washington, DC.  While in DC, I had taken my training to the next step.  I had just come off my first 70.3, I PRed at the Annapolis Half marathon, was swimming more than ever and despite bringing my bike in for the winter, I was teaching spinning classes and was attempting to retain the muscle memory during those workouts (because we all know indoor cycling classes just cannot replicate the road).



Becky with her dog atop Mt Sanitas in Boulder



Fast forward a few months and I am surrounded by the Rocky Mountains.  This is great!  I can continue to increase my running speed, will jump on my road bike, tackle those Colorado hills (DC, hills, what?) and will be swimming again in no time.   And bonus?  I will be surrounded by some of the most elite athletes in the world – talk about a positive influence!

One of my favorite places to run in Denver is Washington Park and I am excited to get back to it.  After two miles, reality hits me.  Becky, you are not immune to the altitude.  I see my heart rate spike, my lungs burn and I slow down.  One of the most miserable runs of my life.  Same thing happens to me a few days later when I am in the pool and I have to stop every six to eight laps.  The altitude monster has reared its ugly head; I couldn’t stay hydrated and I am no longer the confident triathlete I was back in November when my level of performance was high.

Here we are in April and two and a half months later, I finally feel fully acclimated.  I am back to enjoying my runs, I teach four cycling and two strength training classes a week, hop on my bike when I can and I am no longer dreading my pool workouts.  I never lost sight of my passion for the sport, but really had to push through those mediocre workouts in order to get back to a place where I felt strong and worthy of the sport.  Looking back, I was unprepared. 

Living in Washington, DC is one of the ideal places to compete because our bodies perform best at sea level. That’s also why The Nation’s Triathlon is a great race to compete in.  However, like many of us, we like to travel for races.  We must prepare our bodies for new environments and all of the factors within it.  As I can attest, our bodies can acclimate faster or slower than others and in different ways – just be patient and willing to suffer through it. 

If any of you are training or competing above sea level this season, Competitor has put together a great list of things to remember:

Hydration - Rising altitude means that breathing is shallower and more frequent; this increased ventilation along with dry air leads to greater fluid losses through the respiratory system. Additionally, sweat evaporates quickly, which can lead you to believe you are not losing much fluid and are less inclined to drink.

Fuel Utilization - Basal metabolic rate (BMR) increases at altitude, especially in the first couple of days.  Appetite is also suppressed by hypoxia, so to minimize reduction in body mass and loss of muscle, take care to match your caloric needs.  If flying in for a race, you might consider frequent small meals that are carbohydrate-rich to maintain energy levels.

Immune Stress - Altitude places stress on the body, which might affect your immune system when combined with hard training. A diet rich in natural antioxidants is perhaps even more important to help the body cope, adapt and stay healthy. Along with a healthy diet, good hygiene habits and plenty of recovery will also help.

Please learn from my mistakes!  Don’t take your training for granted and be prepared if you are training or racing above sea level.  If you’re training has plateaued, take some vacation days, ship your bike and come to Colorado.  You won’t regret it.  Your passion will be challenged, but you’ll ultimately be again inspired by the sport of triathlon.  And of course, celebrate your finish after with some good beer!

Odell's Brewing Company