The concept of muscles balance and correcting muscular imbalances is one of the hottest topics in both the fitness and S&C industry today. As well it should be…
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However, many coaches and trainers have different approaches when it comes to the assessment, correction and prevention of muscle balances. Many of these approaches require a multitude of complex postural and movement assessments as well as an encyclopedia of corrective exercises.
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Although many “hard cases” do require an in-depth knowledge of assessment and corrective protocols. Most cases can be handled in a much simpler, straight forward manner.
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The goal of this 3 part post series to is to provide you with first, an understanding of some lesser considered points on muscle imbalances and second, to give you the simplest and most powerful ways to alleviate current muscle imbalances and design and more comprehensive program that will promote muscle balance.
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Now, before we can properly deal with real muscle imbalances that lead to dysfunction, We must understand a few aspects of imbalances are not bad. In fact, are quite natural and part of how we as humans function.
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Muscle Balance is Misunderstood
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Before I get into a few specific training concepts in a later post in this series, I wanted clarify a myth about muscle balance in general.
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Many professionals have a misunderstanding that each, opposing muscle should have equal strength. In other words, some folks think the flexors of joint A, should posses the same strength as the extenders of Joint A.
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This is simply FALSE!
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To understand why this belief is just plain false and simply unrealistic, we can look at the flexors and extendors of the ankle joint.
I won’t beat around the bush on this one. There is no way that the much smaller muscles on the front of the shin area can possibly create as much force during ankle doris-flexion as the muscle of the calf that create ankle plantar-flexion.
The funny thing is that we all already know this is impossible because we would never ask an athlete use the same amount of weight while doing an ankle dorsi-flexion exercise like this…
Over an ankle planter-flexion (calf raise) exercise like this…
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So why then are we trying to make our flexors an extendors equally strong when we already know its no possible nor remotely realistic?
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With this above example in mind, its easy to see why the human body keeps functional balance by maintaining certain strength imbalances.
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Now, heres the real important question. What do you think will happen to optimal function when you attempt to balance a necessary imbalance like the one at the ankle complex?
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The answer is simple. You get less than optimal function and increased risk of injury!
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Final Thoughts
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This goes to show something that all us coaches and fitness professionals need to realize. It shows us that no matter how much we read and educate ourselves, we will never be smarter than the human body.
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It also goes to show that just because something seems to make scientific sense doesn’t mean it makes common sense. And, if it doesn’t make both scientific and common sense, it usually means it’s nonsense!
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Next time…
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If you liked what you learned in this post, I’ve got plenty more coming at you on the next time around. This is just part 1 or a 3 part series so stay tuned and don’t forget to comment!
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nick you talk so much common sense you really do…..you are very knowledgable and i look forward to learning from you.In time i would be interested to meet you in person…..one stage at a time however as you probably are aware i am over “the pond”
What are your thoughts on the muscle testing parameters espoused and promoted by Greg Roskopf and his Muscle Activation Techniques? As I understand it the imbalances are examined in a relative manner (i.e. in the context of limitation to ROM over a joint) and not in an with absolute measures (equal strength).
M.
Hello Nick
Really appreciate an analysis like this. I always say to my people that what we do is not rocket science and that the body is smarter than most trainers will ever be. You articulate what we do very well and I feel fortunate to be in your circle of influence.
Sincerely
Marcus
I really like that you have textbook knowledge, but you understand that logic and reasoning is sometimes more applicable. Textbook knowledge is theoritical and applicable, but it does have boundaries. I think people need to know where the line is drawn.
Another great one, Nick. True thinking will always trump scientific progress.
Nick,
I know it was simply used for very clear illustrative purposes, but do you have any general recommendations in terms of sets of something like a dorsiflexion exercise (be it with a D.A.R.D., cable, band, or even machines like the ones by Atlantis or Hammer Strength) to either standing calf or standing and seated claf movements?
I’m guessing that for athletes, none of these would receive much, if any attention, short of recognizing a major deficit that needed to be addressed. So this question is more for a general population type of client who is simply after a mix of size (primary emphasis), strength, and optimizing overall function……..actually not much, if at all, different from an athlete, save for the ability to prioritize size even when it is not necessarily “functional.”
I have a personal training/kettlebell studio here in Australia and have found articles from coach nick very informative and helpful..Thanks coach!
Nick, I am concerned that the strength and conditioning profession is going beyond their “scope of practice”. I really enjoy your documented research and collaboration with the physical therapy profession. Your conclusions are well thought and theory proven. I think strength and conditioning and personal training is just that-to make the individual stronger and better at achieving his or her goals. Understanding why and how asymmetries occur is important, but we need to recognize where our limitations on injury pathology begin and end.
Nick your approach real simplifies things for me and I think that your a valuable resource for anyone that is looking to gain a better understanding about how the body moves.
Hello. I think the when it comes to the issue of muscle imbalances it is about having compatible strength and flexibility surrounding a joint to allow adequate freedom of movement to perform a specific task(s), under a specific amount of tension, with or without a substansial external load. I agree with you that certain muscle are not capable of equal strength of it’s antagonist partner, but there needs to be compatible strength and flexibility of the agonist/antagonist pairs so surrounding muscle, which act as stabilizers or neutralizers, do not take on the roll of prime mover.
You are 100% correct! Scope of practice is something that I preach to every class I teach. As trainers and coaches, its okay to learn about therapy based concepts without trying to apply them. Sometimes this extra knowledge helps us better understand what other health professionals do and how we can maybe network with them through referrals.
Great comments!
Coach N
You are very welcome!
Many thanks for your kind words!
Best regards!
Coach N
Great question!
I don not have specific recommendations for training with the DARD. If a PT specified to me that an athlete needed more isolated Dorsiflexion strength. I would add this type of training into a program. Otherwise, I would not do much load exercise with this joint motion.
Hope this helps!
Best regards!
Coach N
Many thanks for your positive words. As the saying goes, “I never let college get in the way of my education”
Best regards!
Coach N
Many thanks for your kind words!
Coach N
I like Greg’s stuff. It’s complicate to learn but does have real application and scientific justification. Plus, to clients, it looks like magic because it improves ROM in seconds.
Best regards!
Coach N
Would love to meet you too!
Look me up if you ever make it here to Baltimore MD.
Coach N
Ive been researching this and I’ll have to agree