How to Strengthen Knees?

[jon]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jonathan:

Don't push big gears if you can possibly avoid it, tends to lead to knee injuries and it's inefficient to boot.

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I'm not sure this is true from the reading I've done from Chris Carmichael and Joe Friel but I could be wrong. If you haven't been doing much riding you do want to get some miles on your legs before you start doing low cadence and power sprint rides. I've found that low cadence rides have helped with not only with my in the saddle climbing strength but also in making my pedal stroke more uniform in power transfer.

[jon]

Hey Court,

 

Is there a difference between doing lunges with barbels to your side versus having a weighted bar on your shoulders? I've done both and and the later seems harder.

 

Also I'm wondering about the two different common leg curl machines, the sitting versus the laying on your stomach ones. It seems with the sitting ones that you aren't getting a full range of motion.

[Jonathan]

Response to jon on the cadence issue.

 

As they say, your mileage may vary. I've found that higher cadences have been kind to me over the years. Doesn't mean I still don't down shift and stand to climb when the mood strikes or really pound top cog on occasion.

 

Would advise, however, that folks new to the sport lay down many, many high cadence miles, lots o' butt time, before they commence wailing on the big gears.

 

But then, I still subscribe to carbo-loading and one of my bikes still boasts original Sun Tour down tube gear shift levers. And did I mention the Baleno wool tights?

 

Retro grouchly yours,

 

Jonathan

[Thinker]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jonathan:

... and one of my bikes still boasts original Sun Tour down tube gear shift levers. And did I mention the Baleno wool tights?

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yeah....I think I remember one of my old girlfriends making fun of your antiquated (or was that inadequate) 'equipment' after a 100 miler a couple of years ago.

 

(of course I was severely lagging behind on a behemoth of a mountain bike and eventually gave up and went to the bar)

 

[ 10-18-2002, 08:36 AM: Message edited by: Thinker ]

[Courtenay]

Jon asked:

 

<< Is there a difference between doing lunges with barbels to your side versus having a weighted bar on your shoulders? I've done both and and the later seems harder. >>

 

I assume you are referring to dumbbells (the short ones) hanging down straight-arm at your waist; barbell (the long one) on shoulders will feel more challenging because of 1) the length (more torque to balance through the core); 2) the change in center of gravity (higher up and more mass farther from the body); and 3) the bar will feel more "fixed", the dumbbells more "mobile," allowing you to move more comfortably when using dumbbells. Both work the muscles approximately the same way, but you'll probably use different total weight (i.e. 90# on the shoulders won't feel the same as using 2x45# dumbbells.)

 

<< Also I'm wondering about the two different common leg curl machines, the sitting versus the laying on your stomach ones. It seems with the sitting ones that you aren't getting a full range of motion. >>

 

You're correct, lying down will allow more range of motion; just be sure to keep hips down on the pads (proper form) in order to resist hyperextending the lower back and causing (perhaps) discomfort.

[Pencil_Pusher]

I'm in the bike group. Biking saved my knees. No more Icy Hot nor Advil if I bike on a regular basis, mileage unknown.

When they were hurting, using hiking sticks helped with an Ace knee brace.

Bike, bike, bike.

[Jonathan]

Thinker--I have not thought of that strange little day in many a moon. I chuckle now when I think of it--what humorless, self-absorbed people!

 

You excepted, of course . . .

[Jonathan]

And, IMHO, there's some value in dragging out a heavy old bike, putting gallon jugs of water in the panniers and heading out to run errands or commute. Burn a few more calories and get a little more exercise so that when you hop on your light steed, you feel all the more zippy.

[Thinker]

but alas, I've only mounted the bike once more since that summer, and that was in the company of the legendary Hoop (and company) in the tulip fields.

 

I have been thinking about it lately though, esp in light of this strengthening of the knees thread.

[allthumbs]

quote:

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by Thinker:

But alas, I've only mounted the bike once more since that summer.

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Was it as good for the bike as it was for you?

[Courtenay]

Excellent point Llama raises -- and another along the same lines is looking at what might be different THIS hike compared to others -- it may be a case of 1) different footwear, 2) forgetting trekking poles (if you usually use them), 3) getting a pebble in your shoe that alters your stried (I'm serious on this one!!) or 4) your pack riding uncomfortably -- the latter two cases can cause you to unconsciously use different muscles to the tune of unusual soreness and pain, but which (if you can determine what was different) goes away the very next climb. So good point: find out what's CAUSING the pain -- whether outside sources, muscle imbalance, tightness (that stretching might help) or nutrition (hydration, anti-oxidants and adequate protein for repair.)

[Courtenay]

Excellent point Llama raises -- and another along the same lines is looking at what might be different THIS hike compared to others -- it may be a case of 1) different footwear, 2) forgetting trekking poles (if you usually use them), 3) getting a pebble in your shoe that alters your stride (I'm serious on this one!!) or 4) your pack riding uncomfortably -- the latter two cases can cause you to unconsciously use different muscles to the tune of unusual soreness and pain, but which (if you can determine what was different) goes away the very next climb. So good point: find out what's CAUSING the pain -- whether outside sources, muscle imbalance, tightness (that stretching might help) or nutrition (hydration, anti-oxidants and adequate protein for repair.)

[Courtenay]

Excellent point Llama raises -- and another along the same lines is looking at what might be different THIS hike compared to others -- it may be a case of 1) different footwear, 2) forgetting trekking poles (if you usually use them), 3) getting a pebble in your shoe that alters your stride (I'm serious on this one!!) or 4) your pack riding uncomfortably -- the latter two cases can cause you to unconsciously use different muscles to the tune of unusual soreness and pain, but which (if you can determine what was different) goes away the very next climb. So good point: find out what's CAUSING the pain -- whether outside sources, muscle imbalance, tightness (that stretching might help) or nutrition (hydration, anti-oxidants and adequate protein for repair.)

[Beck]

good point about the tight tendons being a possible cause of knee pain- it occurs when too tight tendon/ligaments scrape and inflame over rugosities around the knee bones.

[MITllama02]

I had knee pain in 97 so bad on descending just from Mt Si (4 mile, 3600 vertical hike used for training) that I thought I would have to stop hiking. However a visit to Sports Medicine Clinic was useful in showing me that the pain was not due to muscle weakness, the most common culprit. Instead for me, it was tight tendons. The doc gave me a set of stretches to that eliminated the pain in 3 weeks from a repeat to Mt. Si. I went back a few months later for followup and had improved my flexibility, so I got a more advanced set of stretches that I use to this day (and had no problems descending from peaks up to 20,000 feet).

 

So it's important to first find out WHY you have knee pain before taking action.

[AARON1]

When would be the best time to strech? Before, a work out or after and how soon after a work out should you stretch?

[Courtenay]

Aaron,

 

The "best time" to stretch is when you can consistently do so -- I suggest putting static (hold for 30+ seconds) stretches at the end of the workout when the tendons, muscles and ligaments have been worked and the core temperature has been elevated; however, for general warmups, more dynamic or active stretches are fine to increase range of motion -- i.e. leg swings, windmills (as swimmers do before getting in the pool), unweighted or lightly weighted exercises (sets of 3-4 reps with a fraction of your weight) to increase ROM and get the blood moving. For runners, hikers, or bikers (i.e. cardio warmup), I suggest starting out at a light pace, gradually increasing to target and then stretch thoroughly afterwards.

[arlen]

When I demonstrated to my doctor that my knee cracks like a bowl of cereal, she said to do leg raises without weight. Just sit up straight, straighten the leg, and hold it for like a minute, yoga-style, over and over again. I used to do exercises like that, but I kept getting bored and my wife would laugh mercilessly at my "balancing cat" pose.

[kainsacad]

Biking with gears shifted to large ones, low cadence, is basically a strength training for leh muscles. High cadence is fitness practice.