Soleus - Bulletproof This Forgotten Muscle

                     

Last week I had the pleasure of going to a lecture presented by the GB Triathlon Physio, Oli Williamson.

He shared some great tips about injury prevention and training for running.

Seeing as most Sports and Physical Training involve running I thought this information would be useful.

Soleus is King when it comes to running.

Oli quoted a paper from 2013 that is just as relevant today as it ever was.

The paper from the Journal of Bio-mechanics can be accessed on the link below:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3979434/

Soleus provides the greatest upward mass centre acceleration at all running speeds; 

Soleus generates a peak upward acceleration of 19.8 m/s2 

(i.e., the equivalent of approximately 2.0 bodyweights of ground reaction force) at 5.0 m/s.

Soleus also provided the greatest contribution to forward mass centre acceleration, which increased from 2.5 m/s2 at 2.0 m/s to 4.0 m/s2 at 5.0 m/s.

Soleus was the largest contributor to upward mass center acceleration with a peak contribution at 5.0 m/s that was 77% of total peak upward acceleration.

The large upward mass center acceleration from soleus arose because the muscle force produced a large vertical ground reaction force of approximately 2 bodyweights.

Peak contributions from soleus to upward mass center acceleration increased by 5.7 m/s2 across running speeds.

So what does this mean?

Quite simply, you need to start isolation training of the Soleus, which is shown in the video above.

Exercises such as bent-knee calf raises, 

plyometric drills such as Box jumps (Concentric muscle action) and Landing from the box (Eccentric muscle action).

In addition, the Sled Push is a great functional way to work Soleus as you go from isolation into integration.

Injury is the enemy, 

Bulletproof your Soleus

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJlVKoFAZo0

Plantar fascia pain management

               

Over the weekend the Bulletproofbodies Team were asked lots of questions about foot pain in particular, plantar fasciitis.

After 22 years in the Military I can tell you that I have tried all sorts of tricks when it comes to footwear, Orthotics and inner soles.

Wearing boots for long periods of time can irritate the bottom of the foot resulting in plantar fascia pain.

The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that acts like a ligament to help support your arch and provide shock absorption during weight bearing activities.

The area where the plantar fascia attaches to the bottom of the heel bone is a place that can get stressed or injured and become inflamed.

When this happens, you have plantar fasciitis. The good news is that you can prevent this happening and stop the problem before it gets worse.

Our answer is "get some balls!"

At Bulletproofbodies our weapons of choice are Rockballs and Pulseball:

 If you want to get money off Rocktape products visit the website below:

https://www.rocktape.co.uk/

Use the Bulletproofbodies discount code:

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If you want to get money off Pulseball and Pulseroll products visit the website below:

www.pulseroll.com

Use the discount code:

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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1lT1I35jAc

Manchester Marathon & Bulletproofbodies

So it's April and that means Marathon season.

It began this weekend with the Manchester Marathon.

We started taping the day before the Marathon, giving advice on "Runner's niggles."

Taping with Rocktape helped athletes go stronger for longer.

Working with one of the sponsors of the Manchester Marathon Runners Need.

26.2 miles of the mean streets of Manchester.

The weather was amazing and the course is flatter than most, so the possibility of a Personal Best is always there for the taking.

Rocktape were there in the morning to tape, feet, calves,  knees, quads and nipples!

In the afternoon I was working with my friend at Athlete Matters, Sports Physio UK and of course my students from the Universities of Salford and Manchester Metropolitan.

We were waiting for the first athletes to finish and this was Patrick Martin in 2 hours 22 mins.

Lots of athletes were reporting cramping, some as early as 12 miles.

ITB syndrome, Hamstrings and calf tears were all part of the Marathon experience.

The que outside our Physio test was amazing as the Physio Students worked relentlessly for hours until all the athletes were treated.

Runners of the Manchester Marathon the Bulletproofbodies Team salute you.