Inner thigh muscles fatigue first - normal?
 

When I hammer in the flats for an extended period of time, the muscles that first feel fatigued and a little painful are those in the inner thigh (hip adductors, I think?)

Is this

a) normal?
b) owing to non-optimimum bike fit or technique?
c) something that can be improved by strength training or other exercises?
d) related to the mild osteoarthritis I have in my hips? (the osteoarthritis is worse in the right hip, but present in both. I feel the fatigue on both sides.)

Suggestions and insight would be most welcome.

Subscribing, as I suffer from a similiar issue and am curious what others have to say about this. Long steady efforts result in my abductus longus, sartorius and/or vestis medialis fatiguing.

Cycling is like going to the gym every day -- but only using a single machine for strength training. Some muscles get over developed and others are ignored. Also, you may start to tighten up in certain areas...

Actually, for me, as I get tired, my adductors tend to take over the work load. But that's me... And, last fall it caused a problem that landed me in PT for 6 weeks. And, from that, I learned a program of stretching and a balanced approach to strength training -- and the benefits of maintaining that balance.

Today I stretch and do the resistance training on all four sides of each leg on a (mostly) daily basis (adductors, abductors, frontal quads and hamstings). And, in addition to the stretching and strength training I also started running about 2-3 miles several times a week -- which also seems to strengthen other muscles than those that are primarily strengthened by cycling.

This spring I have found that my cycling is stronger and the pedaling action more balanced as I am no longer relying on just a few muscles to do the work. Yesterday I came close to my personal best while riding my heaviest bike with its snow tires still mounted.

I vote c).

I work with a trainer and she likes to target lesser-used muscles so they don't get out of balance. I do the knee bends, leg lifts and leg swings mentioned on this site: http://www.bostonmagazine.com/health...tor-stregngth/

You can do them at home because they don't require any special equipment.

I vote (c) also as the way to produce balanced physical fitness. These days professional athletes all engage in cross training. Lindsey Vonn, a great woman skier also lifts weights as do world class tennis players. Myself, I do something like the swinging leg exercise except flat on my back with 10 lb. ankle weights on each foot. If I haven't done them for a while inner thighs are sore the following day.

Let's face it. You're not TdF material. Just slow down and smile as you ride.



:lol: Just kidding!!!!! :lol:

I vote c). My therapist has me stand on one leg on a pad and swing my free leg both across my body and out to the side. That and squeeze a ball between my knees.

a.

Coming from you, I know it's just gentle mocking.


Interesting ideas and worth a try. As long as it's not a chicken salad sandwich I have to hold between my knees....

I haven't previously done much in the way ofr off-the-bike-exercises, but maybe I should turn over a new leaf.

a) Common. Common =/= normal. Back pain is common but it's not normal.

b) Maybe neither. Most people are tight and weak in the adductors anyway, and hamstring weak (not "quad dominant" as most people say. Jim Wendler like to say "hamstring weak").

c) Improve your squat, splits.

d) Not necessarily so. Refer to b).