Glutes shutting down?
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Glutes shutting down?
I read somewhere that such a thing may happen and it sound very similar to my situation.
This is where I read about it:
No Glutes = No results The Plague of the Mediocre Athlete -
Even the shortest rides and/or walking just one mile causes an over-fatigue on my glutes area. I get immediately tired. I feel like I need to stretch them out really well. It happens even though I am resting myself from cycling for 3 weeks. Has anyone ever been in the same situation?
This is where I read about it:
No Glutes = No results The Plague of the Mediocre Athlete -
Even the shortest rides and/or walking just one mile causes an over-fatigue on my glutes area. I get immediately tired. I feel like I need to stretch them out really well. It happens even though I am resting myself from cycling for 3 weeks. Has anyone ever been in the same situation?
#4
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,011
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 139 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3160 Post(s)
Liked 420 Times
in
253 Posts
Uh-huh ... well, if your bicycle is set up properly, and if you have the correct saddle size, you shouldn't be having any gluteus pain while riding.
But you might experience it while walking or running if you haven't walked or ran recently.
But you might experience it while walking or running if you haven't walked or ran recently.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 150
Bikes: 2013 Allez, 2013 Sirrus, 1984 Legend Compe
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
What does "shutting down" mean anyway ? Unless you suffer from a nerve injury, your muscles don't shut down. Sounds like you just need to get stronger, and barbell strength exercises will fix that.
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I haven't read that webpage yet thoroughly but I think they are exaggerating a bit the laziness of the muscles. Those muscles are one of the most active muscle group while cycling but I am sitting on my office chair around 6 hours a day, 5 days a week. And I haven't rode a good distance since 4 months. That is a good reason why they can get lazy and it may explain why they are getting fatigued so easily and I feel like I need to stretch them all the time.
#7
just another gosling
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 17,240
Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004
Mentioned: 106 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2845 Post(s)
Liked 755 Times
in
564 Posts
Really! You don't ride or workout and then find you tire easily? Huh. Your muscles will develop to support whatever you tell them to do. But first, you have to tell them to do it. The article illustrates the many ways in which that can work. If you train, like ride, hike, and lift, almost every day, every week, every year, your glutes will feel like ball bearings.
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Really! You don't ride or workout and then find you tire easily? Huh. Your muscles will develop to support whatever you tell them to do. But first, you have to tell them to do it. The article illustrates the many ways in which that can work. If you train, like ride, hike, and lift, almost every day, every week, every year, your glutes will feel like ball bearings.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: On the bridge with Picard
Posts: 5,935
Bikes: Specialized Allez, Specialized Sirrus
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 17 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Here are some simple exercises to strengthen glutes that you can probably do in your office at work.
https://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/glute-exercises-00000000029953/index.html
https://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/glute-exercises-00000000029953/index.html
#11
just another gosling
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 17,240
Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004
Mentioned: 106 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2845 Post(s)
Liked 755 Times
in
564 Posts
Here's another thought re glutes and knees:
Next time you're on the bike, when your leg gets close to the bottom of the stroke, sort of lock your knee and focus on pulling back with the whole leg. That's your glute doing that. You should be able to pedal on the flat just doing that, kind of jerky, but forward motion that doesn't involve any pressure on the front of your knee. Once you get the feel of that, combine that sensation with the sensation of flexing your ham, so you're pulling back with both glute and ham and a little up with the ham. See what that feels like after you do it for a while. Do it with your heel cups. Little or no pushing down.
Next time you're on the bike, when your leg gets close to the bottom of the stroke, sort of lock your knee and focus on pulling back with the whole leg. That's your glute doing that. You should be able to pedal on the flat just doing that, kind of jerky, but forward motion that doesn't involve any pressure on the front of your knee. Once you get the feel of that, combine that sensation with the sensation of flexing your ham, so you're pulling back with both glute and ham and a little up with the ham. See what that feels like after you do it for a while. Do it with your heel cups. Little or no pushing down.
Likes For Carbonfiberboy:
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Posts: 548
Bikes: Too many
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
On the downstroke, the quadriceps and gluteus maximus provide most of the power.
Anyone who does not feel the force of the glutes is not starting the pedal stroke early enough....it should start at 12 O'clock and not at 2.
Mine were out of condition and the early miles of a ride still require a lot of stretching. Try stretching before riding and I stretch while riding but be careful.
Anyone who does not feel the force of the glutes is not starting the pedal stroke early enough....it should start at 12 O'clock and not at 2.
Mine were out of condition and the early miles of a ride still require a lot of stretching. Try stretching before riding and I stretch while riding but be careful.
#13
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Posts: 548
Bikes: Too many
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Also, saddle could be too low forcing your hips to be too closed at the top of the stroke resulting in too much glute recruitment.
#14
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Posts: 548
Bikes: Too many
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I read somewhere that such a thing may happen and it sound very similar to my situation.
This is where I read about it:
No Glutes = No results The Plague of the Mediocre Athlete -
Even the shortest rides and/or walking just one mile causes an over-fatigue on my glutes area. I get immediately tired. I feel like I need to stretch them out really well. It happens even though I am resting myself from cycling for 3 weeks. Has anyone ever been in the same situation?
This is where I read about it:
No Glutes = No results The Plague of the Mediocre Athlete -
Even the shortest rides and/or walking just one mile causes an over-fatigue on my glutes area. I get immediately tired. I feel like I need to stretch them out really well. It happens even though I am resting myself from cycling for 3 weeks. Has anyone ever been in the same situation?
Muscle can be inhibited if its opposing partner muscle is in spasm. Myofascial release is sort of a massage technique to restore balance in the muscle pairs.
It sounds like you are just out of condition.
#16
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,011
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 139 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3160 Post(s)
Liked 420 Times
in
253 Posts
Really! You don't ride or workout and then find you tire easily? Huh. Your muscles will develop to support whatever you tell them to do. But first, you have to tell them to do it. The article illustrates the many ways in which that can work. If you train, like ride, hike, and lift, almost every day, every week, every year, your glutes will feel like ball bearings.
Join a gym and start jogging on the treadmill, and you'll develop your glutes. They'll be sore the first few times, but you'll get past that.
A long, brisk hike up a beach, walking on sand, or up a mountain will help too.
#17
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,011
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 139 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3160 Post(s)
Liked 420 Times
in
253 Posts
It's not good for a person to sit for 6 hours straight ... we've got to get up and move regularly.
In addition to going for a walk or jogging up and down the stairs once an hour, they also suggest taking every opportunity to stand. Stand in meetings. Stand up at your desk and work whenever you can. Stand at lunch.
You don't have to go crazy with the stretching ... just move more.
#18
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
When something goes wrong with your body, if you have a pain or swelling going on somewhere in your body, your nervous system gets really nervous (bad joke) and activates a protective mode not to cause more damage to that area. I don't know if this explains that shut down thing though.
Whatever, my problem is mostly due tight muscles. When I try a quadriceps stretch I can feel that they are damn stiff. It is the same with my glutes also. Sometimes the calves. I need to stretch them every day until I don't feel stiffness. Because this is yielding to my kneecap tracks out of its groove. Doctors couldn't know that before they didn't monitor my knee while cycling. Once I get rid of the stiffness and inflammation around the joints I will never do a long ride with platform pedals. They cause the hamstrings to sit back and watch while all the other muscles overwork. Hopefully I understand it correctly.
Whatever, my problem is mostly due tight muscles. When I try a quadriceps stretch I can feel that they are damn stiff. It is the same with my glutes also. Sometimes the calves. I need to stretch them every day until I don't feel stiffness. Because this is yielding to my kneecap tracks out of its groove. Doctors couldn't know that before they didn't monitor my knee while cycling. Once I get rid of the stiffness and inflammation around the joints I will never do a long ride with platform pedals. They cause the hamstrings to sit back and watch while all the other muscles overwork. Hopefully I understand it correctly.
Last edited by hillcrawler; 04-23-14 at 02:47 AM.
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You don't sit in your office chair 6 hours a day, do you? You do get up once an hour and walk around the office, hike up and down the stairs, and/or go for a brisk walk around the block outside, don't you?
It's not good for a person to sit for 6 hours straight ... we've got to get up and move regularly.
In addition to going for a walk or jogging up and down the stairs once an hour, they also suggest taking every opportunity to stand. Stand in meetings. Stand up at your desk and work whenever you can. Stand at lunch.
You don't have to go crazy with the stretching ... just move more.
It's not good for a person to sit for 6 hours straight ... we've got to get up and move regularly.
In addition to going for a walk or jogging up and down the stairs once an hour, they also suggest taking every opportunity to stand. Stand in meetings. Stand up at your desk and work whenever you can. Stand at lunch.
You don't have to go crazy with the stretching ... just move more.
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Santa Barbara CA
Posts: 734
Bikes: rivendell romulus terratrike rover
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Stretching is a good idea. Last Fall I had a bad back and that motivated me to start stretching.
I had the idea of doing it while taking a hot shower and I've been able to make a habit of it.
I know you aren't complaining about a bad back but the shower idea for stretching helped me a lot.
Charlie
I had the idea of doing it while taking a hot shower and I've been able to make a habit of it.
I know you aren't complaining about a bad back but the shower idea for stretching helped me a lot.
Charlie
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Stretching is a good idea. Last Fall I had a bad back and that motivated me to start stretching.
I had the idea of doing it while taking a hot shower and I've been able to make a habit of it.
I know you aren't complaining about a bad back but the shower idea for stretching helped me a lot.
Charlie
I had the idea of doing it while taking a hot shower and I've been able to make a habit of it.
I know you aren't complaining about a bad back but the shower idea for stretching helped me a lot.
Charlie
#22
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,011
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 139 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3160 Post(s)
Liked 420 Times
in
253 Posts
It just sounds to me like you need to exercise more.
Get some decent shoes and go for long walks.
Go on hikes.
Are there any walking or hiking groups in your area? If so, join them.
Join a gym and start working out. A good gym will show you how to use all the equipment properly.
Don't sit for more than 1 hour. Get up and walk around a little bit, even if it is just for 2 or 3 minutes. Walk or jog up and down stairs if you can.
And yes, you may hurt at first, but then after doing it for a few days, your body should get used to the exercise.
Get some decent shoes and go for long walks.
Go on hikes.
Are there any walking or hiking groups in your area? If so, join them.
Join a gym and start working out. A good gym will show you how to use all the equipment properly.
Don't sit for more than 1 hour. Get up and walk around a little bit, even if it is just for 2 or 3 minutes. Walk or jog up and down stairs if you can.
And yes, you may hurt at first, but then after doing it for a few days, your body should get used to the exercise.
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
It just sounds to me like you need to exercise more.
Get some decent shoes and go for long walks.
Go on hikes.
Are there any walking or hiking groups in your area? If so, join them.
Join a gym and start working out. A good gym will show you how to use all the equipment properly.
Don't sit for more than 1 hour. Get up and walk around a little bit, even if it is just for 2 or 3 minutes. Walk or jog up and down stairs if you can.
And yes, you may hurt at first, but then after doing it for a few days, your body should get used to the exercise.
Get some decent shoes and go for long walks.
Go on hikes.
Are there any walking or hiking groups in your area? If so, join them.
Join a gym and start working out. A good gym will show you how to use all the equipment properly.
Don't sit for more than 1 hour. Get up and walk around a little bit, even if it is just for 2 or 3 minutes. Walk or jog up and down stairs if you can.
And yes, you may hurt at first, but then after doing it for a few days, your body should get used to the exercise.
What was so discouraging for me is that I rest for 3 weeks and last Sunday I tried a really short ride (only 5 miles) with %60 tempo and even though it was a pain free ride, after few hours pain started to come back and while I was trying to go into sleep I had a good amount of pain which seems to be coming from inside my kneecap, it felt like my femur and tibia rubbed each other and I had pain inside the joint. Terrible feeling. I have no choice but to rest more, do more stretchings and give it another go after a month or so.
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Turkiye
Posts: 352
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I was doing my glutes stretching just now which needs my knees to be bent almost fully. After I did that stretch I slowly straightened my knee and heard a very loud clicking noise from my right kneecap. It was like crushing a tin of coke in your hand. It is the first time I hear that kind of noise through the kneecap. Does that mean there are some cartilage parts moving free between the joints and they should be taken out by an operation?
#25
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,011
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 139 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3160 Post(s)
Liked 420 Times
in
253 Posts
I was doing my glutes stretching just now which needs my knees to be bent almost fully. After I did that stretch I slowly straightened my knee and heard a very loud clicking noise from my right kneecap. It was like crushing a tin of coke in your hand. It is the first time I hear that kind of noise through the kneecap. Does that mean there are some cartilage parts moving free between the joints and they should be taken out by an operation?
It might also mean that you've been sitting around too much, and may need to get up and walk around the block.
But how on earth would we know if you needed an operation? There are, however, people who can tell you that. They're called surgeons. If you really think there is something wrong with your knees that more exercise to strengthen your legs can't fix. Go see a surgeon.