The Last 500
The Last 500
Why everything hurts ...
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-8:55

Why everything hurts ...

Musings and discussion on movement, strength and recovering your ability to move pain free.

Sandia Mountains, east of Albuquerque, NM

The X Factor

If you were paying attention, you heard me say my right hip was giving me problems on the run but it’s my left hip that is really tight.

What gives?

Think of your body as a big X. If you stand with your feet apart and your hands raised above your head and out to the side, you’re an X.

The center of your X is your pelvis/hips.

When I run with a tight left hip, my stride is compromised and my right side takes the beating. It’s doing more work and taking more of the load so it tends to squawk at me.

My X

If you were really paying attention, you heard that my left hip is tight and my right thoracic rotation is the worse side.

This is also common. My lower left limb (of the X) transfers the imbalance to the upper right side of the X. My right shoulder is also the worst of the two (although this may be from an injury I had).

Anyway, what about you?

Do you notice your imbalances follow this X pattern?

Lower left and upper right? or Vice versa? It’d be interesting to know.

Strengthen the X

Here’s an awesome move for building strength across the X.

Leave a comment.

Where do you struggle most? What impaired movement affects your performance?

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The Last 500
The Last 500
Serious Fitness for Left-Brained Old Dudes.
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Mark Fickler