I already knew the core muscles were important and I've had abs since I was 15 (which is easy when you struggle to maintain healthy amounts of body fat). Back then it was about looking good for the ladies (kidding). But it hasn't been until recently I realized the importance of core and maintaining a healthy relationship with planks, lunges, and glute strengthening exercising.
The epiphany came after I was coming from a long ride back in mid-March. My body was tired and I was happy to be getting home. I looked down to make sure my pedaling was still smooth and in my horror I saw my left leg tracking odd in relation to the pedal stroke. I had a weak core. Rudimentary knowledge in exercise physiology and anatomy quickly led me to diagnose the issue and muscles effected.
You see, sometimes it takes little moments to realize how much you have missed the big picture for so long. It all made sense why my massage therapist was always working that left leg more than the right, why I always developed my knee issues on the left side, and how single-leg pedaling drills sometimes are "odd" with that left leg of mine...
So I'm back to the morning ritual that I for so long held in HS. A mix of planks, "bicycles", and glute strengthening (both posterior and lateral stability). I've also concentrated more on my shoulder mobility by doing yoga to maintain some suppleness in my often-disregarded arms. Holding a low, aerodynamic position on your bike is easy at first-- but hold it for 6+ hours and get back to me on how your shoulders and lower back feel in the morning.
The proof is in the pudding: I PR'd a very challenging route just today and suffered none of the "left leg wobbles" I had suffered before. Back in HS it was about looking good running shirtless in the Ohio track season (and the coach made me obsessive about them too) now these abs are hidden most days and work within a body covered in a cycling jersey and slathered in sunscreen.
I know, super attractive...but there's nothing more unattractive than preventable anatomical deficiencies.
------Sidenote: speaking of sunscreen...
Now more than ever (diagnosed Melanoma now runs freakishly too-close-for-comfort in my gene pool) I am concentrating on protecting my skin from hellacious sunburns and excessive UV exposure. If you avoid the sunscreen because it's icky, smells like a whore's shaving lotion, or stings in the eyes I REALLY recommend Beyond Coastal brand and their products which I have used the past 2.5 years. I'm a paranoid hippie when it comes to putting things on my very sensitive skin so I happily say this shit works and doesn't make you want to "forget" the sunscreen before you leave home.
