Weight, Weights, Core Strength..working on right leg

[crazycanuck]

Umm hopefully you smart chickies might be able to help me out..

I'm working on my right leg & overall strength and it's coming along very well. I am however a bit concerned because the small movement i need to push my right leg down a smidgen whilst standing in the saddle, still isn't happenin.. So, I thought i should re-evaluate what i've been doing and perhaps ask someone!

Is core strength the most important thing for this minute movement i need to do? Lose a bit more weight?

Who knew building up after an injury could be this interesting!

I can detail the exact exercises(at home & the pilates studio) & weights i've been doing a bit later if need be.

Tanks
C

[KnottedYet]

Yo, baby!

I don't think I understand what movement you're describing. Are you talking about full knee extension (straightening), or something else?

[han-grrl]

i'm not sure what you are trying to work on either...

[crazycanuck]

Oh oops! I posted it in a hurry hoping someone might be able to read my mind & understand

Anwho, what I want to be able to do is move my leg (bent) from the 12 o' clock position down to the 5 o'clock position whilst standing out of the saddle. At the moment i'm still unable to do it with my right leg whilst out of the saddle.

Umm..does that make sense?

[janeho]

Sounds like you may need to do some hamstring strengthening. What was your injury?

[crazycanuck]

I tore my mcl & ruptured my pcl ligament.

I figure I obviously have some power in my right leg as i've noticed that when I want to mozy it on the bike, the muscles work. Also, when i've come to a stop light & have to start again in a hurry I can push off quickly. Going uphill in the saddle is getting easier.

Does this scenario make sense?

[polly4711]

Hi, I had knee surgery about 16 months ago. I had a Lateral Retinaculum Release in addition to some cartilage being cleaned out. I just finished up my rowing career (with eligibility being over) and switched to cycling. Any ways, I was not supposed to return from this surgery and I am doing great! So keep in there. But gaining back muscle strength is difficult. Are you doing PT? I have some tips if you would like for some exercises that I had to do. Hopefully it would help... Let me know!

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I sort of know what you mean. I am going through retraining my ankle/foot because of an injury. One thing you might try is a wobble board, and just sitting and getting your ankle to evert and invert (tilt in and out) to see how well you can do that. It sound unrelated but I had a similar problem and because I lacked the neuromuscular control, it just started from there.

Do you have access to a physical therapist? I would go to one since you were injured. Especially one that knows about cycling...

[crazycanuck]

Thanks for the info!

I don't see a physio any longer as it's all up to strengthening my hammies/glutes n quads now.

The folks at my pilates studio have helped me by showing the specific exercises I need to do.