Brookfine

Background: I have a pulled Adductor Longus which triggers sharp pain when it is used. Despite this I have been able to squat, row, power-clean, and deadlift with no issues. This leads me to believe that the Adductor Longus isn't worked at all by these movements, and has me wondering if there are actually many muscles in my lower body that the program doesn't work at all.

Ask: Is there some kind of movement (or collection of movements) I can be doing to fill these gaps? I'm a sprinter and it's important for my sport that there are no weak-points as this can cause injury. I'm very concerned about my adductors and my hip flexors.

Mark Rippetoe

Let's examine this issue. What does the adductor longus do? Origin/insertion/action?

Brookfine

Origin: Front side of the bottom center of the pelvis

Insertion: Back of your femur

Action: Thigh flexion, adduction, and external rotation; and all of these seemingly only when the thigh is already close to the sagittal plane (based on moving stuff about and seeing what hurts/when)

I know the adductors as a whole are going to be activated a little bit as stabilizers in many exercises but based on the range it activates in (foot basically in line with the sagittal plane) it's not even being activated on deadlift. I worry I'm exposing myself to a bunch of imbalances that will become noticeable only on the track.

Mark Rippetoe

Why would the track not "balance" them out?

Brookfine

I would anticipate it does to an extent, I just wouldn't be able to say to what extent. As a 6 '3'' sprinter though, I would anticipate that if there is any relevant strength development that can be done I should prioritize it, it's the only way that I can avoid getting completely smoked by a bunch of 140 lb 21 year olds.

Mark Rippetoe

How much do you weigh? Your concerns about your adductor longus aside, how do you propose to get to a muscular sprinter's bodyweight without squatting?

k_dean_curtis

Squats and Deadlifts hit hip and knee extension. However, for hip and knee flexion, which is very important for sprinting, I cannot see from the biomechanics texts how the Rectus Femoris and Biceps Femoris short head are being trained by such lifts. These are susceptible to injury in sprinting.

Isometric contraction is not adequate for these dynamic movers, i.e. not the same as the erectors, et al.

What is the SS stance on training these muscles?

Mark Rippetoe

You cannot see how all the hamstrings and all the quads are not made stronger by squats and deadlifts? Sez here you've been on the boards for 8 years. You haven't read the books?

k_dean_curtis

Thanks for responding. I have all 3 books: SS, PP, BBRx. Have read them many times and understand them.

The biomechanics texts say that both muscles mentioned contract isometrically in hip and knee extension. On the concentric phase the rectus is shortening at the knee and lengthening at the hip, total length does not really change, hence an isometric contraction. Is this statement correct?

If the above is correct, are isometrics good enough for the flexors?

Mark Rippetoe

This statement is correct, as we point out on Saturday morning at the seminar in the discussion of the squat. I don't understand your question.

k_dean_curtis

If said contraction is isometric, then your assertion is that IS good enough to strengthen and grow the flexors. Same for many other muscles in the big lifts, e.g. neck, traps, etc.

Mark Rippetoe

If the squat and deadlift go from 200/275 to 405/475, what has happened to the strength of the particular muscles you're worried about?