As riders symmetry is a huge deal for us. Any asymmetry in us will show up in and our (and of course vice versa). Now in reality no one is ever going to be 100% symmetrical but we should at least always be striving to be pretty darn close.

In order to do that we need to address how we got our asymmetry in the first place.

I often get asked by riders why certain muscles get tight, restricted or underused and the answer is simply “life”. That is our everyday actions and habits that we do over and over again usually in the same way each time.

Think about what some of those actions might be. You brush your teeth with your right hand, drink your coffee with your right hand, you carry your bag on your right shoulder, and then you muck out scooping to the right……..

Then you perhaps drive your car hunched over the steering wheel, you sit at a desk hunched over the keyboard and then you push your wheel barrow hunching forward over it……………….

Do you see what’s happening here? You repeat the same action with the same muscles time and time again, even though the activities themselves maybe different the way in which you use your body is not.

Obviously for different people these repetitive actions will be different but they are essentially the same-repetitive actions.

This can then present itself in numerous ways in your body but most commonly.

· “Tightness in the overused side
· Soreness in the underused side
· Stronger aids on one side whilst riding
· Sitting crooked or tipped to one side.

There lots of other weird and wonderful ways that overuse can present itself in the body (the human continues to delight, surprise and baffle me!) but these are the most common issues I get from riders.

Depending on the severity of the imbalance depends on how much treatment in terms of physical therapy, rehabilitation exercise etc. is required but a really simple way to help yourself with this is to change up the way you do things.

So, let’s try over the next week or so to do things with your opposite hand! Try brushing your teeth with your non dominant hand.

I’m going to report back on my social media about how I get on so I’d love you to do the same!
Also, if you are struggling with issues potentially caused by asymmetry why not book in for a Biomechanics, Stability and Flexibility Assessment with me at the studio and receive feedback on where your issues lie along with a programme to help you correct them. Cost £50 for approx. 1 ½ hrs.