In a recent interview with Greg Bennett, he stated he spent as much time on body maintenance, massage, stretching etc as he spent training.

I’ve always advocated preventative maintenance, rather than repairs. I guess that attitude comes from having owned earthmoving equipment and trucks in a past life. With expensive equipment maintenance is almost a religion.

Some of my athletes have assumed I am anti-physiotherapy. The truth is I am very pro physiotherapists. But instead of using them the way many athletes do. Waiting until something goes wrong, an injury, and then calling a physio.

I suggest using a physio to check you out before you’re injured. Get the physio to check your core strength, then give you the exercises to correct weaknesses. Have him/her check your flexibility, then get the best advice on which stretches you need to do to correct your inflexibility.

Massage, lots of athletes training for an ironman, position all of their massages into the last 6-8 weeks. Trying to undo all of the muscular tension they’ve built up over the past six months.

I have always suggested athletes either pay to have a massage or full body accupuncture once every two weeks. If money is short and it often is after buying all the triathlon toys, athletes should learn self massage or team up with a friend and massage each other. It’s not really that hard, the receiver can guide the one giving the massage as to how hard, a little higher/lower etc.

Accupuncture, I’ve gone for periods as long as three years without a massage. During that time I’ve had accupuncture once per week. It doesn’t hurt as much as a massage and it releases the tension from any sore muscles. My Chinese herbalist/accupuncturist balances any of my systems which may be slightly less than 100% with accupuncture or awfull tasting herbal preparations. They may taste awful, but I rarely get sick or injured.

Yoga, it’s a nice way to maintain flexibility and put a little balance back into your busy life. Both accupuncture and yoga aim to balance the flow of chi (energy – life force). Rather than spending extra hours cycling or running, including an hour of yoga in your program can help keep your life balanced, very likely preventing an injury later in the season. Another benifit is it’s possible to have a wife/partner join you at a yoga class and help to balance the training / relationship.

Chiropractic adjustment, all of the muscles you’re going to use in your next race are told what to do, by a nervous system which connects to your spine. The stresses absorbed by your spine during a 2hr running session are greater than the average non athlete would experience in a month. It’s very important to use the services of a good chiropractic doctor as often as the budget will allow. Spinal alignment is critical to good performance you may get away without attention in this area when you’re in your twenties but as you get older you’ll really feel the difference. When selecting a chiro. seek out one who practices applied kiniesology, he/she can then help correct a lot more imbalances including dietry, emotional and subconcious belief systems. It is no coincidence that Mark Allen, six time winner of the Hawaii Ironman had his kiniesologist travel with him to Hawaii each year. Or that Lance Armstrong had his chiro/kiniesologist travel to France with him every year he won the Tour de France.

Becoming good at balancing the work-rest ratio, the stress-healing ratio is definitely the secret to longevity in this sport. After all most of us are not in this sport for the prizemoney. We’re in it for the fun, health benefits, the friendships and the personal development bought on by preparing ourselves and testing ourselves.     

Don’t underestimate the value of body maintenance and balance.