Structural Balance: What it is and how to train for it.
…in order to perform at your best and avoid injuries. Let me give some examples in very simple terms.
This is a hot topic for me because I stopped CrossFit completely in order to work on imbalances and I think I’ve done pretty well in just over a year! I don’t want to point fingers at anyone else’s imbalances, just to draw attention to something I feel isn’t talked about enough.
Structural balance is when
Muscle groups are of appropriate size and strength for their role in your body. E.g. your glutes are strong enough to get you out of a chair, help you walk, run, chase your kid around, and so on. If I can do several pull-ups but can't get out of a chair, I’m not balanced.
Opposing muscles are not too disproportionate in strength, e.g. your biceps and your triceps are roughly just as strong and powerful, your quads and hamstrings are developed in proportion. (Some sports do not favour this, e.g. climbers can be better at pulling than at pushing)
Your two sides are not too dissimilar in strength and endurance, e.g. if you can do 10 lunges on one leg with a certain weight, you can do roughly 10 on the other leg as well. Or if you can side plank for 90" on one side, then you can roughly do the same on the other. (Some sports do not help with this.)
Your maximum lifts follow certain ratios, for example, your back squat is roughly 80% of your deadlift, your front squat is roughly 85% of your back squat, your overhead squat is 85% of your front squat.. and so on. (There are detailed lists of these ratios and not every athlete will fit them perfectly but they should not be wildly out either.)
How to train for structural balance
Follow a strength or strength and conditioning programme rather than doing random workouts. Random workouts give random results at best. At worst, they lead to injuries.
Don’t cherry-pick the workouts and movements you like (I’ve been the queen of cherry-picking so please do not think I’m pointing a finger at you.)
Start doing single-sided work with a fully present mind (less music and more mind-muscle connection) so you can balance yourself out.
If any of this sounds familiar, talk to me! I can help.