Why You Can’t Ignore Your Rotator Cuff!

TOGETHER WITH MAUNA APPAREL

Good morning everyone,

I just wanted to take this moment to remember Chilean triathlete, Matias Opitz. 

I first met Matias through the IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon event. Our shared connection of the sport made us fast friends, and it was clear his impact on the Chilean triathlon community was profound.

It was a pleasure spending time with him, and learning about his unique triathlon journey - a journey that had taken him around over the world and saw him represent his country at numerous World Championships.

He was kind-hearted, incredibly generous, and well loved by his friends.

On Sunday, Matias tragically passed away after being hit by a car while cycling. He was 44 years old.

His passing is a heartbreaking reminder of how vulnerable we are out on the road. Please stay safe out there, and support each other ❤️

In today’s edition:

• 🏊‍♂️ Why you can’t ignore your rotator cuff!

• 👟 Do you need a shoe rotation?!?

• ☀️ And how to keep you skin healthy, and sun safe!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free.

TRAINING THOUGHT

Why You Can’t Ignore Your Rotator Cuff!

What is it: If you want to swim, bike, and even run well, then you shouldn’t forget about your rotator cuff!

• This crucial group of muscles stabilizes your shoulder and helps you lift, rotate and move your arm.

• When its working well, your swim stroke is smooth, your cycling position is stellar, and your run stride is sublime.

But if it’s irritated or injured you can find yourself waving (painfully) from the sidelines.

Connecting the cuff: There are four main muscles that make up your rotator cuff,

1. Supraspinatus - Helps lift your arm AWAY from your body (abduction).

2. Infraspinatus - Aids in external (outward) rotation of your arm.

3. Teres Minor - Also assists in external rotation.

4. Subscapularis - Enables internal (inward) rotation of your arm.

Serious shoulder: As a triathlete, your rotator cuff plays a key role while swimming, cycling, and running,

🏊‍♂️ Swimming: Primary Role

• The rotator cuff stabilizes the shoulder joint with every stroke.

• During freestyle, the supraspinatus and infraspinatus help control arm rotation and recovery from each pull.

• A weak or fatigued rotator cuff can lead to shoulder impingement or swimmer’s shoulder, a common overuse injury in triathletes.

🚴 Cycling: Support Role

• While not as active, the rotator cuff helps stabilize the shoulder during prolonged time in the aero position.

• And it supports your upper body, especially on long rides or on bumpy roads. 

🏃 Running: Postural Support

• The rotator cuff contributes to upper-body posture and arm swing, helping maintain efficient running form.

• Poor shoulder stability can translate to compensations in posture, potentially affecting running economy and can lead to issues further down the chain!

Stuck shoulder: So how do you know when your rotator cuff isn’t working well?

Pain - Associated with swimming, but also with any movement involved with reaching, lifting and shoulder rotation.

Weakness/instability - This can manifest in an inefficient pull phase while swimming.

• And a “cracking” noise can also be associated with an injured or irritated rotator cuff!

And desk dwellers beware! Prolonged sitting in a slouched position can weaken key postural muscles - causing excess strain on your rotator cuff muscles!

Strengthen and support: So how can you keep your rotator cuff healthy, strong, and ready for whatever multisport madness you throw at it? The following exercises should help!

1. External rotations with resistance band 

• A great exercise that targets infraspinatus and teres minor.

• Our in-house physio, Aaron Knighton, would suggest slowing down the recovery phase.

• 3 sets of 10 reps should do the job!

2. Prone Y-T-W’s

• This one really nails Supraspinatus.

• You can also do this laying on a bench or a swiss ball!

Can you foam roll your rotator cuff? 

You can, but using a tool like a lacrosse ball can precision target key rotator cuff muscles, providing meaningful relief!

Watch: Massage your rotator cuffs with a lacrosse ball! 

Feel like your rotator cuff needs a stretch?

Try the classic cross arm stretch, or, the door stretch!

Tempo’s take: A well-functioning rotator cuff is will have you swimming, riding, and running your best! Show it some love with regular strength work, smart recovery, and early intervention if pain strikes!

TOGETHER WITH MAUNA APPAREL

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• Explore every piece of the newly released Sierra Collection here. 

FAVORITES

🧴 Poor sleep plastics: Your sleep is the most important component of recovering well from quality training and racing. But could plastic chemicals used in everyday products be cutting down on your shut-eye? This article explains why everyday plastics could contribute to poor sleep! [The Guardian]

👟 Shoe rotation: You’ve probably heard of athletes having multiple shoes in their “rotation.” But why do they do that? And could you benefit from having your own “shoe rotation?” Absolutely. It could lower your risk of injury, and provide four other unique advantages! [Running Warehouse]

☀️ Sun safe: All that swimming, biking, and running outdoors. Sounds positively blissful. But your skin could be taking a serious toll! So how can you avoid serious issues like skin damage and skin cancer, and keep your skin looking its best? This article explains! [TRI247]

🥵 Training when hot: For some, the relentless heat of summer has arrived. For others, it lurks menacingly around the corner. So how do you get the most out of your training when the mercury rises? You start by leaving your watch at home, and learning to go by perceived effort - not pace. Plus: these other expert tips! [Steve Magness]

REEL TIME

We love a good sprint finish, and Carson Clough (USA) and Gregoire Berthon (FRA) totally delivered! 🏁👏

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We’ve all been there, and come home one sock down! 😂💩

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QUICK NEWS

New leader: John Wyatt - a two time Olympian and strategic consultant - has been appointed as the new Secretary General of World Triathlon.

Supertri Toronto: The innovative Supertri League, featuring Olympic Champions Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) and Alex Yee (GBR), will kick off for the first time ever in Canada at the Toronto Triathlon Festival. [Supertri]

Morocco meeting: It was another successful edition of Morocco’s Tamuda Bay Eco Triathlon which brought together over 800 triathletes from more than 20 countries! [Morocco World News]

Tinkering triathlete: Tim Vernon was a busy triathlete and “healthy guy.” So it was a complete shock when he was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. But instead of giving up, this triathlete endured to build an innovated solution to his issue! [Forbes]

Uzbekistan upgrade: After another succesful edition of the Samarkand World Cup, the President of Uzbekistan is welcoming plans to expand cooperation with World Triathlon. [YUZ]

Liam Ball Bash: The 40th anniversary of the Liam Ball Triathlon, staged by the North West Triathlon Club was another huge success as it attracted athletes of all ages and abilities. [Derry Journal]

RACE WEEKEND

IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau

IRONMAN World Champion Laura Philipp (GER) showed she is in great form ahead of this weekend’s showdown at IRONMAN Hamburg.

• Lasse Priester (GER) showed he will be one to watch as he won in Kraichgau.

Full event results

IRONMAN 70.3 Shangahi

Olympians Nicole Van Der Kaay (NZL) and Max Studer (SUI) took the wins in the first IRONMAN race in mainland China since 2019!

Full event results

LATEST EDITIONS

• Supertri seeks $60M, and high cadence equals low injuries!

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• T100’s high turnover. And the benefits of mobility.