Simply over a fortnight after their wealthy medal haul on the Birmingham Commonwealth Video games, the 10-member Indian weightlifting squad boarded a flight to St Louis, US. Hurriedly deliberate, it was not an everyday publicity journey. It was to let Dr Aaron Horschig—physio and energy conditioning coach often called the ‘miracle man’ behind Mirabai Chanu’s Tokyo Olympic silver medal—examine the battered our bodies of the lifters.
For over three weeks, Dr Horschig examined the minutest muscular actions of India’s elite lifters to determine muscle imbalances and niggles that had bothered Chanu, Jeremy Lalrinnunga and Achinta Sheuli. All three had received gold on the CWG and the pressure of coaching, competitors and felicitations was taking its toll.
Jeremy, who competes within the 67 kg class, braved a left elbow harm to win, whereas 73kg lifter Sheuli was coping with a hard left hamstring. “Achinta does not have a serious situation, however his left hamstring troubles him generally. Jeremy has some imbalance points together with his again and knee. His left glutes are additionally weak,” nationwide weightlifting coach, Vijay Sharma, had mentioned earlier than leaving for the US.
Muscle imbalances apart Jeremy’s most important downside was an elbow harm. The 19-year-old was in acute ache in Birmingham, having torn his ligaments and tendons. When he arrived at Horschig’s fitness center, he was unable to raise even an unweighted barbell with out feeling ache throughout the full extension. Used to lifting thrice his body weight, he was not even in a position to raise a barbell.
Dr Horschig put him via a routine that has considerably restored his pure extension. Jeremy began with fundamental shoulder faucets with five-second holds, adopted by different isometric workouts. He then moved to the complete vary of movement exercises equivalent to dumbbell presses and push-ups. By the tip of the programme, Jeremy was in a position to raise with out ache and was reintroduced to weighted squats.
“He has not totally recovered but, however ought to be again to full health very quickly,” Sharma mentioned.
Jeremy’s different downside—imbalance within the left glutes—has additionally been fastened. “We had been utilizing workouts like single-leg squats to assist him really feel for the stability situation and improve coordination. Weightlifters primarily transfer weights with two toes on the bottom, so performing corrective workouts in single-leg stance is crucial to reveal and clear up small imbalances that may result in larger issues if left unchecked,” Horschig defined.
For Sheuli, the imbalance was principally as a consequence of improper coaching load. His weaker left hamstring was more and more below pressure as coaching intensified, and the 20-year-old would really feel ache in his “excessive hamstring”, or posterior hip area, throughout the pull section of his heavy snatches and cleans because the bar handed his knee.
“Achinta had been scuffling with hamstring ache for over a 12 months. He’s 90% recovered now. If a sure a part of your physique is weak, it would ultimately break down. We have to be cautious together with his coaching load and seek the advice of a physiotherapist every now and then. It was not a serious situation, which is why he recovered rapidly,” Sharma mentioned.
“I discovered with mobility testing that he had restricted exterior rotation,” mentioned Horschig. In a 57-second clip uploaded on Twitter final month, he broke down Sheuli’s situation. Sheuli felt ache throughout the pull section of a 143kg deadlift, prompting Horschig to check his inner and exterior hip rotations.
Whereas the inner rotation was moderately symmetrical on either side, the exterior rotation take a look at revealed restricted motion on the left.
The method to repair Sheuli started with groin stretch utilizing a kettlebell that required the lifter to carry the stretch for 5 repetitions of 5 seconds every. As soon as some progress was made, Horschig really helpful a facet plank clamshell—a modified facet plank utilizing a resistance band—and single-leg hip thrusts. Regularly, they moved to ‘pause deadlifts’ the place Sheuli would go heavy and pause his raise within the pull section, holding the place for 5 seconds. The ache, by now, was gone.
“We determined to handle it with these mobility and stability-enhancing drills, and we now have seen nice progress in his ache management and energy throughout the pull section,” Horschig mentioned. “The principle space of enchancment with Jeremy and Sheuli lies in stability and management. They’re each very cellular and versatile athletes and with time and deal with approach, and the corrective workouts we implement into their coaching and restoration time, they need to see nice progress. The excellent news is each are very robust technically and are at all times desirous to be taught and enhance.”
Whereas Horschig has solely lately began to work with Jeremy and Sheuli, Chanu has consulted him for over two years. From the time Sharma positioned Horschig on Instagram, Chanu has made 5 journeys to St Louis. The session started over Zoom calls throughout the Covid-enforced journey restrictions in 2020. Chanu nonetheless has weekly consultations.
Chanu’s situation earlier than the Tokyo Olympics was her proper shoulder blade not transferring optimally when her arm was overhead. Her present concern is the restricted stability of her left shoulder throughout the snatch routine.
Horschig made Chanu raise a bar with hanging weights overhead. The one arm train—it was completed utilizing the left arm—was to be completed in a seated lunge place. It sought to enhance shoulder stability and management via a full overhead arching movement.
“The bouncing weights hanging from the bar make it very unstable… Our objective is to enhance her means to rotate and preserve that stability with the bar overhead within the snatch reception,” Horschig mentioned.
“I wouldn’t say we’re ever excellent however she has made some superb progress in decreasing massive imbalances.”
Chanu’s hip mobility has additionally improved, relieving her of the decrease again ache she skilled throughout heavy lifting. The previous world champion has had decrease again issues in previous. She skilled ache within the lumbar area throughout the current US journey.
Horschig made her do single-leg squats and found that the left hip was not opening as a lot as the suitable. The issue was addressed after targetted coaching.
Chanu says Horschig has helped her perceive her physique higher. “If I prepare for seven hours, I dedicate one hour to do strengthening workouts. I work on every small a part of my physique. I’ve to be additional cautious throughout competitions and save myself from accidents. I attempt to neglect the niggles,” she mentioned on the Nationwide Video games lately.