By Christopher Cudworth

Runners and cyclists tend to think in terms of the big muscles when it comes to performance in their respective sports.

Runners need strong quadriceps (thighs) and decently tuned calf muscles to propel themselves along.

Cyclists also need strong thighs, as well as a well-calibrated set of gluteus maximus muscles to help them up and down hills, connected with hamstrings to pull through a full revolution with clipped-in pedals.

But here’s the truth: runners and cyclists who do not pay attention to the “other” muscles in their bodies are fooling themselves if they think they can improve without paying attention to the “little” muscles that move us along.

All an athlete has to do to learn the importance of “little” muscles is to go through an injury and go through workouts with a physical therapist or personal training to learn how much they are neglecting these little muscles in favor of working, and sometimes overworking, the bigger muscles we feel we most need.

Here are some examples of the “little” muscles your most need and what to do about helping them become stronger.

The muscles around the knee

Knees are such a mix of bone, tendon and muscle that they need balance to function properly. The slightest imbalance can cause chronic injury problems such as chondromalacia (pain under the kneecap) iliotibial band syndrome (pain on the side of the knee) and even torn meniscus (erosion or tearing of the cartilage that serves as cushioning inside the knee).

These conditions are all usually preventable with simple exercises to strengthen the muscular connection points that lead to tendons and support of the knee.

The absolute simplest knee exercise is the one-legged dip. Stand on one foot and raise the other heel and calf perpindicular to the ground. Now lower your body with arms at your side so you aren’t cheating for balance, and bring your opposite knee near to the top of your ankle. That’s it. You’ll be strengthening the little muscles that support the knee. Add some lunges for hamstring strength and side lunges for lateral strength and you’ll see lots of improvement, sometimes within a single day or two.

The gut muscles

We’ve all heard that core strength is important for sports. In running, stomach or core strength can help prevent major problems like side stitches and even stomach upset. It seems strange to say, but the core works like a container for all your guts, both literally and figuratively. The stronger your stomach and rib cage muscles, the less your guts slosh around in there while you’re running. In a marathon, that can make the difference between puking and finishing the race in good shape.

In cycling, it is now known that your core muscles are as important if not more important than your legs in keeping efficient position on the bike and contributing to the overall power output of the cyclist.

The starter solution to core strength is a simple plank position with elbow resting on the ground and hands touching in a vee. Lift up into a plank like you were doing a pushup and hold for 60 seconds. That should be enough to get your gut muscles firing the first few times. Hold longer as you get stronger, and add pushups to lengthen the reach of the core exercise. Crunches and side twists while sitting strengthen and stretch your rib cage muscles.

The back

Gosh it is hard to work those back muscles that always seem to pull at the wrong time. The simplest solution is to lay on your stomach with your arms at your side. Lift your arms in a stiff position so that the points of your shoulder blades touch. Repeat 20-30 times. You’ll feel those muscles start to fire. Then put your arms in a Superman position pointing at 30 degrees away from your head while lying on your stomach. Repeat the lifting position and crunching your shoulder blades together.

Finally, stand against a wall and press your hands against the surface. Simply raise your hands up to full height against the wall for 25-30 repeats. Your back and arms will scream for relief, but you’ll know you’re doing something good for your body.

Lower back strengthening comes from the core work you are doing on your stomach.

Take pride in these “little” muscles and you’ll feel better on every run and every ride. Try it. You won’t regret it.