[Nathaniel Gehring]

I’ve been using the Chamonix Fit program since late January. I’ve worked through several of the full sessions and now have been living with the Chamonix Fit 3 Lite program as my race approaches. I have loved this program and have built gobs of balance! Every exercise and movements has become significantly easier, smoother, more controlled. Every exercise, except one…

The steamboat.

I am as unbalanced and troubled by the steamboat today as I was on day one. I simply cannot find balance and move fluidly through the motion. I have a suspicion this is caused by tight hamstrings and quads. Like many runners, my hamstrings and quads are tight to begin with, and extra tight after certain workouts. But this is just my suspicion.

I’m wondering what would cause the steamboat to remain a movement that doesn’t improve for me. Is it tight hamstrings and quads? Is it simply a proprioception challenge? Is there something else causing problems that it would be helpful to be aware of?

I’d appreciate any feedback and thoughts about why the steamboat remains an unconquerable balance nemesis for me.

Appreciatively,

-Nathan-

Topic

[Jane Mackay]

Jane Mackay on June 29, 2022 at 8:24 am #68677

Nathan, I hear you on the gobs of balance! I love CMF too. I don’t know that I can offer any particular insight into your problem, except to say that from day 1 I have loved the steamboat (while loathing, for example, compass points — no longer a nemesis, but they were for a long time) and, historically, my problem has been tight quads and calves, while I’ve rarely had hammie problems. My regular sports massage therapist even remarks occasionally on how un-tight my hamstrings are when my quads are like quivering bow strings. So maybe there’s something in your theory. It would seem odd for it to be a proprioception issue, given that you have no problem with any of the other movements, for instance, compass points.
Steamboat is very similar to dancer pose in yoga, and I find my balance can go off in that pose if the upper knee swings out rather than staying aligned ‘on axis’. Maybe it’s in your hips or sacro-iliac? Have you tried doing the movement in front of a mirror and checking the alignment of the lifted knee?