VMO...

 Vastus medialis Oblique (VMO)...

Let us kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare read, think, speak, and write.-John Adams.

The point of the picture above it to look for symmetry. Sometimes them ole' bodybuilders have it right. While training for symmetry, you also train injury right out the door. Neglecting anything now, becomes dysfunctional later.

The muscle in question, specifically, is the VMO, a teardrop shaped muscle on the inside of the leg/knee. Its function is to help the knee track correctly and eliminate patella issues. 

After you know what to look for, recognizing improper tracking of the knee isn't all that hard. Hip weakness, ankle immobility, glute med failure all play into possible knee issues. Today, we focus on the underdevelopment of the VMO due to either an inability to either correctly make it fire or make everything else take over for it.  

Test:

First look. Is you teardrop significantly smaller than the outside quad muscle(Vastus Lateralis). When you flex your quads...does it feel soft in comparison to the surrounding. When you flex, does your knee pull to the outside...VMO issues most likely. This is good to know even if you don't have knee issue since a positive test means pain is on the way.

After some sort of test failure, all that's left is repair. The following techniques may help hold that knee a little tighter, eliminate pain, prevent pain...or it may be a big waste of time....you never know until you try.

Manual Therapy...

Rub it. Sounds simple enough. Works incredibly well, especially if you have a weak VMO contraction. Intense manipulation of the specific part prior to the aforementioned activity may make it function better. Also, if it's a tightness issue, the ply-ability increase can help you in various positions throughout your workout.

 

  Leg Circles...

Making sure to externally rotate the foot and lock the knee the entire time. Rotate in small circles in both directions. Perform them for a variety of times, 1 minute each, 30 reps each way. Just make sure to make the legs burn.

  Terminal Knee Extension..

Due to the fact the VMO recruits, primarily, at the last 15 degrees of extension, the terminal knee extension becomes a fantastic choice. After wrapping a band on something very stationary, step into it, and place just above the knee. Gain tension and bend you knee, then flex your leg. Perform any number of reps until you feel that it has been worked properly. Next time, do more or use a stronger band.

Standing Leg Circles...

Pretty much the same design as the previous seated version. Notice the added ankle weight, and the addition of ankle mobility, and knee stability in the opposing post leg. 

Also, you could bend the leg slightly on the down circle, then contract intensely on at the top. Try as the rest, a variety of different times and reps, 2-3 times a weak until the VMO catches up.

Barbell Hack Squat...

Starting from a fully extended simple standing position, hold a barbell behind you in clean grip. Squat. Maintain all the rules of the squat, and you should feel the activation on the teardrop. 

Ensure you remember your hamstrings are kind of in the way when you rise, and your calves are behind you as you decend. Take time playing and figuring out this one.

 Ball Wall Squat with adduction...

After placing a big stability ball near your mid-back, walk your feet out until your shins are perpendicular to the floor when you squat. After you find this, place a med ball between your knees. As you descend below parallel, squeeze the ball.

Squeezing more engages the adductor muscles.  Given its ties to the VMO, this in turn may make everything just kinda kick better.

 Employ one or two of these techniques at a time, two to three times a week, if you notice knee pain or lack of musculature. Your rep scheme is kind of irrelevant. Make it hurt, then the next time the same activity wont be as hard, so do more. Repair to a recognizable degree should be witnessed within a few weeks in any CFer. Your average Joe...I would say much longer.

The category of repair, maintenance, recuperation continues on whether an athlete takes advantage of it or not. If you choose to neglect...you may, inadvertently. be choosing to suffer rather than perform.

Strength:

Rest

For Score:

"Danny"

30-Box Jumps 20/24

20-Push Press 75/115

30-Pull-ups

AMRAP in 20 minutes

Post rounds to comments:

Comments

[Ken]

Hey Josh & Chas I see you were judgin the masters - advice for any of us considering next year?? Brother Bart, Lisa, others?

[Prov2121]

Great job out there Josh & Chas!!! I saw you multiple times. Way to make them do it correctly!!! lol The Whole games was awesome to watch. Enjoy the nxt few days out in CA and visiting other boxes.

Caleb

[chas]

Hi everyone! Awesome to know you were watching. We worked everyday from 7am - 10pm. If we weren't judging we were tearing down and setting up. The heat was intense these past three days. To say the least, we have great farmers tans.:) I definitely will never want to miss each year. The intent is to be competing from here on out!
Can you believe the obstacle course that was built over night?!?! We helped tear it down tonight.
The winners are so definitely deserving!!

Shelly- I am so sorry I missed your hand tears! I want to see them when I get there. I miss all you ladies in the morning. And "The Crew" at 6:30 in the afternoon.
I have received an e-mail about Crave's Grand Opening! I'll make it, Ash!
We have talked to a lot of HQ that can only tell us Crossfit is growing outrageously! I have a respect and love for the community that Coach has established and try in every way to maintain.
We went to Crossfit LA on Thursday: 1 mile run, 100 burps, 1 mile run for time:) Josh couldn't wait to do this one:) LOL! But we did it.
Tomorrow we are going to Crossfit Balboa. We had a personal invitation from John Welborn, himself. We going to hit a couple others.
Josh said the first day we left, he missed being there with all of you! No matter how good California is there's no place like Practice! Can't wait to get back!

[Teri]

25,20,15,10.......I DID IT!
Mitchell, you are an inspiration!
Thanks so much Kara for coming in and kicking my butt!Ha Ha
Chas and Josh we miss you!

[holly]

2 rds

[runmelrun]

3 rounds
At the buzzer baby! Ash and Kara thanks for yelling at me and making sure I finished the round!
Teri, right back at ya!

[Angela]

2(m)

[heather]

Individual finals last night - LOVED the format - 30sec here's what you do, 3,2,1 GO - hope JB programs one of those in sometime. Is it wrong that I secretly hope JB comes back w/ a 6ft wall for over-the-wall burpees? Can't help it - those looked pretty cool and I'm itching to try a few (I said a few...not 50)!

[jb]

Tons of fun ideas on the horizon...and you guys are missed greatly....honestly can't wait to return and see all the smilin PCF faces....

[k]

Ah, ah, ah...see what i told you 6am. Events like the games raise the bar. If you weren't able to enjoy any of the coverage, that's ok. I'm confident you'll get more than a taste of the experience in the coming weeks...from programming to standards to accountability.

Thank you all for welcoming Tami today. Hopefully we motivated her to be more than just an observer.

Teri--dig seeing you on the blog. Your wko rocked today. Make sure you take time to tell people the movements you worked on and the time it took you to complete them. Today was push press and box jumps, 25-20-15-10. I think I forgot to log your time in your packet. I will check the stopwatch later today and see if I can't get that for you.

[Joey Franchise]

3 rds. 3 pull-ups away from completing rd. 4. Hard core diet and training starts today. Get ready California...next year Joey Franchise makes his debut lol

[Terra]

Great to hear from you Chas and Josh! It was an eventful weekend that is for sure! Thanks to everyone who made it out to Krav Sunday...It was awesome! If you missed it, plan to come next time we bring AJ down or, a few of us have even chatted about heading up there way next time...road trip! The kids did great, they worked hard, had fun and learned a lot about dangers and how to protect themselves...invaluable.

[holly]

josh- make that a 12 ft wall i wanna see joey franchise get at it! cant wait to see you guys back!

[k]

Teri--your time was 16:01 this morning. Makes sure and note that in your packet.

Joe/Holly--confirm you stretched out those sore/injured spots (or at least lie in writing for me).

[Sarah]

3 rounds modified
band pullups, 65# push press

[chas]

Ken- did you see who won the masters? He was amazing, no doubt, but set the goal right now and next year you could tear the competition up!

[Joey Franchise]

Holly, shut ur mouth when your talkin to the "Franchise". You already know!!!!!

[jb]

Big reminder...there will be an email soon, but...

PCF will have a little fun time games at BWs this Saturday where we will run 3-5 WODs....u should try them all...or at least some....we will b there from 12-8 and could use all the athletes who wanna have some fun working out in..

Again 12-8 and if u want specific WOD times so u can come and go we can do that to...plan for it...

[Angela]

Josh-I'm with everybody else...miss having you in the mornings and I secretly hope you bring back a burpee wall also:) But just to let you know, Kara totally knows how to run a box!!! She is understanding, knowledgable and encouraging(not to mention badasss). I heart Kara!

[JCoby]

3 rds

[Min]

3 rounds

Watched the games as much as I possibly could this weekend... the dual between Khalipa and Speiler Friday night was nutso, then Saturday kara and I spent most of the afternoon planted on the floor at PCF watchin it on the TV. Amazing athletes, cant help but be inspired... and we've got some serious work to do.

JB- some ppl wanted to hurt you for programming saturday at 5 rounds... a bit excessive... but other than that we're glad you miss us and ready for you and chas to get back with some cool new ideas for programming. I agree with the girls, a wall would be sweet.... perhaps the fence by the fire station? ;) Enjoy the rest of your trip and know the gym has been in very good hands all week! :)

[holly]

kara yes i did rub/stretch
joe meet me at the kitchen table were gonna arm wrestle this one out! Now you know!:)

[Dana]

I watched for HOURS this weekend - could not get away from the broadcast! I carried my laptop everywhere in the house and around the house while I was trying to do other stuff. Wow!

[Angela]

LMAO! My money is on Holly! Watch out Joe, ur wife will kick ur ASS:)

[Prov2121]

2 m