Three things I don’t skip.
The Theragun — quads, hamstrings, glute medius, especially after a long ride or run. Turns out that’s not just enthusiasm talking: a 2025 trial found that percussive massage users retained more strength and felt less sore after training, and it measurably boosts blood flow to the muscles for several minutes after. Best recovery purchase I’ve made this year.
A proper warm-up routine before running or cycling. Front-to-back and lateral leg swings — a real dynamic warm-up — five minutes before I start — never skipped. Underneath that sits the actual structure: twice a week, religiously, for six weeks straight, a lower body PT day built with my physical therapist.
Hip thrusts and tib raises (superset), step downs, Bulgarian split squats, single-leg RDLs, plate pogos, seated calf raises, and hip abduction as the best ROI movements for me.
Not flashy — built to hold up under running and cycling mileage without piling on extra strength work I don’t need. Two or three other days, it’s glute medius side work plus a half-kneeling weighted ankle dorsiflexion drill, which targets a range of motion tied to squat depth, running impact absorption, and a long list of overuse injuries when it’s limited. And when it lines up, a wall sit before a run or the Normatec boots after a big day — nice extras, not the real work.
The third non-negotiable isn’t a routine at all. It’s consistency itself — showing up at whatever cadence you’ve committed to, whether that’s daily or twice a week, without fail.
The exercise you keep skipping, the stretch you always cut short, the habit you keep meaning to start — pick one. What’s a piece of your routine you haven’t been honest with yourself about?
— Iggy