After Exercise - Does an Ice Water Bath Speed Recovery?
After Exercise - Does an Ice Water Bath Speed Recovery? After Exercise Recovery - Ice Bath - Contrast Water and Cold Water Immersion By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide After Exercise Ice Bath - Does It Help Recovery? Taking an after exercise plunge in an ice water bath (a tub of 12 to 15 degrees Celsius ice water) is a common practice among many elite athletes as a way to recover faster, and reduce muscle pain and soreness … read more »
Basic Training Principles by John Josephs, MS
A few general principles should be considered when planning an exercise training program. The primary goal of designing a sound exercise program is to increase fitness and performance. By applying and carefully manupulating these principles an athlete can be successful and safely obtain their training goals. 1.) Individualization A well-structured training plan is devised to meet individual needs. Each person is physically and psychologically unique and will present different strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. The training goals should be based on these factors as well … read more »
Body Composition - Overweight or Over Fat
A person's body is made up of many different components. Some of these components are bone, muscle, organs and fat. The ideal body composition varies in different sports, but in general the less body fat translates to increase performance. Athletic performance, therefore, relates to body type (size and shape) and body composition (muscle and fat). The amount and percentage of the fat component is of greater importance to us as athletes. We have two types … read more »
How Important is Lactate Threshold? by John Josephs, MS, CSCS
Lactate Threshold What can you do differently this season to actually improve your performance? Allow me to explain to you the most important physiological fitness variable that you can train and improve, your Lactate Threshold (LT). Scientists have reported that the lactate threshold is the most consistent predictor of performance in endurance events. Studies have repeatedly found high correlations between performance in endurance events such as running, cycling, and race-walking and the … read more »
Lactate Threshold (L4) Workouts by John Josephs
Lactate Threshold (L4) Workouts by John Josephs, MS 5/18/2007 Once your aerobic base is developed, it is time to take your training to the next level. If your goal is go get faster, stronger, and/or push the pace during your favorite group ride, then lactate threshold (LT) training is the next most important training component It becomes the "anchor" in every serious cyclist's training plan. The definition of LT is the point at increasing exercise … read more »
Plantar Fasciitis by Bob Wilder, MD, FACSM
Plantar Fasciitis Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common injuries in runners, recreational and competitive alike. Although it can be frustrating to experience, there is good news for plantar fasciitis sufferers: it gets better! This frustration is perhaps best illustrated by the bumper sticker available at the Ragged Mountain Running Shop that reads, "I survived plantar fasciitis!" Mark and Cynthia don't dispense stickers proclaiming the survival of stress fractures or runner's knee. Perhaps the … read more »
Plantar Fasciitis by James Brown
Plantar Fasciitis Jim Brown January, 23, 2009 Overview Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the fibrous tissue (called plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom surface of your foot, from your heel to the base of your toes. The longer the inflammation lasts, the more likely that the lining of the foot will also be torn away. The structure that develops when that happens is as wide as the heel bone and is known as a heel … read more »
Running Biomechanics: Over-pronation
Running Biomechanics: Overpronation Definition: Pronation describes a slight inward rolling motion the foot makes during a normal walking or running stride. The foot (and ankle) roles slightly inward to accommodate movement. Some people, however, over-pronate and roll more than normal, greater than 15%. With over-pronation, the arch of the foot flattens and causes excessive stress and pressure on the soft tissues of the foot. Over-pronation is more common in those with flat feet, and can … read more »
That Which Is Measured Improves by Joe Friel
“Training is principally an act of faith.” –Franz Stampfl For serious athletes, the purpose of training is to improve performance relative to a specific event – an A-priority race. Throughout the Base and Build periods you should be looking for indicators of improving readiness for this event. The closer you get to race day, the more important it is to have some idea of how well you may do. Not only does this … read more »
The Energy Systems of the Body
No presentation on training would be complete without a discussion about energy systems. Any athlete serious about their performance should have a basic understanding of energy systems and how they apply to training. This important information will give the athlete a competitive advantage and increase their chances for favorable outcomes. ATPThe immediate source of energy for muscular contraction is the high energy phosphate compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the body's carrier of energy. When … read more »
The Importance of Base Training by John Josephs, MS
BASE TRAINING Now is the time to start your preseason training for 2008. Spending the necessary time in the proper training zones will build a good aerobic base for next season. Your patience and discipline will then pay dividends later in the season. Failure to reduce your training intensity and making the mistake of training hard throughout the winter will make you more susceptible to injury, fatigue, burnout, and/or sub-optimal performance the following … read more »
The Three Cycles of Periodization Training by Tyrone A.Holmes
The 3 Cycles of Periodization Training By Tyrone A. Holmes Periodization is the process of dividing an annual training plan into specific time blocks, where each block has a particular goal and provides your body with different types of stress. This allows you to create some hard training periods and some easier periods to facilitate recovery. Periodization also helps you develop different energy systems during various phases of training (e.g., aerobic, anaerobic, creatine … read more »
VO2max and Health provided by ACSM Health & Fitness
The Aerobics Center in Dallas, Texas, has concluded a number of investigations demonstrating that VO2max is linked to health. The researchers determined VO2max in thousands of men and women and then tracked their health for a number of years. The least fit men were 3.4 times more likely to die early compared with the fit men. The least fit women were 4.6 times more likely to die early compared with the fit women. Low fitness … read more »
Weight Loss for Athletes by Terry Ritter
For most of us, the coming change of seasons means two things: Getting ready for the coming spring and summer events, and dropping those unwanted pounds from winter. Unfortunately, all of the “low carb” diets in the press aren’t made for those that do serious training. To help my athletes, I have put together a “Ten Commandments of Dieting”, which allows them to gain fitness and loss weight. 1. Drink lots of Water: The fullness … read more »
What is Lactate Threshold
Lactate Threshold (LT) is the most important trainable physiological benchmark in endurance training and performance. By definition, LT is the point where your body produces more lactic acid than it can remove. In reality, a person's LT is the best predictor of performance. It is a true indicator of how hard they have trained and how capable they are of exercising close to their aerobic potential (VO2max). As exercise intensity increases, so does your lactic … read more »
What is VO2max
Maximum aerobic capacity, maximum oxygen consumption, or VO2Max, is a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen your body can process. It also provides a quantitative measure of a person's capacity for ATP (energy) resynthesis. VO2max is expressed in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute or ml/kg/min. VO2Max is primarily determined by genetics and is also connected to other physiologic factors such as heart size, stroke volume, blood hemoglobin levels, oxidative … read more »
WOMEN’S HEALTH: Female Athlete Triad
"The cinder track was strewn with wretched damsels in agonizing distress." From article published in New York Times following female 800 meter race in 1928 Olympics. FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD Female participation in all sports has grown considerably over the last several decades. For some female athletes, the pressure to keep body weight low and training heavy has lead to disordered eating, loss of menstrual cycle (amenorrhea), and bone loss (osteoporosis). These three symptoms grouped together … read more »