“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 build confidence, it also allows you to plan alternative strategies and consider your tactical responses given certain race situations.

Not all workouts throughout your preparation for the race are of equal value when it comes to predicting race readiness. The Base period merely prepares you for the challenging workouts of the Build period, which typically starts 10 to 12 weeks prior to race day. The workouts in Base are seldom good predictors. The Build weeks leading up to the start of the Peak period, or “taper,” is the most critical time in the season. How your training goes during the 8 or 9 weeks of Build largely determines how well you will race. Many of these Build sessions will tell you if progress is being made.

During Build you should be getting frequent feedback from training sessions that serve as indicators –  predictors – of how you will do on race day. If all is going well these predictors should steadily improve so that by the time you start to taper, 2 or 3 weeks prior to the race, there is little doubt that you will be race-ready. The most important question is: What are good predictors?

Below I’ve listed several commonly used metrics – things that are measurable in training sessions – which are often used to get this “how am I progressing” feedback. Some metrics are better predictors than others. I’ve categorized them here as Weak, Moderate, and Strong Performance Predictors. I primarily rely on Strong predictors whenever possible. These are the most likely to give you reliable clues as to how race day will go. But occasionally I’ll check a Moderate predictor just because there hasn’t been a recent Strong indicator. Also, several Moderate indicators all indicating the same trend may well be a strong predictor.

We may disagree on whether or not a predictor is Weak, Moderate, or Strong. And, in fact, for some athletes who are training for unique events, what is usually a Moderate predictor may be Strong. Weak predictors are unlikely to make the leap all the way up to Strong.

The metrics I’ve listed below are not all-inclusive. They are the ones I commonly get from analysis software such as TrainingPeaks or WKO+. 

There are other personal metrics I haven’t listed that for some may prove to be Strong performance predictors. For example, depending on the athlete and the event terrain, watts per kilogram (“w/kg”) or pounds per inch of height could be a Strong predictor.  An athlete who is carrying excess weight potentially will race better simply by dropping a few pounds/kilograms even if all other metrics change.  But for other athletes weight may not be limiting performance at all. All that’s included below are session-related data.

I frequently refer below to “key workouts.”  I define these as the most important sessions in a Build period training week. They are usually either high intensity, long duration, or both.  They generally fall into the category of “advanced abilities” as described in my Training Bible books: muscular endurance, anaerobic endurance, and sprint power. Race simulation sessions are always key workouts. Other key sessions may be intervals, repeats, hill training, or group workouts – whatever is critical to your preparation.

Weak Performance Predictors

● Max or lactate threshold heart rate

● Average cadence for a workout or week

● Weekly miles/kilometers/hours/TSS

● Calories/kilojoules expended/produced per week

● Feet or meters of vertical ascent in a week (“VAM”)

● Time in heart rate/power/pace/speed zones per week

Moderate Performance Predictors

● Minimal heart rate increase or power fade at aerobic event intensity – “Decoupling” (P:HR)

● Improving power/pace relative to aerobic heart rate over time – “Efficiency Factor” (EF)

● “Performance Management Chart” (PMC) data – “CTL,” “ATL,” and “TSB.”

● Distance/duration of key workouts

● Event-specific pacing of key workouts (“Variability Index”)

● Power Profile comparisons

● Event-specific calories/kilojoules expended/produced in key workouts

● Event-specific “Training Stress Score” (TSS) for key workouts

● Previous performance in the same event

● Time in power/pace zones in key workouts

● “Rating of Perceived Exertion” (RPE) relative to power/pace in key workouts

Strong Performance Predictors

● Functional Threshold Power/Pace (“FTP”)

● Peak power/pace for event-critical durations (6 sec, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 3 hours, or etc)

● The accumulation of seasonal-best peak power/pace in the last few weeks of Build

● Event-specific power/pace for an event-specific duration in key workouts

● Recent tune-up race performance

Why Base Training

by James Greenwood

You may have wondered if these training sessions are completely necessary. Surely to get fitter, you need to training harder or in order to go faster you need to train faster.
Well the logic makes sense, unfortunately the opposite is in fact true. Before we look at few of the most important reasons to continually train to develop your Aerobic fitness base, I would like to look at 3 important Principles of training (there are many others, but these 3 are the "main ones"), that will help you better understand the importance of Base conditioning:

1. The Specificity principle:

2. The Progression principle:

We have all heard of athletes who have, at the last minute, decided to take part in an event, without sufficient time to prepare for it. They have trained very hard, over the short amount of time available to them, and have either had a terrible race, or have ended up with injury.

They tried to do "To much to soon" and the body was unable to cope with, and adapt to the stress placed upon it.

The end result - Dysfunction and ultimately breakdown.

3. The Adaptation principle:

The body requires a certain amount of stress stimuli placed upon it to force it to adapt to the new demands imposed upon it.

Each system (Muscular, Skeletal, Cardio-Respiratory) requires a different amount of time to adapt to the training stimulus.

With a progressive increase (progression principle) in training volume or intensity, the body will improve steadily without the risk of injury.

Armed with this knowledge, let's go into a little more detail on the importance of Base conditioning.

Working at lower intensities for progressively longer periods of time, allows the body sufficient time to adapt to the Training stimulus.

The Muscular system adapts a lot faster to stress and imposed demands placed upon it, than the Skeletal system . This means that even though the muscle might be capable of handling a 60 minute moderate paced run, the bones, ligaments and tendons might not be, and this can lead to inflammation or ultimately things such as stress fractures and other injuries.

Base training makes sure the Principle of Specificity of Energy Systems is taken into account when training.

The primary energy pathways used during your running event is the Aerobic pathway - Carbohydrate and Fats are used for energy.

Developing the bodies ability to use a greater amount of Fat and rely less on Carbohydrates, means you will be able to continue running for longer, without "running out" of energy.

It also means that that your body becomes a more efficient system, using less energy to do more work.

On that note, keep in mind that increased concentrations of Lactic Acid in the body "shut down" the bodies ability to process and use Fat as an energy source, so keeping activity at a lower intensity has a direct impact on what energy source the body is able to use.

Your Aerobic Base is like the foundation of a building. If it is a shallow foundation, the building will not be stable.

 

The larger the Base, the better you will be able to tolerate the higher intensity demands placed on your Physiological systems later in the program.

Your Aerobic Base is not created over a season, or 2. It is developed over many season od training, and takes time and patience to develop.

If you are thinking that training slow = racing slow, then you are 100% correct. HOWEVER - there is a time and a place for everything, and right now is not the time to be thinking about speed.

As the program progresses toward your event, there will be a change in focus from the Aerobic to the Anaerobic, from the slow to the faster.

A good level of Aerobic conditioning will allow you to get the most out of your Interval training when it begins, later on in your training program.

So for now, just go slow!

James Greenwood is a competitive tri and multisport athlete currently training for Ironman Canada 2009. A level 1 Triathlon Coach, he holds a post graduate degree in Exercise Science, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA. James is also currently the resident health and fitness programs expert at MyPypeline.com, and has starred in a number of multisport specific fitness videos.

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 phosphate). Most significantly, periodization is the best way to promote the training effect, which consists of changes in your cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems that result in greater speed and endurance on the bike.

 To develop an effective training program, it is important to understand the foundation of periodization. This foundation consists of three cycles: macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles.

 The Macrocycle

 The macrocycle is the longest of the three cycles and includes all four stages of a periodized training program (e.g., endurance, intensity, competition and recovery). Because macrocycles incorporate all 52 weeks of your annual plan, they provide you with a bird's-eye view of your training regimen and allow you to facilitate long-range planning.

 For example, if you want to peak for a national championship event one year from now, you can mark that date on your calendar and work backwards to create a program that allows you to peak at that time. You can use the same process to identify several major events throughout the year and develop a plan that facilitates multiple fitness peaks. Remember, because of its length, you will always make changes to your macrocycle throughout the year.

 The Mesocycle

 The mesocycle represents a specific block of training that is designed to accomplish a particular goal. For instance, during the endurance phase, you might develop a mesocycle designed to enhance your aerobic endurance (the ability to use oxygen to produce energy for the muscles over an extended period of time). This mesocycle might consist of three weeks of increasingly long rides, and one week of recovery.

 Similarly, you could develop a mesocycle for the intensity phase that is designed to improve your functional threshold power (the highest average power, measured in watts that you can sustain for one hour). This mesocycle might include three weeks of lactate threshold intervals followed by a week of recovery.

 During the competition phase, you could develop a mesocycle that improves your neuromuscular power, which is the ability to pedal a very big gear, at a very high cadence for a short period of time (i.e., sprinting). This mesocycle might include four long sprint interval workouts and four short sprint interval workouts over a three week period.

 You can even develop a mesocycle for the recovery stage of training. Of course, the primary goal of this mesocycle will be to rest and recuperate, but it will also include a series of easy rides designed to enhance the recovery process.

 Mesocycles are typically three or four weeks in length. Two very common mesocycles consist of 21 and 28-day training blocks. For example, a 25-year old experienced competitor might use a 23/5 training pattern (i.e., a 28-day mesocycle). This consists of 23 days of relatively hard work followed by 5 days of recovery and easy spinning. Conversely, an older or less-experienced cyclist may opt for a 16/5 training pattern (i.e., a 21-day mesocycle) that includes 16 days of hard training followed by 5 days of recovery.

 If you are unsure about which option to choose, I suggest you begin with a 21-day mesocycle and shift to the longer option when you are ready for a harder challenge. Conversely, if you are currently using a 28-day mesocycle and are dealing with recurring fatigue, use the shorter mesocycle, which provides you with more time to recover.

 The Microcyle

 A microcycle is the shortest training cycle, typically lasting a week with the goal of facilitating a focused block of training. An example of this is an endurance block where a cyclist strings three or four long rides together within one week to progressively overload training volume.

 Another example incorporates block training, which consists of very hard workouts for two or three consecutive days followed by an equal amount of recovery (days off or very easy rides). This would constitute an intensity microcycle where the goal is to improve key physiological abilities such as lactate threshold (the highest intensity a fit cyclist can maintain for 60 minutes) and aerobic capacity (the maximum amount of oxygen the body can consume during high intensity exercise). Generally speaking, three or four microcycles are tied together to form a mesocycle.

 Why did you name your business KONA?

Kailua-Kona or Kona is a city on the Big Island of Hawaii and home of the Ironman World Championship.  Following my graduation from college and  recovering from a torn ACL injury, I started to gain some weight and became less of an athlete than I was accustomed to.   One day, I watched this event called the Hawaii Ironman on TV. What was this Ironman event?   It was captivating to me yet I thought it was the craziest thing I had ever seen.   I couldn't fathom that people actually had the physical capacity to compete and finish a  race of this distance. I was a successful athlete in high school and college.  I participated in football, basketball, and baseball but I couldn't swim one length in a pool and it had been years since I gave up my little 16" Schwinn  for riding in a car.  I figured it was time to get off the couch and try something new.  With the help of a friend, we began training for triathlons.  This was a new frontier for me. I began cycling first, then headed to the pool to learn a new skill I'd never acquired,  freestyle swimming.  It took me a long time to master the swim stroke and breathing at the same time.  I didn't float very well.  But I can remember the moment like yesterday when it all came together, the swimming and the breathing and I stopped in the pool, smiled and said to myself, "I got it!". I also took up long-distance running and began to increase my distance, shed the extra weight I had put on and I achieved a level of fitness I never had with my other activities.

In the beginning, I started competing in smaller triathlons but I always felt the draw of the Big Island.  Each year, I would wait in ernest for the Ironman Hawaii.  To read about it in Sports Illustrated and to watch the playback of the race on ABC's Wide World Of Sport.  The event had become captivating to me and I watched the sport evolve year after year.  You could see and feel the sport taking roots and I often imagined myself riding my bike on the Queen K highway and running down Alii Drive and crossing the finish line.

In 1998, after several knee surgeries and now coping with severe arthritis, I was at the end of my 20 year triathlon career.   I finally got accepted  to participte in Ironman Hawaii. It didn't matter that I could barely run, being there was a dream-come-true and finishing was absolutely an extraordinary experience. I was finally an "Ironman." I couldn't stop thinking of the past and how I dreamed of being here. What a thrill!

Why KONA?  I chose KONA because  it symbolizes having a goal and never stopping until you accomplish it.  I had to endure graduate school, work, post-graduate school, changing jobs and relocating, numerous surgeries, knee pain, foot pain, more work, etc..  But whatever I did or wherever I went, I always took with me my dream of doing Ironman Hawaii. 

Now, I want to pass this experience of accomplishment on to my clients.  I want them to set a goal(s) and never give up. I want them to experience the joy. I want them to work hard and never give up.

That's how I live life and that's how I roll. And that's why I picked KONA.

The Starting Line

October 31, 2012

by: Andrew O'Brien | Associate Editor Palm Coast Observer

 John Pieczonka was left in a ditch on the side of A1A after he was hit by a car while on a training ride. He still plans to compete in next month's Ironman competition.

It was a sunny May 2012 day in Flagler Beach. After saying goodbye to his girlfriend, John Pieczonka hopped on his bicycle and set off on a 13-mile ride.

It would be his final tune-up before leaving for Hawaii in three days to compete June 2 in the Ironman Hawaii 70.3 — a half-Ironman in which participants swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and then run 13.1 miles.

There was no way Pieczonka could know that tune-up would be his last ride for some time.

“It was a beautiful day, much like today,” Pieczonka said last week, looking out of a window and up toward the gleaming sun.

With three miles left in his ride on that day in May, Pieczonka was heading south on A1A, about one mile from High Bridge Road.

“The next thing I know, I woke up in somebody’s arms,” Pieczonka recalls. “She was holding my arm and said I was just hit by a car.” The driver hadn't stopped. It was a hit-and-run.

He was incoherent and in denial. The woman had called the emergency contact numbers listed on Pieczonka’s Road ID, a bracelet that he wears at all times. An ambulance was en route.

 Pieczonka was stubborn, though. He got up and started walking his bike south on A1A heading home. About a quarter-mile later, a pickup truck slowed down and asked him if he was OK. Pieczonka, who was covered in blood from road rash, told the driver that he was fine, but would like a lift home. And so, he threw is mangled bike into the bed of the truck and jumped in.

When he got home, his girlfriend at the time, who was a flight attendant, had just landed at Orlando International Airport. Panicked, she called him to find out what happened after getting a voicemail from the woman who found him. Pieczonka told her that he felt fine. He was just tired and wanted to sleep, he told her.

After some convincing, however, he drove himself to Florida Hospital Flagler. He was eventually diagnosed with a dislocated left shoulder with some ligament damage, a broken bone in the bottom of his left foot and a concussion with frontal lobe brain injury.

Because of the concussion, doctors ordered him not to fly. Heading to Hawaii wasn’t an option. He had to withdraw from the race.

Proving people wrong

Pieczonka is an extremist.

He mountain climbs, kite surfs and loves spontaneity.

Now 32, he has lived in Flagler Beach for the past four years after relocating from Jacksonville. He’s always been an athlete, playing baseball and wrestling through high school.

But as he got older, life happened. He was busy with work and lost his focus on sports. He packed on weight, going from about 160 pounds, to around 220.

He was at a New Year’s Eve party in 2010 when he told his friends that he wanted to start running. He told them that someday, he'd run the Gate River Run — a 15-kilometer race in Jacksonville.

Pieczonka’s friends laughed. That was typical him: all talk, no game. He would say he’d do something, but he would never follow through. “If I started something, it wouldn’t last long,” Pieczonka said.

But he got into a groove.

“Everyone would see me running down A1A, and they knew I was finally committed to it,” he said.

It started with running about three miles per week, but that soon grew to more than 30 miles.

It became an addiction. As 2011 wore on, he competed in a couple half-marathons (13.1 miles), including the Daytona Beach Half Marathon, when he finished in about 1 hour, 40 minutes.

He suffered his first serious injury, a partially torn Achilles in his left leg, which put him in a walking boot and forced him to miss about two months. But in March, he was able to take the boot off in time to compete in the Gate River Run, just as he promised his friends.

At this point, everything was perfect, Pieczonka said. Two months after the run, he was as healthy as he could hope to be. He had picked up cycling as a training tool and loved it so much that he was preparing for his first Ironman — which also was going to be the first time he ran a sanctioned full marathon.

And then the car knocked him to the pavement on A1A.

Nothing but a surfboard and a wallet

Pieczonka is also a human.

But after the hit-and-run accident, Pieczonka was lost. Within a month, his girlfriend broke up with him. He was heartbroken, he said. Instead of lacing up his running shoes, he turned to a bottle of vodka.

“I lost focus,” he said. “I was hit by a car and my girlfriend broke up with me. That’s a lot to take in that month.”

When he did run, it was because people doubted him, not because he wanted to be doing it.

Eventually, one of his best friends, Dave Fiala — who is also listed as a contact on Pieczonka’s Road ID — reached out. Fiala knew his friend was going through tough times, and so he told Pieczonka to forget about training and get back to surfing.

A week later, Pieczonka decided to take a surfing trip to El Salvador. He left with the bare necessities: a surf board, flip flops, a tooth brush, shorts and a wallet. He didn’t have a place to stay. No plans where he would eat.

“When I landed, the taxi driver asked me where I need to go, and I told him, ‘Just take me to the beach,’” Pieczonka said. “I went there unprepared.”

He spent five days in El Salvador, mostly surfing, but also reconnecting with himself.

When he came back, he reached out to his running coach, John Josephs, of Kona Human Performance.

Josephs told him to just register for any kind of race. In July, Pieczonka ended up running in a 5K, in Jacksonville.

With four months until the 2012 Ironman Florida, Pieczonka was refocused.

He got his bike fixed from the accident and started to run. He hadn’t been training to swim because of his shoulder injury. He said that when he would surf, he would have to use his wrists mostly to paddle out.

For about the last month, Pieczonka has really picked up his training. He’s run a half-marathon to gauge his fitness level.

“Everyone keeps asking me if I’m afraid,” he said. “I’m going to do the Ironman. I’ve already put in one withdrawal in this year, and that was the worst thing ever.”

And so, at 7 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, Pieczonka will be in the brisk water off the coast of Panama City Beach. He’ll take off on a 2.4-mile swim. Because of his shoulder, he said he’ll freestyle on the way out and then breaststroke on the way in.

After that, if he feels good, he’ll lock in his shoes to the pedals on his bike and ride 112 miles. And if he still feels OK, he’ll set off on a 26.2-mile run.

The ultimate goal: finish the combined course of 140.6 miles under the 17-hour time limit.

Easier said than done, but Pieczonka would love to finish the entire course. How would it feel to finish?

“I really don’t know,” he said Tuesday, after a long pause. “I really don’t know how it’s going to feel. It would be amazing. I’ll have friends there holding a hamburger and a beer, my two favorite things. But just getting to the starting line is a win for me after all I’ve been through.”

John Josephs, MS, CSCS

It’s that time of year again.  The days are getting shorter and the naps are getting longer.  You find yourself spending more time on the sofa than on your bike.  It sounds like a bad thing, but really isn’t.  It’s nature’s way of protecting you from yourself.  The body is just reacting to your DNA. You are programmed to sleep and eat more as winter approaches.  Therefore, it is important that you understand the dynamics of the changing seasons and the affects it has on you.  Be smart, be prepared and have a plan for the off-season. 

First and foremost you should allow adequate time to rest. You do not, however, want to lose all the fitness you worked so hard to acquire.  Take a few weeks off and enjoy some free time.  Read, listen to music, go for walks or just sit around and do nothing.  Try to relax completely and take a break.  Reward yourself and let your body recover.   More importantly, let your mind recuperate and regain the passion to train.  Do not underestimate mental fatigue.  It is real and it can be harmful.  Think of it as recharging your battery.

On the other hand, do not overextend or prolong your hiatus.  If you do, you might be headed for trouble. Winter depression may be considered a symptom of Seasonal Affective Disorders (SAD).  SADs develop as part of the body's response to changes in season and a reduction in exposure to light.[1] 

Some of the common symptoms of winter depression include the following:

·         Increased appetite with weight gain

·         Increased sleep and daytime sleepiness

·         Less energy and ability to concentrate in the afternoon

·         Loss of interest in work or other activities

·         Social withdrawal

·         Unhappiness and irritability

Next, begin to exercise with a variety of different aerobic activities such as jogging, hiking, mountain biking, etc.  But whatever you choose, have fun. In addition, start a functional, movement-based, strength training program.  Start your training slowly.  Allow your body to adapt.  Your muscles are usually stronger than your connective tissue at the joints and this is where most injuries occur. In order to avoid injury, use body weight resistance before progressing to weighted resistance.

At the most basic level, your training goals should be focused first and foremost on function and movement fundamentals.  You should start by using your time in the gym to make sure your body becomes 100% functional. You should be able to perform all of the movements that are necessary to function safely in your environment that accommodate your lifestyle or sport(s) preference.  Every movement the body performs can be broken down into a specific or a series of movement patterns. The Seven Primal Movement Patterns, developed by Paul Chek[2], identifies specific movements that mimic actions performed in ancient times.  Man, at one time, was primarily a hunter/gatherer. Therefore, Chek’s philosophy holds a different view from the conventional approach to exercise and focuses on stimulating the body and the mind in an environment similar to nature.  These movements were not invented. They are part and parcel to every human being. You can use your imagination to see how these movements were applied by our ancestors to hunt, survive and sustain life.

The Seven Primal Movement Patterns are:

1.       Squatting – Bending at the knees and the hips, while keeping the back straight. 

2.       Lunging - Stepping forward with just one leg, and bending that leg downward.

3.       Pushing- Using the arms, chest, and shoulders to force away or up from the body.

4.       Pulling- Using the arms, chest, and shoulders, as well as the legs, to pull a weight towards the body.

5.       Bending- Flexing and extending at the waist in a standing position. 

6.       Twisting- Involves turning and rotating with the torso to apply a force, usually in combination with other primal movement patterns such as pulling, pushing, or lunging.

7.       Gait or locomotion- Involves moving by walking, jogging, or sprinting.

Every person should be able to perform each of the movements listed above in order to accomplish basic activities, such as, loading groceries or lifting boxes without risk of injury.  An athlete has to perform at an advanced level and combine multiple movements at faster speeds.  The basic movement patterns can be viewed as building blocks. Once they are learned, they can be combined to become more complex skills used in sports like cycling, swimming, running, etc.  Therefore, it is essential that your body is trained in a specific manner in order to handle advanced movements without the risk of injury.

All human movements are patterned and organized.  They have predictable and repeatable elements as seen in sports and games.  A movement pattern is a specific sequence of muscle activation. Any movement can be described as a normal or an abnormal pattern.  These patterns are stored in the central nervous system (CNS).   If a person develops a faulty movement pattern, they will be less efficient and are more likely to get injured.  Faulty movement patterns can result from poor posture, muscular imbalances or a recent or previous injury.  Through multiple repetitions, a faulty movement pattern can become established and replace the normal pattern. 

What is a normal movement pattern?  Most often, we judge a movement pattern by a joint’s range of motion and the combined participation of the correct muscles to activate a movement and the correct muscles to balance and stabilize a movement.  Dr. Vladimir Janda, in his research of movement patterns, established the norms for certain movement sequences using EMG technology and working out ways of recognizing, facilitating and reinforcing efficient patterns of movement[3].  If a person is injured, they often compensate and develop a faulty movement pattern. When the muscle groups are not functioning properly, they would use "trick" movements or “muscle through” a movement as a survival mechanism using the wrong muscles in the wrong sequence.  This pattern, if repeated often enough, would become imprinted in the CNS and then develop into a normal pattern and become potentially injurious.

Primitive movement patterns are one way of describing fundamental movements most humans discover during growth and development.[4]  Cook and Burton recommend using the functional movement screen as one of your tools to uncover an individual's dysfunction and then work to correct it.  Every personal trainer or fitness facility should offer a static and dynamic assessment to every client prior to the initiation of training to identify limitations and asymmetries.  Paramount in this assessment is identifying muscular imbalances, immobility and instability. Many individuals/athletes have basic movement pattern asymmetries and limitations without associated pain. The identification and correction of these patterns will not only improve their ability to excel in his or her sport, but may also reduce their risk of injury in the future. Once a basic postural and functional movement screening is performed, the client is ready to be trained using the information obtained from the assessment.  For example, if a person cannot stabilize their core properly, they should not perform exercises that will load (i.e. squat, dead lift, etc) their trunk.  If a person has tight hamstrings, they should not perform hamstring curls.  If the fitness facility does not offer this service and/or your trainer does not understand how to perform or interpret an assessment, I would recommend that you take your business elsewhere and seek out a competent, professional trainer and a facility that does.

Start your off-season strength training plan now with basic movement patterns.  Emphasis in functional movement training should be placed not only on movement patterns, but also on pattern quality and pattern efficiency. Correct movement patterns should be accomplished before more resistance is added. This will build a good foundation to improve your overall body strength safely and improve your chances of achieving a higher level of fitness next season without the risk of injury.

Train hard, train smart!

John Josephs has a MS degree in Exercise Science and Cardiac Rehabilitation and is a Certified Clinical Perfusionist.   He is a USA Cycling Level 1 Coach with Distinction and Power Based Coach, as well as, a National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.  John was a triathlete for over 25 years, the 1994 National Short Course Champion, Clydesdale Division and is a two-time finisher of the Hawaii Ironman.  In addition, he has completed several ultra-endurance cycling events such as the Mont Ventoux Triple, the Death Valley Double Century Fall and Spring Edition, and the Triple Bypass in Colorado.  He is currently a staff perfusionist at St. Vincent’s Medical Center and the owner of KONA Human Performance in Jacksonville, FL.

BASE TRAINING

By John Josephs, MS, CSCS

            Now is the time to start your preseason training for 2012.  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 season.  Athletes generally feel it is counterintuitive to slow down to get faster, however, you cannot maintain your fitness indefinitely without a break  from high intensity training.  Establishing a solid, early season base now will enable your legs to recover from the previous year’s training and mentally allow you to mentally rejuvenate your spirit and prepare for harder training sessions later in the year.  Physiologically, your body will create additional capillaries and develop mitochondria.  These circulatory and cellular adaptations will give you that performance advantage due to an increase in oxygen delivery and extraction.

       If you train with a Heart-Rate monitor, keep your HR between 65-80% of your maximum HR.  If you train with a power meter, train initially in the endurance, level 2 training zone (Coggan’s Power Zones) and add some tempo, level 3 training after a few weeks of adaptation and building a good aerobic base.  If you train "naked", (neither HR nor Power), pay attention to your perceived exertion (see Borg’s Perceived Exertion Scale), keep it below 15.  Do not allow yourself to become short of breath or experience the sensation of excessive burning in your leg muscles.  If either of these occurs, throttle back on the intensity!  You’re working too hard!  A good rule of thumb for early season riding is to stay in the small chain ring and concentrate on spinning and keeping your cadence smooth, between 90-110 rpms.  You may supplement your training with muscle tension drills (big chain ring, low cadence) or isolated leg drills to build additional strength and efficiency.  Excursions into the high training, anaerobic zones may complement a well-designed training plan but these workouts should be limited.  Consult a USA Cycling certified coach for more information.

Remember, ride your ride and follow YOUR plan!  

 John Josephs, MS, CSCS

Level 1 Certified Coach, USA Cycling

"Don’t get caught up with keeping up."

 

My wife, Tara, and I are avid bicyclists.  We recently returned from a trip to Maui to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and renew our wedding vows on April 12, 2012.  While in Maui, we agreed to climb Mt Haleakala, a 10,000 foot volcano and cycling destination of many eager cyclists looking for an adventure.  We embraced this challenge as a celebration of our common interests and 10 years of being together.  We are from Jacksonville, FL.  We expected beaches, palm trees and warm weather.   We did not expect the weather to be so extreme in Hawaii.  However, in hindsight, having traveled and being an experienced cyclist, as well as a cycling coach, I should have known better. 

Description by Climbbybike.com:  Cyclists should be prepared for any type of weather enroute and as much as a 30 degree temperature change. The climb starts in the historic north shore town of Paia and winds its way upcountry through sugar cane and pineapple fields past the Paniolo town of Makawao and into the scenic pasture lands of Olinda. Ride along rolling fields and through Eucalyptus groves enroute to pine forests at the 6,500 tree line. Beyond the tree line is another 11 quad burning miles as the road traverses up the side of the dormant volcano Haleakala.

The Mt. Haleakala is situated in Hawaii . Starting from Paia Maui, the Mt. Haleakala ascent is 56.9 km long. Over this distance, you climb 2959 heightmeters or 10,000 feet. The average percentage is thus 5.3 % and the maximum is 12%.

**Rated 5^th Most Difficult Climb, climbbybike.com

On Tuesday, April 10, 2012 we set out on our adventure from Paia toward the summit of Mt. Haleakala, nearly 40 mile away.  The weather was less than desirable from the start.  It was very windy; the temperature was cool, by Hawaiian and Floridian standards, not Alaskan standards.  The mountain was engulfed in heavy clouds as you can see from the photo.  As we started to ascend to higher elevations, the temperature dropped and it began to rain. A few days earlier, on Easter Sunday, we witnesses the sunrise from Mt. Haleakala. The temperature that morning was 38 degrees (I can hear you laughing in Homer, Alaska!). We were not prepared for these weather conditions.

By 6,000 or 7,000 feet, I attempted to negotiate with my wife to depart from our original plan and return another day.  She was having no part of it and said, "Let’s just get it over with."    I acquiesced and pressed on  I was hoping to make it to the top, and then by some miracle of Mother Nature, return quickly to more favorable conditions.  What were we thinking?  Making it to the summit was a struggle and took us over 5 hours.  We did not realize that the adventure was just starting.  We quickly took some pictures and headed down the mountain.

Descending off the mountain was ridiculously cold because of the wind chill brought on by gravity and the speed on our bikes.    I already was shivering near the summit of Haleakala….going up.  The cold winds and driving rain hammered us as we cautiously navigated our way down Haleakala on the slick, wet road surface.  My fingers were numb and the cold winds felt hard against my face.  I was inadequately dressed for these conditions and had very little protection from the downhill winds.  My clothes were totally soaked with a combination of sweat and rain, which now was stinging my body.  My shivering became more violent as my body took control trying to maintain a normal core temperature and prevent further heat loss.  My concerns for my wife and myself escalated.  Our collective thought was, the quicker we get to the bottom, the warmer it will be.  Wrong!  The quicker we tried to get to the bottom, the colder we became. 

We never made it to the bottom.  The symptoms of violent shivering, confusion, and poor judgment becomes more apparent when moderate hypothermia sets in at a body temperature of 82-90 degrees.   Now, I was worried about one of us having an accident.  I finally stopped as the distance between my wife and I increased.   “Where is she?” I thought. She finally appeared out of the thick cloud from one of the many hairpin turns and pulled up aside of me.   I told her, “I’m in trouble.”  I asked her how she felt.  She replied, “I’m in trouble too.”  No more negotiating.  She was shivering and the color of her shin was an ashen grey.  Not a good color for her.  I tried to call 911 but we had no phone signal.  “Are you kidding me,” I thought.  Our only option at this point was to flag someone down, ask for help, and to get off the mountain ASAP.   That afternoon, there were not many cars on the mountain due to the weather conditions and time of day.  As we engaged in the international sign-of-distress and waved our arms over our head, the few cars that passed us showed little signs of mercy and had no intentions of stopping.  I work in the medical field and only envisioned a very bad conclusion to this day.  I was playing different scenarios out in my head.  Finally.....a car stopped. I was never so happy to see a Buick.   A couple from Homer, Alaska (population 5,364) stopped to help us.  They placed our bikes in the trunk of their rental car and offered us a ride back to our departure point, Paia, in spite of the fact that they had dinner plans with friends.  “Wow,” I thought, “are we lucky.”  They’re our Guardian Angels!  They turned up the heat in the car.  “Where’s Homer,” I asked, trying to be friendly and appear somewhat unaffected by the ordeal, but all I heard was, “blah, blah, blah.”  My thoughts were so blurred that I probably also missed them telling us that Homer, Alaska is the home of Tom Bodett, known for the "We'll leave the light on for you” Motel 6 advertisements.  The Bodett gesture must be the  standard set on how to treat your fellow man and acting toward one another in Homer.  I was mindful enough to observe that they were selfless, caring and helpful.  After 20 minutes of shivering, being incoherent, and saying we’re sorry, Tara and I started to feal better.  The heater in the car was running at full blast and the windows were up to help us get warm.  The couple from Homer were probably developing hyperthemia in the front seat as my wife and I were recovering from hypothermia in the back seat.. . Condensation began to build on the inside of the windshield.   We made some small talk and I offer them compensation for their generosity but they told us to pay it forward with a kind deed to someone in need in the future.   I knew I was feeling better when I regained my sense of humor and blurted out, “Why is it so hot in here!”  That lightened things up. They wiped the sweat from their brow, rolled the windows down and turned the heat down a few clicks. 

I regret that I didn't have enough sense to get their name and address so we could contact them and offer our appreciation for all they did for us.  I do know that he is a XXXXXX and she works for XXXXXXX.  How many citizens from Homer were in Maui during the week of April 9, 2012 meet this profile?  I am writing this note to the citizens of Homer to:

1.  find the names of this couple and give them the deserved recognition they are entitled for their kind deeds.  Homer should be very proud to have citizens so willing to help perfect strangers in distress.
2.  obtain their names and address so we can properly thank them.

To the couple from Homer, Alaska, Tara and I would like to thank you for stopping.  You saved out butts  !!We really appreciate what you did for us that day.  We will never forget your thoughtfulness and generosity.  In addition, Tara would also like to return the sweatshirt you gave her.

Thank you with much gratitude.

John and Tara Josephs

Addition: 

I felt badly about my first experience on the volcano.  I didn’t want to leave Maui with a bad Mt. Haleakala story so I decided to climb it again 3 days later.  The weather was beautiful and it was a perfect day to be cycling.  Tara met me on top so I didn’t have to descend….. just in case.  I kept looking over my shoulder for the couple from Homer, Alaska to drive by in their Buick.  I imagined their conversation to go something like this….looking to his wife, he asked, “Hey, isn’t that the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ we picked up a few days ago?”

 Misssion Accomplished

Reply from City of Homer:

Hello,
With a little investigative work I was able to track down the good Samaritans that came to your rescue. They are XXXXX and XXXXX  XXXXXX.  It sounds like your wife and you went through quite an ordeal before you reached the safety of the XXXXXXXX's back seat. I am glad it all worked out.

Thank you, 


XXXXXXXXXXXXX                                                     

Reply

Hello John!

 You are most welcome!  Greg and I are SO glad you and Tara are ok!  We were really worried about you and your recovery.

 Thank you for the kind words!  It is funny how you found us!!  XXXX from the City called me yesterday about your email.  I work with several of the ladies there and they knew I was going on vacation.  When they started talking about your email, they put 2 and 2 together.  Homer is such a small town, you can’t get away with anything!!

 Glad you made it back to the mountain to leave with a good memory!  We had a fabulous trip, truly the best vacation ever and we were honored to be in the right spot when you needed a hand!

 If you ever make it to Alaska, be sure to come to Homer, just make sure you bring your warm clothes!!!

 Cheers!

These are all very legitimate questions.  So then, why should you purchase a power meter? Why not just get a pair of aerodynamic racing wheels.

Let me start by saying you do not need a power meter if:

·         Cycling is recreational.

·         You’re not a numbers person.

·         You’re not interested in racing or result.

·         You could care less about your watts, speed or heart rate.

If you enjoy the pure essence of the sport of cycling and it is more social and pleasure than physical, save your money and enjoy the ride.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  However, if you are a driven, goal-oriented person who wants to improve your overall results, you may want to seriously consider purchasing a power meter.  Training with a power meter will give you the biggest “bang for your buck” in results and elevate your training program to the next level.  The feedback of watts and power, both expressions of energy output on the bike, and what it means is invaluable information in the hands of the right person.  You are more likely to achieve your race goals by training—and racing—with a power meter than without.   You will be able to define your strengths and weaknesses. Training with a power meter is the most effective tool you can get to go faster and be stronger on a bike.  If you had valuable power information on the people you were racing against, it would give you great insight into their specific abilities and allow you to properly strategize.

Heart Rate Monitor

Other devices, such as a heart rate (HR) monitors, are basic intensity-measuring devices and have serious limitations.  HR is a response to your effort and is not real-time information. Certain types of training require real-time information.  A power meter gives immediate feedback to pedal force and cadence.  There is no delay.  HR may lag behind effort by as much as 30 seconds.  In addition, heart rate is influenced by many variables including temperature and humidity, hydration, stress, sleep and other factors not related to performance. Power is not. Power is power!  Monitoring heart rate is very useful in situations when concerns about hydration status are necessary.  The subtle “HR drift” is valuable feedback because it indicates the need for an increase in fluid intake.  The use of a HR monitoring while performing interval training is of little value because the interval might be over while HR is still increasing.  Training is not just about the HR.  It is about muscles and energy systems and a power meter allows us to make the most of these factors.

Perceived Exertion

I rely more on my “perceived exertion” than HR as an intensity monitoring method. It’s crude, yet effective.  In addition, training with a power meter has made me more sensitive and aware of my exertion.  I have an “inner awareness” of how hard I am working, an acuity that has been developed over many years of training with power.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Training with a power meter is a very effective training tool if used correctly.  Testing and retesting is an important component of power meter training.  The training plan begins with a power test to measure an individual’s various physiologic parameters and energy systems.  From the test results, a cyclist’s training zones can be established, as well as, drawing attention to their strengths and weaknesses.  In the past, we had to rely on subjective information to identify strengths and weaknesses and many times we were wrong.  Now with the objective data derived from a power meter, there is no more guessing.  Weaknesses are exposed.  Training plans can now be improved.  They can be individualized and specific to the training weakness and goals of the individual.  Most people concentrate on training their strengths and ignoring their weaknesses.  It’s easier and it’s more fun doing what we are good at.  Training our weaknesses is one method to optimize this training tool and to make us a better cyclist.  Follow up testing is a great way to measure fitness and progress.  Improvements in power will necessitate restructuring the training zones to keep training intensity relevant and to see where we need additional work. 

Training and Racing

Endurance athletes are defined by their “engine.”  This term usually describes their cardiovascular system and various energy systems.  How can they improve and make the “engine” bigger and better?  One way is to following the basic training principles.  Another is to develop their own training plan or to hire a certified cycling coach.  A coach should be certified, preferably by USA Cycling, and be knowledgeable in training with a power meter. Training principles, as mentioned earlier, should be specific and individualized.  In addition, training needs to be progressive, that is, increasing the training stimulus as you allow the body to adapt with a well-balanced blend of rest, recovery, and nutrition.  Power meters remove most of the guesswork that goes into training.  The power defined training zones get the intensity correct with no guesswork. After each workout, download training information and use the software to analyze the data.  Over time, the accumulation of power data improves the value of the training experience.  You can track fitness and at the same time, you are monitoring fatigue and form to coordinate the ideal training plan. 

A power meter can be used as a great pacing tool.  It will give notice if you are racing too hard or too easy.  Having this real-time information is like having a coach riding along with you.  The power meter information can prevent impending fatigue and is a great cue to slow done or speed up.  Post-race data can be some of the best information to capture.  With experience, you will be able scrutinize racing efforts and specifically dissect certain elements of the race.  Weaknesses can be exposed and adjustments can be made to training. 

Conclusion:  With Knowledge Is Power

Each year I see more cyclists using a power meter.  I also see more cyclists not utilizing the power meter to their fullest potential.  They use the power meter as an odometer with watts.  The information is nothing more than a number to them.  They ride with it but fail to train with it, a critical waste in money and technology.  Additionally, purchasing a pair of aero wheel is similar to wasting resources if you ignore other aspects of training.  Losing weight might be a better option.  Cyclists would be far better off in investing in a power meter to improve training and fitness first, then invest in the fast wheels.  This would be the ideal progression. 

It may be very intimidation in the beginning but it is possible to learn how to train with power.  In order to change, you must be willing to change and this means stepping out of your comfort zone.  You’ll be training and racing with a power meter before you know it.  If you want to invest in yourself and be a better cyclist,  I recommend you start training with a power meter and actualizing your potential as a cyclist.  Good luck. 

John Josephs, MS, CSCS is a certified USA Cyclist Level 1 Coach and a USA Cycling Power Certified Coach.  He is the owner of KONA Human Performance in Jacksonville, FL.