Continued – Cram Session

– Build strength, endurance, and power by combining your weights and water workouts.

By Coach Kaehler

While we all want to be stronger and faster, finding time to add strength training into your current rowing program is a common problem. One option is to combine your strength training and rowing into one session. Choosing which comes first depends on your goals for the workout. Some prefer rowing after their muscles are already fatigued from a strength-training session. Others will want to row while they are fresh. And there will be some who are fine alternating which comes first.
Getting your strength-training session in before you row is a great way to warm up. It also helps improve your strength and flexibility. Circuit training with light (10 to 30 percent of body weight) to moderate (30 to 65 percent) weight is an excellent way to stress the neuromuscular system without over taxing it just before a session on the water or erg. Strength training using heavier resistance (80 percent of body weight) puts greater stress on the neuromuscular system, which can impede proper rowing technique. Plan on getting your row out of the way first if you are going to be combining a heavy strength-training session with a paddle.
A short to moderate (20- to 40-minute) strength-training session improves muscular endurance, strength, and power under conditions of fatigue. Training your muscles when fatigued is an excellent way to improve muscular endurance while simulating end-of-race conditions. Make sure you factor in your level of fatigue when choosing the resistance for a particular session. I recommend a routine that features light to moderate weights following a row; lifting heavy weights immediately after a rowing session increases the risk of injury. But if you absolutely must combine heavy weights with a session on the water, select resistance levels that are less than what you would do when fresh.
For those who have never combined rowing and strength training together in one session, I recommend giving your body eight to 12 weeks to adjust.

Start by rowing for 25 to 30 minutes and then lifting for 20-25-minutes, or vice versa. It’s up to you what you do first, but if you’re new to strength training, consider beginning with it. If you are resuming training after a layoff, try to keep the total combined strength and rowing session to no more than 30 or 40 minutes.  Remember when starting out to choose strength exercises that you are familiar with and keep the load on the lower side (10 to 30 percent of body weight). More experienced athletes can increase the volume based on their current training programs and levels of fitness.
Performing at your best requires that you train both the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems.  Adding land-based strength training to your current program helps to improve the strength and power of your rowing stroke.  The research shows that gains in strength occur when strength training and endurance sports training sessions are combined.   Regardless of the net effect on your rowing performance, combining strength-training and rowing sessions is an excellent way to improve strength, endurance, and power.

Continued – Balance Your Rowing Program

By Coach Kaehler

Do you feel the need to try and balance out your rowing program by cross-training?  Most of us want to be better, stronger and healthier rowers.  However our commitments to work, family, and other life issues make it hard to find the time to get in additional non-rowing workouts.   Simply adding  two or three 20-minute strength/core training sessions will add balance to your current program, and  lead to better, stronger and healthier rowing.   These sessions can be used as a quick warm-up before training, or can be done by as a separate training session.

You can create your own 20-minute balancing program by doing some strengthening exercises that target the opposing (antagonist) muscles to those which are used on the drive of the rowing stroke.  We can break up these exercises into the upper body and trunk, and the lower body.  While the major muscles (quads, glutes, low back, and rhomboids )used on the drive of the stroke are aggressively working to propel the boat/erg forward, the antagonists are working to provide support and control of the body,  and work at a lower level of intensity.  The antagonist muscles include the hamstrings, upper and lower abdominals, hip flexors and pectoral muscles to name a few.  These antagonist muscles play an important role during the drive of the stroke by maintaining a strong body position.  The opposition work the agonists provide creates the platform needed for complete body suspension during the drive.

Adding simple trunk and upper body exercises to your routine, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups, is an effective way to start working on your balance.  If full body pull-ups are too difficult, use assistance until you build your strength.  There are several options for assistance including the use of bands (Ironwoody), using assistive pull-up machines (Gravitron), or by doing lat pull downs.   Push-ups can be done on the knees, at full body length, by placing a weight (plate) on your back placed between the shoulder blades, or you can do bench presses.  Sit-ups can be done with or without weight placed on the chest, or you can use an incline sit-up bench.   When starting out, a good goal is to be able to complete 30 repetitions of each exercise.  Then you can increase the intensity level by removing the assistance or adding weight to the movement.

Exercises that balance the lower body should target the opposing muscles and include the hamstrings, lower abs and hips.  While many exercises target these muscle groups, starting simply is always a good idea.  Some effective exercises include bicycling, scullers, bridges, and leg lifts.  These exercises can be done with or without the use of resistance, however you must be able to maintain good control of the low back during the exercise movement before adding any weight to the legs.   When doing bridges or leg lifts, check the starting position of your low back (amount of arch or hallow in your low back) before you start the exercise.  A good goal for both these exercises is to maintain the same amount of arch or hollow in the low spine throughout the exercise movement.   Control the range of motion of each exercise by monitoring your spine position.  Once you have enough strength you will be able to complete a full exercise movement.   Limit how far you lower your legs with the leg lifts, and how high you move (extend) your hips off the floor when bridging.  As you gain strength in the trunk, your range of motion will increase.

For bicycling and scullers, your low spine will need to curl when doing these exercises.  So your goal is to improve endurance and strength.  We do this by first increasing volume then increasing intensity (adding weight).  Once you can do 30 repetitions with good form, consider adding additional resistance to increase the intensity.  A good starting point is completing 30 repetitions without resting before adding resistance to the legs or arms.

Adding just a few 20 minute sessions of balancing exercises to your weekly training program is a simple yet effective way to improve your strength, fitness and overall rowing health.

Continued – Improving your Hamstring Flexibility

By Coach Kaehler

Have you ever complained that your hamstrings always feel tight?  No matter how much you stretch your hamstrings, they never seem to become more flexible?

Flexibility is a key factor in allowing you to get into the best body position at the catch, and in achieving a long, strong, and powerful rowing stroke.  Tight hamstrings limit your ability to achieve this ideal body position.   Static and dynamic stretching are two effective methods used to improve your flexibility.  Long term changes to flexibility require consistent effort.  The hamstrings are no exception.

Static stretching has long been used as a way to increase flexibility in muscles, and improve range of motion in joints.  This type of stretching is done without  movement (i.e. you remain still).  The force or pressure is applied to the area being stretched by an outside force, such as a wall, strap or another person.

Studies have shown that the biggest improvements in ranges of motion occur when the end range stretch position is held for longer periods of time (10+ seconds, o r longer).   The stretch position should be repeated multiple times (5-10) for greater results.  For athletes looking to actually get a permanent change in their flexibility, consistency becomes a key factor.   Stretching should be done every day, and if possible, several times a day for even greater results.

Recent studies also confirm that static stretching does reduce your explosive strength immediately following the stretching period (up to an hour or so).  Therefore this method is best used after training sessions, not before.  A simple, yet effective, method of statically stretching hamstrings involves using a door frame.  Simply lie on your back next to doorway with your feet facing the opening.  Slide the non-stretching leg through the doorway, then place the stretch side foot up onto the molding.   Extend the knee joint of the leg being stretched so it becomes straight.  You will probably need to adjust the distance of your hips from the wall to get the proper stretch tension.   Ensure your tail bone does not come off the floor once you are in the appropriate stretch position.

Another approach to stretching is dynamic.  Dynamic stretching is an active method where you provide the energy (i.e. you move) to produce the desired stretch.  Ensure, however, that you do not exceed your normal end range for the movement otherwise it becomes a ballistic stretch.   Dynamic stretches usually mimic the same sporting form that you are about to perform.    To produce a good hamstring stretch, simply do a quick body-over pause (1-2 second hold), whether you are on the water or on an erg.  Keep your low back in a firm upright position with the spine as straight as possible.  Slumping at the low back eliminates much of the stretch on the hamstrings, so be aware of your posture.   You should feel a good stretch in the back of the knees (bottom of the hamstrings) when you are in the body over pause position.  If you do not you either have very good hamstring mobility or you are slumping in your low back.   The point of dynamic stretching is to warm-up your body before training and racing; not to force your range of motion beyond your natural limits.  Practice this form of stretching on a regular basis before adding it to your regular pre-race warm-up routine.

Dynamic stretching is ideal for warming-up muscles and joints prior to training sessions and racing.  Its purpose is to prepare the tissue to properly handle the stresses of the activity.  Static stretching, on the other hand, is ideal for making permanent changes (i.e. increasing) range of motion, and is best done separate from training and racing sessions.

With proper technique, combining both static and dynamic stretches into your training program is an effective way to prepare for training properly, to reduce your risk of injury, and to improve your baseline flexibility.

If you liked this article you may be interested in my;

Secrets on How To Improve Your Hamstring Flexibility ($3.99)  Click Here to Purchase

Or SIGN-UP  for my FREE report called the Training Manifest now by entering your first name and email above (top right corner).

Continued – Posture and Rowing

Posture and Rowing

By Coach Kaehler

Posture is a culmination of life’s activities and tendencies.  At the same time, our posture inevitably reflects our effort and commitment to improving it, or in some cases not.  While ideal posture is different for each person, there are some key body alignment areas that are certain positions.  For example when your back is against a wall your ears should be directly over the shoulder joint and your head should be touching the wall with your chin parallel to the ground.   Infants and toddlers start out with a clean slate, and have an ideal body alignment from the get-go.  They are flexible and strong at the same time.  Like a world-class Olympic lifter, they can easily get into positions that many would cringe at.  Barring any genetic or birth defect, the fact is that most of us could still easily get into these ideal positions if we had perfect posture.  So what happened?  Life, gravity, and normal daily activities.  They slowly undermine our clean-slate posture.  Fortunately, one thing I have learned through my years of practice is that we are capable of restoring much of the flexibility and strength we once had through hard, consistent work and a solid well-balanced plan.

Gravity creates a constant pull on the body when we are standing, sitting, or rowing in a boat.   Years of postural neglect lead to the development of poor postural habits, and the inability to maintain good posture for more than a few moments.  Poor standing posture only gets worse when you get in a boat.  When we stand, our hips are free to move forward and back as we do in daily activities.  However, in a boat, we lose this ability and the hips shift the force to other areas of the body, namely the trunk and lower extremities.   Keeping the spine in a good upright position then becomes difficult and tiring, especially when you have flexibility and strength limitations.   A common rowing posture is what I call the “turtle shell”, or “rounded” position, where the spine (low and mid-back) are flexed or rounded.   This spine position places increased stress on the passive tissues of the spine and ribs (discs, ligament, and bone).  While the spine is amazingly resilient, prolonged periods of rowing at high intensity and volumes ultimately lead to back and rib injuries.

To improve posture, flexibility is always the priority and must be addressed first.  I like to say “if you can’t get there, you can’t strengthen it”.  Having excellent range of motion helps athletes get into ideal sporting positions.  In rowing, two critical areas for flexibility are in the hamstrings and the latissimus muscles.  Tightness in either area or both leads to the likelihood of rowing in the rounded back position.  The drive of the rowing stroke is essentially a horizontal Olympic power clean.  I use this movement as my model for flexibility, strength, and spine position, to help rowers develop maximum power with least chance for injury.  The only difference between the rowing stroke and Olympic power clean (aside from horizontal vs. vertical) is that in rowing our hips are not free to move (seat).  This fact alone (hips fixed by the seat) leads to a greater need of flexibility, and is also the reason why we can’t get the spine into a fully extended (curved or lordotic) position during a rowing stroke.

Strength is also an important consideration for maintaining better rowing posture.  Without a conscious effort to maintain good posture in the boat, most rowers slump down into the rounded position.  This position is easiest to maintain because it requires little to no energy to maintain it.  As flexibility improves, it becomes easier to strengthen the spine into an extended position.  Strengthening the spine against gravity (in standing) is an excellent way to help promote a more extended or straight position of the trunk/spine in the boat.

Making the shift to better posture requires considerable work and effort, but becomes habit over time.  Sitting upright then becomes second-nature.   There are two very effective exercises that can be used for both improving flexibility and strength, and target the hamstrings, lats and spine.  The first is the straight leg dead lift which targets the hamstrings, glutes and back extensor muscles.  This exercise can be used to stretch the hamstrings using a dowel or stick, or as an exercise to improve strength in the hamstrings, glutes and back extensor muscles by using a barbell or dumbbells.   The other exercise is the overhead squat which is a great way to stretch out the lats.  If weight is added (barbell), this exercise increases strength in the low back, quads, glutes, hamstrings, trunk and other muscles.   Proper coaching instruction will help maximize the results from these two lifting techniques.  Both exercises can be used as either a stretching or strengthening exercise to improve your posture both on land and in the boat.

Ideal posture will not only translate into more effective, efficient and powerful rowing, but will also extend into all your day-to-day activities of our lives outside the boat.  So sit-up, stand-tall, and make a conscious and balanced effort to improving your posture.

 

Continued – The Erg: A essential tool for tracking intensity and consistency for rowing development

By Coach Kaehler

Do you track intensity levels when you’re training on the ergometer?  Coaches use rowing ergometers (ergs) to teach athletes how to properly pace themselves, and to how to monitor their changes in intensity (or power — measured in watts) over time with different types of training.  Erging is also a great way for athletes of all skill levels — especially novice and intermediate — to understand their rowing intensity, and how consistently they apply it.  Developing consistent and powerful strokes over longer periods of time and during repeated intervals, is one of the most effective ways to speed up your athletic development.

Achieving consistent results is essential to successful training and competing.  Mastering this skill leads to consistent power application and peak results.  The benefits of interval training are maximized when athletes achieve similar or exact results for all the intervals in a given session.  One common mistake many athletes make is the ‘fly and die method’ — where the first piece is real fast, then next is so-so, and the last tanks.  While there is some training benefit to this method, it is not nearly as effective as sustaining the same speed and intensity for all three pieces.

For athletes who only train in big boats, consistency is harder to develop because it’s difficult to measure your actual intensity during each piece.  As an athlete becomes more skilled, they begin to get a better sense and ‘feel’ of their power application in the boat.  Therefore, for athletes who train exclusively in big boats, training on the erg (at least some of the time) is essential as it allows them to accurately gage their consistency in order to advance their athletic skills and development.  One way to ensure you’re being consistent with your training on the erg, is to record all your results including your strokes per minute, spilt average, distance, and watts.

Monitoring intensity levels is another important metric used to develop your rowing potential.  When training, coaches like to know how intense you are for each stroke.  For example, if you take two athletes and have both of them row on an erg for thirty minutes at 300w, and one rower is at 25 SPM for the entire piece while the other is at 20 SPM, the rower at 20 SPM is applying more power per stroke.  I convert this into a score by dividing 300 by 25 = 12.0 w/s, while the other rower went 300/20SPM = 15.0 w/s.

By using watts, we can examine an athlete’s intensity at varying stroke rates.  As rowers improve, their fluctuations from steady state, to threshold, to maximum effort, decrease when we look at this measure.   Training and controlled rating testing is a good way to learn how to be more consistent with intensity of the rowing stroke at varying rates.   This data can also help identify specific areas to target for improvement — such as muscular strength and / or endurance — to help an athlete’s overall progression.

Being on the water is what rowing is all about.  However, we all want to know for certain that our hard work and training is paying off.  Bottom line: one of the best and most honest ways to confirm our training is on-track with our goals is rowing on the erg.   It’s designed to give us quick and easy-to-read, as well as accurate and essential feedback about our rowing stoke – our intensity and consistency.

Interested in Improving your 2k Erg score?, CLICK HERE to learn about my best ERG training products

Continued – Proper “Core” Exercises can get you Back on the Erg, Pain-free!

– Indoor rowing can be a pain in the back. But it’s nothing that better core strength can’t fix.

By Coach Kaehler

“Because there is no change of direction on the ergometer, your muscular system is responsible for 100 percent of the energy that is required to change direction.”

One of the greatest things about rowing outdoors is hearing and feeling the water rushing beneath you on the recovery. The sudden increase in speed at the release is one of the most incredible and addictive sensations in our sport. There is none of this on the erg. Your trunk is dead weight every stroke—you stop the momentum into the bow, restart it as you head back to the catch, and repeat ad nauseum.

Because there is no change of direction on the ergometer, your muscular system is responsible for 100 percent of the energy that is required to change direction from the finish to the recovery. On the water, that number is lower depending on how well you suspend your body weight through the drive and at the finish. The better your suspension, the less stress you place on your body. But the erg is the “truth teller.” It shows who has the internal tools (muscular strength) to handle the stress of the erg, and who does not, which manifests itself in lower-back pain.

Identifying your specific strength and flexibility deficits is best done in a one-on-one evaluation. However, there are several exercises you can do that can improve the strength you need to tolerate training on a standard erg. These include exercises that target the abdominal muscles and hamstrings and that strengthen the hip-flexion motion. You can improve abdominal strength by lying flat on your back with your legs straight, and then simply moving the trunk to an upright position (90 degrees or vertical). When your trunk is 45 degrees off the floor, try to place your low back in a straight position. You can change the intensity of this exercise by changing your hand and arm positions: having you arms reaching toward your toes is easiest; having them crossed behind your head is the most challenging. Once you can do 30 repetitions at the hardest level, start adding weight to the exercise.

You can improve hamstring strength with exercises known as bridges. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, then raise your hips up off the floor in an effort to create a straight line with your shoulders, hips, and knees. Try holding this position for up to 10 seconds and then repeat up to 30 times. Make sure you keep your low back stable; if you experience stress in that area you are not engaging your supporting muscles correctly. Stop and seek proper instruction if that is the case.
If the bridges seem too easy, increase the degree of difficulty by placing your feet atop an exercise ball. You can perform the hip-flexion motion while on your back with your arms extended and secured to a solid object. Proceed by pulling your knees toward your elbows. When you do so, your trunk will curl up while your knees bend toward the chest. Once you are able to perform 30 repetitions of this exercise, you can either add weight to your ankles or try the same motion while hanging from a pull-up bar. Reducing stress on the passive tissue (discs and ligaments) of the low back while training on an ergometer is key to remaining healthy during training, and improving your trunk strength is the best way to achieve it.

Continued – Ease Into The Catch – Part 1

Ease Into The Catch

By Coach Kaehler

Have you ever been told that you need to get more reach at the catch?

Whether you are 5’6” (167cm) or 6’4” (193cm), good reach at the catch is important.   Proper hip flexibility and/or strength are essential to make this happen.  When athletes do not have proper hip flexibility at the catch, quick solutions include either lowering the feet or sitting on a butt pad.  A more effective and long-term approach is to identify your hip flexibility, and if necessary, improve it.

Lowering the feet and sitting on a butt pad are two common methods used to improving reach and ease of getting into the catch.  However, both of these methods increase the vertical component of your rowing stroke and make your boat less stable.   While these issues may not interest the recreational rower, they could result in loss of power and speed to the racer.

Changing foot positions is easy and relatively inconsequential on an erg.  In boats, however, particularly the smaller boats (1X, 2X, 2-), it is difficult to adequately lower the feet because of the hull.  In which case, a butt pad may be used.  Rowers who lack ideal hip mobility can also increase their reach by bringing the shoulders deeper into the catch.  This is done by increasing flexion (C-shape) in mid (thoracic spine) and low-back (lumbar spine).   However, increasing the distance of the shoulders past the hips at the catch is not an ideal solution, as it increases stress on the passive tissues in the back (vertebrae, discs, and ribs).  This additional stress can lead to back pain and/or rib fractures.

The ideal solution to improving reach at the catch is to improve hip flexibility.  This will help not only eliminate the use of equipment and compromised technique, but also reduce the risk of injuries.  To assess hip range of motion (ROM) at the catch, get on all fours with your feet (shoes off) placed over the edge of a staircase landing.  This can also be done using a treatment table.  Once you have your thighs and arms in a vertical starting position (Fig. 1), begin rocking backwards without moving your hand position.  Push yourself back slightly with your hands, and then push back as far as you can (Fig. 2).  Full range of motion for this test occurs when the ischial tubercles or sits bones (YELLOW MARKER) are able to touch both heels.  If you are not able to reach this point, then you have limited hip flexion joint mobility, possibly caused by muscle inflexibility and/or loss of joint mobility.

Some athletes will find that they have better ROM on one side when compared to the other.  Athletes with total hip replacements should consult with their surgeons before attempting to push to full ROM.  This testing method can also be used as a corrective stretching exercise for those unable to achieve full range of motion with this test.

Another way to improve the same ROM is to do an assisted squat (Fig. 3).  Grab onto a solid object or door frame, and drop down into the deepest squat position you can maintain.  Place your feet about foot stretcher distance apart (Fig. 4).  Make sure that you do not feel any knee or hip joint pain with these stretches.  If you do, consult your physician before attempting to do this again.

Hip immobility is one of many imbalances that can prevent rowers from achieving an ideal, powerful stroke.  Identifying and correcting these imbalances can reduce compensations elsewhere in the body (ie. increased low and mid-back flexion), and the need to adjust or use additional equipment.  Most important, however, improved Body Balance will help athletes reduce their risk of injury and improve the overall effectiveness and enjoyment of their rowing.

Please contact Coach Kaehler with any questions or comments

VIDEO LINK OF THE MOVEMENTS IN THE FIGURES

 

Continued – Protein Supplements and Post Training Recovery

By Coach Kaehler

Do you take dietary protein supplements to enhance your training recovery?  While much research has been done to examine how different whole food supplements affect muscle protein balance — muscle protein synthesis (MPS) vs. muscle protein breakdown (MPB) — after sessions of resistance training, one conclusion is clear.  The overall success of any resistance training program is impacted by not only what you eat, but when you eat it.   Muscle building and the loss of fat occur after your training is done, and by applying proper, well-informed nutritional choices, you can maximize your training efforts.

Choosing the best post- training protein supplement can be confusing.  Current research shows that whey protein is superior to other whole proteins for post-workout recovery (MPS vs. MBS).  Whey is a by-product of the cheese making process.  If you have allergies to dairy protein, consult your physician before using it.  Whey protein comes in two forms: whey isolate and whey concentrate.  Whey isolate is the purest form and contains 90% or more of protein and very little (if any) fat and lactose.  Whey concentrate, on the other hand, has anywhere from 29% to 89% protein depending upon the product.  As the protein level in a whey product decreases, the amount of lactose and/or fat usually increases.  If you purchase whey concentrate, look for at least a 70% protein level.

Researchers have also examined other common food proteins that are used for post-training recovery including egg, soy, and skim and whole milk. Egg and soy proteins also help increase muscle protein balance, though they do not achieve the same MPS levels as whey when used in post-training recovery.

If whey protein’s not for you, consider milk or soy straight out of the carton as a convenient and effective post-recovery drink.   Research shows, however, that each option affects the body’s post-training recovery a little differently.  Scientists examined the three beverages — skim (fat-free) milk,  fat-free soy milk and a carbohydrate control beverage – to determine how each affected maximum strength, muscle fiber size (type I & II), and body composition following resistance training.  Participants in the study consumed their beverages immediately after exercise, and again one hour later.  While the results showed no differences in maximum strength between the groups, researchers did observe that the milk group had significantly greater increases in type II muscle fiber area and lean body mass, over the soy and control groups.  Results also indicated a significantly greater decrease in the fat mass of the milk group when compared to the soy and control groups.  While all the above proteins increase muscle protein balance (MPS vs MBS), whey protein, and specifically whey isolate protein, emerges as the superstar of the group as it achieves the highest levels of MPS.

Other key factors in the overall success of your training program include the timing of your recovery drink and what you combine with it.  Recent studies indicate that both pre and post-training whole protein supplements produce the best muscle protein balance (MPS vs. MBS) when combined with carbohydrates.   Interestingly, muscle protein balance was not affected when whey protein was taken either one-hour before or one-hour after training.  The same results were not observed however with the other proteins.  Specifically, amino acids (broken down whole proteins) must be taken before (60 minutes or less) training for best results.

Carbohydrate drinks are another popular post-training supplement.  Again, the same rule applies here regarding the combination of protein and carbohydrates in recovery drinks.  Studies once again show that protein-carbo based beverages produce significantly greater increases in total boy mass, fat-free mass and muscle strength, than drinks based only on carbohydrates.

To maximize your training recovery, the guidelines for recovery drinks are simple.  Combine whole protein supplements with a carbohydrate for best results.  Alternatively, if you decide to use amino acids instead of whole proteins (whey, egg, soy, or milk), take them 60 minutes before you train.  If you use whey protein, you can ingest it 60 minutes before or after training with no effect on your muscle protein balance.   Of all the sources of whole food protein, whey isolate is the purest and most effective in producing the best muscle protein balance.  While optimal amounts of whole food and whey protein levels have yet to be clearly identified by research, some general recommendations have been proposed.   For strength and power athletes consume 2 parts carbohydrates to 1 part protein, where protein intake constitutes 0.25-0.50 grams/per kg body weight.  For endurance athletes, a 4:1 ratio is suggested.  For those who include strength training in their training program, use a 2:1 ratio on your resistance training days, and a 4:1 ratio on your endurance/rowing training days.   You can repeat this beverage intake for up to six hours after training to enhance your recovery.

Organic Recommendations

When selecting whey products, consider whey protein from grass-fed cattle.  Nearly all whey protein products are a processed, isolated or a concentrated by-product of grain and soy-fed cows pumped full of hormones and antibiotics.  Whey that is made from grass-fed, organic-raised cattle is exceptional for repairing tissue, building muscle, and supporting your immune system.  Grass-fed cattle also produce whey that is glutamine-rich and high in Branch Chain Amino Acids and fat burning CLA.

References:

1.       Tim N. Ziegenfuss, PhD, Jamie A. Landis,MD,PhD,CISSN and Robert A. Lemieux.

Protein for Sports-New Data and New Recommendations.  Strength and Conditioning Journal 32  65-70, 2011

2.       Hartman JW, Tang JE, Wilkinson SB, Tarnopolsky MA, Lawrence RL, Fullerton AV, and Phillips SM.  Consumption of fat-free milk after resistance exercise promotes greater lean mass accretion than does consumption of soy or carbohydrate in young, novice, male weightlifters.  Am J Clin Nutr 86: 373-381,2007.

3.       Jay R. Hoffman, PhD,FACSM,FNSCA.  Protein Intake:  Effect of Timing.  Strength and Conditioning Journal 29:6  26-34, 2007

4.        Kyle Brown, CSCS –  Post Workout Recovery Nutrition:  It’s Not What You Digest But What You  Absorb That Counts.  NSCA’s Performance Training Journal.  8:6  6-7, 2009

Continued – Acceleration and Deceleration in Rowing

-Don’t Forget your Springs when you’re Training your Engine and Pump.

By Coach Kaehler

Rowing, like all sports, involves acceleration and deceleration of the body.   To make this happen, our muscles assume the role of springs – they apply and absorb force to a given object.   If we think of our body as a car, then our muscular system would be our engine and shock absorbers, our cardiovascular system would provide our fuel, and our bones, ligaments and tendons would serve as our frame.  Endurance training tends to focus primarily on improving our engines and fuel – rightly so.  However, the flip-side of this kind of conditioning is that we often neglect our shock absorbers.   And weakness in the shock absorbers can then result in injuries to the frame.

Regardless of the activity, the majority of sports-related injuries occur at the peak points of acceleration or deceleration of the body.  The forces required to control these sudden changes in body momentum can create an overwhelming stress to the frame.  If your springs (muscle strength) are too weak to absorb to these forces, then your frame gets damaged.  Based on the magnitude and repetition of the stresses involved, frame injuries could include joint pain (spine or extremities), stress or complete fractures, ruptured tendons or ligaments, and tendonitis.    While the magnitude of acceleration and deceleration in a rowing stroke might not compare to that of cutting sports like football or basketball, typical rowing workouts do involve a high number repetitions performed at lower magnitudes of force.  And, though more complete fractures or torn ligaments occur with higher magnitude sports, we do observe more overuse joint pain and spine-related injuries as well as stress fractures (ribs) and tendinosis issues in lower magnitude, higher repetitions sports like rowing.  Therefore improving spring strength is essential to reducing risk-of-injury in both types of repetition sports.

Athletes in all sports can improve their base level of strength by performing that particular activity.  Sometimes however, this is not enough to prevent injury to the frame.  Additional training – sport-specific or resistance work — may be required to improve spring strength to an appropriate level.  Springs, like the engine and fuel, must receive enough weekly stimuli to ensure appropriate strength to tolerate training volume and intensities.  The need for additional strength becomes more critical as training intensity and volume increase.  When we start to see training injuries such as low back pain, rib stress reactions / fractures, or other joint pain, there is a strong chance that part of this is due to insufficient strength in the shocks.

In rowing, the majority of training volume is done at lower ratings (22spm or lower), so the amount of stress in the shock is lower, while the volume is larger. And while the absolute strength required to control momentum at lower rating is less than at higher ratings, the volume is much greater, so the need for good strength-endurance is also important.  The largest changes in body momentum occur at the catch (acceleration) and the finish (deceleration), and the magnitude increases as the rating goes up.  By adding some extra sessions of power training at higher rates (24-28spm), we can improve the strength of the muscles used to help control body momentum.   One session of higher rate training (typical weekly AT session) may not be enough to provide the necessary improvement in spring strength.

In racing season, there tends to be a larger volume of higher rating work on a weekly basis.  In the off-season, however, there is a significant reduction in this type of work.  Anaerobic threshold work is usually done at the 24-30SPM range.  If you are only doing this type of work once a week, add a few extra sessions of higher rating work to keep your spring strength properly stressed.    One suggestion would be to add in one or two sessions of burst work (8-10 strokes) at the 24-30 range.  This can be done within a steady state workout, with long rest intervals between bursts.  The rest intervals should be long enough that the steady state HR is not altered during a steady state session.  If you strength train on land, try including a power session either on the erg or water, that coincides with your strength workout.   Work to rest ratios will depend upon your goals for that session and time of year.

Body control is essential to achieving success in any sport.  Having a balanced training program that also addresses your strength requirements will help you enjoy steady athletic improvement and reduce your risk of training-related injuries.

Continued – Drink Up!

– Hydration and Training

By Coach Kaehler

How closely do you follow your daily hydration intake?

The body is composed of 50-70% water (norm = 60%), and maintaining this balance is critical in regulating body temperature and cellular stasis.  For endurance sports athletes, proper hydration is a key factor in effective training and race performance.  A common problem with endurance athletes is hypo- or dehydration, which occurs when fluid loss is greater than intake before, during, or after bouts of exercise.  When, how much, and what you combine with your water, can have a big impact on your training and race results, as well as recovery.

Whether you’re training or racing, maintaining proper hydration balance before, during, and after exercise will ensure you’re giving your body an ideal platform to work from.  A reduction of total body water as small as 2% can significantly hinder your aerobic performance.  One important role water plays during exercise is regulating body temperature.   When a state of hypo-hydration exists, your body’s cooling efficiency is compromised.  And this ‘over-heating’ leads to a reduction in your athletic performance.   The Institute of Medicine recommends the following guidelines for sedentary people: men aged 19-70 y/o require 3.7L/day, while women 19-70 y/o is 2.7L/day.  Hydration sources include water, other liquids, and foods.  Endurance athletes however, require much greater amounts of fluids to keep their bodies properly hydrated, and must add to the above values.

To effectively plan hydration needs, athletes must also consider how long they train each day, as well as the type of climate they train in.  As a general rule, for every pound of body weight lost between the start and finish of an exercise session, replace your water loss by consuming 20 ounces of fluid, or 600ml of fluid/per 0.5kg of lost body weight .  One way to monitor your fluid needs would be to take your weight immediately before and after your exercise bouts, and measure the change in body mass from water loss (sweating).  For those without access to lab tests, body mass change is the most effective way to self-monitor your hydration needs.

Other self assessment methods include urine color and rating of thirst.  Urine color should be no darker than the color of straw, while thirst rating can be more subjective.  As a general rule, keep your fluid intake consistent enough that you never feel thirsty.   Taking your wake-up weight can also help you keep track of your hydration balance on a 24 hour basis by making sure your daily weight does not fluctuate.  Combining wake-up weigh-ins with a body mass check right before and after training will help you accurately monitor and maintain a state of water equilibrium.

How long do you train?  The length of your sessions also impacts what you should drink before, during, and after training.  Training sessions lasting longer than 30-40 minutes require an intake of about four-to-six ounces of fluid every 15-20 minutes.   For training sessions that exceed 60-75 minutes, sports drinks, with both carbohydrates (5-8%) and sodium, are recommended.   Sweating rates for endurance athletes range from 1.2 to 1.7 liters per hour, but can be as high as 4.0 liters per hour.

For those who participate in prolonged periods of exercise (prolonged rows, marathons, or Ironman/cycling events) including electrolytes in water is critical to avoiding hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels).   The typical sodium to potassium loss during exercise is 7 to 1, respectively.  An athlete who loses 5L of fluid with daily training will need to replace 4,600 – 5,750mg of sodium, in addition to a seventh that amount of potassium.   Fluid replacement after training must focus on restoring the weight lost from dehydration (cooling), and intake should be approximately 150% of the weight lost, or 600ml of fluid per 0.5kg of lost body weight.   Post-exercise meals should also contain sodium either in food or beverages, because diuresis (fluid loss) occurs when only plain water is ingested.  Most commercial carbohydrate-sodium drinks contain anywhere from 50-110mg of sodium per eight fluid ounces.  Sodium assists with the rehydration process by maintaining plasma osmolality (balance) and the urge to drink.

If water becomes a boring option, try eating water-loaded foods such as water melon, cantaloupe, apples, oranges and other fruits, as well as most green vegetables.  Besides keeping you hydrated, these fruits and vegetables are loaded with essential nutrients.   Herbal teas and even sports drinks are another way to keep your hydration and electrolyte intake in balance.   Also, remember that hydration is a 24-hour process.  So spread out your fluid consumption throughout the day for better absorption into cellular tissue.  The body can only process so much fluid at once, so excess will be quickly voided out of the body as urine, and will not be available for the body to use.

General hydration guidelines are as follows: 16-20 ounces of water 1-2 hours before exercise, 10 to 16 ounces 15 minutes before exercise, and about 4-6 ounces of fluid every 10-15 minutes during exercise.   Fluid intake should be regulated 24 hours prior to training, so if you train daily you’re on the clock all the time.  Hydration losses greater than two percent of your body weight could take up to 24 hours to restore.   Research also shows that the volume of fluid intake generally increases when the water or fluid is flavored.

Bottom-line,   train hard, drink-up and keep your cooling system in balance.

 

References:

1.       Kalman DS, Lepeley A, A Review of Hydration. Strength Cond J 32:2 56-63, 2010.

2.       Steve Born Hammer Nutrition, The Endurance Athlete’s Guide to Success, 2005

3.       Kerksick C, Roberts M,  Supplements for Endurance Athletes.  Strength Cond J 32:1  55-63, 2010.

4.       Maughan RJ, Leipper JB, and Sherriffs SM.  Restoration of fluid balance after exercise induced dehydration: Effect of food and fluid intake.  Int. J Appl Physiol  73:317, 1996

5.       Monique, Ryan, 2007.  Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes.  Boulder, CO:  VeloPress

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Register

Copyright © 2009,2010 Coach Kaehler · Coach Kaehler · Log in