Training with Truckee High XC Running Team

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Last week Dr. Pasternak and I spoke with the Truckee High Cross Country running team and their parents. Over the next couple of months I will have the opportunity to assist Coaches Pat and Diana in providing a scientifically based injury prevention and performance conditioning program, and will be blogging about our weekly workouts. Dr. Pasternak and I also look forward to acting as ongoing resources for the kids and parents to address specific individual questions and/or concerns.

Before delving in to the nuts of and bolts of the Truckee High program, I wanted to share how my background and current position help mold my coaching and training philosophy.

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Fitness has become big business.  As a result it is important to understand the source and motivation of information – is it commercially motivated, selling products and books  or is it scientifically, research derived.  This is an important distinction for us at Silver Sage Sports Performance Center and o2fitness Coaching and Training where our integrated menu of services (Vo2 and lactate threshold testing, bike fitting, gait analysis, performance training and endurance coaching) are based on cutting-edge, scientific-based protocol.

It is equally important to know who is delivering the information. At o2fitness Coaching and Training, we strive to distinguish the practice of coaching and professionalize it. My unique background, with a 12-year career on the US National cycling team afforded the opportunity to work with the most prominent coaches, physiologists, biomechanists and nutritionist in the endurance world. Applying these systems as an elite international athlete helped mold my present coaching and training philosophy. Partnering with Dr. Pasternak at Silver Sage allows me to continue to support and balance this practical knowledge and experience with science.

I also feel strongly about investing in continuing education. This raises the professional bar providing the opportunity to learn from the most established, respected individuals and institutions in specific fields. To this end – I have mentored at Athletes’ Performance Training Center to hone my strength and conditioning practice; attended Specialized Bicycles BG fit certification to better understand cycling biomechanics and bike fit; and am currently mentoring with Chris Powers, USC Professor and researcher and Director of the Movement Performance Institute to develop a deeper understanding of functional biomechanics of the lower extremities as applied to running and cycling.

In helping assist Pat and Diana with the Truckee High school running programs – I hope generally to share my experience, as an elite athlete/competitor, coach/trainer and director of sports performance, regarding training for performance, race tactics as well as the mental aspect of training and racing. Specifically I hope to provide the team with a foundational , functional strength conditioning program, much of which will be based upon Chris Power’s return to sport, injury prevention and performance protocol.

Last week when we met the Truckee XC running team, we wanted to reinforce Coach Pat and Diana’s training philosophy. They are accomplished athletes and understand the importance and value of a well-balanced training program for injury prevention and performance.  In my opinion this approach will be  pivotal their athlet

There is high prevalence of running injuries – but we do not have to resign ourselves to this seemingly foregone conclusion. We can be proactive to improve our training, conditioning and mechanics to avoid injury.es development.

In my opinion there are basic cornerstones to injury prevention and improved performance – they go hand in hand. These include – a gradually progressed, systematic training plan; supporting non-running foundational functional strength;  good lifestyle choices; and sound mechanics.

In a nutshell an effective training plan is –  individualized based on the individual athletes’ current fitness and future goals; systematically developed over a period of time providing a base and foundation of muscular endurance; and gradually progressed in volume and intensity. It also – incorporates a variety of workouts to train and develop all physiological systems and physical attributes; includes supplemental endurance training (swimming, cycling, cross-country skiing) providing mental and physical variety; and emphasizes quality intensity and quality rest/recovery.

It is important that runners are willing to change their mindset and carve time out of running time for general and sport specific foundational, functional stability and mobility. This includes single leg, hip/pelvis and trunk stability as well as strategies to improve range of motion and symmetry such as yoga.

Injury prevention is also effectively supported by, consistent, attention to detail and adopting a life fully committed to an integrated, healthy lifestyle including sufficient sleep, nutrition and hydration.

Finally we can train improved mechanics to prevent injury and improve performance. Chris Powers’ research suggests – its all about improved shock absorption and stability. He has found we can effectively absorb and reduce the magnitude of ground forces by more flexion in hips, knees and ankles. As a result of greater hip flexion and slight torso tilt, we also effectively activate and utilize our glutes allowing us to redirect the ground force toward our center of mass, reducing the torque on the knee.

To be effective in our running movement we need to establish that body position that allows the quads and glutes to act as shock absorbers, and the glutes to stabilize and decelerate the hips as the foot contacts the ground.

Power’s research has found that running injuries are occurring due to a quad dominant strategy (relied upon to a greater extent by women and girls) which takes the glutes out of the activity, placing a majority of the torque from the ground forces on the knee. He contends that we have all become more quad dominant in our activities due to our sedentary lifestyles – binding our hip flexors, inhibiting our abilities to utilize our glutes and consequently weakening them. This also leads to recruitment of the weaker quad and hamstrings – potentially leading to overuse injuries.

Improving mechanics to provide injury prevention and performance demands more than pure strength components  include – muscular strength in the trunk, hips and lower extremities to provide eccentric shock absorption, concentric  force and stability; neuromuscular activation; mobility/range of motion of joints and muscles; and proper movement.

These will be our goals in the Truckee High Cross-Country running teams conditioning program. Stay tuned.

 

Race with Abandon

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This past Monday, I worked with the Rio Strada Women’s cycling team providing race tactics session for the upcoming Victory Velo circuit race at Sierra de Montserrat. (What an exciting, Euro-style course, lots of opportunities to  for tactical racing, not too mention a series of short taxing power climbs for the added-attrition factor.)

Tactics make cycling exhilarating. As cyclists we definitely need a deep base of fitness – and racing provides the fine tuning to training fitness. Once we have attained that polish we are ready to be players in the game – let the fun begin.

When I began racing, I did not have a team and raced as an individual. During this time, I raced on intuition – when that small voice said go – and I went – it was magical and results followed. When I hesitated and did not act – I regretted it.

When I joined professional teams – Saturn, Timex, Autotrader and the US National team – the plan was much more contrived – and it was hard to reconcile the individual intuition in a split second to insure it was in line with the team plan. Race radios made riders even more minion-like puppets, with strings pulled by team directors remotely located in caravans – paralyzing that creative intuitive tactical racing.

When I was out this past week with the Rio Strada women – the technical course and limitless tactical possibilities – evoked the thrill of racing – going with that intuition with no regard to doubt, question or hesitation. For sure, we want to be very clever in our tactics – and make every move count, not to make a move for the sake of a move. But we also want to see races as opportunities and not accept that self-imposed performance pressure – lets face it in most cases we are not getting paid to race our bikes.

In my opinion, the first step in successful bike racing is to learn and train to stay at the front, consistently through a race – this is where opportunities are made. Not too mention – once riders become efficient at maintaining position – it provides energy savings and is safe. Did I mention it was safe!

I also advise my riders to settle in – let attrition take its toll – and then unleash the intuitive tactics. I encourage them to try, try and try again. Every time we try – we learn and gain fitness. Nothing ventured nothing gained. And no pressure of loosing a multi-million dollar contract, right?

Another key element to racing is visualization and determination and persistence to make it happen. This mental aspect is supported by our ability to control thoughts versus feeling subjected to them. Then all we need for that break-out performance is a leap of faith, to shut out what the body is telling us and act purely on intuition. Performance and results follow, igniting confidence and momentum.

Seize the Day – race with abandon

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She-Women Cyclist Post Workout Soak

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The o2fitness Auburn women’s cycling girl, fondly referred to as the She-Women, escaped the foothill heat and headed to the hills for their workout. We trained on Old Hwy 40 from Cisco to Soda Springs in shade, cool temps and light Sierra air. We warmed up, riding from Soda Springs down to Cisco which included several single leg pedaling drills providing focus on pedaling strengths and weaknesses and intention for the mainset of the workout.

Once warmed up we headed back up to Soda Springs – and performed 4min at sub-lactate threshold, 2min easy pedaling for recovery. In our endurance pursuits it is valuable to learn to recover while moving. The She-Women or as they like to be called, the Sistars – hit the intervals pedaling 5-10 rpm higher than their normal cadence.  The undulating, stair step nature of Old Hwy 40 added additional challenge – necessitating the adaptation to forced rhythm change.

Following our workout we jumped in the ever so convenient Yuba River for a recovery ice bath. Unfortunately not the frigid temps we were seeking. The verdict is still out on many recovery strategies – but there is fairly convincing research on the positive effects of cold water submersion for 12min/soak, as well as carb/protein intake within 20-30 min of an intense workout or race.

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Study of Two Western Staters

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Grand-Canyon-041 In the second installment on Western States fueling strategies we interview Matt Keyes (MK) and Jamie Frink (JF), two WS veterans and race ringers, to determine if life follows fact.

Jamie’s resume includes three sub-24 hour WS finishes – 2009 8th, 2010 16th and 2011 14th.

Matt has completed five WS races, with the most recent four, sub-24 hour finishes.

Daily nutrition and race day fueling seem to be a continual subject of conversation, question and confusion. In my experience working with prominent science-based sports nutritionists on the US National Cycling team as well as my professional cycling teams, and currently Dana Liis, lead nutritionist for the Canadian national teams –it’s the same basic, albeit boring, story –  the appropriate balance of carbs, proteins and fats, and good quality food choices constitute nutritional cornerstones. As with everything – we need to individualize our nutrition and fueling by taking time to fine tune these guidelines to our circumstances, response/tolerance and goals. It may not sell books, magazines or products – and may not constitute the quick fix, silver bullet some seek – but with thoughtful consistency it is effective.

Matt and Jamie’s nutritional practices seem to be text book – fueling tricks of their trail feats as follows…

Day to Day
MK: “I am diligent about topping off with carbohydrates within 30 minutes following each of my runs to replace glycogen stores and insure the muscles and liver are loaded.”

JF: “Throughout the year, I follow a balanced (no extremes) diet of carbs, proteins and fats, and try to make good food choices.”

Race Eve
MK: “I eat a giant bean and rice burrito the night before the race and chase it with some dark beer (and water). “

JF: “The night before I cook chicken, pasta, pine nuts and vegetables, while relaxing with my pre-night race ritual – a pedicure complete with paint, while watching movies.”

Race Morning
MK: “I eat yogurt, fruit, granola, a cup of coffee, some low fat milk.”

JF: “I go with coffee, a bagel and peanut butter, but race nerves make it tough to get it down.”

Once the Gun Goes Off
MK: “During the race I shoot for 200-300 calories per hour – the majority solid aid station foods – peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potatoes, bananas and melon. Between aid stations I gel up, trying to east something every 30 minutes. I drink a mix of GU Brew electrolyte drink and water for the first half or 2/3 of the race then switch to a mix of sprite/7up and water (on the rocks). After mile 75, most of my calories come from sodas as my appetite subsides, even Gus are a challenge to choke down.”

JF: “I grab a handful of something at every aid station, even if I am not hungry I “force” feed a few bites – half a banana, peanut butter and jelly, potatoes – many times just grabbing and stashing in zip lock baggies for the trail ahead. During the first half I make a conscious effort to avoid sugar, caffeine and pain killers (boring!). But from Foresthill in – I cut loose, double fisting Gu and caffeine.  I let thirst be my guide (as experts advise) for hydration.”

Jamie’s must haves on her WS movable feast, thanks to her roving crew – tuna fish sandwiches on white bread, complete with mayo, V8 juice and white powdered donuts (if not devoured by crew first).

Inquiring Minds want to know – Drop Bags?
MK: “No drop bags for me. I do ask my crew to meet me on the course at mile 30, 55, 62, 80 and maybe 93. For the first three stops I order strawberry milkshakes and walk out eating a slice of pizza.”

JF: “I use drop bags – more as a security blanket. I am lucky to have an attentive crew. But I throw in those essential powdered covered donuts, as well as a few vital articles of clothing, such as arm warmers.”

Post-Race
MK: :Usually I head for the beer tent – it’s all that really sounds good the first few hours, and a reliable medical source tells me the best way to get the body’s fluids flowing. Then several hours post-race I am ready for my Auburn stand-bys – a Taco Tree vegetarian burrito and a Depoe Bay giant blended Mocha.”

JF: “I typically have an inexplicable craving for nachos and a margarita.”

Finally,  Fueling Irrelevant – Why WS?
MK: “I enjoy the training and moving outside every day. I don’t thrive on “racing” in the true sense – I am drawn to the long slow grinds in the canyons. I’ve probably run from my house to Cool and back with my favorite four legged training partner 50 times this year – I never tire of the stellar trails around Auburn.

“I also run because I can. I ran my first Western States 100 with my friend Dan Moores – three years later cancer took his life. He can’t run anymore. I can.

“I run because it keeps me sane. My wife Kim often sends me out the door to run, saying, “You should go for a run, come back when you feel better…”

“I run to show my kids (my own and kids I coach on the soccer field) that adults can still exercise and play even when they’re old.”

JF: “Initially I was drawn to WS by the sense of accomplishment. Now, it is my family that motivates me to participate. My kids are old enough to understand the accomplishment – and be proud of their mom. I also love it for the sake of it – I thrive on the training. WS and the long training days in the canyon with my training partners provide an escape from life – no phones, no computers and no work (Jamie teaches severely impaired adolescence functional skills). I own my training and racing time – no one else’s needs, decisions or actions can interfere. But ultimately it is the lasting feeling of freedom and peace that trail running provides.”

 

Just Do It

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Daniela Gauvin – member of the o2fitness Truckee Women’s Cycling Training Group – making it happen. No babysitter, no problem. Pictured here, Baby Romey Gauvin provides extra resistance for single leg pedaling drills and high cadence pedaling intervals, during a recent group workout. Its our version of Rocky-style, back to basic training. Watch out world – Daniela and Romey are primed to hit the ricksha racing circuit.

 

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Western States – Movable Feast

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First installment in a two part series covering Western States Endurance Run fueling strategies.

A friend once said that an ultra running aid station under any other circumstance would be a dream buffet – complete with cornucopia of candy, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made to order, cookies of every make and model, potato chips and coke, among other things. You might say – a dentist’s idea of job security.

Effective fueling – hydration and nutrition, for ultra events takes as much diligent training as the physical aspect and is, like everything, ultimately individually fine tuned. It is an ongoing area of contention and research in an attempt to find that optimum performance formula.

Personally, based on my fueling strategies, I would in the eyes of science-based nutritionists be considered a fueling flunky. When racing a 140K in a European cycling stage race or a 50K trail running race – I would, on a good day drink a few bottles and subsist on several Gus. This is not a conscious decision of depravation – it just seems natural for me. My nutritionists contend I would improve my performances if I consistently ate and drank during the events.

That said it could be that different ultra distances, raced at different intensities demand different fueling strategies. I was speaking about this subject with Dr. Andy Pasternak of Silver Sage Sports Performance in Reno and the Medical Director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance races – who recently attended the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conference.

One of the presentations he attended focused on Gastrointestinal (GI) Distress, a common limiter for Western States runners – and interestingly often a greater factor in the non-completion rate than muscle fatigue or injury.

The presented study, conducted at the Javelina Jundred 100Mile trail run, by Kristin Stuempfle, Martin Huffman and Tamara Hew-Butler, concluded that a lower percentage of fat in the race diet and lower intake rates of fat, protein and fluid may contribute to GI distress in ultra-marathoners.

Dr. Pasternak remarked that, “Fat intake may be a marker for those runners that run smarter.” He continued, “It would be interesting to conduct follow-up tests on racers in different distances, including 50K and 50 Milers – and measure their running intensity along with their caloric intake during the race. There are a couple of possibilities for the findings from Dr. Stuempfle and their group. One is that fat may have some sort of protective effect on the GI system and help decrease GI distress. Also, because fats are more caloric dense foods, runners who eat more fat are able to ingest more calories. Another possibility is that fat intake is a marker for runners who are running in a purely aerobic zone. As running intensity increases, blood flow to the GI system decreases and more runners can have issues with GI distress. The runners who are able to stay in an aerobic zone may tolerate eating more foods (including fats) which allows them to ingest enough energy to successfully finish the race.”

In another study presented at the conference – the research group from Health Sciences Department, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, presented their findings from last year’s Western States, which focused on the race diets of finishers and non-finishers.

 

The study concluded that race completion was related to greater fuel, fluid, and sodium consumption rates. The finishers consumed 4-6 kilocalories/kilogram/hour, twice as much as the non-finisher, equating to 13,000-16,000 calories over the 100miles. Kilocalorie, fat, fluid, and sodium consumption rates during the first 48 km were significantly greater in finishers than in non-finishers.

 

Interestingly – the medical experts conducting the above research projects advocate hydrating based on thirst versus a regimented, scheduled fluid intake.

 

 

Stay tuned for  the study of two – fueling strategies of two successful Western States runners – Matt Keyes and Jamie Frink.

On the Circuit

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Dr. Pasternak and I have had a fantastic few days on the meet and greet circuit.

Kicking off on Thursday night with the final Reno-Tahoe Odyssey Relay 101 – helping participants fine tune their final weeks of training, recovery and nutritional strategies before shoving off on their Odysseys.

Friday night we enjoyed the casual setting of Petra in the Village at Northstar with the Girls on the Run supporters. The informal atmosphere was perfectly paired with delicious wines and small plates. I provided a 30,000 foot perspective on effective training – based on big picture themes I have taken-away as a competitor and now coach.

I so believe in and appreciate the GOTR mission – the organization marries the eqaully importance of physical and mental aspects of life – and as a result of the program are mutually benefited. Seems generally speaking  youth sports today are so performance pressured, and focus so heavily on sophisticated physiological training and technique, but miss respect for and training of the central mental piece.

In my experience – athletics provide a microcosm of life magnified, crammed in to a determinant amount of time, where we experience, the extreme emotional highs and lows . When I was racing – even at the elite international level, I valued the personal growth opportunities it afforded maybe even more than results. I think this positive spin and perspective equated to a long, successful, positive career – and unlike many past competitors – I still love partaking in the activity.

Results and physical sensations are fleeting – the mental values and lessons lasting.  There are bunch of factors in bike racing – many outside our control. But for the most part I felt I had raced a successful race, irregardless of the results if I – stayed mentally intent and present during the race, controlling anxious anticipating thoughts of what lie down the road; replaced negative thoughts and self-talk with positive thoughts resulting in positive physical outcomes (it was amazing to experience the immediate cause and effect of the mental thought process on physicality – it was transforming physically) and rode with absolute conviction, determination, abandon – leaving all my best efforts out on the road, crossing the finish line with nothing left and no regrets or “should haves. ”

To me – athletics are an expression vs a proving ground. This perspective relieves the sense of pressure, provides the opportunity to blow past self-imposed limited scenarios, and human outlining.

The on-bike competitive values and characteristics extend to daily life – maintaining composure and calm amidst chaos; displaying grace when things don’t go your way; setting goals supported by focus, discipline, tenacity and persistence to achieve them.

Lesson learned – Seize the day, ride with abandon.

Dr. P and I finished our presentation circuit with the Giant- NOrthstar Mountain Bike Team on Saturday. I presented on effective training strategies including the physical and mental aspects. And Andy helped the team riders understand the importance of lactate threshold testing in order to provide tools to better fine tune their training and maximize training time. We finished the day with the team mountain biking the Sawtooth trail and barbecuing burgers – thanks Justin Swett, Andy Buckley and Whitney Wall for a fantastic day.

 

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Massage – Feels Good and Good For You

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IMG_2392I learned the benefits of massage for recovery and injury prevention, firsthand as a professional/US National Team cyclist specializing in European stage races. These races take place over a rigorous consecutive 14 days, averaging 150k/day, punctuated by intense competition and epic courses. Needless to say, efficient time management and effective recovery is paramount. And for those of us clean racers not caving to the unethical assisted program, proper nutrition and massage is our medicine of choice.

Dr. Andy Pasternak, MD, (my partner and owner of Silver Sage Sports Performance Center in Reno) and I conduct presentations for events, including the Reno-Tahoe Odyssey Relay and the Tahoe Rim Trail races, on effective training, injury prevention and recovery strategies. For this purpose we have researched studies on the effectiveness of massage. Some studies on untrained subjects indicate no definitive effect, however studies conducted on trained individuals prove massage reduces pain and helps muscle recovery.

It has long been asserted that massage eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness. This contention has recently been scientifically confirmed in a study published in the Science Translational Medicine. This study is significant because it is the first to directly link massage to reducing pro-inflammatory factors leading to pain.

Intensive exercise creates tiny tears, leading to an immune reaction we refer to as inflammation, resulting when the body works to repair the damaged cells. In this study, researchers found, “Massage reduced the production of compounds called cytokines, which play a critical role in inflammation. Massage also stimulated mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside cells that convert glycogen into the energy essential for cell function and repair.” The study quoted Dr. Tarnopolsky, who said, “The bottom line is that there appears to be a suppression of pathways in inflammation and an increase in mitochondrial biogenesis.” This process allows the body to adapt to demands of exercise duration and intensity.

Conversely, many doctors, including Dr. Pasternak, who also acts as the medical director for the Tahoe Rim endurance trail races, are advising endurance athletes discontinue use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other anti-inflammatory drugs to address inflammation and pain. In extreme circumstances the use of these drugs during endurance activities combined with excessive hydration with water versus electrolytes, contributes to hyponatremia and in severe cases kidney failure.  The NSAIDs and other anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce inflammation and mask pain – but ultimately slow healing. Studies indicate that massage, on the other hand, suppresses inflammation and enhances cell recovery.

Kelly Carducci, Kelly Carducci Massage Therapy in Auburn, works with a significant number of endurance athletes from runners to cyclist ranging from recreational weekend warriors and amateur competitors to elite professional athletes. In response to the benefits of massage for injury prevention, Carducci says that, “ Massage keeps muscle tissue, ligaments and tendons loose, pliable and free of adhesions. Where there is scar tissue or chronic tightness the tissues are more likely to tear or re-injure. Deep tissue massage is effective for changing cross-fibered scar tissue back in to smooth, linear patterned tissue, which is stronger and more pliable.”

Consistent massage is the key to reaping consistent benefits. Carducci says, “Massage once a month provides a good maintenance plan for most endurance athletes to maintain balance and biomechanically efficiency.” Scheduling massage ultimately depends on the demands and stress placed on the body – for some of Carducci’s professional, elite athletes that means massage once a week. For those addressing an injury for example a frozen shoulder, sciatica or piriformis syndrome, Carducci recommends massage once a week until the pain is resolved.

For a majority of us – weekly massage may not be justifiable or financially realistic – but we can individually implement strategies to provide muscular maintenance to contribute to recovery and overall injury prevention between massage visits.  These regenerative strategies include consistently taking a roll on a tennis ball or foam roller or snuggling up to a massage stick.

 

Yoga is A One Stop Injury Prevention Strategy

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Endurance activities are repetitive, linear and utilize a limited range of motion. These ingredients are a recipe for excessive stress on specific muscles, joints and bones. As a result our bodies teeter toward imbalance and manifest asymmetries – common culprits of injury.

Yoga (speaking generally rather than specifically about particular disciplines) provides a range of benefits from muscular strength and flexibility to mental stamina and empowerment.

The practice trains functional strength through flowing movements and static poses utilizing gravity and body weight for resistance. Yoga employs many single leg standing poses honing balance, strength (major muscle groups and stabilizers), stamina and mental focus. In our endurance pursuits – we want each leg to be independently and effectively deliver power. Training single legged postures improves stability and core strength, while also reducing asymmetries. These poses are mentally and physically challenging yet rewarding when consistent practice reveals tangible improvements in symmetrical strength.

Our repetitive endurance activities use the same muscles over and over, strengthening certain muscles, neglecting others. Yoga poses help maintain muscular balance through flexibility, allowing muscles to harmoniously function as units. Improved muscular flexibility facilitates gains in strength, range of motion, mechanics and recovery. A consistent yoga practice elongates musculature facilitating improved blood flow – resulting in better nourished muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Endurance activities’ limited range of motion shortens and stiffens muscles. Tight muscles lead to poor body alignment and imbalance. Yoga resolves stiffness and provides an opportunity for us to develop a body awareness to discover and employ a fine balance of muscular suppleness and strength.

Joint mobility and range of motion is of equal importance in injury prevention and positively affected by yoga. Properly functioning joints allow proper muscle recruitment contrasting with improper recruitment and tendency toward overuse injuries.

Through the many single leg balance poses, yoga heightens body awareness and proprioception, This translates to efficient controlled movements in our endurance world. In running for example – it is a tool to enhance our ability to safely anticipate movement changes, smoother, quicker and with less impact.

Ryan Bailey with East Wind Yoga in Auburn says, “Yoga improves the overall consciousness of the body. This mental work and resulting deeper mind-body connection helps endurance athletes stay better connected over long endurance events. This fine tuned awareness helps athletes more efficiently react to what they are feeling.”

This heightened awareness – helps us tune in to our bodies on a constant basis. I have found this especially valuable, when for example, I increase the intensity, running or cycling, and feel my body’s tension increase. Yoga engrains an instantaneous ability to resolve tenseness with relaxation.

The practice brings awareness and effectiveness to our breathing – it connects movement to breath, improving circulation and more efficient oxygen delivery to working muscles. Bailey feels the breath work is especially pertinent to athletics. He says, “Yoga teaches us to control and work with breath, we learn the rhythm of breath guides the movement. It also teaches us to breathe through challenging sticking points in our yoga practice and we can effectively extend this to endurance activities. We learn the breath controls how we react – in yoga and in life. ” We learn that breathe can provide a sense of calm and composure or the opposite effect of fight-flight franticness. When we stay calm – as applied to endurance injury prevention, we stay present and make sound decisions with resulting skillful actions.

Consistent yoga acts as an effective recovery and regenerative strategy. Susan Whitaker of Canyon Spirit Yoga in Auburn says, “Yoga instills that value of rest and rejuvenation providing uninterrupted time to slow down, stretch, prioritize restoring the body and connect with the mind. It fills the gaps that may arise from single-minded pursuits, and provides a healthy mental and physical perspective.”

Besides the injury prevention benefits of balance, range of motion, flexibility and strength, yoga delivers mental empowerment allowing us to overcome self-imposed physical limitations and improve performance. The yoga practice leaves us with powerful mental mantras that mentally boost us, with the body in tow, over perceived physical hurdles.

Yoga offers a mental and physical retreat – providing that rare protected opportunity slow down, and develop awareness. As an endurance athlete – I appreciate the slowness, gentleness and calmness that balance other aspects of my athletic life. I am not necessarily looking for another workout, but relish the complete escape to focus on mind-body connection, breathing and deep relaxed stretching. The trick is to take the benefits off the mat, out the door and into life, activities and athletics.

 

Injury Prevention and Improved Performance Via Pilates

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A common issue amongst endurance athletes is pain resulting from postural weakness. This weak link in our body’s kinetic chain inhibits performance, leads to imbalances and potential injury.

Does this sound familiar…

While cycling, have you experienced lower back pain as a result of rounding at the lower back, due to fatigue from duration, intensity or increased resistance? This rounding contrasts with the proper strong pillar-like posture which provides leverage, stability and access to glute power.

Runners, do you hyper-extend your lower back in an attempt to find speed, either as a result of over-striding or incorrectly trying to find what we feel is a faster forward position. Or feel this same loss of stacked postural integrity while descending? This loss of posture may result from weakness and an inability to maintain a neutral spine and  level pelvis. This sway back results in an anterior pelvic tilt and contributes to high hamstring strains at the insertion point on the ischial tuberosity (sit bones)  – ouch. (Of course there may be other contributing factors, for example tight hip flexors, dominant quads and weak glutes and hamstrings.)

How about those of us who, while running fall victim to hinging at the hips, especially when ascending. This results in low back pain and inefficient technique with the mass of the body –  hips and glutes falling behind the feet forcing us to fight gravity. Conversely, an efficient stable posture is characterized by a neutral spine, maintained by drawing up on the pelvic floor and in with the transverse abdominus, securing a level pelvis. While the upper abs draw down insuring the ribs stay in a line with the spine. When we lock in to this posture we stabilize and efficiently utilize the mass of the body, falling slightly in front of the feet pressing on to a bent, dorsiflexed ankle creating leverage and a forward shin angle.  

And finally a show of hands from swimmers who experience lower back issues?  A stable pillar, among other reasons, equates to performance by creating a streamline position with minimal drag. When swimmers lack that postural strength, for example in that pelvic floor they experience anterior pelvic tilt, hyper-extending the lower back, creating pain and producing drag.

Consistent practice and practical application of Pilates can help resolve these scenarios. As with past articles – we communicate in absolutes and make them relative to our individuality, the same goes with our Pilates discussion,  much depends on specific postural habits… everybody is different.

As endurance athletes the core – glutes, hips, abdominals, back and shoulders – constitutes our foundation. We want this foundation to resemble a pillar versus a wet noodle. The core is the center of the body’s kinetic chain – a strong core efficiently and safely generates movement and power to the extremities while stabilizing.

Paula Smith of Full Circle Movement Pilates studio in Truckee commented, “Pilates is ideal for injury prevention because the exercises focus on the deep stabilizing muscles of the body. The small deep muscles are necessary for healthy spine and joints. Pilates is also helpful to balance muscle strength. Often bodies rely on few muscle groups to make movement happen. Pilates is technique for overall muscle strength and length.”

 

I was thinking about the importance and application of a strong stable core the other day while running intervals on the trail – maintaining a neutral spine and level pelvis demands strength, especially with increased intensity. While the undulating, inconsistent terrain demands stability. Pilates effectively reaches, trains and strengthens those deep stabilizing core muscles – key word being deep.

A consistent pilates practice can help us build deep abdominal strength as well as increased body awareness. Pilates moves us beyond the sit-up and crunch and incorporates exercises that emphasize proper alignment. In our endurance activities – as mentioned, we strive for a pillar posture, and do not want to crunch and bend as we move, but rather maintain stability while moving our arms and legs. A Pilates program starts with exercises like the plank and bridge and then progresses to more dynamic ones that challenge deep stabilization while introducing movement.

The demanding, precise Pilates exercises utilize for example a variety of bridges, which ingrain that braced abdominal and stable level pelvis, while teaching us to deeply fire our muscles and effectively engage our extremities. This variety of exercises also trains us to deeply engage the core while strengthening the glute medius to establish correct muscle-firing patterns. Other Pilates maneuvers effectively ward off patellofemoral and IT issues by training a stable pelvis, engaging the glutes while extending the hip flexors.

Personally I have benefited from Pilates by the emphasis on the deep muscular work to achieve greater hip and femur independence – think Barbie or Ken doll. This helps facilitate a more efficient biomechanically sound hip, knee, ankle relationship. Smith comments, “The first step in achieving independent movement of the femur is pelvic stability with a strong pelvic floor/transverse abdominus. Then focus on balancing leg strength by stretch/release rolling the piriformis and strengthening deep external rotators. We continue working toward muscular balance by stretch/release rolling the rectus femoris and quad as well as strengthening deep hip flexors, the psoas and upper hamstrings.”

The hard-to-reach, running relevant piriformis muscle, found deep in the glute is responsible for external rotation of the hip joint. When the piriformis tightens it can lead to sciatic issues which in turn inhibit the lower extremities motor and sensory abilities. Pilates exercises loosen the piriformis facilitating that hip-femur freedom, resulting in improved joint range of motion as well as improved muscular flexibility and circulation.

The deep Pilates abdominal stabilization exercises train postural musculature endurance and better mirror endurance specific demands than the traditional crunch-centric core programs. It fine tunes and heightens our body awareness, training us to lengthen from our tailbone to the crown of our head, maintaining the stacked, stable pillar posture. Ultimately Pilates balances the muscular load between the back of our bodies, glutes and hamstings and front, quads and hip flexors, strengthening the glutes and simmering hyper-active hip flexors improving muscular balance and effectively warding off injury.