As some of my teammates know I've been suffering from a shoulder impingement injury for the past several months. Its the first shoulder I've had in 12 years after a couple bike crashes and resulting broken collar bones and seperate ribs. I generally am very diligent about stretch, rolling, and all that jazz - so I keep my shoulders pretty healthy. Yes - you all need to strength train, roll on the roller, and stretch people - it works!
Anyway, last fall I was training for IM Cozumel where I had an awesome race. The last four weeks before race day I had a little irritation so did some extra massage, laid off the paddles, and chiro work. That helped alot and I was ready to roll by race day as the taper took care of the rest. Unfortunately the nature of Ironman Triathlon swimming is such that is really what I like to call a "contact sport". As many of you have surely experienced its all 'elbows and feet" when you are jocking for position" and a good set of feet to ride on. Hence, I had my elbow up to enter for the next catch and "BAM" some huge dude lands on my arm. It definintely hurt a but and was annoying to say the least but nothing that seemed serious - so of course I kept on swimming got out and enjoyed the rest of my day thank you very much. Alas, when I'm back home in NorCal and am ready to start back swimming after a serious post-race recovery mode I found my shoulder irritated again.
So - long story short....it's just now getting better! I laid off the swimming but went on a big cycling build / adventure to do the Davis Double Century with my TTE Teammates last month. It was a blast and awesome bike training but left my upper back, neck, and yes - shoulders super tight and irritated. 200 miles on a TT bike is a loooong way for those parts people. So - note to self - next time I will be sure to include more massage and rolling. Yoga helps too - especially cobra's and back bends over the physio ball.
At this point though I am seeing the PT. So I had a great 'mini consult' by one of the new athletes I coached Gail Perry - who is an outstanding physical therapist.
Here's what Gail had to say:
"The theory is to get the shoulder and scapulae into its optimal position to avoid impingement. Here is a link to help you tape your shoulder: http://www.athletestreatingathletes.com/kinesiology-tape/shoulder-impingement/.
For exercises it is important to have your full ROM in rotation - both internal and external in addition to full flexion. Also of importance is the position of the scapulae. The medial border of the scapulae should ideally be lined up parallel to your spine. When the anterior chest muscles ( pec minor and major) are stronger than the posterior scapulae muscles ( middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) than you get an imbalance of the muscles and the scapulae tends to settle into a position of downward rotation which reduces the area between the acromion and the humeral head leading to impingement.
Also, be sure to stretch the pec minor and pec major, strengthen the lower and middle trap without engaging the rhomboids ( they tend to downwardly rotate the scapulae). In addition, strengthen the rotator cuff - especially external rotator both in neutral with arm at your side and at 90ยบ with the theraband. Last - during the day check in and see where that scapulae is sitting - especially if you are sitting or on the computer alot. Try to focus on opening up the chest and settling the scapulae on the rib cage in a neutral position."
So - that's my mission now and it seems to be working. Thanks Gail!! In the mean time if you have an injury you need help with she's a great resource and is an endurance athlete herself so totally "get's it".
Gail Perry, DPT Doctor of Physical Therapy 182 Farmers Lane, Suite 100B Santa Rosa, CA 95405 (707) 570-1393
Ok folks - since fall has arrived and its now the off season in Norcal that means its time to hit the weight room and Vinyasa flow classes! What should you do?? Here are a few ideas:
*Squats *Single Leg squats *Deadlifts and Bent-over Rows *Cleans *Clean & Press *Box Lunges *Curtsy Squats *Balance Lunges with a TRX *TRX Rows *Bosu squats and arm combos *Bosu skier squats and ballerina toe touches *Slide board (this is the bomb) *Ball or TRX Pikes and knee tucks *Planks - all kinds! Spider monkey style using elbows to knees, with lifts and arm reaches (side-out-under) and TRX Side planks are wicked!! *Step jumps *Clam shells! Work the pilates booty. *Step jacks *Pull ups!! *Plenty of dips, cables, and crab crawls *Eccentric calf raises *Hill INTERVALS!! ie. sprints, steps, stairmaster or gauntlet, and hiking! *Learn to throw a med ball! With a partner, on a physio or bosu ball, on one leg or against a wall *Mountain climbers AND Burpees! *Caterpillar crawls :) *Vinyasa high to low planks with elbows & knee touches are a killer if you do enough of them!
Essentials: -Mix it up! Don't always lift every or session in the same patter - try up the ladder, down the ladder, alternate upper lower, etc... -Start small - don't make yourself so sore you can't walk or run for 3 days! -Focus on the eccentric contraction! -Don't do everything! Pick 8-10 key exercises and rotate through them -Start with 1-2 sets and build to 3-4 sets. I prefer a mix of very high rep days with heavier low rep days to keep the muscle confusion going, lean out, sculpt, and get functionl strength for endurance. This program should be varied enough to keep you busy all the way through February / March.
High Rep: There are a number of ways to do this but they basically fall into 2 key categories - reps for time or reps to a specific number. I generally like to do the following: 2-4 sets of 1-4min rounds OR 1-3 sets of 15-20 reps.
Low Rep: Same as above but for timed sets they are very explosive, fast and short 3-5 x:30-60seconds max. For reps try 2-4 sets of 6-12 reps.
Again, vary your lifting pattern and order. In general after warming up work the bigger muscles groups first to get the most bang for your buck and the smaller, stabilizer muscles after to help prevent injury. Done right you should be able to increase overall strength, power, and lean body mass over the winter setting you up for a great foundation to work off once your next race season training begins to roll around. This will also set you up for a healthy, strong "infrastructure" that will allow you to do more running and hill work with much less risk of injury.
PART 1: The Risk of Being a Triathlete Over 40.... Here is an interesting article recently posted in Outside Magazine this week that's garnering a lot of interest from the triathlon community.
With the ever growing popularity and rise of the sport there is no doubt that we aren't just 'on the fringe' anymore. A mere 10 years ago one would mention they are a triathlete and people would look at you confused...and than say something "really? all in one day" - yes folks - times have indeed changed. It's no longer wierd to be a triathlete but something akin a cult complete with 'groupies, wannabies, and being trendy'. Once scooffed at the office water cooler many are discussing their next race and evening workout. With that said many are also arguably 'just off the couch'. While as a life-time fitness educator, coach/trainer I find this sorta of exciting and ground-breaking in a world of over-weight sedentary desk jockies and diabetic children, it is also mild alarming.
All kidding aside...as coach and fitness professional the rising threat of heart attacks and heart related events during triathlon training and races is scary. For those of us making a living by helping people of all backgrounds reach their dreams and goals it is should set off the 'yellow light of caution' though.
My suggestion in is the following wether you are a coach, fitness professional, or budding triathlete....
a. See your doctor and get a 'Green light pass' b. Get your 'infrastructure' all check out prior to getting started. Coaches this is the only responsible course of action when working with obese atheltes, those new to exercise, over 40, and any with any history of heart health issues - even just in the family. c. Specifically --> blood pressure, total cholesterol, heart health, joint health, etc. A total blood pannel can also be helpful as it will help establish a baseline for many things such as thryoid function, iron levels, kidney health, etc.
Once you've gotten the 'green light'.... Coaches should be sure to proceed cautiously. If you are well educated and experienced you have nothing to proove to your new athlete other than proceeding wisely to help them avoid being sidelined by injuries, etc. Help re-direct their goals in necessary and establishing clear cut goals is best. They don't have to be huge - just reasonable.
In part 2 I'll give an example of what both coaches and athletes can do to get started!
PART 2: The Risk of Being a Triathlete Over 40.... http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/triathlons/The-Fatal-Risk-in-Triathlons.html
Example - The 6-Week Test: Hi all – here is a quick test to help you get started with defining those goals.
Coaches: The new off-the-couch athlete should have a training schedule and load that allows them to EASILY complete the first 6 weeks of training without missing too much. Why? If they can't follow a basic, easy introductory schedule without being overly tired, cranky, non-compliant, and miss a ton of session than it is clear that the athlete is unable to handle the load. It's simply too much. Simple fix - talk to the athlete early on, go back to the drawing board, and discuss this with a fellow coaching mentor (yes, we all need mentors - good coaches must learn to be coached as well!). By meeting with the athlete and using an on-line training log like Workout Log or Training Peaks it should be fairly simple for you both to see how it’s going.
Athletes: The schedule may seem 'stupid easy' to you and that's good. Hopefully you and your coach have discussed the program, expectations and goals. You should easily be able to complete 90% of your schedule weekly training sessions for the first 6 weeks - and then be hungry and excited for more! If not and you are tired, run down, un-motivated, or just can't handle it than it's your responsibility to tell us! Yes, a novel concept - TALK to your COACH! That's what we are here for! You are paying us for our professional guidance and advice - we are on your team and want the best for you. While most good coaches are very 'intuitive' and have solid gut feeling for how their athlete is doing they are not mind readers.
So - as part of your ‘coaching contract’ it is your responsibility as the athlete to: *Fill out your log (Pretty PLEASE :) *Check in weekly with your coach -Email, texting, schedule a face-to-face, go on an easy ride together, or use face book messaging, hmmm or alas - pick up the phone! Yes - a phone call is what I still feel is best when things get really rough. We are always a short dial away and sometimes texting and email doesn't really get the tone and full message across.
To recap: Get the most out of the coaching experience and relationship by working together as a team, stay in frequent communication (especially online athletes), do your homework, and see the doc before you get started. Remember the 99% of us age-group athletes out there we are here to do the sport for fun and fitness. We want to see you achieve your goals but in a healthy, balanced way.
TYPOS!! Goodness - please excuse the typos. I am not a blogging nerd yet and am still getting in the swing of things. Please have mercy and I will promise to try and edit as much as possible. Only problem is there is no way for me to edit a post once its published in this format. Once GOOGLE can sort out how to get their "Pages App Feature" more 'user friendly' this will hopefully sort it self out.
Until than... If anyone is a blogging exper out there with specific knowledge on how to use the 'pages feature' of blogger please feel free to post or send me info directly at jenny@traintoendure.com. All comments and help are greatly appreciated.
Rest and Recovery.... So I am 30 days into using my new Sleep Cycle App that I found free on the app store and all I can say is WOW! I've learned alot! I;ll try to post a screen shot of it here later. But in a matter of weeks I've improved the amount of time I spend in bed - which is usually around 8 hours. My sleep quality has been pretty good up until this last week when holiday and work stress finally hit. I learned that some nights I had only 53% sleep quality. So - it really has forced me to work to keep my focus on learning to relax, shut off my brain and keep my sleep quality above 90%.
The other cool feature is monitoring my resting heart rate which generally tends to float around 45. However, on occasion its popped up a few times. All very interesting once you start looking at trends in your life. Ladies - yes - your period does affect your sleep cycle! I was truly surprised by how much.
At any rate - If you would like to try it go to the App Store and download the free app "Sleep Cycle". If you'd like the "storage feature" where it will store all your data to compare over weeks and months than its 1.99.
As some of my teammates know I've been suffering from a shoulder impingement injury for the past several months. Its the first shoulder I've had in 12 years after a couple bike crashes and resulting broken collar bones and seperate ribs. I generally am very diligent about stretch, rolling, and all that jazz - so I keep my shoulders pretty healthy. Yes - you all need to strength train, roll on the roller, and stretch people - it works!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, last fall I was training for IM Cozumel where I had an awesome race. The last four weeks before race day I had a little irritation so did some extra massage, laid off the paddles, and chiro work. That helped alot and I was ready to roll by race day as the taper took care of the rest. Unfortunately the nature of Ironman Triathlon swimming is such that is really what I like to call a "contact sport". As many of you have surely experienced its all 'elbows and feet" when you are jocking for position" and a good set of feet to ride on. Hence, I had my elbow up to enter for the next catch and "BAM" some huge dude lands on my arm. It definintely hurt a but and was annoying to say the least but nothing that seemed serious - so of course I kept on swimming got out and enjoyed the rest of my day thank you very much. Alas, when I'm back home in NorCal and am ready to start back swimming after a serious post-race recovery mode I found my shoulder irritated again.
So - long story short....it's just now getting better! I laid off the swimming but went on a big cycling build / adventure to do the Davis Double Century with my TTE Teammates last month. It was a blast and awesome bike training but left my upper back, neck, and yes - shoulders super tight and irritated. 200 miles on a TT bike is a loooong way for those parts people. So - note to self - next time I will be sure to include more massage and rolling. Yoga helps too - especially cobra's and back bends over the physio ball.
At this point though I am seeing the PT. So I had a great 'mini consult' by one of the new athletes I coached Gail Perry - who is an outstanding physical therapist.
Here's what Gail had to say:
"The theory is to get the shoulder and scapulae into its optimal position to avoid impingement. Here is a link to help you tape your shoulder:
http://www.athletestreatingathletes.com/kinesiology-tape/shoulder-impingement/.
For exercises it is important to have your full ROM in rotation - both internal and external in addition to full flexion. Also of importance is the position of the scapulae. The medial border of the scapulae should ideally be lined up parallel to your spine. When the anterior chest muscles ( pec minor and major) are stronger than the posterior scapulae muscles ( middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) than you get an imbalance of the muscles and the scapulae tends to settle into a position of downward rotation which reduces the area between the acromion and the humeral head leading to impingement.
Also, be sure to stretch the pec minor and pec major, strengthen the lower and middle trap without engaging the rhomboids ( they tend to downwardly rotate the scapulae). In addition, strengthen the rotator cuff - especially external rotator both in neutral with arm at your side and at 90ยบ with the theraband. Last - during the day check in and see where that scapulae is sitting - especially if you are sitting or on the computer alot. Try to focus on opening up the chest and settling the scapulae on the rib cage in a neutral position."
So - that's my mission now and it seems to be working. Thanks Gail!! In the mean time if you have an injury you need help with she's a great resource and is an endurance athlete herself so totally "get's it".
Gail Perry, DPT
Doctor of Physical Therapy
182 Farmers Lane, Suite 100B
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
(707) 570-1393
I will keep you all posted on how it's going.
Ciao~
JL
Ok folks - since fall has arrived and its now the off season in Norcal that means its time to hit the weight room and Vinyasa flow classes! What should you do?? Here are a few ideas:
ReplyDelete*Squats
*Single Leg squats
*Deadlifts and Bent-over Rows
*Cleans
*Clean & Press
*Box Lunges
*Curtsy Squats
*Balance Lunges with a TRX
*TRX Rows
*Bosu squats and arm combos
*Bosu skier squats and ballerina toe touches
*Slide board (this is the bomb)
*Ball or TRX Pikes and knee tucks
*Planks - all kinds! Spider monkey style using elbows to knees, with lifts and arm reaches (side-out-under) and TRX Side planks are wicked!!
*Step jumps
*Clam shells! Work the pilates booty.
*Step jacks
*Pull ups!!
*Plenty of dips, cables, and crab crawls
*Eccentric calf raises
*Hill INTERVALS!! ie. sprints, steps, stairmaster or gauntlet, and hiking!
*Learn to throw a med ball! With a partner, on a physio or bosu ball, on one leg or against a wall
*Mountain climbers AND Burpees!
*Caterpillar crawls :)
*Vinyasa high to low planks with elbows & knee touches are a killer if you do enough of them!
Essentials:
-Mix it up! Don't always lift every or session in the same patter - try up the ladder, down the ladder, alternate upper lower, etc...
-Start small - don't make yourself so sore you can't walk or run for 3 days!
-Focus on the eccentric contraction!
-Don't do everything! Pick 8-10 key exercises and rotate through them
-Start with 1-2 sets and build to 3-4 sets. I prefer a mix of very high rep days with heavier low rep days to keep the muscle confusion going, lean out, sculpt, and get functionl strength for endurance. This program should be varied enough to keep you busy all the way through February / March.
Most of all have Have fun out there!!!
JL
Set / rep recommendations:
ReplyDeleteHigh Rep:
There are a number of ways to do this but they basically fall into 2 key categories - reps for time or reps to a specific number. I generally like to do the following: 2-4 sets of 1-4min rounds OR 1-3 sets of 15-20 reps.
Low Rep:
Same as above but for timed sets they are very explosive, fast and short 3-5 x:30-60seconds max. For reps try 2-4 sets of 6-12 reps.
Again,
vary your lifting pattern and order. In general after warming up work the bigger muscles groups first to get the most bang for your buck and the smaller, stabilizer muscles after to help prevent injury. Done right you should be able to increase overall strength, power, and lean body mass over the winter setting you up for a great foundation to work off once your next race season training begins to roll around. This will also set you up for a healthy, strong "infrastructure" that will allow you to do more running and hill work with much less risk of injury.
Enjoy!!
JL
PART 1: The Risk of Being a Triathlete Over 40....
ReplyDeleteHere is an interesting article recently posted in Outside Magazine this week that's garnering a lot of interest from the triathlon community.
http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/triathlons/The-Fatal-Risk-in-Triathlons.html
With the ever growing popularity and rise of the sport there is no doubt that we aren't just 'on the fringe' anymore. A mere 10 years ago one would mention they are a triathlete and people would look at you confused...and than say something "really? all in one day" - yes folks - times have indeed changed. It's no longer wierd to be a triathlete but something akin a cult complete with 'groupies, wannabies, and being trendy'. Once scooffed at the office water cooler many are discussing their next race and evening workout. With that said many are also arguably 'just off the couch'. While as a life-time fitness educator, coach/trainer I find this sorta of exciting and ground-breaking in a world of over-weight sedentary desk jockies and diabetic children, it is also mild alarming.
All kidding aside...as coach and fitness professional the rising threat of heart attacks and heart related events during triathlon training and races is scary. For those of us making a living by helping people of all backgrounds reach their dreams and goals it is should set off the 'yellow light of caution' though.
My suggestion in is the following wether you are a coach, fitness professional, or budding triathlete....
a. See your doctor and get a 'Green light pass'
b. Get your 'infrastructure' all check out prior to getting started.
Coaches this is the only responsible course of action when working with obese atheltes, those new to exercise, over 40, and any with any history of heart health issues - even just in the family.
c. Specifically --> blood pressure, total cholesterol, heart health, joint health, etc. A total blood pannel can also be helpful as it will help establish a baseline for many things such as thryoid function, iron levels, kidney health, etc.
Once you've gotten the 'green light'....
Coaches should be sure to proceed cautiously. If you are well educated and experienced you have nothing to proove to your new athlete other than proceeding wisely to help them avoid being sidelined by injuries, etc. Help re-direct their goals in necessary and establishing clear cut goals is best. They don't have to be huge - just reasonable.
In part 2 I'll give an example of what both coaches and athletes can do to get started!
Until than...happy training~
JL
PART 2: The Risk of Being a Triathlete Over 40....
ReplyDeletehttp://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/triathlons/The-Fatal-Risk-in-Triathlons.html
Example - The 6-Week Test:
Hi all – here is a quick test to help you get started with defining those goals.
Coaches:
The new off-the-couch athlete should have a training schedule and load that allows them to EASILY complete the first 6 weeks of training without missing too much. Why? If they can't follow a basic, easy introductory schedule without being overly tired, cranky, non-compliant, and miss a ton of session than it is clear that the athlete is unable to handle the load. It's simply too much. Simple fix - talk to the athlete early on, go back to the drawing board, and discuss this with a fellow coaching mentor (yes, we all need mentors - good coaches must learn to be coached as well!). By meeting with the athlete and using an on-line training log like Workout Log or Training Peaks it should be fairly simple for you both to see how it’s going.
Athletes:
The schedule may seem 'stupid easy' to you and that's good. Hopefully you and your coach have discussed the program, expectations and goals. You should easily be able to complete 90% of your schedule weekly training sessions for the first 6 weeks - and then be hungry and excited for more! If not and you are tired, run down, un-motivated, or just can't handle it than it's your responsibility to tell us! Yes, a novel concept - TALK to your COACH! That's what we are here for! You are paying us for our professional guidance and advice - we are on your team and want the best for you. While most good coaches are very 'intuitive' and have solid gut feeling for how their athlete is doing they are not mind readers.
So - as part of your ‘coaching contract’ it is your responsibility as the athlete to:
*Fill out your log (Pretty PLEASE :)
*Check in weekly with your coach
-Email, texting, schedule a face-to-face, go on an easy ride together, or use face book messaging, hmmm or alas - pick up the phone! Yes - a phone call is what I still feel is best when things get really rough. We are always a short dial away and sometimes texting and email doesn't really get the tone and full message across.
To recap:
Get the most out of the coaching experience and relationship by working together as a team, stay in frequent communication (especially online athletes), do your homework, and see the doc before you get started. Remember the 99% of us age-group athletes out there we are here to do the sport for fun and fitness. We want to see you achieve your goals but in a healthy, balanced way.
Happy Training~
JL
TYPOS!!
ReplyDeleteGoodness - please excuse the typos. I am not a blogging nerd yet and am still getting in the swing of things. Please have mercy and I will promise to try and edit as much as possible. Only problem is there is no way for me to edit a post once its published in this format. Once GOOGLE can sort out how to get their "Pages App Feature" more 'user friendly' this will hopefully sort it self out.
Until than...
If anyone is a blogging exper out there with specific knowledge on how to use the 'pages feature' of blogger please feel free to post or send me info directly at jenny@traintoendure.com. All comments and help are greatly appreciated.
Til than...happy training~
JL
Rest and Recovery....
ReplyDeleteSo I am 30 days into using my new Sleep Cycle App that I found free on the app store and all I can say is WOW! I've learned alot! I;ll try to post a screen shot of it here later. But in a matter of weeks I've improved the amount of time I spend in bed - which is usually around 8 hours. My sleep quality has been pretty good up until this last week when holiday and work stress finally hit. I learned that some nights I had only 53% sleep quality. So - it really has forced me to work to keep my focus on learning to relax, shut off my brain and keep my sleep quality above 90%.
The other cool feature is monitoring my resting heart rate which generally tends to float around 45. However, on occasion its popped up a few times. All very interesting once you start looking at trends in your life. Ladies - yes - your period does affect your sleep cycle! I was truly surprised by how much.
At any rate - If you would like to try it go to the App Store and download the free app "Sleep Cycle". If you'd like the "storage feature" where it will store all your data to compare over weeks and months than its 1.99.
Have fun and let me know what you learn!
Ciao for now~
JL