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Although frequent and sometimes debilitating, exercise associated muscle cramps (EAMC) have been poorly understood by the scientific and medical community for years. Many of the theories about EAMC have been from anecdotal evidence, not controlled studies.

Dehydration-Electrolyte Imbalance Theory
The dehydration-electrolyte imbalance theory is most commonly cited as the causes of cramps. During exercise fluid is lost though sweat. Along with water you are also losing electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium) all of which are essential nutrients for proper muscle function.

Unfortunately, the data does not support this theory. Martin Schwellnus at the University of Cape Town reviewed the literature and found "the 'electrolyte depletion' and 'dehydration' hypotheses do not offer plausible pathophysiological mechanisms with supporting scientific evidence that could adequately explain the clinical presentation and management of EAMC."

Numerous studies cited showed no significant difference between blood volume (an indicator of dehydration) between cramping and non cramping athletes. Additionally, the theory does not address cold weather exercise when dehydration is less of a factor. 

Furthermore, if dehydration and electrolyte imbalance are the causes of EAMC simply ingesting adequate amounts of a correctly balanced sports drink should alleviate the problem. To test this, scientists had athletes drink carbohydrate-electrolyte fluids in equal amounts to fluid lost though sweat. Nearly 2/3 of the athletes still cramped! In addition, stretching, not fluid intake is the recommended relief for EAMC.  

Altered Neuromuscular Control Hypothesis
A new idea is emerging to explain EAMC, the  "altered neuromuscular control" hypothesis. This theory suggests that as muscles tire, neuromuscular coordination and control become impaired.

Muscles act in pairs, and smooth muscle action requires one muscle receiving a signal to contract and shorten while the opposite muscle receives a signal to lengthen. When muscle fatigue sets in these signals become faulty. The muscle continues to be simulated to fire without an equal inhibitory signal being sent to the opposing muscle. It is this imbalance in the neuromuscular signals that cause EAMC.

Although evidence from cat studies has supported this theory, Schwellnus states "Scientific evidence for the "altered neuromuscular control" hypothesis is based on evidence from research studies in human models of muscle cramping, epidemiological studies in cramping athletes, and animal experimental data. Whilst it is clear that further evidence to support the "altered neuromuscular control" hypothesis is also required, research data are accumulating that support this as the principal pathophysiological mechanism for the aetiology of EAMC."

My Experience
My experience teaching clients posture exercises leads me to believe there must be a neuromuscular component to EAMC. Clients will cramp trying to do a new exercise which is awaking muscles that have not been used in a long time. I also see consistent patterns of cramping when activating specific muscles. The cramping does reduce as clients repeat the exercises and gain more strength and function.

Prevention is the Best Medicine!
While the cause of EAMC is still under investigation the best prevention is:

• Stay hydrated

• Warm-up before and cool-down following exercise

• Fuel your muscles with adequate carbohydrates and electrolytes

• During exercise ingest an electrolyte drink for efforts over an hour

• Increase training duration and intensity gradually

• Stretch to improve flexibility to attain a healthy range of motion in your joints

• Properly fit your equipment (e.g. bicycle geometry)

• Massage your muscles regularly

Flow is the state of optimal experience when the body and mind are pushed to the limit to complete a difficult task. It is these moments that bring us happiness and fulfillment in our lives.

Flow is an intrinsic experience of our own making that is not dependent on outside factors. It is a source of mental energy, motivating action and focusing attention. This state involves complete concentration, creativity, and deep enjoyment. When applied to sports it is often referred to as being in the zone.

Hungarian Psychology Professor, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, developed the idea of of flow through his extensive research in positive psychology during the 1970s. He describes flow as "being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you're using your skills to the utmost."

The Four Criteria for a Flow Experience

1. The presence of a challenging activity.
2. The perception that skills match the challenge.
3. Clear goals.
4. The availability of instant feedback concerning performance.

Compare the criteria for a Flow experience with the seven characteristics of the Zone and you'll find it is essentially the same thing. When an athlete says they were in the Zone they are describing a Flow experience.

The Seven Characteristics of the Zone

1. Being totally absorbed and focused on the activity.
2. Experience of an inner clarity and understanding exactly what is required, knowing that their skills are matched to the task.
3. A sense of ecstasy - being outside everyday reality.
4. 'Being in the moment,' focusing completely on the present. Unaware of time passing - a sense of time slowing down.
5. A deep passion for the activity leading to higher levels of performance.
6. Sense of serenity - no anxiety, no ego so no worries about the outcome of action.
7. No sense of effort. The activity becomes easy.

Enter the Flow State - balance challenge and skill

Flow is reached when both the challenge and skill required are high, top right in the diagram (source: Wikipedia). On the opposite end is apathy where the challenge and skill level are low. Anxiety results if the challenge is high and skills are low. Flow is a dynamic state. As skills increase the challenge must also increase and vice versa to prevent boredom.

Flow Creating Activities

According to Csikszentmihalyi's studies flow is easier to produce and more often experienced at work. A job has the built in criteria for flow - goals, feedback, challenge and skill. Of course the right combination of these are necessary to reach this optimal state of performance!

Free time activity can also bring about flow though some are better than others. In a study with US teens flow was observed 13% of the time while watching TV, 34% of the time while engaged in hobbies (music, reading, movies, social interactions), and 44% of the time while playing sports and games.

My Experience

I love classic style cross-country ski marathon races. Although this story is from my 2010 race which I hoped to repeat this year, I can say I had moments of being in the Zone during my ski last weekend. When asked why I race, it is for these experiences...

 

A few weeks before the race I had set mt goal, a top three finish. As the race neared I re-set my goal to win. At the start of the 45 km event I quickly went to the front of the field. I was skiing hard and focusing on each stride - kick, glide, pole. I could hear my competitors breathing hard behind me. I felt good and kept up the strong pace for the first mostly flat 15 km. My opponents and I came into the feed station together at the base of the first challenging climb. I was determined. I skied away in the lead and pushed on towards the steep slopes. Passing skiers as I worked my way up the snow covered hill I felt great! Although others seemed to be suffering, stopping and walking, I didn't notice my effort. I just keep going faster and faster towards the top. It felt as though I was skiing outside myself as I increased the gap from my pursuers. At the summit I was alone and I realized I had pulled away! I plummeted down the other side of the mountain never again to see or hear the other women in my race.

I reached Flow because I had a goal, my skills and the challenge were matched and I had immediate feedback about my performance. Use this same Flow criteria to create more moments of joy in your life!

In case you missed my article in The Weekly Sun of the Wood River Valley (pdf) or the Los Alamos Daily Post it is reprinted below.

Transitioning from skis to running shoes can be painful. When skiing our foot is connected to a long board and never makes contact with the ground. In running, the foot is free to move on its own and comes in direct contact with the earth. How the foot interacts with this surface can make the difference between a pain full or pain less run.

The functional design of the foot is to strike the ground on the center of the heel, roll to mid-stance and push off over all fives toes. The big toe performs approximately 60% of the push followed by 10% on each of the outer toes.

Take off your shoes and walk barefoot on a hard surface. Feel how your body is striking the ground. In addition to the pressure on heel strike and toe push off also be aware of the sideways movement of the foot. Do you feel more contact with the inner or outer edge of your foot? I have been told I pronate and corrective shoes were recommended for this improper foot strike where the foot rotates inward onto the inner edge. Supination is the opposite, rotating outward onto the outer edge. A common improper foot strike is to hit on the lateral side of the heel and cross though the mid foot to the big toe. Do you feel this as you walk?

Many painful lower leg conditions begin with an faulty foot strike including shin splints. An unbalanced foot strike creates additional stress on the soft tissues of the foot and ankle. As the foot supinates or pronates the the lower leg bones twist and the surrounding soft tissue is strained. In the case of shin splints minute tears are forming that can cause pain, swelling and tenderness on the inner lower leg.

Posture alignment exercises improve foot strike. On my website: http://thepfathlete.com/shin-splints you can sign-up to receive a free menu of exercises specifically designed to prevent and alleviate shin splint pain. I gave these to my neighbor and she has been able to stop icing her shins after every run. Before and after you do these exercises perform the foot strike test or do a balance test. Stand in a natural posture and feel how your weight is distributed throughout your feet – left to right, front to back and side to side. These exercises have a cumulative effect, your balance improves as you do them regularly.

1. No Lift Lines and Cheap Trail Passes

With multiple trails all accessed though human power there is rarely an opportunity to be slowed down by others. The solitude, beauty, quiet, and undisturbed snow creates a magical environment.

Over the holidays several years ago my husband and I were sleeping in our camper at a ski trail head. Early the next morning we awoke to the beep of a backing up snow cat that had just finished setting fresh classic track. Now that is front door service! Although it was snowing the temperature was warmer than freezing which perplexed us for our kick wax selection. Once we applied the correct stick to our classic skis we set out with our two yellow labs. The snow made everything clean and dampened the sounds. A few others were out with wide smiles and as we skied along the Wood River we knew this was very special. The babbling of the water, the squeak of the fresh snow, the dogs exploring the newly fallen whiteness, a wonderful and memorable day indeed.

The cost of this exquisite ski experience: ~$35 for two adults and two dogs - yes, the furry ones wear passes too in some areas.

2. Guilt-Free Eating and Relaxing

Cross-country skiing really works up your appetite and your fatigue! It requires a very high if not the highest energy expenditure/kilogram of body weight. Since finding consensus among the online calorie calculating tools was not possible I went back to a reliable source - my Exercise Physiology textbook. A bit old yes, but data I trust which listed cross-country skiing as the top exercise for burning calories. And since getting to the snow and skiing can be a lengthy adventure most people ski for an hour or more increasing the calorie burn.

After finishing a ski I love to sit in front of the fire with a hot chocolate or soak in the tub feeling satisfied with my effort and deserving of some rest and pampering.

3. Cold on the Outside but Warm on the Inside

The thermometer has to be low to have snow and the skiing environment can be frigid. I draw the line at temperatures below -10 degrees Fahrenheit which seems to be the border under which I can't stay warm. Dressing appropriately is imperative to a positive ski outing. You don't want to wear too much or too little. Fortunately, there are some cute and warm clothes available that keep the heat in and allow excellent movement. I always dress in layers, with a snug moisture wicking fabric as the foundation. A hat and gloves and in the very cold sock liners and thin under gloves. If you can stay warm the crisp winter air is naturally refreshing and uplifting.

4. Fun Social and Competitive Events

Nordic skiers know how to enjoy life and push themselves to the limit. Whether your are recreational or competitive, cross-country skiing has an event for you. Several clubs and ski areas offer full moon skis, fine food tours, bonfires, yurt dinners, and live music. For the competitive there are sprint to 90 km and 24-hour events for the taking.

If you like to exercise with your dog as I do, skijoring may be to your liking. As your pup runs along you ski behind connected by a harness. A great workout for you and your best friend. I tried it with my canine companion a few years back and laughed the whole time. If I lagged behind she would stop and turn starring at me as if to say- what's going on back there? She knew she wasn't supposed to have tension on her leash! My friends thought throwing a stick into the deep snow off the trail was great fun especially when we both ended up face deep in powder as my retriever diligently went to fetch the stick.

5. Gain Winter Cross-Training Fitness

I am always in my best athletic shape during the winter. Cross-country skiing uses nearly all of the muscle groups and quickly raises your heart rate. Of course the high elevation, I regularly ski above 9000', probably adds to my gasping inhalations. Spring and summer sports enthusiasts can gain strength, balance and aerobic capacity to bring into warm weather pursuits by strapping on the skinny skies. And it's much more fun than indoor stationary equipment and the bike trainer!

6. The Sensation of Gliding

Effortlessly slipping over the snow with little between you and the ground is a cool feeling. Nordic skis designed for groomed trails are narrow, light and without edges. The boots are supple allowing for mobility in the ankle. With such meager equipment you feel connected with the earth and gliding occurs when you are in perfect balance over one or both skis. Generally the result of a strong push off from the other leg or a downhill section of trail the ski or skis carry you along so you can regain your breath and admire the beautiful setting. This is your chance to recover, take advantage of it! Because what goes down must go back up and the accents always seem longer than the descents.

7. A Sports Challenge For Your Lifetime

So many sports are for the young, I certainly don't do gymnastics anymore. Cross-country skiing, however, is for all ages. It is common to see whole families out exercising together in the snow. New moms and dads can get an extraordinary workout pulling children not yet big enough to ski behind in a sled.

The non-impact nature of the movement is especially good for those suffering joint injuries and pain. Nordic skiing is the one activity that I have been able to do consistently following my knee and hip surgeries. For women especially, the weight bearing aspect of the sport is important and beneficial for bone health.

With two different techniques, classic and skate, and continual refinement and updates in technique, cross-country skiing is never mastered. There is always room for growth and improvement. I love that! In a clinic a few years back one of the top instructors said that as soon as you think you've perfected your technique and don't have to work at it anymore you are no longer progressing, are going backwards and losing form.

For athletes with a day job the holiday break away from work can provide extra training time. A training camp is simply consecutive days of participating in a sport(s). It is an excellent way for master athletes who generally have limited training time to give their fitness a boost. A training camp doesn't have to be anything formal or involve travel and can be done individually, with a friend, or in a group. My husband and I are planning a three week training camp for Nordic skiing at our home in Hailey, ID over the Xmas/New Years break.

Here are some tips to have in mind for your training camp.

• Focus on endurance workouts, keeping your heart rate in the low-moderate zone. Some high intensity work is OK especially if you will be racing over the winter but to much will make it difficult to keep going day after day.
  
  
• Prepare for your training camp by engaging in the activity you will be doing before your consecutive workouts. The longer your camp the earlier you should start. Although we haven't been able to snow ski yet my husband and I have been roller skiing for over two months in preparation for our time on snow.
  
  
• Eat Well - although quantity is typically not a problem during the holidays, quality may be an issue. Try to stick to your typical training diet and calorie intake most of the time and avoid filling up on comfort food, alcohol, and high fat sweets. Having adequate nutrition before, during, and after your workouts is essential for multiple day exercise. Remember the first hour after exercise is the prime time to refuel your muscles for tomorrow's workout.
  
  
• Vary your workouts to prevent overuse injuries. During our Nordic camp we plan to do both classic and skate skiing along with walking the dog, ice skating with our relatives, running, hiking and Telemark skiing.
  
  
• Use your recovery strategies - stretching, massage, baths, foam rolling, posture exercises, etc. and aim for an extra hour or more of sleep per night. If you don't feel recovered, do an active recovery workout with a shorter duration and lower intensity.
  
  
• Remember this is your vacation and a special time of year. If you aren't able to complete your workout don't worry, it's probably because there is something more important you need to do!

If you're lifting weights without addressing postural disparities such as one shoulder higher than the other, a hip that is rotated forward or rounded shoulders then YES your unbalanced posture is becoming stronger and more engrained with every repetition performed.

I'm not saying don't resistance train if you have postural disparities but rather use your resistance workout to improve your posture.

Many of my clients are particularly concerned about the rounding they are seeing in their upper back and shoulders. This posture is a consequence of our lifestyle habit of reaching out in front of us to do things - drive, type, cook, write, etc. Our bodies respond to this repeated stimulus and change its alignment with the upper back muscles becoming overly stretched and the chest muscles becoming overly tight. The shoulders blades move apart, the head goes forward and we look at ourselves in the mirror and feel old. If we maintain this rounded position while performing resistance exercises we will only become stronger in this posture.

As I have been watching several DVDs on various strength training exercises there is one recurring solution to correct this problem that is applicable to many exercise movements. Whether you are completing a bench press, seated row or abdominal crunch, pinching your shoulder blades down and together is imperative to improving your upper body posture. 

The photo on the left below shows the back in a relaxed posture. Notice the distinct inner edge of the shoulder blade and how the bones are moved out and up from the spine. This position creates the appearance of rounding in the upper back and shoulders. In this view the shoulders look as if they are curling forward and down.

On the right the shoulders are pinched together. The prominent edge of the scapula is no longer visible. Wrinkles appear in the bra from the muscular contraction and improved upper back posture. The shoulders no longer appear rounding forward and the upper back is flattened. This is the position you want to strengthen.

Retracting the shoulder blades prior to lifting stretches the chest muscles and strengthens the upper back muscles both of which are needed for improved upper body alignment. Additionally, pinching the scapula also stabilizes the shoulder blades and confines the range of motion for the exercise to prevent injury. 

Scapula retraction is only one of several tips to improving posture while strength training. Additional positioning tips are listed below.

General Guidelines for All Exercises

• Pinch the shoulder blades down and together.
• Align the feet straight forward and hip-width apart.
• Start on the machines until you have mastered proper muscle mechanics for the exercise.
• Use light weights to avoid compensated movements, train the muscles you intend.

Bench Exercises - Relax your lower back without pushing it flat or over arching.

Sitting Exercises - Roll your pelvis forward to a neutral position with your sit bones pointed straight down and your lower back slightly arched.

Abdominal Crunches

• Place your hands behind the head with your fingers interlaced. Pull and hold your elbows and shoulders back to reduce the pressure on your head and neck.
• Look straight up or slightly back, keeping your chin off your chest.
• Allow natural pelvic movement, do not flatten and hold your back down.

How common it is that once we begin to feel better we fall back into our harmful routines and once again take our body for granted. We expect that regardless of the abuse we inflict, our body will recover and support continued punishment. I expressed concerned if he didn't continue stretching his back pain would return and he wouldn't be able to run. My words seemed to fall on closed ears, our conversation quickly ended.

Why stretch?
A Brief Physiology Lesson: Muscle Length-Tension Relationship

A short or long muscle is weak. If your muscles are shortened by activity without stretching to return them to normal length you are weak!

Muscle force is generated when the protein fibers within the muscle cells slide past one another, known as the sliding filament theory. In order to generate optimal tension muscle cells need to be at a normal resting length. Too much overlap, when the muscle is shortened or too little overlap, when the muscle is lengthened results in reduced force production or failure of the muscle to perform the requested movement, leading to compensations and inefficient actions.
(Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning 2000)

This was my pattern and still is some days. I just want to get outside for my run, bike or ski and I only have a short amount of time. No way will I spend my precious workout minutes stretching. I do my activity, quickly shower and rush back to work or my other commitments.

As an athlete you are driven, have goals and want to achieve. Many of us are in the habit of pushing our bodies to the brink of collapse, injury or sickness to succeed. Our taskmaster inside, sometimes called our sports gremlin, scares us into making bad choices for our body and soul.

Using skewed logic and fear tactics our gremlin convinces us to continue even when it is self-destructive. Our gremlin urges us to train constantly, harder and longer than the competition. Train till we can't train anymore and than dig deeper. Our gremlin warns that we'll get fat and lose fitness if we take a day off.

Do you know this voice? I do. In the past my gremlin didn't let me rest, and my body suffered the consequences.

Even though my knee hurts I have to do my intervals today because I can't do them tomorrow. It's my most important workout of the week and if I don't do them right now my training plan is shot. The race is only three weeks away and I need to get fitter if I want to be on the podium. Don't be a wimp, take a pain killer and get to work!

It's difficult to say NO to your gremlin, especially during competition. When racing our sports gremlin is revved up, urging us to go faster and faster, to catch anyone who has slipped out in front. Thoughts of weakness, fatigue or quitting are not tolerated. Any signals of body discomfort or pain are suppressed. Keep going and tough it out is the message our gremlin screams.

Our sports gremlin is a part of us, something we have created. We can choose to give him/her power and control of our actions or we can choose to quietly observe and make our own choices. Our gremlin does not have our best interests in mind and is intent on making us miserable.

Through bullying and intimidation our gremlin tries to get us to do what s/he wants. Becoming aware of your gremlin and the tactics s/he uses and the forms s/he takes can empower you to make the right decisions for your health. Learn more in the book, Taming Your Gremlin by Rick Carson.

Over the last couple of years I have challenged and conquered my sports gremlin. Crashing in my pre-ride at mountain bike nationals and deciding not to start the race was the first time. And last weekend I again nurtured the protective little voice in my head that told me to stop trail running at 10 km instead of going on to complete the 15 mile course.

Competitive and always wanting to finish what I start it was hard to end my race. I felt like I was letting myself and others down and would be seen as weak. Interestingly, instead of the criticism and disappointment I expected from my peers I received support and increased respect. It turns out that honoring yourself, your needs and your body are highly valued.

Remember that the next time you impose a self-directed goal of walking three miles, swimming 2000 meters, skiing 20 km, etc. Listen to your inner guidance, not your overbearing gremlin to make the best decision for yourself.

Proprioception is defined by Mosby's dictionary as “the kinesthetic sense. The sense that deals with sensations of body position, posture, balance, and motion.” Simply put, it is your ability to feel your body's joint positions and movements in space.

As your body moves and changes position in space sensors, called proprioceptors, monitor the amount of stretch, force and pressure created. Proprioceptors are located on the nerves within joints, muscles and tendons. The sensors are continuously relaying feedback to the Central Nervous System (CNS) - brain and spinal cord. This flow of communication is what directs our responses to stimuli.

Three Proprioceptors

• Muscle Spindles (stretch sensors)

• Golgi Tendon Organs (force sensors)

• Parcinian Corpuscles (pressure sensors)

The photo to the right depicts the feedback loop from a muscle spindle in a quad muscle to the spinal cord.
(Image Source: Athletic Ability and the Anatomy of Motion, page 23)

Lack of proprioception raises your risk of injury. Prior injury reduces your proprioception. Consequently, we have an increased likelihood of re-injuring the same body part multiple times. A research study found decreased proprioception in individuals suffering from patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), a painful knee condition.

Imagine running down an uneven rocky trail with impaired proprioception. It will only be a matter of time before an ankle is twisted or a bad fall taken because of a poor foot placement on the undulating ground.

Three tips for incorporating proprioception training into your workouts.

1. Skip the resistance machines and grab the free weights. Aim to do the majority of your exercises in the standing position where your balance and stabilization is challenged.

2. Include static balance exercises in your routine. Start on both feet with your eyes open and progress to balancing on an unstable surface with one foot, eyes closed. 

3. Choose exercises that move multiple joints. Good choices are squats, back bridges, lunges, push-ups and step-ups.

• I embrace my opponent as an opportunity for me to perform well.
• Working together, we achieve so much more.
• My opponent is a gift who pushes me to greater heights.

• Stomach butterflies
• Repeated restroom breaks
• Lightheadedness
• Rapid heart rate
• Sweating

All of these signals are normal, happening in response to activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Your body is preparing to "fight" or for "flight." The problem lies in the meaning and emotion we attach to these body signs. How do you interpret these physiological changes?

• Fear that you are not prepared?
• Worry that something will go wrong?
• Dread of the task to be performed?
• Apprehension about what other people will think?
• Doubt that you can do what needs to be done?

Could you change your perspective on this signals, and instead translate them into supportive and optimistic beliefs?

• My body is revving up with excitement for the start of the event!
• These physiological changes mean I am ready for what lies ahead!
• The final preparations are underway, I am confident in my abilities and can't wait to shine!

In case you missed my article in The Weekly Sun of the Wood River Valley or the Los Alamos Daily Post it is reprinted below.

You have probably heard that having a strong core is important and will help with back pain, athletic performance, injury prevention, posture and the various activities of daily living. In your effort to gain strength in this area you may have started a program of abdominal and lower back exercises, but is this enough?

Before we consider this question we need to discuss the anatomy of the core and why yours needs to be strong. The core of your body extends from your shoulders to below your hips. It encompasses muscles of the torso centering around the position of the spine and pelvis, which are interconnected. The back of the pelvis is made up of fused spinal vertebrae in the sacrum and tailbone. Hipbones connect to the pelvis on either side of the sacrum and are joined by cartilage in the front at the pubic symphysis.

The pelvis, located at the base of the spine links the upper and lower body and performs the dual roles of stabilization and motion generation. It supports the weight of the upper body when sitting or standing and transfers power from the core to the limbs during movement. In sport or daily living, moving your body starts by engaging your core which is why having it strong and balanced is fundamental to the performance of any activity.

A pelvis that is out of balance – one side higher than the other, twisting around the spine or a difference in the forward to backward tilt – can cause the spinal curves in the lower back, mid-back and neck to round (flex) or extend (arch) more than natural. These disparities in the pelvis can cause pain and injury anywhere in the body. The goal of core training is to develop a balanced, strong torso with an aligned spine and symmetrical pelvis.

Now back to our question - are abdominal and lower back exercises enough to keep your core strong? Probably not, although this is a good start at gaining a firm foundation around the spine. As discussed, the position of the spine and pelvis are fundamental to a strong core. Keeping the pelvis in an aligned position requires a coordinated effort among the muscles that are attached to it from all directions. The abdominal and lower back muscles attach to the pelvis from above. There are also many muscles that attach to it from below and from the sides. Your core training program should incorporate exercises for all these muscles including the inner and outer thigh, quadriceps and hamstrings, hip rotators, gluteals, and hip flexors.

Article pdf

I have always been a low tech exerciser and competitor. In my sports training I have mainly used heart rate and time as measures of my effort and intensity. There are several reasons for my choice.

First, learning new technology can be frustrating. I don't enjoy spending my energy figuring out new electronic gadgets. I quickly go nuts and lose patience with this sort of task. Just mastering the buttons on my heart rate monitor causes me stress and several references to the manual.

Second, time! Not only does it take me extended minutes to conquer the device but then there is the time to find the equipment, put it on, program it for the workout and when I'm done - download it to the computer and analyze what I did. I'd much rather be outside moving than fretting about setting my heart rate zones so my monitor can annoyingly beep to inform me I'm going too hard or too easy. I don't like to be told how to workout by anyone or anything!

Third, I like to be in touch with my body - breathing rate, fatigue level, heart effort, pain - and become distracted when using mechanical aids. Focusing on the signals from my body is the best way for me to gauge my workout and know if this is a good day for hard intervals or if easy recovery is what I need. Using technology to measure and judge my effort has lead me to over training and burnout as I pushed and strained to complete the prescribed intensity required.

Five questions to determine your choice

1. What are your goals? A high tech training aid will enable you to closely monitor your workouts and adjust your training for optimal results. If you are a serious competitor this can be very important. Results of today's workout will help you appropriately select your next day's effort. Additionally, knowing what your body feels like at an all out effort and having the confidence that you can maintain it can win you the race.

2. Are you motivated by data? Seeing your average heart rate go down for the same effort, a reduction in time for a set distance, or an increase in watts produced can be inspiring. Watching the numbers can also push you to keep your effort high when you might otherwise feel like taking it a bit easier.

3. Including intervals in your training? This is where I find using a monitoring system most valuable. I am a big fan of intervals for building muscular endurance, aerobic and anaerobic capacity and weight loss. In my opinion everyone should include intervals in their exercise and training. What you are trying to achieve with your fitness will dictate your interval selection. Where I especially recommend using technology is for the high intensity, low duration intervals.

4. Using active recovery? It has been said that many athletes don't go hard enough on their hard days and go too hard on their easy days. Consequently, just as I suggested monitoring on your hardest interval days to maintain your intensity I also advise using technology on your easy days so that you keep the effort low and recover fully. This can be hard to do particularly if you are feeling good on a recovery day or are training with a group. A heart rate monitor may help you control your effort to the desired intensity.

5. Is technology holding you back? I read an article implying that using technology could actually be preventing fitness gains. If the watch beeps you need to back off. Or do you? True maximal heart rate can only be determined with an advanced stress test. So, most of the time these ranges are based on predictions from a sub-maximal test or your age. Perhaps you can go harder than the numbers show. Try it! Set your device to record or turn off the alarms and tune into your body and simply notice the data. Don't let it drive your effort and see how you preform.

Protein seems to be the most misunderstood of the food nutrients. And it is no wonder with the popularity of high protein diets, protein powders, bars, and so on. Since I am not a dietitian I will share some of the sound advice offered by sports nutritionist and author Nancy Clark, MS, RD from her Sports Nutrition Guidebook.

Protein Facts

• Protein is used to build and repairs muscle tissue, create hormones, raise immune function, replace red blood cells, and grow hair and fingernails.
• Athletes generally over or under consume protein. Over consumption can lead to storage as glycogen or fat. Under consumption can lead to insufficient muscle development and recovery because protein is being used for energy.
• Amino acids, the building blocks of protein are not stored in the body and need to be eaten every day.
• Protein is used minimally to fuel exercise and should only constitute 10-15% of daily calories
• Nancy's protein rule of thumb is to have 4-6 ounces (110-170 grams) or protein-rich food at lunch or dinner or split between the two meals.
• Top Food Choices - poultry, fish, lean beef, peanut butter, canned beans, and tofu.
• Vegetarians should substitute beans for beef.
• Recommended protein combinations for vegetarians - cereal and milk, pasta or bread and cheese, rice and beans, pita and split-pea soup, tortilla and beans, cornbread and chili with kidney beans, brown bread and baked beans, chickpeas and tahini (hummus), tofu and sesame seeds.
• Food is the preferred source of protein over powders or bars.
• Some people need more protein - endurance athletes, athletes doing high intensity training, dieters that are restricting calories, athletic teenagers, and individuals new to exercise. Please refer to the table below.

Protein Recommendations

Protein Requirements Example

Client: 150 lb female athlete that is restricting calories

Protein Recommendations
150 lb X 0.8 = 120 grams protein/day
150 lb X 0.9 = 135 grams protein/day

Food Requirements
Rather than counting protein grams Nancy recommends an easier approach - consume two cups of milk or yogurt and two small servings of protein rich foods each day. If you fall into one of the categories above that requires additional protein consider adding one or more of the following to your daily food intake - nuts, nut butters, beans, pasta, cereal, rice, bread, and starchy vegetables.

Reference: Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook

You've heard you should do interval training but how and more importantly why?

Intervals are an important training technique because you can push your body harder for shorter periods of time than for a long duration. Challenging your body to go beyond the usual effort is necessary for positive physiological adaptations to occur. High intensity intervals result in greater fitness and give you confidence in what your body is capable of without failure. You will learn to push your limits!

Think you don't need to do intervals because you're not a competitive athlete? Wrong! No matter what your ability or goals you will benefit from reaching above what you usually do for a workout. Want to lose weight? Add intervals, harder efforts will burn more calories.

Before I go on I should provide a disclaimer - prior to starting any exercise program especially one that includes intervals you should check with your health care provider to make sure you are healthy enough to do intense exercise. You should also have a good aerobic base before including intervals in your exercise routine.

Now that you're convinced and ready to do intervals, where do you start? The table below outlines the three categories of intervals most commonly used by coaches. The table displays intervals from the longest duration and least intense to shortest duration and most intense. Generally, intervals are done in sets and gradually introduced into the training program in this progression.

Interval Benefits

Lactate Threshold - improve your body's ability to remove lactate, a byproduct of anaerobic (without Oxygen) metabolism, from your muscles so you can maintain a high work load without fatigue and exercise longer at that intense pace.

VO2 Max - increase the amount of oxygen delivered to the working muscles so you can maintain your power output during maximal efforts.

Neuromuscular Power - gain greater fluidity, balance, and coordination at maximal effort so you have the speed to win the final sprint.

When deciding which intervals to add to your program always consider your goals, the demands of the events you will be doing, and your personal strengths and weakness. Adequate easy days between interval workouts are also critical to prevent over training and injury.

"One of the hardest things to deal with at the international level of competition is the pressure I feel just before it is time to go!"
- Winter Olympic Gold Medalist

Olympic athletes have the ultimate pressure to perform with an entire country counting on them to excel. Watching the Olympics you often heard the commentators referring to the pressure the athletes are under and elaborating on how it brought out the best in some, while others failed to deliver.

Competition pressure isn't felt just by Olympians. It can be experienced by sports participants at all levels. My friend and recreational competitor told me he felt pressure from his club, friends and local community to be on the starting line and do well at races.

What is competition pressure?

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) sports psychologists define it as "the effects of an athlete's thoughts about themselves, others, or situations they face that result in changes - primarily negative - in their performance."

Thoughts of self-doubt and fear are common. Athletes fret about their ability, the competition, the weather, their preparation, repeating poor performances, other's perceptions, equipment malfunctions, and more.

The body and mind and closely linked. Studies have shown that these negative thoughts can produce physiological and emotional reactions including increased heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate; tight muscles; anxiety; and difficulty with focus and concentration.

Fortunately, pressure can be a positive influence inspiring extraordinary results. You might know someone that doesn't train well but is a star competitor. This individual is able to use pressure to his/her advantage. I also have a friend like this who thrives on competition and refers to her race day persona.

Real and Self-Generated Pressures

Olympic athletes have the real pressure of very high expectations placed upon them by their country, the media, sponsors, and coaches. Consequences for a poor performance are big and can dramatically impact their athletic careers. Real pressure comes from outside, external sources. This pressure is tied to performance outcomes and is more apparent at the elite levels of competition.

Self-generated pressure comes from within the athlete either consciously or unconsciously and can be a stronger negative force than real pressure. The following are examples of self-generated sport/life pressures given by the USOC.

• Amplifying expectations of others (family, team, etc.)
• Associating performance outcomes with...
  • the need to be accepted
  • one's personal self worth
  • one's social or sport worth
• Excessive need for other's approval
• Two dimensional view of performance - win or lose
• Unrealistic performance expectations

Three Steps to Managing the Pressures

1. Become Aware of Real, Self-Generated and Positive Pressures
   Make three lists, one for each type of pressure, and write down all the pressures that influence your performance.
   Next, rate the affect of the pressure on a scale from 1-10 (1-extremely distracting; 10-very helpful)
   Reevaluate your pressures and ratings at regular intervals to track your progress.
2. Identify a Strategy to Overcome the Negative Pressures
   Make a second worksheet with the pressure in the left column and the strategy on the right.
3. Practice the Strategy!

Pressure/Strategy Worksheet Example

Reference: USOC Coaches' and Athletes' Mental Training Manuals

It's Saturday morning, the group ride leaves in an hour - should you join the bunch or go it alone? Ask yourself the following three questions to make the best decision.

1. What type of workout do I want and need today?

Whenever a group of athletes come together to train it inevitably turns into a high energy effort. If this is what you desire and the dynamics of the group will push you harder than you would on your own, then the group ride is for you. If yesterday was crusher intervals and you need to recover then a solo ride is the way to go.

2. Do I need to work on my pack riding skills?

Just like driving a car for the first time it takes time and practice to gain comfort in your ability to roll down the road at fast speeds on skinny tires encircled by other cyclists. Group rides provide a good opportunity to gain confidence and learn the strategy and technique of riding with others. You will quickly become accustomed to terms like drafting, pace line, and attack. Riding in a pack will teach you to ride smooth and efficient, be alert to the movements of others and your surroundings, and how and when to conserve and exert energy. All valuable skills that will build your confidence on the bike.

3. Who will be on the ride?

The make-up of the riders determines the pace, distance, atmosphere, and overall mood of the ride. This can impact how effective the ride is and your subsequent level of enjoyment.

The century ride is when you can cash in on all your bike hours in one long effort. All the training miles you've done, however, won't replace a smart eating plan for the event. A successful 100 mile ride is dependent on maintaining your energy level over the distance.

Carbohydrate - The Star Fuel
The primary fuel utilized by the body during a long distance effort is carbohydrate. Glycogen, the stored form of carbohydrate is found in the muscles and liver in a limited supply, only enough to last for a few hours of riding. And the higher the intensity the faster the supply will be consumed. Although even the leanest cyclist has an ample fat supply to last the length of a century this fuel source cannot be used without carbohydrate. Fat burns in the flame of carbohydrate.

Carbohydrate Loading
Before an endurance event topping of glycogen stores is a common practice. A strict regimen can be followed which involves glycogen depletion followed by super loading. This process can be difficult to follow and result in low energy during the depletion phase and gastrointestinal distress during the super loading phase.

A simpler strategy which I personally follow, is to taper activity level while maintaining a high carbohydrate diet where carbohydrate comprises ~60-65% of total calories for the week preceding the event. The 70% solution is another option where carbohydrate percentage is 70%, fat 20%, and protein 10% for two to three days leading up to the ride.

Don't be alarmed if you gain weight while carbohydrate loading. This is a sign that you are doing it right. Every gram of carbohydrate is stored with three ounces of water.

The Pre-Century Meal
Although many events offer a pasta feed the night before the ride this is not when you want to gorge yourself with only carbohydrate. The best time for the big carbohydrate meal is two nights before or at breakfast or lunch the day before so your body has time to digest and store the fuel. The night before the event eat a balanced meal of familiar foods. My typical pre-event dinner is a salad or vegetable, chicken or steak, and a starch of potato or couscous.

The Century Breakfast
A word of advice - during training rides try different foods for breakfast and find what works best for you. DO NOT change your eating routine on the big day and jeopardize your chances for a victorious finish. Your morning meal should center around carbohydrate. The earlier you eat the more you should have. Nancy Clark recommends 2 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight four hours before the ride and 0.5 grams per pound one hour before the ride. Avoid foods high in fat, protein, and fiber.

On the morning of an event I start by drink a bottle of water upon waking. About 1-1.5 hours before I'll have a bowl of oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit, coffee, and a glass of orange juice. Just before the event I'll top off my energy with a granola bar, Gu, or banana and half a water bottle.

Riding Fluids and Food
Adequate hydration is essential for good health and top performance. This is especially true for a long, endurance ride. Drinking fluids should be a priority leading up to, during, and after athletics. You know you are taking in enough water when you are urinating every few hours a good volume that is pale yellow in color. During the century and any effort lasting more than 1-1.5 hours choose a sports drink that has carbohydrates, sodium, and potassium. Drink approximately 8 ounces or 8 gulps every 15-20 minutes.

Food choices should remain to be mostly carbohydrate with some fat and protein. One of the advantages of a supported century ride is the great spread of snacks at the rest stops including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pretzels, trail mix, fruit, sports drinks, and cookies. Aim to eat 100-250 calories an hour.

Eat and drink well, ride long, stay strong, and have fun!

References: The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling, Edmund R. Burke, Ph.D. and Ed Pavekla; Cyclist's Food Guide, Nancy Clark, MS RD and Jenny Hegmann, MS, RD

Fitness is gained when you rest. The workouts you do break your body down. It is commonly accepted that you don't weight train everyday because you would continually grow weaker with each workout. Every time you lift weights you are creating micro-tears in your muscles. The same principle applies to endurance sports. You are depleting your body with each hill you climb and interval you complete. The body can only rebuild to a stronger, fitter state if allowed the time and rest needed for adequate recovery.

Marvin Zaunder, sports performance coach and psychotherapist explains that our inability to rest hinges on our desire to be in control. “In western culture, we tend to be consumed by the perspective that the thing that we want to happen-getting stronger, faster, fitter-is happening only when we're working on it, exerting some kind of control. We aren't used to the idea that letting go, resting and relaxing control can be as important to healing recovery, and strengthening as they are.”

We mistakenly believe that we need to be actively engaging in our sport to gain fitness when the opposite is the truth. We'd rather push our bodies to the brink of collapse, injury or sickness than take a rest day to recover. Using skewed logic and fear tactics, we over rule the protective little voice in our heads that tells us to slow down and take it easy. Our taskmaster inside, sometimes called our inner gremlin, scares us into making bad choices for our body and soul. She/He urges us to train constantly, harder and longer than our competitors, train till we can't train anymore, then push even harder. She/He warns that we'll get fat and lose fitness if we take the day off.

For myself the training gremlin didn't let me rest, and my body suffered the consequences. Sadly, having surgery or being ill was the only recovery I ever afforded myself.

It wasn't until I read the article “The Making of a Corporate Athlete” by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz that I began to understand the value of rest. The premise is that energy, not time is our most precious resource. Our supply of energy is limited and must be regularly restored. Rest and recovery rituals renews our energy supply.

Energy expenditure is stress and comes in four forms – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. Exercise is stress, having an argument with a family member raises your stress, solving a difficult mental problem creates stress, and not living in line with your values is stressful. Appreciate all the sources of stress in your life and strive to balance this with recovery.

“Chronic stress without recovery depletes energy reserves, leads to burnout and breakdown, and ultimately undermines performance.” (The Making of a Corporate Athlete)

The fluid movement between stress and recovery is essential for high performance. Overtraining results from inadequate recovery and is signaled by feelings of constant fatigue, inability to raise your heart rate during hard efforts, apathy for training, increased muscle soreness, depression, GI distress and more. There is no quick fix for overtraining and it is best to be avoided.

Remember when cyclist Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France – seven times? If so, you might also recall how Lance popularized the fast spin of >90 revolutions per minute (rpm).

What are the advantages of spinning at a high cadence?

Increased blood flow… studies have shown that during the initial push down phase of the pedal stroke when the quadriceps muscles are contracting (shortening) blood flow is significantly reduced particularly to the main working muscle, the lateral quadriceps – Vastus Lateralis. The faster contract–relax cycle of a higher cadence improves the pumping action of the skeletal muscles to return deoxygenated blood to the heart, thus oxygenated blood is more rapidly distributed throughout the body.

Reduced muscle stress… as pedal frequency goes up the amount of force applied during each pedal stroke goes down resulting in less muscle fatigue.

What are the disadvantages of spinning at a high cadence?
Increases in heart rate, ventilation (breathing) rate, oxygen consumption, and cardiorespiratory fatigue… these are nervous system responses caused by the increased frequency of limb movement.

The right cadence for you depends on many factors including what type of riding and events you are doing, fitness level, power output, quadriceps muscle fiber type distribution, and training experience. For many cyclists ideal pedaling cadence falls below 90 rpm. Strive for a cadence that is comfortable, doesn't spike your heart rate and breathing, and is maintainable for long durations.

To increase your pedaling rpm practice quick, fast spins where cadence is taken up to maximal over 30 seconds to one minute and held for as long as possible. Also try some faster cadence intervals where cadence is brought up ~5-10 rpm and held for a few minutes at a time.

Reference: High-Tech Cycling, Edmund R. Burke, PhD