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Week Three: Finding Rhythm
Start thinking about establishing routine, finding the rhythm of the week. Workouts happen because you schedule them. We would be on the water three times a week and we want to replace that as much as we can. Three weeks of working out, three weeks of accountability to your team. TeamFitness has been working on another week of workouts and information we hope you find useful.Each week look for training information related to your performance on the boat. Keeping fitness levels up will ensure a smooth transition into the boat without undo stress or injury. We hope you enjoy this edition.
It Boils Down to Effort
By Coach Anita
One of the biggest points of confusion I see in training is about percentages. We’ve been told to give 100%. We’ve been told to work at a percentage of our maximum heart rate. We’ve been told in situations to keep it at 85%. What does it all mean?
The example I used in the last article was if I asked you to run as fast as you could to a table 10 meters away, and I asked you to run once around a track as fast as you could, it would look very different yet they are both examples of 100% effort. The length of time or distance are necessary pieces of information for determining maximum effort. Regardless of your conditioning level, you can exert yourself as hard as you can in a situation. That is called 100% effort. How long you can sustain that level of exertion and subsequent output (power) is dependent upon your fitness level relative to the activity. A powerlifter trains to exert a high intensity effort for a few seconds. She is not training to exert that same intensity for two minutes. As a dragon boat paddler, you are training to exert a high intensity effort that can be sustained for 2-3 minutes.
Let’s take a look at effort and energy during different parts of a race.
A Pink Phoenix boat generally travels about 100 meters through the start sequence, which lasts about a minute. A fully loaded dragon boat weighs somewhere between 3700-4000 pounds depending upon the size of the paddlers. The speed of boat movement is determined by the amount of pressure we apply against the water with our paddles. Since the goal of a race is to move the boat down the course and across the finish line as fast as we can, we exert an extremely high intensity effort to get the boat moving. Our bodies have a very limited store of adenosine triphosphate to use for maximum energy and is exhausted in about two seconds. It’s what we use for that very explosive first power stroke. Then our immediate energy system (ATP-CP, phosphagen) kicks in for additional explosive power which lasts less than a minute. Failing to exert 100% effort in the start sequence means this energy system is not utilized to its fullest capacity. It’s like squeezing juice from a lemon half. If you don’t squeeze it fully, you don’t get all the juice. This energy system cannot be saved for later. If you don’t fully exert yourself during the start sequence, you are leaving the lemon half partially squeezed.
We practice this high exertion level through drills and race pieces, which condition our bodies to perform the behavior as well as improve performance. The start of the race is a short duration, high intensity activity. You want to work as hard as you can at the start of the race in order to maximize your phosphagen system. The more you do it, the better you become at it and the more your body adapts for better performance. You have to practice pushing your individual level of intensity in order to improve performing at high intensity.
If you are thinking, “But what about the rest of the race? How will I have enough energy?” Remember, the body uses different energy systems according to intensity and duration.
The next point in the race is when the short-term energy system (aka anaerobic lactate, glycolytic) becomes predominant. This energy system is not capable of the same level of energy output as the phosphagen system (the short duration of maximum energy output). The glycolytic system produces energy for high intensity work but at a level under that of the phosphagen system because it’s used for a longer period of time (about 2 minutes). Think about the example of running as fast as you can to a table 10 meters away and running as fast as you can once around a track. The length of time or distance are necessary pieces of information for determining maximum effort.
So what about the percentages? When it comes to effort, percentages other than 100 are arbitrary. To me, the important thing to focus upon is how it feels when you are doing it (intensity), and to know how long you are doing it for (duration). In a race, you want to be working as hard as you can for the duration of the race. Most of our race training efforts are for 500 meter races. After the first 100 meters of the race, we are focused on how hard we can go for the remaining 400 meters of the race. In practice we break the work into pieces and work on increasing the intensity that we can perform those pieces for specific durations. During training, you may be told to work at 85% of your maximum for a period of time with a specific recovery period and then to repeat that work multiple times. The 85% is mostly a mental construct to help you identify at what level you can work at for a period of time repeatedly. If you read “perform at 100% for 2 minutes and 1 minute recovery, repeat 10 times,” it’s likely you’d think it wasn’t possible. The 85% mentally prepares you that you’re supposed to work hard. Both ways it’s written to instruct you to perform at as high intensity as you can for the duration of the workout. You may do the first of an interval set and feel good. It doesn’t mean you didn’t work as hard as you could. Rather, it means you are conditioned to the point you can exert at your highest level for that period of time and recover in the given period of time. The conditioning comes in how many times you can repeat the interval set before you fatigue and your performance decreases. Your body becomes more conditioned the more you do it, and therefore you are able to do it harder for longer (higher intensity for longer duration).
There are many training methods - intervals, Fartlek, tabata, etc. - that are all designed to train your energy systems. They can all be adjusted to train different systems by adjusting the intensity and duration of both the work and the recovery. There is no one right way or magic workout. The magic is what happens after you push your limits.
If any of this brings up any questions for you, please leave them in the comments. Next edition I’ll talk more about how different drills, workouts, and training styles contribute to energy system development.
Pinks Stay Strong Workout Week 3
If you are thinking, “But what about the rest of the race? How will I have enough energy?” Remember, the body uses different energy systems according to intensity and duration.
The next point in the race is when the short-term energy system (aka anaerobic lactate, glycolytic) becomes predominant. This energy system is not capable of the same level of energy output as the phosphagen system (the short duration of maximum energy output). The glycolytic system produces energy for high intensity work but at a level under that of the phosphagen system because it’s used for a longer period of time (about 2 minutes). Think about the example of running as fast as you can to a table 10 meters away and running as fast as you can once around a track. The length of time or distance are necessary pieces of information for determining maximum effort.
With Coach Oden
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Link to written workout
Food Journaling
By Coach PatWhy keep a food journal? You may be actively food tracking or have in the past. Food tracking and food journaling are not the same. Tracking what you eat in a food tracking app like a Fitbit or through MyFitnessPal gives you great info on calories and macros as well as how many times a day you are eating. But food journaling is more. You can do it using an extra app or just a notebook and pencil. You can use journaling to track food intolerance, poor choice triggers, energy levels or an unbalanced diet.
Food tracking usually focuses on calories and macronutrients. Commonly shortened to ‘macros’, macronutrients categorize foods as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Journaling your food can tell you much more than these things. Typically a person will underestimate the amount they eat by 30% and they will conveniently erase memory of certain foods they ate during the day. Here are some tips on what to track and when from health.harvard.edu. What are you eating? Write down the specific food and beverage consumed and how it is prepared (baked, broiled, fried, etc.). Include any sauces, condiments, dressings, or toppings. (Tip: Take a picture of each meal, drink and snack to supplement your journal.) How much are you eating? List the amount in household measures (cups, teaspoons, tablespoons) or in ounces. If possible it is best to weigh and measure your food. If you are away from home, do your best to estimate the portion.
When are you eating? Noting the time that you’re eating can be very helpful in identifying potentially problematic times, such as late-night snacking or forgetting to eat when you are busy. (Tip: Set a reminder alarm on your phone and carry a healthy snack or protein bar with you.)
Where are you eating? Record the specific place you are consuming food, whether it’s at the kitchen table, in your bedroom, in the car, walking down the street, at a restaurant, or at a friend’s home.
What else are you doing while eating? Are you on the computer, watching TV, or talking with a family member or a friend?
Who are you eating with? Are you eating with your spouse, children, friend, or a colleague, or are you alone?
How are you feeling as you’re eating? Are you happy, sad, stressed, anxious, lonely, bored, tired?
You might want to add these to your journal as well, especially if you are having digestion issues or seem to react to certain foods.
How do you feel after eating certain foods ? This can be added to the journal several hours after a meal. How fast are you eating ?
Now what ?
After completing a week’s worth of food journaling, step back and look at what you’ve recorded. Search for any trends, patterns, or habits. Did your perception of how you eat match reality? For example, you might consider:
The point of the journal is not to judge or police your eating. There is no grade to be given. The goal is to learn about yourself, and your habits. Does your perception of how you eat match reality?
Most important is to be consistent with your journal. Use the tools you need and the ones you will use. Pick your most important items to track and always address those. When you start write down what you think will be the most common answer to each of the categories outside of actually tracking food. Then if you are short on time you can just tick off a category as routine. For instance I know I almost always eat breakfast alone and it’s a very quick meal. I may not go through the list for those breakfasts only recording what I ate. Let your food journal tell you the truth. If you have experience with this tool, talk about it in the comments.
By Suzanne Frank
Protein is an important component of every cell in our bodies. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. It is also an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. Muscles are largely made up of protein.
Protein is essential for exercise. Anyone undertaking any kind of exercise routine is going to need more protein than someone who doesn’t exercise. The reason behind this is that when you exercise, you are tearing and breaking muscle fibres apart, which need to be repaired by the body, which requires protein. The protein you eat supplies the building blocks that make up your muscles.
The right amount of protein for any one individual depends on many factors, including activity level, age, and current state of health. Protein requirements are significantly increased in people who are physically active, as well as older adults and people recovering from injuries.
Experts say that for an individual who is at a healthy weight, and doesn’t lift weights or exerise very often, aiming for 0.36-0.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight is a reasonable daily intake estimate. They also say that given there is no evidence of harm and a significant evidence of benefit, it is likely better for most people to err on the side of a bit more protein rather than less than the recommended daily intake.
Some examples of plant protein sources are seitan, soybeans such as tofu, tempeh and edamame; lentils, chickpeas, and most varieties of beans, peas, spelt and teff.
Animal protein sources include fish, eggs, dairy and meat. Of course, it is better to choose meats that contain lower amounts of fat.
Remember the more you exercise, like weight lifting, push-ups, planks and other resistance exercises, the more protein you require. Exercise is a great way to help build and strengthen our muscles. Protein helps to support these efforts and is an important part of our daily diets.
Food tracking usually focuses on calories and macronutrients. Commonly shortened to ‘macros’, macronutrients categorize foods as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Journaling your food can tell you much more than these things. Typically a person will underestimate the amount they eat by 30% and they will conveniently erase memory of certain foods they ate during the day. Here are some tips on what to track and when from health.harvard.edu. What are you eating? Write down the specific food and beverage consumed and how it is prepared (baked, broiled, fried, etc.). Include any sauces, condiments, dressings, or toppings. (Tip: Take a picture of each meal, drink and snack to supplement your journal.) How much are you eating? List the amount in household measures (cups, teaspoons, tablespoons) or in ounces. If possible it is best to weigh and measure your food. If you are away from home, do your best to estimate the portion.
When are you eating? Noting the time that you’re eating can be very helpful in identifying potentially problematic times, such as late-night snacking or forgetting to eat when you are busy. (Tip: Set a reminder alarm on your phone and carry a healthy snack or protein bar with you.)
Where are you eating? Record the specific place you are consuming food, whether it’s at the kitchen table, in your bedroom, in the car, walking down the street, at a restaurant, or at a friend’s home.
What else are you doing while eating? Are you on the computer, watching TV, or talking with a family member or a friend?
Who are you eating with? Are you eating with your spouse, children, friend, or a colleague, or are you alone?
How are you feeling as you’re eating? Are you happy, sad, stressed, anxious, lonely, bored, tired?
You might want to add these to your journal as well, especially if you are having digestion issues or seem to react to certain foods.
How do you feel after eating certain foods ? This can be added to the journal several hours after a meal. How fast are you eating ?
Now what ?
After completing a week’s worth of food journaling, step back and look at what you’ve recorded. Search for any trends, patterns, or habits. Did your perception of how you eat match reality? For example, you might consider:
- How healthy is my diet?
- Am I eating vegetables and fruit every day? If so, how many servings?
- Am I eating whole grains each day?
- Am I eating foods or beverages with added sugar? If so, how frequently?
- Do my moods affect my eating habits? Do I reach for unhealthy snacks when I'm tired or stressed?
- How often do I eat on the run?
The point of the journal is not to judge or police your eating. There is no grade to be given. The goal is to learn about yourself, and your habits. Does your perception of how you eat match reality?
Most important is to be consistent with your journal. Use the tools you need and the ones you will use. Pick your most important items to track and always address those. When you start write down what you think will be the most common answer to each of the categories outside of actually tracking food. Then if you are short on time you can just tick off a category as routine. For instance I know I almost always eat breakfast alone and it’s a very quick meal. I may not go through the list for those breakfasts only recording what I ate. Let your food journal tell you the truth. If you have experience with this tool, talk about it in the comments.
Challenges and Accountability and the Fitness Tracker
Each week we are providing a challenge which is related to one of the articles in the blog.
If you accept the challenge, record it in the Fitness Tracker along with your workouts. If you want to use the tracker but opt not to accept a challenge, just record a "no" for that particular challenge. The Fitness Tracker is also for great for recording your completion of the weekly workouts. This accountability tool is like coming to practice. The Fitness Tracker, along with comments made on the blog and the videos, allow us to see the frequency these tools are being used.
Let us know what you think!
If you accept the challenge, record it in the Fitness Tracker along with your workouts. If you want to use the tracker but opt not to accept a challenge, just record a "no" for that particular challenge. The Fitness Tracker is also for great for recording your completion of the weekly workouts. This accountability tool is like coming to practice. The Fitness Tracker, along with comments made on the blog and the videos, allow us to see the frequency these tools are being used.
Let us know what you think!
This Weeks Challenge: Food Journal
Maintain a food journal for at least 2 days in the next week. When you complete 2 days of journaling mark the challenge complete. Share your experience in the comments on the blog. Your story helps your teammates!
The Power of Protein
By Suzanne FrankProtein is an important component of every cell in our bodies. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. It is also an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. Muscles are largely made up of protein.
Protein is essential for exercise. Anyone undertaking any kind of exercise routine is going to need more protein than someone who doesn’t exercise. The reason behind this is that when you exercise, you are tearing and breaking muscle fibres apart, which need to be repaired by the body, which requires protein. The protein you eat supplies the building blocks that make up your muscles.
The right amount of protein for any one individual depends on many factors, including activity level, age, and current state of health. Protein requirements are significantly increased in people who are physically active, as well as older adults and people recovering from injuries.
Experts say that for an individual who is at a healthy weight, and doesn’t lift weights or exerise very often, aiming for 0.36-0.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight is a reasonable daily intake estimate. They also say that given there is no evidence of harm and a significant evidence of benefit, it is likely better for most people to err on the side of a bit more protein rather than less than the recommended daily intake.
Some examples of plant protein sources are seitan, soybeans such as tofu, tempeh and edamame; lentils, chickpeas, and most varieties of beans, peas, spelt and teff.
Animal protein sources include fish, eggs, dairy and meat. Of course, it is better to choose meats that contain lower amounts of fat.
Remember the more you exercise, like weight lifting, push-ups, planks and other resistance exercises, the more protein you require. Exercise is a great way to help build and strengthen our muscles. Protein helps to support these efforts and is an important part of our daily diets.
