Thank you to Vancouver Island Dragon Boat Teams for this photo. Were you looking for the silver dragon cloud this weekend? We are all missing Rose Festival right now, but we didn't miss getting drenched. Some of you are in counties that have opened up to Phase 1 and soon Phase 2. Keep safe and stay well.
Q&A session
by Coach AnitaI know this will surprise some of you, but I found myself at a loss for words. What more can I write about that you might find interesting or value-adding? Every week TeamFitness meets to discuss topic ideas, and this week I found myself drawing a blank. I’ve gotten a lot of questions over the years about little topics that don’t necessarily connect into a cohesive article, so I’m going to try a Q&A. Take this as an invitation that if you have a question or an idea for a topic, I’d love for you to add it to the comments section at the bottom of the post.
Question: What are the different roles of the sections of the boat?
The boat is divided into three main sections, and each section plays a special role. No one section is better than another, but there might be a better section for you as a paddler. Size, strength, and skill all play a role in how a boat is seated. To optimize boat run, we want to concentrate weight in the center, and have the weight balanced side to side. PACE. The first three benches are considered the front of the boat. Their job is pacing. The leads in the first bench work together to set the rate, and benches two and three provide support to set the pace for the rest of the boat to follow. The water at the front is undisturbed so there’s more resistance making it harder to move a paddle through the water. Paddlers in the front need to be able to break water and maintain excellent timing with a long steady stroke.
POWER. Benches 4-7 are considered the engine room. The water is moving by the time it gets to these larger, strong paddlers so it is easier for them to move their paddles through the water. To avoid rushing the fronts, these paddlers focus on getting a strong catch to maximize resistance on their blades so their power is moving the boat forward while maintaining the pace the front is setting.
PUNCH. The back of the boat is considered benches 8-10. The water is moving the fastest in this section of the boat making the water feel softer, and therefore harder to get resistance. Skilled paddlers who can get a good catch in fast moving water are seated here. The propulsion these paddlers generate from their catch earns this section the nickname “rockets.”
Question: What do you mean by coachable?
When a coach works with a paddler, the intent is always to help the athlete in some way. A coachable athlete is one who is open to feedback and incorporates it into performance. When a coach provides direction and a paddler doesn’t acknowledge it and/or does not demonstrate an attempt to incorporate the feedback into performance, that is an example of not being coachable. If the same direction is provided repeatedly without a sustained behavior change, that is an example of not incorporating feedback. It is important to remember that the intent of feedback is to help you, not to be critical of you. A coachable athlete has a growth mindset and believes the journey of learning and improvement never ends.
Question: Why do you only talk to the leads and caller after a race?
I appreciated this question because it came from someone whose perspective is from the back of the boat. As a coach outside the boat, I seek out the caller and leads to hear how the race felt. The caller has the perspective of seeing the entire boat, and the leads have the perspective of having set and made adjustments to the pace. A caller can share that she saw the middle or back of the boat struggling to keep up with the pace, which indicates the rate needs to be adjusted down. The leads might share that the caller’s timing was off from their stroke so it felt jerky behind them. Both may observe that there wasn’t enough initial power in the first three strokes so that boat didn’t lift enough to be able to accelerate quickly. With input from both perspectives, adjustments are made for the next race or the positive results are emphasized to the entire crew. It is not that other input and perspectives are not sought. It’s just that those conversations aren’t as easily viewed as the ones immediately following the exit of the boat.
Please share your questions in the comments section. I'd love to hear them.
Foam Rolling 102
by Coach Pat and Coach Oden
Foam rolling is not just for the avid exerciser. This type of self massage allows you to relieve tightness and trigger points. Think of how you feel when you have sat for hours at a desk or in the car. Foam rolling can be extremely helpful to those who are still for too long.
You can do foam rolling at any time. Using it as part of a warm up before exercise has benefits as well as using it after exercise , but really any time is a good time. Foam rolling before bed can help you relax and sleep better. Warm up specifically the areas you are going to roll before starting, don't hit the foam roller cold.
Foam rolling isn't always comfortable but you shouldn't push when it is painful. Make sure to control the amount of pressure when you find a particularly sensitive spot. Back off on the pressure by reducing the weight on the roller or move to just the edge of the painful area. Increase the length of the roll as the muscle softens and the pain reduces, go slowly. Focus on small areas rather than using large repetitive movements. Stay on a spot for a couple of breaths and then move a couple of inches.
Avoid rolling joints, remember you are targeting muscles. This week Coach Oden has created a lower body foam rolling video.
Healthy Salads
By Suzanne
This is the time of year I start thinking of salads. With many of the local fruits and veggies coming into season it’s fun to try some new flavors and textures. Here are a couple of recipes for you to try.The first a chickpea salad from The Food Network.
2-15 ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion chopped
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
A few ribs of celery and leafy tops, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced and ground into paste with salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
Dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
Combine chickpeas, onions, peppers, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes and rosemary in a medium bowl. Dress salad with vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.
The second is a salad that I have in my recipe book and not sure where I found it.
Spinach, Strawberry and Chicken Salad
2 cups cooked chicken chopped
4 cups spinach
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
1/4 cup sliced almonds
In large bowl toss the chicken, romaine, strawberries, blueberries, red onion, goat cheese and almonds. Toss with dressing.
Dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup strawberries
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
In a food processor or blender, pulse all ingredients until smooth.
ENJOY!
Week Eight Workout
with Coach Oden
