Preparing Your Muscles to Train
Muscular conditioning plays an important role in being prepared to perform on the boat. This is what Coaches Oden and Pat are providing through the weekly workouts, as well as the Monday workouts provided by Mo Kelly, Deb Amar, and Theresa Garcia (coaches’ note: Thank you!!). Muscular conditioning is a natural complement to energy system training and can be done concurrently. Like aerobic work, if done during the off-season, it better prepares you to get back on the water.
One of the most important benefits of muscular conditioning is the increased ease with which large amounts of muscle mass can be activated. We have often heard how humans use only a small percentage of their brain's capacity. The same holds true for muscle. Until a muscle has been trained to work maximally, it will seldom become fully activated. This means the muscle will not be generating maximal force for speed or power - the very elements we’re training to develop in practice. Through muscular conditioning you can train to be able to fully activate almost all muscle fibers at almost any time.
Most of the changes in strength are primarily due to learning factors rather than physical changes in the muscle. As a novice learns to perform various movements under resistance, the neural pathways become more efficient, resulting in more muscle use. Sport scientists estimate that people who are untrained can’t activate much more than 50% of their available muscle. Through increased muscular conditioning this use can approach more than 90% in well trained individuals. This can explain why some people quickly demonstrate proficiency in a new physical activity: they have developed neural pathways that allow them to activate high muscular responses and quickly learn new motor movements.
Therefore, continue or begin resistance exercises to develop the neural pathways which enable you to activate your muscles more forcefully.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Fitness Team Challenge for You.. 2021' Pinks Strong!
Dress for Success
During the colder months getting on the water can be a bit daunting. The air temperatures and water temperatures are low. When canoeing or kayaking during the summer and early fall a dunk in the water may be a fun occurrence but after November 1st or so it can be scary and dangerous. To be safe in the colder weather you need to dress for both the outside weather and the chance of an unscheduled swim.
There are many things to take into consideration. How experienced are you on your craft? Where will you be boating -- a flat river or out in the ocean? If you go into the water, how long will it take before you can get back into your boat or get to shore? What is the water temperature? Answering these questions before getting dressed or purchasing clothes will help keep safe and comfortable, regardless of the weather.
The Willamette River has a high temperature of about 75 degrees during the summer and a low of 36 during the winter. This winter the water temperature low to date has been 46 degrees. Fortunately the probability of going into the water as a paddler during the winter / spring season from a dragonboat is fairly small. The river is running but generally flat and there is little motor boat traffic to make wakes. The probability of a swim from a kayak or outrigger is higher. In cold weather on a dragon boat you can get by with a good base layer, rain or wind pants and jacket. A good addition when it is cold is to use neoprene as your base layer.
For kayaking, canoe or outrigger during cold weather a neoprene layer is the least expensive option. Dry suits are available but they are expensive and can be constricting as well as hot. The goal is to keep yourself safe should you go swimming and neoprene will allow a thin layer of water that can be warmed by your body heat. The thickness of the neoprene has to be balanced with the amount of time you are likely to be in the water. If you are not comfortable with going out of and getting back on your craft you should consider putting off the excursion.
When going out with water temperatures below 60 degrees and the air temperatures are between 40 and 50 you will see me in full neoprene bottoms, somewhere between .5 mm and 1.5 mm and a neoprene top of the same. When the air temp falls belows 45, I will add neoprene booties and wetsocks. If it’s raining or windy I will add another layer on top to counter the wind chill. In a dragonboat I will continue to wear the bottoms but will likely replace the neoprene top with a wicking base layer and a second warm running type of top. I will replace the booties with waterproof shoes or waterproof socks.
The National Center for Cold Water Safety say to always follow these rules:
Always wear your PFD .
Always dress for the water temperature—no exceptions
Field-test your gear
Swim-test your gear every time you go out (you probably won’t do that - but how about the bathtub)
Imagine the worst that can happen and plan for it
I’m going to add the following :
Don’t go out alone, stay close to shore.
Carry extra clothes and a towel in your car or your dry bag
Stay hydrated, during cold weather you may not realize your thirst. This will help maintain body temperature.
Ever wonder why it is so hard to get back into the swing of things after the holidays? Post-holiday blues are a thing. 64% of people report being affected by post-holiday blues. This year many if not all of us experienced the holidays differently from previous years or how we had dreamed of spending them.
Symptoms of post-holiday blues may include insomnia or excessive sleepiness, low-energy, irritability, difficulty concentrating, loneliness and anxiousness.
The consensus among experts is that the adrenaline comedown is the main culprit of post-holiday blues. Even if your holidays were not so merry and bright, the brain exaggerates the realities of day to day life, making the return to the mundane seem disproportionately more anxiety producing and depressing than it actually is.
Working yourself out of a post-holiday funk requires putting some extra emphasis on the basics of physical and mental well-being and adjusting expectations. Here are some tips that may help.
Take care of yourself. Quality sleep, regular exercise and a nutrient-dense diet are known as healthy lifestyle cornerstones and are recommended by experts to boost mood and manage symptoms. Re-establishing these cornerstones as regular and non-negotiable support mechanisms in your routine are essential.
Schedule time for fun. Social interaction is a critical component of enhanced wellbeing. It is easy to withdraw when you are feeling down. With the current Covid pandemic that may mean calling someone on the phone, using FaceTime or Zoom meetings to connect with friends or those people who are important to you. Meeting for a socially distanced and masked walk, hike, snowshoeing or other outdoor activity. Also, is there a fun hobby that you can engage in? I know that you are resourceful and can think of other ideas that are fun.
Look forward not back. Start out by setting just one goal for yourself. Setting a goal gives you long-term vision and short term motivation. By setting a goal you will know exactly what you want to achieve. Write down your goal. Next, make your plan on how you will achieve your goal. Write down your plan. Revisit your goal and your plan to reach that goal as often as needed to ensure you are moving forward.
Be patient and go easy on yourself. Post-holiday blues won't stick around forever. Don't beat yourself up for feeling the way you do and take the time you need to find your pathway to success.
Let's make 2021 a year for success and well-being!
