Playing the Long Game
It has been said that playing the long game is just "showing up each day so you can do it again tomorrow." It requires consistency and discipline, an ability to never stop the process. This process must be created with a long term goal in mind. It is timely to be looking at our training as the process to get us to our physical peak for New Zealand. We have seen how focusing on off-season fitness and approaching water practices with intention has brought our crews better race times and performances. If you aren't planning for New Zealand your long game may be maintenance of or increasing strength for overall health. Playing the long game is rarely glamorous and often tedious. You can't cram in the long game. It takes consistency, patience and trust in the process. This process mindset will pay off by helping you grow in our sport and remain injury free. 
Using Workouts to Train for Racing
by Coach Anita
An ideal dragon boat race mapped out on a graph has a sharp increase in stroke rate (vertical Y axis) in a short amount of time (horizontal X axis) that rises to a peak and settles down to a rate that is sustained for the remainder of the race. This is true whether the distance is 200 meters or 2000 meters. Because of the difference in time between a 200 meter race and a 2000 meter race, the race pace must be adjusted in order to sustain it over the particular distance. In other words, a shorter race has a faster race pace than a longer race. A paddler’s ability to sustain any pace with intensity is dependent upon training.
All races have a start that involves rating up quickly, getting to what is known as the over rate (the peak on the graph), and then settling into race pace. In order to have a strong start, paddlers need to have a conditioned phosphagen energy system (aka immediate energy system, ATP-CP). This is accomplished by executing explosive power moves at the highest intensity for a brief to short amount of time (≤30 sec) followed by a rest and repeated numerous times. Maintaining a rate with intensity requires having a conditioned glycolytic energy system (aka short-term energy system, anaerobic lactate, lactic acid). Training the glycolytic energy system is achieved through high intensity efforts for a longer time period (≥45 sec to <3 min) followed by rest and repeated numerous times. Aerobic conditioning (aka long-term energy system, oxidative energy system) is developed through longer work periods (3+ min) performed at lower intensities, which make them sustainable. Conditioning all three systems is necessary in dragon boat racing. However, because we primarily race 250-500 meter races, our highest training need is in the immediate and short-term energy systems (phosphagen and glycolytic).
We have been given the luxury of time to prepare our bodies with off-the-water fitness activities as well as educate our brains about our sport and how it’s done. Conditioning can be accomplished with or without weights, through the workouts Coach Oden has been providing, by paddling, running, cycling and the like. Workouts like what Oden has been providing develop muscular strength while building stamina (the ability to maintain intensity) and endurance (the ability to keep going). Increased muscular strength enables us to generate more power. The key to having any workout be effective is to work hard. No amount of structuring and leading by someone else can accomplish that for you. When you’re working the immediate and short term energy systems it feels hard because of the high intensity required. However, the more you do it, the more adaptive your body becomes so you feel better able to perform them, and as a result, you are able to better perform what is required of you in the boat.
Even though we’re not on the water right now, take the long view and realize what you can be doing now in order to be prepared for when that time comes. Find a workout buddy to schedule time with, join Pat at her Zoom workout times, create or take a challenge to hold yourself accountable. And if you need a little encouragement, let us know. We’ll do what we can to support your efforts so long as you promise to work hard.
Flexibility By Coach Pat
Flexibility is the range of movement in a joint or a range of joints. It also has to do with the ability of the muscle to lengthen across those joints. The benefits of being flexible include improved mobility, posture, and increased range of motion which makes it easier to perform all exercises. Flexibility also reduces the risk of injury and muscle soreness. Overall flexibility diminishes with age and due to the demands of certain sports.
As a paddler, keeping muscles loose is key to staying physically balanced and avoiding injury. Static stretching after a workout is not enough. As breast cancer survivors we have surgery and scar tissue issues. Reconstruction displaces muscle and that muscle has to relearn how to be engaged. Any type of flap reconstruction will require the remaining muscle to relearn how to engage and for the surrounding fascia to transmit that force. This takes time - up to a year.
To increase muscle flexibility try using yoga and Pilates workouts. To increase joint flexibility, yoga is the winner. To strengthen after reconstruction, Pilates is your task master because pilates is will strengthen your core. You’ll notice that across different workouts many of the moves are the same.
We have already introduced some flexibility work in this blog. We addressed these as rest and recovery.
Consider adding an additional yoga workout for flexibility. This one is only 15 minutes long.
A Pilates workout like this one will add even more benefits. Pilates for flexibility.
We can't look for a spot stretching routine any more than a spot reducing diet.
This warm up is something to aspire to specifically for paddling. Have some fun with this one.
Look for my email with a zoom call link to workout on Wednesday at 6 pm. Also look for a morning workout email as well. Try to do them both.
Look for my email with a zoom call link to workout on Wednesday at 6 pm. Also look for a morning workout email as well. Try to do them both.
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Teamwork
By SuzanneThis week I found a fun poem that was published in November 2013 in a blog from Eugephemisms. It made me think about all the support we give and get from each other both on and off the water and how we strive to stay in sync as athletes. I thought I would share it with you and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
It's during training that I am the happiest.
It's when I can release stress and shout my heart out.
Where I can burp out loud and also laugh out loud.
It is where my teammates see me suffer.
They see me endure,
They see me fight.
It's where I get to motivate and receive motivation.
An opportunity to inspire, furthermore earn inspiration.
It keeps me focused as it gets intense.
Makes me admit my weaknesses; realize my strengths.
I sweat, I feel pain-I feel strong.
I perform, I work-I build.
I feel one with the team, I feel whole.
It is where I admire and get admired, too.
I teach, I learn, I get validated.
It is comforting, exciting and adrenaline-filled.
It prepares me as it pushes me to the limit.
At trainings I develop authentic self-discipline,
To be in sync with the team,
To be reminded to live in good trim.
It is during trainings that I execute my best,
Become as good as the rest.
For triumph and glee. For victory!
It is during trainings that I truly feel free.
Week 5 Pinks Stay Strong Workout
With Coach OdenFitness Challenge from Coach Oden
100 squats a day.
Break it into whatever works for you. 10's, 20s, or all at once.
Post on the fitness tracker and everywhere. Let's try to get 700 squats this week or more. Starts Monday!! Who is in ? I know I am.
Break it into whatever works for you. 10's, 20s, or all at once.
Post on the fitness tracker and everywhere. Let's try to get 700 squats this week or more. Starts Monday!! Who is in ? I know I am.
