Vol. 40 More Winter Story

Movement and Speed

by Coach Anita

When we watch dragon boat racing, we see fast movement. The boats are moving, paddles are moving and bodies are moving. What we see in a race is the end result of the steps learned in practice. 

I’ve provided information about the body’s energy systems, how they are trained, and the role muscular conditioning plays in paddling. Now let’s talk about how we get to be fast.  

When a child is learning to write, her movements are slow and require a lot of effort to make the straight line in the M and the curves in the letter B. And until she’s had a lot of practice, the act takes effort and it doesn’t look polished. Learning the techniques of paddling follow the same path. Movements are slower and methodical to learn how to set up the stroke, enter the blade, get a catch, initiate the pull, exit the blade, and recover back to the set up of the next stroke. Like learning handwriting, ease of movement and pace increases with repeated behavior because of the development of neural pathways. Handwriting becomes effortless over time because of the volume of repeated efforts. After the individual parts of the stroke have been developed and appropriately sequenced, stroke movement becomes more fluid. 

But that’s not the source of speed. 

Speed in paddling requires power. Power is the amount of force generated against the resistance of the water. After a base of technique is established, the next step is developing power in the stroke. 

Power is an expression of strength. Generating force against the resistance of the water is how the boat moves. The source of that force is your strength, which is developed through strength training and sport-specific movements.

Once power is developed in the stroke, then we can train for speed. The goal is to move the boat as far as possible with every stroke, not take as many strokes as possible. Repeatedly applying power to exceed the resistance of the water results in boat speed.  

But we need to start back at the development of a “base of technique” to talk about speed. The most important part of the stroke for generating power starts with the catch. The catch is the resistance of the water against the blade that you feel after it is fully buried. Imagine you are sitting on an office chair with wheels on a smooth surface. Your objective is to move yourself on the chair across a gymnasium-sized room without using your feet. You have one tool - a toilet plunger. If you stick the plunger firmly onto the floor ahead of the chair you can pull yourself to the plunger. If the plunger doesn’t stick firmly to the floor, when you begin to pull on it, it just comes back to you and you don’t move in your chair more than a little bit. With practice you can become adept at getting the plunger firmly attached with each plant. With strength training you develop power in the muscles used to bring the chair up to the plunger so you are able to do it more forcefully. Over time you are able to firmly plant the plunger each time, forcefully pull yourself up to the plunger, and because of repeated practice of the movement in real time, you are able to perform the sequence faster which reduces the amount of time it takes you to get across the room. Our boat is the office chair and our paddles are the toilet plungers. 

This is how we start to be fast. There are myriad details for every step but the big picture is simple: Train to develop strength. Plant then pull. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.  

Healthy Skin

by Suzanne Frank

It's hardly news that exercise is great for your heart, lungs and mental outlook. Here is another reason to get moving: Regular exercise is one of the keys to healthy skin. Anything that promotes healthy circulation also helps keep your skin healthy and vibrant. By increasing blood flow, exercise helps nourish skin cells and keeps them vital. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to working cells throughout the body including the skin. In addition to providing oxygen, blood flow also helps carry away waste products. 

How to care for your skin prior, during and following your workout.

Before you workout:

• Wear clothing that fits well. Avoid skin irritation and chaffing by wearing fabrics that can help wick away sweat from your body.
• As part of your pre-workout routine, always remove the make-up from your face. Sweating and make-up can clog your pores. If you don't have on make-up make an effort to wash your face to remove any dirt and oil from your face.
• Keep your your hair away from your face. Oily hair products travel down your face or hair and can clog your pores. 

During your workout:

• When you are dripping in sweat halfway through your workout you might be tempted to wipe the sweat off with your hands. Don't do it! Try to avoid mixing bacteria by using a clean towel to dry the sweat in between sets. You may also consider wearing a headband because it catches the sweat at the hairline and prevents it from running down your face.
• Stay hydrated. Replenishing fluids lost during a workout is critical for maintaining blood volume, regulating body temperature and for muscle contraction.
• Protect yourself. If you are taking your workout outdoors make sure you protect yourself by using sunscreen. Keep in mind that an oily formula mixed with sweat will end up clogging your pores, so stick to a lightweight formula.

Post Workout :

• Clean, moisturize, hydrate. As soon as you are finished with your workout, wash your face to remove the sweat that's on your skin. Using a facial moisturizer or serum will help to hydrate your skin from the outside. If you drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, this will also help with the appearance of the skin.
• Change out of your exercise clothes quickly. Now that exercise clothes have become quite fashionable, it's easy to get into the routine of running errands in your exercise clothes.This can allow moisture to sit close to the skin. Many fungal infections grow easily in a moist environment.
• Shower as soon as possible and put on fresh clothing.

A regular exercise routine is good for your mind and body, but if you don't keep your skin care routine top of mind too it can cause lasting damage. Fortunately, you don't have to give up good skin for a good workout. I hope these easy to incorporate tips will help keep your skin complexion in great shape. 

Getting in the Right Headspace

Chapter 3

by Coach Oden

Now that I had made the decision to move forward and go for it, what was my next move?? I needed to extend to my mind what I knew my body was capable of. I was in the best shape of my paddling career and although I had so much to learn about being on an international team, I also knew there was no time like the present. The opportunity had presented itself. Take it!

If we wait until we are ready for everything that we want to do in life, we will never be ready. This was my mantra. I needed to push myself beyond what I was ready for in order to get ready. You see, I was in the company of athletes way more qualified to be on that boat. What was going to make me stand out? How was I going to fit in?

What started as one type of training in order to even stand a chance of advancing forward in the process soon became something different altogether. My strength would continue to grow with my physical training, but I needed an edge. I needed mental focus. I needed to be in the right headspace.  Not exactly what I had focused on in my prior athletic training. This was the focus I was looking for.

The next three months I read several articles and books. I began training with the pursuit of excellence as my focus. In December 2016’ I attended my second time trial that consisted of a weeklong paddling camp with the head coach and several atheletes wanting what I wanted, A seat on the boat!!

Winter Fun

 By Coach Pat

At this time of year one of the best things for you to do is get outside. Find a break in the weather or not and look at taking your workout outdoors. It is well documented that getting outside when it is cold and the days are short helps you stay healthy and improves your mood.

Here are a few reasons to get outside today :

• When it is cold you burn more calories
• Sunlight is a mood lifter
• You pick up some Vitamin D
• Being in nature enhances your creativity
• Even a short walk outside reduces stress

Even more beneficial is to have a fun cold weather workout you enjoy. Maybe head out to a snowy trail for some snow shoeing or sledding. Try cross country skiing . If you find yourself in the Bend area you can also go ice skating outside. These are things you can do with your family or a small group and still stay safe and distant.

In the Portland metro area it is really easy to get outside. Try a new place. If you usually walk along the river, head up to Forest Park and pick a trail in the trees. A good on-line resource to find Oregon hikes by area and type is https://www.oregonhikers.org/. The Portland Bureau of Transportation also has on-line resources for walks and bike rides here : https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/335752

Challenge Change Week 

Just a reminder to all of you participating in the January Challenge, this week we add one more set of exercises. To make this transition you may need to modify or reduce weight on some of your exercises. Be mindful of how you feel.  

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Vol 39 Here Comes the Rain Again

Where Oh Where Did Those Workout Links Go ?

Just in case you have lost track the Pinks Stay Strong Workouts link has been renamed Workouts and Resources. This Google document has all the links to the workout videos and other resources we have posted in this blog. The link is : Pinks Stay Workouts and Resources  

If you need to find the link at any time it is on the right hand side of the newsletter page under the heading Workout Videos and Resources.   

Did you know that getting to the blog is pretty easy: Just type into your browser https://pinkphoenixfitness.blogspot.com/

Starting Training in the New Year

by Coach Anita

Muscular conditioning is done by athletes in all sports whether they are brand new to it or have been training for years. While the needs are not the same for every sport or every athlete, there are some basic principles applicable to all athletic training. 

After an athletic season concludes there is a transition time where athletes recover by taking time off from their sport and reduce their training volumes. This transition time varies between sports but typically lasts 2-4 weeks. After the transition time (like at the beginning of a new year), athletes begin again with a general preparation period - often before they get on the track, field, court or water. Even for professional athletes, the general preparation period begins with an anatomical adaptation phase, which is the period that lays the foundation for the other phases of training. The purpose of the anatomical adaptation phase is to “prehabilitate” in hopes of preventing the need for rehabilitation. The main objectives are to strengthen tendons, ligaments, and joints; develop overall core strength, improve cardiovascular fitness and establish general muscle strength. The anatomical adaptation phase can last between 4-12 weeks depending on the training age of the athlete (e.g. how many years they’ve been training in the sport). Most amateur athletes benefit from at least 8 weeks. This is why it’s so important to begin training BEFORE we get on the water.

After a good foundation has been established, the focus can be narrowed to more sport specific strength training. In training for dragon boat racing, the sport specific goals of strength training is to develop power and muscular endurance. 

Power is the ability to apply the highest force in the shortest time period, and is the result of both strength and speed of muscle contraction - think of the start sequence in a race. Muscle endurance is a muscle’s ability to sustain work for a prolonged period of time - this is everything after the start. Power requires intermuscular coordination (the ability to synchronize all of the muscles in a kinetic chain involved in a movement), intramuscular coordination (ability to recruit and quickly activate muscle fibers) and hypertrophy (size of the muscles involved).  

There are four types of muscular endurance: power endurance (10-30 seconds), muscle endurance-short (30 seconds to 2 minutes), muscle endurance-medium (2-8 minutes) and muscle endurance-long (more than 8 minutes). Dragon boat paddling requires mostly muscle endurance-short when racing 500 meter distances. 

All sports have different compositions of what are called biomotor abilities - speed, power or endurance - which relate to both energy system training and strength training. Dragon boat paddling requires muscular endurance-short, acceleration power, and starting power. The energy system usage in a 500 meter race is roughly 60% aerobic, 25% glycolytic, and 15% ATP-CP.  

Understanding the needs of our sport directs the training focus, but the timeframe available for training ultimately dictates what can be accomplished. The more time we spend off the boat preparing our bodies for what is needed when we get on the boat, the more time we can spend in sport-specific training when we get on the boat. 

The Truth About Stretching

By Suzanne Frank

Question: Do you need to stretch prior to and following a workout? It's a good idea according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

In general, stretching is a great practice to incorporate into your daily routine even if your don't exercise often. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible and able to perform their entire range of motion. If you aren't flexible enough, your muscles won't extend to their full length, and you will face a greater likelihood of muscle strain, joint pain and injury.

Stretch to de-stress. These are stressed out times, and stretching can help. During times of emotional stress, the muscles in your body contract. Gentle stretching of tensed muscles provide relaxation to the mind as well as the body.

Believe it or not there are 7 types of stretching. The two I will focus on are dynamic stretching and static stretching.

Dynamic stretching involves running a muscle through its range of motion 10-20 times like swinging a leg back and forth or rotating your trunk to warm up the back.

Static stretching involves striking a pose and holding it for 30 seconds, like the classic touching your toes or holding one arm across your chest to stretch your shoulder.

What type of stretching should you do prior to and following a workout? You should alway start with some mild aerobic warm up to get the blood moving to the tissues before doing any stretching. 

Once this is completed you will then want to perform dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretching improves range of motion and decreases injuries by getting your muscles properly prepared for the exercise and helping them achieve full functionality. Many strained muscles happen when the muscle is forced into movement it is not ready for. Some examples of dynamic stretching are leg swings and walking lunges before a run and arm circles prior to upper body weights. Consider Yoga, try 2 minutes of sun salutations to stretch multiple parts of the body or downward-facing dog dynamic by pedaling your feet or lifting alternate legs.

Following a workout you should do static stretching. Static stretching is beneficial to do after you finish your workout to help your muscles recover. Following exercise your body temperature is higher than normal and your blood vessels are dilated. Stretching can help reduce the buildup of lactic acid, which can lead to muscle cramping and stiffness.While stretching won't make you less sore the next day (the microscopic damage that causes sore muscles has already happened), research suggests that it helps improve blood flow to the limbs you stretch. The blood delivers nutrients and oxygen to the affected muscles, helping aid in recovery and rejuvenation. It is also associated with helping your nervous system calm down. You never want to stretch to the point of pain and do not bounce. Breathe while you are stretching. Exhale as you stretch, inhale while holding the stretch.

Although all this warming up and cooling may seem like a waste of time, properly easing into and out of your strenuous activity is vitally important for warding off injury and decreasing stress on your heart and other organs. So, if you are really crunched for time you might want to consider shortening the actual workout in order to get your stretching completed. Your health and wellbeing will thank you in the long run.

The Decision

Chapter 2 

Fast forward to 2016. I had heard about international dragon boat racing but had never thought it was something I wanted to do. Then some other teammates and our coach mentioned the race that was coming up in 2017. My ears perked a little bit. So many fears of the unknown started to fill my head. I had absolutely no idea what competing for a seat on an international dragon boat team meant. That became quite evident when I decided to just go for it.

So where did I start? Well, it was August of 2016 and some of the coaches from the USA team were going to come to Vancouver lake to do time trials on a OC1 in August for anyone interested. I was interested. I had never been on OC1 but I thought, what the hec. I had two weeks to get ready. Thinking back to that time now, I was so nervous. I got out in an OC1 two times before the tryouts. Was  I ready, no, but I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. 

This is where the real journey began, when I said yes to me and yes to the commitment!

Coach Oden

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Vol.38 Kick Starting 2021

Preparing Your Muscles to Train

by Coach Anita

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!

...Coach Oden

Full Body Workout Challenge

First two weeks of challenge do each workout 2x. Third and fourth weeks do workout 3x. Refer to all of the exercises and modifications from our prior challenges. The core exercises are off of the chart below.

https://darebee.com/ab-exercises.html

This link has beneficial information beyond core exercises. Check it out!

Workout 1 Tuesday & Saturday

Lower Body(refer to squat challenge for example squats and modifications)

15 Squats

Upper Body-Anterior(refer to upper body challenge for example exercises)

15 Biceps

15 Shoulders

15 Chest

Core(refer to darabee link for 1, 2, & 3 category of exercises)

15 Upper

15 Lower

15 Six-Pack

Plyo(anything that increases your heart rate and gets your feet off the ground)

1 Minute Jumping Jacks, ex.

15 High Knees, ex.

Workout 2 Thursday & Sunday

Lower Body

15 Lunges R/L

Upper Body-Posterior(refer to upper body challenge for example exercises)

15 Triceps

15 Shoulders

15 Back

Core(refer to darabee link for 4, 5, & 6 category of exercises)

15 Obliques

15 Complete

15 Core

Plyo

1  Minute Jump Rope, ex.

15 Burpees, ex.

Dress for Success 

by Coach Pat

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:  

1. Always wear your PFD . 

2. Always dress for the water temperature—no exceptions

3. Field-test your gear

4. Swim-test your gear every time you go out (you probably won’t do that - but how about the bathtub) 

5. Imagine the worst that can happen and plan for it

I’m going to add the following : 

1. Don’t go out alone, stay close to shore.

2. Carry extra clothes and a towel in your car or your dry bag 

3. Stay hydrated, during cold weather you may not realize your thirst.  This will help maintain body temperature. 

   

How to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues

By Suzanne

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!

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Week Thirty Five - Moving Ahead

 

After Aerobic Training

By Coach Anita

*** NOTE: The energy system pyramid is imagery I created to try to make understanding the body’s energy systems easier. It is not a formal or academic concept. The terms power, speed and endurance reflect what we train for in dragon boat practice. I have previously equated the ATP-CP (immediate energy system) with speed, which is not correct. It is used for power. The glycolytic (short term) energy system is trained to improve speed. I have updated the previous entries, but want to correct my error for those of you following along more closely. 

We have completed building the aerobic portion of our energy system pyramid. This portion of the pyramid is the base for two reasons: it takes the most time to develop because aerobic conditioning sessions involve longer work pieces, and it is necessary to develop the aerobic base before building power or speed.

For the imagery of the energy system pyramid, the glycolytic energy system uses longer work intervals (15-60 seconds) so it is the system that sits above the aerobic system. I’m calling that speed work. The ATP-CP energy system uses the shortest intervals for training (5-15 seconds - think of the first three strokes of our start sequence), so it sits at the top of the pyramid. I’m calling that power work. Speed and power work are done after an aerobic base is established, but can be trained concurrently. In contrast to aerobic work, speed and power work both require a lot of rest between pieces so the body can recover for additional efforts. Both types of work are performed at maximum intensity (90-100% max heart rate), and are important in successful dragon boat racing.

After the initial training of the aerobic energy system and technique at the beginning of the season, we prepare for racing by training the glycolytic and ATP-CP (short and immediate) energy systems for the purpose of developing speed and power. Every athletic activity has sport-specific speed and power. For example, developing speed on the soccer pitch is different from developing speed on a dragon boat, and one can’t be substituted for the other. While movements can be approximated and simulated in artificial environments, neuromuscular training for any particular sport requires physical training with equipment in the actual environment. That said, a system trained in an artificial environment will be much better prepared to perform than an untrained system. If you have spent your off-water time doing various workouts on a rowing machine, stationary bike, outrigger canoe or running, your energy systems will be well prepared to adapt to the specific training done for dragon boat paddling. 

While the body has three energy systems, you will see there are many more than three types of workouts. There’s lactate threshold, performance threshold, endurance, aerobic capacity, aerobic power, anaerobic power, strength, speed, strength endurance, speed endurance, and more. They reflect the desire to achieve something specific with the particular workout. Sometimes terms are used universally and sometimes terms for the same thing differ between sports and coaches. My goal is to provide you with some basic understanding of the body’s energy systems to help you understand why we do what we do in practice, and help you make more educated decisions when it comes to how you train. 

What you’re doing today will make an impact when we get in the boat “tomorrow.” Keep it up. 

Evidence-Based Weight Loss Tips

By Suzanne Frank

With the holidays upon us and a change of lifestyle due to Covid I have started thinking about ways to take off those couple of pounds that have been acumulating. I keep telling myself it must be all muscle from all of the exercises and cardio I have been participarting in. While some is likely to be increase in muscle, I'm not going to kid myself that taking off a few pounds would not be a healthy choice for me.

I know that the weight loss industry is full of myths, many which have no scietific evidence behind them. This led me to investigating some weight loss tips that actually have the science behind them. Scientists have found a number of strategies that seem to be effective. I found several tips and will share just a few with you today. Here are some that you may want to try if you are looking to shed some pounds.

1. Drink water, especially before a meal. Drinking water can boost metabolism by 24-30% over a period of 1-1.5 hours, helping you burn off calories. One study showed that drinking 17 ounces of water about 30 minutes before meals helped dieters eat fewer calories and lose 44% more weight, compared to those that didn't drink the water.

2. Drink your quality caffinated coffee black. Studies show caffiene in coffee can boost your metabolism. Adding sugar or high-calorie ingredients will negate any benefits.

3. Cut back on sugar. Please refer to last weeks blog where I covered the topic of sugar.

4. Lower your refined intake of carbohydrates. Eating refined carbohydrates (such as white bread and pasta) is strongly linked to obesity.

5. Keep a food diary. Anything that increase your awareness of what you are eating is likely to be beneficial.

6.Exercise. Aerobic exercise (cardio) is an excellent way to burn calories and improve your physical and mental health.

7. Lift weights. One of the worst side effects of dieting is that it tends to cause muscle loss and metabolic slowdown (starvation mode). Studies show that weight lifting can help keep your metabolism high and prevent you from losing precious muscle mass. It's important not just to lose fat-but you also want to build muscle.

8. Get good sleep. Studies show that poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity Poor sleep is linked to a 55% increase in obesity in adults.

9. Chew more slowly. Some studies show that chewing more slowly and thoroughly can help you eat fewer calories and increase the production of hormones linked to weight loss. These are components of mindful eating.

10. Dont't Diet-Eat Healthier. One of the biggest problems with diets is that they rarely work in the long term. People who diet tend to gain more weight over time, and studies show dieting is a consistant predictor of future weight gain. Instead of going on a diet, focus on nourishing your body instead of depriving it. Weight loss should than follow naturally.

Most scientific evidence points to incorporating dietary and lifestyle changes that you can commit to as a permanent part of your daily life.

Coach Oden's Workout

https://youtu.be/jlOhnRVLNLo

Strength for Every Part of the Stroke

by Coach Pat

Last week we looked at the muscles needed for set-up, entry and propulsion. This week let us finish the stroke. The Exit phase , simply getting the paddle out of the water uses top shoulder abduction involving the deltoids. Then the rotator cuff stabilizes along with the rear deltoids. At the same time the obliques are starting the counter rotation of the torso. When the paddle is out of the water we think of Recovery or some call it the Glide phase. This happens in two parts. The first part , phase 1, requires the top shoulder front deltoids along with the pectoralis and biceps. The top wrist extensors are also assisting. Phase 2 of recovery is getting ready once again for setup. As this happens the obliques are engaged to rotate the torso with the glutes and hip flexors. The top arm continues to use the biceps and front deltoids as the bottom arm extension fires the triceps and wrist extensors. Strength training allows us to perform this intricate group of movements over and over. It takes strength to lift the paddle and exert pressure against the water. Building muscle endurance in the larger muscles of the back and shoulders will help protect the smaller muscles from injury.

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