Week Eight - Rose Festival Rain

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 Anita

I 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 

Link to  a written workout 

---

Read More

Week Eight - Rose Festival Rain

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 Anita

I 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 

Link to  a written workout 

---

Read More

Week 7 - Moving to June

Moving into June, this is the seventh issue of the Pinks Stay Strong newsletter brought to you by TeamFitness.   Each newsletter post allows you to link back to prior weeks.  It's easy to miss a weekly read, but just as easy to find it again.  Remember to comment or ask your questions on this blog and one of us or all of us will address the subject.  

---

Snacking

By Coach Anita

Snacks. The word makes me think of a kindergarten teacher rounding up her charges for apple slices and animal cookies. Ah, Ms. Freeman at View Acres Elementary circa 1976. Today there are many more options in the snack aisle, and a lot more to think about when making choices. 

I look at snacks in one of two lights. If I am working out and on the water training a lot, snacks are a caloric support for what I’m doing next to ensure I have enough juice in the tank. On days when I’m less active, snacks tend to happen because of boredom and from more perceived than actual hunger. So let’s take a look at snacks according to the situation.

Once upon a time I owned a coffee shop and left for work at 4:30a. I was on my feet and moving from the moment I arrived at the shop for about 4 hours, then I took a 20 minute break, resumed my pace for another 3-4 hours, and then ran errands. I would arrive home around 1 or 2p, walk the dogs, workout or do chores, and start dinner. I wrapped everything up by 5p, and headed out the door to practice (my own or to coach) at 5:30p, and arrived home a little before 8p. I went to bed between 9-9:30p so I could get up at 3:30a the next morning. I regularly surpassed 25,000 steps a day. I ate breakfast at 4a, first lunch at 9a, second lunch at 1p, had a snack around 4p, and dinner at 8p. My schedule required the calories. Now that I’m not on my feet and working at the pace for that duration, my calorie needs are less but that doesn’t mean I’m not habitualized to eating frequently. I simply have to eat less calorie dense meals and snacks.

Snacks to keep you going should come from natural sources and need to have some calorie density to provide you with energy. Think proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and good fats. Examples: A rice cake layered with hummus, lunch meat and avocado. Dried banana or coconut chips with nuts and jerky slices. A leafy green salad with protein and dressing. A hard boiled egg and Babybel cheese round. A 5oz container of Greek yogurt with berries or jam. Nut butter stuffed medjool dates. 

When calorie density is not what you’re looking for, it’s just as important to look to the basic components of proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy and good fats. Heavily processed foods and snacks especially are formulated to make us want to eat more of the product. We all know the slippery slope of saying we’ll just have one potato chip, Dorito, or handful of M&Ms, and watching the bag empty. So rather than focusing solely on the number calories, consider the quality of the calories as well. You can eat all of the above snacks and make modifications. Quantity is one modification - half a cheese round; a small handful of dried fruit chips; half the amount of yogurt. Another tactic is modifying what is paired together. Medjool dates and nut butter together are delicious but calorie dense. Swap out the nut butter and enjoy the sweet dates by themselves (~100 calories for 2-3), or use the nut butter to make ants on a log with celery (~100 calories in 1TBSP of nut butter). Pop some cherry tomatoes (7 have about 15 calories), peel some Little Cuties (40 per orange) or grab some sugar snap peas (an entire Trader Joe’s bag is ~100 calories) when you know you’re snacking out of boredom. A large cucumber sliced in half with 1 TBSP of cream cheese, a slice of lunch meat or smoked salmon, sprinkled with lemon juice, salt and pepper is about 100 calories. Eating the whole cucumber, and doubling everything else still is only about 200 calories - and you feel like you’re eating something substantial. 

Prepping when you know snacking is in your future will help you make better choices. Nobody wants to cook when they are hungry - they want to eat. So be prepared. Many things you may have in your cupboards can make delicious snacks without a lot of effort such as roasted chickpeas, kale chips, low calorie energy balls, whole roasted sweet potatoes. Soup is one of my favorite things to eat and make. There are an endless number of low calorie soups that can be easily prepared so you have them waiting in your refrigerator. Eat a bowl with a side for a meal, but a cup makes a perfect snack.  

When your sugar tooth is in high gear indulge it with a little bit of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is not only delicious, it’s nutritious. Trader Joe’s 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate bars are 1.65 ounces and come 3 bars to a pack. An entire bar has 280 calories. The bars are sectioned into 4 rows of 3 squares. One square has about 30 calories and provides a very satisfying amount of chocolate. It’s my daily go-to for my chocolate fix. 

Liquid calories do not provide the same satiation as chewing food, so if you’re trying to curb hunger skip the smoothie. Many types of drinks have what are described as empty calories because they do not have any nutritional value - soda pop, sports and energy drinks, and alcohol for example. But did you know that thirst is often mistaken for hunger? Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst. Make drinking simple liquids - water, plain tea, black coffee - a regular part of your day and you may find that you aren’t feeling the desire to snack as much.    

---

Week #7 Pinks Stay Strong Workout With Coach Oden 

Link to Written Workout 

---

Yes! Foam Rolling 

by Coach Pat and Coach Oden

Foam rolling is a good addition to your workout routine. Foam rolling is self-myofascial (myo = muscle) release technique. Used before and after exercise, foam rolling can increase range of motion, flexibility and reduce post workout muscle soreness.

"Fascia is a web of connective tissue formed in bands that wraps around all the internal parts of the body from head to toe and fuses it all together. It allows the muscles to move freely alongside other structures and reduces friction. It can be found immediately beneath the skin, around muscles, groups of muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, organs and cells. Fascia is everywhere. Biologically, it’s what holds us together. Like a snug pair of pantyhose (as if there is any other kind), fasciae are the bands that bind us."(www.deeprecovery.com/understanding-fascia)

Foam rolling action smooths and pulls the fascia to alleviate knots and trigger points. This action before a workout can increase range of motion temporarily which allows you to exercise more efficiently. Think about doing squats, if your quads are tight you won't be able to get down into the squat and engage your glutes. Rolling the quads before doing squats will help this tightness. As you continue to complete the exercise with the increased range of motion you strengthen the muscle allowing for increased range of motion. Post workout foam rolling can reduce muscle soreness and inflammation. Pre and post workout foam rolling warms the muscle and increases circulation. Foam rolling can be done without the workout as well, just be sure to warm the target areas up a little before starting.

Here are some tips and things to avoid as you start foam rolling :

• Avoid rolling the lower back, keep within the area where the ribs support the roller
• If you find lying on the roller is too painful you can start with the roller on the wall
• Remember you are rolling muscles not joints.

You can purchase a foam roller for about $30.00. This would be a 36" or 30" roller. If you want to work on your shoulders and back you will need a roller long enough to lie on with your head and tail supported. Other areas would allow you to use a shorter roller.

This week Coach Oden has prepared a video on rolling shoulders and back.  Next week we will address rolling for the lower body.

---

Read More

Week 6 - Better Than Chips

Exercise : Progression, Regression = Modification 

by Coach Pat

Wouldn't it be great if every time you watched an exercise video you were able to complete every exercise perfectly?  Yeah, well that only happens for the instructor. Within our fitness journey we will all need to modify to progress and then to regress and work back to progression. To make your workouts work for you, pay attention to the fundamentals.
Good technique will have good form. You should be able to move through any exercise with controlled movement, using full range of motion for you and no momentum. Listen to your body and breathing so you don't overdo and don't ignore pain. If you encounter pain (not fatigue but real pain), stop, skip that exercise and look for a modification. Respect where you are before progressing. 

Don't be afraid to regress and modify. Remember that it is most important to pay attention to technique in order to make the exercise work for you. Don't try and muscle through too much weight or use momentum to move. This is only asking for injury or muscle exhaustion. If the movement is not difficult but the number of reps puts you to failure, you can reduce the weight or the number of reps, or both, until you can complete a set with fatigue but not failure. 

Along the same lines, progression is methodically making an exercise more difficult. Progression factors include repetitions of an exercise, weight, speed, position, equipment used and resting time between sets. You will want to only change one element at a time.  Keep in mind when increasing one factor you may need to regress on another. An example is bicep curls with dumbbells. You can easily do 3 sets 15 repetitions with 5lb weights. But you don't have 6lb weights to use so you have to jump to 8s or 10s. You can make the increase in weight but then go back to fewer repetitions in each set. Work up to the 3 sets of 15 reps before increasing the weight.   

We are gaining a great library of Pink Phoenix workouts. I would bet that within any of these workouts there are elements which you find difficult, or is it only me? For instance, I know I can do full push-ups, but when I need to do several sets of push-ups or related exercises and I want to maintain form I will do them on my knees.  Maybe you can do several push-ups on your knees but for multiple sets you should be doing an incline push-up with your upper body elevated on a chair, counter or wall. The important part is modifying the exercise to where you are, so you can gain from that version and progress.  

I have heard from some of you that the type of exercising we are doing is very different from what you are used to. I would suggest you try to modify each exercise to go the 30 seconds, but if that is still difficult to do, modify to 20 seconds on and 20 seconds off. That will keep you paced with the video and cut the number of repetitions. Do that a couple of times and then try to do the 30 seconds on 10 seconds off. It isn't wrong to take a break, shake it out,  start again. You might try whining a little - I find that works wonders.

For many of us we have had joint replacement or have osteoarthritis. We have reduced range of motion from hip replacement and/or knee pain from tight hips. After hip and knee replacement you need to limit the range of motion on squats and lunges. Building strength in the muscles surrounding the knees and hips, as well as getting loose to gain better range of motion, is key to reducing knee pain and gaining hip flexibility. Hip replacement requires some extra care because of the risk of dislocation. Knees aren't likely to dislocate but doing a lot of pounding types of exercise can cause wear. Move slowly through progressions of exercise paying special attention to the joint.

Squats can be done against a wall with or without a stability ball on your back. Reducing the range of motion to start will still build strength. The same is true with lunges - reduce the distance between the forward and backward leg. Step back instead of forward (you can use a chair for stability). Here are a few videos to help you with modifications and progression.


Squats and Lunge Modifications

As you gain strength from using modifications you will be able to progress to more challenging versions of the exercise. Building the muscles around your knees is your best protection from sore knees. And no matter what, keep moving.

---

Motivation

by Coach Anita

Everyone has experienced a time when they just didn’t feel motivated to do anything. It could be a lack of interest in the task (e.g. cleaning dishes) or not feeling drawn or pushed to doing something that requires some effort (e.g. exercise). While needing an occasional break in routine or a longer recovery is understandable, when malaise settles in it can be difficult to shake the feeling and get going.

When this happens, I encourage you to be patient with yourself and identify the feeling. Recognize that you don’t always feel this way, and therefore you know that this feeling will change. For a lot of us, when we’re feeling lethargic it is difficult to muster up the will to exercise even though we know we’ll feel better after completing it. So try to recall the times you HAVE felt motivated and energetic about what you’re struggling to do. I remember a time when I got a track outfit as a gift. I was so excited that I put it on, marveled at how it looked, and went for a run. Mind you, at the time I didn’t run. But the gift was something I wanted and the excitement I felt at receiving it made me want to do something related to it. Have you ever read a book where people encounter difficulty and the story creates a sense of passion and enthusiasm in you so that you want to have a similar experience? The book Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics by Daniel James Brown was widely read by Pink Phoenix members and many of you mentioned how much you wanted to get on the boat after reading it. Sometimes it’s something simple like seeing what someone else is doing and feeling like you want to be accomplishing that, too. I participated in the squat challenge this past week and was cruising along at the goal of 100 a day. But then I saw that Deb Amar was not only hitting the goal of 100 a day, but was doing extra, and it motivated me to do a little more. Motivation might come in the form of accountability. Maybe you told Coach Pat that you’d dial into her Zoom workout, and that sense of accountability to your friend and teammate gets you working out instead of sitting and watching Netflix. It could be the structure of having a schedule you’ve written out for the week, and knowing you want to check it off as completed.

Words of encouragement are nice, but they rarely get us off the couch. Recognize what has lit a fire in you before, and search that out. Does watching YouTube videos of workouts or feats of challenge get you pulling on your trainers? Reading can be very motivational for me. I enjoy geeking out on technical aspects of topics, and I thoroughly enjoy social psychology. Maybe some of the books on my nightstand might help get you going, too.

In no particular order:

• Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Olympics by Daniel James Brown

• Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy Baumeister and John Tierney

• How Champions Think by Dr. Bob Rotella

• The Brave Athlete: Calm the F*ck Down and Rise to the Occasion by Simon Marshall and Leslie Paterson

• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

• Thinking Body, Dancing Mind: TaoSports for Extraordinary Performance in Athletics, Business and Life by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch (still reading)

• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential by Carol Dweck (just bought and haven’t started)

Own where you are and what you need to get going. There’s no shame in taking a break or needing a boost. It is important to find something to feel good about every day. And once you feel good, watch how it builds upon itself. Like attracts like. You have a choice about what you are thinking, so make it a good thought and focus on feeling good. There’s no time like the present, so let’s get going!

---

Vitamin D

by Suzanne Frank

Vitamin D plays many roles in maintaining our good health. It is both a hormone (because your body can make it when it comes in contact with sunlight) and a vitamin (because you can obtain it from certain foods). You're probably familiar with the role of vitamin D in promoting healthy bones. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.

There is recent evidence that links low levels of vitamin D to an increased risk of Type 1 diabetes, muscle and bone pain, and more serious cancers of the colon, prostate, breast, ovaries, esophagus and lymphatic system. YIKES! Vitamin D plays a role in keeping your immune system strong.

How much vitamin D do we need?
The National Institute of Health recommends that adults ages 19-70 need 600 IU's daily and adults over 70 need 800 IU's daily.

So, how can we get enough vitamin D?
Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are among the best sources. (Have any of you ever tried mackerel? I haven't and I have never seen it in stores or fish markets in Oregon.)

If you drink two glasses of milk fortified with vitamin D a day you can obtain 200 IU's of vitamin D.

Cheese and egg yolks provide small amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and some brands of orange juice, yogurt and soy beverages.

What about sunlight?
The body makes vitamin D when the skin is directly exposed to the sun. Skin exposed to sunshine indoors through a window will not produce vitamin D. Despite the importance of sun for the synthesis of vitamin D it is important to limit exposure of skin to direct sunlight in order to lower the risk of skin cancer.

Can you obtain Vitamin D from supplements?
Vitamin D supplements are found in forms D2 and D3. Both of these supplements increase vitamin D in the blood.

Can we get too much vitamin D?
The answer is yes. If your blood levels become too high you can develop a toxicity. Symptoms are nausea and vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness and weight loss.

The only way to confirm if you have a vitamin D deficiency or if your levels are too high is through a blood test. This must be ordered by your doctor. So be sure to check with your doctor for any questions you might have.

Just to share with you, I do not drink milk or eat cereal or drink orange juice. So after doing research for this short article I have now opened up that bottle of vitamin D3 and started taking it!

---

Replay with Coach Oden 

This week we will take our workouts from the last 5 weeks and use a different workout each day.   This is a crafty way of saying we ran into technical difficulties and the new video didn't load.  

On Wednesday we will use Week 3 so here is that workout link.   Use the links on the right side of the page to get to the other weeks. 

  

---

Week 6 Challenge:

You now have 5 short full body workouts in your arsenal.   The challenge this week is to use all 5 workouts during the week.  Challenge,  clock 240 minutes of intentional activity this week.  Use the 5 workouts from Oden and the video's for stretching etc or use your own.   If you usually walk your dog a couple of miles a day use one mile to warm up ,  then do a workout and cool down with the second mile.   There are lots of ways to mix it up.   Post on Facebook,  or post in the comments what creative workouts you did. 
Hint :  If you do Suzanne's warm up and Oden's video's plus Pat's videos you will still need  about  30 - 40 additional minutes during the week. 

---

Read More

Week 5 - Playing the Long Game

   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.   

          10 Minute Static Stretch 

          10 Minute Yoga For Flexibility

Consider adding an additional yoga workout for flexibility. This one is only 15 minutes long.

Yoga for flexibility - Yoga with Adrienne

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. 

---

Teamwork 

By Suzanne

This 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 Oden 

Link to the Written Workout 

---

Fitness 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. 

---

Read More