http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/recent.aspx North Texas Performance Coaching - Recent Posts en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Jitbit AspNetForum Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:10:35 GMT Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:10:35 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=43
Practically brand new, switched to a power meter with a crankset included.

Retail $350

$275 or OBO

Chris Maulsby
817 584 2987]]> Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:10:35 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=42 asking $75...
Chris Maulsby
817 584 2987]]> Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:05:52 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=41 the planning and application process, forums for students, and advice on funding your education. I've recommended
some sites to teachers and students so often that I wrote up a description of the top ten most helpful sites I've found.

You can read about what they have to offer here:
soutien scolaire

I recommend you try EducationPlanner, which has a section on applying to colleges. Also look at College Confidential,
which has an outstanding forum on College Admissions, with questions answered by students, parents and admissions
experts. They also have a forum for International Students, which might be useful to you.

I wish you well in your studies here.]]> Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:33:34 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=25 pep rallies, motivation, team building, homecoming themes, poems, and other resources. I see lots of coaches ask for
these types of things, so please share your best ideas here. By sharing your best ideas, the spirit community as a whole
benefits. Thanks so much for your awesome input! Thanks also to the soutien scolaire
for granting us permission to reprint exerpts from top cheer coaches around the world to get you started! We hope
you find the information or connection that you need.]]> Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:31:13 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=40
http://www.examiner.com/x-14358-Dallas-Endurance-Sports-Examiner

Special thanks to Brain for doing a great article.]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:47:10 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=39

Biomechanics in the Endurance Athlete

Altered biomechanics not only effects society as a whole, but can be a determining factor in the success of the endurance athlete. The human body is most efficient when the head, spine, and pelvis are in the proper alignment. The body is a complicated biomechanical system, and when one component is misaligned the whole structure is weakened. The body is designed in a way that transfers weight through the center of each vertebra, the hips, knees, and ankle joints. When any of these components are out of there normal position, the body with its innate properties finds a way to compensate. With this compensation comes added stress to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When your muscles are preoccupied with this misaligned stress they are left in a state of constant contraction eventually producing tension, fatigue, and soreness. At this point the endurance athlete may view this as an “overuse” injury.

Endurance athletes push their bodies to the extreme. To such an extreme that the neuromuscular system is not able to keep up with the demands placed upon it. In understanding the principles of proper biomechanics we can prevent injury and restore functional integrity and stability through spinal manipulation and rehabilitation. Many endurance athletes especially triathletes that I have come into contact with over the years will put hour after hour into planning. They plan their weekly workouts down to the second. They plan their diets down to every last calorie. They are always looking for ways to be one second faster, or the ability to go longer. One thing that so many seem to neglect is the state of their nervous systems in relation to their musculoskeletal system. What I mean is that the nervous system controls every function in the body. If the nervous system is not functioning properly then how are those muscles going to respond on those six hour bike rides, or three hour runs? This is a major contributing factor to “over-use” injuries. What age-groupers don’t understand is that improving on biomechanics will lead to a healthy nervous system, thus their fastest way to improvement in the sport of triathlon.

An understanding of biomechanics is crucial to the success of an athlete. Biomechanics is defined “as the interdiscipline which describes, analyzes, ad assesses human movement”. I would like to analyze body alignment, since that is mostly what I deal with in my chiropractic practice. As I mentioned earlier, the body works as a whole so it is foolish to talk about just one entity. All parts share responsibility in posture and body alignment. Any disturbance I one part causes and immediate adaptation and definite functional change in other parts. Poor posture results in constant structural misalignment, which inhibits proper nervous system function leading a disproportioned amount of weight and muscle pull that fall upon to abnormal parts. This alters the normal locomotion apparatus (ie. Swimming, cycling, running.) of the musculoskeletal system. Such abnormalities are tolerated for a short time, but sooner or later lead to injury. An important factor in athletics is that, with good postural body mechanics, balance is maintained with minimum muscular effort, thus encouraging longer endurance, with less strain on any one part. I would like to illustrate an example of how improper body alignment can affect performance. Many runners can be seen with a pretty noticeable “foot flare”. Foot flare can be measured by measuring the angle the toe points outward. Two different runners running at the exact pace, both wearing a size ten shoe. Assuming one of the two runners has a 25 degree foot flare, what do you suppose the effect of this difference in alignment will be on the outcome of a 1-mile race? The runner with the foot flare will lose the mile race by 31 yards, everything else being equal. Engineering measurement reveals a runner may lose up to two inches per stride with foot-flare. In a 100-yard sprint this foot flare accounts for a loss of up to 3 yards. And here you go endurance freaks. That would mean a loss in a marathon of up to a ½ mile.
This misalignment at the foot is a common structural defect and should be corrected even when no discomfort results as it distorts the mechanical relationships at the other joints, causing symptoms to appear at the ankle, knee, hip, and lumbar spine.

Over use injuries may not necessarily mean that you are over trained. It may just be the first sign biomechanical instability. If not treated properly, musculoskeletal injuries will result in decreased performance.

I usually look at an injury from a flow chart perspective. Starting with the skeletal function. Restoring function to the skeletal system is imperative. Next I look at what tissues are involved in the injury. I assess the soft tissue and restore its function through different active release techniques (ART). Finally, with the patients help we figure out a way to strengthen the entire system so that the body is able to handle the rigors of endurance sports. This could be through physical therapy, alterations in training program, increased core//flexibility, etc…



Ron Tribendis D.C.
North Texas Performance Chiropratic.
1304 Village Creek Dr. Ste. 300
Plano, TX 75093
972-250-0300
www.ntperformancechiropractic.com]]> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:36:00 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=38 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:44 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=38
Wow! We were blessed with a great day for racing on Sunday. Slightly overcast and chilly at the start. The elite wave went off just after the sun came up over the water. What an amazing sight. They are so very fast!! I got in the water on the 5th flight (old ladies ha ha) and spanked the swim! It took about 5 minutes for me to get comfortable, but given the water was 70 degrees I was happy to have my wet suit on. Steady rhythm and out of the water in 44 minutes.

Transition was hilarious. The wet suit strippers unfortunately stripped off the bottoms of the girl next to me (so much for public nudity being prohibited) so she was mortified and I couldn’t stop laughing. I had trouble finding my bike in the sea of bikes but then got changed and off I went. I had to keep a steady heart rate during the bike so I would have something left for the run. I also had to make sure I took in enough nutrition and drank enough so I wouldn’t be dead before I started to run. Rolling hills are your friend, but some killer turns were nasty. I only passed 4 people that were actually moving forward. The other 12 or so were either crashed (sorry Diesel) or were somewhere between throwing up or passing out. Being the stellar cyclist I am (NOT), I think at least 2000 people passed me on the bike.

Oh well, I still got through faster than my goal and after a smooth transition started to run. Well, you may call it running but it was more like a slow crawl at first. Then a walk. My stomach was in knots. After a quick trip to the port-a-potty and a little vomitus, I was feeling much better. Guess I actually ate too much on the bike. I was 4 miles in and started to actually run. The run was three loops so I got to see my awesome cheering section of sherpas three times. They reminded me on the last loop that I would make it under 7 hours if I just kept a steady pace (which at this point was 10 minute miles). Boy did it get hot on the run. Thank God for the cold towels, wet sponges and water stations about every mile. It was amazing to me how many people were walking and crawling at the end. Some were even staggering. I finished with a strong charge and made it in at 6:57:59. Yea! An hour faster than I predicted, and under 7, so Janet’s prediction came true. All weekend she was chanting 6, 6, I know you can do it in 6.

A cold Shiner was my reward after the finish line and a good time was had by all. Worst part of the whole weekend was the drive home (and the sunburn)…Thank God Janet was on sherpa duty and loves to drive! What did I learn? Patience and perseverance mixed with a little stubbornness will get you through, but a few more long bricks probably would’ve helped me take an hour off my time. Off season a new bike is definitely in order and oh yeah….wear sunscreen!

A great first Half-Ironman experience! Funny thing, I hurt a lot less the next day than I did after my last marathon. Guess I will have to try another one next season (Joining Janet at New Orleans)... who knows maybe even a full in 2011!

It's all good! Marybeth]]> Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:23:01 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=37

Race Report Ironman Louisville

Prerace: I had life best fitness. Weighed in at 158 6% body fat. I really liked the breakfast advice you gave me. It enabled me to feel very light, full of energy at the start of the swim. I feel the plan was spot on. I feel like I was at peak fitness even though I felt like shit the week before. I felt like we had a plan I could execute.
Swim: I got to the swim very early so I could get up front since it is a TT start. 1 gel with 3 salt tablets right before I got in the water. I started off pretty easy and for at least the first 800 I was able to 3 stroke bilateral breath mixing in single stroke if I needed to site. I pretty much had clear water. I met up with 2-3 strong female swimmers and they pulled me in. Effort was mod/hard. I was mostly single stroke mixing in 3 stroke bilateral breathing. 59 min swim. 2 min PR. Question is how do I improve on that? Yes, keep doing what I am doing. Stay consistent. I know 59 in good and will get me in the mix, but I want to improve just because I want to be the best triathlon swimmer I can be. What will it take to get to 55??? Stroke analysis??? Here is how I got from 1:01 to 59. Increased swim volume. Learned how to flip turn. Bilateral 3 stroke breath every workout no excuses.
Bike: 300-325 calories/hour. 4 salt tablets constant water.
I followed the plan. Went easy at the start. HR was 171 out of T1. I got it down to 150 by the first climb around mile 12. Then I started our plan. I held 155-159 on flats. At no time did my HR get above 165, even on the climbs. I was strong to the end. I went a bit hard the last 12 miles after the flats. HR did get back to 170. That led into the first 5K of the run. Then I started to calm down. 5:27. It would have probably been 5:10-5:12. Oh well. What do we do to get me to 5:00?
Run: First 5K was too fast. I was still irritated with the flats. I got it under control around mile 5. Then started the plan. I held HR at 160 for most of the run. At the end I couldn’t elevate my HR over 160. I tried, it just wouldn’t get up. Started with 1 salt/mile until 10 then didn’t take anymore. It felt like it was bothering me a bit stomach wise. At mile 15 started coke and water at every aid station. Worked great. My ultimate goal before I am done…. Get as close to the 3:00 mark as my potential allows. Is it even feasible?
Overall, I was very happy with my effort. The plan was great. I am looking forward to seeing what is possible. Your guidance has helped me as an athlete and coach. Thanks for everything.]]> Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:26:02 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=36

Shedding Fatigue
This topic has been on my mind a lot lately. I guess it started about a week ago when I caught a cold and was just having a hard time getting out of bed, let alone getting out the door for training sessions. I started to get upset, thinking what the heck is going on, I am well rested and ready to get going building for next year. Finally, I happened to look at the date. I was exactly one month out from my last "A" race. Normally, one month after a HIM I am fine, but what I didn't take into account is the cumulative effect of 11 months of constant training. My season started last Jan. at Epic camp 1 IM, 3 HIM's, and 12+ other races.

So I decided to take a couple days off and figure out how to shed this fatigue I was obviously feeling. Alan Couzens does a great job explaining the science behind what I was feeling. http://alancouzens.blogspot.com/

I have a great advantage to seeing how athletes react to the triathlon off season. I made a conscience effort this year to ask all my patients how they are planning to recover from the long triathlon season. Seeing as most are in my office due to some kind of injury, the answers are very interesting.

The answer I hear the most.... "I am going to work on my run by training for a marathon..." Now keep in mind they are already in my office because the are already having some kind of biomechanical issue. (Let me back up a bit..... Most average age groupers end up walking in the marathon portion of the Ironman, so they feel that they need to work on their run, when in fact they are very inefficient in the swim and the bike. Instead of working on the run they should put their efforts in building an efficient swim, and proper bike pacing. But anyway, that is for another post.) Back to fatigue.... So the athlete has a long triathlon season, and they are going to jump right into training for a marathon or hard run training, never giving the body a chance to fully recover. Which is exactly why they are in my office at some point. I have even seen a few people repeat this pattern on a yearly basis.

Some advanced athletes can get away with this for a couple years, but at some point it is going to come crashing down. Fatigue accumulates, while not allowing you to gain that much fitness to make the breakthroughs you are looking for. And if you read Alan's blog you will see that he talks about fatigue being stripped away at a faster rate than a decline in fitness. Even though mentally we feel the need to feed our training obsession, sometimes the best training we can do for a break though 2009 is to rest.

Like a mentioned in a previous post, rest doesn't mean sitting on the couch doing nothing for 4 weeks. This year I am incorporating the same principles that apply to training after a huge "A" race. Active Recovery. But instead of it being for 7 to 10 days I am extending that time frame. The time is different for everyone. The difference between active recovery and doing nothing, is that you are still keeping your metabolism firing. You are allowing you tendons, muscles, and ligaments to maintain tone. But you aren't pushing hard enough to stress the system. One thing I look for after these sessions is that I feel energized after the training session and not tired. I always want to be left with the feeling of wanting to do more.

That's it for now. Hopefully, within the next month or so I can be more specific about protocol, and share some of the things that worked for me.]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:25:58 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=35
Great job!!!!]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:05:54 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=34
Todd Luther PR'd the course and qualified for the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater!!!! That is a huge accomplishment and breakthrough for Darth Vader.

Marbeth Crane finished her 1st Half Ironman. She called me immediately and said she was going to register for her 2nd as soon as she got home. I would say she had some fun.

Chris Rivera finished her second Half Ironman.

Deisel finished the race in fine fashion even though he had some technical problems on the bike. Great job finishing what you started.

If I have missed anyone, I am sorry. Please reply and tell me how you did. Please post your race report to share.]]> Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:04:39 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=25 http://www.endurancecorner.com/decoupling

Great article on decoupling. A little late Todd, but this is a good one. I am trying to drive more traffic to the website, so I am going to be putting more articles and info on the forum.]]> Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:15:16 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=33
Ron]]> Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:12:08 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=32 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:09:13 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=31
Ron]]> Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:31:11 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=28 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:14:33 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=30
Ron]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:13:39 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=29 We had a great turnout and the team ended up taking home a ton of hardware. Its only going to get better.]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:12:20 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=29
RT, I really like the tent and being able to hang out with the crew, big props to Amy and her mom for always supporting.

D]]> Mon, 27 Oct 2008 07:53:18 GMT http://www.ntperformancecoaching.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=28 http://www.trifuel.com/training/strength-training/vo2-what

==============================

VO2 What?
by badgnus on October 6, 2008 in Strength Training
Tags: VO2, Training, Strength, Efficiency, economy

In the world of endurance, it seems that you cannot discuss fitness without discussing VO2 max. Ask any endurance athlete about it and you will hear epic stories with names like Indurain, LeMond, and Armstrong. Many of you however, may find yourselves wondering what exactly VO2 max is and why is it so important. To better understand this concept let’s take a little trip back to school, specifically back to physiology class. According to the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning textbook, VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen in milliliters, one can use in one minute per kilogram of body weight (ml/kg/min). In other words, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) is the greatest amount of oxygen that can be used at the cellular level for the entire body. VO2 max has been found to correlate well with an individual’s degree of physical conditioning, and has been accepted as an index of total body fitness. Numerous studies show that one can increase his/her VO2 max by working out at an intensity that raises the heart rate to between 65 and 85% of its maximum, for at least 20 minutes, three to five times per week. The estimated mean value of VO2 max for male athletes is about 3.5 liters/minute, and for female athletes is about 2.7 liters/minute.

Now that we know what VO2 is, we can now answer the question, “Why is it so important?” For the endurance athlete, VO2 has long been considered the holy grail of fitness. The common rationale is the better one can utilize oxygen, the higher the level one can perform in endurance events. Is this however, really the case?

Although VO2 max is an important component of any endurance program, I have both good news and bad news for those of us who have may not have chosen the right parents! The bad news is that according to Exercise Physiologist Neal Henderson, Coordinator of Sport Science at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Colorado, VO2 is approximately 80% genetic. Other estimates put this number anywhere between 30-60%. Whatever the number is, one thing is certain; there is a genetic ceiling for VO2. The good news is that VO2 is trainable. Unfortunately, if Neal Henderson’s 80% estimate is correct, and your VO2 is, for example, at 45ml/kg-/min (average), your best may only be 52 ml/kg-/min after a 20% gain (52 ml/kg-/min is considered to be good or just above average).

To put this into perspective, Lance Armstrong checks in at about 84ml/kg-/min, while cross-country skier Bjorn Daehlie measured at an astounding 96 ml/kg/min. The highest VO2 max ever recorded in a lab was 300 ml/kg/min! This, of course, did not belong to a human, but rather a pronghorn antelope. How they got the antelope to run on the treadmill I’ll never know, but I promise I’m not making this up. Thoroughbred horses have a VO2max of around 180 ml/kg/min, and Siberian dogs running in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race sled race have VO2 values as high as 240 ml/kg/min. To add even more perspective, Olympic marathon winners and elite runners like Jeff Galloway, Alberto Salazar and Frank Shorter check in among the low to mid 70’s (http://www.tothemaxfit.com/articles/2008_05_14/vo2_what.html).

The good news is, like the previously mentioned runners, although you may be at your genetic potential, there are many factors besides VO2 max that can also influence your success in endurance performance. Improving efficiency and economy of movement as well as raising your anaerobic threshold (LT) can lead to performance enhancements in the absence of increases in VO2. These three components can all be addressed through a functional strength-training program. Now let’s take a closer look at each of these components.

Continuing on, in our physiology lesson, now would be a good time to talk about lactate threshold (LT) and its relationship to VO2. Dr. Stephen Seiler of Masters Athlete Physiology and Performance says, “For the endurance athlete, a high VO2 max is like having an invitation to the big dance but having an invitation to the dance does not ensure you will dance with the prettiest girl.” If you want to dance with that girl, you are going to have to work on your LT! (And you thought it was big guns and washboard abs that attracted the girls) LT, as pointed out in one of my previous articles, is the point where the body produces more lactic acid than it can clear. Training LT will result in a decrease in lactate production at any given exercise intensity. Untrained individuals usually reach the LT at about 60% of VO2 max. This means that even if my VO2 is 70 ml/kg/min, which is an elite level, I can only use 60% of it, or 42 ml/kg/min (average), before my LT shuts me down. With training, however, LT can increase from 60% to above 70% or even higher. Elite endurance athletes typically have an LT at or above 80% of VO2 max. Although most endurance athletes usually train LT in the pool, on the bike or during the run, we have several protocols in the gym designed specifically to improve LT. Furthermore, because specificity of movement is very important when training LT, these protocols address both the lower and upper body (See website).

Last but not least, we can now tackle efficiency and economy of movement. The difference between efficiency and economy in an exercise setting is that, for a given energy consumption, economy is measured as movement velocity, while efficiency is measured as mechanical power output. What does all that mean? It means that efficiency and economy can be just as important as VO2 or LT. To better understand this concept just think of the last time you were out for a group ride. Was it easier to pull at the front or sit in? Sit in, of course! Why is that? Because sitting in allows for more efficient movement and less exertion, which in turn will allow you to be more economical. Think of every joint in a given movement as an opportunity to leak power. The more joints involved in a movement, the more opportunity there is to leak power; the more stable the joint, the less power that leaks; the less power that leaks, the more efficiency in a given activity.

So how do these concepts apply to strength training? Frequently, I am asked to watch someone run on the treadmill and look at their gait. Instead, I ask them to perform 10 anterior reaches on a single leg. If this is difficult, that tells me their hips are not as stable as they could be and their gait could not possibly be as good as it should be. The same goes for the shoulder joint. If you cannot manage a set of t-stabilization push-ups with good form, then your swim stroke is not as efficient and economical as it could be.

Now for all of you skeptics out there, all I ask is for you to just try it. Perhaps before the next time you go to test your VO2 (no fun by any means), you might first try taking a look at your anterior reaches or t-stab push-ups. These alternatives are not meant to point out your shortcomings or embarrass, but rather to empower you. Rather than whining about genetics (though, trust me, I still do), try testing your limits in some of the ways mentioned earlier. I assure you that you will find what my most successful clients have found; that through a comprehensive functional strength-training program, economy, efficiency and lactate threshold can be improved, making maximal VO2 less important.

For more information on how to become a stronger endurance athlete, compete injury free or just get in better shape, please log on to www.tothemaxfit.com

Gary Lavin received his Bachelor Degree in Exercise Science and Wellness from Florida Atlantic University. Gary is a member, a CPT and a CSCS with the NSCA. He is also a USAT level two coach, a USAC level three coach, a USATF level one Coach and a USAW Club Coach. Gary is CEO and Director of To the MAX Training Systems, a performance enhancement company specifically devoted to the endurance athlete. Emphasizing functional strength development and endurance, Gary focuses on balanced athletic skill and core stability.


Gary Lavin, BS, CSCS, USAT II
gary@tothemaxfit.com]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:44:23 GMT