Thursday, 02.04.10: Interview with Dr. Weil

Check out the below interview with Dr. Weil ... Do you agree with his standpoints on many common Nutrition/Wellness Topics?

Tuesday, 02.02.10: WO of the Week Groundhog Edition 2010

Steve's WO

5 Pullups / 10 PUshups / 15 Situps / 20 Airsquats

Complete 10 Rounds for Time with 1:30min of passive recovery b/w rounds

POST ACCUMULATED TIME TO COMMENTS

Peter's WO - The 'Willy' Cadence WO - an Ode to Wireton's Groundhog Day Mascot

Complete 5 reps of each ... complete each Letter or Round before moving to next step

W - Warmup Sprint 10 sec Seated start at low rpm/big gear / 50sec rec 

I - Isolated Leg = 1 Leg pedaling 30-60sec challenge your duration - avoid 'clunking' / recover 2 minutes both legs

L - Long 2min High Cadence 110-120 RPM ... smooth pedaling use gears to keep watts /rpe low endurance, avoid bouncing

L - Low Cadence - 1min @ 70RPM focus on very smooth pedaling at steady endurance watts/RPE / 2min comfortable cadence b/w

Y -  yoga = 20-60min yoga right off the bike  focus on opening the chest and hips

Monday, 02.01.10: Do you SMR ?

Saturday, 01.30.10: Best of Luck to SNPD Athlete at Cross Worlds 2010!

Tuesday, 01.26.10: Workouts of the Week - Jan 26 2010

Steve's Workout of the Week
WU:
5 min easy spin/run/row...
10 min Active Flexibility...
15 min aerobic activity of your choice gradually getting your heart
rate to 80% max...

Main WO: Then complete:

15-14-13-12-11...and so on down to 1 reps of:
(so first round is 15 reps of each exercise then go back to thrusters and do 14 of ea. the next set)

Thrusters (front squat to overhead press - to and pick a weight you
can complete 1 rep every few seconds of so - smooth and fast)

Back Extensions (can be done on exercise ball or gym equipment -- make
sure the movement is only as quick as you can go with good control at
either end of range of motion)

Suicides (run out 5m and back...run out 10m and back = 1 rep)

Situps (feet at 90 degrees - shoulder blades must touch the ground -
hands must tap your toes)

ENJOY THIS ONE AND WORK HARD ON THE SUICIDES!

Peter's Workout of the Week
- 20min on Trainer (or outside) Alternate 110 RPM and 90 RPM every 30sec for 20min

- HR and RPE must be below 8/10

Bonus Points for adding some easy and steady crosstraining after this warmup

Post Experience to Comments Please !!!

Monday, 01.25.10: Enduring Lessons

One of my favorite Posts We have done from the Steveneal.ca blog (proven performance) ... one of our most commented on blogs too I believe ! (feel free to comment below this one !)

Enduring Lessons

Read a great article last night as I enjoyed one of my favorite dinners of Sweet Potato, spinach and Turkey. It was in the latest 'Runner's World' and about Marathon Phenom Haile Gebrselassie, who just set a his 24th World Record at the Berlin Marathon, running in 2:03:59. The article detailed 4 tenants that he felt were central to his success over the past 15 years in racing endurance events (has records in 5 and 10, 000m as well). These tenants really struck a cord because they apply to every sport but also highlight conversations Steve and I have quite often with Clients. So I thought I would share.

1) Race, But Not to Much - Haile raced only 5 events in 2008, while 10-12 is more common. We often get into discussions with clients who want to do every event, every weekend because they love the sport so much OR they want to be competitive in every event and unfortunately this just isn't how the body works !! We need time to train rather then taper and recover from Events. Haile used this philosophy to be in peak condition to achieve his goals at these key events.
- Lesson = Prioritize your schedule and reconsider the amount of racing you are doing ... remember those weekly 'World Championship' Races can add up. -

2) Choose Your Battles - some times life gets in the way or conditions are not optimal. Haile chose not to chase olympic gold due to the risk to his health/career in the extreme heat of Beijing. For the rest of us this could mean avoiding a big race during stressful times (holidays / work induced) and perhaps being brave enough to pull the plug when sickness or injury is creeping in. One or two days off vs. weeks or a lifetime away from training and sport ... easy but not so easy answer.

3) Get used to Speed - Haile uses the shorter (5, 10,000) and specific intervals to get used to running faster than marathon pace, this helps him run comfortably and efficiently at marathon pace on race day. For MTB racers this takes the form of one of our favorite workouts ... the off-road TT. Basically going off road and riding fast so that those corners and trees are met at high speed and not intimidating when it counts !

4) Know your Pace - This is a SNPD favorite ... pacing is huge in endurance events there is just no way around it. Haile's records have all had lap times / split times within 2%. The same counts for bike racing. Keeping intensity steady vs. starting to hard is where best performances come from. Again off-road TTs and steady intervals (tempo / Threshold) help with this (use a loop to keep track of distance covered each interval esp. if you do not have power).

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Thursday, 01.21.10: Meet Your Psoas

One of our key Muscles for Running, Biking and a host of strength movements is the Psoas.

Psoas is the major Hip flexor, which means it is engaged everytime we lift our leg to step or jump ... and to come up and over during the pedal stroke. The psoas and gluteus maximus are opposing muscles and are significant for stabilizing the sacro-iliac joint and hip joint.

The muscle runs from the lower spine and crosses the pelvis to get to the top of the femur (thigh bone)

As with most often used muscles the Psoas is very prone to overuse and tightening. It can cause a deep groin pain, low back pain especially when we expose it to prolonged sitting and/or repetitive use without lengthening. The tighter the muscle gets the weaker it gets and this leaves causes a host of compensatory problems including a rotated pelvis (implications on spinal curvature and hamstring length) and weakening of the Gluteus Maximus (the opposing muscle, which must relax to accomadate a tight/contracted psoas)

With the two major stabolizing muscles out of order the hip/pelvis is poorly supported and lower body injuries are no much more likely as weaker muscles try to compensate but are soon overloaded (Piriformis, Hamstring, Glut Medius among them)

What to do ?

Firstly the best course of action is to engage in regular habits to prevent the cascade of tightness/weakness/compensation described above. Look at developing a routine of stretching/yoga that targets the hip flexors. Combine this with targeted SMR ( TP Therapy and Foam Rollers- CF oville Course info ) that you do daily. Finally engage in a strength program that aims to correct imbalances and strengthen/train muscles like the Glut Medius.

If you have already begun the cascade it is likely best to look into some therapy with a Professional. Active release can be very helpful at getting the psoas to release (the first step) when stretching can not, which is often the case. After being looked at and treated a program of gradually lengthening and strengthening can be undertaken and normal activity resumed.

Tuesday, 01.19.10: Workouts of the Week - Jan 19 2010

Steve

10 to 15 min active warmup then complete:
8 x 20 sec ON / 10 sec OFF at each station...complete each station
before moving to next.

Count total reps for entire workout.

Take 2 min rest between each station.
Front Plank on Elbows
Situps
Pushups
Box jumps (about 20 inches)
Burpees
Post reps / experiences to comments PLEASE 

Peter

Complete 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Minutes

first interval (10min long) at 92RPM & not higher then high endurance 8/10 RPE

each interval after at 3RPM higher then last interval (so 2nd interval = 9min @ 95RPM)

rest 2min exactly b/w at comfortable cadence and low endurance effort

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Sunday, 01.17.10: Sunday Session

Here is a workout I did today...trying to model a 4 x 4 min Interval workout but with crosstraining ideas for the ON portion...RECOVERY done on the bike around 70% max heart rate.

Workout Below

Here is the heart rate file from my Firstbeat Software...really looking for an above 3 session closer to 3.5 so got what I wished for -- but it wasn't easy.

Then below is the summary of my training week...

Saturday, 01.16.10: Enjoy the Weather !

Just wanted to post a few pictures of Clients and Crossfit Athletes

who are making the most of the Weather they are given !

Remember it is all about Perspective!

Crossfit Athlete getting some Vitamin D with some Outdoor Pullups - How is your local park looking ?

squeezing in some outdoor hours on the winter bike ... poor bike!

Tried the Bike Park Out Yet ?

or gone skiing at one of our great XC ski venues ?