Fall… a time to ponder.

Posted on November 3rd, 2016 by Eric Neilsen

2011 Europe bike trip: 3000+ miles/4 months and a lot of time to ponder life!

As we prepare to set our clocks back this weekend, fall is always a great reminder to slow down a bit and take inventory of the past year. I find myself reading more and seeking out quite time to just think... or not. A good friend of mine had forwarded along some quotes he liked and I thought, why keep those to myself.

Below are some that have been around and others you may find new to you along with an original from yours truly. I hope 1 or 2 of these resonate with you and be just what you needed at this moment in time.

"We all need empty hours in our lives or we will have no time to create our dream" - Robert Coles

"The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison." - Ann Wigmore

"Your attitude determines your altitude. The better the attitude, the higher you will soar in all things you choose to pursue with a passion" - Coach Eric Neilsen

"Simplicity and harmony are the ultimate conditions to be attained in all things". - Horace Fletcher

"Draw a circle around yourself - invite people in or keep them out. We are the creators of our social geometry. Calculate your volume". - Rachel Wolchin

"Don't limit your challenges, challenge your limits". - unknown

"A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others". - Ayn Rand

"The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence". - Confucius

"Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it". ~André Gide

"The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer". ~Edward R. Murrow

"Just as the old, looking back, idealize the past, so the young, looking forward, idealize the future. Illusion is the stuff of memory — and is at the heart of hope". ~Dr. Idel Dreimer

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it". - Charles R. Swindoll

Winter Crosstraining

Posted on November 20th, 2014 by Eric Neilsen

Looking for some fun, winter exercise options? Have you considered snowshoeing?

It is a great way to keep your cardio fitness gains from the summer months while exploring some quiet and peaceful places in our Colorado winter wonderland. Snowshoeing requires a good base level of fitness so some sport specific training prior to tackling the trails is a good idea. First, a few things that will help make the trip a success and then some training considerations to better prepare you.

Gear – For starters, when it’s time for the first hike, rent snowshoes or borrow a pair from a friend. Just make sure to try them on before heading out the first time. Trekking poles are another item that many find helpful for additional balance and support as trail conditions vary. Packing the appropriate gear will make the adventure that much better along with some tasty snacks. Dressing in layers allows you to be flexible by adding or peeling off layers depending on your effort and the weather. Visit http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/snowshoeing-first-steps.html For more specific info on gear check and snowshoeing tips

Safety – If it’s your first time out, going with a friend or group that has some experience is a good idea. Make sure to check the weather report and trail conditions before starting. A saying we use in the ocean is “when in doubt, don’t go out” and this would apply here as well. Conditions can change quickly and there is no shame in turning around early on a hike or not starting one in adverse conditions.

Where – Rocky Mountain National Park has miles of trails to explore. http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/winter_activities.htm

Training - Here we have the nuts and bolts to get you ready for your snowshoe adventure. You will need to focus on cardio exercises that are sport-specific to best prepare you for the demands of snowshoeing. Walking or hiking outdoors on a rolling to hilly route would be a good place to start. This can also be accomplished by varying the incline on a treadmill if no hills are nearby. Other cardio options to consider would be a stair-master or elliptical trainer and taking the stairs whenever you can goes without saying. A blend of low and high intensity aerobic workouts will keep the training varied and better prepare you for the demands of the hike. Once you are comfortable walking at least 45 minutes, then it would be time to try some of your walks with a small pack, preferably the one you snowshoe with. This will increase the load on your hips, legs and upper body muscles so good form (posture) is important. If you are planning to hike longer distance or terrain that has a lot of elevation gain/loss, you will benefit from adding a little bit of weight to the pack and/or extending the time of your longer walks.

Strength and Flexibility – If new to strength training, then consulting with a trainer at your gym would be a great place to start. This will help take some of the fear out of the gym, but more importantly help minimize the chances of injury getting started. If you plan on just doing your own thing, start slow with body weight exercises and/or light weights that you can comfortably lift 12-15 times and one set is plenty if starting from scratch. If you have been in the gym already, then two sets of 12-15 repeats will be a good starting point. Focus on large muscle groups targeting the hips, legs, back and shoulders. Some lower body exercises to implement (but certainly not limited to) would be: Squats, lunges (both forward and backward), hamstring curls (machine or swiss ball) and single leg ¼ squats. Upper body could include: dumbbell rows, push-ups, shoulder press and tricep extension. The muscles of the lower leg and ankle will be under increased load as well, so a couple of simple exercises to include would be calf raises and walking on your heels, toes, inside and outside of your feet. Flexibility is always an important part of any program and everyday good health. Make sure to include stretching for the psoas to open up the hips, along with leg, back and chest muscles to help keep that good posture. Snowshoeing at times may require you to take steps bigger/higher than you are normally accustomed to over varied terrain.

Happy Trails!

Coach Eric

Improve your swimming technique… Train with a center mount snorkel.

Posted on October 28th, 2014 by Eric Neilsen

Recently I returned to using a center mount snorkel for part of my swim sessions in the pool. I forgot how much fun this is when air is always available & also realized that my stroke needs some tuning up. Typically I will start with it during warm up swimming 2-300 yards at an easy pace. Then, gradually building the distance on some shorter sets as I get used to flip turns again while not swallowing water coming back to the surface. I have also been incorporating into my cool downs to help me refocus on my technique before ending the training session. Here are some of the things I like about training with the center mount snorkel.

Swimming: First and foremost, it allows the athlete to focus on technique without having to turn the head to breathe. Often times, breathing strokes will cause a swimmer to become unbalanced in the water causing them to wiggle from side to side or worse yet, compromise body position with sinking hips, legs and feet. With the snorkel the swimmer is able to keep their head in a neutral position, working on good body alignment and balance in the stroke. Athletes with breath timing issues can learn to time their breathing without turning the head. A great drill for this is 4 x 25 rest :10 seconds with snorkel timing your exhale to the pulling arm you wish to breathe on. Then swim 1 x 50 without the snorkel breathing to pulling arm side you just practiced. Repeat 2-3 more times.

Kicking: With the snorkel, like swimming allows the athlete to maintain good body alignment and can reduce stress put on the lower back if kicking too much with a kickboard. Beginners can start with 4 x 25 flutter kicking rest :10-15 seconds. Arms stretched out overhead at shoulder width holding onto the bottom of a kickboard to help stabilize. Once this skill is acquired then try the 4 x 25 without the kickboard arms stretched out overhead at shoulder width or in a streamline position.

Drills: I like to do what I call a progression scull. This is where the athlete starts in the front scull position, arms stretched out in front at shoulder width 14-18 inches below the surface of the water. Start with some gentle sculling movements then gradually progress the scull through the freesytle pulling pattern until you reach the finish of your stroke. Like above 4 x 25 on 10-15 seconds rest will do and then swim 1 x 50. If done correctly, you should really feel a good connection with your hands to the water. Single arm swimming is also good with the snorkel as it allows the swimmer to coordinate hand/arm speed through the pull to their hip speed. Doing single arm pull with the non-pulling arm stretched out in front is a good way to start. I like this position as it allows the swimmer to feel a nice long body line from finger tips, through shoulder to hip. Also, since you don't have to breathe, you can pay attention to that lead arm when pulling to make sure it is not crossing center, the elbow is dropping or exhibiting other deviant behavior.

If you have not used a center mount snorkel before, I highly recommend giving it a try. Typical cost is between $30-$40. Be patient as you get used to breathing with the snorkel. Keep the repeats short so you can keep the technique focus at a premium.

Train Smart...Race Fast

Coach Eric

It’s not rocket science… just practice your ABC’s

Posted on October 1st, 2014 by Eric Neilsen

The long days of summer are fading, but that does not mean your health and fitness needs to fade as well. There are plenty of things you can continue doing this fall and winter to maintain your summer fitness gains. In addition to sleep, two other things play an equally important role in maintaining optimal fitness and they are balanced nutrition and consistent exercise. Just imagine if we could do just those three things consistently how much better we would feel every day.

“ABC’s of optimal health and training”

A = Adequate sleep

B = Balanced nutrition

C = Consistent exercise

#1 Adequate Sleep – Our own personal energy level could be one of our most valuable resources and sleep plays a big role in this. With adequate sleep you have a much better chance of success with #2 and #3 below, so make it a priority. People have different sleep requirements, so the key is finding out what yours is and then doing your best to get those zzz’s. Some people do fine on 6-7 hours a night, others need 8+ and teenagers can never seem to get enough. Proper sleep allows our bodies to rejuvenate and recover from the day’s activities.

#2 Balanced Nutrition – Similar to sleep, everyone is going to have their own specific needs depending on age, level of activity or trying to lose, maintain or gain weight. A balanced diet of foods is fuel for optimal mental and physical energy. Here is a simple thing to do that just requires a little bit of discipline. Find out what you are really eating every day by keeping a food journal. Try the journal for three days and write down everything you eat & drink. This can be a big eye opener for a lot of people in terms of how much or little they are eating as well as the quality in food choices. Often times, just the act of keeping a food journal will help you make better food choices. From this you will have a better idea on what foods you may need to add to your diet as well as those that may need to be consumed in more moderation or eliminated to maintain healthy body composition and optimum energy levels.

#3 Consistent Exercise – The benefits of exercise are to numerous to list. There are so many great ways to get exercise especially living along the Front Range here in Colorado. I would encourage you to have a variety of activities to choose from. Variety is the spice of life and participating in different forms of exercise is a great way to cross train and help keep overuse injuries down. With the weather changing, you may need to take some of your exercise indoors, or just get some better gear to handle the cooler weather. Either way, you need to keep moving regardless of the temperature. Exercise is probably one of the best ways to change your mood. Think about it, when was the last time you finished a workout and felt depressed, or grumpy? Yes, you may be tired, but it is a good tired that in turn may help you with #1 above. Whether you exercise by yourself or with a group just be consistent in trying to get some movement each and every day.

We all have 24 hours each day, no more, no less. Make the choice to get adequate sleep each and every day. This combined with balanced nutrition and consistent exercise is a great recipe for maintaining optimal health, mind & body!

Train Smart...Race Fast
Coach Eric