Ultra-fit magazine 19-6

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ultra-FIT MAGAZINE

MAKE YOUR FITNESS A HIT Win Ironman and Irongirl products worth over £800!

Vol.19 No.6 August 2009 £3.99

MAKE YOUR FITNESS A HIT

Get into knock out shape

VOLUME NINETEEN NUMBER SIX

BUILD GREAT LEGS SHAPE UP WITH YOGA

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GO BACK TO RUNNING SCHOOL p44 10k training Running nutrition Strength training for runners

GRAND GYM DESIGNS Build the gym of your dreams

RACE A TRIATHLON TEAM SPORT TRAINING

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19-6 p16 Paul Chek:Layout 1 11/07/2009 14:46 Page 16

THE ultra-FIT INTERVIEW

Checking out

Paul

Chek John Shepherd interviews Paul Chek one of the most prominent figures in the fitness world – a man who polarises opinion, you either love him or loathe him. 16

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THE ultra-FIT INTERVIEW aul Chek has been practising his brand of holistic fitness for over 25 years. C.H.E.K. (Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology) trainers hang on to his every word with bated breath. Yet there are others who think that the 47 year old American is nothing more than a selfpromoting over inflated ego. I approached my interview with a little trepidation at this year’s FitPro convention, after all Chek was a man who could put you in your place or talk for hours and hours on spiritualism and the theory of evolution. Despite a shaky start the interview went smoothly and I came away understanding more about the man, his methods and his ‘spirituality’ and his philosophy. Chek is on one of the most sought after presenters in fitness, he has produced over 50 DVD’s, 17 advanced level home study courses and written six books, whilst the C.H.E.K. institute has trained thousands of fitness and exercise professionals over four ‘Practitioner’ levels. Chek first came to my attention a good few years back with his Swiss Ball, core training, but he is much more than the advocator of the functional engagement of the core on an inflated rubber ball. He has designed patented health and fitness equipment and worked with numerous elite athletes and sports teams world-wide. He has also developed his own philosophy – one that does not distinguish between the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual when it comes to ensuring that a human gets all the holistic advice they need to live the healthiest life they can.

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JS: What’s your approach based on? PC: I’m just trying to sell health. My product is your freedom. I’m not selling you a box of pills or anything magic. Everything that I am trying to guide people to is totally in tune with nature. There’s nothing that takes a leap of faith to understand. JS: But what about your thoughts on spiritualism – you don’t go on a YMCAfit course and start learning about spiritual evolution? PC: If I start talking about nature spirits and things then people have to have a leap of faith because they can’t see them, but if you are blind then you need someone who can see to guide you. You have to choose who that is going to be. JS: So is that you? PC: I have not been in a single country where my work has not been well-received. My programmes are being used in the educational curriculum of over 40 countries. I think that I give them (students) licence to be more creative to get out of their box. To have someone (Chek) that is successful and athletic and capable of demonstrating the truth of the philosophy to the degree that is clearly undeniable.

JS: Do you see yourself to be a bit of a modern day Joseph Pilates? Paul misunderstood my questioning initially answering by saying that, “Pilates compared to my system is a thimble, whilst mine is an ocean.” – which when you think about it is some statement. Anyhow, I had actually meant whether Paul, viewed himself as a contemporary Pilates, an innovator and guru who will leave a lasting legacy to the fitness world. PC: “Ok, yes ….. Pilates without Joseph is dead in my opinion…… there may be some good versions of Pilates out there, don’t get me wrong but what’s being pawned off in the name of Pilates is probably as accurate to Joseph Pilates as what’s being pawned off in Christianity as the words of Jesus. You see people like Pilates and Alexander (Frederick Matthias Alexander creator of the Alexander technique)…. any of the people that really developed working systems took into account the physical, the mental, emotional and often the spiritual components of the body, because they are all real components. If you remove the

spiritual you’ve got a rock, if you remove the mental, you’ve got a zombie, if you remove the physical you are a ghost. So when people get too concerned with peer review and the hard science then they are removing the human element. Paul provided an example he often gives to his students, describing how studying a frog in a box (as is often done by way of a biology class) is far removed from how the frog would live in its natural habitat. “In the classroom you would only learn how it (the frog) tries to get out of the box, so you can’t really learn anything about it. My approach is to look at life holistically because that is what it is.” JS: But what about the spiritual side of things – this has become an increasingly ‘fourth’ dimension in your approach, why? PC: “The strength is woven through my whole system. It’s just that 10 years a go if I had been talking about spiritual stuff at conferences such as, this (FitPro convention Ed) people would have walked out of the room because they weren’t ready for it. As I

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19-6 p20 Mind:Layout 1 08/07/2009 20:32 Page 20

MIND

you time for

By Midgie Thompson

Do you ever have a sense of ‘too much to do and not enough time’? Is your life, ‘all work and no play’? Are your days spent chasing rather than relaxing on the chaise-longue? So how do you make time for you?

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MIND hen we are busy and/or our attention is focused on a special project or task, it’s easy to suddenly realise that our life is not as balanced as we would like. Although many of us have become quite good at juggling, it can still be very challenging to maintain a healthy balance between all we need to do and want to do. While it is important to have good focus and determination to complete those special projects, important tasks or essential responsibilities, it is also important to take care of ourselves. ‘Me time’ is important for our health, wellbeing and overall effectiveness. I believe that it is important to get a clear picture as to what is important in your life so that it becomes easier to find balance. I’ve provided four steps you can take to help you achieve this.

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Gain perspective on what’s important Taking time out to gain a clearer perspective on what is important in your life is the first step in taking care of, and making time for you. When you are clear on what is important, you can more easily direct your time, your attention and your energy on those things that are truly important. We often feel stressed and strained when we are tying to fit in to our time all the things we have to do. We may then feel overwhelmed and over burdened. We may even feel that we are behind schedule before we have even started our day. However, when you are clear what your priorities are and you spend time on them, or make conscious choices about where you spend your time then you reduce that sense of stress and strain and you become more fulfilled, satisfied and happier overall. To help you gain this clearer perspective, assess the important areas of your life, for example, health and wellbeing, your career, family and friends, community involvement, financial security, travel and adventure and learning and growth. Carefully identify these areas that are important to you - not what you think other people think is important. The next step is to rank these areas in priority order.

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Rank what is important It is challenging to rank in order of importance which areas in your life take priority and precedence over others. Ask yourself, ‘If you could have only one of these areas in your life, which one would that be?’ Continue to repeat the same question until you have put all the areas in priority order. This is a challenging, yet worthwhile exercise as it helps you make decisions when they need to be made about where

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to spend your time. We may feel stressed when we need to make choices about what to do or where to spend our time yet by knowing what is important and where that fits into the scheme of things, will make the decision making process easier. For example, if you chose family and friends as a priority over career, then perhaps you might take care of a family/friend matter when work required your attention. What about your health and well-being? What would happen if you no longer had good health and could not do all the things you wanted to? It is important to recognise the different important areas of your life and that the priorities may shift over time. So from time to

Make Time for You When thinking about a healthier life balance and what is important to you, make sure you consider - you. You are the pivot on which all these important areas sit, so it is important to take care of yourself and make time for you. Many of us often put others needs, for example, family or work before our own. Yet, if our own health and well-being is not taken care of and if we are not strong and healthy, then how can we do all the things we want to? Whether it’s eating healthy foods, getting sufficient rest, exercising regularly or simply taking time out to recharge, it is essential to

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If our own health and well-being is not taken care of and if we are not strong and healthy, then how can we do all the things we want to? time take a step back and review what is important to you and what your priorities are. Although knowing what your priorities are is one thing making changes to live your life according to them is another… Make Changes Before making any changes, you need to have a picture of what you are currently doing and where you are currently spending your time. So the next step is to complete a time audit of what activities you do and how much time you spend doing them during a typical week. Then, add up your weekly total time of all the activities and rewrite the activities according to where you spend the most, to the least, amount of your time. How does this priority list of where you actually spend your time compare with the list of priorities you identified earlier? If you are like many people, there will be a difference between where you spend your time and what you say your priorities are. This new insight can help you make changes. Look at the differences between your actual and real priorities and consider where you could make changes? Decide what you can change, delegate or drop. What barriers or challenges stand in your way to achieving a better balance? What would you need to do to overcome or eliminate them? With some attention, you can achieve a healthier balance in your life so you do the things that are important to you.

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regularly make time for you. By doing this, you ensure that you can be the best you can be. You will have more robust health and wellbeing and make a difference to all that you do. As food for thought when you are looking at your priority areas in your life, where does taking care of yourself rank in the scheme of things? Often it will be at or near the bottom of your list when it actually should be at the top.

On a final note Juggling all the things on our plate can be challenging. Yet, having a clear picture of what is important to you will help when you have decisions to make about where to spend your time, attention and energy. Knowing where you actually spend your time, effectively demonstrating your actual priorities, and comparing them to your real priorities, will enable you to identify where there are differences. This insight can then help you to make changes, put into place strategies and delegate or drop things that are not on your priority list. You are the central element for all those important areas - so it’s critical to regularly take care of yourself and to do this consistently so that you can be happier, healthier and more fulfilled in all areas of your life. Act now. UF

NEXT ISSUE: more self-management strategies to help you achieve a healthy and happy life, which includes regular exercise.

About the author Midgie Thompson of Bright Futures Coaching is a Mental Performance and Lifestyle Coach. She works with passionate and energetic individuals to help them develop the mental skills and strategies to be the best they can be while maintaining a healthy balance in their sporting, professional and personal lives. She is also a recreational marathoner.

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19-6 p22 Womens Fitness:Layout 1 10/07/2009 13:48 Page 22

WOMEN’S FITNESS

Shape Up with

By Caroline Sandry Photos: Shot on location in Antibes courtesy of JPP pics

Yoga has been practised for centuries, and is known for its many health benefits. Its appeal is timeless and stretches across the universe, from its humble beginnings in India, to the larger than life celebrity followers in the 21st century western world.

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oga appeals to many women as although it can be seen as a gentle form of exercise it can deliver powerful results – think of Madonna or Geri Haliwell’s amazing physiques. The Yogi or Yogini’s body is generally slim, flexible and well toned. Arms can become defined, but never

Sun Salutation The following dynamic sequence is called a ‘sun salutation series’. It will stretch, strengthen and energise the entire body. Try to focus on coordinating your breath with the movement, keeping the sequence fluid and continuously moving. The sun salutation is also a fantastic wake up in the morning, or

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Yoga appeals to many women as although it can be seen as a gentle form of exercise it can deliver powerful results – think of Madonna or Geri Haliwell’s amazing physiques

bulky, and according to what type of yoga you prefer you can build amazing strength and stamina throughout your entire body. The following Hatha yoga postures are chosen to condition the entire body from top to toe. If you are new to yoga then take your time getting comfortable in each position. Never push yourself beyond comfortable – there should be no competition. And always practice yoga on an empty stomach, as the postures work on your internal organs as well as your outer physical structure.

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a good warm up for most sports… Each posture is explained in detail. If you are new to yoga, take the time to practice each posture individually before doing the sequence – detailed exercise descriptions follow. ■

Stand up straight with your feet together and arms reaching down towards the floor in ‘Mountain pose’. Gaze straight ahead, stand very tall, straight and centred. Inhale…

Exhale and as you inhale circle your arms out to the side and up overhead, then bring the palms together and stretch up and slightly back, extending your chest upwards towards the sun. Exhale and fold forward from your hips into ‘Forward Bend’, bending your knees in order to place your hands on the floor. Inhale and step the right leg back into a lunge position, and then hold the breath as you step the left leg back to form a ‘Plank’. Exhale and lower yourself into the ‘Crocodile’. Inhale up into the ‘Cobra’. Exhale and push hips back and up into – ‘Downward Dog’. From Downward Dog, look up and inhale as you step your right leg forward to lunge again. Exhale and step both feet together into ‘Forward Bend’. Inhale and reach and stretch the arms back overhead. Exhale back to Mountain Pose.

Take a couple of deep, steady breaths and start the sequence again, stepping back on the left leg this time. Start out with three repetitions of the sequence, and build up to six. The following postures can be practised individually. I recommend practising the sun salutation series, and then holding each of the other postures for 3 to 4 breaths – unless otherwise indicated. Use ‘child pose’ to rest when needed, and always work with a calm mindset. Never rush your yoga, and try to stay fully aware in each posture, listening to your breath and listening to your body.


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WOMEN’S FITNESS exhale to bend your elbows and lower your chest between your hands. Stop when your upper body is just above the floor with your elbows in tight by your sides. Tuck your toes under and lift your knees to straighten your legs, lowering your body until you are parallel to the floor. Exhale, rest for a couple of breaths before returning to all fours and repeating. (Beginners can keep knees on the floor until they develop the strength to practice their full posture)

Lunge

Mountain Pose good for focus and postural awareness Stand straight with feet together or hipwidth apart. Your weight should be in the centre of your feet with toes resting lightly on the floor. Shoulders should be open and wide, with arms relaxed but extended toward the floor. Lift the chest and elongate the abdomen. Eyes gaze softly forward and breath is long and focused.

This stretches and opens the front of the hips and builds strength in the legs and back From an all fours kneeling position with your palms pressed into the floor and arms long, exhale and bring your left leg forward between your hands so that your left knee is directly above your ankle. Sink your hips towards the floor stretching out the front of the left hip. Come up onto your fingertips if this is more comfortable. As you advance, you can tuck your left foot’s toes under and step the foot back a little to deepen the stretch. Lifting the back knee from the floor and placing the hands gently on the thigh will advance this further.

Cobra great for countering rounded shoulders and strengthening the upper back and shoulders Lie on the floor with face down and legs together. Place your hands under your shoulders with your fingers in line with collar bones and spread wide. Keep your elbows tight against your sides. Inhale and lift upwards from the sternum and chest, keeping the neck long. Exhale to slowly come back down.

Plank

Forward bend stretches the entire spine and hamstrings, a calming inversion From mountain pose inhale and stretch arms up overhead. Exhale and fold forward from the hips, reaching arms forward as you fold down. Try to keep your back as straight as is comfortable and bend your knees to accommodate hamstring length/tightness. Allow your upper body to rest on your thighs and keep the back long. Breathe steady. As you progress, lift you sitting bones upwards - lengthening through the back of the legs – exhaling to take the stretch deeper. (Beginners or anyone with high blood pressure can do a half-forward bend – resting their hands on the back of a chair, keeping their back parallel to the floor.)

a great core strength exercise – popular in general sports and conditioning. Strengthens abs, back and shoulders From an all fours position with knees, hipwidth apart and palms pressed into the floor, straighten the legs supporting your weight on your hands and toes. Tuck your tailbone under slightly and keep your abdomen drawn in flat toward your spine. Hold the body dead straight like a plank and breathe steadily.

Crocodile a challenging static posture which strengthens the arms, back and abdomen Start on all fours with knees under your hips and your hands slightly in front of your shoulders. Inhale to prepare, and

Downward dog a calming inversion which strengthens the arms, shoulders and back whilst lengthening the entire back of the body From all fours with knees hip-width apart and palms pressed into the floor, exhale and lift your hips up and back. Keep knees bent to begin with, and then gently straighten the legs, extending the heels towards the floor. Keep lifting the hips high and slide the shoulder blades down the spine, away from your ears. Breathe evenly as you hold the posture, and exhale to bend knees and return to the floor. Rest in child’s pose afterwards. (Beginners or those with high blood pressure can rest their hands on a chair, in a ‘half downward dog’. If you have a back problem, keep knees bent throughout.)

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19-6 p30 Motivation:Layout 1 08/07/2009 20:37 Page 30

MOTIVATION

P.B. 30

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MOTIVATION

performance Cognitive hypnotherapist Trevor Silvester examines how cultivating elite thinking can help you achieve your personal best o make it to the top in sport, it helps to have an exceptional gift. Think of Pele, Usain Bolt, Muhammad Ali and Kelly Holmes, for example, they all seem to be born with an innate talent that transcends the normal physical limitations of other mortals. But talent alone is not enough. In any sport, there are similarly gifted performers who don’t make it to the top, and some less

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gifted who do. Why is this? It’s because elite sportsmen and sportswomen have certain attitudes in common that override disparities in talent which enable them to become winners and record breakers.

6 steps to achieve your personal best Elite thinking - consistency Joe Paterno, Penn State football coach once said, “The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.” There have always been examples of mercurial brilliance - performers who for a time dazzle the world with their performance, either in a brief career, or for moments of brilliance within that career. But most of the true sporting greats have achieved peak performances over extended periods. Think of Michael Johnson who, despite retiring in 2000, has still run eight of the top fifty 200m performances of all time, and 22 of the top fifty 400m runs, including five in the top ten. Such consistency in your event or sport can only be created by consistency in your training. Top athletes don’t just show up, they engage in what they’re doing, focusing fully on their training and giving it all of their energy. But that’s a tough ask. Most of us fit our training around our job, and it’s all too easy for the frenetic pace of daily life to seduce us into the need for an evening on the couch, or an extra hour in bed. But whilst you’re doing that, one of your competitors is putting in the miles, punching on a bag or chasing a ball. You can’t negotiate with success; you either give what it demands, or success goes to someone else who’s prepared to pay the price.

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Creating the drive So, how do you create the drive to be consistent? Start by engaging your values - the things that are important to you about something. They provide your motivation and get you out of bed in the morning. To identify them, you simply have to ask yourself, ‘what’s important to me about your training, or your sport?’ When working with clients, I usually ask the question enough times to get 3-5 responses. In one case, a client wanted me to help her apply herself to triathlon training, but on too many occasions the sofa and a glass of wine won the contest with getting on her bike! Her personal values were ‘getting fit, competing and being different’. Whilst these values had a unique meaning for the client, clearly that meaning wasn’t giving her the kick she needed to get her training. It wasn’t really surprising: she was already fit and she trained alone, so the drive had evaporated. With nobody to compete against in training, the competition of the race situation was too distant to act as a motivation. In this scenario there were two possible choices, a) help her develop a training strategy that would utilise her existing values – get her training in a group so she could compete against someone else, or b) devise a way of competing against herself. We could also work to change her definition of what ‘fit’ was, to move her to another level. However, in this case, neither strategy was appropriate, so the next step was looking at consistency in other areas of her life – see 3.

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Applying your skills to a different context We often compartmentalise our life, separating our relationship, job, training and social life into different boxes. Unfortunately, when we do that we often isolate skills and good habits by attributing them solely to those contexts, when actually an attitude or behaviour from one part of your life could also benefit you in another, for example,

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19-6 p34 Weight Watch:Layout 1 08/07/2009 20:38 Page 34

WEIGHT WATCH

dietary

Snakes Ladders and

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By Pete Cohen & Susan Cass


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WEIGHT WATCH

Snakes and Ladders is a game that we may have all played. You know where the game starts on the board and you know where the end is, but there are many different routes you can take and an infinite number of outcomes.

been scarce. We can store food in the form of fat for use during the lean and scarce times. There was no such thing as a corner shop if you felt hungry for cavemen and cavewomen! This is wonderful system, but it’s also a major problem nowadays for everyone who lives with food mountains and an easy to access excessive lifestyle. Although we’ve evolved beyond a primitive

The Fire That Burns Within A commonly asked diet related question is, “If I just eat one meal a day instead of three will I lose weight as I’m not eating as many calories?” One meal a day really is one of the worst things you can do. Think of your body as a fireplace; that fire represents your metabolism and the logs are the foods that you eat. If you disappear for the day and leave the fire

Through evolution our bodies have developed an incredible system to keep us alive during periods when food is/has been scarce lifestyle, we still have the survival mechanisms in place, so whenever we seriously restrict our calorie intake our bodies will naturally assume there’s a food shortage and hold onto the fat we’ve got stored in case things get worse.

The effects of extreme diets on the body f you’re lucky, you’ll have a steady and clear run to the top of the board, gradually climbing up using the ladders, with the odd snake getting in they way that may cause you to slip back down, but you’re soon back on the ladders weaving your way up and eventually getting to the top. On the other hand you may fast track yourself up half way or maybe even make it practically to the end, only to hit that long snake and end up sliding all the way back down to the start. This pattern may sound all too familiar to you if you’ve ever slipped into our ever growing culture of yo-yo dieting.

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Our Primitive Past And The Present Through evolution our bodies have developed an incredible system to keep us alive during periods when food is/has

Every time you go on a crash diet, drastically reducing calories and cutting food groups out, you play a risky game with your body’s systems and are going to lose essential muscle until your body adjusts itself to getting fewer calories. The chances are that by the time your body has made this delicate adjustment you’ll have given up on the diet, so that when you start eating normally again your body is overwhelmed with the extra food and starts by storing it straight back on your body as fat. Your metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories) can remain lower than usual for weeks after you finish your diet. Your body ‘remembers’ how much fat you used to have and wants to put it back quickly in case you suddenly start dieting again (which most people do) as its function is that of survival and not creating a great body image! The snakes and ladders Yo-Yo diet begins.

unattended, the chances are that when you come back to it in the evening it will almost be out. You might stoke it up with logs to get it going again, but the embers won’t be hot enough to get them burning. When you look at the fireplace the next morning, you might find your logs from the night before are still lying there, a little charred, perhaps, but not burnt up. If you have a habit of going for long periods without food, your metabolism will slow right down. Perhaps you’re working hard so you skip lunch, finish late and stop for a take-away on the way home. By that time, of course, you’ll be feeling pretty hungry and probably make bad food choices because your blood sugar levels have crashed through the floor, your metabolism will have virtually given up by then. Eating a big meal and going straight to bed means you’ve got less chance of digesting that food quickly and burning it up. It’s much more likely to be turned into fat and stored. If you eat small amounts regularly, ‘stoking your fire’, you will have a better chance of using it (energy/calories) up as you go along. So the key to successfully dieting is to be consistent with your eating patterns and not put your body through constant phases of binging and purging which is ultimately what you are doing with quick fix crash diets.

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19-6 p38 Nutrition:Layout 1 08/07/2009 21:24 Page 38

NUTRITION

nutrition By Anita Bean

What you eat and drink before a running race can make a big difference to your performance. Your nutritional strategy needs to start as soon as possible and you should rehearse in training what you plan to eat and drink on race day, as well as nutritionally prepare so that you are optimally fuelled when the gun goes. ■ Running Nutrition Race preparation: the week before Your aim during the week before a race is to fill your muscles with the glycogen (a type of carbohydrate) they’ll need for the

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drop your training intensity. Rest completely for the day or two before the race. Downsize your meals. You’ll be training less as the week progresses, so you may need to drop your calorie intake a little. Do this by cutting out foods containing saturated fats and ‘empty calories’, such as confectionery, pastries, crisps and fast foods.

race. Starting the race with high glycogen levels will help you to keep going longer before you get tired. Here’s what to do:

Carb up. Change the nutrient mix of your pre-race diet so you get more of your calories from carbohydrate (60–70 per cent) and fewer from fat (less than 15–20 per cent), the balance coming from protein. Remember, it’s the proportion of carbohydrates not the total calories that needs to go up.

Taper your training. For the last few days before the race, reduce your mileage and

Eat little and often. Small, frequent meals will be easier to digest and will


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NUTRITION

on the run prevent you feeling bloated. Avoid big meals and don’t eat too much of any one food. Slow burn. Choose low-glycaemic meals and foods that will promote better glycogen storage. Carbohydrates eaten with some protein or healthy fat (such as, potatoes with chicken, pasta with fish, rice with tofu) give a longer, slower energy release compared with carbohydrates on their own. Get bottle savvy. Keep well hydrated by drinking at least 2 litres of water per day. With fully stocked muscle glycogen stores you should be ready to go. All you need to do is top up on your liver glycogen – which is usually depleted overnight – replace lost fluids and keep your blood sugar steady.

Eat early. It takes 3–4 hours for food to digest so schedule your pre-race meal early. If your race starts at 9am, have breakfast at 6am. Eat light. Aim for 25–50g of carbohydrate for each hour before the start of the race, depending on your body weight and the race duration. Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as porridge, cereal, toast and fruit, are good choices. Include a little protein or healthy fat to reduce the glycaemic response and give a slow, steady energy release. If you can’t eat because of pre-race nerves, have an extra bedtime snack the night before or try a liquid meal (for example, a meal replacement shake, milkshake, smoothie or yoghurt drink) for breakfast, which will empty from your stomach faster than solid food. Drink before you race. Drink at least 500ml of water, a sports drink or diluted fruit juice (1 part juice to 1–2 parts water)

during the two hours before the race, then another 125–250ml just before the race.

■ During the race Drink every 20 minutes. For races lasting more than 30 minutes, begin drinking within the first 30 minutes instead of trying to rehydrate later. As a rough guide, aim to drink 125–250ml – equivalent to about six gulps – every 15 to 20 minutes or according to thirst. Use whichever drinking method you have trained with. Be extra diligent in hot and humid weather. Slow down through the fluid stations. Walk or slow down to drink at least a cupful at every fluid station – more in hot weather. If you try to run you will end up spilling most of the drink. Squeezing the cup into a funnel makes it

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19-6 p44 Fit 4 Sport Running new:Layout 1 08/07/2009 20:43 Page 44

FIT 4 SPORT

Surely you don’t need to learn how to run? Putting one foot in front of the other is as easy as falling off of a log. Well falling off of a log can hurt and poor running technique can do the same – creating back, hip and leg injuries. ultra-FIT went back to a very special school in west London to learn how to run smoothly, faster and with significantly reduced risk of injury. Now, these are lessons worth learning. 44

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FIT 4 SPORT he Running School uses video to analyse running technique. For your first session you’ll be filmed from all angles whilst running on a treadmill. This will be done at various speeds and with an element of fatigue. Fatigue will usually lead to the break down of running technique (or any physical skill for that matter) and thus it is important to see what happens to your legs, arm and hip positioning, for example, when you tire. You’ll then immediately be shown the video of your running as a Running School coach takes you through what they see. Most runners are surprised by the accuracy and insight of the Running School teachers. ultra-FIT witnessed a couple of runners receive their eureka moments. One serious recreational runner was told what her injury problems were before she had time to say what they were. Her running action was filmed from behind and the video, when slowed right down, showed that her pelvis ‘dipped’ to the left by a couple of cm’s on every other stride – this informed the Running School tutor that this runner had back problems which she did. A number of exercises and drills would then be prescribed to correct this. An international athlete who was in need of technical advancement in terms of her running was brought to the Running School by her coach. Although the coach knew what was basically wrong with the athlete’s technique, he was able to be provided with a much more scientific and biomechanical rationale for what was needed to correct the athlete’s running action. Basically it was explained that she was ‘quad dominant’ – this meant that most of her propulsive force came from these muscles on the front of her thigh. Her glutes and hamstrings consequentially had become lazy and were not ‘firing’ properly. Not only did this limit her running range of movement, resulting in a somewhat up and down running action, rather than a horizontal one, but also created forces through her knees and ankles that created tightness and pain. The latter was again confirmed by the athlete after the analysis. Specific exercises were again prescribed to sort out the biomechanical and technical issues.

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Interview with the head master Running School founder Mike Antoniades UF: What was your inspiration for the Running School? MA: It came from an idea I had many years ago, when I was coaching young sprinters. Most of the initial coaching was movement coaching, trying to get them to coordinate their movements and teaching them running technique.

The first session is the most important, we analyse the biomechanics, the way people move and run and identify the weaknesses they have

I realised that people are not taught how to run. We think it’s something that we should be able to do naturally but not everyone can do it correctly. Just have a look at the hundreds of thousands of recreational runners running for fitness every day, it’s very painful just watching some of them let alone running their way! Running is a skill that can be learned and the sooner we teach it the more people will enjoy it. I actually had the idea many years ago. Over the past 15 years whether I was working with elite athletes, professional footballers or rugby players, kids or people who had surgery or an injury – I found I had to teach people the basics in running technique and movement efficiency, before we could progress to fitness or speed work.

important, we analyse the biomechanics, the way people move and run and identify the weaknesses they have. We then explain to them how we are going to change them for the better. The next five sessions focus on changing technique and is related to what they want to achieve. We also give them ‘homework’ – strength exercises and running programmes based on their level of fitness and what their target is for example, fitness, running, a 10k or a marathon.

UF: So how does the Running School work? MA: The first session is the most

UF: How do you develop technique? MA: Running technique (and sprinting technique) is simple to learn. The

UF: How long does it take to make a runner better? MA: It takes 6-8 weeks to change the metabolism of the body. Although running technique can be changed in as little as 2-3 sessions, it takes a little longer for these to become permanent.

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FITNESS EXPRESS

SUPER

Thighs Me Instructional Photos: Ultra-Fit Images/Grant Pritchard www.grantpritchard.co.uk

o say that most people have a ‘love-hate’ relationship with their leg workouts is probably stretching the truth, in fact it’s probably more accurate to say that they have a ‘hate-hate’ one! Just look at the many guys you see in the gym with a stacked upper body, with peacock chest and chicken legs. Not targeting them seems to be a popular choice. Aesthetically this is a mistake, but it will also seriously impact on your functional fitness and overall strength leading to imbalances and potential injury. For those of us more interested in general fitness and fat loss, leg workouts should be a vital weapon in our training armoury. Our legs contain some of our biggest muscles and by targeting them we can enhance our metabolic rate. This is because muscle burns more calories than any other body tissue at rest – so the more we have the brighter our calorie burning flame will be 24/7. This is why it is important to train the legs in particular if you want to lose weight and tone up all over your body. Training your legs can also give you a reasonable CV workout, due to the heavy demands this can place on your heart and lungs. And finally, for runners, cyclists, triathletes, athletes, team and rackets sports players and combat sports participants, good functional leg strength is essential for speed, power, agility and injury avoidance.

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Start

1a Barbell Squat If you’re not squatting, you’re not training. If you only ever do one exercise at the gym make it a squat. Targets: hip flexors, quads, hamstrings and calf muscles, plus glutes and back

Finish

✱ Keep your head up and engage your core muscles ✱ Maintain the natural curves of your back ✱ Press back up through your heels ✱ Don’t lock your knees out at the top of the movement ✱ Lower to thighs parallel to the floor ✱ Use a Smith machine or have a couple of spotters close to hand

The Workout Our leg workout will give you strength, power and definition. Warm up 10 minutes on bike: Perform five minutes easy, at 80-90 rpm and with a low resistance and then for the next five minutes, alternate between 30 seconds easy (low resistance 80rpm) and 30 seconds hard against a medium resistance at 90-100 rpm. All of the exercises are paired. Perform the first exercise in the pair and then without any rest the second. Then rest before taking on your second set of the two movements. On exercises where the repetitions increase from one set to the next drop the weight lifted by 5-10kgs. First Pair 1a) Barbell Squat ..............................................................x 10 x 3 1b) Maximal Cycle Sprints ..............................10-20 seconds x 3 (90 seconds’ rest)

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Second Pair 2a) Single Leg Bench Squat ............................x 10 (each leg) x 3 2b) Leg Extension ................................................x 10, x 12, x 15 (60 seconds’ rest) Third Pair 3a) Leg Press ........................................................x 10, x 12, x 15 3b) Jump Squat ................................................................x 10 x 3 (60 seconds’ rest)

Cool down with 5min easy cycling and 2 -3 minutes of held stretches


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FITNESS EXPRESS Start

1b

Finish

2a Single Leg Bench Squat Most leg movements in sport are performed on one leg, so it makes sense to train one at a time. Targets: quads, hamstrings and calf muscles (particularly the soleus as it provides the stability to perform the exercise)

Maximal Cycle Sprints Combining a strength exercise with a power one is a form of ‘Complex Training’. This particular combination is used by numerous track cycling sprinters - and you’ve seen Sir Chris Hoy’s legs! Targets: quadriceps and calf muscles ✱ Select a medium to heavy resistance ✱ Start out of the saddle and power up to maximal speed for 5-10 seconds. ✱ Sit and try to maintain speed for another 5-10 seconds ✱ As soon as you start slowing down end the rep

Start

✱ Keep head up. ✱ Your upper body should remain upright and track straight up and down without any leaning forwards or back ✱ Maintain the natural curves of your back ✱ Lower until a thigh parallel to the ground position, or until your heel lifts from the floor. ✱ Keep your knee behind your toes when lowering and lifting ✱ Use dumbbells to increase the intensity but maintain good form

Leg Extension Some ‘functionally focussed’ trainers don’t like this exercise as its specific movement pathway has little real world use however, used as the secondary exercise there’s no disputing its effectiveness in isolating the quads. Targets: quads ✱ ✱ ✱ ✱

Work through a full range of motion Lift smooth and controlled with no jerking and a slow lower Keep upright and maintain the natural curves of your back Work one leg at a time to increase intensity and effectiveness

Finish

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FEATURE

GRAND GYM DESIGNS

We are all becoming increasingly design conscious. We’ll have our own specific tastes, and to coin marketing ‘speak’, make our own ‘lifestyle choices’. In the past gym equipment was more of a triumph of function over form aka design. And indeed at the budget end of the market the kit you’d use at home was often a triumph over neither! Oh, how things are changing, manufacturers are increasingly considering the aesthetic, as well as the technology. It’s reasoned that if something looks good, the greater the chances are that you will use it – and that’s a crucial fitness kit consideration if you want to look good yourself, burn more calories and get stronger.

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FEATURE Home working Research indicates that those who can workout at home train more often than those who are only just gym members. For some this home workout kit is just a DVD or some dumbbells, but for others it’s a gym that would make Kevin McCloud from C4’s Grand Designs use more adjectives and superlatives than the combined world media levied at Usain Bolt when he achieved three gold medals in Beijing and that’s a lot. So if you won the lottery what grand gym design could be yours and what would you need to do to bring it to fruition? And don’t worry – even if you’re not as rich as a lottery winner - the information provided, will be of benefit to anyone looking to get some fitness equipment through their front door. Celebrity interior designer Kelly Hoppen offers this advice to anyone wanting to plan a home gym, “Firstly, you have to make sure that the equipment fits in the space, planning the space is the number one rule. Thanks to past experience, I have seen that it is best to have a gym located in the basement of a house. If you are located in an old building or on an upper floor then this can create sound transmission problems, which can disturb others.” Many manufactures now provide the decibel level for their powered machines and you also need to factor in your own noise generation capability! Concept 2 rowers, particularly the model C, generate quite a bit of fan noise particularly when you’re going for a Pb 2k time. At your club this would not really be noticeable but at home things could be different. If you don’t have a basement (or garage) and have to put potentially noisy kit in close proximity to other living spaces, think carefully about when you will typically use your gym and who else may be affected by noise. If you are actually building your very own grand design, then noise regulations are very stringent and you could be forced to tear everything down and re-build if you fall foul of building regs. And speaking of regs – although planning permission is an extremely complicated matter – Hoppen provides this advice, “You do not need planning permission, unless you are adding an extension to your house. Everything regarding the main building or a larger conversion needs a structural engineer who liaises with the building controller authority.” Contact your local authority’s planning department if you are in any doubt.

chains. Think very carefully about what your favourite fitness activities are, as this will inform you on the space the kit is likely to take up. If you’re not really bothered by what CV exercise you do, for example, then an upright bike will fit into most spaces. But if you are a runner you’ll have a little more trouble…… unless you purchase one of the many folding

KinesisTM One

Research indicates that those who can workout at home train more often than those who are only just gym members

treadmills on the market. If rowing’s your choice then Concept2’s can be broken down after use into two parts and stood on end, whilst Water Rowers with their sleek look can become an object d’art whether horizontal or vertical. And speaking of objects d’art - and introducing resistance kit into the mix – you could always integrate your piece of equipment into your living space. Technogym’s Kinesis™ Personal offers this potential – it has to be the best looking piece of home gym gear on the market and is more likely to be found in a trendy interior design stores than gym retailers. As you can see from the inset picture it can be accommodated within the landscape of your living room (or any other room, for that matter) even between shelves, for example, and it’ll provide just as much entertainment as your fiction and non-fiction collection. Turn to page 106 to find out more about Kinesis Personal™ and the Kinesis™ commercial range in part two of this feature. Working with a personal trainer will be a great way to get your home gym designed in the most beneficial way for you – if you don’t think you can make the right choices yourself. Many gym equipment stores will often provide you with a PT in any case, to aid your selection if you don’t have one or will have staff who are PT trained. Avoid pushy salespeople who will try to sell you something that you actually don’t need or worse still could injure you. Technogym offer a fully bespoke service that even extends to maintaining contact with their clients after the installation. As marketing

Space It would be great if space were of no issue for your home gym … unfortunately for most of us it will be. But there are some clever means to get what you want into your house without it looking like you’ve been taken over by one of the high street

KinesisTM Personal 'Heritage'

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GEAR TEST

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GEAR TEST

beach buys Nik Cook suggests six products that’ll keep you fit and having fun on and off the beach can just about manage lazing on the beach for ten minutes before I start getting fidgety and need to expend some energy. If I’m with similarly minded people I can happily play with a rugby ball or Frisbee for hours on end but, if I’m with my long suffering wife who just wants to read her book, then I’m going to need a few toys.

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CARDIO COACH

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CARDIO COACH

Training for a

10k By Andy Barber

Entering a 10k will give your training a focus and that 6.25 miles of running is an achievable target. And once you’ve got a time, you’ve got a bench mark, a time to beat! There are so many 10k races to choose from that cater for all abilities, and the distance requires a nice mix of base endurance and sharper speed work. o get the best out of yourself over 10k you need to train specifically for the event. Your training should provide variety and be interesting - this will keep you mentally fresh and physiologically will allow you to develop the different aspects of fitness that are required for a 10k. Let’s break these key components down and examine each in turn before recommending appropriate sessions.

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Endurance You want to be able to run for 10k at a sustained pace without a break. The better your ‘base’ of endurance the better able you will be at sustaining pace and building more specific race sharpening speed. So how do you build this endurance? Primarily it is done through steady running which will develop your cardiovascular system. Also your running muscles, need to become accustomed to running for mile after mile. You may be very fit from lots of work on a rower or stepper, but you will need to adapt your fitness so that your legs are able to take the demands of running. Many people think they need to run hard every session but this is not necessary. Steady base building running should be done at a level at which you can speak a few sentences at a time. Whilst for easy running you should be able to hold an almost fluent conversation - this pace is appropriate for recovery

running after tough sessions or if you are running a longer distance – these paces are used in the 10k training programmes provided).

feel quite tired and have no major doubts that you can continue – these workouts are in the pace section of the programmes.

Speed New to running… If you are new to running you may find it hard to run steadily for long periods. In this case mix running and walking. Don’t ever feel the need to run until you can’t run any more. Break down the time into manageable chunks with set walking periods, then work to reduce the periods of walking week-by-week. Also progress to making one in four of your weekly sessions a longer run - slow it down and go for distance and run at the easy pace – see above.

Tempo running Tempo running is running at the point where your body is just about breathing in enough oxygen to supply your muscles aerobically with the fuel they need to do the work they are doing. Running slower would mean you could breathe in more than enough; you’d feel relatively comfortable. But running faster would mean that after a few minutes fatigue would start to accumulate quickly and you’d be working predominately anaerobically. When tempo running don’t start off too fast – the correct pace should see you experiencing ‘controlled discomfort’; you are breathing hard, you

It is important to emphasise that speed is relative - what is speed training for you may be too hard or too easy for someone else. We want to get you working at a variety of paces, as indicated this makes training more interesting. By including faster work you will use a different energy system – the anaerobic one - and you will feel more relaxed at slower paces, and your ‘running economy’ will improve. An old running adage is important – ‘train, don’t strain’. If you watch a top athlete moving at speed their technique remains relaxed and fluid, even if their face shows strain. Unnecessary muscle tension wastes energy and restricts technique. This is true at all speeds but is more common as you ‘put your foot down’. Speed training is done by dividing the distance covered in a session down into smaller chunks so you can run them faster - intervals. You won’t be able to breathe in enough oxygen to fuel your efforts so you need the recovery periods. As the session goes on the fatigue will build up. These are the sessions where you should push yourself hard. The rewards for this, when balanced out by a good overall training programme, will be great shape when you line up for your 10k.

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SHOE TEST

Cycling

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SHOE TEST

g Shoes Specialist cycling shoes are not just for members of the pro peloton. Anyone who rides for fitness, commutes or even does regular spinning classes will benefit from the increased pedalling efficiency and comfort they afford. Nik Cook reviews six of the best.

hen riding, your feet are the point where the power from your legs is transferred to the bike. If you’re wearing a pair of running shoes, a significant amount of that power will be lost due to unnecessary flex. Cycling shoes have a stiff rigid sole that minimises this loss and ensures that as much as possible of the effort you put in actually gets to your rear wheel. Another key point is that your foot is actually attached to the pedal via a cleat on your shoe and a mechanism similar to a ski binding on the pedal. Many people mistakenly believe that this is to allow you to pull-up during the pedal stroke but analysis of the pedalling action of top cyclists, reveals this to be untrue and very little effort is actually devoted to the upstroke. However, being attached does allow you to 'scrape' your foot back at the bottom of the stroke and to effectively push your foot over the top of the stroke. Both of these movements have been shown to be vital to efficient pedalling. Cyclists are coached to pedal in smooth circles but without specialist shoes and without being 'clipped in' this is practically impossible. Many people are a little bit apprehensive about riding in traffic with their feet attached to their pedals but all it takes to dis-engage a foot is a sidewards flick. After ten minutes or so practicing on a quiet traffic free area, engaging and dis-engaging your feet will be second nature. Also, many pedal systems allow you to adjust the release tension so, until you’re confident, you can set it to allow for super easy release.

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Get the right shoes Like running, where you can buy road shoes, trail shoes, track spikes, fell shoes

and cross-country spikes, every discipline of cycling has its own specialist shoe:

Road Shoes Will tend to be fairly minimalist in design to keep weight down to an absolute minimum. Fastening will be via a combination of Velcro straps and, on higher end shoes, an additional ratchet mechanism. The sole of the shoe will be super-rigid and, because the cleat normally 'stands proud', they are totally unsuitable for walking any distance in.

Mountain Biking Shoes Range from full-on X-country racing shoes that are very similar to road shoes to 'hiking boot' style shoes that you could get away with wearing to the pub. In general though, aside from pure racing shoes, mountain biking shoes will be a bit more flexible than road shoes and, anticipating some walking over rough terrain, will have recessed cleats and a grippy tread. Because of these features mountain biking shoes can be a great commuting shoe and a good general use compromise.

Triathlon Cycling Shoes Basically an adapted road shoe but with several key features specific to triathlon. Most will have a single strap fastening mechanism coupled with a large heel strap to facilitate getting them on and off quickly in transition. Also, there will tend to be more grip on the sole than a road shoe as often you’ll have to run with your bike in transition. Finally, they will have drainage holes and mesh uppers to allow for quick foot drying after the swim.

Positioning the cleats Confusingly there are a plethora of different pedal systems on the market and each requires their own cleat. Most shoes are compatible with all of the major systems but it's always worth checking. Fitting the cleats is an easy job but it’s worth taking the time to do it properly to get the most out of your shoe/pedal combination and to reduce your risk of injury. Using a crayon or Tippex, put your shoe on and feel where the outside knuckles are on the base of your toes (big and little). Put a mark on either side of the shoe where those knuckles are. This is best done if you’re standing and have a friend to do it for you, so that you can put pressure on your foot. Next, carry those marks vertically down to the sole. Flip the shoe over and draw a straight line between the two marks. This is your baseline. Install the cleats so that their centre is right across the baseline mark and tighten them evenly, a little at a time. After the shoes have sat for awhile, re-check the tightness, as the sole will usually conform under tension. Check the tightness after every couple of rides and that the cleats haven’t shifted position. This method will give you a 'neutral' cleat position. You might want to experiment with moving the cleats slightly backwards or forwards, but avoid any extreme shifts in cleat positioning and return them to neutral if you experience any knee pain. One final point: most modern pedal/cleat systems allow for a certain degree of lateral movement or 'float'. This is perfectly normal and allows our knees, which don’t tend to track straight up and down, to move through their natural range.

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TRIATHLON

mind games By Emma-Kate Lidbury

Triathlon consists of three very physical activities, but it could be argued that there is a fourth activity which could make all the difference between winning, a personal best or a poor performance – the activity that goes on in your mind. 90

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TRIATHLON

riathletes swim, cycle and run for mile after mile in a bid to become stronger, fitter and faster so that when race season arrives you are physically ready to perform, but do you place the same emphasis on your mental preparation? Competition – and training – stress the mind too, and without the right skills and strategies in place to cope with this, all of that training could go to waste. Developing the necessary psychological skills isn’t difficult. Visualisation, positive self-talk and goalsetting are just some of the skills and

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strategies sports psychologists recommend athletes consistently use to get the most from their racing and training. Research has shown that visualisation – seeing yourself in your mind’s eye performing a task successfully – can enhance the actual performance of the task itself. The very act of picturing yourself running smoothly or cycling strongly will help increase the likelihood of it happening. These thought processes activate the neural network in much the same way as the actual physical practice does. Scores of elite triathletes are known for spending hours mentally rehearsing their race from start to finish – including transitions – in the build-up to an important event. Positive ‘self-talk’ is equally as useful a skill to employ, especially when you need to get yourself back on track if a race isn’t quite going to plan. Your own beliefs and ‘inner voice’ will impact on your ability to perform a given task. For example, if you tell yourself. “I’m not going to be able to keep up with him/her” there is every chance you won’t. But turning such a negative thought into a positive one, with, for example, “I’m a strong cyclist I’m going to ride to the best of my ability”, will almost certainly alter the mindset you adopt and ultimately what you achieve. Many sports psychologists recommend having a key word or phrase which you repeat to yourself when the going gets tough, for example, ‘focus’ or ‘hang in there, you’re the fittest you’ve ever been’. Think about your strengths and choose a key word or phrase that will help you. Don’t be afraid to repeat it to yourself during training sessions and races to keep yourself on track. You could also add to self-talk a specific concentration on the technique of the sport you are currently performing, for example a rhythmic and purposeful footstrike and relaxed arm action when running. Concentrating on the smooth execution of event technique can take your mind off of any physical discomfort you may be experiencing and get you through a tough spot in a race or training session.

Goal setting Completing large volumes of physical training can obviously be tough, especially when balancing it with work, family and social commitments. This is where goalsetting plays an important role in keeping you physically as well as mentally fresh and motivated. By clearly defining short and long-term goals at the start of the season, you can determine what you want to achieve from your multisport training and racing and are far more likely to stay focused.

Ensure your goals are ‘SMART’ that’s specific, measurable, adjustable, realistic, and timely. Be wary of becoming bogged down with performance orientated goals, such as winning a race or beating someone else. You cannot totally control these outcomes, so focus instead on taskorientated goals that are personal to you and are more about the process than the outcome, for example, how you felt throughout the race rather than just your placing. This leaves you more in control of your success and reduces anxiety and pressure to perform. Doing this is also part of a process known is psychology as ‘attribution’ – this puts you as athlete in control of your world. After your competitions you should objectively assess your performance and search for the reasons for your successes or failures. This is best done a while after the competition has finished when your emotions will not be running so high. Doing this with your coach - who like you should be objective - will provide you with your own database of information that you can use to take control of and get right or even better your racing next

2009 Races These races are among some of the most popular in the UK and fill up very quickly. If a race is already full, check to see if organisers are still offering charity places. July 26: Thame Triathlon (400m swim/17km bike/5km run). Thame Leisure Centre, Oxfordshire. 01993 663516: www.justracinguk.com July 29: 220 Evening Sprint Race 3 (750m swim/20km bike/5km run). Dorney Lake, near Eton: www.humanrace.co.uk August 1-2: The Mazda London Triathlon (400m swim/10km bike/2.5km run or 750m swim/20km bike/5km run or 1500m swim/40km bike/10km run). ExCel Centre, London Docklands: www.thelondontriathlon.com August 26: 220 Evening Sprint Race 4 (750m swim/20km bike/5km run). Dorney Lake, near Eton: www.humanrace.co.uk September 6: The Tri For Life Triathlon & Scootathlon (400m swim/20km bike/5km run or 800m swim/30km bike/7.5km run. Scootathlon for children aged four to eight: 400m scoot/400m bike/250m run). Dorney Lake, near Eton. www.humanrace.co.uk

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HIS ‘N’ HERS

Do male and female athletes have different nutritional needs? By Anita Bean

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owever, contrary to popular belief, the nutritional needs of female athletes/fitness trainers are not significantly different from those of males. The optimal balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat is the same for men and women. The main difference is that the average male athlete/fitness trainer needs more total calories each day than the average female athlete/fitness trainer. And herein lies the problem… Like non-athletes, female athletes/fitness trainers are under more social pressure than men to be thin, and this combined with the physical and psychological demands of their sport may lead to restrictive eating practices. During the last twenty years spent advising male and female athletes on nutrition, I’ve discovered for example, that female athletes often eat differently from male athletes in ways that may prevent them meeting their calorie and nutritional needs.

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Why do women need fewer calories than men? Women generally have lower calorie requirements than men because they have less muscle tissue and generally weigh less. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn. And the heavier you are (whether that’s muscle or fat), the higher your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Generally, women have a lower BMR than men, due to their smaller body mass. The heavier you are, the more calories you burn in all activities from doing the housework to walking and working out in the gym. That’s why men (in general) would burn more calories than women doing the same activity. You can estimate your calorie needs and basal metabolic rate using predictive equations that take account of your weight and daily activity level. Step 1: Estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) using the Harris-Benedict equation:

Step into your gym café and you’re likely to see the men swigging a post-workout protein shake, the women indulging in a cake or chocolate treat. At home, most couples eat different foods, either for fear of weight gain (women) or for muscle gain (men).

Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kilos) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years) Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kilos) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years) An example for a 30 year old woman weighing 60 kg and 168cm tall would be… 665 + (9.6 x 60) + (1.8 x 168) - (4.7 x 30) 665 + 576 + 302 - 141 = 1402 kcal per day

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