Sports Lessons For Life

Cycling’s Doping Problem: A Clean Athlete’s Perspective

October 20th, 2012

I am proud that I raced my entire professional and Olympic cycling career clean. For years I dreamed that the top cyclists of my time would “get busted.” I told everyone who would listen that my sport was dirty and for years I heard that I was a jealous, jaded, conspiracy theorist. I thought that the time for justice had passed, so I was elated that the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) was so bold and aggressive in their pursuit of Lance Armstrong and the other former Postal Service riders. I hope that this is just the tip of the iceberg for USADA, because no women were implicated in this scandal and women’s cycling is certainly not exempt from the wide spread doping. I won’t feel vindicated until the women, who I know had to have been and in some cases probably still are doping, are added to the list.

For years I lined up on the starting line feeling like the joke was on me. I spent years training, sacrificing and busting my butt despite the unfair playing field. I knew without cheating I’d never realize my childhood dreams of winning a World Championship or an Olympic Gold Medal, but I kept racing because I wanted to see how far I could go. Regardless of my placing I wanted to have a personal best race at the Olympics, I couldn’t ask for anything more. The chance to find out where I really stood was stolen from me by every athlete who chose to dope. They talk about the sport they love breaking their hearts, well my heart was broken over and over again by athletes just like them.

I was a member of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams and, at one Games or the other, was teammates with Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, Tyler Hamilton, Levi Leipheimer, and Christian Vande Velde. I didn’t know any of them well, I never even met Lance, but they all seemed like nice enough guys. I knew however that nice didn’t equal clean, and I guessed at the time that they were probably all guilty of doping. There just wasn’t proof.

I’m sure most people are thinking that I didn’t have to race against these guys directly, so why am I so up in arms; their choices didn’t directly effect me, BUT THEY DID! The results they got while they were doping were the results that I was compared too. The year after the 2000 Olympic Games, when a very high member of USA Cycling told me “You just aren’t a world class athlete,”it was because my results and times were being compared to those of athletes that were doping. Every time they raised the bar with their super human results, it made it harder for the clean athletes like me to receive financial support from USA Cycling and the United States Olympic Committee, because all funding is based on results and medals.

In an interview with Pressdemocrat.com, Levi Leipheimer stated,”If you read all the riders’ admissions from last week it’s funny it was like we all had the exact same story… everyone said we don’t want to make excuses, but at the time we felt we really had no choice. It was so casually discussed in the peloton. No one felt like they were cheating. They didn’t feel like they were cheating each other, you know. Obviously, we knew the rules and we were breaking the rules, but it was easy to be in that situation and just realize everybody was doing it. After a while, you justified it to yourself.”

They may have justified it to themselves, but they were wrong. Not everyone was doing it. For every one of them, there were hundreds of cyclist who quit because they wouldn’t cheat and couldn’t compete. I also got to the point where I knew that I couldn’t get any further without doping. After years of dealing with suspected dopers internationally, I finally had to deal with it at a National level. I however never felt like I didn’t have a choice. I knew I wouldn’t dope, so I made the tough decision; I quit. Yes, I’m sometimes bitter, but I have never regretted my decision. I can look back at my entire cycling career and know that everything I accomplished was clean, and I’m proud of that. That means more than any title or medal.

When I read in an article on ESPN.com about Christian Vande Velde’s home, “set on a swath of quiet, wooded acreage,” I was reminded that I left the sport of cycling in debt. Granted I’m a woman, so I wouldn’t have made nearly as much money regardless of my choices, but had I chosen to dope I would have earned a lot more in prize money, grants and salary. I have to think that the cyclists who chose to cheat did it as much for the money as they did for the wins, prestige and glory, especially those athletes whose job it was to help Lance win. Doping allowed them to make a good living in cycling. I’m glad Nike pulled their sponsorship of Lance Armstrong, all of the sponsors should. I think that all of the guilty riders should have to pay their sponsors, the race organizers and the United States Olympic Committee back, what better way to deter other athletes from cheating.

The stakes still aren’t high enough; a several month or several year suspension is just a slap on the wrist. Unless athletes face jail time or suffer a serious financial blow, I don’t think much will change. The benefits of cheating far outweigh the consequences. I’m all about forgiving, but until the public gets outraged and society changes its win at all cost mentality, nothing will change. Athletes will just find new drugs and new ways to get around the tests.

I commend the cyclists involved in the Lance Armstrong scandal who have spoken out and now want to help clean up the sport. I hope they do encourage the next generation of athletes to compete clean. However, if they get paid to do it, it feels like they are benefiting from their cheating twice. Every time someone hires one of them to speak or buys their book, they become part of the problem; just as every person who refuses to believe their hero has let them down perpetuates the lie. There are plenty of role models out there who took the high road; most of them just don’t have medals.

When I wrote my two children’s books, Gracie Goat’s Big Bike Race and Shawn Sheep The Soccer Star, my goal was to reach kids while they were still moldable. USADA’s new program, True Sport, has the same concept and gives me hope for my three children. Maybe with the implementation of a program that focuses on the true sport values at childhood, I will no longer have to hope that my kids pick some other sport.

I’d like to think that cycling will be cleaner now, but I’m not sure. Thanks to USADA athletes here in the United States will definitely be looking over their shoulders, but the problem is much bigger. Doping in sport, all sports, is a world wide epidemic and every country needs to get on board and crack down. Hopefully this is just the beginning.

Tags: cheating, Children's books, Christian Vande Velde, clean athletes, Doping, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer, Role Models, Tyler Hamilton, USADA
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Do The Unexpected!

August 2nd, 2010

Thanks for stopping back by my blog. I know I was a day late in getting this up; thanks for your patience. On that note, I’m going to take a break from my weekly blogging. I’ll still be writing an occasional post, but at least for the time being it won’t be on a weekly basis. Please, sign up to follow me on twitter so you can receive a tweet any time a new post is available, or check back periodically to see the most current posts.

Now, without further ado….. this weeks post.

Try This At Home…………………..

Play rock, paper, scissors with your child. For ten games in a row choose to be the same thing. After a few games your child will figure out that you are playing in a predictable fashion. Then on the 11^th game switch your item of choice. Afterward, explain to your child that having a wide variety of tools and skills will make him more unpredictable and versatile, allowing him to gain the upper hand on his opponent or make an extra good impression at school or work.

There are times in life when being predictable is important, but when you child is trying to out whit his opponent, the last thing he wants is for his opponent to know exactly what he is going to do. The concept transfers to other areas of his life as well. Your child’s teachers and future bosses will value your child’s consistency, but it is when your child goes above and beyond their expectations that he will really get noticed.

I specialized in track cycling, and while the match sprint event wasn’t the race I specialized in, I did race it occasionally and I always enjoyed watching it. The sprints are probably the most well known track event. Based on the rider’s 200 meter time trial time, a bracket is made and riders compete in several rounds of racing. Each race is three laps and is generally raced between two or three riders. The first rider across the finish line wins. Riders generally do not go all out for the entire race; riders most often employ cat and mouse tactics to gain the upper hand. The race is very short, fast and explosive. Because it generally is a race between two people, it is very important to know your opponent’s strength and weaknesses. The best way to win the race is to force your opponent to race in a manner that doesn’t allow him to use his strenths, allowing you to gain the upper hand and win the race.

I heard many of the United States sprinters talk about the tactics they planned to emply against their opponent. Many of them had to resisit the temepation to be predictible themselves; it was very tempting for them to revert to their own “bread and butter” tactics, because it was what they were most comfortable with. By having a wide variaty of tools and strengths the sprinters made themselves more versitle, less predictable and thereby tougher competition.

As I said before, it is good for your child to have a standard that they hold themselves to and in that sense be predictable. In some situations though your child will gain the upper hand by doing the unexpected. Talk with your child about times in his life when being unexpected would be benefiicail. He should be able to come up with several examples on the sports field, but encourage him to think outside the box as well. For example, if he suddenly does a big, unexpected , extra chore at home, maybe he’ll gain your favor and trust and have the opportunity to earn extra allowance.

Thank you again for being a loyal visitor to my site. Please check back occasionally for new posts.

Tags: expectations, predictability, unexpected, versatility
Posted in Opportunities, Strengths and Weaknesses, Uncategorized, competition | 1 Comment »

Self Reliance

July 25th, 2010

Thanks for you patience the last few weeks. We had a death in the family and after the unexpected travel it took me a while to get organized.

Team Work is important and useful, but sometimes the only person your child will have to rely on is herself. Sometimes the best person to do the job is your child; teaching her how to get it done on her own will help her on the field, in school, and later in life. We’ve all heard the saying, if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. I usually think of that saying to mean that someone else messed up, but if we choose to look at it in a positive light, it really has more to do with your personal ability to do something well.

There are moments in life where your child will have to make a decision, maybe a split second one, about how to handle a situation. She may be able to look for help from a teammate, schoolmate, or co-worker, but sometimes no one is around who can or will help. In those moments she needs to believe that she can get the job done herself and act without hesitation. In some cases, even a moment’s hesitation or a look for help at the wrong time can be the difference between success and failure.

Failure to rely on herself is most likely the result of lack of confidence, or possibly a little laziness. Everyone suffers from lack of confidence now and again, but making it a habit can be costly.

I had a costly lapse of confidence during a road race in 2004. The bike race was part of a stage race. A stage race is a several day race. Each day there is a new race and the total time of that day’s race is added to the previous day’s total time. The winner is the cyclist who, when the last race has been finished, has completed all of the racing in the least amount of time. So, you can win a stage of the stage race and not win the overall race. I was having a fantastic stage race and was sitting fairly high in the overall. On a climb several of the other highly ranked girls attacked the group and opened up a gap between themselves and the rest of us. I was chasing them down, gaining slowly and dragging everyone else in my group along behind me. I was tired and had a little lap in confidence. I realized other riders were behind me and I thought I’d turn to them for help. I pulled off to the side and the girl behind me took her turn at front, but she was going slower and we lost momentum. By the time I realized we were slowing down it was too late. I surged around her and continued my chase, but by that time the women had too big of a gap and we never caught them. At the end of the stage I moved down in the overall standings and wasn’t able to gain the time back during the rest of the stage race.

I still regret my moment of hesitation, but while it was a hard lesson, it was also a good lesson. One that I hope will come in handy the next time I need to rely on myself. Talk with your child about her abilities and help her have confidence in them. Let her know that there will be times when she is best off doing something by herself and when that time comes, she’ll be ready.

Remember to check out Gracie Goat’s Big Bike Race and Shawn Sheep The Soccer Star, if you are looking for a unique gift for a child in your life. Visit www.erinmirabella.com to order a personalized, autographed copy.

Tags: Confidence, doing their best, Erin's bio, learning, self awareness, self confidence
Posted in Confidence, self reliance | 1 Comment »

Maintaining Focus in a multi-competition event

July 5th, 2010

While all the fans were out partying during the FIFA Soccer World Cup, the teams had to stay focused for their next game . One of the hardest parts of a multi-competition event is the challenge of staying mentally and physically sharp and focused. Here are five tips to help your child stay focused the next time he has multiple games or races on his schedule.

Five Tips To Help Your Child Stay Focused.

Keep The Celebrating Brief

You and your child can be thrilled with each win of the event, but the ultimate goal isn’t accomplished until the final match has been played. It’s important to acknowledge the success and use it as positive momentum for the next game, but don’t dwell on it and become lackadaisical. In the midst of celebrating it is easy to cut a cool down short or forget to re-hydrate; these mistakes could be costly during the next competition.

Get Healthy

If your child has a nagging injury or soreness from his previous competition he needs to address it immediately after the competition. Whether it be taping his ankle, seeing his chiropractor, getting a massage, stretching or icing down his sore muscles, he needs to address his physical condition promptly.

He won’t always feel one hundred percent for his next game; he’ll likely feel some fatigue from his previous competitions, but staying on top of his physical condition will help him feel as close to it as possible.

Asses His Next Opponent

The first thing your child needs to do after a victory in a tournament is get mentally ready for what comes next. He needs to know when his next competition is and who he is competing against.

This is the time for him, his team and coach to asses the new opponent and learn his or her strengths and weaknesses. Not every opponent is the same and your child may need to change his strategy for the new opponent.

Keep A Routine

Throughout your child’s competitions you want to encourage him to be a little self absorbed. While he should enjoy the friends and family who are there to support him, it isn’t the time for him to be accommodating everyone else’s schedule.

He needs to get plenty of rest; that means going to bed at a reasonable hour and getting naps if at all possible.
He should eat familiar and healthy meals; during a tournament isn’t the time for him to try Thai for the first time or to be eating a lot of greasy fast food.
Your child shouldn’t feel obligated to play host to his family and friends. He need to be at his practices and team meetings prepared and on time.

Enjoy The Festivities With Care

Some Competitions may be a once in a life time opportunity and I encourage your child to enjoy it as long as it doesn’t interfere with or sacrifice his preparation for his next competition.

At the 2000 Olympic Games I was strongly discouraged from participating in the Opening Ceremonies because I competed just two days later. I knew another athlete who had been discouraged from participating in the 1996 Opening Ceremonies. He had figured he’d just do it at his next Olympics, but he didn’t make the team four years later. He never got a chance to experience Opening Ceremonies and he really regretted it. So, in 2000, despite intense pressure not to, I decided to go. I took some precautions to make sure the experience wasn’t too taxing; I sat down as much as possible, even on the field during the ceremony, I ditched the official shoes high heals and wore comfy tennis shoes instead, I made sure I stayed hydrated and I went to bed immediately following the ceremonies. Opening Ceremonies was a phenomenal experience and I have no regrets in my decision, and in case your wondering, I had a personal best two days later. I was so pumped up from the Ceremonies that it helped motivate and focus me.

Your child is there to compete, and win, and that should be his main priority, but despite what some people say, sometimes there is a lot more to a competition than just winning!

These five tips will help your child stay focused on the ultimate goal. .

Tags: Focus, Olympics, Opening Ceremonies, World Cup
Posted in Focus, Peak Performance, Uncategorized, competition, motivation | 1 Comment »

Muscles, Tendons and ART

June 28th, 2010

Try This At Home……………………………………..

Have your child think about what parts of her body she uses when she plays her sport. Next follow the links below to see the skeletal and muscular systems. Have her write down on flash cards some of the muscles she uses while she is playing. She can also write down some of the bones the muscles attach too. Have her practice them until she knows them well. This is a great opportunity for her to start learning some anatomy.

http://www.innerbody.com/image/skelfov.html

http://www.innerbody.com/image/musfov.html

***************************************************

Last week I wrote about the importance and benefits of your child being in tune with her body. One important step to being aware, is knowing how her body works and what muscles are involved. The more your child knows about her body the more she’ll understand why she does what she does for training and recovery and how and why specific training, stretching and types of recovery help her.

Since I was fourteen years old I’ve been worked on by massage therapists and chiropractors, and while I am far from an expert on the human body I have learned a few things from them about muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the systems of the body. I have a pretty good idea about what muscles are involved in the sports I do, especially the names of those muscles that are always sore. I’ve also found a handful of things that help me keep my body in top physical shape; the most important of these is Active Release Technique (ART). The abbreviation is not pronounced art, as in painting and drawing, but is pronounced A.R.T.

The person who has taught me the most is my husband Chris. He was a Greco Roman wrestler training at the Olympic Training Center, and is now a chiropractor who specializes in Active Release Technique. He decided to go into that field because of how Active Release Technique helped both of us in our careers. If I ever came across anything that seemed like a miracle to my cycling career, it is ART.

Chris was first introduced to Active Release Technique after one of his shoulder surgeries. He had been rehabbing it for months and still had poor range of motion. He heard about Dr. Leahy, the inventor of Active Release Technique, who generously treated the athletes at the training center for free. Chris went to his office and after the first fifteen minute treatment saw drastic improvement in his range of motion; something all those months of rehab had been unable to accomplish. From that day on Chris was hooked, and he intern made me a believer. Both of us went to Champion Health and were treated by Dr. Leahy and Dr. Wood for years. I haven’t found anything more effective than ART.

At the 2004 Olympics I, as usual, was feeling pretty lousy after traveling. For some reason every time I pushed my body to its limit in training in order to peak for an important event and then sat on a plane for eight hours, my body locked up. It was torture because I could feel it happening as I sat there, but no matter what I tried it still happened. There was nothing I could do to stop it. So, for nearly three weeks before the Olympic Games I did everything in my power to unlock my body. I felt lousy, my power was off, and I was sore; I just wasn’t firing on all cylinders. I got massages daily and spent hours in the sports medicine clinic at the Olympic Village icing, heating, stimming, ultra sounding, stretching, etc. Unfortunately I didn’t have access to a doctor who did ART. Finally, my husband arrived three days before my competition, and although he wasn’t finished with Chiropractic school yet, he had already been certified in Active Release Technique. His primary motivation in doing so was to help me in this exact situation. He arrived and a buddy of ours who worked in Sports Medicine said to him, “I sure hope you can help her because we can’t.” I’m not knocking sports medicine, they do amazing things and the folks at the Olympic Training Center and the best; They always took very good care of me. I’m just simply telling my story and it really shows how effective ART is.

So, on the couch at the house Chris and my family were renting while they were in Greece, Chris assessed my issues and used Active Release Technique to release my adhesions. I was a bit sore from some of the work the next day, but I suddenly had my body back. I felt powerful. I went on to have a pretty darn good pursuit race and the best points race of my life.

Now that I’ve gone on and on about ART, I guess I should explain what it is. Below is some information from the Active Release website. www.activerelease.com. On the site you can find a provider near you. If you happen to live in Teller County, Colorado, give my husband a call at his office. (Dr. Chris Mirabella, Teller County Chiropractic, 719-687-1881 www.tellercountychiropractic.com )

Active Release can help with so many things, including some things that people often resort to drugs or invasive treatment to resolve. If you or your child have a nagging injury, you really should give active release a try. It is non-evasive, and will get results in a much shorter amount of time then other treatments from a physical therapists, or even a traditional chiropractor. Believe me; it is worth giving it a try.

What is Active Release Technique (ART)?

ART is a patented, state-of-the-art soft tissue system that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often
a result of overused muscles.

How do overuse conditions occur?

Overuse of a muscle can occur from sporting activities, work related activities, accidents and other kinds of trauma.

Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:

    * acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc.)
     * accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
     * not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia)

Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter
and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped, you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.

What is an ART treatment like?

Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The doctor uses his hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.

For more information about me or my children’s books please visit www.erinmirabella.com. Remember you can get an autographed, personalized book as a gift for the favorite kids in your life. Also, don’t forget to tell your friends about my blog. I appreciate your help spreading the word.

Tags: Active Release Technique, ART, chiropractic, Dr. Mirabella, injuries, ligaments, muscles, tendons
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

What’s Your Body Telling You! Sports Teach Self Awareness.

June 22nd, 2010

Try This At Home…………………………

Have your child keep a training journal and write down his workouts each day, including specifics like number of repetitions, length of time, etc. Have him write down how he felt, what he ate before hand and during, how much sleep he got the night before and what kind of recovery he did afterward. It doesn’t have to be in complete sentences, but it is helpful if he follows the same format every day. That way he can easily go back and skim it to find the information he needs. After a few weeks of keeping a journal sit down with him and look for patterns and places where he can make some improvements.

***********************************************

Sports make young athletes in tune with their bodies. They learn the difference between good hurt, like pushing yourself to go a little bit harder, and bad hurt, like an injury. They learn what different heart rates feel like and approximately how long they can go at that heart rate. They know what it feels like when they are dehydrated or about to bonk from lack of food, and female athletes learn how their body changes with their menstrual cycle.

Everyone’s different, and while there are some general rules, the best way for your child to learn about his body is to work out a lot and practice paying attention. Keeping a journal will help, but your child should start putting a few things together even if he isn’t paying close attention.

We’re starting potty training with our son and we have him watch Elmo Potty Time. In the video there is a little cartoon about a large gorilla that listens to what his body tells him and acts accordingly. He’s hungry so he eats, he’s thirsty so he drinks and well, he has to go to the bathroom too. It’s kind of funny, but it’s a good reminder for all of us, even if we are potty trained. As an athlete I learned to listen to my body and how to get the most out of my body. I also developed ways to proactively stave off and deal with fatigue, cramping, muscle soreness, saddle sores, etc.

Here are a few of my rules and favorite tricks that helped me perform at my best.

Eat Every Hour

If your son participates in an endurance sport or has games or tournaments that last for a prolonged period of time, he needs to eat before he gets hungry. If he’s hungry, it’s too late. He should eat something every hour; even if it is just a gel or something else small. It’s best your child try out the particular food in training so he knows if he will have an adverse reaction to it. Never have your child try anything for the first time the day of a competition.

Drink at least a bottle an hour

Just like with food, if your child is feeling thirsty, he has waited too long to drink. Staying hydrated is vital. During intense, constant exercise your child should drink approximately a water bottle an hour. (Electrolyte drinks are ideal) If the workout or competition is an hour or less, consuming less water isn’t nearly as big of a deal. Many athletes compete for an hour or less with no water; your child just needs to make sure he is hydrated when he starts out and be vigilant about replacing lost fluids afterward.

You make good gains when you train tired.

If your child is always waiting until he feels good to train hard he won’t see big gains, and training by how he feels on any given day won’t give him big gains either. Having an educated and knowledgeable coach lay out a very specific, day by day training plan and sticking to it, is how gains are made. (You may find some decent free programs on line depending on your child’s specific sport.) If your child can push through and train hard even when he is tired, he’ll make big physical gains once he’s gotten the appropriate rest.

Rest is really important

Some coaches get over zealous and drive their athletes into the ground. Every athlete is different; some need more rest than others. As noted above, your child has to learn to push through being tired, but getting good quality rest is vital to making gains as well. Rest includes, time/days off from working out, naps and a good nights sleep.

Deal with an injury right away, don’t wait.

If something is hurting or nagging your child, get it checked out and taken care of right away. If your child takes care of it quickly he may not even miss a practice, but if he waits the odds are it will become more serious and require time off. Finding a chiropractor who specializes in Active Release Technique (ART), is what kept me healthy.

Train with a heart rate monitor

It will help your child become very in tune with his body! I’ll write a post on heart rate training in the next few weeks.

Be proactive with recovery

If your child is training right, he is going to be sore. Taking an ice bath, getting regular chiropractic care from an Active Release Provider, getting or giving himself a light massage, getting proper nutrition and taking a natural anti-inflammatory like fish oil will help. I’m not going to go into great detail on any of these, because most of these are their own blog post. My pervious blog, Eating to Maximize Performance, touches on some of the nutritional aspects. I’ll talk about Active Release Technique next week, and an ice bath, is just what it sounds like.

Fill the tub with cold water and dump in some ice, quite a lot. Go ahead and sit in it or submerge you arm, shoulder etc. and stay there for fifteen to twenty minutes. The first few minutes are a bit painful, but after that you’re child will go numb and when he’s done he’ll feel much better. I love my ice baths!!!!! I used to take ice baths every night I could during my stage races. (A stage race is a multiple day bike road race.) Be aware, your child’s body temperature will drop significantly from the bath. If he is only soaking his lower body, have him wear a sweatshirt and winter hat. Drinking a warm drink afterward will also help him stop shivering.

Being in tune with his body is a great asset for your child in and out of sport. The sports and life style benefits are obvious, but it may also help him notice non sports related disease and illness early and allow him to effectively communicate all the potentially related issues or causes with you and his doctor, etc.

Try doing the journal with your child for the next few weeks. Maybe you’ll learn something new about yourself too!

Tags: hard work, illness, injury, nutrition, physical fitness, rest, self awareness, Training
Posted in Coaching, Health, Healthy Lifestyles, Peak Performance | 1 Comment »

New post will be up Monday evening.

June 21st, 2010

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Come back Monday evening for the next post.

Erin

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Plyometrics 2

June 14th, 2010

Last week I introduced you and your child to some low level plyometrics. This week I’ll focus on higher intensity plyometrics. I failed to mention last week that I am focusing on lower body plyometrics, since that is what I know. There are upper body plyometrics for sports like volleyball and baseball, but I’m not going to address those here.

The Age Debate

Once again I’m referring you to the following website for more in-depth information. One of the things addressed in the link is the debate about at what age kids should start doing plyometrics. As it discusses in the link, kids do plyometrics in their every day play. My two year old son jumps off the couch, the slide, and pretty much anything else he can jump off of. If you chose to do plyometrics with your child or your child’s team, make sure to start off very easy and build up. Also, make sure it is fun. Plyometrics are a great way to enhance a workout, but keep it fun. http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/plyometric-training.html

Contact with the Ground

In running and cycling athletes determine their workouts by time or distance, in weight lifting workouts are determined by weight and repetitions, and in plyometrics workouts are determined by how many times you child makes contact with the ground.

As I mentioned in my last post, plyometrics are very intense and will make your child very sore. The workouts I suggest below are simply suggestions; you will need to adjust them to your child’s age and fitness level. The first time you and your child try it, start off with just a few jumps and build from there. You can add a few jumps (contact with the ground) every week. I’d start off with intense plyometrics once a week and you can build up to two times a week. Make sure to get enough rest in-between.

Plyometric boxes

You can build plywood boxes, buy boxes, use the aerobic steps at the gym, if the gym Okays it, or use park benches and other things at your local park.

To start with I’d use 2-3 12 or 18 inch boxes. Typical size boxes are 12, 18, 24, 30, 36 and 42 inches.

Work out 1

Start off with one box.

1. Jump up on the box 10 times. Step off in-between jumps and reset.

2. Jump up on one side of the box and then off the other side. Repeat ten times. Your child shouldn’t rest on top of the box; have your child pretend she has springs on her feet and have her jump again immediately after she lands.

3. Choose a box that allows your child’s leg to be at 90 degrees or less when her foot is resting on top of the box. Step up on the box with one foot, instead of stopping after stepping up; follow through with a high hop. Land on one foot. Do each leg 10 times.

When your child lands encourage her to land softly and quietly. Have her practice making as little noise as possible when she lands. Have her think about having quiet feet.

As your child gets used to work out 1, she can make it more difficult by increasing the box size. She can also do each exercise fifteen times instead of ten.

Work out 2

This can be done once your child has done work out 1 for several weeks.

1. To begin, place 2 or 3 boxes in a row about 3 feet apart. (or whatever distance gives your child enough space to jump off one box and on to the next. )

face box one and jump on the first box, then off, on the second, then off, on the third box, then off. Repeat this five times. Your child shouldn’t rest on top of the box; have your child pretend she has springs on her feet and have her jump again immediately after she lands.

2. Jump up on and then off the box on the other side. After landing, immediately dip down and jump up high again. Repeat ten times. Don’t have her rest on top of the box, or after your child has landed on the other side. Have your child pretend she has springs on her feet and have her jump again immediately after she lands.

3. Chose an item to jump over. A painted line, cone, water bottle or something similar will work just fine. Stand next to it with it immediately to your right. Then jump sideways over it, side to side ten times. Have your child pretend she has springs on her feet and have her jump again immediately after she lands.

When your child lands encourage her to land softly and quietly. Have her practice making as little noise as possible when she lands. Have her think about having quiet feet.

As your child gets used to work out 2 she can make it more difficult by increasing the box size. She can also increase the number of times she does each exercise.

Happy Jumping. Next week I’ll talk about treating your child’s sore muscles. It will come in handy after she tries plyos.

Tags: cross training, plyometrics, power, speed
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Plyometrics

June 7th, 2010

Try This At Home…………………………

Ask your child if he can think of any exercises that he can do without any equipment, just his own body. He will probably come up with sit ups, push ups, etc. Ask him if he has ever heard about plyometrics. Share the following post with him and have him try it out for himself.

******************************************

Last week I talked about cross training and why it is so important and effective both mentally and physically. This week I’m going to focus on my personal favorite cross training workout, Plyometrics and other strength building exercises. In this post I’ll talk about simple plyometrics and strength building exercises and next week I’ll talk about more complex and traditional plyo’s.

A plyometric exercise is one in which your child, using his own body weight, forces his muscles to contract forcefully and quickly. Plyometrics help increase speed and power. Since I’m not an expert in the science of it, I’m going to refer you to a website which describes in detail what a plyometric is. http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/plyometrics.html. I don’t know much about the website, but I thought it had a good explanation.

No matter what your child decides to focus on there is almost always something that, although not directly related to the activity, can make him better. Plyometrics is one of those things and is ideal for any sport that requires speed, strength and power. In most sports you don’t bound across a field or jump like a frog, but doing those things will improve your child’s explosive speed and power. Granted, he may look a little silly doing them, but even the coolest kid will have a good time, even if he won’t admit it.

When I was in middle school we did a unit of relay races and games in gym class. It was the most fun I ever remember having in gym class. We had skipping races, crab walk races; the list goes on and on. I also remember being unbelievable sore the next day. I was flabbergasted and quite frankly a little embarrassed that I was that sore from kids games. What I didn’t know at the time was that a lot of the races we did were plyometrics, and as I would find out later on in my career they always made me unbelievably sore.

I don’t suggest starting off with the kind of plyometrics that involves jumping onto and off of boxes. If your child has never done this kind of thing before have him ease into it with some other plyometrics and strength building exercises. Below is a sample of some of my personal favorites.

The following exercises can be done in the following order up to two or three times a week. (three is a lot.) Make sure there is at least one day off in-between plyometric days, in most cases more is ideal. I suggest starting with once a week and building from there. You can alternate this set of exercises with the hill running workout, which I explain at the end of this post. The best thing about all of the following exercises is that they are effective and free. You don’t need to join a fancy gym; you can do them in your local park or incorporate them into your practices. I suggest doing them on grass.

Make sure your child warms up before he gets started.

Hopping

Have your child pace off 30-40 long strides. He can mark the beginning and end with his water bottle, jacket, cones, or whatever he has handy. Once he’s used to it he can increase the distance to 70 paces. Then have him hop the distance in one direction on his right foot and in the other direction with his left foot. Initially have him do this only once or twice and from there he can build up to three or four times. Tell him to focus on making each hop as high and far as he can. He can take a short rest between sets.

Skipping

Have your child pace off 30-40 long strides. He can mark the beginning and end with his water bottle, jacket, cones, or whatever he has handy. Once he’s used to it he can increase the distance to 70 paces. Then have him skip the distance focusing on skipping as fast as he can in contrast with bouncing high. Initially have him do this only once or twice and from there he can build up to four or five times. He can take a short rest between sets.

Bounding

Have your child pace off 30-40 long strides. He can mark the beginning and end with his water bottle and jacket, cones, or whatever he has handy. Once he’s used to it he can increase the distance to 70 paces. Bounding is a lot like skipping, but instead of focusing on a fast forward movement have your child focusing on skipping as high as he can with as much force as he can. Initially have him do this only once or twice and from there he can build up to four or five times. He can take a short rest between sets. Have him think about exploding off the ground every time he pushes off.

Duck Walks

Have your child pace off 10-15 long strides. He can mark the beginning and end with his water bottle, jacket, cones, or whatever he has handy. Once he’s used to it he can increase the distance. Have him squat down in a low squat. Then without standing, have him walk forward. His legs will swing forward out to the side resembling a duck walk. Make sure he keeps his back straight. Have him walk the distance two or three times. As he gets stronger he can add weight; a weight vest is a good way to accomplish this. An economical way is to fill a car inner tube with sand and drape it around his neck. That is what my first coach, Rich, had me do. He can take a short rest between sets.

Standing Jumps

Standing on a level surface have your child squat down and then jump up as high as he can. Encourage him to squat down and then jump up in one fluid motion. Remind him to use his arms by throwing them up over his head while he jumps. Have him start off with three jumps and he can increase it to as many as ten. He can take a short rest between sets.

**************************************

Running Hills

Running hills was a staple off season work out during my cycling career and had I been a rider who focused on the sprint events on the velodrome I’m sure I would have done it year round. Running hills will build your child’s leg strength and power. Have your child find a hill that is fairly steep and takes about 20 -30 seconds to run up. To start have your child run up the hill ten times, running up the hill and walking quickly down. As he gets used to it he can increase the amount of times and the intensity, eventually he’ll be sprinting up the hill. He can build up to as many as thirty times up the hill. I sometimes mix things up by repeating the following set over and over again: Hill one, run up at a fast pace, but not sprinting. Hill two, bound up, and hill three, sprints up. It helps keep things interesting.

These exercises are a lot of fun and will be a huge benefit to your child.

I’d like to give a special shout out to my first coach, Rich, who taught me a great deal, including introducing me to plyometrics. He made me understand what sore was! Thanks Rich!!!!!!!!!!!

For more information about me and my children’s books please visit www.erinmirabella.com.

Tags: cross training, plyometrics, power, speed, Training, workouts
Posted in Training | 1 Comment »

Cross Training

June 1st, 2010

Try This At Home……………………

Sit down with your child and help her make a list of all of the abilities and skills that are required to be successful in her sport. For example, for track cycling I’d have listed endurance, fast sprint, power, and maybe a few more. Next to each one have her write down which specific drills or workouts she does within her sport to address each item listed. For example, on my list I’d put long, easy five hour rides next to endurance. Next, for each item on her list, have her think of an alternative activity she could do to achieve the same goal. For example instead of doing sprints maybe she would do plyometrics. If she isn’t already doing some kind of cross training for her sport, have her choose one thing to try either during her upcoming season or off season.

************************************************

Practice makes perfect, and in most cases the best way for your child to become good at something is to do it a lot. Sometimes however your child may benefit from cross training, doing another activity that compliments her usual activity. For example a wrestler may run cross country to improve his endurance or lift weights to increase his speed and power. Cross training can be highly effective in helping your child achieve her full potential in sport; the benefits are both physical and mental.

Most sports are relatively unique and require a specific set of skills and abilities, but there are some basic, fundamental requirements that many sports share, and that is where cross training can be beneficial. For example, having good endurance and stamina is helpful in wrestling, cycling, running, swimming and cross country skiing. Likewise, strength and speed are required in weightlifting, wrestling and track sprinting. There is more than one way to improve your endurance, strength and speed and that is why athletes find cross training so beneficial.

Most people think about cross training as doing a different sport entirely, but your child may also be able to cross train within her sport. During my racing career I specialized in track cycling, which is bike racing done on a special bike track called a velodrome. (To read more about track racing visit http://momsteam.com/sports/cycling-track/-sport.) My events on the track were the points race and pursuit, the first being a half hour event with multiple sprints throughout and the second an approximately three and a half minute time trail against the clock. Neither were very long, but I spent most of my time cross training on the roads and road racing. I found that my endurance and ability to race well on the road directly correlated with my success on the track. What I gained from road racing enhanced my abilities on the track and helped me raise my game.

Cross Training is also a healthy mental break. Doing the same thing day in and day out is monotonous and boring. It is hard for your child to perform at her best when she is burnt out and sick of it. Cross training will allow your child to take a break from her sport without losing anything in the process. In fact, she may be making valuable gains.

Every sport is different and has different ideal cross training. Talk to other athletes and coaches within your child’s sport to find out what is the best cross training option for her. In the off season it’s okay for your child to do some cross training because it’s fun, not because it directly correlates to her sport. Swimming may not be the best cross training for a runner, but if she loves it, it won’t hurt her to do a little bit of it during her off season.

There is a time and place for cross training, but it isn’t always appropriate. There are certain times during a sport’s season when it is crucial for your child to be doing her sport. How much cross training your child does will depend on which sport she is focused on. Some sports allow for more of it than others. Cross training was one of my favorite parts of training. It was a nice break from my routine and good for me mentally and physically. Do the Try This At Home activity with your child and encourage her to talk with other athletes and coaches to find the best cross training for her sport. Next week I’ll blog about one of my personal favorite cross training workouts, Plyometrics. Stay tuned and tell a friend.

For more information on me or my children’s books please visit www.erinmirabella.com. Don’t forget, you can sign up to follow me and twitter and receive a message each time I update my blog. Click on the green twitter box on the right to follow me.

Tags: cross training, Sports, Training
Posted in Training | 1 Comment »