sports science, research, training and performance

February 2010 Blog Posts (12)

Look what I found to help me out.

Can You Gain Muscle and Burn Fat at the Same Time?

-- By Jon Benson, Author of "7 Minute Muscle" 

Many fitness pros just plain don't believe that you can burn fat while building muscle at the same time. Every time I read an article by some doctor or expert claiming it's "biologically impossible" to gain muscle on a hypocaloric diet (a diet low in calories) I just laugh.  I do more than make claims - I have proved this to be true many times. I've had my body fat…

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Added by Chris S. on February 28, 2010 at 2:37pm — No Comments

5 swimming drills to help you unlock your full potential

Having good technique is the key to developing a more efficient swim stroke and drills are the key to good technique. You need to do drills regularly to see significant improvement in technique and the best way to ensure that you do them consistently is to build them into your warm-up or warm-down programme. If you train with a club, you will also experience many coaches incorporating drills into specific main set sessions.

Here are 5 swimming drills to help you unlock your full… Continue

Added by PB Swimming Editor on February 26, 2010 at 9:08am — No Comments

Preparation for open water swimming

Many triathletes find swimming in open water a nerve racking experience involving poor visibility, waves, currents, cooler temperatures and the hustle of mass starts. As a result, it’s not uncommon for athletes to experience anxiety or panic. Open water does take some getting used to but here are three tips to ensure your transition from pool to open water is a smooth one.

Practise

Sounds so… Continue

Added by PB Swimming Editor on February 22, 2010 at 6:00pm — No Comments

4 training principles to underpin consistent running performance

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of different advice proffered by fellow runners and written about in magazines & on the web. With so many sessions and programmes out there, many runners end up over complicating their training.

So remember, you won’t go too far wrong by sticking with the basics and focusing on just four key principles that should form the backbone of your training plan throughout the year. Tailor them according to your goals and distance you… Continue

Added by PB Running Editor on February 21, 2010 at 11:00am — No Comments

Guide to training zones for endurance athletes

Training zones allow you to structure training in the most effective manner to ensure that you successfully reach your objectives. There are 4 methods commonly used for incorporating training zones into your weekly training schedule, these are heart rate, pace (running), power (cycling) and perceived effort

1.… Continue

Added by PB Triathlon Editor on February 17, 2010 at 11:21am — No Comments

Focus on caffeine

Most commonly drunk in coffee, tea and soft drinks, caffeine is used around the world by athletes to improve their alertness, concentration, reaction time and focus. Found naturally in leaves, nuts and seeds of various plants, caffeine is not on the WADA list of prohibited substances and does not dehydrate you when taken before or during exercise.

Caffeine has been found to help improve performance in both short and long endurance events, as well as short, high intensity intermittent… Continue

Added by Sports Science Editor on February 14, 2010 at 12:30pm — No Comments

5 Tips to increase power and strength

1.Train regularly with weights

Incorporate some weight training into your weekly athletic training programme. Ideally 2-3 times per week in a build up phase pre-season, reducing back to a maintenance phase (1-2 times a week) during the race season. Each session should last between 30-45 minutes.

2.Fuel your workouts

If you’re training hard, you need enough carbohydrate to… Continue

Added by Sports Science Editor on February 11, 2010 at 5:12pm — No Comments

Constant pacing may not always be the best cycling strategy

Correct pacing strategy is critical for successful race performance and a variety of methods are used by competitors. These range from starting fast and trying to sustain, starting easy and building to produce the elusive ‘negative split’ or attempting to hold an even pace for the event duration. Some people attack hills on the bike and ‘coast’ down the other side, other prefer to back off on the hills and save their energy for the flatter sections. There are key variables that dictate the best… Continue

Added by Sports Science Editor on February 9, 2010 at 11:00am — 1 Comment

Aerodynamics, what a drag

For successful time trialling, finding an aerodynamic position is absolutely essential. If you train hard to improve your performance and then fail to exploit your aero opportunities, you are throwing away vital minutes. There is a common belief that unless you are riding at 25-30mph, aerodynamics are pointless, but research does not support this theory.

I ride slow, is all this relevant?

Enhancing aerodynamics will save you a ‘specific… Continue

Added by PB Cycling Editor on February 8, 2010 at 12:30pm — No Comments

4 energy and recovery tips

1. Fuel your training

Anyone doing a high volume of training needs to feed their body with enough carbohydrate to fuel their workouts, sufficient protein to help with muscle repair and recovery and essential fats necessary to maintain good health. It’s generally recommended that the three primary food groups are consumed in the following proportions: 50-60% carbohydrate, 20-25% protein and fat. If you’re training over long distances/times, you're best… Continue

Added by PB Triathlon Editor on February 6, 2010 at 7:00pm — No Comments

Does muscle efficiency improve year on year with consistent training?

It is commonly believed amongst athletes that once you have several years of training under your belt, it’s much easier to maintain your fitness and perform at a higher level. We commonly see athletes gaining success after many years of competition as if there may well be a physiological maturation or long term change essential for success. Certainly, it appears that athletes with several years of training and racing to their name are more able to take time off due to injury and return to the… Continue

Added by Sports Science Editor on February 4, 2010 at 8:00pm — No Comments

Taking a break

We get regular requests for winter training programmes to start almost as soon as the current season is done and these usually lead to prolonged discussions between coach and athlete about the benefits of an end of season break.

I can understand why, when you have a had a great season, you would want to hold on to the fitness that you have achieved but please take a moment to consider the following statement:

"The next step after a peak is always down"

One of… Continue

Added by PB Triathlon Editor on February 2, 2010 at 9:08am — No Comments

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