Stretching… A Non-Conformist Guide
March 8th, 2016 by Marie DershemAthletic Mentors Coach’s Corner: K-Wings to Raise Cash for Victims’ Families
February 24th, 2016 by Athletic MentorsAthletic Mentors invites you to support the K-Wings pro hockey team as it aims to raise cash to help victims of last weekend’s mass shooting. The Kalamazoo ECHL team is donating $2 from the proceeds of every ticket sold to its next home game March 5th against the Utah Grizzlies. In addition, arch rivals, the Toldeo Walleyes, have offered to donate $5,000 toward community outreach. (Get tickets here.)
In an emotional moment Sunday night at the regularly scheduled league game, the K-Wings and Walleyes stood together in remembrance of the eight victims in the random shootings perpetrated Saturday by a suspected area Uber driver.
“Our lives may never be the same,” said K-Wings director of sales Toni Daniels in a press release. “But we want to be able to provide the city of Kalamazoo an outlet—an opportunity for lives to feel normal.”
The K-Wings have set an organizational goal of $10,000 worth of donations that will be accumulated through ticket sales and auction items. In addition, the Toledo Walleye have pledged nearly $5,000, the Utica Comets of the AHL will be providing memorabilia to be auctioned for the fund on March 5 in Kalamazoo, and the ECHL have announced their plans to donate a portion of the jersey auction proceeds from the 2016 CCM/ECHL Hockey Heritage games, which were celebrated in Kalamazoo in early February. The ECHL will also be encouraging other member teams and their fans to do the same to support their fellow ECHL community.
Birkie 2016- A Physical, Technical Test
February 21st, 2016 by Kaitlyn PattersonSix Reasons Nordic is Hard, but Also Awesome
February 12th, 2016 by Kaitlyn Patterson–By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM Now skier and cyclist
Cross country skiing is a unique sport and as you get more immersed in the sport, the more quirks arise. For a bit of skiing enlightenment for curious onlookers, I made a list of some of the quirky parts of nordic skiing that make it an intriguing sport.
The challenge of mastering not just one, but two different techniques
Actually, master is a strong word. Most skiers are naturally better at one and often set up their priority races around that strength (at least mortals who are not professional skiers). Key workouts reflect the demands of important races so it can be easy to neglect improving the weaker technique. Some aspects transfer across techniques (strong double poling, weight transfer, cornering) but they are definitely each unique beasts.
Classic-(also known as striding, or kicking and gliding this is often more well-known in the general population)- Although classic skiing might be the easiest to learn, it is probably the hardest to master as there are a lot of technique subtleties that make it far from running on skis. Since there is a lot of double poling in classic races, athletes with strong upper bodies can have great potential, paddlers are an excellent example of this.
Freestyle: (also known as skating, it is similiar to a rollerblading or ice skating motion)- Skating is the faster technique but requires a wide, groomed trail. The technique definitely has a learning curve and is exhausting without technique. But when it is done well, it’s a beautiful thing.
Skiers need an engine, guns, and finesse
If an athlete have at least one these attributes in a sport, they can often be decent. But similiar to swimming, it is harder to get away faking any of them in skiing. Even if a skier has the highest VO2 max on the start line, if he flails around for a couple hours he won’t win. Or even come close. He will likely be mortified that there are people who look much older, bigger, less fit, have two X chromosomes, etc, who are beating him. By a lot.
On the other hand, good technique goes a long way but also takes time, patience and a good coach. Besides a strong aerobic system and technique, you also need to be strong. Skiing places huge demands on muscle groups that are often neglected like the core, shoulders, back and hips.
It helps to be part Eskimo and part physicist
Snow is never just snow. Eskimos have 50 words for snow and skiers essentially do the same thing, just likely not as eloquently. Differences in the snow will influence which glide wax to use to make skis faster or which kick wax to use on classic skis to allow for adequate kick up the hills.
Differences in air temperature, humidity, and how long the snow has been around are all factors in the structure of the snow and therefore how it interacts with the base of your ski. At recreational levels, using the temperature to pick which wax is just fine, but at the highest level (and budget) all these factors will come into play to select the fastest skis and wax.
As much as some people (like me) hate to admit that equipment matters, wax and skis are a huge factor in skiing and can make the difference between the race of your life and a terrible race, even with the same output from the athlete.
Unpredictable weather is a significant source of anxiety
Because of the importance of ski and wax selection in racing, the weather plays a huge factor. Weather forecasts are not necessarily known for their impeccable accuracy and when a race is riding on it, this can be a stressful state of affairs. Similar anxiety strikes with especially weird weather or drastic temperature changes over the course of the race.
For example, a conversation en route to a race watching the thermometer on the car might sound like this. “It’s too cold, it wasn’t supposed to be this cold. We should have used X-cold powder. Think we will have time to rewax when we get there? Why can’t they ever get it right?!”
Marathons require ninja fueling skills.
Ever try handling a cylindrical object with 5 foot sticks strapped to your hands while traveling at 10+ miles per hour at 80-90% max HR? Enough said. Fueling requires practice and attention to logistical challenges. Bottles freeze, camelbak hoses freeze and cold gels change from semisolids to solids. Solutions include insulated bottles, awesome friends or family willing to do bottle handoffs, and practice with a drink belt and gels that remain accessible. (Powergels are best at maintaining consistency when cold)
Skiing easy demands skiing verrry sloooowly
Since it is such a full-body, demanding activity, it can be hard to ski easy enough to be considered recovery. It can be done, but is easier alone and if necessary not uploaded to Strava (check out Elaine’s blog post on that topic!)
Although it might sound like an overly technical and intimidating sport, cross country skiing can be an accessible and enjoyable form of cross training, recreation or competition. The quirky technicalities of the sport at higher levels are fun to some but are not a barrier to enjoying the woods at any speed.
The post Six Reasons Nordic is Hard, but Also Awesome appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.
Deep Sleep: What is it and how to get more of it.
February 8th, 2016 by Cheryl SherwoodBy, Elizabeth Kayfish, Athletic Mentors Coach
Deep sleep, also known as slow wave sleep, is the combination of stage 3 and 4 of your sleep cycle. During this time your body is calm and has no muscle or eye movements2. This type of restorative, restful sleep
comes right
before your REM cycle, and getting a good dose of deep sleep is important because tissue repair is at its fastest during this time4. Many people who find themselves not feeling rested after the night have missed
out on the essential deep sleep. Although the hormones responsible for this type of sleep lessen as you get older, research studies have found a few alternatives to increase your time in this stage4. Here are so tips so you can feel a little more refreshed in the morning!
- Stay away from the alcoholic beverages before bed to ensure you reach your full sleep potential. Alcohol, which often tends to make one fall asleep fast, prevents deep sleep from occurring2.
- Exercise is the cure all! Several studies have shown that exercising, both anaerobically and aerobically, can increase the amount of time you are in deep sleep. A good workout and an a
ctive lifestyle can promote deep sleep length; just be sure not to exercise too close to bedtime4. - Have some naturally scented lavender soaps, lotions, candles and/ or oils around before bed. Sensory therapy, like aromatherapy, has been shown to improve one’s night rest. A recent study showed increases in the percentage of deep sleep in a night after the use of lavender oils3.
- Keep the carbohydrates light at dinner and before bed. Studies have shown that compared to a carbohydrate heavy meal 4 hours before bed, a very light carbohydrate meal increased the percentage of time in deep sleep cycles1.
- Try to eliminate stressors throughout your day and before bed. You cannot control the age-related factor of decreasing deep sleep with age, but you can create a stress-free environment before you go to sleep to counter the effect. Try to have a regular pre-bedtime schedule and unwind with a bath, book, or soothing music5.
References
- Afaghi, A., O’Connor, H., and Chow, C.H. (2008). Acute effects of the very low carbohydrate diet on sleep indices. Nutr. Neurosci. 11: 146-154.
- Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2016, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm
- Goel, N., Hyungsoo, K., and Lao, R.P. (2005). An olfactory stimulus modifies nighttime sleep in young men and women. Chronobiology International: The Journal of Biological and Medical Rhythm Research, 22, 5. DOI: 10.1080/07420520500263276
- Sleepdexorg. (2016). Sleepdexorg. Retrieved January 31, 2016, from http://www.sleepdex.org/deep.htm
- The Mysterious Benefits of Deep Sleep. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleepless-in-america/201010/the-mysterious-benefits-deep-sleep
Team OAM NOW XC Ski Clinic- It Really Did Snow This Year!
February 4th, 2016 by Kaitlyn PattersonJanuary Michigan Cup Racing Highlights
February 1st, 2016 by Kaitlyn PattersonAthletic Mentors has moved to a new and permanent home!
January 19th, 2016 by Cheryl SherwoodAfter month’s of long days and hard work, Athletic Mentors has finally moved to a new home. We are grateful to our clients for tolerating the short comings of our past facility where we planted our feet for the past 4 years. The new location will enable us to continue to do all that we do, even better. We will continue to offer high performance training and coaching while also reaching out to all levels of ability to introduce more people to the joy of sport and healthy lifestyle
We’ll ask everyone to “pardon our dust” as we finish renovation of our new yoga room and classroom. Phase 2 of our the project will include construction of new locker rooms and showers. In the meantime, our clients will enjoy that they no longer need gloves to touch the dumbbells in the winter months (current and past customers know what I mean). Parents will find a very comfortable and warm lobby with internet access, should they choose to wait while their athletes train.
The new facility can be found at 8610 North 32nd Street in Richland (just around the corner from our old location). We don’t have a sign yet so look for the Athletic Mentors flag. We are between Rogers Heating and Cooling and the Dentist office on the east side of 32nd Street.
Nutrition Tips to Live By
January 19th, 2016 by ErinCommercials, magazine articles, and even food labels can make it difficult to make healthy choices. Being healthy is really quite simple. It doesn’t come in a box or a pill. It doesn’t have to cost extra for supplements, vitamins and expensive “healthy” snack bars. Being healthy isn’t gluten free, fat free and tasteless. Being healthy is a habit! It is having knowledge to make smart choices. Read on to discover the simple truth. Educate yourself on healthy habits that provide will you with energy and good health!
- Clean eating
It’s no secret that the line between food and food-like substances have, somewhere along the way, become blurred. Food-like substances have become sneakier and sneakier in their attempt to confuse us into buying into this notion that something made in a machine is also made for our body. When it comes to food, simply put, simple is best. Diets high in processed, prepackaged foods are synonymous with a diet high in sodium, refined sugar, and saturated fats. True clean eating would be eating nothing processed. This proves difficult in the modern era but we can strive for making as much of our diet as whole food as possible. Start this challenge off right by incorporating more whole foods into your diet. Limiting prepacked meals, most convenience snacks, and food that comes from a drive through window are all ways to help this process again! - Frequency and quantity
Even the cleanest eating could lead to weight gain. How? Too much, too little, too often, or too infrequent. While the QUALITY of what we eat matters so greatly, so does the amount and timing of our meals and snacks as well. Consider the following: when building a fire you hope to last all night, is it best to throw ALL logs and kindling in to start or is it best to feed the flames intermittently? For those we’ve never spent time around a campfire, you’re best fire comes from a continual fueling – this is what keeps a steady burn going. When it comes to our body, if we eat infrequently our body is much more likely to store some of these nutrients as fats, not to mention it does a number on our insulin and hormones levels! Additionally, if we eat – say once a day – for most people that is likely to be one BIG meal leaving another reason our body stores extra calories stored as fat. Think about it from the body’s perspective: “we haven’t eaten in hours! I’m starving, let’s keep eating! Oh… we better hang on to some of this in storage in case we don’t eat for a long time again!” So, the best way to fuel your own fire is to eat smaller portions and eat consistently. Aim for every 3-5 hours for the best metabolism, energy, and insulin level regulation. - Hydration Station“You’re nothing but a bag of dirty water.” This is a phrase no less than 50 times a semester during my subsequent anatomy and physiology courses. My professor repeated this over and over again with clear and successful intentions of making this phrase stick permanently and refers to the amount of water making up our body – roughly 2/3rds!! Now knowing this can help complete the understanding of just how important water is to our body. Imagine our body as a swimming pool… Now imagine that this pool water was never changed, leaving the filters to become clogged over time, and leaving debris and algae to build up across the water and the lining. This is, loosely, what happens to our own system when we dehydrate ourselves. Even 2% (!!) dehydration can cause impaired mental and physical performance. It is said we should drink 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water a day, or 2 liters, or a half a gallon. HOWEVER, if you are sick, working out, pregnant or nursing, or if the temperature has gone up this amount becomes higher.
- The power of green (PSA about fruits and veggies) There is a reason your mother always told you to eat your fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies pack a nutritious punch and yet they do not contain a lot of calories. They are what we call “nutrient dense” foods and they are fantastic for you. Fruits and veggies contain heavy amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber, enzymes and co-enzymes. Enzymes is the word used to describe something that helps speed up a process in the body; in other words, fruits and veggies help our body do the things it needs to do with less energy. This is one reason we feel more awake from an apple than from a cookie. Fruit does yield more of a glycemic response in the body, so aim to get more veggies than fruits everyday striving to make one of these vegetables servings some type of leafy green.There is a reason your mother always told you to eat your fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies pack a nutritious punch and yet they do not contain a lot of calories. They are what we call “nutrient dense” foods and they are fantastic for you. Fruits and veggies contain heavy amounts of vitamins, minerals, fiber, enzymes and co-enzymes. Enzymes is the word used to describe something that helps speed up a process in the body; in other words, fruits and veggies help our body do the things it needs to do with less energy. This is one reason we feel more awake from an apple than from a cookie. Fruit does yield more of a glycemic response in the body, so aim to get more veggies than fruits everyday striving to make one of these vegetables servings some type of leafy green.
- Beware of the Bubbles…In our quest for better health, we often focus on what we chew and cook forgetting that our liquor calories can be the fat storing culprit as well. A diet could be spectacular in all other ways except for drinks. Poor drink choices even in combination with a healthy diet can cause weight gain, increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and/or metabolic disease, and loss of energy. Sadly enough, our nation’s number one source of carbohydrates is POP. This is most startling and concerning considering soda contains NO beneficial nutrients and can contain upwards of 50 grams of sugar for one sitting. Let’s see at 4 calories a gram that is 200 calories of nothing good! Pop is not the only questionable drink. Juices, sports drinks, alcohol, and even “fruit” smoothies can rack up the calories and decrease our overall health when not consumed in moderation. I cannot, even in moderation, condone pop consumption and I urge you to consider cutting back or stopping altogether if you’re currently consuming regular soda drinks. As mentioned above, water is the absolute perfect beverage for our bodies! I understand this can get a little dull for some; try drinking mineral or soda water with a splash of juice or fresh slices of oranges, limes, and lemons. Refreshing and alkalizing for our body!
- Myths part 1 Carbs are bad: The critics of carbs, such as Atkins and South Beach, make the claim that carbohydrates cause weight gain, and by excluding them you can lose weight. Well, that can be true, cut out all carbohydrates and you will undoubtedly lose weight. You will also lose muscle as your body shifts into an acidic state called ketosis. In this state, the body begins to eat its own muscle stores to use for fuel. Muscle is NOT meant a fuel source, so this is both inefficient and dangerous for our body. It also decreases our overall metabolism, as protein is more thermogenic – meaning it uses fuel more efficiently. The other factor to consider with weight loss from extremely low carbs is that it is not permanent or sustainable, meaning as soon the person goes back to consuming carbohydrates their weight comes back with it (and sometimes even more).
- Myths part 2 Fats are bad: Truly, fats get a bad reputation due to their high calorie to gram ratio (9:1 vs carbohydrates and fats at 4:1). Fats, however, as we already know are VITAL to our being. The line our cell membrane which make up our very being – cells are of course our most basic human building block! Fat keeps our organs safe and they keep our body warmer (a handy trick in the dead of winter). Fats also help slow digestion and are necessary for absorption of our vitamin A, D, E, and K. Last but not least, fats add flavor to our food! So diets programs or “diet foods” that boast about having no fat or having had the fat removed must find a different way to bring flavor to their product. This is usually done by adding more chemicals and/or more sugar. You are MUCH better off enjoying a moderate, healthy consumption of fats then trying to remove all fats from the diet.
- Eating on the go The number one tip I have for eating on the go is to plan ahead. Leave “emergency” snacks stored away in the car. A ziplock baggy of dried fruit and nuts or a stashed granola bar does wonders in preventing that unnecessary pit stop at the drive through on the way home. If you know you will be traveling, take a moment to consider the amount of time you will be in transit and whether or not a meal will be provided for you during some of this time. Make it a goal to eat about every 2.5-4 hours while you’re traveling, and plan accordingly as you pack your snacks. If you find yourself in a situation where you need (or want) to indulge in the on the go dining options then stick to some simple tips. Avoid fried foods, sub veggies for the normal sides where possible, and avoid heavy sauces or dressings. Almost all popular restaurants and fast food places have calorie and nutrition facts available online, so when in doubt, check your options before you bite in.
- What to do, what to do – In ten weeks, you’ve taken in a lot of information. Maybe a lot was review or maybe a lot of this was new. Either way, what we know is only PART of the process, right? It’s up to you to apply it! Our diet impacts SO much of how we feel day to day; so much of our energy levels and our overall health comes back to nutrition. Nutrition really is one of our best medicines… Below are some quick review tips:
- Keep diet as simple as possible. Avoid eating food items with lengthy, complicated ingredient lists
- Avoid long stretches of time without eating anything. These stretches tend to lend to overeating and poorer food choices.
- A healthy diet contains a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Start by tracking protein first.
- Water is ESSENTIAL for life. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere – you’ll be much more likely to sip often.
- Fruits and veggies are your friends. Add 1-3 more servings of veggies into your weekly routine, making one of these servings a leafy green.
- If you currently drink soda, I strongly encourage you to stop or to limit your consumption. Replace one sugary drink a week with a glass of water.
- Ignore the claims of weight loss from removing carbs and stick to the facts: carbohydrates are necessary and completely healthy for our bodies and minds. Stick to whole grains, fruits, and vegetables for the best sources.
- Again, ignore the claim that fat free food is a good thing. Some things are naturally fat-free and that’s great but some things are MEANT to have fat in them and that’s great too. Fats add value to our health and flavor to our plates. Stick to unsaturated sources, particularly Omega-3 oils!
- Plan ahead as much as possible for eating on the go. When this fails, stick to the basic and avoid the fried foods while you’re out. Your body will thank you!
Nordic Immersion- Watching, Writing, and Racing
January 13th, 2016 by Kaitlyn PattersonMichigan Tech did an amazing job hosting the event with limited snow and skiers from all over the U.S. and Canada converged in Houghton. I enjoy watching races almost as much as I enjoy competing and I got to see some great battles. I also had a chance to meet some really impressive, down to earth athletes and coaches including another Caitlin Patterson of the nordic ski world who had a great weekend and won both distance races (together we confuse a lot of people). Our hotel was filled with skiers making for a fun and quirky place to hang out. Basically the week could be best described as doing quirky things in a quirky place with quirky people. And it was great.
On my “days off” from race reporting I got to enjoy some of the best skiing in the Midwest at the Michigan Tech trails. We also had amazing weather with temps between 15 and 30 degrees and a couple days of sunshine! Finally the day of the mass start freestyle event arrived. It was a great field and I was excited to watch the race up front and see what Alex could do. The day didn’t disappoint with an impressive win by Tad Elliott who came back from a rough couple years battling mono and Epstein-Barr virus. Alex moved up from starting position 76 to finish 43rd against a talented field of collegiate and professional athletes. After watching races all week and feeling great skiing, I was itching to race. Alex planned on racing the 42k event at the SISU Ski Fest in Ironwood two days after his 30k. After working out some logistics, I decided I could join him and return to Houghton to wrap up U.S. Nats reporting. Ironwood is a small, old mining town on the border of Wisconsin with strong Finnish history. Everyone is incredibly friendly and the town rolls out the red carpet for racers including traditional stew and pasties at the “Finnish” line. Hundreds of snow-deprived skiers from across the Midwest arrived excited for the new snow and great racing conditions. The course wound through the ABR trail system before heading north to finish in downtown Ironwood. Both Alex and I started in the elite wave and after narrowly avoiding a pileup in the first 100 meters, we were off! I settled in a train of guys along with the one other female. It was great to be racing again but I noticed pretty early in the race that I had underestimated the stress of skiing and working all week. I attempted to ski relaxed but the spent too much time accelerating and trying to pass other racers on the narrow trail. At about 30k, the first female took off and by the time I passed the racer in between us and began chasing, she was out of sight. I had also fallen behind in my fuel intake and sat in the back of the train to regroup. I was able to rally but it was a bit too little, too late and I finished second- just over a minute off the lead. The winner was Jan Guenther, an accomplished skier and triathlete who also owns Gear West- the biggest nordic ski shop in the U.S. Meanwhile, Alex was fighting a much tighter battle for the win against Matt Leibsch. Matt is one of the top cross country racers in the country with a previous Birkie win and a two top-10 results at U.S. Nationals this week. Alex and Matt dropped the field early and despite Matt’s efforts to drop him, Alex was skiing strong and it became apparent it would come down to the finishing kick. Matt overtook Alex the last kilometer to win by just 18 seconds. It was a great two races for Alex and a testament to his off-season training and potential for the season. It was an epic week for both of us and I’m excited that winter has finally arrived in Traverse City so we can train and race! The OAM Nordic Team will be back in action this Saturday, January 16 for the Cote Dame Marie in Grayling, right in the backyard of our ski shop sponsor- Cross Country Ski Shop! Results for U.S. Nationals 30k freestyle Results for SISU Ski Fest The post Nordic Immersion- Watching, Writing, and Racing appeared first on Team Athletic Mentors.