Ron Lugbill Whitewater Slalom Racing Blog

Ultra-Short Race Pace Training

There is a movement in the competitive swimming world called Ultra-Short Race Pace Training.  A sports physiologist, Brent Rushall developed the program and wrote about it:

http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/RacePaceSwimming.html

Traditionally, swimmers have done lots of volume.  Many thousands of yards of low intensity work.  However, Rushall states that the technique is different for different paces.  If you are training for a 50 meter race, the technique is different than if you are training for 500 meters.  He says you need to train at the pace you race at in order to train the proper technique.

He says the best way to do this is to do ultra-short intervals of less than 15 seconds.  Not all-out, as in sprint training.  But race pace.  And also unlike sprint training, the rest periods are short- 20 seconds or so.  For example, 10 seconds at race pace, then 20 seconds rest.  Repeat many, many times.  40 or 60 or up to 100 times. 

With ultra-short intervals, you don't get so tired, so you can keep repeating them.  The idea is to get the maximum amount of training you can at race pace.  If the intervals are longer, such as 1 or 2 minutes, your body will get much more fatigued and you can't do as much work at race pace.

He also advises not to do dryland strength training, a staple among competitive swimmers.  But he is right in saying that while the research supports this for many other sports, such as running or ball sports, the research doesn't really support dryland resistance training for swimming. 

He says that the running research doesn't apply to swimming because the nature of swimming is different.  In running and ball sports, you have to deal with gravity and hard impacts on your body.  In swimming, your body is supported by the water.  Also, in running, there is no slippage when your foot strikes the ground.  In swimming, there is a great deal of slippage when you pull your arm through the water.  Also, in swimming, the upper body is paramount, whereas in running, it's the lower body that is more important.

He is not a coach, but an exercise physiologist who looked at what the research was saying and found a big disconnect between the research and what swimmers were doing in their training.  But some top swim programs, such as USC have adopted forms of Rushall's program with good results.  It's too early at this point for there to be much published research comparing performance with this technique, since Rushall just wrote his paper in 2013 and people are only starting to apply it.

Remember, this is not specialized speed training.  It's not done at top speed.  It's done at race pace.  And the rest intervals are short.  It's not intended to be a small part of the program or only done at certain times of the year.  It's meant to be the main part of the program year-round.

Here is a link to the article:

http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/RacePaceSwimming.html  

strength and conditioning workout

Strength and Conditioning Workout

Here is a sample strength and conditioning workout you can do to work on speed and power.

3 sets.   Repetitions = 5.    1- 2 minutes rest.  Don't do more than 5 repetitions.  I am aware that you can do more, but this plan is for speed and power, not endurance.  So, you should go fast and only 5 repetitions. 

These exercises work 4 movements- pushing, pulling, jumping and abs.

Do these exercises with perfect technique- without technical flaws, but fast.

1. Warm-up. 3- 4 minutes.  Here is a link with a couple of warm-up exercises.  Choose which exercises you want to do.  http://www.xlathlete.com/xl/export/drill_sheet_Dynamic%20Warm%20Up%20For%20Sport%201_1395277235956.pdf

 

       2. Push-ups.   Repetitions = 5 very fast.  3 sets.  1 minute rest between sets.

 

       3. Inverted rows. fast.  repetitions = 5.  1 minute rest.  3 sets.

       4. Alternate scissors hops.  5 repetitions.  Very high.  3 sets.  1 minute rest. http://xlathlete.com/view_exercise2.jsp?exercise_id=1430

       5. Clap push-ups.  5 repetitions.  3 sets.  1 minute rest.  http://xlathlete.com/view_exercise2.jsp?exercise_id=1430

       6. Abs.  Do each exercise once.   Just 1 set.  Repetitions= ?.   1 minute rest.  Here are the links: 

 

       Alternating push-up bridge.  http://xlathlete.com/view_exercise2.jsp?exercise_id=390

 

       Cobra http://xlathlete.com/view_exercise2.jsp?exercise_id=349

 

       Cross-over crunch.  http://xlathlete.com/view_exercise2.jsp?exercise_id=348

 

       Forward walking plank.  http://xlathlete.com/view_exercise2.jsp?exercise_id=3583

 

       7. Sprints.  Run very fast.  5 sets. 40 yards.  2 minutes rest.

 

        8. Stretching- slow.  yoga-type exercises.  Example:

 

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxsQr7YOq7o 

sample speed training plan

Sample Speed Training Plan

Here is a sample training plan for a month working on speed.  This may or may not fit with your particular situation.  I designed it for an athlete who has good technique and experience, but was lacking in speed. 

This plan is for working on short courses (twice per week), high speed (twice per week), and strength-conditioning (twice per week).  All training is done fast.  If you can't do a run fast, it's better to just stop than to practice with poor form or slowly.

Monday- morning- active rest (slow jogging, hot shower, yoga)

Monday- afternoon- courses from 10 to 20 seconds long.  40 repetitions.   1 minute rest.    Very fast.

Tuesday- morning-   active rest

Tuesday afternoon- courses from 20 to 30 seconds long.  20 repetitions.  1- 2 minutes rest.  Fast.

Wednesday- morning- active rest

Wednesday- afternoon- strength and conditioning training

Thursday- morning- active rest

Thursday- afternoon- courses from 10 to 20 seconds long.  40 repetitions.  1 minute rest.  Very fast.

Friday- morning- active rest.

Friday- afternoon- rest.

Saturday- morning- active rest.

Saturday- afternoon-  20 to 30 second courses.  1- 2 minutes rest.   Very fast.  20 repetitions.

Sunday- morning- active rest.

Sunday- afternoon- strength and conditioning training.

bulgarian weight lifting training

Bulgarian Weight Lifting Training

In the Olympic weightlifting world, the Bulgarians are famous for their innovative training methods.  A very small country came to dominate the world of Olympic weight lifting through new and different training techniques.  Here is an article about their approach:

http://www.theironsamurai.com/2010/05/23/the-secret-to-bulgarian-training-in-olympic-weightlifting/

The Bulgarians just concentrated on a few lifts in their training, the snatch, the clean and jerk and the front squat.  And they lifted heavy, frequently maxing out, and usually going over 90% of their max.  Yes, they were on steroids, but so were most Olympic lifters of the era.  And they lifted a lot- many workouts per day and they trained 6 days per week. 

But they only did one or two reps per set.  High intensity training.  And they competed frequently.  And they did a lot of recovery techniques- massage, ice baths, supplements, etc. 

I do not recommend that you lift weights like this.  It will wear you out quickly.  It is meant for someone who has years of training and has built up to this type of training and is training full-time and does not work. 

But, you might be able to use some of the principles of Bulgarian training in your whitewater paddling.  First, specificity.  The Bulgarians used the Olympic lifts, rather than various other types of lifts because that was what their competition was about.  And they lifted heavy because their competition was about lifting heavy.  And they did one or sometimes two reps, but not more, because their sport was not about who could do it ten times, but who can lift the most weight.

Second, they concentrated on recovery techniques.  Because of the high intensity, it is very easy to burn out on this type of training, so they used recovery techniques, such as massage, ice baths and herbs and supplements to enhance their recovery. 

Third, they did frequent competitions and frequent competition simulation.  Thus, they were ready for the real thing.  It wasn't something new or different when they competed.  They did it all the time.  So, when it came time for the Olympics, they just did the same thing they always did.

Fourth, they dedicated their lives to the sport.  You can do pretty well in Olympic lifting by only lifting 3 times per week.  But they weren't looking to do pretty well.  They wanted to win at the Olympics.  They were looking for every advantage.  So, they lived and breathed their sport and had no distractions.  Except for their training, they had little stress in their lives and could concentrate on their sport.

The Bulgarian method is a different approach than many are used to.  It may not work for all people.  It was developed when they were using steroids, which helped in recovery, so they could do a larger workload.  But it is an approach that some top athletes can learn something from.  Paddle hard on race-like conditions and do it often and use recovery techniques in between workouts.  Here is the link to the article:

http://www.theironsamurai.com/2010/05/23/the-secret-to-bulgarian-training-in-olympic-weightlifting/ 

ultra short interval training

Ultra Short Interval Training

Here is an article about ultra-short interval training, using intervals of less than 10-15 seconds for swimming sprint training:  http://coachsci.sdsu.edu/swim/bullets/ultra28.htm

Many people think of short intervals as producing lactic acid and see longer training as producing less lactate in the muscles.  However, if the intervals are very short- less than 10 or 15 seconds, the body doesn't produce much lactate.  It's longer intervals of 1-3 minutes where the body produces a great deal of lactate.

So, you can train fast, at or faster than race pace for 10-15 seconds with little lactate production.   If you do a short rest and repeat many times, you can get in a lot of specific training without being exhausted, as you would if you were doing longer intervals of 1-3 minutes length.

Specificity is an important training principle.  Your training should be at or near race pace most of the time for it to be effective. 

However, in our sport, doing very short training is sometimes difficult because you want to do gate sequences, and anything less than 10-15 seconds is about 2 or 3 gates.  We often do this type of work in the winter in the pool, or on easy whitewater gate sequences.

You can do this as an entire workout, doing lots and lots of short courses, or just do 10 or 12 intervals at the beginning of a workout.  Speed training should not be done at the end of a workout when you are exhausted, but at the beginning of a workout when you are fresh.   Here is the link to the article:

http://coachsci.sdsu.edu/swim/bullets/ultra28.htm

is your training effective?

Is Your Training Effective?

I generally try to have some research basis for my blog posts.  However, often the research just doesn't exist or is not exactly on point.  Here is an article that will help you evaluate whether the type of training you are doing is effective or not:

http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/training-activities-for-athletes-the-logical-steps-to-determine-their-value-pa

The author of the article states that there are basically 3 functions to training: 1. strength development. 2. conditioning. and 3. skill development.  The author is frequently critical of unproven and unstudied types of training.  Examples might include general balance or vision drills, some supplements, and the latest gizmo or training apparatus that is touted by some company or personal trainer.

You could be wasting your time or money doing some of these things, rather than doing things that we know work.  Actually practicing your sport under race-like conditions is one example of something we know works.  Perfecting your technique is something we know that works. 

He brings up the point that sometimes, doing something that we think would make sense, such as throwing a weighted ball to improve strength in throwing, actually doesn't work and may harm technique.  Something very similar to your sport, but just a little different may require different technique or timing or speed, and training for this very similar activity may actually hurt your technique.  It's counter-intuitive, but general strength training is probably better than strength training that tries to mimick paddling, but is actually a little different.

Some of the gizmos or sports paraphernalia that are promoted may be useful for athletes who have been injured and are recovering and trying to regain their strenth or general physical abilities.  However, for a healthy athlete who is simply trying to get better at his sport, these activities may not make sense and could be simply a waste of time.  The time might be better spent practicing your sport than throwing a medicine ball on top of a swiss ball, for example.

I am all for innovation.  And any new technique is not going to have research support for it.  The researchers are usually behind the athletes.  But I think there is a distinction between fads and innovation.  If everyone else is doing it but it is new and doesn't have research supporting it, it's not an innovation, it's a fad.  If it has research support behind it, it's not a fad.

There are actually 5 parts to the article and this should help you better evaluate your own training to see if it is the most effective.  That's what this blog is about- making your training more effective.  Read and enjoy:

http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-conditioning/training-activities-for-athletes-the-logical-steps-to-determine-their-value-pa 

polarized training

Polarized Training

Polarized training refers to alternating between doing training at high intensity and doing training at low intensity, without doing much or any medium intensity work.  Here is a link to a summary of a study where they had different groups of athletes doing different types of training, low-intensity, high-intensity, anaerobic-threshhold training, and polarized training:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2014/10/polarized-training-update.html

Part of the reason that the polarized training works well is that you are fresher for the high intensity sessions.  The low intensity sessions work essentially as active recovery so you recover from the high intensity work and are fresh and able to go fast at the high-intensity sessions.

However, for slalom racing, I do not advocate doing low-intensity sessions on gates, such as doing slow loops.  It's better in my opinion to do straight-ahead paddling for low-intensity sessions, since if you do gate, you might be learning the wrong techniques.  There are techniques for going fast and techniques for going slow, and the slow paddling might interfere with your gate technique.

I prefer doing the low-intensity work out of the boat, such as slow jogging.  Running or cycling or swimming use larger muscles groups in the legs and buttocks and entire body and therefore do more in terms of getting the blood circulating.  Also, it's a real rest from paddling so you are fresh and ready to go for the next hard session.

But the mistake most people make is to go too hard on the low-intensity days.  They make it into a medium-intensity workout.  Then, they don't get adequate rest and they aren't as fresh for the next high-intensity workout.

Not many people train using polarized training.  Some do all high volume, low intensity training.  Others do lots of medium-intensity training.  Some do all fast training.  It may vary depending upon each individual.  But there is some research to support the concept of alternating between doing high-intensity training and low-intensity training and avoiding medium-intensity workouts.

Here is a link to the article about polarized training:

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2014/10/polarized-training-update.html  

early diversification better than early specialization

Early Diversification Better Than Early Specialization

Some parents want their children to be prodigies, and feel that this will get them a leg up on their competition by specializing in one sport early.  Instead of early specialization in one sport, it's better for the youngster to learn lots of different sports in their pre-pubscent years.  Here is a link on the topic:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130423172601.htm

Rather than just paddling all the time, children should be encouraged to learn a variety of sports and movements.  If they have a base of lots of different sports, new movements will come easier.

Some people misinterpret this to mean that the child should have a large base of aerobic, cyclical training, such as going for long distance bike rides or runs every day.  However, the movements are very limited, rather than being multi-faceted.  Running and biking are great exercise and good for kids, but if they are done exclusively for long periods, the child might be missing out on other movements, such as in sports like basketball, soccer, tennis or gymnastics, where the movements are varied. 

Learning a variety of movements is important because then a child can later pick up new movements more easily.  And some of the play should be free play or play with other children so that the child can experiment with movement, and not always be told what to do.  However, instruction in proper technique in sports is important, but there should also be a fun aspect to sports.

Children should be exposed to a variety of sports and play sports they enjoy, but doing just one sport year-round intensively can wait until after the child reaches puberty around 14 or 15.  Doing multiple sports helps also with injury prevention.  Just using one set of muscles exclusively does not develop the opposing muscles and can lead to muscle imbalances, and therefore injury.

And children need to have fun and play.  Most children are mainly interested in sport for fun, not for some long-distant goal.  If the coach or parent and the child have different goals, this may create some conflict and make it less fun for the child.  The child does not need to have any adult pressure to win. 

Every "failure" is in fact a learning experience and everyone should keep this in mind.  Mistakes are just opportunities to learn to do better next time. 

One of the most important aspects of youth sports is friendship.  The coach should facilitate a good group atmosphere, so the athletes will want to come to practice.  If the child has to leave his friends to come to practice, he won't be motivated.  But if he knows he will see his friends when he comes to train, he will want to come every time.  So, while individual practices are good for learning technique, group workouts are necessary for motivation.

Anyhow, young children paddling is great, but don't forget to have them do a dozen other sports also, so they become athletes, not just boaters and so they enjoy a variety of activities.  Sports should be fun, especially for children.

dryland speed training workout

Dryland Speed Training Workout

Speed training with weights is a way to peak an athlete.  You simply move a lighter weight, from 25%-55% of 1 rep. max. very fast for a certain period of time and try to do as many reps as possible during that time.  Or, you can do a certain number of reps and have someone time you on it. 

The bar speeds on speed training are very fast, much closer to the speed of movements in a slalom race.  So, it is very specific resistance training.   It is helpful so that you can continue resistance training close to race time, yet not do slow movements that might make you slower in the boat.

One drawback of speed training with weights is that there is momentum on the bar so that you don't work the full range of motion to the same degree.  So, I like to combine speed training with plyometric training so that the full range of motion is developed.

If your sets are less than 15 seconds or 15 reps, you are working on speed.  If you do 20-30 seconds or 20-30 reps, it's more speed-endurance training.  They are both important elements in our sport, so you can do both speed and speed-endurance, either during different months or on different days.

As always, it's important to maintain proper form, even though you are moving very fast in a violent manner and you are being timed on your weight training.  Actually, I try to use bodyweight exercises, rather than weights as much as possible, because then you are developing the core as well.  For example, the push-up is in a plank position and works the core as well as the shoulders, chest and arms.

Here is a sample dryland speed training workout:

1. warm-up.  Do some easy running, alternate toe touches and burpees for 2-3 minutes.

2. clap push-ups.  5 reps.  1 set.  1 minute rest.

3. push-ups.  timed for 15 seconds.  See how many you can do in 15 seconds.  3 sets. Have a partner time you and if you don't use the full range of motion or have bad technique, the rep doesn't count.  1 minute rest.

4. inverted rows. aka horizontal pull-ups.  timed for 10 seconds.  See how many you can do in 10 seconds.  3 sets.  1 minute rest. have a partner time you and if you make a technical error, the rep doesn't count.

5. squat jumps.  5 reps.  1 set.   1 minute rest.

6. squats.  15 seconds.  3 sets.  timed to see how many you can do in 15 seconds.  You have to go down to parallel with the floor or else it doesn't count.  1 minute rest.

7. abs.  1 set each of a variety of ab exercises.  bird dog.  superman.  side planks.  bicycle crunches.  These are timed to see how long you can do each exercise.  Don't go fast, just see how long you can do each exercise.

8. running sprints.  40 meter sprints.  5 intervals.  2 minutes rest between each one.  timed.

9. warm-down.  Walk for 10 minutes and do some easy stretching.

This is an excellent way to work-out in the season and to peak.  You will be used to doing fast movements, so your body will be used to going fast instead of slow.  You can do a month of dryland speed training after you have developed some strength and power and convert that into high speed movements.  The book "Triphasic Training" by Cal Dietz has more information on this type of training.

oscillatory training

Oscillatory Training

Oscillatory training is moving a light weight very quickly in a limited range of motion.  Oscillatory contractions are performed with light loads in the 25-55% 1RM range in order to maintain the high velocity component.  The contractions are performed at one of two points in the athlete's range of motion- an advantageous joint angle (specific point where the athlete is strongest) or a disadvantageous joint angle (specific point in the athlete's range of motion where he is weakest).  xlathlete.com has more information on oscillatory training, including videos of oscillatory exercises.

You move the weight back and forth explosively over a very small range of motion (3 or 4 inches or .10 meters), then pull the weight back and forth very fast.  You can either do this for a specific number of reps (5 reps or 20 reps, for example) or a certain length of time (5 seconds or 20 seconds, for example).  Then, you finish the set with a rep over the full range of motion.

The extremely fast contractions and relaxations of the opposing muscles help to develop speed in the muscles.  Often, it is not the muscle doing the work, but the opposing muscles that slow down the movement.  Doing oscillatory training trains the opposing muscles to relax more quickly and allow the movements to be accomplished at a higher rate of speed.

Decades ago, a Russian scientist, Dr. Matveyev found through his research that the difference between elite athletes and great athletes wasn't the speed at which they could contract the active muscles.  The difference was in the athlete's ability to relax the opposing muscles.  The athlete who could relax the opposing muscles the quickest performed with more speed and therefore won the competitions.

I like to pair oscillatory training with plyometric training.  Plyometrics work the entire range of motion, while oscillatory training does not.  So, this is a good combination and a good way to work on speed and power.  Here is a sample workout you can easily do to work on your speed and power:

1. warm-up.  3-4 minutes of easy jogging, jumping jacks, alternate toe touches, burpees.

2. clap push-ups.  5 reps- 1 set..  1 minute rest.

3. oscillatory push-ups.  2 sets.  12 reps.  1 minute rest. In push-up position, move back and forth very quickly in a limited range- about halfway up- move back and forth about 4 inches quickly and finish with a full push-up.

3. squat jumps.  5 reps.  1 set.  jump as high as you can 5 times.  1 minute rest.

4. oscillatory squats.  2 sets. 10 reps.  1 minute rest.  Squat halfway down and move back and forth very quickly in a limited range- about halfway down.  move back and forth about 4 inches quickly and finish with a full squat.  Looks hilarious!

5. oscillatory inverted rows.  8 reps.  3 sets.  1 minute rest.  aka horizontal pull-ups.  Pull up on a bar that is set about 4 feet off the floor about halfway up and move quickly within a 4 inch range of motion.  Finish with a full range of motion movement.

6. planks.  Do a series of planks, and plank variations, such as side planks, reverse planks, planks with feet elevated, and planks with one arm extended forward and the opposite leg lifted up.  Do one set of each. 

7. running sprints.  Do 100 meter sprints.  4 intervals with 3 minute rest in between. 

This workout will help you get faster.  It is good for spring or summer for peaking, or for variety in the off-season.  The movements are all fast, so your body will be used to fast movements.  And it trains the opposing muscles to relax so they don't slow down your movements.  The planks are good for core strength and the sprints help with cardio and central nervous system training. 

Much of the adaptations to training are systemic, rather than just local muscles.  Involving the lower body in training helps because of the larger muscles involved in the legs and buttocks stress the cardio system, the energy systems and the central nervous system more than just doing upper body work alone.  So, try oscillatory training to work on speed.  See xlathlete.com for more info. on oscillatory training or read the book, Triphasic Training by Cal Dietz, strength and conditioning coach at the University of Minnesota.

develop paddle power with this workout

Develop Paddle Power With this Workout

Power is slightly different from strength.  Strength is the ability to perform a hard movement. Power is the ability to perform a hard movement fast.  That's what we are trying to develop in our sport.  Not just being able to lift a heavy weight, but to pull the paddle through the water quickly.

Slow movements won't develop power.  In fact, slow movements could make you slower as your body gets used to the slower movement speed.  Your out of the boat training should also reflect the types of movement speeds that you would use in a race in order for your training to be more specific.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but you can train to move heavy loads at high speed.  You don't have to use light weights to move the bar at high speed.  You can move 75-80% of your 1 rep. max at high speeds. 

You just have to keep the reps low.  With more than 3 reps, the bar speed starts to slow down considerably.  So, rather than doing 3 sets of 5 reps, do 5 sets of 3 reps very fast.  Or, you can do 7 sets of 2 reps.   Or, 10 sets of 1 rep. Then, you are moving heavy weights at high speed and developing power.

Here is a sample workout to develop power:

1. warm-up.  Do a general warm-up, such as easy jogging and alternate toe touches and burpees for 3-4 minutes.   No slow stretching.

2. deadlift.  3 reps and 5 sets. 75% 1 rep. max.  1-2 min. rest between sets, walking around.  Move the bar quickly, keeping the buttocks down and the head up.

3. pull-ups.  3 reps and 5 sets.   1-2 min. rest between sets.  You might not be able to do 5 sets fast at first.  Only do as many sets as you can do at high speed.  If you can't do 3 reps fast, stop and do more the next workout.

4. military press.  3 reps and 5 sets.  75% 1 rep. max.  2 min. rest between sets.  Move the bar quickly.

5. planks.  do planks and plank variations.  Do side planks on both sides, reverse planks, and planks with one arm extended forward and one leg elevated, then switch.  Planks with feet elevated.  This develops core strength.

5. running sprints.  50 meters fast.  5 times.  2-3 minute rest between sprints. 

6. warm-down.  walk for 5 minutes and do some easy stretching. 

That's a good all-round power workout.  The fast bar speed will help you develop power.  The planks and sprints are for all-round strength and conditioning.  Remember to keep changing your workouts, so you don't always do the same thing, because then you will plateau and stop making progress.  Change your workout every month or so.

make conditioning and play the same thing

Make Conditioning and Play the Same Thing

So, someone who has his own blog fanned mine and I started reading his blog and was reminded of some wisdom from it.  He has a video of a friend playing soccer with his dog.  He reminds us of when we were kids and we just played for fun and didn't think of it as conditioning.

Here is a link to his blog:

  http://fightconditioninglifeconditioning.typepad.com/blog/2014/11/working-out-with-stewie.html

I certainly hope that you are able to reconnect with this paddling for fun and getting conditioning at the same time, without trying to.  Paddling is fun!  Don't make it all serious.  This is a fantastic sport that is thoroughly enjoyable! 

Hopefully, you don't have to be reminded of this.  If you do, you need to reconnect with the fun part of paddling.  Our sport is a blast.  If you can't do the fun part of our sport, such as if you only have a pool to paddle in part of the year, make it fun! 

Play with it.  Paddle your boat upside down in the pool.  Swim with your boat upside down with your head in the cockpit.  Do enders in the pool by having someone push you over.

The point is that at least some of the time, return to your childhood, where play and exercise were not 2 separate things.  When you didn't plan out your workouts, but just played and enjoyed the movement.  Paddling is a fun sport.  Keep it that way!

improve acceleration

Improve Acceleration

Our sport, like many sports is about acceleration.  There are several qualities that need to be trained, including speed, strength, speed-endurance, and acceleration. 

At every turn, the boat speed is reduced.  After every upstream, the boat needs to be re-accelerated.  Our sport involves constant turning, therefore the boat constantly has to be re-accelerated.  It is rare that the boat is traveling at top speed for any period of time, although there are some times, such as after the start or before the finish where the boat is traveling at top speed.  Otherwise, during the course, we are trying to get the boat up to top speed after a turn or else turning.

To train acceleration is important.  Accelerating the boat is also very tiring.  To train for acceleration, you can do several different methods.  One is to have someone hold the boat in place and take some hard strokes- 10 or 15 strokes, then rest and repeat. 

Another method is to go forward for a couple strokes, then go backwards and forward again for a couple strokes, then rest and repeat.  Or, you can have something on the boat such as a rope that creates more resistance and paddle hard, then rest and repeat.

Here is an article about training for acceleration for other sports:  http://www.strengthcoach.com/public/1128.cfm

While it is written for sports such as football, basketball or soccer, it also applies to our sport.  To improve acceleration, you should train with some extra resistance so it's harder to paddle for a short period of time.  Doing long paddles with resistance does not build acceleration though.  Should be short and all-out.

eat beets for improved performance

Eat Beets For Improved Performance

Here is an article about eating beets or drinking beetroot juice for improved performance:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9226576/Eating-beetroot-may-improve-running-speed-research.html

Either eating beets or drinking beetroot juice may help improve performance, according to some studies.  The nitrates in the beets help improve speed and endurance.

Runners and other athletes are starting to consume beetroot and beetroot juice in an effort to improve perfomance.  It may also be helpful for older people who use a lot of oxygen in everyday tasks such as walking and tire easily.

One tip if you are cooking beets in boiling water is not to cut off the stalks.  If you cut off the stalks, the nutrients will flow out into the water instead of staying in the beet.  The study used baked beets and some other studies use beetroot juice.

Here is a link to the article re: beets and athletic performance:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9226576/Eating-beetroot-may-improve-running-speed-research.html   

comprehensive recovery from training

Comprehensive Recovery From Training

Training weakens your body.  The body is stressed, then rebuilds itself after the training so it can better withstand the stress the next time.

It's during the recovery that your body gets stronger, faster and more powerful.  So, the more you can do to enhance recovery, the better.  Here is an article about multi-faceted recovery:

http://xlathlete.org/blog/articles/entry/a_multidimensional_approach_to_enhancing

The idea is that recovery depends on many different factors and they should all be addressed.  Sleep is one of the most important factors in recovery.  Nutrition and hydration are also very important.  Emotional and psychological factors are also important factors in recovery.  And of course, the physical aspect of recovery is important and inter-related to these other factors.

To improve your recovery, and therefore your performance, make sure you are getting plenty of sleep, good post-workout nutrition and hydration.  And do some things that help you relax.  Stress is counter-productive.  And do active recovery methods in between workouts. 

Include recovery in your training plan.  And in your training log.  When you plan your training, you should be planning your recovery as well.  What kind of active recovery will you do?  What type of nutrition and sleep should you get between workouts?  Plan it and write it down, the same way you would write in full lengths or short courses or weight workouts.  Plan your recovery.

Here is the link to the article:

http://xlathlete.org/blog/articles/entry/a_multidimensional_approach_to_enhancing

 

supplementation timing

Supplementation Timing

Here is an interesting article from xlathlete regarding supplementation: 

http://www.xlathlete.info/blog/articles/entry/supplementation_for_sports_performance_controlling

The article states that it is hard to build muscle and reduce fat at the same time, but that you can do one, then the other, alternating, so your body gains muscle and reduces fat, just not all at the same time.  You can do 2-4 weeks of muscle building, followed by 2-4 weeks of fat-reduction, then repeat to get a lean machine for paddling success.

For the muscle-building phase, they recommend protein and carbohydrate supplementation after training.  But only 20-25 grams of protein with some carbohydrates.  Repeat every 3 hours so that your body quickly rebuilds back stronger and adapts to the training.  Whey protein is an effective protein source.

Then, during the fat loss phase, there are several interventions recommended for fat loss, while maintaining muscle.  First, supplementation with green tea or green coffee or resveratrol, but only a small amount is recommended- not too much.  Second, high-intensity training, such as 30 second intervals.  Third, intermittent fasting such as not eating breakfast or going 16-24 hours without eating a couple days/week.  Also, training on an empty stomach and refraining from eating before and after training for a couple hours to increase fat-burning.  The timing of food intake is important- not just the type or quantity of food.

The article does not recommend certain supplements during the off-season.  Anti-oxidant supplements may be important prior to a race, but they are not recommended in the off-season because they reduce stress and you actually want to have the stress so the body adapts to the stress during the off-season.  Also, caffeine is another supplement that may enhance performance at a race, but is not effective long-term, so it's better not to use it too much.  

I do hesitate to recommend supplementation, but these supplements, used properly are normally safe, legal, approved and effective.  They are not magic and they may not even be appropriate for all people.  If you experience adverse side effects, stop taking them and see a doctor.

This is cutting-edge information about supplementation written by US college strength and conditioning coaches.  It is research based, but also based upon working with thousands of athletes in various sports.  Here is the link to the article:

http://www.xlathlete.info/blog/articles/entry/supplementation_for_sports_performance_controlling 

 

strength power speed

Strength Power Speed

It's the off-season, so people start doing resistance training.  And resistance training means strength training, right?  Well, that's a part of it.  But you should also include power training and speed training.  So, you need to be training all 3- strength, power and speed.  And your strength training should also include isometric (holding still) and eccentric (lowering weights), not just concentric movements (lifting weights).

Our sport, like most sports, requires power, not just strength.  For power training, you use slightly lighter weights (50-80% of 1 rep max.) and move them more quickly and do just a few reps.  2-6 reps.  You can do more sets, but keep the reps down so the movements are done quickly.  Examples of power training include Olympic lifting and plyometrics.

For speed training,  you use even lighter weights (20-50% of 1 rep max.), so the movements are quick.  You are training your muscles to move quickly continuously, so you can go higher on the reps.  For example, see how many reps you can do in 20 seconds.  Or, time yourself for 15 seconds and see how many reps you can do. 

In the triphasic training method, you start out by building strength.  You work on eccentric strength first for a couple weeks, then work on isometric strength for a couple weeks, then move to concentric strength for a couple weeks.  After the strength phase, you start the power phase for a couple weeks, doing multiples sets of 1-4 reps fast.

Then, finally, you move to doing speed training.  Use light weights for 10-30 seconds each set.  I like to pair the speed training with plyometrics since they both involve fast movements and the plyometrics works the entire range of movement, whereas in fast weight training, there is a momentum effect, so sometimes part of the range of movement isn't fully trained.  Plyometrics takes care of this by working the entire range of motion.

It's important for your conditioning be specific in terms of the speed of the movements.  If you train slowly all the time, you are conditioning your body to move slowly.  So, your body will be used to slow movements and won't move fast in the race. 

Most people only concentrate on strength training, and only on concentric strength training.  Instead, work on eccentric and isometric strength training, and also work on power and speed so the training is more specific- done closer to the speed of the movements in a race. 

xlathlete.com has more information about triphasic training including videos of hundreds of different exercises and different conditioning programs for many different sports.  xlathlete.com

   

speed training should be a priority

Speed Training Should Be A Priority

If you are mainly training for endurance, you should switch to emphasizing speed in your training.  You will see results in a month or two.

Basically, to improve, you need to get faster, not be able to go for a longer period of time.  You can already paddle at race pace for 100 seconds or so.  If you have been racing, you know you can go the distance.  The difference is who can go the distance fastest.

But I am tired at the end of the race, so I need to train for endurance.  Everyone is tired at the end of the race.  The world champion is tired at the end of the race.  Something is wrong if you aren't tired at the end of the race.  Being tired at the end of the race is normal.

And yes, technique needs to be emphasized.  But going slow does not improve your technique usually, unless you are first learning a new technique.  You need to be able to do the technique at high speed.  And you will find that if you are fast and strong, you will be able to do moves that you couldn't do before.  Your technique will improve.

How do you get faster?  Mainly by training fast.  Your muscles have to be used to going fast, so that is their normal pace.  If you train slow, your muscles will be used to that pace and will go that pace in the race.  If you have long rests between runs in practice, you will be improving your speed more since you will be able to go faster in practice with complete rest than if you start again when you are still tired.

That is why I do not normally recommend the "lactic tolerance" type workouts where you do a run, then have a short rest, say 10 seconds and repeat.  For one thing, with this type of workout, you aren't going all-out, so you don't increase your speed.  Secondly, you don't have time to evaluate your prior run, get feedback or get psyched for the next run.  The quality of the runs goes down.

I believe it is important to have high-quality runs in practice.  If you have high-quality runs in practice, you will do the same in a race.  If you have low quality runs in practice, it is hard to change that for the race.  So, do what you need to in order to have high quality, focused runs in practice.  Wait until you are fresh and ready.  Don't go if the poles are swinging.  And quit before the quality of the runs goes down.  

 Speed should be trained early in workout, not by doing sprints at the end of a workout.  I suggest doing short courses of 20-30 seconds for time and penalties.  And some workouts where you do shorter courses of 10-20 seconds for time and penalties.  And some workouts without gates for each of these time periods.

And speed should be trained at least once or twice per week.  Some people can do ok with just one speed training session per week, but most people need 2 and some people should be doing 3 per week.  In any case, doing zero speed training per week is a mistake and you will not get faster with such a program.  Practice paddling fast and it will become a habit and your times will improve.

Here is a link to a mixed martial arts article about speed training:

http://www.athletesacceleration.com/speed-training-combat-athletes/

sleep extension

Sleep Extension

We usually think in terms of getting "adequate sleep", or about not getting enough sleep, or sleep deprivation.  But here is a study about "sleep extension":  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3119836/

They took some basketball players and gave them the goal of getting 10 hours of sleep per night.  With the increased sleep, they also improved their shooting percentage and their sprint times.

There are two reasons this may be so.  During sleep, your brain processes the information and education it received during the day.  It moves the information from short-term memory to long-term memory, if you get adequate sleep.  If you don't get enough sleep, this process may be disrupted and you don't retain the information or skills you learned during the day.

The other concept is recovery.  Exercise destroys muscle tissue.  It breaks it down.  It's only during the recovery period between workouts that your body rebuilds.  Insufficient recovery means your body doesn't rebuild enough.  It could actually get weaker if there is insufficient recovery.  Sleep is an important time for muscle-rebuilding.  So, you get stronger and faster when you sleep.

Our ideas of "enough sleep" or "adequate sleep" are probably not optimal for sport performance.  Instead, we should focus on sleep extension.  Sleeping more to recover more and to become more skilled.  Here is the link to the article:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3119836/

upper body strength makes you faster

Upper Body Strength Makes You Faster

Here is a link to a study on flatwater kayakers on differences in speed depending on your upper body strength:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24231254/?

They compared times and bench press maximum and number of pull-ups performed and found there was a significant correlation between upper body strength and decreased times in flatwater kayaking. 

I have found that strength does not have an immediate effect on speed, but has a big effect long-term.  You won't get immediately faster by gaining upper body strength because it takes some time to convert that strength into paddling power. 

You can help with that transfer by doing speed work in the boat and by doing some fast strength training and plyometrics.  Strength training is sort of base training, laying the groundwork for later improvements in power and speed.

I do not recommend slow weight training during the competitive season however.  The speed of your movements should be closer to race speed movements or it isn't specific enough.  During the race season, the emphasis should be more on paddling, and fast resistance training and plyometrics.

Since flatwater racing is our cousin sport, this study is important for us.  It's also a long-term study.  Many of the studies we find are short term or are on other sports, such as running or swimming and we have to extrapolate the results and make educated guesses about how it applies to slalom.  Since this is a longer-term study and is on a closely-related sport, its information is more applicable to us (although the sample size was small).  Take a look at an abstract of the study:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24231254/?

low pivots

Low Pivots

I did some split comparisons on some of the runs in k-1 and c-1 at the world championships.  I wanted to find out the time difference, if any between doing a conventional upstream with a duffek stroke and a pivot using a backstroke on the same gate.  Of course, it's difficult and perhaps dangerous to make comparisons between different boaters doing the same sequence, I did make some tentative findings.

First, I did not find much of a difference between the boaters who did upstreams with a duffek stroke and those who did a backstroke pivot.  There were some small differences, but there were also some boaters who did worse using the backstroke pivot technique.  Second, I learned that some boaters did both.  They did a backstroke pivot, then turned it into a duffek.  And some did a "Fix Up" where you come into the up from the side and do a stroke on the outside of the turn and do the upstream on one stroke.  And others did a pivot on a duffek stroke rather than a back stroke.

But one of the most interesting things I found was that the ones who did a low pivot, as opposed to a high pivot were faster.  Boris Neveu did what I call a low pivot and was very fast.  Of course, he was fast throughout the course, so it's hard to say that this technique made the difference or that he was simply the fastest boater.  But it did seem to be a pattern that the ones who did low pivots were faster than the ones who did high pivots or the ones who didn't pivot at all.

I am dating myself to say that I used to compete when we had mandatory reverse gates.  And Richard Fox, who dominated men's k-1 class during the 1980s also tried to keep his pivots low on reverse gates.  It seemed like with a higher pivot, you would turn faster, and therefore your time was faster, but Richard Fox preferred the low pivot.

I am not exactly sure why a low pivot is faster.  Perhaps the turn is faster, but the acceleration afterwards is slower because the boat is effectively shorter in the water when you want to get it going fast again. 

Perhaps it's a general approach to the sport, where you aren't doing all-out strokes every time, but only 80-90% of maximum effort strokes, and the height of the pivot also reflects this approach.  I did notice that the very top boaters made things seem easier than the ones who finished a little further back.  They didn't seem to be putting 100% effort into every stroke, but every stroke seemed to be a bit easier, although they were moving the boat very fast.

In any case, I did notice a trend that low pivots were generally a good approach to doing some upstreams.  Of course, it has to be the right sort of situation, where the next gate is downstream, not across the river from the up.  Although the time differences were not very great between different upstream techniques, the low pivot seemed to be an effective way to do certain upstream gates.

Fabien lefevre's world championship c-1 run

Fabien Lefevre's World Championship C-1 Run

I was at the recent World Championships held at ASCI in western Maryland, USA.  The U.S. won its first medal of any kind in a world championships in the past 10 years when Fabien Lefevre won the c-1 slalom men's event.  He hadn't been winning at the World Cup races in c-1 prior to this race, so it was a little bit of a surprise.

He is more well-known as a kayak paddler, but started paddling c-1 about 2 years ago and moved to the U.S. and raced both classes.  Anyway, I enjoyed watching his c-1 run and there were several notable points about it.  First, he would have won on either his semi-final run or his final run.  And he is one of the few switchers in the race among the men, although a lot of the women switch sides.

But he only switched once.  He did the top part of the course on the right, and switched at gate 15 and did the rest of the course on the left.  Usually, switchers switch more often, every couple gates. 

I did some splits on the videos of the race and compared his run to some of the other top racers.  His time on the top part of the race was very good, but it was about the same as the other top racers, and actually slower than one of the top racers up to gate 13.

It was from gate 13 to 22 that he gained at least 2 seconds on the field.  That was some of the harder moves of the course that he did very well.  Perhaps it was his many years of experience and knowledge of how to do hard moves on hard courses that made the difference. 

But I also wonder if he was fresher than the other racers from gate 16 to the finish because he switched sides between 15 and 16.  His form of switching is different from what I have seen in the past.  I am wondering if he switched in order to go faster, rather than switching to do a particular move.

There is a very small amount of time lost in switching sides, but if the boat is moving at high speed, as it is from gate 15 to 16, the time lost is insignificant.  It's only if you switch when the boat isn't traveling fast that you lose significant time.  By only switching once, he minimized any time loss due to the switch.  And then his muscles were a little fresher than they were on the other side.

I also believe a significant factor was the home course advantage.  He has raced and trained here more than most of his competition.  And his many years of experience in the sport also played a huge role.  In any case, it was an interesting run from a technical point of view and I wonder if this form of limited switching will catch on.

one-on-one workouts

One-on-one workouts

Doing one-on-one workouts, where there is one coach and one athlete for the workout is a great way to improve.  The coach can really concentrate on just that athlete for the workout and the athlete is very focused on what he is doing and not distracted.  Every run is focused.  There are no swinging gates, no one else to distract the athlete.

It does take up a lot of a coach's time to do individual workouts with each athlete, but it's a way to make sure that each athlete gets individual attention for their particular issues.  For example, the courses can be designed to match what the athlete needs to work on.  And it also builds the coach-athlete relationship, since it's clear that the coach cares about the athlete and has the time to focus on just that one athlete.

I also think it's important to have a good group atmosphere.  The group culture helps the athletes stay committed to the sport.  When the athletes know they will see their friends when they go to train they are going to be more excited about going than if they have to leave their friends to go paddle.  So, I think having a good group atmosphere is crucial to building a program long-term.

So, you can have a balance of individual and group workouts.  Most of the workout would be group workouts but occasionally, you can do some individual workouts.  What are your thoughts about one-on-one workouts? 

 

 

every stroke is unique

Every Stroke is Unique

Often racers have a sort of steady-state cadence to their paddling and most of their strokes are pretty similar.  They end up going back and forth, right to left, at a steady pace, with mainly forward strokes.

However, if you watch the top paddlers, they don't do this.  Every stroke they take is unique.  Right sweep, then left duffek, and without slice forward into a vertical forward stroke, then out to a left stern draw.  Right duffek, right stroke, then reverse sweep on the right.   Etc.

And there is no regular cadence to the stroking.  Some strokes are really accentuated for maximum effect.  Sometimes you will be pulling very hard and other times, you will coast.  Each stroke is carefully placed.  Placed on a wave or in an eddy, to get maximum effect.  Emphasis is placed on certain strokes.  There is a hesitation for certain strokes to place it at exactly the right place.

Only on a flatwater sprint would you see a regular cadence of right-left-right-left.  In whitewater slalom, you are constantly turning and accelerating the boat and preparing for a certain move.  In whitewater, there are always waves, eddies, holes and currents to catch. 

Often we train on flatwater, so you can easily get into the habit of metronome paddling- right, left, right, left.  However, you can work in drills and practice so that your strokes are more deliberate and planned.

Every stroke should be carefully placed, not just thrown in.  Every stroke should be a unique stroke, even though there are standard strokes that we name.  It's similar to musical notes.  Music is made up of many different notes, not just a couple ones.  And the better musicians play very intricate music with constant variety.

Work on flatwater once a week or so on your basic strokes so your body gets used to doing the motions.  Often, when people get on hard whitewater, their bodies forget those movements and they resort to only a few different strokes.  Instead, keep practicing all strokes on whitewater.  Accentuate certain strokes- keep them varied and unique.

gain strength, not weight

Gain Strength, Not Weight

           

In some sports, such as football, gaining weight, size and strength are all desirable.  In other sports, such as wrestling, it's important to gain strength, but not weight or size.  For our sport of whitewater slalom, strength is important, but weight gains are to be avoided, if possible.  Here is an article about strength training without gaining muscle size or weight:

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/content/strength-without-size-4505/

To gain strength without gaining weight, it's actually better to lift heavy weights, rather than lighter weights.  And do fewer reps and sets, rather than more.  One to five reps is a good range for both reps and sets.

And do more fast weight-lifting, rather than slow weight lifting to gain explosive power, and not muscle mass.  While there is a concern about not exercising the full range of motion due to the momentum of the weight, the quicker movements of fast weight lifting will increase your power, while avoiding weight gain.

Also, doing plyometrics is another way to increase power without increasing mass.  Clap push-ups are good examples of plyometrics for the upper body.  You can also do french contrasts, where you lift a heavy weight several times, then do a plyometric move several times using a similar movement, then do fast repetitions lifting a lighter weight, and then some the plyometric move again.

To build muscle mass, bodybuilders do more isolated exercises, which only exercise one body part or movement.  And they also do many more repetitions, trying to keep the muscle "pumped up".  Instead, use exercises that work more than one part of the body, such as squats, bench presses or deadlifts.  And do fewer reps with heavier weight.

Here is the article on how to gain strength without gaining weight:

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/content/strength-without-size-4505/ 

dive gates