Recently I took at AFAA continuing education course titled Midlife Fitness for Women. The course focused on women 50 and older. I was hoping to cutting to some cutting edge research on menopause and athletes, but it was the basics. What did interest me was the focus on the spine. The talked at length on osteoporosis; the signs, types, and treatments. A few times they cautioned again spinal flexion for women over the age of 50 and especially anyone who had signs or symptoms of osteoporosis.

Those signs are:
    a.    Severe back pain
    b.    Severe neck pain
    c.    Loss of height, with stooped posture (kyphosis—bending forward of the spine that creates a curvature known as dowager’s hump). Although this is usually painless, patients may lose as much as 6 inches in height.
    d.    Fracture of the vertebrae, wrists, hips, or other bones     e.    Bone pain or tenderness
    f.    Dentures that do not fit as well as before

To build and maintain bone density it is important to go heavy! “To focus on promoting bone density and preventing osteoporosis, high resistance and fewer reps are needed (75–80% 1RM with 7–8 reps). While the above guidelines suggest 8–12 or 10–15 repetitions depending on age, research has demonstrated that bone responds better to higher loads with less repetition. Start with the minimum guidelines before attempting high-intensity training with women who have never before performed resistance training. Choose exercises based on those that: (1) involve many muscle groups in one exercise (structural or functional exercises); (2) direct the force through the axial skeleton (spine and hip); and (3) allow greater absolute loads to be utilized during training. The effect of resistance exercises is site specific, with bigger responses at the sites where working muscle is attached to bone. [For further information, read about the BEST (Bone, Estrogen, Strength Training) program by the University of Arizona at the National Osteoporosis Federation

The goal is to incorporate functional movements into your strength program - full body movements and less isolation. Over and over again the course stressed to avoid twisting movements, full sit-ups, and excessive forward flexion (forward fold) that might cause vertebral crush fractures in an osteoporotic individual. The issue is that most of us are not certain if we are osteoporotic, so I am taking the safe road with my own spine as well as my clients.

After taking the course I remembered reading some work by Stuart McGill out of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. His focus is preventing back pain, issues, surgeries and the like in people. To give context to the issue of back pain according to the Cleveland Clinic:

    “Back pain and related symptoms rank among the second most frequent medical complaints. Disability from low back pain is second only to the common cold as a cause of lost work time and is the most common cause of disability in people under 45 years of age.

    In the United States, the lifetime prevalence of back pain is approximately 80%, with a one-year prevalence rate of 15% to 20%, the highest prevalence is in the 45 to 64 age group.”

According to an article by Arch Internal Medicine presented in Feb of 2015; based on two studies done, the first in 1992 and the second in 2006, the rate of prevalence of lower back pain is rising. They found that upwards of 80% of the population will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. 95% will have recurring issues and some will develop chronic pain. It was interesting that there was no clear reasons or populations for the lower back pain. It was across all demographics. One likely culprit is the rise in obesity while another discussed was depression.

If the issue is this big and widespread and according to other reports not well helped with medicine and physical therapy then how to we work on a healthier spine? That led me to McGill.  He has written numbers of papers on research that he and his team have done. He has done over 60 studies and focused on a number of subjects including monitoring MMA fighters to see how their stiff/engaged core allows power to leave the joints (hip and shoulder) while core relaxes to allow power generation in the hips/shoulders and then the core stiffens again to stabilize. Think of it this way; the core acts as power transmission rather than power generation. If you do not have a platform for transmission your performance will be compromised.

McGill says statistically those who have a greater range of motion in their spine are more likely to have issues in the spine later in life. A ton of flexibility may not prove to be advantageous as we age. Good news for me.

Anytime you flex the spine you potentially can cause a disk bulge. He says in a number of presentations that the spine only has a certain number of loaded flexions. Definitely take a look at his site to understand the difference between moment and movement.  I find it interesting that in a number of papers he says, “stretches such as pulling the knees to the chest may give the perception of relief (via the stimulation of erector spinae muscle stretch receptors) but this approach only guarantees more pain and stiffness the following day as the underlying tissues sustain more cumulative damage. Eliminating spine flexion, particularly in the morning when the discs are swollen from the osmotic superhydration of the disc that occurs with bedrest, has been proven very effective with this type of patient.Realize that the spine discs only have so many numbers of bends before they damage. Keep the bends for essential tasks such as tying shoes rather than using them up in abdominal training.

A few key tips he offers:

You don’t want your spine to flatten to the floor when doing core exercises in a supine position. placing your hand under the lumbar spine will keep the spine in a neutral position.
the spine is a stack of vertebrae that is called upon to bear loads, yet it is flexible. Flexion moment training (core stiffness) is key, not movement.
Lift with the hips: slide hands down thighs, back straight and then lift along the legs - not about the knees
Bending to get something off the floor - best to do with a lunge or a stork pose (one leg goes out behind while the spine stays neutral and you bend forward (make sure no one is behind yo when you go down this way!)

Exercises
1. One leg straight on the floor the other leg bent (on your back). Hands under lumbar region. Lift head, neck and shoulders is a perfect line. No curvature in the spine.

2. Stir the pot on the stability ball. Go into a plank position with elbows on the ball. Spine stays straight and you draw very small circles in each direction.

3. Side plank on the elbow

4. Bird-dog - on hands and knees hold left arm out and right arm out. You can add motion bringing knee to elbow, but spine stays stable. Only the shoulder and hop joint will move.

So next time you hit the gym think about a healthy spine and creating a strong platform for power transmission!

We held a run seminar at Fitness Artist in mid January. I mentioned that I love doing research, so if anyone had any interesting issues or questions fire away. If I (or any of the awesome professionals we had there) couldn't answer then it would become a little research project. We did have a question and I almost forgot about it until stumbling upon this article today. It is long so to summarize a woman in Iowa knew she had some 'disorder', but never was able to get a good answer from doctors. She took matters into her own hands and researched to find out she had a rare genetic disorder. Then went on to diagnose herself (and other family members) with yet another rare genetic disorder. In the process she added years to her father's life and then gave an Olympic Canadian sprinter some answers likely also saving her life. I am all for being your own advocate. Do as much research as you can and provide any medical practitioner with as much data as possible.

As I work with athletes I often come upon interesting 'issues' and in my research find that there are SOOO many people dealing with conditions for which they have no answers. They are told by doctors that it is something it might not be or not to worry or see a particular specialist, but they end up with no real answer.

The question that came up was itchy legs while running. Since we are in January my first thought was the air is very dry and it could be just as simple as that. But our athlete said no that he also felt it in the summer and both indoors and out. So that means it is not just dry skin. As I did some research I found that a lot of other people who have this itching syndrome also have Raynaud's (as do I). Raynaud's Disease is a vascular disorder of the circulatory system in the extremities (fingers, nose and toes). Those of us (and it is a lot of women) experience a hyper reaction to cold temperatures or touching a cold item. Our fingers may go white sometimes with pain and very often it is hard to use your hand. Personally I find that if my core is cold I am much more susceptible. I definitely have poor circulation - hereditary and on top of that low blood pressure as an athlete. Once my fingers go white there is no going back until I get warm and my hands have good blood flow. The biggest triggers are cold temperatures, but can even happen holding on to cold items. For some people stress can be a trigger and for others vibrations. This is interesting because as I read about people's itching many mentioned that vibrations would set the itching off. I guess the vibrations can trigger blood vessel spasms.

Many people find relief with antihistamines, but don't know why. Histamine is found in nearly all tissue in the human body. Histamine causes blood vessels to dilate and increase in permeability. If there is an injury this is a good thing, but if no injury is present it becomes an allergic reaction. An anti histamine will block the receptors, so histamine can't activate. Itching is an allergic reaction. People describe varying degrees of their itching from annoying to feeling like they have to rip their clothes off and can't stand the world around them! Then imagine going and being told we don't know what is wrong!!

So maybe decreased capillary size may cause histamine to rush to the site? Who knows - I am not a doctor, but the more I study this kind of stuff the closer I get! I wonder if slowly increasing the blood flow to the affected areas might decrease the allergic reaction. Exercise does increase capillaries. So if you are experiencing itchy legs and the first easy fixes like lotion and non irritating clothing don't work you may want to look deeper. I have now started to itch all over and my hands and feet are getting really cold. Time to get up and getting moving!

What is your burning (itching) question?

I read and hear things like this all the time
"In all my triathlons there has been some sort of backstroke/breaststroke/desperate swim style just to get it the hell over with"
"People seen most terrified of the swim portion. It's been several years since my last tri, but I dog paddled, treaded water, floated on my back - but finished (all during the race)."
"Swimming is the most intimidating for me. So not a swimmer! If pool is full, I will leave and come back. Can't bring myself to share lanes unless it's with my husband and never with more then 1 other person. I'm doing 4min/100yds needless to say I am in a "league" of my own!!"

Why?
Why do people let the struggle continue for so long? In every triathlon I have done, including Ironman, I have seen people in the water who in my opinion had no business being in the swim. It just wasn't safe. But triathletes push themselves to just get through the swim.

My mother decided early on that she was not going to be on a sailboat all summer with 3 non swimmers (my Dad to this day cannot swim). So we started with swim lessons, which led to my sister and I swimming through college. My boys started swim lessons early and neither were a fish! It took Jack years to get his head underwater (and now he rarely comes up). He used to race, since the deal was you either take swim lessons or do swim team until you can swim from a ship to shore, using the rescue jump for his starts. He now has a very nice breaststroke, but no desire to compete. That is fine. He learned the life skill that will enable him to swim anywhere and be comfortable and relaxed in the water. Best of all if he ever decides he wants to do triathlons he will just need to get in the water and practice versus learn.

Learning to swim as an adult is no easy task. There are so many things to think about add in the breathing and sinking hips and it feels nearly impossible. I'd love to see more triathletes ask for help swimming! Are you going to win a triathlon with the swim? Chances are no, but you can come out of the water warmed up and ready to tackle the rest of the race.

I coach a masters group. I am always trying to recruit people to join us. I understand that looking at a group doing organized workouts can be intimidating and yes we have some swimmers who swam in college. What you don't know is that they too are frustrated! They will never hit their PRs and are working really hard to gain a few seconds. The range in ability of our master group is huge. Just as you would expect with a run or cycling group. The nice thing about the pool is that we are all confined to 25 yards. You'll never get left behind in the pool! The workouts are set by lane so that each group is challenged to their ability.

George comes and swims at the same time as our masters group. We have invited him numerous times. Yesterday he was waiting on the pool deck for a lane (since no one wants to circle swim). I suggested he try the kick set with us and he admitted that he was scared. My response "of course you are". I know everyone is scared to start, but please don't be! If you can already swim laps then join a masters group. If you need stroke work (which pretty much everyone does) then seek out lessons. Being happy in the water is all about being relaxed and efficient. As a coach I have ways to make that happen.

Lori started swimming and unbeknownst to me she was really quite terrified of the deep end and putting her face in the water. Always one to please she neglected to mention it and just said OK when I asked her to swim a 25. Just doing it made her realize that she could and we moved from there. She had to start with fins and learning to breathe to the side. The first time she swam a 100 without fins her time was over 3 minutes. Now after consistent practice she can swim a 100 yards in 2:12 and can swim for a 300 straight. When she gets into open water for her first triathlon this summer she will be ready. We practice relaxation techniques along with stroke work. Everyone needs to know how to gather themselves in the water. Sh** happens in a tri - whether it be a kick to the face and losing your goggles or a panic attack.

As I was writing this I got a note from Lori - "You won't believe what just happened! I did 2 back to back 500s with NO paddles or fins!!! Started out trying for 300 and felt good on the first one so kept going to 500. When I finished I still felt ok so I got scared and thought maybe it was just a one time thing so I did the second 500!" And then she sent the picture below - made my DAY!

I am working with a new application called Edufii that allows me to load videos and share with a group. Check it out https://edufii.com/i/d9f965865c for swim and other videos and tips. Feel free to share.

If you are ready to get help with swimming then come to a clinic.
Jan 24, 2016 - Niskayuna HS pool - women only 8:30-10:30 am. Stroke work, stroke analysis, and drills for YOU. Free for members of Upstate Warriors, $20 for guests. 

Jan 31, 2016 - Niskayuna HS pool - men and women 8:30-10:30 am. Stroke work, stroke analysis, and drills for YOU. Free for members of Upstate Warriors, $20 for guests.

Winter is here along with snow and soon ice on the roads and paths. So what should you wear on your feet? The goal is to keep warm and dry without sacrificing your form and speed. Luckily there are a lot of options on the market these days.

GTX after the shoe name means Gore-Tex which equates to water resistant. Almost all the companies offer a GTX option. Brooks makes the Adrenaline and the Adrenaline GTX. ASICS makes the GEL-Cumulus in both as well. You might be able to find your shoe with a GTX option. You will pay more, but for warm and dry feet it is usually worth the extra $15 or so.

A lot of the trail shoe companies are in the market now as well. Northface, Vasque, Montrail,  Merrill and Salomon all offer running options. Many are getting a lot lighter now as well.

So what do you look for in a winter running shoes? The upper construction. You want something water resistant that will not let melting snow seep into your shoe. (that means GTX or another material that will repel). You want to pay close attention to the bottom of the shoe and the construction of the lugs. A more spiky or open lug tread will give you more traction in slippery snow conditions. This is where the trail companies have expertise, so compare bottoms before buying.

Yaktrax are an option if you are out in the snow and ice a lot. They make a variety of models for running, walking, and snow. If you don’t want to shell out the cash for a specific shoe then this would be a great $40 investment.  

There are also do it yourself options - like the ‘screw shoe’ .

If you want the shoe company to put in the screws for you then take a look at the Icebug Aurora BUGrip for $180 (pictured above). Can’t say I have heard of the manufacturer, but the Swedish company makes it for runners who want speed in slippery conditions. Hmmm this might be the right option for winter track workouts! They actually have quite a range of options for your type of running, location and temperatures. The closest store to Albany NY is up at High Peaks in Lake Placid.

The Snow Machine from Salomon (pictured below) looks like a basketball shoe made for running! From the reviews it really is best on snow and ice, not the pavement. So if we end up with snow on the ground for months it might be a good $200 investment. And if you head over to their website today they are on sale for $140!   There you will see a number of other options as well.

So now no excuses for getting out there in the cold, snowy, wet conditions of winter 2016. Happy running.

What are your favorite winter run shoes? I really want to try the Icebug and Salomon myself!

I look at a clock almost every day at 12:34. I has happened for the past few years a fair bit, but recently it really is almost every day. You might think it is my internal lunch clock, but I eat at different times, so not necessarily when I am in the kitchen. I was at a track meet yesterday and glanced down at 12:34. Today I had just finished inputting someone's weekly workouts and glanced at the corner of my screen to see 12:34. What's up with that??

In numerology, 1234 calculates to a full circle. They reduce the numbers to a single digit (1) and that means a full circle 1 2 3 4 1  One site says that means I am complete within myself!

Another talks about angel numbers. "Number 1 promotes new beginnings and starting anew, motivation and taking action, striving forward and progress, self-leadership and assertiveness, initiative, instinct and intuition.  Number 1 also relates to creating our own realities by our thoughts, beliefs and actions.  Number 2 resonates with service to others, diplomacy and compromise, balance, flexibility and adaptability, duality, encouragement and kindness.  Number 2 also relates to faith and trust and serving your life purpose and soul mission.  Number 3 adds self-expression and communication, optimism and enthusiasm, skills and talents, friendliness and sociability, growth, expansion and the principles of increase.  Number 3 also carries the vibrations of the Ascended Masters.  It indicates that the Ascended Masters are around you, assisting when asked.  The Ascended Masters help you to focus on the Divine spark within yourself and others, and assist with manifesting your desires. They are helping you to find peace, clarity and love within.  Number 4 resonates with practicality and application, hard work and responsibility, traditional values, honesty and integrity, inner-wisdom, and diligence and determination to achieve goals.  Number 4 also relates to our drive, passion and purpose." Well that kind of all fits. I've been working on new projects that should really help others requiring a lot of communication, enthusiasm and skill. It definitely is all about my passion and purpose.

Another site talks about how ascending numbers mean progression in your life. As all the new projects come to fruition it will be interesting to see if my numbers change.

Do you see recurring numbers or ascending numbers?

On January 9th Athleta is holding a national event called Set Your Intentions. We will be meeting at the store at Crossgates Mall at 9 am. The workshop will include a talk, some conversation, a run (depending on the weather), snacks and awesome raffles.

In the new year the talk is all about resolutions. Studies show that most resolutions never come to fruition (8% of people actually achieve their resolution) and many people stop trying come mid March (over half). statisticbrain.com noted that the top 10 resolutions for 2015 were:
1 Lose Weight
2 Getting Organized
3 Spend Less, Save More
4 Enjoy Life to the Fullest
5 Staying Fit and Healthy
6 Learn Something Exciting
7 Quit Smoking
8 Help Others in Their Dreams
9 Fall in Love
10 Spend More Time with Family

So how are we faring? Well 70% of adults age 20 and older are either overweight or obese. So looks like that number 1 resolution is not getting achieved. Because I just took a continuing ed class on Fighting Obesity I can tell you that “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranks obesity as the number one health risk facing America. Since 1980, prevalence rates for adults have doubled while rates for children have tripled. The direct and indirect cost of treating obesity- related health problems in the U.S. is estimated at $117 billion per year. U.S. Department of Labor reports 39 million lost workdays due to obesity-related health problems.”

Here is another fun factoid. Did you know that 67% of people with gym memberships never use them? Whaaat?

The Set Your Intentions event at Athleta is taking a different stance. Let’s look at the definition of resolution according to dictionary.com:

    1. a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal group.
    2. the act of resolving or determining upon an action, course of action, method, procedure, etc.

Nowhere in the definition is there a result. It is the act of determining upon an action. So people say their resolution is the lose weight. They have determined upon an action (lose weight). So according to the textbook definition anyone making a resolution is successful. What most of us are looking for is a result.

Now let’s look at the definition of intention. dictionary.com says:

    1. the act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result, the end or object intended; purpose
    2. purpose or attitude toward the effect of one’s actions or conduct

I love it! The act of determining mentally - that means using your brain. So now we have to act and use our brain. We need to use our brain toward some action or result, the end object intended; purpose. The actual definition of intention says there should be a result. So if we set intentions we need to use our minds to come to both and action and a result we want to achieve and maybe even have some purpose in there. It could be the purpose of our intention, so to lose weight so that you don’t have to take certain medications. Or our intention could have purpose. So we want to spend more time with family so we create stronger bonds, develop more resilient children, reduce the stress in our lives and increase the happiness.

This year let’s take a new view. Join us on January 9th at Athleta and be ready to set your intentions! #powerofintentions
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@AthletaAlbany