I know this is always something that needs to be taken with a thought process that allows you a learning curve that is outside an obvious physical exertion but the relationship between the thought and the action is very conected
How To Determine Lactate Threshold Heart Rate
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Why Should You Know Your Own Lactate Threshold Heart Rate
Many people are confused by this term, the definition of lactate threshold heart rate is is a measurement of the level of exercise intensity in which the body can no longer clear any one of the by-products created by exercise, and as a result there is an accumulation of these by-products in the blood. The result is the burning feeling which is felt in the muscles during extreme load such as lifting weights, endurance racing, and other such intense exercise.
The reason that you need to determine your own specific lactate threshold heart rate, Exercising within your target heart rate zone has important long-term health implications.
The aerobic base is derived by analyzing where your lactate threshold heart rate is. typically 65% to 75% of your lactate threshold heart rate is your aerobic base.
It burns fat and aids weight loss, and reduces the risk of obesity, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, some types of cancer, and diabetes. It helps prevent heart disease and reduces the risk of heart attack.
Aerobic exercise even helps to ease depression and improves mood. All in all, regular aerobic activity promotes general well-being, and helps to ensure you stay healthy, fit and active in your later years. In order to train your heart and lungs – which make up your aerobic system and to be an strong endurance athlete, you need to work on developing a solid aerobic base.
Some have used a simple formula as a basic guideline to determine their aerobic base, typically 220 minus their age and then multiply by 60% as well as 90%.
As an example, a 30-year old would calculate his optimal heart rate zone using the formula: 220-30=190. 190x.60=114 and 190x.90=171. This individual would try to keep his heart rate between 114 (aerobic base) and 171 (lactate threshold) beats per minute. ( this does not allow for other factors )
This is not a very accurate formula as it is simply far too vague and general for everyone to use.
To accurately determine your own individual lactate threshold heart rate, you would need to visit your doctor or exercise physiologist for an endurance test where blood tests would be administered while exercising.
You can also use a heart rate monitor
- Image via Wikipedia
and do a self assessment while running or cycling and measure your heart rates in a 30 minute field test. Start the heart rate monitor to begin recording from the beginning of the trial and push yourself to complete the interval, just not so hard that you need to slow down significantly at the end. You should start the first 10 minutes easily and accelerate your way up to what feels like your max. output. You can roughly determine your own lactate threshold heart rate by calculating your average heart rate over the 30 minute duration.
Of course this won’t be 100% scientifically accurate, but it will be close enough to understand your own rough lactate threshold heart rate and from there, be able to estimate your own aerobic base.
For example, if your estimated lactate threshold heart rate is 120, then you want to be exercising at 65%-75% of that, or 78-90 beats, for as long as possible. As a multisports athlete or triathlete, this develops your aerobic base and strengthens your heart and lungs in the most efficient manner for endurance sports.
Once you’ve established a solid aerobic base fitness level, then you can focus on other aspects such as developing sports specific strength for swimming, biking, or running by weight training, thus allowing for faster times in each component of your triathlon event and ultimately your overall finish.
The other benefits of a heart rate monitor are as follows:
- - Improves your level of fitness by monitoring your heart rate. Monitoring your heart rate keeps you in the “zone”.
- Is an aid to prevent injury by monitoring your heart rate, if your heart rate climbs too high, you can slow down accordingly.
- It helps in monitoring you overall level of fitness. You can see improvements with time, and makes your progress measurable.
- It can motivate you and help with better performance as long as you do not become a slave to it
- . It can make goals measurable and thereby not so subjective
- It allows for effective and efficient exercise which is important if you are counting calories to loose weight
What it does not allow for is what is known as heart rate drift, as with all techno toys they are and aid and a measurement tool not the absolute authority
Air Force’s Lamoureux overcomes depression
Image by Auntie P via Flickr
I like to write or comment on any sport related motivational story for those who are into ice hockey this guy has a great story and timely observations.
Jacques Lamoureux, a
accolades typical of a team leader quickly fill the air. amoureux, according to consensus, is a rink rat,
Lone of those guys who is the first one on the ice and the last one off.
So it hardly is a surprise to learn that when Lamoureux was at his lowest point, when it seemed as if nothing could relieve the pain except a more forceful squeeze on the shotgun he was curled beside, ‘lamoureux’s wake-up call did not occur due to any surrender to his own misery.
It happened because his depression was putting someone else he cared for in jeopardy.
Lamoureux, then a teenager battling a depressive state that seemed all-encompassing, did not want his misery to bring harm to his brother sleeping beside him.
“When it got to the point where I recognized myself that I needed help was when I was sleeping with my dad’s shotgun and my little brother was sleeping on the mattress next to my bed,” I was trying to make little cries for help, but I don’t think they were being taken as serious as they should have been. I just said I needed to get help, or something might happen.”
Lamoureux got help, setting off a journey through depression that would involve heartache, recovery, dedication and frustration
Dark days
Teenage depression often is not identified until it is too late, after a child hurts himself, or worse.
Lamoureux was aware enough to reach out when he needed help, an act of admission made easier by the support he knew he had within his family.
Raised in Grand Forks, N.D., Lamoureux grew up in a hockey household. Feeling the pressure of following in the footsteps of his father and brother, while also enduring a painful breakup, Lamoureux finally confided in his mother about the full extent of his depression.
After an immediate trip to the emergency room, Lamoureux was paired with a psychologist and prescribed antidepressants.
” I put a lot of pressure on myself to play well and be recognized. I think that kind of snowballed.
“You see that a lot with teenagers today. . . . They break up with people and they think their world is coming down. I think that happened with me, and it spiraled out of control before I could get a handle on it.”
It was during this time in Bismarck that Lamoureux discovered another outlet for his demons. For a composition assignment, Lamoureux recounted a small portion of his tale.
Encouraged by his teacher as well as a psychology instructor, Lamoureux began speaking to classes at his school about what he had endured and how they too could get help if they ever fell into such dire straits.
After his story was published in several local news outlets, a representative from Yellow Ribbon, a national organization dedicated to preventing suicide, helped arrange for Lamoureux to speak at several schools in Pennsylvania.
Lamoureux’s demands at the academy have not allowed him to schedule similar speaking engagements around Colorado Springs, but he said he would welcome the opportunity.
“The responses that I got and my teacher got helped a lot of people into the process of getting help,” La- moureux said. “There are a lot of kids that have the same type of problems, but you don’t know about it because it’s not talked about. If it helps one person, then I’m doing my job.”
The long road
His hockey and academic careers back on track, Lamoureux set his sights on college - specifically, Air Force.
Yet while Lamoureux more than fulfilled academic and athletic requirements, his depression, combined with the medication he had been prescribed years earlier, came back to haunt him.
The academy failed to clear Lamoureux medically, denying his admission.
Lamoureux couldn’t help thinking he should have been on that team.
given that Lamoureux had been off medication for years and had excelled academically at Northern Michigan, a window of opportunity was open.
Lamoureux eventually was accepted, spending last season getting acclimated to the academy while taking a redshirt season because of NCAA transfer rules.
“I hoped they would think that I was over the depression now that it had been four or five years,” Lamoureux said. “I did well in school, did well in hockey. I figured I’d give it another shot and, hopefully, they’d let me in this time. Thankfully, they did.”
Flying start
“We knew he would be a great addition to our team, but I don’t think anyone thought in their wildest dreams that he would be doing the things that he’s done and contributing like he has been. He’s worked hard and pushed himself and put himself in the position he’s in.”
Lamoureux stormed out of the gate, posting multiple points in the first six games before hitting a three-game lull that ended with a two-assist effort during a sweep of Sacred Heart last week.
Chances are, Lamoureux, like all hockey players, will hit another scoring drought at some point this season. But after surviving the trials that brought him to this time and place, he never will feel so despondent and lost regarding something as simple as a disappointing game.
“You always hear, ‘Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’ ” La- moureux said. “I’ve read a lot of books on different players’ approaches to the game, and it’s the hardships you go through playing hockey that make you a better player. It’s the same thing in your personal life. When you go through tough times, it’s going to make you stronger mentally and make you more prepared for things that come up.
So what is the take home for us, may be, it is, a dark time is not always the end of the road if you are involved in sport and you take a dive in your results, take a step back and connect with a passion not a result.
If you are part of the 1 in five statistics of insistences of depression get help, find a friend, hell man I don’t know you but I care speak up you can be heard by people who understand.
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Benefits of Heart Rate Training
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What is Involved in Heart Rate Training?
Most people who believe they are out of shape or overweight will tell you that as soon as they push themselves physically – like jogging, cycling, walking up a flight stairs - they feel as if their heart is going to pound out of their chest. during exercise, doing it without proper understanding of the consequences is not exactly healthy or safe and can possibly be more dangerous than beneficial. Understanding the concept of proper heart rate training is very important so that you can maximize your fitness gains while exercising.
Since the heart itself is a muscle, Heart rate training is much like training any other muscle in your body. Training your biceps or quadriceps, you would normally start off with a lower amount of weight and gradually increased the load as you got became stronger.
As your muscles adapt to repeated exposure to added load, you are naturally able to lift more weight, and increase the number of reps with your added gains in strength.
One great aspect of specific heart rate training is your heart is getting a workout as soon as you increase your heart rate – regardless of what exercise you may be performing. Unlike your other specific muscles - if you simply run, your arms aren’t going to be worked. If you are working on your chest and doing bench press, your legs won’t be worked.
But your heart IS getting a work out working harder to support your blood circulation and is feeding your muscles under increased aerobic activity while pushing weights. As a multisports athlete, aerobic exercise which is essentially heart rate specific training, as well as core & strength training is required since you’ll need not just overall endurance, but have extended core muscle strength & endurance which will also come with increased aerobic capacity. When you swim, you use your muscles to propel you through the water but it’s an aerobic activity as well; this is also true for the basic strength and muscle requirements of biking and running as well.
Investing in a good heart rate monitor is necessary uphill and you’re anaerobic the whole time, you may need to work on your leg strength to cope with the added load of cycling – as your legs grow stronger, your cardiovascular system won’t have to work as hard to move yourself up that hill. While heart rate training, remember to work your way up slowly to your desired level of fitness and endurance.
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There is a Toad in my shoe
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There is a toad in my shoe
Here in Australia you are always told as a child that if you get into the habit of checking your shoes
left on the porch or outside you will ensure no little critters will get into your boots and attack your
toes as you slide your foot in. I was not thinking of this when I sat down on the porch
and pulled my shoes on getting the most horrible shock, when after realizing my foot was not going
to slip in, I hastily withdrew my foot and up ended the shoe, only to have a very startled
toad drop out and hop off.
Now this can be a cause for a laugh as we both got quite a shock but after I got over it I
started to reflect on why the toad was in there in the first place.
Toads as in the manner of all creatures, are not pushy types and they will make a home in a cool environment
that not being used for anything else .
My running shoes have not been used for a while, now admittedly I have an injury that keeps me from running so they they not much in demand.
I paused then to reflect on the possible learning that could be in this incidence without being too deep and meaningful.
I realized that by not accepting I could not train and run competitively and cast of my shoes , I had really pushed away a lifestyle and an Identity that I had before my injury, tying self and identity to success in my sport.
I used my sport as a lot of things, one was a tool in keeping my depression under management and feeling good about myself
By finding a worthiness in being a high achieving athlete, I had created a void that I have been experiencing
since my inability to compete.
What had happened is that I had forgotten about life outside triathlon, long runs
and Sunday races that’s why when I tried to slip into other boots that haven’t been
used for a while I discovered a toad in them.
Struth bit of a wake up call so where do I go from here ,well I will check my shoes before I put
my toe’s in them that’s for sure, but back to the lesson.
Being fixated on one thing, and it is real easy to do in an athletic pursuit
you have to remember that there is more going on than your narrow point of focus
or may be that is just me?
Finding out I could not run was a very big thing for me, which turned up the depression knob,
but the realization that I really struggled with, was I had so much identity attached to being a
successful triathlete that I could not even think about doing something for fun and not having
to be the best, or as I am prone to saying, to being at the pointy end of the race.
So lesson learned, enjoyment in sport is about social connection, participation at what ever level
you get your success from , having an understanding and appreciation that all aspects of life
are contributers to success.
So do not leave areas of your life to sit outside, and be cast off or you might just end up with
something worse than a toad sneaking in to to bite you on the toe.
Talking about shoes sort of :-) These Guys have gone out on a limb and put a new trail running shoe on the market
For the past 15 years have designed top-of-the line gear for almost every major athletic company. They started as staffers for Nike in the late 1990s and most recently were independent contractors assisting Under Armour launch a line of football cleats.
But late last year the two launched their own company, 20 Degrees North, and started seeking their own piece of the $46 billion outdoor-recreation market.
“It’s probably not the best time to start a shoe company,” “But we’ve been designing for everyone else for years, so why not do it ourselves? How hard can it really be?”
Last month the duo launched their first product, a line of bright-colored running shoes for the 40 million
American joggers who run on off-road trails, here in Australia we are seeing a big interest in of road
Triathlon where the uneven terrain of mountain passes, beaches, and forests necessitates a wider, more
stable running shoe than those worn by track-and-field athletes.
About a dozen companies, including Adidas and Asics, already sell trail-running shoes, but 20 Degrees’ founders say the market lacks a clear leader.
For research, they examined photos and Internet footage of big cats’ paws, discovering that their pads - not claws - wrapped around rocks and uneven terrain to give them better stability.
“Other companies look at putting hard teeth and large pieces on the bottom of shoes to give them stability - that adds weight,”
Instead, 20 Degrees fitted the bottom of its shoes with lightweight, blown-rubber traction pads and grooves to make them work more like paws. The company also used an injection-molded manufacturing process that is generally associated with Crocs not high-performance sneakers. And although that makes the shoes almost twice as expensive to make, it resulted in a trainer that is almost two ounces lighter than competitors’.
But no matter how light and agile their shoes are, it’s hard to break into the shoe market, especially in such a niche.
To build credibility among die-hard athletes, 20 Degrees is targeting the some 28,000 runners that participate each year in Xterra races, a series of triathlons held all over the world. In 2007, 20 Degrees inked a deal with Team Unlimited, the Maui firm that runs the Xterra races, and is selling its shoe under the Xterra name. The Maui location is also the inspiration for 20 Degrees’ name: Hawaii is found at 20 degrees latitude.
As a result, the Xterra shoe will get exposure at races and on Xterra Planet TV, a sports cable network that, according to Team Unlimited CEO Tom Kiely, gets about 50 million viewers a year. The company also has access to five Xterra-sponsored athletes, competitive runners who have been testing 20 Degrees’ shoes since spring.
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How To Train For Your First Triathlon
Image via Wikipedia
How To Train For A Triathlon:
The sport of Triathlon focuses on 3 primary sporting disciplines and these are swimming, cycling, and running.
To excel at this particular sport, triathletes have to understand how to train for a triathlon properly.
You will need to focus training to improve skills for swimming, cycling, as well as running.
You also need to think about everything beyond just the fundamental task of how to train for a triathlon itself.
All the other little details that are related,
- transitions,
- bike maintenance,
- how to swim in open water,
- pre/during/race nutrition,
- pacing for racing
Each of these components are different for each type of triathlon distance ranging from short sprint races
to the 8 hour plus races such as Ironman.
Increase In Requirements
When learning about how to train for a triathlon as a person increase in their capacity to train in a multisport event the
training requirements will increase.
For example, a sprint distance triathlete will only need to swim 300mtrs bike for about 20 k and then run 3k
The training regime will be very different than what is required for an Ironman event, without knowing about how to train
for a triathlon of any distance, your triathlon running abilities,swimming and bike skills will be well beyond your normal capabilities.
When you start getting quicker with you will probably progress from the shorter distance onto the next longer distance
and then perhaps even to the Ironman distance.
Athletes who are just beginners in terms of their triathlon experience, a few simple tips when training for triathlon
starts I beleive not only with the physical training but also the mental attitude.
All sporting activity is about getting a result be olympic gold or soscial interaction, set out your objectives look at your
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
present state of health and the allways tie to your social connection within your family structure to your time spent training.
as you will allways want to have a support team do not leave the family back at the training shed as it is not a recipy for successs.
If you have a family get them onside as obsesive compulsion is quite a real aspect of trying to achieve a result in this sport.
By taking a shot at racing the shortest triathlon distance to gauge how well your body and mind cope with the separate disciplines.
To learn how to how to train for a triathlon, you need to learn how to pace during the race, train how best to make the change or
transition from one sport to the next.
It is allways good to get to understand the finer points like how you feel after having ridden a bicycle at race pace then learning
how to make the easiest transition to running.
In Australia most swims are open water swims so training in open water really helps to find out whether or not you can swim the
entire distance knowing how to pop your head up somewhere along the way to keep direction.
One key type of training method, by implementing some ‘brick workouts’ combining two or even three of the disciplines
Image by Tugdual Grall via Flickr
together in one workout – ie. A hard bike interval immediately followed by an tempo run, or doing a long distance cycling
and then a short recovery run immediately after to work out the legs and get you used to turning your legs over.
Another useful training tip worth following in terms of the fundamentals of how to train for a triathlon is course knowledge,
train on a similar type of terrain and to not try any aspect different on the actual race day – like nutrition or shoes.
You should always wear the same type of clothes you wear for your racing on a training day , so as you know you feel comfortable
on race day. And never, never, never, try a new piece of equipment or food source on race day
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Training with inexpensive but effective equipment
I thought I would put this quick video together showing a very simple routine that can be used for great core strength effect.
I often hear people putting of getting fit or taking part in an exercise routine because of no time or it is to hard to get to the gym.
If your goal is to start to feel better about yourself you can find a lot of stuff around the house that will give you a device to use for an effective work out with out a big cash outlay for equipment. If you are a triathlete body weight exercices are often overlooked for more macho bravado bragging how mindless K’s you put up on the last training ride or session.
Strength training without weights is really effective these exercises really benefit you to strengthen your body.
Abdominal Exercises Obviously these are great exercises to work the Abs. When you are working your abs
- Image via Wikipedia
or any muscle group for that matter, you do not need to be in a hurry, take your time and really feel your muscles working. As I show in the video Abs are meant to be done in a controlled movement, while making sure that you are able to rest in between sets.
Many people believe you need the gym and weights to build muscle, but these body weight exercises really work. Use the exercises daily and you will see the results come. There is not always a need for expensive weight training equipment that you might think there is.
There are many strength training exercises without weights using your own body weight that you can do, they are:
Pull-ups (chin-ups) A Pull-up will build muscle and strength in the back, shoulders, triceps, and chest. You will even seem some growth in the biceps. Pull ups are one example that you can use the resistance of your own body weight to great effect.
Push Ups the push up works the chest, the front part of the shoulder, and the triceps.
Squats this exercise is excellent for the lower back, calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps.
These simple exercises are easily the best and quickest way to gain great specific triathlon
training in a controlled and sports specific training routine.
I will go through the routines on the equipment I show in the video over the next few weeks.
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Cancer, hope, sport, triathlon all good WHAT????
How can cancer be good, how can any adversity be viewed as good, try changing the thought to Problems are Opportunities in Disguise.
Even though you’ve had bad things happen to you, you probably realize that you’re much wiser and maybe more compassionate for having experienced those problems.
Life will send you curve balls all the time,your pain will be attached to what you make of the event.
I encourage anybody, stuck in the thought process of guilt, regret, and despair, due to a life situation to ask not the question of why me ? but, what can I learn, and how can I use this as a getting of wisdom for my life journey.
As in all things stepping up to the start line is the only way to be in the race.
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Strength Training for Triathletes
I saw a great book on strength training for triathletes that I thought I would pass on to you.
It is a sport specific training for swim, bike, run, but it is a great book for sensible strength exercises that can benefit any body that has a desire to get fit.
Raw food for depression and sport
I have been so slack of late partly because I have been struggling with direction and other issues that I have to deal with in managing my depression. Since I have had to stop running because of my ankle injury I have lost a method of depression managment I have used for many years. I have always been conscious of my diet and have commented on this blog before today about the benefits of a raw food diet I though I would put this video up about this fellow who is getting some great results in his running endevours on a raw food diet
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Exercise, for quality of life and depression managment
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
The biggest review in a decade into how much exercise people need has found they should be doing at least 30 minutes a day but would be better off doing an hour, including weight training and push-ups at least twice a week.
New physical activity guidelines released by the US Department of Health and Human Services this week have backed the message of 30 minutes a day for adults and 60 minutes a day for children but said research suggested people should aim for even more to keep their muscles and bones in good shape.
For extra benefits, adults should do 60 minutes of moderate intensity exercise such as brisk walking, cycling or water aerobics five days a week and include muscle-strengthening activities such as weight-training or heavy gardening at least two days a week.
Children should also be doing muscle-strengthening exercises, including tug-of-war as well as bone strengthening activities such as running and skipping, three times a week.
The global review said that exercise levels needed boosting to address concerns about rates of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and depression.
Image via Wikipedia
Heart Foundation exercise expert Trevor Shilton, who advised on the new recommendations, said they were consistent with those in Australia but gave new weight to the concept that “more was better” and that there were additional health benefits from doing more moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Image via Wikipedia
He said there was very strong evidence supporting the message that adults needed to do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and children twice that.
“We know that if people do that level of physical activity you cut your risk of heart disease by as much as half and you cut your risk of bowel cancer by a quarter and breast cancer by 12 per cent and you improve your mental health,” Mr Shilton said.
“If this was a drug we could make a lot of money from it because what else can you take once a day that gives you these sorts of benefits with no side effects.”
Mr Shilton said 59 per cent of WA adults were meeting the 30 minutes a day guidelines and for the four in 10 people who did little or no exercise, doing any was better than none.
But activities related to body strengthening and balance were becoming increasingly important in the context of an aging community where quality of life and preventing falls were key issues.
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Sometimes when you really do want to get started
BUT
the Motivation is not there try the power of positive therapy to change the way you think CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE
see where it takes you
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