PEAK PERFORMANCE NEWSLETTER
PEAK PERFORMANCE NEWSLETTER
WHY?? Tendo and Autoregulation In both training and in competition, all athletes have good days and “off” days. On good days, prescribed weights seem light and PR’s are shattered. On “off” days, one might feel a half-step slower, weights seem heavier, and the motivation to train or compete is hard to find. These “off” days are caused by the accumulation of stress and its impact on the Central Nervous System (CNS). Training, school, personal lives, sleep, and nutrition all contribute stressors that affect the CNS and, in turn, athletic performance. Autoregulation is the strategy of adjusting training intensity (amount of weight lifted) and volume (number of repetitions and sets performed) in order to account for the differences between good days and “off” days. One way to objectively track CNS fatigue and stress is by calculating bar speed (how fast one is accelerating a weight during a particular movement). Tools like the Tendo unit and Elite Form System allow us to instantaneously measure bar speed. The data obtained from these devices can then help coaches and athletes to autoregulate by increasing intensity and volume on good days and backing off and decreasing them on the “off” days.
THE GREAT CARBOHYDRATE! The average athlete burns 0.5-1 gram of carbohydrate per minute of continuous intense exercise. This means that EVERY HOUR of intense training burns up 2-4 slices of bread, ½-1 cup of oatmeal, or 1-2 cups of beans! How many hours of training are you doing? Carbohydrates are like the gasoline that runs your car. If you run out of gas, you won’t make it through the your training session. Throw several of these high carbohydrate foods in your grocery cart to make sure that you have enough gas in the tank. Whole wheat bread and pasta Whole grain cereal or granola
Residence Safety and Security Always lock your door - even during short naps or when you are just down the hall. Use the peephole and identify who is at the door before you open it. Immediately report suspicious activity to University Police. Immediately report lost or stolen room and mailbox keys to residence hall staff. Do not prop secured doors open or let non-residents follow you in. Take time to familiarize yourself with building evacuation and fire safety plans. Keep items such as checkbooks, wallets, cash or jewelry out of plain sight. Don't keep large sums of cash in your room. Report broken windows, door latches or lights to residence hall staff so repairs can be made quickly. Require identification and authorization from all service people.
Brown rice and wild rice Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, squash Fresh, dried and frozen fruit
When you are out, let a friend know where you are, with whom you are with and when you will be returning. http://www.northwestern.edu/up/crime/safety-tips.html FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE TOPICS FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND YOUTUBE!!
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH!! SEPTEMBER LOK SZE LEUNG
ALEX POLIZZI
OCTOBER KARLY ROSER
UULA AUREN
The Mind-Body Connection Sport Psychology How much of your performance is physical? How much is mental? Most athletes agree that a large portion of performance in competition is between the ears – a mental game, including aspects of confidence, trust, motivation, and attention. Understanding the mindbody connection is critical, and you can use cognitive strategies to enhance your physical performance. Biofeedback is a useful way to monitor your reactions to stress through awareness of the body, and to learn specific techniques to rebalance your attention and energy for enhanced performance. CAPS is offering a 4-part series to teach Biofeedback this fall, on Mondays 2-3pm (starting either Oct 6th or November 3rd). If you can’t make those times, contact [email protected] to schedule an individual meeting to learn biofeedback and other strategies to enhance your mastery of the mind-body connection.
WHY?? Tendo and Autoregulation In both training and in competition, all athletes have good days and “off” days. On good days, prescribed weights seem light and PR’s are shattered. On “off” days, one might feel a half-step slower, weights seem heavier, and the motivation to train or compete is hard to find. These “off” days are caused by the accumulation of stress and its impact on the Central Nervous System (CNS). Training, school, personal lives, sleep, and nutrition all contribute stressors that affect the CNS and, in turn, athletic performance. Autoregulation is the strategy of adjusting training intensity (amount of weight lifted) and volume (number of repetitions and sets performed) in order to account for the differences between good days and “off” days. One way to objectively track CNS fatigue and stress is by calculating bar speed (how fast one is accelerating a weight during a particular movement). Tools like the Tendo unit and Elite Form System allow us to instantaneously measure bar speed. The data obtained from these devices can then help coaches and athletes to autoregulate by increasing intensity and volume on good days and backing off and decreasing them on the “off” days.
THE GREAT CARBOHYDRATE! The average athlete burns 0.5-1 gram of carbohydrate per minute of continuous intense exercise. This means that EVERY HOUR of intense training burns up 2-4 slices of bread, ½-1 cup of oatmeal, or 1-2 cups of beans! How many hours of training are you doing? Carbohydrates are like the gasoline that runs your car. If you run out of gas, you won’t make it through the your training session. Throw several of these high carbohydrate foods in your grocery cart to make sure that you have enough gas in the tank. Whole wheat bread and pasta Whole grain cereal or granola
Residence Safety and Security Always lock your door - even during short naps or when you are just down the hall. Use the peephole and identify who is at the door before you open it. Immediately report suspicious activity to University Police. Immediately report lost or stolen room and mailbox keys to residence hall staff. Do not prop secured doors open or let non-residents follow you in. Take time to familiarize yourself with building evacuation and fire safety plans. Keep items such as checkbooks, wallets, cash or jewelry out of plain sight. Don't keep large sums of cash in your room. Report broken windows, door latches or lights to residence hall staff so repairs can be made quickly. Require identification and authorization from all service people.
Brown rice and wild rice Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, squash Fresh, dried and frozen fruit
When you are out, let a friend know where you are, with whom you are with and when you will be returning. http://www.northwestern.edu/up/crime/safety-tips.html FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE TOPICS FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND YOUTUBE!!
ATHLETES OF THE MONTH!! SEPTEMBER LOK SZE LEUNG
ALEX POLIZZI
OCTOBER KARLY ROSER
UULA AUREN
The Mind-Body Connection Sport Psychology How much of your performance is physical? How much is mental? Most athletes agree that a large portion of performance in competition is between the ears – a mental game, including aspects of confidence, trust, motivation, and attention. Understanding the mindbody connection is critical, and you can use cognitive strategies to enhance your physical performance. Biofeedback is a useful way to monitor your reactions to stress through awareness of the body, and to learn specific techniques to rebalance your attention and energy for enhanced performance. CAPS is offering a 4-part series to teach Biofeedback this fall, on Mondays 2-3pm (starting either Oct 6th or November 3rd). If you can’t make those times, contact [email protected] to schedule an individual meeting to learn biofeedback and other strategies to enhance your mastery of the mind-body connection.
