Core for the athlete

While the appearance of lean abs is appealing to the eye, for an endurance athletes the strength and functionality of the core is more important.

A strong core allows all the major joints, such as hips, knees, and shoulders, to load and work in harmony, and as a result, you will become a more powerful athlete.

The "core" means everything in the center of your body -- such as the abdominals, oblique's, hips, shoulder blades and the lower back. You can strengthen each muscle group separately, but ultimately, the best and most functional way to strengthen your core is to do exercises that work everything in unity.

Single and multisport training creates many imbalances in your body, and during your training, swimming, biking and running, always be aware of your posture so you will not add more imbalances. Even when standing around, pull your shoulder blades back and down, keep your abs contracted and maintain a posture so you can draw a straight line from ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and ears. Even when sitting, your ears,  shoulders and hips should be in alignment.

It is the racing season.  If you only have time for one core exercise during your busy training schedule to maintain core strength one of the best exercises to strengthen your core is the plank.

Basic Plank: To perform the basic plank, get down on the ground on your hands and feet. Align your shoulders over your hands and spread your fingers wide, pointing forward. Keep your arms symmetrical and straight. Maintain your body straight like a plank, with the hips one inch above the line linking your feet and shoulders. Engage your abdominals at all times and breathe deeply. Hold this position for one minute, and over time, increase the interval until you can do two minutes without rest. That is a sign of strong core!

As you get tired, the hips want to sink lower and you have to stop them so you don't put excessive pressure on your lower back. If your body starts shaking, continue breathing and try to relax. Relaxing while your muscles are under tension is a good practice for your sport. It is possible that you will feel gentle discomfort in one or both of your wrists, which shows developing imbalances or weakness. If the discomfort feels more as pain, you may perform the plank on your elbows instead.

Plank with Opposite Arm and Leg Lift: When the simple plank is not challenging anymore, you can add difficulty by simultaneously lifting one arm and the opposite leg off the ground.Get your balance first, breathe in and lift your both limbs up, parallel with the ground. Keep them straight and try to elongate your body as much as possible. Hold the top position for two seconds. If you lose your balance temporarily, try to regain it before you switch sides in a controlled manner. Repeat this movement slowly 20 times. The plank with the leg and arm lifts is much harder than it sounds. It is an excellent strengthener of your core, shoulders and hips. Additionally, it improves your balance, coordination, and patience -- important elements for your race. View a video here

Perform your planks regularly as part of your year round conditioning and injury prevention program.

TRX created a great Functional Core Workout view here

If you have questions please contact me any time.

Wendy Mader 

http://t2coaching.com 

BeachBody http://www.getfit-getstrong-getfast-getwendy.com 

GOTRIbal http://www.GOTRIbalnow.com 

Rocky Mountain High School Swim Coach 

NoCo High School Tri Team Coach 

Pelican Fest Tri Race Director 

Team Timex/Newton/Powerbar athlete 

Colorado Women of Influence 

Challenge Creates Change

I’m here to teach you and help you learn how to change your habits, so that you can meet your fitness and nutrition goals.

Do you know any kind of change needs a challenge. The smaller the challenge, the smaller the change.  When we think small, it’s one dimensional. As a coach, I teach my clients to think in three realms.  Body, Mind and Emotions.  You need to believe you can do something and you will. You need to push safely beyond the pain and the body compensates to adapt. You need to dig deep into your emotions and cut the BS and find out what the hell you want from life. It’s your life, DON’T WASTE IT AWAY. Sure, there’s plenty of time, tomorrow.. right?  Tomorrow is another day down the drain, when you don’t act on your thoughts and intentions.  Tomorrow is another excuse.

Challenge Yourself Now… You want to be healthy, you want to increase your fitness, you want to compete in a sport? You are  gonna need to work for it. Just like money, friendship, love...you need to work for it.  You get out, what you put in.  It may not be easy, it will be easy, when you’ve made it a habit which has become part of you. You live it, breath it and it comes naturally because after many years, these things integrate with your time and space, thoughts and actions.

Working out, building muscle, getting leaner, following your nutrition plan, that is gonna be all new or somewhat new to those other things like career, love, friendship. Do you give up easily on those things?  No.  When you challenge yourself, you break away from what you were, the outcome changes.   Things will change.  So, challenge yourself to go in the direction and lead with your body, mind and emotions.

Have you made any changes in your food choices that have led to healthier eating? What tricks do you have to substitute unhealthy foods for healthy foods? 

What is your Holiday Fitness and Nutrition Goal before the new year?

Contact Wendy Mader, Health, Wellness and Sport Coach to discuss your challenges and goals.

Cyber Monday sales End at Midnight November 26th

t2coaching.com t2coaching Black Friday - Cyber Monday Special Offers from t2coaching and partners  Swim Lesson with underwater video assessment. Purchase now - Monday November 26th for $40 (a $20 savings). Contact wendy@t2coaching.com to  purchase.  Three months of of coaching during the months of January - June for only $450 (a $100 savings) purchase now - November 26th. Contact  wendy@t2coaching.com to purchase.    t2coaching Gift Cards are now available. Swim lessons, Personal Training, Coaching make an excellent gift for friends and family, or  stocking stuffer!

Offer #1: P90X + 3 Shakeology sample packets for just $99 (a $38 savings!) Offer #2: TurboFire for just $53 (a $67 savings!) Offer #3: 10-Minute Trainer for just $59.90 (a $20 savings!) Offer #4: Power 90 for just $44.90 (a $15 savings!) Offer #5: Hip Hop Abs for just $24.95 (a $35 savings!) Offer #6: Body Gospel for just $24.95 (a $55 savings!) Offer #7: Beachbody Squishy Ball for just $3.95 (a $9 savings!)

Black Friday Deal - 20% Off All Trainers (Rip, HOME, PRO & Force) + Free Shipping

Use Code: TRXMAS (valid 11-23-12 only) Order here

Order home direct and receive a $25 Beachbody gift.

No bake VEGAN Chocolate Shakeology COOKIES

http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/recipe/-/rcp/191684883/all/0/5

I love am not a fan of chocolate unless it is mixed with peanut butter. One of these delicious chocolate and nut butter cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth without wrecking your diet. Find out how Shakeology can help you reach your nutrition and fitness goals by watching this video.

Total Time: 10 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Yield: 25 cookies
Ingredients:
• 1 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• ½ cup honey
• 1 cup Vegan Chocolate Shakeology


Preparation:
1. Combine peanut butter, honey, oats and Shakeology in medium bowl. Mix well.
2. Roll 24 balls, each the size of 1 tbsp.
3. Flatten each slightly so takes on the shape of a traditional cookie.


Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 115

Fat: 6g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 2mg

Sodium: 39mg

Carbohydrate: 15g

Fiber: 1g

Sugar: 7g

Protein: 5g

 www.getfit-getstrong-getfast-getwendy.com

Set Some Goals not Resolutions this Holiday Season

Don't fall victim over the holidays and lose focus on your nutrition and fitness program.
Set some goals NOW, not resolutions after the New Year, that will motivate you to maintain activity and healthy eating this season.

WHY GOAL SETTING and not RESOLUTIONS?

There are many benefits to setting goals. Goals direct your focus and attention. They help you remain persistent in the face of adversity. They increase your self-confidence and help you develop problem-solving strategies. They help you train smarter and harder. The bottom line is that when you set effective goals, they keep you motivated to make better food choices then you would if you did not have goals. Think about it, you, the athlete, create clear, simple and targeted daily training goals when you are preparing for your annual event. You know want to accomplish with each workout. You know how your training goals connect to your long-term performance goals. This is the same concept when it comes to nutrition and fitness. It can be difficult when your time to exercise is now eaten by holiday parties and celebrations. That is no excuse to pack on the pounds, if your goal is to maintain.

Most of us take a break from the daily training grind and are stuck in the mindset to start our our nutrition and fitness in January, the New Year. Perhaps you have not completed your 2012 fitness resolutions and or are already committed to a 2013 New Year’s resolution. 
Why wait, commit to get FIT now!

Instead of resolutions, set goals. Dedicate this time and make an effort toward setting and evaluating your goals and think of what you could accomplish. If you need help send me a message.

Here are some tips to help you with goal setting.

1. Set specific, but challenging goals.
If your goals are detailed and measurable, they are more likely to improve your health, fitness and performance and keeps your motivation high

2. Set multiple goals.
An ideal number is three. More gives you too much to focus on, but only one can put too much pressure on you. Have you ever focused on one event, such as qualifying for the Boston Marathon, for example, and feel too much pressure before and during the competition?

3. Write it down and express your goal.
People are more successful if they write down their goals and keep a log of their daily nutrition and workouts.

4. Frame your goals positively instead of negatively.
Rather than saying what you don’t want to do, write what you do want. Changing “I will avoid eating sweets” to “I will add more fruits and veggies, 5 a day, in my daily nutrition plan with a weekly piece of cake” has a dramatic impact on our focus and motivation. It allows you to think about the cake you can enjoy, not cake you can’t have. Plus you fill up on your 5 a day you make not want that cake at the end of the week

5. Plan out what you are going to do weekly or daily.
This is incredibly important and a step that most people miss. We tend to think about our goals, but don’t write a plan that includes short-term daily or weekly goals. Someone who is trying to lose a certain amount of weight this year should break that total into smaller monthly goals.

6. Include a plan to adjust your goals.
  Be flexible when life gets in the way. You may get injured or travel and eat out more then you want to so may have to readjust your goals.

7. Have an accountability partner or coach (ME)
I will help hold you accountable for your goals and support you in the process. I will keep you honest when the going gets tough. Join me on facebook to be included in my fitness support group.

Spend some time reflecting on what you want to accomplish today. Use this opportunity to reflect on what you accomplished last year and look toward the next. Then set goals instead of making resolutions. This increases your chance for success and keep you motivated and focused for the year to come.

Friend me on facebook, http://www.facebook.com/wendy.mader.7, and join my fitness accountability group.

Wendy Mader
www.t2coaching.com

Get Started with your Ironman Experience

Watching the Hawaii Ironman World Championships broadcast on TV is enough to motivate any triathlete to want to train and complete and Iron Distance event.  Although I did not watch the NBC broadcast, I was in Kona the entire week before the Ironman. Being there live, coaching 3 athletes the months leading up to their day, watching and cheering was enough to want to compete again.
Last year I wrote and article How to Choose Your First Ironman. Before you go sign up for an Ironman event keep in mind the following tips as you start to prepare your body and mind for the training.

Get Started: Motivation
Preparing for an ironman is the first and most important step. During the many weeks of training, you need to develop motivation and an iron-will along with building stamina by mentally and physically. Building a positive mindset and visualize the goal every time you train and expressing your WHY, your reason for training for an Ironman event, will keep you motivated.

Get Started: The Right Gear
Run:  Invest in a running gait analysis and purchase the right shoes to ensure that you’re comfortable during the long hours of running and help avoid injury.

Bike: While they are many similarities between bikes, they all fit different. You want to invest in a professional bike fit to the bike you plan to ride hundreds of miles on during your training preparation. Consult with a coach to decide if a tri or road bike is right for you and spend money on a bike fit.

Swim: TriSuit, wetsuit, tank and shorts? Shop around now for clothing as most of the popular brands go on sale this time of year and train in what you plan to compete it.

Extras to bling out your bike: Water bottle cages in front or on the back.  A bento box to carry food on your top-tube, race wheels and more. All not necessary but will help create the experience.

Get Started Nutrition:
Experience in training what nutrition and hydration needs you will race with.  I recommend learn and practice with what is offered on the course and seek out advice from a local dietician. It is really important to eat a well-balanced daily nutrition  and drink sufficient water and sports drinks during your training to help enhance performance and recovery. The consumption of protein, carbohydrates and good fats is very important as your energy expenditure increases with training. As a rough breakdown, during training, your diet should consist of 65-70% carbohydrates, 10-15% proteins and 20-25% of unsaturated fats.

Get Started Training: Ironman training is demanding and breaking your training year into different phases makes is manageable. To minimize the risk of injury, new ironman distance athletes should give themselves at least 8 months to prepare for their first ironman.

• 8 weeks of technique based swim, bike and run workouts to increase your strength and economy in each of the three sports.
• 12 weeks to build your engine, aerobic base fitness
• 8 weeks to build your race specific intensity and preparation
• 4 week peak, taper, race

Build up the training volume slowly. A general rule is that you shouldn’t increase your distance by 10% in any week. Also, build recovery weeks into your training where you reduce the duration and intensity of your training for a few days to give your body time to recover and strengthen. A progressive training program reduces the chance of you over-training and suffering injury. Plan a mental and physical break from training one day a week as a reality test.
Keep a log of your training progress. This will ensure you can see where you are now, and track where you want to go. Often you look back to see how far you have come which leads to increased motivation to get you to the finish.  Listen to your body and rest more if you need it.

Get Started: Recovery and Prevention of Injury
Rest and recovery periods during your training are just as important as the training itself. This way your body gets a chance to recover, lessening the chances of injury and allowing it to grow stronger. You need to pay attention to how your body feels. If you feel pain or fatigue you should rest and not push yourself through the pain. It’s when you fail to read the signs your body is giving that injuries take place.

Get Started: Enjoy the journey
Finishing an ironman is an extremely rewarding experience and the satisfaction you will get is like nothing else. First timers should train properly and sensibly to avoid injury and get to the finish line. Focus on your diet, progressive training and following a structured training program. If you do that, you’ll be in great shape.

Wendy Mader is a 13 time Ironman Finisher, 2008 Ironman World Champion. View her website at www.t2coaching.com and contact her for more advice wendy@t2coaching.com