Saturday, November 20, 2010

Where the battle to get stronger is oft lost

“For want of the nail, the shoe was lost, for want of the shoe, the horse was lost, for want of the horse, the ride was lost, for want of the rider, the battle was lost, for want of the battle, the kingdom was lost, and all for the want of a nail the kingdom lost…..”

I find it incredibly surprising that todays athletes still struggle to understand and comprehend, that REST and proper nutrition are so integral to success, and building strength. While most have come to realize that keeping in top shape, and building towards a stronger athlete includes variety and diversity in their training, it seems as though few have come to the same conclusion about rest and recovery.

This is an often critical mistake, leaving many of those athletes going through their seasons either hurt, or under-recovered, and thus under-performing (not to mention the increased risk for serious injury!).

To keep this post short, I’m going to break down recovery into 2 “bins”:

Short-term recovery:
Within zero to 96 hours

Long term recovery: Periods that are designed to allow for recovery within a block training program (monthly and yearly)

Both are equally important in the big picture of things. Short-term recovery includes nutrition, rest, and active recovery immediately following a workout.
Active recovery includes a cool-down (this seems to elude many runners and cyclists, as they like to “go hard till the line”), allowing the body to return blood flow from the extremities at a slow to moderate pace, thus allowing more “waste” from the working muscles to be “cleaned up” to a better degree.

Nutrition should speak for itself. However, I have found more frequently than ever before, that more and more athletes are waiting LONGER than 30 minutes to eat something post-workout. Regardless of the continually growing number of research done finding that eating something within 30 min of an exercise session helps decrease recovery time.

I have had a few of my athletes say “all I have is a Cliff bar, or a bottle of sports drink.” And they decide not to eat it. SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING! But if you CAN prepare a post-workout meal, it should contain foods with complex carbs, and high-quality protein, and don’t forget the water!

Blood is technically a “connective tissue” and carries nutrients to and from the working muscles. In order to make the body as efficient as possibly, we need to ensure that the blood volume stays up. To give you an idea, for an individual exercising indoors for 1 hour, they should drink at least 16-24 oz. for that session + another 80-96 oz through the rest of the day.

Long term recovery, in my book, are those periods which are built into seasonal, and yearly training plans. When building a training plan for any athlete, this can be the most difficult part of any block to get an athlete to adhere to. Many athletes still feel strong coming off of a good series of blocks, and don’t understand why time is scheduled off when they feel strongest. It’s important to take breaks between seasons, and (especially for triathletes and cyclists) during long seasons.
Todays cyclists and triathletes are more and more frequently looking to compete in seasons lasting from April to October. For these athletes, most of whom are considered “amateur athletes”, and most of whom do NOT have a coach, or knowledge of sports training deep enough to understand season planning/ block training, this can, and often does, lead to Over-reaching to the Nth degree, and even Overtraining.

Part of this built-in recovery, should include an EARLIER bed time (by 30-60 min), especially for those who “regularly” get less than 7-8hrs of sleep a night. Personally, I consider hours of sleep before midnight to be 2x as valuable as those after midnight. There is a good bit of research out there to suggest/support the notion that our hormone levels do better to adjust in the hours of shut-eye before
midnight.

I can personally attest to the devastating effects of sleep deprivation, and its negative impact on performance, and ones abilities to recover. This April, I was coming off of my best training block to date. I was riding with some of my athletes who were CAT 2 cyclists, and were considerably stronger than myself, and I was keeping up, and even making them hurt at times (albeit short, and only on the first effort, after that first effort they hurt me). Things looked solid for the season…. Then I picked up regular 24 hour shifts on Fridays and Sundays, working on the ambulance. Over the next 2 weeks the time needed to recovery fully between sessions began to grow. And grow fast. Those intense sessions that I had been recovering within 12-18 hours, began to grow to 36+ hours. My fitness began to decline, and by the end of my 3 months on that rotation, my fitness had dropped considerably.

Think about YOUR routine. What time are you getting to bed? Are you sleeping through the night? Do you have a stressful job? Etc. etc.

A few things that can help speed up, and enhance recovery:
Cooldown!!!!!! As mentioned before, this goes a LONG way towards helping the body remove the “energy system wastes” that accrued during exercises, and allow ones heart rate to return to a normal resting rate.

Stretch! A dynamic warm-up before an exercise session can help activate the muscles and neuromuscular system. While static stretching post-exercise can help the body remove waste, and possibly even allow the muscles to move to a “longer resting length” (this is still in debate).

Massage! While I personally believe that massage can be good after hard blocks, there are those out here who strongly believe that massage on a regular basis (as often as weekly), can go a long way towards aiding circulation and helping muscles from tightening up.
I do recommend using the Foam Roller, or “The Stick” after all, if not most workouts, but am more wary about recommending paying for a personal massage on a basis beyond once a month, or twice during hard training blocks.

The big message to take out of all this: Recovery and nutrition are often overlooked/ undervalued. Listen to your body, and be smart! Gone are the days of mindlessly “going hard or go home”, and “all out every time”. By all means, give your best for each workout, BUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORKOUTS GOAL!!!!! DON’T turn your Endurance training ride/run into a race-pace, balls to the walls group ride/run.

If you have a coach, you need to TRUST them. If you have concerns about the timing of your rest, or even the amount of rest, start a running dialogue with your coach! One of the biggest indicators of a good coach, is their ability to listen to each athlete, acknowledge their concerns, and explain the reasoning/ thought process behind the training plan.

But the bottom line remains: you have to be SMART.

Train SMARTER, NOT harder.


We are human beings, we are NOT machines. We need rest/recovery in order to get stronger. Be sure that you give your all for each of your workouts, and HOW they are to be executed, and then give it your all on the sofa with that Hot Choclate and bowl of oatmeal.
So go ahead, throw those feet up, and show off your Bart Simpson slippers. You deserve it.

Friday, October 1, 2010

The worst part of being a coach....


As a coach, over the last decade, I have been both fortunate and blessed, to work with athletes of all backgrounds and capabilities. From those in the top ranks of their sport, to those who have mastered the art of juggling a quality home life, a full time job, and training and racing for Half-Ironman triathlons.

I have learned an incredible amount from each and every coach & athlete with which I have worked, and will continue to learn even more through the athletes I currently coach, and those I will come to coach in the future.

But one of the most important things I learned, was what it means to be an "Elite level coach", from the best of the best in their field. And the cornerstone of being an elite level coach, is to tell the truth, and to call it how it is. This can be one of the most difficult things to do, but those at the top of their fields do it time and again. I find this is now more true than ever, that I have moved into coaching endurance athletes.

When coaching basketball, volleyball, or power-lifting, it's always been easy for me to tell an athlete that they aren't cutting it, they're not doing their job, or they need to take some time to re-learn, or to take time off. Calling it like I see it has always been a large part of who I am, as a coach, and as a person.

But when it comes to endurance sports, one of the worst feelings I will ever have, is needing to tell an athlete that they need to skip a race, or stop training all-together, due to injury, or risk of serious damage to themselves (and sometimes their relationships).

Endurance athletes are a special breed. They thrive on competition, and pushing their limits. I know this, because I am one myself. Pushing limits is what we are made to do. It's a large part of why we train so much, putting ourselves through pain, that normal folk would keel over at, or call it quits well before we would say we are even beginning to work.

I pride myself on my athletes remaining healthy and able-bodied, reaching the finish line of their event in their peak fitness, and with as few interruptions in their training (due to injury), as possible.

Fortunately, I can count the number of athletes whom I have coached and trained over the years, who have been injured to the point of skipping their goal event(s), on 1 hand. Of those, all contributed their injury to either deviating from their plans, or neglecting their strengthening exercises. (I'm also very lucky to have athletes who understand the who's whats and why's of what I do, and are very involved in their training!).

Don't get me wrong, there have been "small" injuries over the years. From some Morton's Neuromas, to Swimmers shoulder and sprained ankles, to pulled muscles, blisters, and sprained knees, there have been incidences. But with attentiveness, usage of the sports medicine team at the right times, and having each and every athletes full trust in our guidance, we were able to get all those other "small" injuries healed, and each athlete to their start, and most importantly, the finish, of their goal event.

I've learned from the past experiences, and will at times be preemptive with referring an athlete to a member of the sports medicine team. Although these times are few and far between, it's paid off nearly every time I have done so, as we are able to "nip it in the bud" and correct the problem, as well as prevent future issues pertaining to the onset of the current one.


I can tell you that hands down, there is nothing more I hate, than seeing an athlete get injured, or not reach their goal event's starting line. There have been a few times that I have had to tell an athlete to stop training, either for their event, or all together, until their issues are addressed.

It is one of the worst feelings I have to endure as a coach. But it also goes with one of the most relieving experiences I have had; knowing I have given the right advice (no matter how crappy I feel doing so), and guided my athlete down the right road. When an athlete follows this advice, and heals from whatever it is that ails them, it is one of the best feelings in the world. Especially when they come back to kick serious butt the next year, or at a new "goal event" for that year.

It's one of the hardest things in life to stop working towards something you have been striving for months, or perhaps even years. But who ever said that making the right decision is always easy?

It's the right thing to tell someone how it is, especially when it involves their health in the long term. It's the hardest thing to watch someone hurt themselves, possibly beyond repair, and to see them lose physical ability to do the things we all take fore granted on a daily basis.

The big message?

Listen to your body. You're only given one for your life. The more you listen to it, the better off you're going to be.

Treat it right. Remember that you're NOT getting stronger when you are out there putting in the work, but rather when you are resting. "Small injuries" are our bodies trying to tell us that it needs rest, and some TLC.

It sucks to miss a key event, or even a build event. It sucks a lot more to cause permanent injury, or to have to take a year off from something you love. Listen to your body.

I'll end again with "Why waddle on, when you can run on".


Eat right. Train Smarter, not harder.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Training Injured


To this very day, It ceases to amaze me how many endurance athletes AHEM!! RUNNERS *Cough* TRIATHLETES, train through moderate-to-serious injuries.

I'm not talking a slightly sprained ankle here, or a little stiff/sore shoulders there, but rather, pretty significant stuff (think major Plantar Fasciitis, frozen shoulder). Over the course of the last month, I have come in contact with a few atheltes (two of whom are HVT athletes), who have fairly significant injuries, but due to the "More is more" attitude, have really dug themselves into holes.

As a coach, I find this as one of, if not THE, biggest obstacle in coaching/training.
As an athlete, having suffered 2 significant injuries myself, I kinda/sorta understand.

I remember the days of crutching around campus, and heading to the weightroom as soon as the doctor told me i could load-bear 50% of my wieght.....And performing a full upper-body workout, benchpress and all.....Unfortunately, I also remember the prolonged recovery time I faced because of it. I missed half the season, instead of just the pre-season. Boy, did that one suck.

I want everyone out there reading this to know, that when you are injured, ESPECIALLY when you have persistent pain, loss or range of motion about a joint, pain while sleeping, sharp/stabbing pain, pain that radiates, that these are NOT times to "man up" or "tough it out". These are times to seek professional medical attention; be it Physical Therapist, Orthopedist, or PCP, your best bet is to seek advice and guidance.

Unlike runners, Triathletes are lucky enough to have 3 sports to choose from. However, it seems more often than naught, that the triathletes primary source of injury is running (swimming is a close second, in my opinion).

Unfortunately, many triathletes are so focused on that run, that they panic about getting their run workouts in. The triathletes anxiety ensues, and "what if, what if, what if" abounds-a-plenty. Anxious nights turn into poor excuses for attempted runs, which lead to further injury of the site.

****at this point I appologise for picking on runners and triathletes****

What so many people fail to realize, or forget, is that EVERYTHING ties together, because you're all one piece.

Poor bio-mechanics, especially in running, leads to joint mal-alignment, with can lead to muscle over-use/ under-utilization, which can lead to skeletal-musculo issues in both the short, and long term.

So how does one continue to build their fitness to reach their event, without injury/ further injury?

Well, the solution is simple: Listen to your body, NOT your brain.

I'll borrow an example from a great book I read. We, as "advanced" intellectual beings, are capable of thinking through situations, developing outcomes based on our, and others, past experiences, our biggest dreams/ aspirations, and our worst nightmares/fears.

However, there are 2 major drivers in this process:
1. Emotion. we'll call it the Elephant
2. Rational thought. We'll call him the rider

what comes to mind when we think of an elephant?
Big. Strong. Does what it wants (unless we treat it nicely)

What comes to mind when we think of a big muscular person?
Big. Strong.

But when we put the elephant next to the big strong person, the person is meek in comparison.

While the person can lead the elephant, as long as the elephant allows/wants. However, when the elephant decides it doesn't want to do what the big, strong muscular person wants, the person can push and pull until exhausted, but is lucky if he gets the elephant to move an inch.

Emotion and rationale work exactly the same.

What we as endurance athletes, need to understand, is that a little time off can have huge reward. But we HAVE to listen! Time and again, our emotions get in the way:
"This is my qualifier for Kona! I can't take time off, because if I take time off, i'll be behind Schedule!"

"I'm supposed to run this marathon with my best friend who's flying in all the way from California to run it with me!"

"I promised my family I wouldn't fail, I'm not going to let this slow me down"

"I'll rub dirt in it, take a lap, and I'll tought it out".

Sorry my friends, but isn't a prolonged hiatus from the sport you are growing to enjoy/ already love, worse?


So let's wrap this up with some key points to remember:

1. Scientific research has shown that it takes anywhere from 7-14 days to see a half-life in once AEROBIC abilities.
This means sitting around doing nothing, you can still maintain your AEROBIC (our big diesel engine) fitness, without losing too much of it. -----> see "time off= good"


2. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!!!!

When unsure if you should complete, or even start your workout, take a second to recollect:
Was I woken up by any pain since I first noticed X?
Is the pain Sharp/within a joint/ radiating/ causing numbness/ tingling?
Is this beyond my "Normal Sore"?
Have my movement patterns changed due to X ?
Am I taking NSAID's more frequently?
Have I noticed specific muscle groups fatiguing more/ faster than usual?

If you answer "no" to these, then perhaps you just need a nutritional check-up, or to get to bed for a few extra hours.

But if you answer "yes" to any of these, you should strongly consider skipping that workout, and scheduling an appointment with your PCP, or your Physical Therapist.

3. Our bodies are NOT machines (I the "Robocop" or "Terminator" sense).
We NEED time to heal.
Remember, you ARE NOT getting stronger from going out and performing a run/lift/bike/swim (stress on the body). BUT you ARE getting stronger when you are RESTING/ RECOVERING from those workouts!

Proper nutrition, Hydration and Sleep are integral portions of a training regimen, too oft forgotten, or put to the wayside!

4. When unsure start your workout with a solid 15-20 minute warm-up.

if the body part/joint is not feeling better with movement, it's time to seek help.
Talk to your coach/ medical professional, and "nip it in the bud".


Lastly, Remember the importance of proper muscular balance & posture.
It's not all about planks and superman's, there is so much more to it.


I will begin my close with my (least) favorite closing of all-time (sorry Runners World)"Waddle on my friends".

Why waddle, when you can run?
Be smart. Listen to your body. Rest & Recover.

After all, isn't your body worth it?

Train Smarter, not harder.



--Picture is Rights Observed Human Vortex Training 2010
This Image may Not be used without permission from Menachem Brodie, or Human Vortex Training.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Re-connecting!

Well folks, as you can see it has been a VERY busy 5 months here at HVT. From Our Athletes placing top 10 in Professional Road Bike Races (Hyde Park Blast, NRC Race), to setting PR's in Marathon's (3:32:81 at Pittsburgh) and Half Marathons (2:07:38 spirit of Columbus), it has been a phenomenal second summer.

The best part of all this? Is people are STILL just learning about HVT!
"You are the regions best kept coaching secret!" said a recent new athlete after her assessment. (She has since gone on to finish top 5 age group and overall in numerous 10k's).

So we have a great line-up for everyone this fall and winter. HVT will be doing a lot of work in the community over the next 6 months, so keep your eyes and ears open!

The blog will be continually updated as things progress forward.

If you are interested in joining the ranks of HVT's National Athletes, Please contact us at HumanVortexTraining@gmail.com, or via phone, 412-606-4025.

YES! we do internet based coaching!

Check back for more informational and fun blog posts!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Presentation/ Lecture!!!

Triathlon Workshop Presented by the Pittsburgh Triathlon Club. Sunday, April 25th 3:00 PM. Over the Bar Bicycle Café, 2518 E .Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. The Pittsburgh Triathlon Club and Friends of the Riverfront would like to invite you to their 2010 Spring Triathlon Workshop at the OTB Cafe on the South Side.

Come down and see what some of Pittsburgh’s best
Triathletes and coaches have to say, and pick up some tips that can make
your season better than ever!

Special presentations include:

Chad Holderbaum – Heart Rate Training – Developing Your Body’s Ability to Burn Fat

USA Triathlon Certified Coach, Ironman Hawaii and 70.3 World Championship Qualifier

Menachem Brodie – Complete Guide to Bike Safety, Group Riding and Getting There Fast!

Human Vortex Training, USA Cycling Certified Coach, B.S. Exercise Science, NSCA-Certified Strength &
Conditioning Specialist, USA Cycling Level 2 Coach and PA EMT-B


Jeremy Cornman – Introduction to Triathlons

Pittsburgh’s Fastest Man, Ironman Hawaii World Championship Qualifier and sub-10 hour Ironman finisher

Also, don’t forget to register for the PNC Pittsburgh Triathlon & Adventure
Race being held on Sunday, August 1st, 2010.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Volunteer for the Pittsburgh Marathon Needed!

The Pittsburgh Triathlon Club needs Volunteers for the Water Stop in the Pittsburgh Marathon at mile 7.5, WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!!!!!!! 7am- 11 am, WHO'S IN??????

Come cheer on our HVT athletes, and support The Pittsburgh Triathlon club, and the
PTC Racers!!!!!

Go to the following link, and sign up, it'll be a lot of fun, and a great way to see people you know race! AND you can catch them at the end (Probably, lol).




More training blogs to come once the website is up and running....only so much can be done, and done with quality.

After all, quality people, will be busy...

Friday, March 5, 2010

Website and more upcoming

So after a lot of work, deliberation, and a little waffling, the NEW HVT website will be up and running mid-March. We are VERY excited about the new website, and it will blow you away! A post will be made when it is finished.

Also, HVT Womens team will be having its first spring meeting in the next few weeks as well.... keep tuned for details.

Lastly, more blog posts will be coming. Training tips, Exercises, and some basic reflections will be posted as we move into summer. Sorry for the drop off the last few months, but I have been working hard on a bunch of new things..... (secrets to be unveiled as we go along).

Thanks for staying tuned in, and stay tuned for MORE coming!

Spring is here, contact HVT to get your butt in shape for this summer!

-Brodie