www.profitness.net.nz September 2004

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Happenings and Flavinoids
Rough & Tumble
Older Is Best and Agility
Oh, Those Hormones! and Fall-Out
Too Wet??

Another new member from the Auckland region, is Julie Helean. Julie has been walking for a while and is keen to see her times reduce and get a little closer to the 'guns'. Her regular training companion, Pippin (of the four legged variety of exerciser) is also keen on this improved training program but looks a little perplexed when Julie goes off on her own to do a little track work.

Guess what! Program Fitness has gone international. Newest member Kim Braunsroth, hails from Stockbridge, just south of Atlanta, Georgia, in USA. Kim has been race walking for a while and wants to bring her 5k time down. Welcome to the group, Kim.

This article really proves that race walkers do it because they like it tough. It's a good thing that Gillian MacDougall didn't have big feet.
From a Nelson Newspaper
"A leading racewalker from Motueka (Gillian MacDougall) pulled off another top performance over the weekend, securing the medal to prove it - but not without trying hard to nobble herself. To make it more of a challenge, she took two right footed shoes to the competition to race in (it was only the NZ Road Champs in Inglewood after all!!). Just as well she had some good mates to ensure she was not "left" right in the lurch. She only discovered the organisational trip-up shortly before race start, and reckons the way she kept her composure is the mark of a true champ."

In September, Steve Appel decided tto have a try at indoor rowing as well as his walking and managed to do quite well. These were his comments.

" I did the 1,000m (3m19) and 300m (52.9s). If I'd been a
light-weight (under 75kg) I would have come second, but it turned out that all that rowing seems to have bulked me up instead! So I missed the cut-off and was up against some pretty big boys.
It was good fun, but realistically I don't think training
seriously for walks and rowing goes together - it would mean strenuous training every day and exhaustion soon follows.
But the big news is that I've signed up to do a weekend walks clinic with Dave McGovern while we're in the US. I'll be very interested to learn what he has to offer about my technique."

I am not sure if Steve will meet up with Kim, but she also will be doing a clinic with Dave McGovern in the States.

At the recent South Island Masters Champs (25.9.04), Sharon McDonald completed the 10k race walk in 59:12; with Michael Harte showing consistent form to produce a time of 51:35. Nice one Guys!

Sharon is off to the Oceania Masters Athletics Champs in Rarotonga later in October and we all wish her well.

However, she will need to prepare for these events, or at least make sure that she keeps her shoes in sight. She doesn't want to be like Gillian (her training mate), who nearly hobbled herself at the National Champs last month.
Michael Harte is also travelling to Rarotonga to compete, so our best wishes go to you both. Give 'em heaps!

In July next year, the World Masters Games are being held in Edmonton, Canada. These games cover a myriad of sports and athletics is one of the sports catered for. I am currently organising a New Zealand Race Walking Association team to take part and included in this team are myself, Gillian MacDougall, Sharon McDonald, Michael Harte, Steve Appel and a pending member, Noeline Dean. The events that are available are the 5000m track walk and on the road the women have 10km with the men having the option of the 10km or the 20km events. The total team should number about a dozen and I expect us to do well, as most of the team going, performed well at the recent World Masters Non stadia competitions.

Flavonoids
A Closer Look @ Supplements

What Are Flavonoids?

Food is energy, right? When we eat food it's because we are hungry and our body needs nourishment. We all learned that in kindergarten. The amazing thing about food is that its benefits don't stop there. Certain compounds found in the foods we eat can also help us to stay healthy by bolstering our immune system and protecting our cells against cancer, among other benefits. Flavonoids are a functional food found in all kinds of plants. They are found mainly in fruits and vegetables but are also found in seeds, nuts, flowers, green tea, pine bark and buckwheat. The best sources of Flavonoids are tea, apples, onions and red wine. Citrus fruits are also a great source, supplying an abundance of Flavonoids in the white material between the peel and the fruit.

There are over 4,000 different known Flavonoids, but only a few of these have been studied and researched for their potential benefits. These are:
" Quercitin - found in onions and apples
" Hesperetin & Rutin - found in citrus fruits
" Procyanidolic oligomers - found in pine bark, grape seed extracts and red wine
" Anthocyanosides - found in bilberries
" Polyphenols - found in green tea
" Genistein - found in soy

How Do Flavonoids Work?

Now that we know where to find it, what does it do? The primary job that Flavonoids do is give color to the fruits and vegetables that contained them. They also act as powerful antioxidants, slowing the progression of oxidation to the skins and pulp of the fruits and vegetables. In our bodies, these antioxidants do the same thing by protecting our cell membranes from free radicals, which can cause irreversible damage and promote cancer.

Flavonoids have an anti-inflammatory effect as well, helping to ease pain, and are often used to treat back and leg pain. Those suffering from arthritis can benefit from Flavonoids as they provide pain relief from joint and muscle pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-inflammatories also helps different types of skin conditions, ranging from the average bug-bite to chronic skin conditions, such as eczema.

Allergy and asthma sufferers will be happy to hear that Flavonoids also help to block the release of histamines during the allergic response. Histamine is responsible for the watery eyes, runny nose, and congestion associated with many different kinds of allergies, as well as the difficulty in breathing associated with asthma. In addition to these benefits, Flavonoids are being studied for their potential benefits in protecting against heart disease, cancer, and stroke, as well as shielding the eyes from cataracts.

How Can I Make The Most Out Of Flavonoids?

How do you know if you're not getting enough Flavonoids in your everyday diet? A deficiency of Flavonoids will also cause you to bruise more easily. There are no RDA's for Flavonoids, but recommended intakes are given as 500 mg 2-3 times per day. Flavonoids should be taken at the same time as Vitamin C because they help to increase the absorption of this vitamin as well as to prolong its effects. Eating fruits and vegetables every day will easily supply the needed amounts of Flavonoids each day, as well as to supply the vitamin C. The USDA recommends consuming 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
From LifeScript Scientific and Medical Advisory Board

Fighting FITT
Goal setting is a simple motivational technique which can provide some structure for your athlete's training and competition programme. Goals give a focus, and there are a number of well known acronyms to guide goal setting.
The FITT Principle (or formula) is a great way of monitoring your exercise program. The acronym FITT outlines the key components of an effective exercise program, and the initials F, I, T, T, stand for:
o F = Frequency which refers to how often you exercise
o I = Intensity which refers to how hard you exercise
o T = Time which refers to how long you exercise for
o T = Type which refers to the kind of exercise you undertake
The two biggest mistakes I see people make when designing an exercise program, is firstly training too hard, and secondly, not including enough variety. The most common problem is that people tend to find an exercise they like and very rarely do anything other than that exercise. This can result in long term, repetitive strain to the same muscle groups, and neglect, or weakening of other muscle groups. Leading to a very unbalanced muscular system, which is a sure-fire recipe for injury.
From http://www.sports-coach.net

Effect of Acute Static Stretching on Force, Balance, Reaction Time, and Movement Time.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 36(8):1397-1402, August 2004
Abstract:
Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of an acute bout of lower limb static stretching on balance, proprioception, reaction, and movement time.
Methods: Sixteen subjects were tested before and after both a static stretching of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and plantar flexors or a similar duration control condition. The stretching protocol involved a 5-min cycle warm-up followed by three stretches to the point of discomfort of 45 s each with 15-s rest periods for each muscle group. Measurements included maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) force of the leg extensors, static balance using a computerized wobble board, reaction and movement time of the dominant lower limb, and the ability to match 30% and 50% MVC forces with and without visual feedback.
Results: There were no significant differences in the decrease in MVC between the stretch and control conditions or in the ability to match submaximal forces. However, there was a significant (P < 0.009) decrease in balance scores with the stretch ([down arrow] 9.2%) compared with the control ([up arrow] 17.3%) condition. Similarly, decreases in reaction (5.8%) and movement (5.7%) time with the control condition differed significantly (P < 0.01) from the stretch-induced increases of 4.0% and 1.9%, respectively.
Conclusion: In conclusion, it appears that an acute bout of stretching impaired the warm-up effect achieved under control conditions with balance and reaction/movement time.

Yale study finds older runners can improve faster than younger runners
By Associated Press/The Boston Herald
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Runners over 50 improve their performance more quickly than younger runners, a Yale study found, reinforcing past research on older athletes and the benefits they get from exercise.

"You can maintain a very high performance standard into the sixth or seventh decade of life," lead researcher Dr. Peter Jokl said.
The 16-year study of 415,000 top runners in the New York City Marathon found that the average times of older age groups improved more than the average times for younger age groups.

Women aged 50 to 59 showed the greatest improvement, running the marathon as a group more than 2 minutes faster each year from 1983 to 1999. Male runners aged 50 to 59 improved about 8 seconds each year.

The study reinforces the notion that many older people grow weaker not simply because of age, but because they do not use their muscles as much as they did in their youth, said Jokl, a professor of orthopedics at the Yale School of Medicine.
Researchers expect older runners will continue to improve over time, as they try new training techniques and as American culture increasingly encourages older people, especially women, to exercise.
You do not have to be a marathoner to see the benefits either, Jokl and other researchers said. Regular exercise of any kind helps lower cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure, keeps weight down and improves mental outlook.

June Norman, 58, of Milford, said she has seen many benefits from her exercise regimen.
She has been running for 25 years and tests herself in the New Haven Road Race each Labor Day. On Monday, she ran the 20-kilometer race 5 seconds faster than she did the year before, to finish second in her age group. Her times overall have stayed about the same since she hit her 50s.

"I'd be interested to know why. You would think you would get slower or drop off quickly," Norman said.
She said she trains conservatively to avoid injuries and runs competitively twice a year for fun. "I certainly feel a lot healthier than some of my friends," Norman said. "There is life after menopause."

Agility - getting the right balance
Agility is the ability to change the direction of the body in an efficient and effective manner. To achieve this you require a combination of: balance, speed, strength and co-ordination.
The principles of speed development are well known, but have not been systematically applied to the improvement of agility. The principles of motor learning are clearly defined, they must be observed for optimum development of agility. Agility in game situations takes place in a time span of 2 to 5 seconds. This is high neural demand work that must be consistently reproduced in a climate of fatigue. That is where most of the problems start. Do not begin by incorporating fatigue, start with teaching the skill, then master the skill, add reaction, master that, and then and only then incorporate fatigue.
Agility is the key to game speed. It not only has a performance enhancement component, but it can make a huge contribution to injury prevention. An athlete who is more agile will be able to safely get into and out of positions that would otherwise be impossible. This can only be developed through a systematic approach that has a foundation in sound motor learning principles.
From http://www.sports-coach.net

Does growth hormone
make you grow?

If you're a child, yes. If you're an adult, no. It actually makes you drop inches!
It's like clock work. When I'm a guest on a radio talk show, invariably, someone will ask, "Will growth hormone make me grow? I don't need to grow!"
I'll spend valuable air time explaining the history of growth hormone research rather than explaining what the audience really needs to know -- how to get the body fat cutting, muscle toning, and metabolism synergizing benefits of exercise-induced growth hormone.
Most middle-age and older adults I know have experienced all the growth they want to see. They want the opposite. And that's what increasing exercise-induced growth hormone will do for most people.
Growth hormone changes roles in adulthood
For children, growth hormone is truly the "hormone of growth" as it was initially named by Dr. Harvey Cushing in 1912. It makes children grow. Once we reach adulthood however, growth hormone changes roles and it actually becomes the adult "fitness hormone."
If you think about it, after puberty and the final teenage growth spurt, HGH doesn't make adults "grow." Researchers show that when HGH is released during fitness training, it targets body fat like a heat seeking missile for two hours and reduces inches. Sounds more like the "fitness hormone" than "growth hormone," to me!
How to increase growth hormone
There are four ways to increase growth hormone. Well, actually there are five ways - if you count getting HGH injections from an Endocrinologist, but I wouldn't recommend that route. It's very expensive, and there are risks of serious side-effects.
There are four main ways to increase growth hormone ... NATURALLY.
Researchers show that anaerobic, high-intensity sprinting types of fitness training, some inexpensive supplements like 2-grams of L-Glutamine before training, adequate fluid during workouts, and adequate "deep sleep" will increase your body's natural release of growth hormone.
The take home
Make sure you are getting adequate "deep" sleep, drinking plenty of water (especially during workouts), and reaching all of the growth hormone release benchmarks during exercise.

Have a great day!
Phil Campbell, M.S., M.A., FACHE Author Ready, Set, GO!

Elite Athletes Can Rapidly Fall Out of Shape
By Amy Norton, Reuters Health

NEW YORK - Without enough exercise, even those impossible bodies on display at the Olympics are in danger of rapidly morphing into the shape of a couch potato, a study of endurance athletes shows.
Researchers in France found that among 20 highly trained rowers, those who stopped training saw their weight, fat mass and cholesterol levels reach that of the average sedentary person within a year. Given the athletes' very low body fat during training, it's not surprising that these changes happened quickly, the study's lead author, Dr. Cyril Petibois, told Reuters Health.
However, increases in fat mass, cholesterol and triglycerides -- another blood-fat-carrying molecule -- should stabilize after a few months, according to Petibois, a researcher at the University of Bordeaux. Athletes in this study did not show such a stabilization, but instead had continuing alterations in body fat and blood fats during their year of "detraining."
The concern is that, without enough exercise, these athletes will face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the future, according to Petibois.
He said the results highlight the importance of slowly cutting back on training at the end of a sports career.
"This information is very important in the post-Olympic period since it signifies the end of (sports careers) for a generation of athletes," the researcher noted. He said retiring Olympians should continue training for the next year at levels of at least 25 percent of previous training levels.
For their study, reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Petibois and his colleagues followed 20 rowers who had been training for more than 10 years. During the study's first year, all of the athletes performed endurance and weight training for about 22 hours a week, most weeks of the year. During year two, 10 athletes who wanted to retire from the sport were instructed to exercise no more than four hours each week, while the rest returned to their training regimen.
At the end of the second year, the researchers found, athletes who were not training gained enough weight and fat mass to qualify as officially out of shape. On average, their body fat increased from 12 percent of total body mass to 20 percent, while their body mass index, or BMI, reached 25-the threshold used to define "overweight." The rowers who stopped training rapidly lost the cholesterol benefits that their athleticism had given them. Within several weeks, their levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol went up, while concentrations of heart-healthy HDL cholesterol declined. The athletes' triglycerides, another type of blood-fat-carrying molecule, rose by an average of about 40 percent.

Intensity vs volume for ageing athletes
For many years the conventional wisdom of exercise pundits was that more was better; that long, slow workouts were much more beneficial - for health and fitness - than short bursts of intense exertion.
For some time now the tide has been turning - and Peak Performance Newsletter has been in the vanguard of opinion-formers arguing that intensity is (often) more important than volume when training for a wide range of sports and events.
And it now seems that health as well as fitness benefits most from high-intensity exertion. Walking used to be recommended as a prophylactic against heart disease, but the latest research suggests that only vigorous activity is effective in reducing heart deaths.
The high-intensity-is-best theme is given a different slant in Peak Performane's latest special issue on ageing and performance. In his lead article on how to maintain speed in the face of advancing age, John Shepherd points out that human growth hormone, which plays a crucial role in maintaining many aspects of fitness, including speed, is released in the body in direct proportion to the intensity of the exercise being performed.
Other strategies recommended by Shepherd for fending off the age-related decline in the various parameters of speed include:
o Hill training, which works to offset the typical reduction in stride length and increase in ground contact time;
o Weight training to offset the decline in fast twitch muscle fibres;
o Plyometric exercises for stride length and fast twitch maintenance;
o Creatine supplementation for enhanced muscle power.
From http://www.pponline.co.uk

EXERTIONAL HYPONATREMIA
By Douglas J. Casa, PhD, ATC, FACSM
Director Athletic Training Education, University of Connecticut
What is hyponatremia?
Exertional hyponatremia (EH), or low blood sodium (generally defined by sodium levels less than 130mmol/L), is caused by two distinct but often additive conditions that may arise during prolonged exercise, most often 4 hours or more. They include:
" The excessive intake of fluid. In this scenario, athletes ingest significantly more fluid than they lose in sweat and urine over a given period of time. Doing so causes them to become hyper- hydrated and blood sodium falls. This is the most critical contributory factor to the onset of EH.
" The ingestion of low-sodium fluids. In this scenario, athletes drink fluids that are low in sodium. In doing so, they dilute their blood sodium and fail to replace what they're naturally losing in sweat during exercise. Sports drinks have low-sodium levels in order to be appetizing to the general public. EH results when plasma sodium levels go below approximately 130 mmol/L. The more pronounced the drop, the greater the risk of medical consequences. Runners can still be at risk with higher sodium intake when overhydrating. Excessive fluids are the crux of the problem, but having fluids with sodium is better than without it, excessive drinking or not.
Runners, coaches, and medical staff must be adept at recognizing this condition because rehydration could cause further problems. Severe cases of EH may involve grand mal seizures, increased intracranial pressure, pulmonary edema, and respiratory arrest. The fact is EH can and has led to death-and not just in running, but in a variety of athletic, military, and recreational settings.

When does EH occur?
EH occurs most frequently:
" In sports that last for longer than four hours-This gives athletes more time to drink and to lose large amounts of sodium through prolonged sweating.
" During lower-intensity endurance activities-where athletes have the opportunity to ingest large volumes of fluid.
" When athletes drink large volumes of water without adequate sodium intake-Blood sodium levels fall quickly whenever excess water is ingested, particularly during or after exercise in which large amounts of sweat and salt are lost. This can even happen during exercise or at rest when athletes drink lots of water in a misguided attempt to ward off cramping.
How do you recognize EH?
Unfortunately, EH may mimic many of the signs and symptoms of exertional heat stroke, such as nausea, vomiting, extreme fatigue, respiratory distress, and central nervous system disturbances (i.e. dizziness, confusion, disorientation, coma, seizures).
EH also has unique characteristics that distinguish it from other like conditions such as low plasma sodium levels (>130 mmol/L). Other symptoms may include:

" A progressively worsening headache.
" Normal exercise core temperature (generally not >104°F).
" Swelling of the hands and feet (which may be noted with tight wedding bands, watches, shoes, etc.).
How do you treat EH?
If you suspect this condition it is important to be sure of the following:
" Make sure the runner is not dangerously hyperthermic. If an immediate measure of rectal temperature reveals extreme hyperthermia (>104°F), begin ice/ cold water immersion therapy.
" If hyponatremia is suspected, have the athlete transported immediately to an emergency room where a physician can monitor care and if necessary administer an IV of a hypertonic sodium replacement, diuretic (if hyperhydrated), and/or anti-convulsive drug (if still having seizures).
Rapid and prudent response, along with that of on-site medical personnel, can assure a healthy outcome.

How do you prevent EH?
The most important aspect of preventing EH lies in your having an appropriate hydration protocol for the event or task being performed. This process was discussed in the dehydration section. A few key points include:
" Education regarding replacing fluids in appropriate amounts, not to exceed sweat rates.
" Assuring easy access to a sports drink containing an adequate amount of sodium.
" Monitoring body weights when feasible to identify those who have gained weight from over-drinking.
Additional steps to consider:
" Encourage athletes to be well-acclimatized to the heat because this is an effective way to decrease sweat sodium losses.
" Maintain normal meal patterns and don't restrict dietary sodium intake, so sodium levels are normal prior to the start of an event.
" Consume a little extra sodium with meals and snacks during continuous days of exercise in hot weather to help maintain blood sodium levels.
There is a great performance benefit associated with proper hydration during exercise, but overdrinking must be avoided. Athletes who lose and replace fluids at equal rates greatly diminish the risk of EH-especially if they drink fluids that contain adequate sodium.

How do you prevent dehydration without overhydrating?
Optimum hydration is geared around the general premise that fluid intake should match fluid losses and that these processes are extremely individualized. It is an individual process because rehydration practices vary based on a wide variety of issues (discussed earlier). The crux of this process is trying, to the best of your ability, to match fluid intake with fluid losses. If this can be done relatively closely, then all of the hazards of under- or overhydrating are avoided and the likelihood of a safe and productive exercise session is maximized.

Avocado Surprise: Avocados pack more cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol than any other fruit (Journal of the American Dietetic Assoc., Apr 2001). Beta-sitosterol reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. Avocados tested were the black, pebble-skinned California variety, available year-round. A whole avocado has 300 calories and 30 g fat, mostly heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Factor in the fat and calories if you eat the whole avocado!
Older runners: "Because pool running can increase your range of motion--and doesn't involve pounding--it's great for older runners who suffer from arthritis or just the occasional creaky joints. Water running can actually decrease pain and stiffness, and improve joint flexibility." -Lori Adams, RW assistant editor