Treatment Without the Sauna

A friend who reads the blog sent me a question about the hot bath cold shower thing I talked about. I admit I've forgotten to detail that so here it is for you all to enjoy, or at least benefit from.

Racking up aches and pains is par for the course. If your weighty then even more so, even if this weight is caused by an impressive top half physique. In order to clear your slate in this regard you need to treat yourself right. A lot of gyms these days come with a sauna room, which are pretty heavily used, as well as a cold water plunge pool, which is you know less heavily used. 

The idea here is to cause your vascular system to dilate and relax. This increases blood flow to exterior tissue in order to shed heat. While its there the blood is more useful to your muscles, especially the ones located in your lower legs. At the same time you sweat which causes the skin to be cleaned well from the inside out. Things that get deposited on the lower layers of skin are flushed out. There is a metabolic component for those spending 20mins in a sauna like environment as well but that is far less likely to happen at home in the bath.

It's relaxing like a hot bath. In order to get everything excited vascularly again you need to transition to the opposite kind of environment. This cold environment will cause blood supply to concentrate inward quickly taking the blood, and the things it contains, to your organs. The effect of which cleans your muscles out.

So after your 20min relaxing hot bath with candles or whatever. Which you prefrably take in a warm room. You stand up and drain the bath. Cross the room and turn on the shower to full blast and cold. You want thirty seconds ideally and complete immersion. Then I suggest swearing a lot and getting a towel.

I have done this daily in the past and it really works. Simple aches in your thighs, calves and feet go away quickly. Best part is it doesn't cost much at all.

James

Mac 'n' Cheese

Rather like Chandler I love my Mac 'n' Cheese. Here's a healthy take that tastes pretty nice.

Mac 'n' Cheese Bake
Serves 4
Time: 35m

6 Spring Onions
2 Cloves Garlic
8 Cherry Tomatoes
450g Cauliflower
170g Cheddar Cheese
2 Eggs
140g Dried Macaroni
500g low fat natural yogurt
tsp Mustard

1 Chop up the onions, garlic and cauliflower. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Grate the Cheese. Beat the eggs.

2 Boil the cauliflower until done. Simultaneously cook the pasta as per the packet instructions then drain and set aside.

3 Preheat oven to 220 Degrees C [Gas Mk 7]. Lightly fry the onions, garlic, tomatoes and cauliflower in some oil for 2-3 minutes. Add 100ml water and cook until the water is mostly absorbed. Stir in the cooked pasta. Transfer to an oven dish.

4 Mix yogurt, beaten eggs, mustard and cheese. Pour over the pasta and combine well. Cook for 15-20mins. Allow to sit for 5mins then serve.

James

Healthy Tikka

Monday is Recipe Day. One for now and one for later!

Chicken Tikka
Serves 4
Time: 30m

500-600g chicken
4 tbsp Tikka Powder [or to taste]
200g low fat natural yogurt
1 Onion
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Red Chilli
tsp Ground Ginger
2 tbsp tomato puree
tsp sugar [or sweetener]
6 tbsp low fat fromage frais

1 Chop up your chicken, I go for 2" cubes or so, put in a bowl. Add half the tikka powder and the yogurt, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.

2 Chop finely the garlic, onion and chilli, remembering to de-seed. Fry in lightly oiled pan for four minutes or so, try not to blacken. Add remaining tikka powder and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add tomato puree, sugar/sweetener and around 250ml water. Bring to the boil.

3 Add fromage frais and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile grill chicken on an oiled rack for around 15mins, turning occasionally.

4 Combine the chicken with the sauce and serve with brown rice or whatever you fancy.

James

Best of Internets

Short and sweet here are the five best things I found on the internet this week, that are relevant obviously.

#1 http://runwithmark.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/diet-tips-for-endurance-athletes/
The whole run with mark site is pretty motivating. I picked this article because it reinforces the eating view I have, which we're going to discuss on Monday with reference to a pair of great recipes for the time conscious and flavor conscious runner.

#2 http://www.runnersforum.co.uk/
If your in the UK get on there. They have a great Wednesday weigh in that I'm going to make regular use of as well as forums on everything from kit to tactics to nutrition. The community seems amazing with everyone chipping in positive reinforcement as well as quality snippets of advice.

#3 http://fitness-solution.blogspot.com/
Some of the workouts are a little off the wall (read hard) for me but I plan about two weeks in advance so I can work the good ones in. If your stuck for some cross training sessions or just want to add variety go have a look see if may be worth it.

#4 http://www.britmilfit.com/
I'm looking at going to my first session next week. I can never motivate myself enough to do a proper combined session like this. It does have a price tag comparable with low end gym membership but it looks great. I'll let you know next week what I think.

#5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdpW4Q8OsKg&feature=related
It's a Zumba video. All week Elle has been trying to get me to go with her to some Zumba somewhere and have the workout replace one of our sessions. It looks like step or combined cardio to me, which is great, but sadly it looks both difficult and a little out there, especially when your feet as as far left as mine are. I encourage everyone who can dance to give it a look though because I can see how it would be good with the right instructor. It's important to have fun with it right?

That is it. If your doing your long run tomorrow or training for a distance event check out http://www.marathontalk.com/ as well. Tomorrow is Hill Starts for me but I probably won't make a post until Monday.If you want to keep up to date follow me on Twitter.

James

Kit Review: Hi-Tec Silver Shadow and Saucony Guide 3

I'm going to give you two pictures first off. Here is Hi-Tec's Silver Shadow designed in the 1980's to be the worlds first professional running shoe - I would hazard that more pairs of this shoe have been sold than any other running shoe largely because it's in use by several large organizations even today like the Army.

Now here is the Saucony Guide 3 running shoe. Designed very recently and more or less bang up to date technology wise when I bought mine last spring.

OK so I'm going to compare them on five key points. Value for money - running shoes have a lifespan so this is not just about price point. Comfort in the gym. Comfort outdoors. Looks. Protection - what they do to minimize injury.


Value for Money

When your starting off this can be key. For your first month or two your actual milage may be very low and walking may be the name of the game. Especially if, like Elle and I, your carrying weight. The headline price for the Silver Shadows is around £20. I mean thats an amazing price. Their durability is good as well - I've had my most recent pair for two years. The Guide 3 is going to run you between £40 and £70 right now which might sound a lot or might not. Theyre also very durable - mine are just about due for replacement before my 10k in summer meaning they will have done well over 500 miles without the heel degrading or the sole splitting. I run outdoors 90% of the time as well.

Overall I have to give the Hi-Tec's a 9/10 here and the Saucony 8/10.

Comfort in the Gym

What I'm talking about here is indoor sessions that include or revolve around things other than running. The Hi-Tec's come into their own here. They don't have the spring and correction that helps my Guide 3's help me when I run so using a cross trainer is much more comfortable. You could definately use the Saucony shoes in the gym though but it's not what theyre designed so carefully to do. In fact running on a treamill with these on is rather like bouncing through life for me.

Overall I'm going to give the advantage to the Hi-Tec shoes again with 8/10 to the Guide 3's 6/10.

Comfort in the Outdoors

This one reverses the trend a long way. I find that the biggest problem with the Hi-Tec's is that they don't provide as much stability on loose surfaces as the Guide 3's. Going downhill my toe creeps forward in them and on long runs, or the longest I do, my feet become slick much more quickly. Though neither shoe have ever given me cause to blister I've had a few rub marks from my Silver Shadows when I run outdoors.

Ultimately then the newer shoe has it with 8/10 compared to the legacy model's 5/10.

Looks

This is a bit of a personal one I suppose but I grew up running in Silver Shadows. I used them for PE at school, college and at the gym at Uni. They dirty quickly and look like a funny off grey-brown colour but frankly I like that and if I don't they machine wash very well. They're sleek and unimposing. When I see someone else using some, which is a rarity, I instantly feel warm about the person. How sentimental is that? It's like when you see a Mini Cooper for me.

So while I don't think the Guide 3 is a bad looking shoe it gets only an average 6/10 to the Silver Shadow's 9/10.

Protection

Ok I make no bones here I have never gotten injured wearing my Guide 3's. Ever. In 9 months. I've had tweaks and had to slow down a bit but never an injury. I've never had a blister. Never had a black toenail. Never even broke a sock. At my activity level these shoes are divine protection almost. On the flipside I have broken socks and I've had two farily serious injuries as well as the traditional shin splints in my Hi-Tecs.

Simple really Saucony Guide 3 9/10. Hi-Tec Silver Shadow 4/10.

So lets add it up. 37 points for the Guide 3 beats the 35 point Silver Shadow score. If you use the Silver Shadows as gym shoes you occasionally run a few miles in I think theyre superb value. However run even a few more than a few miles and your probably going to feel some pain. Still they do look fantastic and they are a classic. The systems of protection and sheer technology behind the Guide 3's really do make them a great buy though.

Tune in tomorrow for my best of the Internet this week.

James

Differentiating Aches and Strains

So yesterday we covered when to go faster and slower from a lungs and heart point of view. A companion to that is when to stop and when to keep going from a muscle and skeletal stand point. I mean we all know when somethings broken right, well apart from those hard to diagnose ankle twists/hairline fractures...

A break is a nightmare for someone on a fitness curve. For a professional athlete the process of dealing with an injury on that scale has been likened to the process of grief! What we really want though is a way to work out the lower level injuries - the ones where you feel like you could push on through the session or you could stop and limp home.

Right off the bat there is a big scientific concept in our way. Bio-mechanics. It always seems to me like a dark art - your running along and the coach says you over pronate or your gait is loose or your moving your arms the wrong way. I played cricket some years ago at a low level and as a bowler my run up and action got critiqued like this a lot. It always amounted to two things - imperfect genetics and imperfect musculature.

Imperfect genetics. Well frankly some of the best runners in the world are genetically imperfect for running let alone joggers. The whole idea behind jogging is that the form required by it is achievable by a vast segment of the population. So lets leave this idea behind - coaches saying this to you will usually point to a solution related to musculature.

Imperfect musculature. Great here is something we can act on. Something we can change. Toning the muscles we use running as well as the ones around it isn't difficult. Walk quickly on uneven surfaces - that is ankles, knee support and calves. Walk quickly downhill - that is hip-flexors. Walk quickly uphill - that is calves and upper legs. Do some planking - that is abdominal including the important side abdominal. And jumping around will generally help as well.

There is a theme here walk before you run! More than anything else if you develop the muscles that support running even to a basic level you are far less likely to make the transition to injury in the most common areas - knees, ankles and calves. A good pair of trainers will help with this as well and tomorrows first gear review will look at the trainers I started with and the ones I use today.

With bio-mechanics out of the picture - and with prevention in mind we can get on with the heart of the matter.

Your exercising. For the last minute or so you've had discomfort in an area your using. The first thing I want you to do is think about the level of discomfort. Your bodies best indicator for injury is high levels of discomfort.

Next I want you to think about where its coming from and traveling to. Traveling pain can be a sign that parts of your body are stepping in to compensate for the one that is causing the discomfort. A classic one is when your hamstring discomfort travels to your side abdominal.

Finally I want you to think about if you've felt this before. If every time you run you get this it is either an ache to be overcome or a serious injury, your Doctor or physio is a good judge of which. If it's happened the last twice its probably an injury.

I'm assuming here your aware of any recurring injuries that you have frequently, and how to diagnose and deal with them.

Add these factors up and make your own judgment about it. If your injured seek confirmation from a professional.

Crucially very few injuries get better on their own. An injury has its PRICES. PRICES is the method you should use to deal with injuries at home.

Protection - from a simple knee band to an orthotic protection provides support to the area which makes your bodies job of taking care of it easier.

Rest - this means change. Change your workouts and change your mindset from competition and improvement to stabilization and recovery. The type of rest will relate to the injury but it will involve at least reducing the intensity of your sessions, possibly switching to a type which does not aggravate the area as much, switching to non impact exercise like swimming or full on no exercising.

Ice - around a 15min application with a wet tea towel between the ice and skin. Apply as often as you think, up to around half a dozen times per day.

Compression - your probably getting compression from your protection.

Elevation - for joints particularly elevation to the level of the heart will speed recovery. It reduces swelling which inhibits muscle function and therefore recovery.

Stretching - be gentle, do around 20 seconds worth at a time regularly through the day. Do 5-10 seconds before a workout on the area rather than a longer stretch. Try to think about supporting muscles and stretch those as well before a workout.

So lets recap. Prevention: strengthen the muscles your going to be using well - do this by walking quickly along difficult surface types. Diagnosis: think about the three factors and make a decision, seek professional help if its appropriate. Pay the PRICES.

I hope that helps. If in doubt we move down an intensity level and go straight to the PRICES method.

James

Speed up or Slow down? The Borg Scale of Percieved Exertion

I'm going to talk about Perceived Exertion, based on the Borg Scale. Why? Well it's important to know that your maximizing your time spent exercising because let's face it time is limited and so is energy.

In a gym you might have a blinking heart rate monitor that works out how hard your pushing yourself based on a simple equation of something like 0.70(220 - age). What this equation is doing is estimating your exertion. When such a test is done professionally the math involves your VO2 MAX, which has its own estimation test or can be measured by literally monitoring air in and air out during exercise.

Sound complex? What the Borg Scale allows you to do is a very fuzzy calculation which gives you enough feedback to do whats practical - speed up or slow down. The good news is all you need to do is either sing to yourself or talk to someone while you exercise when you want to check your exertion level, not all the time.

I want to say straight away that the twenty point scale, though more accurate, isn't very user friendly. There is little perceivable difference at a lot of the key points. A lot of people adapt it to a ten, or eleven including zero, point scale.

The new scale goes from sleeping (0) to fighting for your life your so intense (10). Most beneficial activity occurs between three and eight. In some sports, combat sports like Judo for example, there may be periods of 9-10 exertion but by definition these will be very short and unsustainable for the 20-30 minutes per day that we are looking for.

On the other side of things if you do all of your sessions at one and two, this would be activities like walking slowly around a supermarket or playing Wii Tennis for most people, you won't be using your time wisely. You should feel like spending hours doing an activity like this would be no hardship at all.

We work in three zones of the Borg Scale. Zone one is between three and four. This is what most people consider to be the beginning of exercise. It should be easy to sustain, cardiovascular, for the 30 minutes we require and in fact doing an hour at this pace shouldn't be daunting. It's important to remember that aches and pains as well as your mindset have an effect on how hard things seem - but these are not measured well by the Borg Scale. I'll talk about injury vs ache in a future post.

To be in zone one you should display three criteria. First you should be sweating lightly. Second you should be able to converse normally though your breathing may be more labored. Finally you should be able to think clearly and logically. In other words you should be able to sing along, get the words right and be a little sweaty.

Zone two is between five and six. This is what PE was to me at school - I tried and I was tired afterward but the rest of my day wasn't impacted by it. Again, cardiovascular, sustaining this for thirty minutes should be OK. If you are heavier and jogging for thirty minutes creates too many aches and pains try quick walking or riding a bike.

To be in zone two here are your criteria. First you should be sweating moderately, this is hard to judge but I find that when I'm sweating heavily I don't notice it so much because it's so pervasive. Second communication is limited to quick responses - your unlikely to say more than is necessary. Finally your thought processes should be clear - in fact your probably aware of a lot of thoughts at this point and your probably carefully trimming your responses. In other words your singing along to some lines and thinking the others in your head while sweating at a rate that makes you want to change when you get home.

Zone three is seven plus. I say seven plus because often the difference between seven, eight and nine for me is based on how much I enjoy the activity, how I'm feeling in my head and how long I've been at it. The point is you should feel like your putting everything into the session. Cardiovascular this level depends heavily on your general fitness, heart rate, lactate levels and VO2MAX. Remaining here is a state of mind. The sessions we do at this level are often interval-ed with a zone two component. This is the place however where your improvement is most noticeable and your successes make you most proud.

To be in zone three you should be displaying these traits. Sweating heavily. Unwilling to engage in dialogue, except maybe single words. You should be fixated on what your doing mentally - either from the angle of hating it and wanting it to end or from doing it and wanting it to end. Your probably only vaguely aware of the music at this point and singing along would make you laugh if you could only remember how.

As a rough breakdown we currently do six sessions per week. One in zone three, fifteen mins or so. One in zone one, thirty mins. Four in zone two, one of which lasts an hour the others are thirty mins. The less days you do the longer or more intense you should aim for. I hope that helps you decide when to speed up and when to slow down.

James