“HOT Off THE BLOCKS” Rockingham Area
Youth Swim DECEMBER 2004
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
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The
RAYS HAVE 2 MEETS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER. |
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December 11, Saturday Home vs. December 18/19, Sat/Sun USS Meet @ |
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Advise From Tracy Grilli On Weight Lifting for Swimmers. "There is weight lifting (support belts, grunting and sweating)
and then there is weight lifting (low weights, repetitions and correct
form). We fall into the 2nd category - and there is no specific
"age" for the kids to start as long as the exercises are done
properly with good form. For swimmers, the purpose of weight lifting is 2 fold. First -
to make the swimming muscles stronger. Second - to strengthen the "off-setting" muscles (those
that are not used as much) which will keep the body in balance. Which muscles are these you ask? In swimming the major muscles
used in the pull are those of the shoulder, chest, upper back and
torso. Add the kick, start and turn and we use the muscles of the lower body
(hips and legs). At this time, I would like to discuss those used for the pull. Chest - Pectorals, Back - Trapezius & Latissimus Dorsi,
Shoulder/Upper Arm - Deltoid, Biceps, Triceps. We do not need to lift heavy weights. We can use hand weights
(1 - 5 lbs.) and increase the number of repetitions as we get stronger (i.e.
- work up to 3 sets of 10). Start at 1 lb. and once you make the 3 sets of 10 reps with good
form, progress to 2 lbs. etc. There are also a number of "machines" in the gym that are
designed to strengthen specific upper body muscles. MOST important when lifting is concentrating on good form throughout
the exercise. A quality rep is good. A non-quality rep is not
good. These strengthening exercises are varied, emphasize range of motion
and introduce actions that are not used in swimming. This allows the "whole" muscle to become stronger which
will provide a better workout and hopefully faster racing. One of the problems we see in swimming is the "over use" of
certain muscles, specifically in the chest and front shoulder area. Because of the repetitive motion of swimming, swimmers have a
tendency of being stronger in the front then in the back. If proper stretching and weight training are not introduced to off
set this, there is a possibility that the swimmer may end up with shoulder
pain, which ignored or left untreated can cause tendonitis and eventually
possible rotator cuff tears. In conclusion - we must keep our upper body strong, flexible and in
balance, always thinking about our posture. Proper warm-up and stretching before workout (or as part of the
workout) and after are very important. Supplementing the swim workout with exercises that will strengthen
the muscles that are used in swimming, along
with those that off set those muscles will result in a better swimming
performance both during workouts and competition." GO RAYS! It’s hard to believe that anything could top 2003-2004 RAY’S team
success. A second place victory at the
state champs and an unbelievable 91 - team records set throughout the course
of swim season. Yet, here we are again
with another 21 records broken, and it’s only November! Congratulations! Coach Carol 9/10
year olds: Alex Flinn
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NUTRITION 101
– THE EIGHT LESSONS
Lesson 4 - Eat Early and Often to
Recover Well.
Knowing how much carbohydrate, protein
and fat to get in a day is good. But knowing when you should be getting those nutrients is even better.
When it comes to optimal nutrition, timing really is
everything.
In general, following these guidelines for incorporating
carbohydrate, protein and fat into your day:
· Spread carbohydrate intake out over the course of the day
(i.e. smaller meals and frequent snacks). This keeps blood sugar levels
adequate and stable.
· Eat some
carbohydrate before morning practice. Note: This can be in the form of juice.
· Eat carbohydrate in the form of a carb-electrolyte drink,
such as Gatorade or PowerAde, during workout IF workout is 90 minutes or longer. Gels are also
acceptable.
· Eat carbohydrate and protein within the first 30 minutes
after practice. This enables the body to replenish glycogen stores and repair
muscle tissue.
This
is perhaps the most important time to eat!!!!
· Eat again (something substantial, like a real meal) before
two hours post-practice has elapsed. This is critical
to maximizing recovery!!!!
· Incorporate fat into the day at times that are not close
to workout. Fat is necessary, but
contributes little to the workout or immediate post-workout recovery period.
Part of the reason good nutrition is critical during
recovery has to do with the fact that the body is extremely good at making the
most of what it is given. Following exercise, the body is very sensitive to the
hormone insulin. Insulin is that
hormone that rises every time blood sugar rises. In other words, every time a
swimmer eats carbohydrate, which causes blood sugar to rise, insulin goes up.
Well, it’s insulin’s job to remove sugar from the
bloodstream, and it does so by facilitating its storage as glycogen. Glycogen, the storage form for carbohydrate, is what
the body taps into for fuel when exercise is very intense. This can happen
quite a bit during a tough workout, which is why it’s important to see that
glycogen is replenished before the next practice.
Lesson 5 coming up in
the December Issue
Adapted from Usaswim.org Web site Website
This
Month’s “Speedo Tip of the Week” comes from Stefanie Williams, a silver
medalist at the 2003
Williams offers some advice
on competing when you’re tired and sore.
Williams’ Tip:
”From
my 14 years of personal experience in swimming, I can guarantee you that I’ve
come home countless times from practice sore and tired (the good kind) and have
asked myself whether it would be beneficial for me to take a day off so I could
recover for my next workout or meet. But I know that taking a day off is
not the answer. I know I need to focus on one day at a time.
I would suggest that you sit down and have
a talk with your coach about how you're feeling in and out of the water.
The two of you can devise a plan so you can be ready to race at the end of the
week. Other suggestions that might help are stretching before and after
each workout, and making sure you are eating well (nutritiously) and drinking
plenty of fluids.
The most important advice I can give you
is to just be excited to swim in your meet. The more fun you have, the
faster you'll swim. Ninety percent of the race is done in your head, especially
when you've worked so hard. So, regardless of how you feel, it's all in
the mind! Believe in yourself, trust in all the hard work you've put in,
and the sky's the limit as to how fast you'll go!”
A Time to Swim
”The reason swimming isn’t as popular among all kids is that
American companies and media don’t push swimming. In the 90s we heard,
“Sometimes I dream that he is me… Like Mike, if I could be like Mike.” As
millions of kids in the
There are American
swimmers that have broken records by the dozens and virtually none have
appeared on the covers of Sports Illustrated or ESPN the Magazine. Yet the
rewards we receive as swimmers are ones that we discover later in life. The
discipline that we gain from attending all of the
If you were to
study
When the time comes
for you swimmers to make a decision as to which sport you’ll participate in, my
only advice is for you to follow your heart and remember that the road less
traveled is often worth the trip.”
Sabir K. Muhammad
II, Splash Magazine: Jan-Feb, 2002
FAQ
Should I be concerned if my child gets DQ’ed
at the meet?
It is important for both you and
your child to realize that their coach would not be entering him/her in an
event for which he does not think they are ready. Does this mean they won’t get
disqualified? No, that’s part of a learning process that every swimmer
encounters. Taking risks is part of the sport. While learning to master the
skills of proper stroke and turn technique, there is a chance your child will
get disqualified. If this happens, it is a great learning experience. It will
teach them how to deal with failure and how to improve their technique the next
time so it doesn’t happen again. Let your child know that it happens to all
swimmers. Perhaps the coach can have one of the senior swimmers share a ‘DQ’
story with them.
Newsletter compiled by Janine Bacigalupo