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Jock Athletic, a sydney-based fitness company that specialises in strength & conditioning and high performance services for amateur and professional athletes worldwide. Our magazine is dedicated to sharing the training secrets of the world's best athletes in a practical way for sportspeople, runners and the Average Joe's alike!
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FREEE-MAGAZINE
ELITE SPORTS CONDITIONING SECRETS - ISSUE 7
JUNE JULY 2011
2 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Danny Redrup talks on the comeback made by stretching and core stability two contentious issues in the world of sports science The truth is they are both important in an overall training program when used in a specific and individual manner The moral to the story donrsquot be a hysterical trainer or coach that panics after one new study comes out and throw all principles out the window A balanced and well-planned program is always the best and Danny explains more
Many people involved in recreational running believe entering a longer event is better and harder It is just as difficult to run a sizzling and fast 5km as it is to complete a 10K 20K or marathon Peter Hadfield explains what is the most prestigious athletics event and how all of them can be tough to train for and compete in
My favourite article this month is an interview with the first Australian athlete to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics Eloise Wellings I have followed her career with interest ever since she burst onto the seen as a youngster many years ago Her early career was struck down with many years of injuries that would have been enough to ruin most careers but she fought on and I am so pleased to see her make an Olympic games Anyone needing some inspiration look no further than Eloise and watch her go at the Olympics
Enjoy
Ezine Brains Trust
Publisher Jockishandsome
EditorsJock CampbellCarla Grossetti
Art DirectorDesignKiss the Sky
AdvertisingProduction Melissa Campbell
Jock Campbell
ContributorsPeter Hadfield
Melissa CampbellPaul Watson
Craig StevensCorey BockingJock Campbell
Cassandra GovanMichael MartinDanny RedrupJulia Russell
Rebecca GawthorneTim Brennan
Editorial OfficeJock Athletic PO Box 1186Cronulla 2230
p 0435 728 200Email
ezinejockathleticcom
EDITORS LETTER
THIS MONTH
Jock Campbell
JUNE JULY 2011 3 PICTURED Jock and the Great One Usain Bolt
4 JOCKATHLETICCOM
6
10
16
22
24
28
SPEED amp POWER Corey Bocking
ELOISE WELLINGSProfessional Athlete Profile
CHRIS McCORMACKINTO THE WIND PART IITim Brennan
DANNY REDRUPLatest Research SportsScience amp Medicine WEIGHT LOSS SECRETSRebecca Gawthorne FIT FACTSCassie Govan
PICTURED Nutri-Grain IRONMAN Mark Simpson comes ashore after another hard ski session
THIS
MO
NTH
JUNE JULY 2011 5
32
36
40
46
RUNNINGITrsquoS ALL HARD Peter Hadfield (OAM)
FITTEST COACH IN LEAGUEPaul Watson
KNEE INJURY REHABJulia Russell
SWIMMING IN WINTERCraig Stevens
6 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Speed amp POWERSTRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 7
Speed amp POWER
BY COREY BOCKINGTWO FITNESS EXPERTS FROM FLORIDA WERE RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA TO DELIVER A VERY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING SEMINAR ON SPEED AND POWER
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IT IS GREAT TO HEAR HOW OTHER PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED AND THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH JOE AND ERIK FOR SHARING THEIR IDEAS I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE KEY LEARNINGrsquoS FROM THE DAY
PICTURED Zane Campbell goes through the motions these running drills help with explosive power for a sprinter
AN INSIGHT INTO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYrsquoS STRENGTH amp
CONDITIONING PROGRAM - PART I
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
2 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Danny Redrup talks on the comeback made by stretching and core stability two contentious issues in the world of sports science The truth is they are both important in an overall training program when used in a specific and individual manner The moral to the story donrsquot be a hysterical trainer or coach that panics after one new study comes out and throw all principles out the window A balanced and well-planned program is always the best and Danny explains more
Many people involved in recreational running believe entering a longer event is better and harder It is just as difficult to run a sizzling and fast 5km as it is to complete a 10K 20K or marathon Peter Hadfield explains what is the most prestigious athletics event and how all of them can be tough to train for and compete in
My favourite article this month is an interview with the first Australian athlete to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics Eloise Wellings I have followed her career with interest ever since she burst onto the seen as a youngster many years ago Her early career was struck down with many years of injuries that would have been enough to ruin most careers but she fought on and I am so pleased to see her make an Olympic games Anyone needing some inspiration look no further than Eloise and watch her go at the Olympics
Enjoy
Ezine Brains Trust
Publisher Jockishandsome
EditorsJock CampbellCarla Grossetti
Art DirectorDesignKiss the Sky
AdvertisingProduction Melissa Campbell
Jock Campbell
ContributorsPeter Hadfield
Melissa CampbellPaul Watson
Craig StevensCorey BockingJock Campbell
Cassandra GovanMichael MartinDanny RedrupJulia Russell
Rebecca GawthorneTim Brennan
Editorial OfficeJock Athletic PO Box 1186Cronulla 2230
p 0435 728 200Email
ezinejockathleticcom
EDITORS LETTER
THIS MONTH
Jock Campbell
JUNE JULY 2011 3 PICTURED Jock and the Great One Usain Bolt
4 JOCKATHLETICCOM
6
10
16
22
24
28
SPEED amp POWER Corey Bocking
ELOISE WELLINGSProfessional Athlete Profile
CHRIS McCORMACKINTO THE WIND PART IITim Brennan
DANNY REDRUPLatest Research SportsScience amp Medicine WEIGHT LOSS SECRETSRebecca Gawthorne FIT FACTSCassie Govan
PICTURED Nutri-Grain IRONMAN Mark Simpson comes ashore after another hard ski session
THIS
MO
NTH
JUNE JULY 2011 5
32
36
40
46
RUNNINGITrsquoS ALL HARD Peter Hadfield (OAM)
FITTEST COACH IN LEAGUEPaul Watson
KNEE INJURY REHABJulia Russell
SWIMMING IN WINTERCraig Stevens
6 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Speed amp POWERSTRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 7
Speed amp POWER
BY COREY BOCKINGTWO FITNESS EXPERTS FROM FLORIDA WERE RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA TO DELIVER A VERY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING SEMINAR ON SPEED AND POWER
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IT IS GREAT TO HEAR HOW OTHER PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED AND THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH JOE AND ERIK FOR SHARING THEIR IDEAS I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE KEY LEARNINGrsquoS FROM THE DAY
PICTURED Zane Campbell goes through the motions these running drills help with explosive power for a sprinter
AN INSIGHT INTO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYrsquoS STRENGTH amp
CONDITIONING PROGRAM - PART I
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 3 PICTURED Jock and the Great One Usain Bolt
4 JOCKATHLETICCOM
6
10
16
22
24
28
SPEED amp POWER Corey Bocking
ELOISE WELLINGSProfessional Athlete Profile
CHRIS McCORMACKINTO THE WIND PART IITim Brennan
DANNY REDRUPLatest Research SportsScience amp Medicine WEIGHT LOSS SECRETSRebecca Gawthorne FIT FACTSCassie Govan
PICTURED Nutri-Grain IRONMAN Mark Simpson comes ashore after another hard ski session
THIS
MO
NTH
JUNE JULY 2011 5
32
36
40
46
RUNNINGITrsquoS ALL HARD Peter Hadfield (OAM)
FITTEST COACH IN LEAGUEPaul Watson
KNEE INJURY REHABJulia Russell
SWIMMING IN WINTERCraig Stevens
6 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Speed amp POWERSTRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 7
Speed amp POWER
BY COREY BOCKINGTWO FITNESS EXPERTS FROM FLORIDA WERE RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA TO DELIVER A VERY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING SEMINAR ON SPEED AND POWER
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IT IS GREAT TO HEAR HOW OTHER PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED AND THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH JOE AND ERIK FOR SHARING THEIR IDEAS I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE KEY LEARNINGrsquoS FROM THE DAY
PICTURED Zane Campbell goes through the motions these running drills help with explosive power for a sprinter
AN INSIGHT INTO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYrsquoS STRENGTH amp
CONDITIONING PROGRAM - PART I
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
4 JOCKATHLETICCOM
6
10
16
22
24
28
SPEED amp POWER Corey Bocking
ELOISE WELLINGSProfessional Athlete Profile
CHRIS McCORMACKINTO THE WIND PART IITim Brennan
DANNY REDRUPLatest Research SportsScience amp Medicine WEIGHT LOSS SECRETSRebecca Gawthorne FIT FACTSCassie Govan
PICTURED Nutri-Grain IRONMAN Mark Simpson comes ashore after another hard ski session
THIS
MO
NTH
JUNE JULY 2011 5
32
36
40
46
RUNNINGITrsquoS ALL HARD Peter Hadfield (OAM)
FITTEST COACH IN LEAGUEPaul Watson
KNEE INJURY REHABJulia Russell
SWIMMING IN WINTERCraig Stevens
6 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Speed amp POWERSTRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 7
Speed amp POWER
BY COREY BOCKINGTWO FITNESS EXPERTS FROM FLORIDA WERE RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA TO DELIVER A VERY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING SEMINAR ON SPEED AND POWER
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IT IS GREAT TO HEAR HOW OTHER PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED AND THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH JOE AND ERIK FOR SHARING THEIR IDEAS I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE KEY LEARNINGrsquoS FROM THE DAY
PICTURED Zane Campbell goes through the motions these running drills help with explosive power for a sprinter
AN INSIGHT INTO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYrsquoS STRENGTH amp
CONDITIONING PROGRAM - PART I
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 5
32
36
40
46
RUNNINGITrsquoS ALL HARD Peter Hadfield (OAM)
FITTEST COACH IN LEAGUEPaul Watson
KNEE INJURY REHABJulia Russell
SWIMMING IN WINTERCraig Stevens
6 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Speed amp POWERSTRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 7
Speed amp POWER
BY COREY BOCKINGTWO FITNESS EXPERTS FROM FLORIDA WERE RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA TO DELIVER A VERY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING SEMINAR ON SPEED AND POWER
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IT IS GREAT TO HEAR HOW OTHER PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED AND THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH JOE AND ERIK FOR SHARING THEIR IDEAS I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE KEY LEARNINGrsquoS FROM THE DAY
PICTURED Zane Campbell goes through the motions these running drills help with explosive power for a sprinter
AN INSIGHT INTO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYrsquoS STRENGTH amp
CONDITIONING PROGRAM - PART I
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
6 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Speed amp POWERSTRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 7
Speed amp POWER
BY COREY BOCKINGTWO FITNESS EXPERTS FROM FLORIDA WERE RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA TO DELIVER A VERY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING SEMINAR ON SPEED AND POWER
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IT IS GREAT TO HEAR HOW OTHER PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED AND THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH JOE AND ERIK FOR SHARING THEIR IDEAS I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE KEY LEARNINGrsquoS FROM THE DAY
PICTURED Zane Campbell goes through the motions these running drills help with explosive power for a sprinter
AN INSIGHT INTO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYrsquoS STRENGTH amp
CONDITIONING PROGRAM - PART I
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 7
Speed amp POWER
BY COREY BOCKINGTWO FITNESS EXPERTS FROM FLORIDA WERE RECENTLY IN AUSTRALIA TO DELIVER A VERY INFORMATIVE AND INTERESTING SEMINAR ON SPEED AND POWER
AS A STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH IT IS GREAT TO HEAR HOW OTHER PROGRAMS ARE STRUCTURED AND THE THOUGHTS BEHIND THESE PROGRAMS THANKS TO BOTH JOE AND ERIK FOR SHARING THEIR IDEAS I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE KEY LEARNINGrsquoS FROM THE DAY
PICTURED Zane Campbell goes through the motions these running drills help with explosive power for a sprinter
AN INSIGHT INTO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITYrsquoS STRENGTH amp
CONDITIONING PROGRAM - PART I
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
8 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ERIK KOREM IS A SPEED DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH WORLD-CLASS SPRINTERS SUCH AS VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN AND TYSON GAY HE IS ALSO A SPEED AND NUTRITION COACH AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
Joe Danos is a two-time US national junior weightlifting champion under legendary USA Olympic Coach Gayle Hatch A graduate of Louisiana State University Joe holds a degree in kinesiology and is employed at Florida State University
When Eric took to the stage in Sydney he presented on some of the latest trends in speed and explosive movements These are the Top 10 tips for speed development I gleaned from his presentation
1 RELATIVE BODY STRENGTHBeing able to express your speed-strength requires a high degree of relative body strength
2 HIP STABILITYControlling your centre of gravity when say running jumping or changing direction requires a high level of hip stability Having a high level of hip stability enables an athlete to apply force into the ground effectively which is essential for speed and strength
3 ELASTICITY REACTIVITYIt is important to train and take advantage of the elasticityreactivity this component of strength is minimally affected by maximal strength
4 RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT The ability to develop and apply force fast is essential in speed and agility and must be consistently trained
5 DEVELOPING STRENGTH IN A HIP HYPEREXTENDED POSITIONThis applies in a teams sports situation as well You can see in this picture Sarah Walsh from the Matildas is forced to apply force into the ground when her hip is in the hyperextension position to avoid her opponent Traditionally many coaches develop strength in the hips in extension by using exercises such as squats cleans snatches etc But how do we train the hips through that hyperextension rangeErik demonstrated some innovative sled drags and wall drill strength exercises that placed the hip into hyperextension
6 WATCH THE PLAYERS NOT THE GAME When designing your speed and agility programs all you have to do is watch the movements and positions your players perform in when in position and during the game
STRENGTH amp POWER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 9
7 SHIFTING ALACTIC THRESHOLDAlactic threshold can be greatly improved this should be a key focus in your energy` system development training
8 MAXIMUM LIMIT STRENGTHThis can be a limiting factor for many expressions of strength but not elasticreactive ability
9 DEVELOPING STIFFNESS Developing joint stiffness and control is essential in the ability apply force Erik favours the use of isometric type exercises to initially develop joint control and stiffness
10 HARD WORK GETS MISTAKEN FOR LUCK IF YOUrsquoRE LUCKY CONSISTENT HARD WORK AND PERSISTENCE GETS MISTAKEN FOR GENIUS
This was a brief synopsis of the Top 10 tips for speed development delivered by Erik I am grateful to Erik for his willingness to share his ideas In Part 2 of the Speed and Power Seminar I will share the key concepts on strength and power development delivered by Joe Danos
COREY BOCKING HAS A PERSONAL TRAINING BUSINESS IN SYDNEY CBD HE TRAINS 10-15 PEOPLE PER WEEK FOR MORE INFORMATIONCONTACT COREY VIA EMAIL AT cbockingperformacetraininginstitutecomau or visit wwwperformancetraininginstitutecomau
Star Matildarsquos Striker Sarah Walsh does her best to avoid her opponentrsquos challenge
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
10 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EloiseWELLINGSPROFESSIONAL ATHLETE PROFILE
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 11
ELOISE training at altitude in Laguna Mountain California for a month before running a 3141min 10km in Stanford
California qualifying her for the London Olympics
ldquoKEEPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IS IMPORTANT FOR AN ATHLETE WHO IS STRUGGLING WITH INJURY OR
A DISAPPOINTMENT MY FAITH
HELPS ME A LOT WITH THIS REMEMBERING THAT IrsquoM NOT JUST A RUNNER AND THAT MY
VALUE IS NOT WRAPPED UP IN
HOW FAST I CAN RUNI AM REALLY BLESSEDrdquo
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
12 JOCKATHLETICCOM
ELOISE WELLINGS
JA WHO IS ELOISE WELLINGS Wife daughter sister and Australian Distance runner 5000m and 10000m Australian champion and Founder of Love Mercy Foundation Charity
JA WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE Running
JA WE BELIEVE YOU ARE THE FIRST AUSSIE ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS IS THIS TRUE AND HOW DID IT HAPPEN Yes this is true I have qualified for the 10000m I ran 3141 in Stanford California on May 1st achieving the standard by 4 seconds The qualifying period for the games started on May 1st Originally the race in Stanford was scheduled for April 30th but my coach and manager Nic Bideau lobbied to have the race moved to the following day so that the race would count for the Olympic selection period Irsquom glad he did
JA HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN DO YOU WORKUNI ndash PLEASE EXPLAIN Irsquom pretty much a full time athlete I own a Personal Training studio at Sutherland - Live it Fitness- with my brother Ben I have an active role in directing this when Irsquom at home but otherwise my younger brother Lindsay manages the trainers and the clients and day to day running of the business I also work on our charity - the Love Mercy Foundation - we work in Northern Uganda - helping the people find their feet again after more than 20 years of war in the region We do this through child sponsorship micro finance loans and wersquore building a medical clinic to provide adequate health care and reduce the amount of people suffering from easily treatable diseases
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
ELOISE running with great mate Julius Achonher inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
14 JOCKATHLETICCOM
many to count but thankfully I seem to be past that tough period that a lot of female distance runners seem to go through My bone density is as high as ever and Irsquove been working a lot in the gym so that Irsquom strong enough to cope with the miles that I run
JA THIS IS WHAT WE ADMIRE ABOUT YOU THE MOST HOW YOU HAVE STUCK IT OUT WITH YOUR SPORT DESPITE SO MANY INJURY SET BACKS PARTICULARLY AS A YOUNG RUNNER WHAT WAS YOUR SECRET AND WHAT ADVICE FROM THIS WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHERS ABOUT OVERCOMING ADVERSITY There is no real secret except just learning the art of patience and persisting no matter
ELOISE (centre back)almost falling on the
track at Stanford where she qualified
JA WHATrsquoS THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOUrsquoVE EVER DONE The World Cross Country Championships brings me to my knees every year Thank goodness it is now only every two years Irsquom a natural rhythm runner so I find the breaking of rhythm in cross country races tough but I do it every year because it sets me up for the whole year I know that mentally and physically I will never do anything harder
JA MOST PEOPLE WOULDNrsquoT KNOW THE INJURY CHALLENGES YOU HAVE HAD THROUGH YOUR CAREER CAN YOU LIST THEM ALL The injuries Irsquove had have mostly been bony-stress fractures And Irsquove had too
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 15
what Staying focused on the BIG picture and not losing sight of whatrsquos important Keeping a positive attitude is important for an athlete who is struggling with injury or a disappointment My faith helps me a lot with this remembering that Irsquom not JUST a runner and that my value is not wrapped up in how fast I can run I have an a team of people around me too Irsquove had people in my corner that have believed when I havenrsquot I am really blessed
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE My fave session is Tuesday nights at the track And I love doing 800rsquos Wersquoll do a workout that goes 5 sets of 800+200 So you run 800 in about 220 and then 30-second rest and then run 200m in about 31 seconds Then a lap jog and repeat 5 times I always feel fast in this session
JA HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK amp THE BREAKDOWNAt the moment we are playing it low risk Irsquom doing 2 workouts a week (Tuesday Friday) a long run- 1hour 45mins (Sunday) and Monday Wednesday Thursday are easy running days- (2 runs and gym) Saturday is my rest day at the moment Usually I do no exercise every now and then Irsquoll go surfing if the waves are the right size for me
JA WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM Find a training partner and or someone to keep you accountable Commit to a race or event to give you something to focus on
Lay your clothes out for training the night before JA WHATrsquoS YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM If Irsquom tired or sick or sore and need a rest I think this is a pretty good excuse Itrsquos important to listen to your body and not push on regardless Sometimes less is more
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY I think of my ice baths after workouts as part of training So these I dread 5kg of ice in a shallow bath Never gets any easier
JA WHATrsquoS YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE The World Championships in Korea in August
JA WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY) My friend and inspiration for the Love Mercy Foundation Julius Achon growing up in a poverty in Northern Uganda he was captured by rebels at age 12 and forced to be a child solider escaping from the rebel camp he went on to run at 2 Olympic Games in the 1500m captaining the Ugandan team and carrying the Ugandan flag at both Olympics
JA NOW THE BIG ONE YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING Itrsquos simple and itrsquos stolen from Julius ldquoNever ever give uprdquo
ELOISE WELLINGS
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
16 JOCKATHLETICCOM
MACCA claiming the LEADER -TYNAN 2011 Sportsperson of the Year AwardPhoto Courtesy of Chris Lane Fairfax Media
Chris McCORMACK
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 17
Chris McCORMACK
TRIATHLETE
INTO THE WINDPART 2
TRIATHLON
MACCA HAS DOMINATED HIS SPORT IN ALL ITS FORMATS FOR THE BEST PART OF 20 YEARS
BRILLIANT AT TIMES CONTROVERSIALBUT EXTREMELY POPULAR IN THE TRIATHLON WORLD
TIM BRENNAN BRINGS US PART II OFHIS INTERVIEW WITH THE ldquoKING OF KONArdquo
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
18 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IN WINNING THE 2010 IRONMAN YOU SAID YOU HAD TO WORK ON THE BIKE LEG WHICH YOU CONSIDERED TO BE 2008-2009 IRONMAN CHAMPION CRAIG ALEXANDERrsquoS WEAKNESS HOW DID YOUR PRE-RACE PLANS COME TOGETHER AND HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU TO MAKE A MOVE AT THE HALFWAY POINT OF AN IRONMANPeople like to talk about my relationship with Craig Alexander I have known and raced Craig for my entire career He has really come to fruition as a racer in these past six years and been exceptional in Kona He is a small guy and if there was ever a race that suited him Hawaii is it I looked at Craigrsquos strengths and weaknesses and saw that my opportunity to destroy him in this event was to be aggressive in his most vulnerable distance and at the most vulnerable time for runners Attacking into the crosswinds is key as the runners have to burn up precious energy to sustain the increased power that is required during this section If you push the pace in this section
they will break and the gap will open and we use our strength effectively It was no disrespect to Craig but as I tell everyone I donrsquot care who it is I want to win the race That is my job description So if people took personal offense to me calling out Craig as a weak biker then I donrsquot really care We showed that I was correct I am in this game and I know the strengths and weaknesses of all the guys I am racing I then try and formulate a strategy that will best work in my favour to give me the best chance to win the event I was confident I would get away in this section because I know I am stronger on the bike than the runners I did not know if the other strong cyclists would come with me but they did and this was the winning break It was a pretty simple strategy when you understood your strengths and those of your main competitors
THERE IS A FAMOUS PART OF THE RACE CALLED THE ENERGY LAB THE HEAT HUMIDITY AND DESOLATION ARE OF LEGEND CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT
CHRIS MCCORMACK
MACCA2 x IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 19
ITrsquoS LIKE RUNNING THERE The Energy Lab is a hot desolate brutal 5km section of road that athletes in Kona face at the 30km point of the marathon It is about 1km downhill out of the wind into the barren lava fields followed by a turnaround at the bottom and a run out It breaks people
You know when you get into a sauna and there are those rocks that you throw the water on that heat up really hot Well that is lava rock and we are running right through
the middle of it You have to experience it to understand how tough this section of the race is Your body is tired and beginning to break down and you face this section of road that is the hottest part of the event It can be bliss or absolute hell on earth It depends where your mind and body is at this point of the event It is tough thatrsquos for sure
YOUrsquoVE BEEN IN THE SPORT OF TRIATHLON FOR THE BEST PART OF TWO DECADES AND AT 37 WOULD BE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE ELDER STATESMEN (APOLOGIES) HOW DOES AGE CHANGE YOUR PREPARATION IN TERMS OF VOLUME OF TRAINING AND RECOVERYI have been racing the sport of triathlon now for 21 years I am without question one of
TRIATHLON
IT IS SO HOT IN SOME SECTIONS OF THIS RACE THAT A CAMERA TEAM FRIED AN EGG ON THE LAVA ROCK BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IT IS BRUTAL
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
20 JOCKATHLETICCOM
the elder statesman and to be honest it is quite a nice place to be in as I have seen the complete evolution of this sport into the phenomenon it is today I have raced against some of the greatest athletes in the entire history of the sport which has only been in existence for 35 yearsThe key to understanding age as an athlete in endurance racing is your ability to let go of numbers and quantitative measures of training Triathletes are so caught up in numbers whether it is time spent running miles accumulated in training heart rates or power output on the bike And I will happily go on record and say this is all crap As you age it becomes more so
Youth forgives errors that age does not so being more body aware and understanding your exertion levels on a real level without having to rely on a heart rate monitor or a power metre to tell you is the key My advice to older athletes in this sport is to take more time to recover give yourself longer to prepare for events and be flexible in your training plans Rigid training plans are for younger athletes who can make mistakes We donrsquot have that luxury Focus on your range of motion and your strength as these are things that diminish as you age Above all enjoy it
HOW DO YOU STAY STRONG ON THE CIRCUIT Biestmilch is a supplement I use simply because it is an immune booster Keeping your immunity up is key to everything we do in endurance racing I have used this product for almost eight years and it is the only supplement I use I take it daily and believe in it The literature doesnrsquot lie and many independent studies have shown that this product is very sound Lots of endurance work can suppress the immune system and this just keeps you stable to some degree
THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR AN AGEING ATHLETE WHO WANTS TO IMPROVE IS CONSISTENCY AND RECOVERY CONSISTENT TRAINING WILL GIVE YOU RESULTS AND RESTING WHEN YOU ARE TIRED IS IMPERATIVE
MACCA wins Kona Hawaii 2010
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 21
everlast100comau
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
22 JOCKATHLETICCOM
EACH MONTH I WILL SELECT A FEW RECENT PIECES OF RESEARCH FOR YOU TO PONDER OF COURSE NO SINGLE STUDY SHOULD FORM YOUR FULL OPINION ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT BUT THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS GOING ON IN THE RESEARCH WORLD SO HERE YOU GO
THE RESEARCH PRESENTED THIS MONTH IS FROM THE IOC WORLD CONFERENCE OF INJURY PREVENTION AND ILLNESS IN SPORT
DROP OFF IN GROIN STRENGTH COULD PREDICT INJURYAnthony Schache from Australia presented some preliminary data from his footballers demonstrating player groin power decreasing before they started reporting pain The test is a simple groin squeeze and can be easily measured with a pressure cuff or electric dynamometer Definitely worth a look at if you are monitoring runners or high running based a sports
NORDIC HAMSTRINGS PREVENT INJURYEccentric (Nordic) hamstring strengthening in a study involving 942 footballers have demonstrated a decreased risk of injury In simple terms if you give Nordic hamstring exercises to 3 people who have had a hamstring strain in the past you will prevent one of re-tear in that next season Similarly if you give Nordic hamstrings to 17 people who have never had a hamstring strain you will prevent one hamstring strain Letrsquos put that in real terms if you had 3 hamstring tears last year and you have a squad of 20 players your Nordic program alone will prevent 2 hamstring strains This will prevent 2-6 weeks rehabilitation for each player This could add up to a team recording 12 less games missed for a season
DANNY REDRUP
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 23
CORE STABILITY IS IMPORTANT ndash BUT WE DONrsquoT REALLY HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT ISAn interesting theme from the conference was the increased popularity of core stability research Interestingly though was the large variation in what was termed a core stability exercise and what these exercises where meant to be achieving Probably best to summarised by saying core stability will be individual to the types of tasks required by individual athletes in different sports playing in different positions It is an important factor in any well balance program but emphasis must be on the specifics of these demands not just a generic program dished out to all players in a squad
STRETCHING INTO NEURAL TENSION POSITIONS MAY DECREASE STRENGTH MORE THAN lsquoNON NEURAL TENSIONrsquo STRETCHING POSITIONSYou may remember a heading in a previous research summary of mine bring attention to research indicating a drop off in strength after static stretching Malachy McHugh from the USA has broken down the components of a hamstring stretch even further and demonstrated no drop off in strength if there was low neural tension involved in the stretchhellip interesting
See you next month
DAN REDRUPWWW INJURYUPDATECOMAU
Stretching Still part of the solution when done the right way at the right time
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
24 JOCKATHLETICCOM
WEIGHT LOSSSECRETSREBECCA GAWTHORNE
LOSING WEIGHT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY AND KEEPING THE WEIGHT OFF CAN BE EVEN HARDER SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS REQUIRES COMMITMENT TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BUT EVERYDAY TEMPTATIONS AND BUSY SCHEDULES CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO STICK TO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 25
FOLLOW THIS TOP TEN LIST OF DIET AND WEIGHT LOSS SECRETS THAT WILL HELP YOU EAT BETTER FEEL HEALTHIER AND SHED THOSE EXTRA KILOS AND KEEP THEM OFF
1 HUNGER IS THE BEST GUIDELearn to stop eating when yoursquore comfortably full not bloated or lsquostuffedrsquo Once yoursquove finished a meal wait 20 minutes before you have for seconds to see if you are actually hungry
2 PORTION SIZEDonrsquot upsize your portions especially when eating out Portions are extremely important and upsizing can increase your kilojoule intake and lead to weight gain The larger the portion of food on your plate the more you will eat Try serving your dinner meals on a smaller plate and aim to fill half your plate with coloured vegetables
3 THINK BEFORE YOU EATBefore you go to the fridge or pantry stop and think about what you are about to eat Avoid mindless eating ndash donrsquot sit down in front of the TV or computer and eat Use a food diary (written record of what and how much you eat) to help you keep track of what you eat and when you are vulnerable to mindless eating Once yoursquove identified these danger times you can figure out strategies to avoid them
4 ENJOY EATINGDonrsquot rush your meals Sit down at the table
eat slowly and enjoy your food chew it well and savour the taste Aim to take at least 20 minutes to eat your meal This will give your brain enough time to register that you are full Choose a variety of foods so you donrsquot get bored ndash aim for at least 20 different food itemsingredients daily
5 LIMIT SUGARY DRINKSSoft drinks energy drinks fruit juice and cordials are packed full of extra kilojoules that will sabotage your weight loss efforts The energy in these drinks can be equivalent to a whole meal They are low in nutrition and not needed in your diet Choose water instead it contains no kilojoules and is the best fluid for hydrating the body
6 PLAN YOUR MEALSPlan what you are going to eat for the day (or week) and stick to it And donrsquot skip any meals especially breakfast Eating a healthy breakfast kick-starts your metabolism and gets you going for the day
7 SNACKS AND SECONDSSmall healthy snacks between meals can regulate your metabolism and help you avoid eating extremely large portions at other meals especially at night However continual snacking or grazing can also add up to an incredible amount throughout the day If you are hungry between main meals pick one snack from the list below and stick to it
8HAVE HEALTHY FOODS READY TO EATKeep your fridge and pantry full of healthy foods Make sure they are visible and
WEIGHT LOSS
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
26 JOCKATHLETICCOM
THE BEST WAY TO AVOID UNHEALTHY ENERGY-DENSE FOODS IS NOT TO BRING THEM INTO THE HOUSE
ready to eat Keep a bowl full of fruit on your bench and chopped-up fruit and vegetables in the fridge so you can grab them for a quick snack on the run Keep a handful of dried fruit and nuts in sandwich bags for snacks and small yoghurt tubs for delicious desserts When you have healthy food available it will make it easier to avoid unhealthy ones
9 AVOID TEMPTATIONThe best way to avoid unhealthy energy-dense foods is not to bring them into the house And if you do buy them occasionally keep them lsquoout of sight out of mindrsquo You are more likely to snack on chocolates if you have a box sitting on your table
10 USE THE 9010 RULEAim to eat healthy 90 of the time and the other 10 you can treat yourself to your favourite food This way you wonrsquot deprave yourself and will be less likely to binge or over-indulge in your favourite food
REBECCA GAWTHORNEIS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTrebeccagawthornegmailcom
WEIGHT LOSS
HEALTHY SNACKS
gt 1 SERVE OF FRUIT (1 MEDIUM SIZED PIECE OF FRUIT 1 CUP CANNED OR CHOPPED FRUIT OR 1frac12 TABLESPOONS DRIED FRUIT)
gt 4 LOW-FAT CRACKERS WITH TOMATO AND AVOCADO OR LOW-FAT CHEESE
gt A FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH SKIM MILK BLENDED FRESH FRUIT AND HONEY
gt SLICE OF RAISIN TOAST WITH HONEY OR LOW-FAT RICOTTA
gt SMALL TUB OF LOW FAT YOGHURT
gt frac14 CUP RAW UNSALTED NUTS (SUCH AS WALNUTS AND ALMONDS)
gt SMALL TIN OF TUNASALMON WITH SALAD VEGETABLES
gt PITA BREAD WITH SOME LOW- FAT DIP
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
28 JOCKATHLETICCOM
FIT FACTSCASSANDRA GOVAN
THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUDGET WAS DELIVERED ON MAY 10 ALTHOUGH NOT MANY OF US WOULD HAVE BEEN GLUED TO THE TV TO WATCH THE POST-BUDGET ADDRESS IT DID GET US THINKING HERE AT EMPIRICA ABOUT HEALTH AND EXERCISE COSTS ndash AND THOSE COSTS RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEY
One of the most common excuses people make for not exercising is ldquoI donrsquot have timerdquo This can also be an excuse for not eating a healthy diet and picking up too much takeaway too But can people really make the statement that therersquos not enough time to exercise A recent poll in the US found the average adult probably spends at least 56 hours each week sitting down Some of that time is at work and unavoidable but surely we should cut down some of that other ldquositting down timerdquo and move our butts instead Recent research from the University of Queensland shows that even tiny disruptions to sedentary time (such as getting up for a minute or two to move around) can yield significant improvements in waist circumference and triglyceride levels ndash so the more you move the better
FOR THIS MONTHrsquoS FIT
FACTS WErsquoRE LOOKING AT
EXERCISE AND HEALTH FACTS THAT
RELATE TO BOTH TIME AND MONEYhellip
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 29
Post Workout stretch Cassie wants us doing more of this
So herersquos a challenge for us all to do
FOR ONE WEEK I WANT YOU TO KEEP A TIMESHEET NOT JUST A TIMESHEET OF YOUR WORK BUT A TIMESHEET OF YOUR LIFE HOW LONG DO YOU SPEND SITTING DOWN
Where can we trade some ldquoseat timerdquo for some ldquoactive timerdquo Where can we trade some TV time for some time running outside with the kids Letrsquos see if we can add some more active hours into our weeks
The time has comeAnother common excuse for not exercising
is ldquoitrsquos too expensiverdquo Sure fitness activities cost money ndash running shoes training fees those beautiful new Skins yoursquove been admiring But compared to the financial impact of obesity itrsquos a drop in the ocean
A REPORT BY ACCESS ECONOMICS SAYS THAT OBESITY COST AUSTRALIA $58 BILLION IN 2008(UP FROM $21 BILLIONIN 2005)
Obesity rates are predicted to rise ndash thus the associated financial impact to us all as taxpayers is also set to rise Perhaps we should view our fitness and sport ldquoexpensesrdquo as a solid ldquoinvestmentrdquo in our future instead
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
30 JOCKATHLETICCOM
AND MUCH LESS OF THIS
Research from the UK shows that as we age a dollar invested in exercise gives us more than a dollar in saved health care costs down the line So maybe buying those Skins really will make you money
AND TO FINISH OFF RECENTLY THE FINALE OF THE BIGGEST LOSER AIREDhellip HERE ARE SOME WEIGHT COMPARISONS TO PUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THEY LOST IN PERSPECTIVE
EMPIRICA RESEARCHis a social and consumer research firm based in Melbourne and Los AngelesFor more about email Cassie Govan (cassieempiricaresearchcomau)or David Neal (davidempiricaresearchcomau) or find us on Facebookand Twitter (empirica_update) or visit wwwempiricaresearchcomau and individuals
bull COMBINED STARTING WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS2201kg (about the weight of a BMW X6 4WD)
bull COMBINED END WEIGHT OF THE CONTESTANTS1409kg (about the weight of a Toyota Camry Sedan)
bull COMBINED WEIGHT LOSS OF THE CONTESTANTS792kg (about the weight of a Smart Car And a smart move toondash healthier and happier hearts minds and bodies)
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
32 JOCKATHLETICCOM
RunningITrsquoS ALL HARDPETER HADFIELD (OAM)
ON THE GLOBAL ATHLETICS FIELD WHO IS THE MORE RECOGNISABLE USAIN BOLT OR SAMMY WANJIRU AND WHO ARE THE HOUSEHOLD NAMES IN THE AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SCENE
IT WAS INTERESTING JOGGING OUT TO SANDHILLS THE OTHER WEEK TO OVERHEAR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE MOTHERrsquoS DAY CLASSIC FUN RUN AND ONE OF THE RUNNERS SAYING ALMOST APOLOGETICALLY THAT SHE WAS ONLY GOING TO RUN THE 4KM EVENT ON THE DAY NOT THE LONGER 8KM RACE
Itrsquos an interesting mindset that we have that in training and competition the longer the event the tougher it must be and the more prestigious
AT THE MOMENTUSAIN BOLT IS ONE OF THE MOST GLAMOROUS ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HE IS THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC CHAMPION OVER 100 AND 200 METRES AND HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR BOTH EVENTS
He would only run 400 metres once in a year yet some of his training sessions are extremely punishing
And if you didnrsquot know Sammy Wanjiru was the Kenyan who won a gold medal for the marathon event in Beijing Unfortunately Sammy died a few weeks ago at age 24 years in what appears to have been a suicide jumping from his balcony
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 33
Usain Bolt and Australian Sprint Champ Matt Shervington swap training secrets
Love that body language
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
34 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Of our best-credentialled Australian athletes Dani Samuels is the reigning World Champion in Womenrsquos Discus and Steve Hooker is the World and Olympic Champion in the Menrsquos Pole Vault Neither of them is noted for their feats of endurance Sally Pearson is the leading female sprinter and hurdler in the Commonwealth and she won a silver medal at the Beijing Games in the 100m hurdles Her leg of the Womenrsquos 4 x 400m relay in Delhi was something to behold Sally would have never raced 400m before and she must still be trying to get rid of the lactic acid she built up in running her leg of the relay
MY POINT BEING THAT COMPETING IN AND TRAINING FOR SHORTER EVENTS CAN BE JUST AS TOUGH IF NOT TOUGHER THAN RUNNING OVER LONG DISTANCES
The development of anaerobic capacity and muscle strength created by training over shorter efforts is an extra weapon in your fitness arsenal How tough these sessions are all comes down to intensity and a word often forgotten by some coaches ndash ldquorecoveryrdquo
Although Usain Boltrsquos running sessions involve incredibly lengthy warm-ups and cool-downs only a few of these sessions demand almost 100 per cent intensity He may only do 2-3 runs in a session with 10-15 minutes recovery between each of the
runs but when you are running at better than 10 seconds per 100 metres pace you can be assured that the intensity is high and that he will be suffering plenty of burn in his legs and glutes and that he would suffer for a few days Thatrsquos why sprinters have so many massages
The two toughest sessions I did when I was an athlete ndash way back in the Dark Ages ndash were for the 400 metres One session I called ldquoins-and-outsrdquo It was basically a 300m run where I would sprint at maximum intensity for 30 metres then coast for 30 metres then maximum for 30 metres continuing around the track for 300 metres It involved five efforts at absolute maximum for 30 metres each effort with five coasting phases between I built up to the point where I was able to do four reps in a session with 10 minutes recovery between each rep The lactic acid burn was incredible Sitting down or standing up at the conclusion of each set was a painful experience
A BURNING QUESTIONThe second session was to run 1 x 200m 1 x 300m amp 1 x 400m with a 10-minute recovery between each run The aim was to run the 200m in 23 seconds the 300m in 35-36 seconds and then to hang on in the 400 metres to try and run around 50 seconds flat Again the burn was painful and it was impossible to back up with a hard training session within a couple of days
The beauty of both of these sessions was that they were very specific to racing over 400 metres and they significantly improved
ATHLETICS
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 35
SALLY PEARSONClearly exhausted after her
400m leg of the relay
my speed endurance and leg power Over a four-week block of training in Europe I improved my 400m time in Decathlons from mid-49 seconds to 478 The key to all of these sessions is to maintain the intensity in all the efforts and to do that you need to take the time to be fully recovered before you start the next repetition For anyone who runs at the sandhills sessions see how much harder 3 x K1 hills at maximum speed with full
recovery is compared to doing more reps with less recovery but at a reduced speed
Mixing up your training to include long running (aerobic training) and shorter running (anaerobic training) can provide a good balance It leads to better overall fitness plus the focus on speed leads to improvement in running performance overall Throw in some strength and flexibility and you have all the elements covered to improve your running
PETER HADFIELD (OAM)represented Australia in two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games winning a Commonwealth Games Silver medal behind Olympic Champion and World Record Holder Daley Thompson As well as working as a TV and radio commentator and motivational speaker Peter provides training programs for sporting teams and individuals
A refreshingapproachto property southernstarpropertycomau
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
36 JOCKATHLETICCOM
BY PAUL WATSON
THESE DAYS PHYSICAL FITNESS IS CONSIDERED A MEASURE OF THE BODYrsquoS ABILITY TO FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN WORK AND LEISURE RUGBY LEAGUE IS GAME THAT DEMANDS THE HIGHEST ATTRIBUTES OF PHYSICAL FITNESS TO REACH A FIRST-GRADE STANDARD REQUIRES GREAT DISCIPLINE COMBINED WITH MANY HOURS OF DEDICATION UNDERPINNING ALL THIS IS THE HIGHEST DEMANDS OF FITNESS THAT LIKE ALL ELITE ATHLETES AND IN MOST SPORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS
After years of intense training many retiring athletes forgo to their detriment continued physical training as the years of stoic living are no longer an essential element of their lives Such sudden reductions in physical training can depress the body after its initial super compensation
But not all retiring athletes stop their physical training and in fact some start a new lease of life in their training regimes
As a player Nathan Brown played 172 first grade games for St George and was always considered a very hard trainer who relied on his physical fitness to play at his best Upon his forced retirement in 2001 he turned his hand to coaching but has kept up his professional training practice ever since
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 37 GIANTS Coach Nathan Brown (right) leads by example
IS THIS MANTHE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
38 JOCKATHLETICCOM
But just how many coaches in Rugby League still train to a high level The legendary Wayne Bennett was renowned for beating his team memberrsquos home over their long-distance run course and still maintains a high level of fitness today Many others in the sport such as former Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes are also renowned for continuing to train and maintain a high standard of fitnessBut these days it would be hard to find a more dedicated athlete than Nathan Brown who is now coach of the Huddersfield Giants in the UK
SO IS NATHAN BROWN THE FITTEST COACH IN RUGBY LEAGUE
Being one of the youngest obviously helps him But few would argue ndash after looking at his weekly training outline that he must be up there with the fittest in the world of rugby league in the coaching ranks and also fitter than a few of the players
ldquoI challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach who walk their talkrdquo - Tony Robbins
PAUL WATSONHAS BEEN AN NRL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR 13 YEARS AS A MEMBER OF JOHNNY LANGrsquoS STAFF AT THE CRONULLA SHARKS AND PENRITH PANTHERS HE IS NOW THE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACH FOR THE HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS IN THE UK WORKING ALONGSIDE COACH NATHAN BROWN
A TYPICAL TRAINING WEEK OF COACH BROWN ( WHICH RIVALS THAT OF MANY PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES)
gt MONDAY A 135KM RUN AT GOOD PACE FOR ABOUT ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES START 6AM
gt TUESDAY BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR PLUS WEIGHTS CHEST BACK AND CORE
gt WEDNESDAY A RUN AROUND THE ROADS AT HOME ndash 90 MINUTES ON A VERY HILLY COURSE
gt THURSDAY WEIGHTS LEGS SHOULDERS ARMS AND CORE
gt FRIDAY GAME DAY THIS IS AN 80-MINUTE RUN AROUND THE FORESTS OF HOME UP SOME VERY STEEP HILLS
gt SATURDAYS BOXING IN THE GYM FOR ONE HOUR
gt SUNDAYS FAMILY DAY
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 39
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
40 JOCKATHLETICCOM
KNEE INJURY
MY PARTNER RECENTLY UNDERWENT KNEE SURGERY TO TREAT A CHONDRAL DEFECT IN HIS KNEE A CHONDRAL DEFECT IS WHERE THE ARTIVVCULATING (HYALINE) CARTILAGE (IN THIS CASE THE FEMUR) HAS EITHER COME AWAY FROM THE END OF THE BONE OR WORN THROUGH LEAVING BARE BONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE ARTICULATING SURFACE (SEE IMAGE 1)
The natural repair process that takes place may then produce a scar tissue that is inferior to healthy cartilage and may not alleviate the symptoms of pain For this reason surgical repair is usually undertaken with the goal of getting the joint back to normal function
Coincidentally he also works for the biotechnology company that pioneered this technique and has spent the last six years selling the technology to surgeons and teaching them how to perform the operation This article looks at the procedure and follows the surgery and rehabilitation period
The symptoms of the injury were pain on knee flexion during simple weight-bearing activities such as walking up and down stairs squatting and lunging This was also
KNEE INJURY CASE STUDY REHABILITATION FOLLOWING SURGERY IMMOBILISATION AND NON WEIGHT-BEARING
BY JULIA RUSSELL MY PARTNER OPTEDFOR A MACI PROCEDURE (MATRIX-INDUCED AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION)
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 41
accompanied by some effusion or swelling of the knee joint It was starting to limit my partnerrsquos activities there was a noticeable atrophy of the affected leg because of his tendency to favour the good one in activities of daily living such as standing up out of a chair After attempting without success to manage the condition with a 12-month strengthening program surgery was the next option
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERYSurgery is a two-stage process The first stage is to undergo arthroscopic surgery whereby the defect is cleaned up and any loose pieces are removed A small piece of healthy cartilage ndash about the size of a tic-tac ndash is also taken and this is sent off to the lab for the cells to be cultured This process takes about six weeks and typically
produces around 20 million chondrocyte cells These cells are then loaded onto a 20cmsup2 collagen membrane ready for implanting into the defect
The second surgery for implantation of the cells requires an open incision of the joint capsule surrounding the knee to expose the joint The defect is then cleared of any scar tissue that may have grown and a template the size and shape of the defect is made An exact replica of this is cut out of the membrane and glued into the defect with the cells face-down onto the bone using a protein-based glue The result looks like pastry lining a pie tin with the membrane forming a layer over the defect and up the walls of the healthy surrounding cartilage Although the defect is still present the cells migrate from the collagen matrix through
IMAGE 1ONE WEEK POST OP - EXTENSIVE EFFUSION
OF JOINT AND MUSCLE ATROPHY
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
42 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IMAGE 3
FIVE WEEKS POST OP - EFFUSION SUBSIDING AND EXTENSIVE ATROPHY
IMAGE 4
NINE WEEKS POST OP - MINIMAL SWELLING VMO AND QAUDS RESTORING
REHAB
IMAGE 2
TWO WEEKS POST OP - MUSCLES FLEXED SHOWS SIGNIFICANT ATROPHY OF VMO QUADS AND EFFUSION
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 43
the protein glue and proliferate to fill the defect over time (See Image 2)
The speed at which rehabilitation progresses is determined by the growth and maturation timeline of the chondrocyte cells into new cartilage The delicate nature of the graft during the early stages following surgery dictates the speed at which the patient may progress It must be noted that it is slower than other more invasive surgeries where there is no risk of compromising the prosthesis such as a total knee replacement where rehab progresses as quickly as the patient is able to This may be a source of frustration to physiotherapists who like to progress things as quickly as possible in order to limit joint stiffness muscle tightening and atrophy But itrsquos important not to move outside this protocol in these early stages as this will put the graft at risk
The rehab varies slightly with regard to weight-bearing exercises and the range of movement (ROM) that is allowed depending on the site of the defect in the knee In this instance the lesion was in the trochlea groove through which the patella glides Because of this the brace was worn for six weeks 24 hours a day and set at 0 degrees so that the leg could not bend at all this was to prevent any sheer force across the graft and risk of its de-lamination This regime only altered during the daily physiotherapy exercises when the physio moved the joint passively with no muscle contraction at all Initially only allowed to flex to 30 degrees during week one this changed incrementally
to reach 135 degrees in week 7 and after that to full flexion when possible Ideally joint mobilisation is performed daily to limit tightening of the joint capsule The patient also undertakes limited exercises including straight leg adduction and abduction as well as a range of hydrotherapy exercises The hydrotherapy exercises support body weight and provide minimal resistance but also importantly allow the joint to move Massage of the joint capsule and incision site also helps to loosen and prevent scar adhesions forming and massage of the insertion of the quads and hamstrings and the origins of the gastrocnemius muscle in the back part of the lower leg also helps to maintain flexibility
When the brace comes off ndash even after following the rehab protocol closely ndash the calf and thigh muscles have atrophied significantly (See Image 3) and there is still a lot of fluid in the joint The lack of active movement has seen the muscles lose tone and it is weak to the point of not being able to hold its own weight to perform a straight leg raise
After three weeks of daily physiotherapy and soft tissue massage of the muscles and tendons surrounding the joint as well as leg strengthening exercises it has reached almost full range and tone is being restored The thigh girth has also increased by close to 5cm It is expected that over the next three weeks (bringing up the first 3 months of rehab) that strength will increase exponentially and the leg will be close to fully functional in terms of movement
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
44 JOCKATHLETICCOM
Going through the motions flexion limit at 5 weeks
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 45
AT THREE MONTHS POST-OP THE GRAFT IS STILL VERY DELICATE ndash LIKE JELLYndash and over the following three to six months it hardens and may be put through progressively increasing loads According to literature on the subject this hardening process may continue for up to five years
RESUMING TO COMPETITIVE SPORT IS NOT RECOMMENDED UNTIL THE 12-MONTH PERIOD BUT SOME PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES HAVE RETURNED TO ELITE COMPETITION SOONER
This short case study illustrates the rapidity with which the function of a joint and limb can decline when immobilisation is coupled with non-weight bearing It also shows how function may be restored in a relatively short period if the patient is compliant and treated with intensive physiotherapy strength and hydrotherapy exercises and massage of the soft tissues
(Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation is a Genzyme product)
JULIA RUSSELLIS A PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND SOFT TISSUE THERAPIST WITH 12 YEARSrsquo EXPERIENCE JULIA ESTABLISHED JULIA RUSSELL MASSAGE (JRM) IN 2001 TO CATER TO INDIVIDUAL ATHLETES AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS
JULIA AND HER TEAM LOOK AFTER TRIATHLETES AND MOST NRL SUPER 15 RUGBY AND SHEFFIELD SHIELD CRICKET TEAMS AS WELL AS STATE OF ORIGIN AND NUMEROUS OTHER REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS FROM AUSTRALIA AND OVERSEAS JULIA IS BASED IN SYDNEY AND HAS THERAPISTS LOCATED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT wwwjuliarussellmassagecomau or Phone 0419 129 483
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
46 JOCKATHLETICCOM
IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN WHEN THE COLD WINTER HAS STRUCK AND WE ALL HAVE TO GET THAT EXTRA BIT OF MOTIVATION TO GET OUT AND KEEP UP THE FITNESS LEVELS
Usually we use an upcoming competition to train for and set ourselves goals to achieve at a particular event Most of you out there that do have an interest in swimming compete in Triathlons Open Water Swimming Events or Surf Club Events All these types of races usually finish around April and we donrsquot tend to get back in the water until around September to get ready again for the summer season But the sooner you get back into it the better your training will progress when it comes time to compete again
Everyone has their favourite facility where they like to train we usually like to turn up and swim in a particular lane or with the same group Some train inside and some train outside some in the pool and some in the open water There are the ones who train in a squad and there are the ones who like to do it on their own However if you like to swim there is always going to be a bit of a lack of motivation in winter Those
that train outside have colder water and the wind and the rain to deal with and those that train inside probably have to deal with the extra volume of swimmers taking lsquotheir lanersquo because of the people who donrsquot want to be in a cold outside pool and have chosen to go inside Whatever your situation is it is so important to be in the pool swimming NOW one way or another
UNFORTUNATELYAS MOST OF YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO GET BETTER AT SWIMMING IS TO SWIM
Runners have the treadmill if they donrsquot want to run outside and cyclist have other means of keeping up their fitness levels on the bike but there just is no other way to get that swimming fitness if you are not in the water The sooner you get to the pool and get wet the more you will benefit in the early part of the summer season Hopefully this will lead to better results early on in the summer season when more and more competitions start for you to test yourself against the clock and also the other competitors You donrsquot have to be doing as much as you usually would or even as much as you could it is just so much more of a benefit to get your body back in the water and doing it
BY CRAIG STEVENS
CRAIG STEVENS
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
JUNE JULY 2011 47
consistently so your body keeps the feel of the water There are so many variations in swimming training and it is always a good idea to set up a program of what you want to achieve each week or each month
WINTER IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET YOUR STROKE FINELY TUNED AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS
One way of looking at your training over the coming period is to do a lot of skills and drills mixed in with steady swimming Use the first part of your session to get your body warmed up and throw in some backstroke to get the arms moving in the opposite direction remember to kick those legs
A couple of good freestyle drills are ones that get your mind thinking about your stroke Catch up or single arms are ones that are used a lot as they get you thinking about a nice high elbow position on the recovery and also keeping your hand nice and close to the surface when starting your catch Again it is really important to think about what your legs are doing Try to mix the drill in with the normal stroke so you are always relating it back to your freestyle technique
Try some different drills that you havenrsquot used before If you are not quite sure ask a coach of the pool where you swim most are pretty happy to lend a bit of knowledgeSwimming with fins is also something that winter is a good time for again when you slow your arms down because of the stronger kick behind you it gets you to make sure your hands are extending when you enter the water and the hand is pulling all the way back at the end of the stroke
If you are feeling your body position drop when performing the drills put the fins on for the drills then go into some easy swimming again with the fins on and if you think you have it take the fins off and give it a go
Swimming is all about repetition and practise there is always something on your stroke to work on If you are not back in the water yet take your time and start back twice a week you may only do a kilometre but it is a much better start than doing nothing
Remember failing to plan is planning to fail Give yourself enough time before the start of the competition season to have your technique feeling strong so when you move to do a training block of higher intensity and volume you have put in the time to get your stroke feeling strong and ready
SWIMMING IN WINTER
