Fatigue Q&A

Whilst this article is not about paddling as such, it does cover a health issue that is very close to my heart. I have done a lot of research on it, have worked clinically with for it several years, and many paddlers and athletes are or have also been afflicted by it - fatigue and immune system deficiencies. In fact, it was this ailment (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) that I suffered from for several years, progressively deteriorating until I could exercise no longer and could barely work, and which finished my paddling career at the international level. After a very vigorous health program I eventually healed myself from this affliction and was subsequently inspired to pursue a career in the health and wellness profession as a naturopath, so that I could help others who also suffered similarly.

Q: What causes fatigue:

Fatigue most often appears as a result of a number of ailments or aspects of living that debilitate our system. These include:

1. Post viral illness; i.e. glandular fever, chronic sinusitis etc.
2. Post extreme and/or chronic stress - be it emotional (divorce, death in the family, bankruptcy, VCE etc),or physical (i.e. as is often seen in athletes who over train).
3. As a result of long term elevated and/or fluctuating blood sugar levels - leading to hypoglycaemia or insulin resistance.
4. Over stimulation of the nervous system via stress (as above), and excessive amounts of stimulants (coffee, energy drinks, sugar, alcohol, smoking, drugs etc.).
5. Gastro-intestinal problems - IBS, dysbiosis etc.
6. Obesity.
7. Chronic inactivity or lack of exercise.
8. Vitamin/mineral deficiencies; i.e. anaemia.

In general, it could be argued that all of the above occur as a result of living in a fashion that is out of alignment with how our bodies have been built or genetically programmed (via evolutionary environmental influences) to function optimally or thrive.
These aspects of living include how we eat and drink, how we move (or not!!), how we breathe, how we think and how we rest and rejuvenate.

Q: Why do people feel tired?

As above. However at a cellular level it is because their cells no longer produce energy efficiently due to:

• Nervous system and adrenal exhaustion - via over stimulation.
• Poor fuel and vitamin/mineral supply.
• Excessive free radical damage to cell membranes due to an excess of toxins and insufficient antioxidants.
• Immune dysfunction and poor absorption of nutrients due to disturbance in gastro-intestinal flora and mucous membrane linings - known as dysbiosis.
• Inefficient metabolism and elimination of wastes and toxins via liver and kidneys.
• Poor supply of oxygen to the cells due to inefficient breathing - too rapid and too much volume of air due to mouth breathing as opposed to breathing through the nose and being driven by the diaphragm.

Q: The top 7 things you can do to prevent fatigue?

1. Eliminate or dramatically reduce dietary intake of the following: sugars - including
   
   • sugar, sweets, chocolates, added sugars, refined carbohydrates (white flour/rice in bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits, cereals, muesli bars etc.), alcohol.
   • Processed foods - foods containing chemicals or that have been refined in any way.
   • Stimulants - coffee, energy drinks, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs.
2. Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks daily and include protein in each meal and snack (especially breakfast).
3. Exercise regularly.
4. Breathe through the nose at all times, using the diaphragm (even during exercise) rather than using the mouth, chest and shoulders.
5. Cleanse you gut and liver via detoxification processes.
6. Learn to relax and balance your nervous system via meditation and yoga.
7. Use a herbal adaptogen such a Siberian Red (www.pineneedleproducts.com or www.siberianred.com) to assist in undoing the damage caused by over stimulation of the nervous system and the resulting adrenal fatigue.

Buy Stellar Skis Online

One of the most common conversation points in the ocean paddling involves craft - which ski to use and why? I thought it a good time to communicate how and why I came to using Stellar Skis over the other brands. I came to the decision to use these craft before I decided to start acting as a Stellar agent and selling them. Originally I tried 3-4 other brands of skis and owned a Fenn Millenium. My interest in Stellar Ski evolved as I have always preferred to paddle craft that are built for running speed, not necessarily speed out of the blocks (even though I came from a sprint background). I currently use a Vajda Kayak for that reason.

When I raced kayaks at the national and international level (many moons ago) I used an East German kayak which was not as fast out of the blocks as the Struer Tigers and Cleavers (that were being used at the time), but they ran beautifully. Even though my pet event was the shorter 500m sprint (200m events did not exist at that stage), having this boat with more volume in the nose was not a hindrance. In fact, I found it to be an asset as, once you've done 10-15 double strokes and are at full speed, you then need the boat to run. And this boat really ran.

In the mid 1990's a mate of mine from Perth (the great Mike Pond) introduced me to Spirit double skis. These were designed by a guy with a yachting background (the also great, James Payne) and they were, once again, built to run. They were incredible at running speed, especially through chop. This was the best double ski I ever used. Pondy won an Australian Double Ski title on it (although controversially, for bullshit reasons, the record books no longer indicate this - that's another story that Mike can tell if he wants) and I would have gone close to it also, had it not been for a broken padde shaft of my doubles partner (Ernie Ronchi) at the cans courtesy of being rammed whilst we were leading.

Which leads me on to why I use a Stellar Ski...
I had been told via a friend who was partly involved in the design of the Stellar Ski, that they were designed by people with yacht design and rowing shell backgrounds, and the Stellar was designed with similar principles to those mentioned above.
As a result I find that the Stellar Ski runs beautifully in the flat or both with and against chop.

In addition, it has awesome secondary stability meaning that I have far greater stability at any speed or in any conditions (including big downwind swells and strong winds), without any compromise in speed whatsoever. So, essentially, I can cut loose in the Stellar with more confidence.

Also, the set up feels more like a kayak to me than the other brands I had tried, so I could get better drive off the foot plate and up off the individual foot straps, to allow greater rotation with every stroke. And the manufacturing quality is second to none.

It is an easy choice for me.
Check it out for yourself -  visit my online store and buy Stellar Skis online.

Ocean Paddling Victoria

Tim Altman of WePaddle confirmed his rank as No 1. Victorian ocean paddler after coming 3rd in Victoria's premier ocean paddling event, the Outlaw Paddling Graeme Long Memorial race earlier in January. Whilst Tim finished 3rd behind Mark Minchin of NSW and Australian U23 kayak representative, Sam Norton, he was the highest placed Victorian in the field and the first over 40 competitor to finish.

View the full Outlaw Paddling race report

Paddling Torquay

I've been for 4 downwind paddles in the last week with various friends over the 16km course between Pt. Roadknight (Anglesea) and Torquay SLSC. This comprises 3/4 of the course for the Graeme Long memorial race coming this weekend. We have been pushed along by some great westerly and south westerly breezes - particularly the Wednesday that has just been which presented some wild winds and some times very close to PB's.

I grew up surfing on a short board and have surfed all of my life. I still adore it and, whilst it can be hard work, down wind paddling in such winds is the closest thing I have experienced to having a smoking surf in pumping waves (pardon my jargon).

I already love paddling most of the time (except when you get stuck in nasty head breezes), but this makes paddling awesome. I think the only time I'll ever stop paddling is when my body no longer allows me to do so.

Given the westerlies also pushed in some really nice swell, we've also had some great early morning surfs this week before the wind popped up.

It's great to be alive!

The Role of Antioxidants in the Endurance Athlete

by David Phillips M.D.

Much has been talked about in the sports and science community about the adverse affects of prolonged and strenuous exercise as it relates to the production of free radicals in an athlete's body. What are these byproducts of aerobic exercise and why are they damaging to the human body? More importantly, what role do antioxidants play in neutralizing these damaging molecules and what can we as athletes do to facilitate this protective process? 

The ‘Radical' Concept

Free radicals are highly reactive species produced during various molecular processes in the human body. While environmental factors such as pollution, radiation and cigarette smoke can spawn free radicals, in this article we will focus on those free radicals produced during endurance exercise.

Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd or unpaired number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed, these reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, similar to a domino effect. In other words, these compounds attack the nearest stable molecule, "stealing" its electrons in order to gain stability. When the "attacked" molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process is started it can cascade, resulting in the disruption of a living cell. Free radical damage not only contributes to accelerated aging, it also causes damage to immune cells. It's not uncommon for endurance athletes such as triathletes or marathoners to have a higher incidence of colds and upper respiratory infections after competition and intense training. Free radical damage to cellular DNA plays a significant role in the evolution of certain cancers, heart disease and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

Exercise and Oxidative Damage

Endurance exercise can increase oxygen utilization from 10 to 20 times over the resting state and up to 100 to 200 times in working muscles. This greatly increases the generation of free radicals via oxidative metabolism in skeletal mitochondria. Fortunately, the body has an elaborate antioxidant defense system that utilizes dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins and minerals as well as our body's own enzyme systems to decrease concentrations of the most harmful oxidants in tissues. Regular endurance training has been shown to enhance our internal antioxidant defense system, these changes of which occur slowly over time and appear to parallel other adaptations to exercise. When free radical production exceeds the ability of antioxidant enzymes and nutritionally obtained antioxidants to neutralize them, oxidative stress results. So, what can we as endurance athletes do to minimize the damage caused by the inevitable overflow of free radicals during training and competition?

Fruits and Vegetables: The Power of the Pyramid!

A recent change in dietary intake of fruits and vegetables by the USDA has placed a greater emphasis on increasing our daily consumption from the previous 5-7 servings a day to 7-9 servings and up to 13 servings or more for endurance athletes! Vitamins C, E, and beta carotene are the primary vitamin antioxidants. Previous research looking into the effects of supplementing our diets with these isolated nutrients has yielded equivocal results. Once thought to be beneficial to cardiac health, isolated vitamin E supplementation has now been questioned. Beta carotene supplements have been shown to increase lung cancer in smokers as well as contribute to thickening of the lining of arteries.

Recent studies now point to the synergistic role of numerous antioxidants obtained from the consumption of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables. Therefore, a diet rich in naturally occurring antioxidants appears to outweigh the risks inherent to supplementing one's diet with isolated laboratory made supplements. Furthermore, various key trace minerals such as zinc, selenium and manganese found in naturally occurring foods are needed for the proper functioning of various endogenous antioxidant enzymes.

Training Right, Eating Right:  Final Thoughts

The endurance athlete faces a challenge of balancing daily aerobic exercise with preventative measures that minimize the damaging affects of oxidative stress.  Clearly, fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants are vital to this balance. Many of us may find it difficult to consume the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables to achieve this balance. For those who are unable to take in enough daily produce, cryoevaporated fruits and vegetables in capsule form, such as Juice Plus+ (see www.timaltmanjuiceplus.com.au), make it possible to supplement what we are not able to consume when we visit the salad bar. Antioxidant supplementation helps to bridge the gap between what we eat on a daily basis (what we know we should be eating!) and the optimal amount of phytonutrients needed to combat the damaging effects of oxidative stress.

As endurance athletes, it is important to be aware of not only the benefits of aerobic exercise but the potentially negative aspects training and racing can have on our bodies and long term health. Finding a healthy balance between training and proper nutrition will go a long way in promoting longevity in any endurance athletic activity.

David Phillips, M.D. graduated in 1984 from Harvard University where he earned academic honors and was an All-American swimmer.  He received his medical degree from Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio.  After practicing as an emergency room physician, Dr. Phillips shifted his focus to sports medicine.  He has competed individually in national and international triathlons including the 2005 Ford Ironman World Championships, and qualified as a member of Team USA at the 2008 International Triathlon Union World Championships in Vancouver.

Training For Your First Ocean Paddling Race

By Tim Altman

With summer approaching many new ocean paddlers are contemplating their first race - be it the Outlaw (Peak Adventure) Criterium Series at Sandridge, the Anaconda Adventure Race in Lorne or the Outlaw Ocean Racing Series (especially the Graham Long Memorial which is a race that will always be close to my heart - firstly because Graham Long was a dear friend of mine and, secondly because we've had fantastic winds and some great interstate competitors attending for the last few years, so it is a lot of FUN).

There are several points to consider leading up to the race. Some relate to equipment, some to conditioning, some to where you will be racing and others to nutrition and hydration. I will list some basic points (in point form) and, hopefully, they help you perform at your best on the day and, more importantly, derive more enjoyment from the experience:

Equipment:

• Make sure you train on the craft you are going to race on at least 3-5 times prior to the race. A very basic point, but I regularly see people turn up on the day and use borrowed/hired equipment for the first time. A potential disaster in the making.
• Either service your craft yourself or pay for it to be serviced before the race - there is nothing worse than doing all of the training, being ready and then you have to withdraw during the race, or you can't perform at your best, because of equipment failure. Potential failures include - broken rudder cables (a classic and always leads to race over), broken rudder, holes in the craft (particularly rails) that get worse during the race, broken foot pedals etc.
• If you have been building up to this race (both physically and mentally) for some time, give your craft (if made from fiberglass, carbon fibre or kevlar) a clean and a polish. It will feel great when you put it in the water and remember the old adage "Mr(s) Clean Always Wins".
• If you have an adjustable paddle, make sure it doesn't slip during the race.
• If you have applied sunscreen prior to paddling, wash your hand in soapy water or rub your hands in the dirt/sand, then wash in water and wipe with a towel to remove the sunscreen. There is nothing worse than racing with slippery hands.

Geographical Location of the Race:

• Get to know the location of your race, the expected course and the conditions that are typical to it (if possible) - including the landmarks surrounding (which including looking at them from the ocean) as these will guide you in terms of the best course during the race. And how far you have to go etc. This is a skill that is overlooked and under practiced by too many paddler, but one that can save you plenty of time and energy.
• If you train on the Bay and your race is on the ocean, do not expect that you will be able to master the conditions without having spent some time in the ocean. Conditions are different - especially given that in the ocean you have to contend with the influence or direction of the ground swell as well as that of the wind chop (and these are often conflicting). This must be learned by personal experience (it is very difficult to teach), so make sure you do at least 3 sessions prior at the race venue or in similar conditions.
• If your race is a downwinder, do some downwind paddles prior. No matter how much experience you have with downwind paddling, if you don't regularly paddle downwind in the runners, you lose touch. And this can cost minutes. Winning downwind races is not about being the best paddler in the flat - although it can help. More important is being the best surfer in the runs. Dean Gardner (multiple Molokai paddle champion) from Sydney is the classic example of this - he lives for the runs and there is no one better in them. He has won the Outlaw "Graham Long Memorial" Race previously also.
• Similarly, if you are likely to encounter some waves at any stage during your race, I don't need to tell you that you need to practice getting in and out through the break - preferably at the race location (if possible).

Training:

• Make sure you do a few paddles prior over the distance of your upcoming race. Paddling is different to marathon running as it is lower impact on the body and we can train over longer differences - similar to bike riding or swimming.
• Get used to the intensity you are expecting to paddle at during the race. Do some very solid race pace sessions (not necessarily over the full race distance) as well as plenty of steady state/base or aerobic threshold work - especially in the two to three months prior to the race.
• Also, add occasional short sharp pure speed sessions (intervals of less than 1 minute) as this speed may be needed during a race - to pull over a run, burn off an opponent at the end or if they are hanging on your wash, catch the wash of a competitor coming past etc.
• TECHNIQUE, TECHNIQUE, TECHNIQUE. Spend at least 1-2 sessions per week on technique. Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about this - it can make a HUGE difference. As I so often say, anyone can get fit or strong, but there is no substitute for class - this is rare and a pleasure to watch or do. And it is the difference between goodness and greatness. Some time spent not focusing on conditioning per se, but improving your efficiency will pay you back innumerably. I most enjoy teaching this so I am open for one on one or group sessions if you'd like to step up.
• Lighten up the workload a bit in the week prior to the race so you are jumping out of your skin on the day.
• Don't worry about being nervous. Everyone else is (even if they don't show it - they're just good at faking it), and the adrenaline will help you if you let it (and don't freak out mentally or talk yourself out the race). It took me a long time to realize that the nervous, sick feeling I got before big races was actually my friend J

Nutrition/Hydration:

• Don't leave it until race day to figure out your nutrition/hydration protocols - practice it at training as on race day you often don't feel like eating (and sometimes drinking). But you must eat during any race of over an hour or an hour and a half.
• No matter what the length of the race (unless it's a sprint) carry water with some electrolytes in it - either as a back pack or secured in the foot wells of your ski with a tube accessible to your mouth without having to fiddle around to find it.
• This is a whole other subject without the room in this article. I practice professionally as a naturopath/nutritionist and can be consulted for racing/training nutrition advice.
  

Colds and Flus Affecting Winter Paddle Training?

Have cold and flus been affecting your kayak and paddle training this winter? Take a look at this month's Wellness Review. It gives some great tips, herbs, nutrients as well as dietary and lifestyle suggestions that can help you give your immune system a boost.

• Wellness Review - August

Say goodbye to repetitive colds and flus so that you get back to your optimal peak sporting performance.

The True Energy Drink

The use of caffeine in sport and everyday use has received plenty of mixed press recently. While the research is unequivocal that caffeine is effective as a way to increase energy levels, endurance and alertness in the short term there are definite downsides from its regular use.

Symptoms are related to the effects of caffeine intoxication including fatigue. Caffeine is definitely not the answer to maintaining energy levels and alertness on a day to day basis and should never be used for this reason.

In my True Energy Drink article I look at:

• Pros and cons of using caffeine and outline how to make the most of its effects without experiencing the downsides.
• A more holistic way of viewing the issue of maintaining day to day energy levels and why these fluctuate or become drained over time.
• An excellent alternative to caffeine that may increase energy levels, endurance & stamina and boost the immune system without the downside associated with regular caffeine use.

This True Energy Drink provides an excellent solution for the problem of maintaining energy levels day-to-day or enhancing sporting and paddling performance without causing long term harmful affects to your body.

Download the entire True Energy Drink article.

Winter Paddling and Training Tips

As we approach the winter months, we face many challenges that are not so difficult in the warmer months - waking up in the morning, putting on weight, boredom of training routines, COLD, colds and flus, difficulty warming up etc.

As most of our competition occurs in the warmer months (unless you race overseas and, in that case, you should not have difficulty with motivation anyway) it is important to keep training interesting and try to train according to the weather i.e. scheduling morning sessions indoors perhaps. I tend to create programs over the winter months that have plenty of variety. We reduce the amount of paddles per week compared to the warmer months and replace them with cross training and gym. Below are some tips for keeping training interesting and avoiding unnecessary exposure to the extremes of weather.

• If possible (depending on work commitments) try to schedule paddling sessions in the afternoon or evenings.
• If this is not possible, do a lot of your morning paddles on the river where you get less wet!!
• Schedule solid paddles on weekends where you have time to paddle during the day.
• Schedule plenty of cross training to your paddling to keep it interesting whilst still building an aerobic base i.e. swimming, running, riding (road and mountain bikes), rowing, surfing (yes, it is cold in the ocean, but a good steamer wetsuit will help and the winter months in Victoria are the best for surf - so don't be a woos!!!), boxing, aerobics/spin/zumba classes, yoga etc. Many of these can be done indoors so are great for those frosty winter mornings.
• Get paddling mitts to put over your hands.
• Wear thermals or buy a kag (plastic paddling top) to keep you warm whilst you are wet. See Peak Adventure. Wetsuits are not recommended for paddling as they restrict movement - particularly rotation. Wetsuit booties are fine though - in fact they are great.

As most of the paddling water work over winter is focused on aerobic development and intensity in sessions is not as high, this is an excellent time to really focus on technique development. Get some one-on-one work with your coach, organise video sessions and study kayaking technique via paddle coaching websites (i.e. the Peak Adventure site or take a look at We Paddle's Paddling Video Analysis) or on Youtube. An intensive few months of technique development can make huge changes to inefficient habits, prevent injuries from paddling (especially back and shoulder injuries) and make you go heaps quicker for less effort. Now that's not a bad return for a little bit of extra concentration on efficiency rather than smashing yourself every session.

The winter months of lower intensity paddling also offer a couple of other opportunities to develop your paddling by developing other aspects or skills. For example:

• This is an excellent chance to build specific strength in the gym - power to weight exercises such as chin ups, pull ups (or bench pull), push-ups are great. As is development of core strength or deep system stability - this can also be done via pilates, yoga etc.
• I highly recommend doing some yoga to develop strength and flexibility across joints and keep the body subtle. For me personally, yoga over the last few years has helped prevent recurring back and shoulder problems that gave me grief some years ago and kept me off the water for extended periods (and that's not fun).
• Learning how to nose breath (both on inhale and exhale) using the diaphragm as the primary respiratory muscle at all times and levels of intensity during exercise. It may appear unconventional and is very difficult initially, but it is far more efficient as it increases oxygen delivery to cells, reduces breathing and heart rates, delays lactic acid onset, relaxes muscles, and allows easier access to ‘zone' or ‘alpha' like states during exercise. Also, via the focus on the diaphragm, posture is significantly improved during paddling. If you persevere it gets easier and you will find if you practice regularly you can operate at L4 (approx 90%) and above whilst breathing through the nose with lower breathing and heart rates. Even if you do have to use your mouth at higher levels of exertion, continuing to focus on the diaphragm will offer significant benefits. And returning to nose breathing at lower levels and at rest will offer serious reductions in recovery time. More info on this will be included in future newsletters. Or see Tim Altman's Naturopathy site for info on Breathing Dynamics.
• Use saunas to assist in recovery from training. As the skin is the largest organ of elimination in the body, research in Scandinavia and Russia has found that the deep sweat produced by saunas help to reduce recovery time from injuries or training, detoxify many metabolites produced from exercise, injury or living, boost immune system function and for the ladies (and you metro-sexual men out there) it helps to thicken the protective lipid layers under the skin making your skin look fresher and younger!!! It is a misunderstood and underused modality for recovery in Australia, but definitely worth a try.

Winter Nutrition for Paddlers 

Nutrition plays a vital role in staying healthy and energetic during the colder winter months including prevention of illness, warming the system and making sure you are putting the right fuel into the tank.

Below are some tips to keep those winter cold and flus or the winter blues away:

• Eat regular, smaller meals that have a source of protein in each meal - the regular meals, and especially the protein, will keep basal metabolic rate (our internal fire) up and keep insulin levels low so you produce energy more efficiently and don't put on too much fat. In addition, the presence of protein in each meal, will promote the production of satiety that make you feel fuller for longer.
• Get fuel for energy from fibre and nutrient dense sources of carbohydrates: i.e. fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and some WHOLE grains. In addition, these nutrient dense (and unprocessed) sources of fuel are rich in nutrients including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which assist with energy production and provide a huge boost to your body's immunity.
• Many people use cold and flu shots as a preventative over winter. In my opinion, if you focus on good nutrition, you will get better results anyway. As well as have more energy. However, if you find this difficult, then consider the shots as an option.
• Have 1-2 small serves of grain per day and make sure they are WHOLE grains - most wholemeal and multigrain bread is still mostly white flour. When you take the brown bit off flour or rice you remove all of the fibre and most of the nutrients which will impair energy production and function of all cells - including immune system function and recovery from training. So refined carbohydrates are essentially sugar in disguise - or empty calories that don't give much back in return. They should be avoided!!
• Grains will be 100% whole grain only if it says it is - don't assume. 100% whole grains options for bread, pasta, cereals etc can be found in health food stores or the health food section of supermarkets.
• Eat plenty of essential fatty acids - from fish, nuts and seeds, avocado, tofu and soy products and some oils (olive oil and many nut and seed oils). These help to increase muscle production and reduce body fat. Plus they are essential in energy production, reduction of inflammation and the function of the immune system.
• Have lots of warming foods to keep you warm and keep the circulation flowing: i.e. warming herbs and condiments (pepper, cayenne, chilli, ginger, garlic, turmeric etc), soups, herbal teas, casseroles etc.
• Whilst caffeine can be helpful during an event, more than one to two coffees per day can make you pay energy wise. It exacerbates fluctuating blood sugar levels (which need to be kept constant to maximise energy production) and is a central nervous system stimulant, so it will drain you over time if you rely on coffee or those evil energy drinks to keep you up.
• Use a good quality supplement(s) based from whole food or plant extracts. Many multivitamin/mineral supplements that are synthetically produced are not readily bio-available to the system so, whilst the label says they are potent in lots of goodies (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants) they also have fillers etc, and you will end up urinating most of these ‘so-called' goodies out without ever receiving the benefit of them to your system. Most of us have experienced the smelly yellow-orange wee after taking vitamin-mineral supplements. Well, that's where the money you have spent is going if you don't get a good quality supplement.
• As our digestive systems evolved over a million or so years by exposure only to whole foods (except for the last 100-200 years or so) these are easily digested and assimilated and you will get full benefit from the nutrients contained in them. Examples of whole food or plant extract supplements would be Juice Plus, Vital Greens, fish oils, herbal extracts such as Siberian Red, Olive Leaf Extract, Echinacea etc.
• My ideal supplement protocols for maximising cellular health, energy production and immune system function is as follows. I developed and followed this protocol over many years since having recovered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
  
  1. Juice Plus - high potency pure fruit and vegetable extracts. They replace the multi-vitamin/mineral supplements. Bioavailability is excellent and research has found that levels of major vitamins and antioxidants increase considerably after having used this for a month or more. See more info on Juice Plus. Users of this report fewer incidents of colds and flus and less fatigue.

2. High potency, high quality fish oils including EPA and DHA: i.e. Metagenics, Bioceuticals or Ethical Nutrients. The oil is better than capsules as it is far more potent - so find one that tastes ok and mix it in with your smoothies or salads. 95% of the Western population is deficient in Omega 3 essential fatty acids.

3. Bioeffective A - an antioxidant and antimicrobial (including antibacterial and antiviral) extract from Russian pine needle species that is also terrific for liver regeneration and support. Great for digestive health and liver health and preventing colds and flus. Available in some health food stores or at Pine Needle Products.

4. Siberian Red - a pure liquid extract (non-alcohol based) from Siberian Fir tree needles. Siberian research found this excellent as an antioxidant and adaptogen (which helps increase the body's ability to cope with stress produced by training load, winter coldness or psycho-emotional stress) It is great for reducing fatigue and enhancing endurance and stamina. It also a potent source of highly bio-available iron for a plant source.

Available from Pine Needle Products

Programs for Paddlers 

Download a Paddler's Program here

As I get many questions about programs for paddlers of all standards, I thought I would show an example of a 6 week block prepared for a paddler who is training for World Cup kayak events in Europe as a part of the Australian U23 Sprint Kayak Team. It will give an excellent insight into what sort of work load is necessary to be competitive at the international level of sprint kayak paddling (which is the Olympic discipline for flat water kayaking).

She finished National Championships in early April and had 6 weeks between then and hopping on the plane for the Czech Republic - where they will be racing the next weekend. So we needed to have her ready for action by the time she hopped on the plane.

Unfortunately, she only got 2 days rest following National Championships but, on her return from Europe, she will get close to a month lay-off prior to beginning her pre-season for the 2011-12 competitions.

The program involved paddling one time per day for 6 days a week, and she was to do 2 gym sessions and at least 3 runs per week in addition.

The running started at a steady state for 30-45 minutes, but as the program progresses it involved steady state with sprints up steps. She runs in the Torquay and Jan Juc area, so there are plenty of juicy sets of steps around there.

This paddling program involved a combination of steady state (L2) work, with race practice work (including L3,L4,L5 work), some lactic tolerance work towards the middle and end and a healthy dose of raw speed (L5) work. The proportion of each of these depended on the stage of the program in the 6 week block.

We tried to program at least 3 team boat (pairs or fours) sessions per week as it is likely she will be doing either of these (or both) when she races in Europe.

As most of the squad paddlers I was coaching were resting post National Championships, I had to call on some of these paddlers to interrupt their rest for one or two sessions a week - which was not an easy task given they had lost a fair bit of fitness over a month or so. Thanks go to Nick Muhlebach, Lisa Wadling and Jared Toyne.

Yours truly (the coach) attended most of the water sessions and jumped in the four on most occasions. It hurt, but K4 paddling is always a lot of fun. It feels incredible when you get the boat up and running smoothly and quickly.

Whilst this is a program for an elite competitor preparing for international events, we can prepare programs for paddlers of all standards - be it novices preparing for their first event (like an Anaconda event), paddlers preparing for a longer paddling race (marathon events, The Murray Marathon. multi sport events etc.) or surf lifesaving or kayak paddlers preparing for State and National Championships.

Olympics Analysis 

Some years ago we did an analysis of the top 5 place getters in both men’s K1 events at the Athens Olympic Games (2004).

Take a look at the Olympics Analysis here.

It was fascinating as, at the time, we were coaching several open male competitors at Mercantile Kayak Club in Melbourne who were vying for National sprint team selection. Some of the paddlers were struggling to make open K1 A finals, and therefore Australian Team selection, and were getting frustrated as they were training hard so they were both as fit and strong as their peers who had made selection.

By comparing their average and minimum stroke rates over the 500m and 1000m K1 races with the analysis done on the top 5 Olympic place getters from 2004, they started to learn what was going wrong.

The average stroke rates and minimum stroke rates during each distance for our ‘frustrated’ paddlers were at least 10-15 strokes less than what the best in the sport and many of the paddlers making Australian teams were achieving.

This simply suggested that these ‘frustrated’ paddlers’ technique was not efficient enough. They could not afford to give away 10-15 efficient strokes per minute and expect to keep up with their more successful rivals, yet they were not capable of elevating their stroke rates efficiently.

Our video analysis found that they were missing the strongest part of the stroke out at the feet and as a result were not exiting their blades out of the water until at least their hips or beyond. So instead of taking a stroke in the stronger zone from feet to knees, they were taking the stroke in a much weaker zone from mid shin to waist.

As a result they were getting stuck in the water too long and rushing back to their next stroke rather than getting back to the set up position between strokes with the shaft of the blade parallel to the water at shoulder/eye height. This led to them missing the strongest part of the stroke out in front at the feet and having a very weak catch.

So their water work was weak and inefficient making it impossible for them to create the acceleration at the catch required for the faster stroke rates achieved by the top paddlers.

The errors that these paddlers were making were typical of those made by most paddlers from beginners to national standards.
With enough technique analysis, it is realistically possible that we could get your stroke looking like the best in the business!!! It would make you much faster and make paddling so much more fun.

Tim Altman

Thanks to the great Sean McGee who originally created the ‘Olympics analysis’.

2011 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships

The 2011 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships have ended with the Torquay paddling team stamping themselves as a serious force in Australian Surf paddling which has been dominated by QLD and NSW clubs over the last 15 years.

Torquay was represented in 6 ski finals with the competitors being in the running for medals in each race – in fact the girls led three of their finals only to have the Surf Gods decide otherwise.

The Open Women’s Double Ski combination of Emily Bews and Lisa Wadling flew out of the blocks and led by a length and a half at the turning cans. After just missing a wave that would have given them a win, a wave clear of their nearest rivals, the girls were left in ‘no woman’s land’ across the back sand bar. The next wave, with three of their rivals on it, caught them with very little momentum causing the girls to skew sideways and eventually come in 4th. Whilst it was a fantastic performance that had the crowd enthralled, the girls were bitterly disappointed at what might have been. However, as they say, that’s surf.

David Strahan (Spermo) and David Morris (The Fez) qualified brilliantly for the Open Men’s Double Ski Final and rounded the turning cans in the final in a highly competitive 5th. On their return to the beach they caught a wave with several other crews (as is often the case on double ski racing – the swiftest craft in surf lifesaving) and eventually finished 9th in a mass finish that also included the third placed team. It was a terrific paddle and just rewards for a couple of blokes who have targeted this event for a few years.

Nick Muhlebach and Emily Bews came 6th in the Open Mixed Double Ski Final in a hot field that included multiple Australian Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, Clint Robinson (who eventually came 2nd).  It was a great paddle that saw them charge home after a difficult start through the tricky shore break.

Emily Bews competed in both the Under 19 and Open Women’s Single Ski finals after easily winning her semi-finals in both. In the U19 ski Emily charged out to the back bar clearly ahead of her rivals and just made it over a few waves that broke on the rest of the field. Unfortunately the second last wave of the set launched her high in the air as she paddled over it causing her to roll in. If she had made it cleanly over this wave, she would have won the final easily. As it was, she bore the full impact of the subsequent last wave of the set and her ski ended up on the beach (ending her race). It was an incredible, gutsy paddle that could have come off spectacularly. The gods did not shine on her on the day, but every champion paddler is educated to be courageous and take on the surf. Em’s paddle was one of the gutsiest paddles I’ve seen in years and she won a lot of respect from her peers, the coaches and spectators in the crowd.

In the Open Women’s Single Ski final Emily drew the tricky right hand end of the field at the start and had a tough paddle out that saw her sitting in the middle of the field around the cans. But she charged home and came very close to catching the bronze medalist on the finish line, eventually being given 5th place. It was a great paddle from a first year U19 competitor in an open field filled with more mature 2012 Olympic hopefuls and past Olympic competitors. A big future could be in store for this competitor if she wants to do the work and she continues to enjoy it.

Finally, the Open Women’s Ski Relay final was contested earlier in the week in surf that was far trickier, with a strong cross wind and larger swell than on the final weekend of competition. As mentioned in more detail in the last blog, the team eventually came 6th after leading for 2 of the 3 legs.

Coach Tim Altman was elated with the overall strength of the squad and was very proud of all performances in finals. Surf paddling requires a combination of paddling ability, surf skills and some luck. We had plenty of the first two and not a lot of the latter over this last week. But it is a sport that teaches competitors to stay humble and never take anything for granted. By and large, as long as one keeps being competitive and making finals, the luck will come. You will always lose some races that you should have won and win some that you should not have. So when the Surf Gods shine on you, you simple thank them and hope they continue to do so. If they don’t, you thank them anyway as you know your time will come if you persist.

All competitors, and the coach, left with reinforced enthusiasm for a solid winter of training and a huge 2012 season.

Torquay Open Women's Ski Relay Team Results

The state champion Torquay Open Women's Ski Relay team of Emily Bews, Lisa Wadling and Kim Holding finished 6th in the final at the Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships being held on the Gold Coast. It was a fantastic effort by the girls in very tricky surf. After leading the race by a wave over many of the far more fancied Qld and NSW crews after the end of the second leg, the girls were in line for gold, silver or bronze as three teams hits the wave area on the way home for the last leg.

Unfortunately the surf gods did not shine on them and after catching a very tricky wave a rival competitor lost control of her ski and ran into Kim Holding's ski. After regaining her ski, Kim managed to cross the line in a very creditable 6th.

It was a bitter sweet result for the girls. Whilst they were proud of their result, they couldn't help but be disappointed over what could have been...These mixed feelings are natural for the girls to be feeling. With two of the team members under 21 years of age, if they keep presenting themselves in finals this weekend and in future they will win many medals in the future years.

In other news from the Australian Championships, Emily Bews qualified for the final of the Open Women's Single Ski, whilst both Kim Holding and Lisa Wadling were very stiff to only narrowly miss the final after all three qualified for the semi finals. Emily has a chance of winning medals in both the Open and U19 Single Ski events. She will compete in the semi-finals of the U19 ski on Saturday.

Emily and Lisa also qualified for the final of the Open Women's Double Ski, and we also have three crews still going in the Open Mixed Double Ski, one crew in the Open Men's Double Ski.

Tim Altman
Torquay SLSC Ski Coach

Gold at the 2011 Australian Masters Surf Lifesaving Championships

Congratulations to Lisa Wadling (nee Munro) who, this weekend, won a gold medal in the Womens 30-35 Year Ski Race at the 2011 Australian Masters Surf Lifesaving Championships on the Gold Coast. Lisa has started to find some great form since coming back to paddling in late 2010 after the birth of her first child. She will feature very prominently at the open version of the Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships, with chances at medals in the single ski, double ski (with Emily Bews) and ski relay events (with Emily Bews and Kim Holding).

Coach of the highly successful Torquay SLSC ski section from the recent State Championships, Tim Altman, is confident of finals or medals in several other events from Torquay paddlers at the Australian Championships. These include the open men's single ski, double ski and ski relay as well as the U19 men's and women's single ski.