Training Info

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Suggested vestibular excersises:

Stretching is most effective when performed several times each week; a minimum of one stretching session per week is sufficient to maintain flexibility. A predominance of coaches and runners believe in stretching before and after every workout. Thus, a typical workout starts with a 10- to 20-minute warm-up, followed by 10-20 minutes of stretching, the main course, a post-workout stretch and a warm-down jog.

Always remember to stretch slowly in order to avoid the contraction reflex. By doing so, muscle tension falls, and you may stretch the muscle further. Hold the stretch for 30 to 40 seconds. You should try to build stretching into your regular schedule both before and after your daily run. A good programme should include stretches for the calves, shins, hips, buttocks and thighs.

The minimum stretching before your run should be at least three types of wall pushups; the hamstring stretch, the heel-to-buttock stretch, and the groin stretch.

1. Wall Pushup

Stand about three feet from a wall, feet at shoulder width and flat on the ground. Put your hands on the wall with your arms straight for support. Lean your hips forward and bend your knees slightly to stretch your calves.

2. Wall Pushup

From the previous position, bend forward to lower your body to waist height. Bring one foot forward with your knee slightly bent. Lift the toes of the front foot to stretch the muscle under the calf. Stretch both legs.

3. Wall Pushup

Put your feet together, rocking back on your heels with your hands on the wall and your arms straight to form a jackknife with your body. This stretches your hips, shoulders, and lower back.

4. Hamstring Stretch

Lie down with one leg straight up in the air, the other bent with your foot flat on the ground. Loop a towel over the arch of the lifted foot, and gently pull on the towel as you push against it with your foot. Push only to the point where your muscles contract. Stretch both legs.

5. Heel To Buttock

Stand on one foot, with one hand on a wall for balance. Hold the other foot with the opposite hand and raise the heel of the lifted foot to the buttocks (or as close as comfortably possible), stretching your quadriceps. Keep your body upright throughout. Change legs and repeat.

6. Groin Stretch

Seated, put the soles of your feet together. With your elbows on the inside of your knees, gradually lean forward and gently press your knees towards the ground.

Nutritional Recommendations For Athletes:

(Clark, Nancy 2008, 4th Edition, Sports Nutrition Guidebook)

Foods to eat for energy, strength, and top performance:

• Eat carbohydrate-rich breakfasts, such as oatmeal, rather than eggs.

• Focus on lunches and dinners that have whole-grain breads, potatoes, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables. Wholesome forms of carbohydrates should cover two-thirds of the plate.

• Eat fish, chicken, lean meats, low fat cheeses, and other forms of protein as an accompaniment to lunch and dinner, not as a focus. Alternatively eat carbohydrate-rich in plant sources of protein such as beans and rice, lentil soup, chili, hummus, and other vegetarian choices.

• Carbohydrates are fundamental for both runners and bodybuilders, because it is needed to fuel (unlike protein or fat) muscle-building exercise.

• Adequate protein is also important, but dedicate only one-third of the dinner to protein-rich foods.
Here are some suggestions for a traveling athlete's emergency food kit:

• Sealable bags of dry cereal (oats squares, Cheerios, granola)
• Crackers, tortillas, wraps
• Meal replacement bars, granola bars, fig bars
• Dried fruit, nuts, trail mix
• Pouches or easy-open cans of tuna or chicken
• Peanut butter, jam, honey
• Water, juice, sports drinks
• Drink plenty of fluids (Preferably Gatorade or water)
• Always eat familiar foods before competition, don't try anything new
• New foods always carry the risk of settling poorly

Some popular carbohydrate-based food suggestions that offer a little protein (and a little sodium) include the following:

• V8 juice and a turkey sub

• A fruit smoothie (made with yogurt or milk) and a handful of pretzels (salt free)

• Cran-apple juice, string cheese, and some crackers

• A bowl of Cheerios with milk and a banana

Suggested vestibular excersises:

• T-Balance (person standing on one leg with the opposite leg fully extended back in the air, the arms fully extended straight out, the neck fully extended, head up and eyes open)

• Superman Drill (Prone position on floor with legs, arms and neck fully extended off the floor)

• Rock Climbers (Athlete with both hands floor and both feet on floor. Athlete brings knee toward chest alternating both legs rapidly as if running in place with both hands on the floor).

• Push Ups (Both hands and feet on the floor and with both legs and torso fully extended. While in this position the athlete will flex and extend his/her arm while keeping the body aligned and head up with eyes open).

• Crunches (both feet flat on the floor with the heels close to the gluteus and both hands across chest or behind the head. Tighten abdominal muscles and bring chest toward the legs, clear both scapula off the floor and lower the upper body down slowly).

• Hindus Reps (Standing with both feet flat on the floor shoulder width apart. The athlete will squat while keeping back straight attempting to touch the floor, then come back to an erect position and repeat at an intermediate pace).

Some examples of ply-o-metrics are:

• High knees

• Butt kicks

• Stiff leg skips High knee skips

• Karaoke

• Side Lunges

• Front Lunges

• Single leg hops

• Bunny Hops

• Back Pedals

• Quick Burst

• For a beginner athlete an Occupational Therapist can develop habit maps.

• HABIT MAPS - Sleep/rest 8-10 hours, proper diet 3-4 meal per day, sport specific practice 4x's per week for at least 20-30 minutes per day.