Hi folks, A lot of things have to come together for a good run technique, especially if you want to remain injury free. I've worked on this for years, and had plenty of problems, but once I focused on learning low impact, non-heel strike running the major injuries became a thing of the past, and I just work with minor strains from time to time. One thing that does help me a lot is to watch other runners, ... Read more
Sports Training Art Or Science?
Hi folks, It is unusual for a scientist, as far as I know, to employ an artist to work directly in their research program, but that is what happened in my laboratory in the early 1980s. Andy Fleishman collaborated with us to produce models of the nose of the rat because of his eye for detail and accuracy. It worked out well for our research program, leading to software that would reduce the need for ... Read more
A Long Blog Post For Benjamin (Heartosaurus) On Flexibility As He Ages
Hi folks, Today my workout will consist of a long walk enjoying an exploration of the littoral zone (shoreline) ecology of this region of Spain. It is limited in scope because the Mediterranean Sea has very shallow tides due to flow constraints in the Strait of Gibraltar, but there is still a rich sea life to be seen. As I always do when I walk along a coastal shoreline, I'll be musing about my experiences as ... Read more
Conditioning Versus Technique And Why You Need Superior Training Partners
Hi folks, Learning new skills always seems to be a kind of stepwise process, be it learning a foreign language, running a business, playing a musical instrument, or becoming an athlete. You reach a plateau, stay stuck for ages, have a breakthrough, and with your new found knowledge work towards the next sticking point. This certainly seems to be true of swimming. I've made major progress in the last ... Read more
Patience, Consistency and Skill Are The Real Keys To Endurance Training Whatever Your Age
Hi folks, Social networking, whether on the Internet or locally (in real life?), plays an important role in our lives, directing us towards or away from the critical human interactions. I was recently approached for advice on triathlon training via a circuitous path, initially as result of a face to face conversation between two people in our little grocery store, Johnny's Gone Fishing, which ... Read more
Conflicting Instructions On Head Position In The Water: Can Both Coaches Be Right Or Is It All In The Eyeballs?
Hi folks, Head position is critical for most sports, being at the 'crown of your posture,' and your head is heavy! I have received conflicting instructions on head position from different swim coaches over the years, but this conflict was glaring recently. Coach #1: Whilst swimming with Rick Fee, who is coaching me in the local pool, he said, "Kevin, you are swimming looking at the bottom of the ... Read more
Long Hill Climbs On The Bike Provide Excellent Physical And Mental Conditioning
Hi folks, The last day of Chez Ollie in Tucson, Arizona, included a long climb up Mount Lemmon, with a 2.5-hour cutoff time before descending back to SagMonkey, and the ride home. This is a beautiful climb, with cacti everywhere, and breath taking views, whilst the climb goes on and on and on at a 3-8% grade all the time. Great training! As one climbs for a long time like this there is a lot of ... Read more
Three Rs Of Safe Exercise For Better Health
“We join spokes together in a wheel, but it is the center hole that makes the wagon move. We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want. We hammer wood for a house, but it is the inner space that makes it livable. We work with being, but non-being is what we use.” Lao Tzu, Tao te Ching, Translation by Steven Mitchell Hi folks, Recovery, ... Read more
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