LET THE CRICKET SEASON BEGIN
THE JOCK ATHLETIC EZINE PAYS TRIBUTE TO KELLY SLATER This year, more than ever, has been the year of the ageing athlete! Time and time again they have forced the critics to change their idea of what athletes can produce in their late thirties and early forties. At 39 years of age, Kelly Slater has, for the 11th time, been crowned surfing’s World Champion. Yes, that’s right: 11 times, making him both the oldest and youngest world champ in surfing history. I have been saying for years that it’s not physical deterioration that makes the greats retire: it is usually the mental desire! Kelly has proved he still has that desire by the bucket-load!
Kelly Slater, you legend, you are the best ever!
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DECEMBER 2011
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EDITOR’S LETTER
Ezine Brains Trust Publisher: Jockishandsome Editors: Jock Campbell Carla Grossetti Art Director/Design: Kiss the Sky Advertising/Production: Melissa Campbell Dee McCarthy Contributors: Dan Atkins Corey Bocking Tim Brennan Jock Campbell Empirica Research Rebecca Gawthorne Peter Hadfield Michael Martin Siobhan McCarthy Danny Redrup Craig Stevens Paul Watson Eloise Wellings Editorial Office: Jock Athletic PO Box 1186 Cronulla 2230 p: 0435 728 200 Email: ezine@jockathletic.com
THIS MONTH...
It’s the year of the ageing athlete . This has always been c so many of the athletes I’ve worked with, like the Waugh and big Gladiator Vulcan have defied the ageing gene and into their late 30’s.
Well this month, the oldies have been at it again: the “gre Surfing World title; Matt Hayden at age 40 marks his retu “fighting” weight and in great shape, which I feature: an is back - another “fit” 40 year old.
PLUS there’s loads on swimming and triathlon, nutritio psychology and, of course, cricket.
I love the summer. Bring on the sunshine and bring on the specials with the great Brett Lee on the Channel 9 Cricke Enjoy!
Jock Cam pbell
SUBSCRIBE NOW » 4
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close to my heart, because s, McGrath, Nathan Smith d been World beaters well
eatest� of all won his 11th urn to cricket, back to his nd the great Shane Warne
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Spectacular view: Dr. James Opperman traverses the Kepler Track on New Zealand’s South Island.
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THIS MONTH»
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WHAT IS CRICKET FITNESS? Jock Campbell
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A REASON TO RUN Eloise Wellings
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STRUCTURE CREATES SUCCESS Dan Atkins
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THE ROAD TO LONDON Peter Hadfield OAM
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THE HAYDEN WAY Jock Campbell FIT FACTS Empirica Research BLAKE FOWLER Amateur Athlete Profile OCEAN SWIMMING Siobhan McCarthy
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KEEP YOUR FEET ON THE GROUND Dr. Michael Martin
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BEAT THE BINGE THIS CHRISTMAS Rebecca Gawthorne
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BREATHING EASY Craig Stevens
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ATHLETE NEWS Jock Athletic
A spectacular sunrise shines light on this training group.
WHAT IS CRICKET FITNESS? JOCK CAMPBELL GOOD QUESTION. WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN THE COMMENTATORS SAY A PLAYER IS “FIT” TO PLAY? MANY PLAYERS PLAY WITH INJURIES, LIKE STEVE WAUGH WHO IN THE 2001 ASHES TOUR SCORED 150 WITH A TORN CALF AT THE OVAL; RICKY PONTING WHO TWO SEASONS AGO PLAYED FOR HALF A SEASON WITH A SMASHED ELBOW WHEN HE COULDN’T EVEN GRIP THE BAT PROPERLY; AND DEAN JONES VOMITED EVERYTHING HE ATE OR DRANK WHEN HE SCORED 200 IN THE 1985 TIED TEST IN INDIA. THEY CERTAINLY WEREN’T 100% FIT, BUT THEY WERE MENTALLY STRONG ENOUGH TO PLAY AND PERFORM ADMIRABLY.
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Australian Cricket Captain, Michael Clarke, leads the charge up the Wanda sand hills, followed closely by Glenn McGrath. Photo courtesy of Phil Hillyard. DECEMBER 2011
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FITNESS
SO WHAT IS CRICKET FITNESS AND WHAT ASPECTS OF FITNESS ARE REQUIRED FOR AN ELITE CRICKETER? TEST CRICKETERS TRAIN SEVERAL ASPECTS OF FITNESS TO BE AT THEIR PEAK AND IT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO THEIR ROLE IN THE TEAM. MITCHELL JOHNSON’S PHYSICAL PREPARATION IS DIFFERENT TO MICHAEL CLARKE’S, BUT THEY ALL DO ONE THING VERY WELL AND THAT IS WORK VERY HARD IN THEIR PHYSICAL PREPARATION, SO THEY CAN IMPART THEIR SKILLS AT 100% ALL DAY, EVERY DAY OF THE TEST MATCH. The Bupa Tracker has been great in showing exactly what cricketers require in physical preparation by measuring the physical work load of the players. This data supports the training required for an elite cricketer and why, as explained below.
DURING THE CRICKET SEASON WE WILL LOOK AT SOME KEY AREAS OF CRICKET FITNESS AND HOW THESE AREAS CAN BE TRANSFERRED SUCCESSFULLY INTO YOUR TRAINING FOR CRICKET AT WHATEVER LEVEL YOU ARE:
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1
AEROBIC OR CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING
This area is important as players can cover anywhere from 15 – 30km in one days play in Test cricket, even if fielding in slips, so just from sheer distance covered your cardiovascular system needs to be strong. Players when batting for long perids have their heart rates elevated, like the “great” Ricky Ponting who has averaged around 150-160 beats per minute when he bats for an entire innings. This is a clear example of needing strong aerobic conditioning to be able to handle those heart consistent high heart rates. The young West Indian quick bowler Kemar Roach at the Gabba test two years ago averaged 135 beats per minute for the whole days play of over 6 hours. He has to be incredibly fit to handle a raised heart rate for such an extended period. Kemar trained heavily in the pre season, and maintained this throughout the season.
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STRENGTH AND POWER TRAINING
This is a no-brainer! It is clearly proven by science that resistance training done in combination with the right training will help improve running speed, bowling speed, throwing power and hitting power. It’s no coincidence that powerful men like Shane Watson and Matthew Hayden hit the ball the farthest. All cricketers need to run and improving this will improve many areas of their game. Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson spent many hours working
on their strength and power training both in the gym and on field.
STRENGTH TRAINING AND OVERALL STRENGTH IS IMPORTANT AS IT CAN BE CONVERTED INTO POWER AND THE GREATER THE LEVEL OF STRENGTH THE GREATER THE POTENTIAL FOR POWER GAINS; THIS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED IN THE OFFSEASON AND EARLY PRE SEASON. REDUCING THE RISK OF INJURY IS ANOTHER GREAT REASON FOR HAVING THIS IN YOUR TRAINING PLAN AND THE BIGGEST DETERRENT OF INJURY IS A WELL-CONDITIONED MUSCLE.
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SPEED AND AGILITY
Cricket is a running based game, running between wickets, chasing ball it the boundary in the field, running for a catch and running into bowl are all major parts of the game. Brett Lee’s bowling speed is closely related to the velocity he runs in at ie the faster he runs in the quicker he bowls. The faster and more efficiently players can run, the better it is for the team by saving runs, pinching singles between the wickets and making ground to take catches or save runs. These are all areas to work on like the old stager Mike Hussey who works tirelessly on these.
Stuart Clark pumping iron. Photo courtesy of Phil Hillyard. DECEMBER 2011
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SPEED CONDITIONING OR ANAEROBIC TRAINING
Cricketers need to be fast, but also be able to repeat these speed efforts regularly. In a ODI against New Zealand in 2002, Michael Bevan and current selector Andy Bichel ran six runs of 2 in the second last over of the match to help Australia win a very tight match. This was from two very quick and very well conditioned athletes and was only possible due to their great fitness levels. They could repeat exceptional speed between the wickets, with short rest, without any drop off in speed.
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FOOD AND FLUID INTAKE
The right food and fluid at the right time will help you have enough energy to perform for the whole day and whole test match, help you recover from a full day’s play and not put on body fat. The right amount of drink, whether it is Gatorade or water at the right time will do the same and also help avoid the dreaded cramp.
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This included sessions in the nets, where similar to sprinters who in their speed training do maximal sprints with a large rest in between runs to ensure their best times for training maximal speed, Brett would bowl 1 over at max pace in the nets or centre wicket, have a rest for 5 minutes to ensure full recovery and then repeat. The whole goal of the session was to concentrate on bowling fast. This would only be for 5-6 over’s, at maximum intensity, once or twice a week. He would also have his bowling volume days, where he needed to build his condition to be able to bowl 20-25 overs in a day at great pace. But to really bring up his maximum bowling speed, bowling speed training was a great help.
BOWLING SPEED AND CONDITIONING
This is to bowl fast and to bowl fast every bowling spell. Just like Brett Lee has done through his career and now what we expect from Siddle, Harris and the new crop of young quick’s, takes a great deal of training. Bowling specific training is massively important and has been a major 12
part of Brett’s training over the years. The two years leading up to the 2003 World Cup where Brett bowled five of his fastest all-time spells and bowled his fastest ball of over 160km/hr. It was during this same period that we incorporated bowling speed training into his overall training program.
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Ricky is no stranger to heat training Photo courtesy of Anthony Johnson, Sun Herald
OTHER AREAS THE PROS TRAIN AND PREPARE FOR INCLUDE:
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RECOVERY TECHNIQUES
To ensure every session, every match and every performance the player is as close to 100% ready as possible.
Me (left), helping Andy Bichel with his pre-game stretches, closely watched by Errol “Hands of Gold” Alcott.
8 PREHABILITATION To prevent injury, stabilization and postural control, exercises of the hip, knee, shoulder and core are regularly trained all year around.
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THROWING CONDITION
Developing throwing power and condition so as to throw powerfully, accurately and regularly which is required in matches To have adequate range of motion through muscles and joints is important for cricketers and some players will need this more than others. McGrath and Hayden had hyper mobile joints and great flexibility and didn’t require as much flexibility work as Jason Gillespie, Katich or Stuart Clark. DECEMBER 2011
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Pidgey leads the group on a training run through local beach trails in Cronulla. Photo courtesy of Phil Hillyard JOCKATHLETIC.COM 14
10 FLEXIBILITY To have adequate range of motion through muscles and joints is important for cricketers and some players will need this more than others. McGrath and Hayden had hyper mobile joints and great flexibility and didn’t require as much flexibility work as Jason Gillespie, Katich or Stuart Clark.
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HEAT TRAINING OR ACCLIMATISATION
Cricket is a game that is played in the heat and players must prepare physically to cope with the heat. Generally this takes around 10 days to do and international players need to prepare for anywhere up to 50 degrees Celsius and high humidity. In Sharjah in 2002, Australia played Pakistan in 52 degree heat. The Test was over in two days and because we had done a significant amount of heat preparation there is no doubt Australia handled these obscene conditions far better than Pakistan.
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ALTITUDE TRAINING OR ACCLIMATISATION
International cricket is often played at locations of moderate altitude. Playing even at 600m altitude can have a significant negative impact on your aerobic capabilities, as there is less oxygen in the air and your cardiovascular system has to work harder to extract it. Johannesburg in South Africa is a great example. This can be prepared for and Shane Watson has an altitude mimicking machine which helps with this.
13 BODY FAT LEVELS Excess body fat is dead weight that an athlete doesn’t need to carry around, as it makes most physical functions more difficult and cumbersome as well as increasing body temperature. Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey and Mitchell Johnson are extremely lean. Strap even two kilograms of weight on and try running any distance and you will notice how much harder it is.
14 PERIODISATION THIS IS WHERE WE TIE ALL PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF TRAINING INTO AN OVERALL TRAINING PLAN IN TRAINING BLOCKS, SO AS TO “PEAK” THE ATHLETE OR CRICKETER FOR IMPORTANT MATCHES OR TOURNAMENTS. THESE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE AREAS I’VE MENTIONED, PLUS THE PLAYER’S SKILLS TRAINING AND MATCHES. There you have it, as clear as mud. These are the major areas we look to train and improve in a cricketer. There are more and as the season goes on we will look further into some of these aspects. REMEMBER, NOT ONE FITNESS AREA ALONE IS WHAT’S REQUIREDA WELL-ROUNDED, BALANCED PROGRAM, ADDRESSING MANY OF THESE AREAS WILL GET YOU GREAT RESULTS. DECEMBER 2011
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A REASON
TO RUN ELOISE WELLINGS
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November 2010: The Love Mercy Foundation hired a marquee to get this local Ugandan village together (600 people) and tell them about the plans for a medical clinic. The news was well received as they had just lost 6 women who died during child birth the month prior. The clinic will service 20,000 people in this area. All images courtesy of Jonathan Wellings, www.birdandbee.com.au
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ATHLETICS
IF YOU HAD HAVE TOLD ME FOUR YEARS AGO THAT I’D BE RUNNING A FOUNDATION TO HELP PEOPLE IN UGANDA I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED YOU WERE CRAZY. UNTIL 2008, THE ONLY CONNECTION I’D EVER HAD WITH UGANDA OR EVEN AFRICA WAS WHEN I’D LINED UP AGAINST THE “GREAT GAZELLES” IN RACES. But all that changed when I met Ugandan athlete Julius Achon when training in Portland. From the moment I met him, Julius began to tell me his incredible story of being born into poverty in war-torn Northern Uganda, being kidnapped by rebels at aged 12 and forced to become a child soldier. He was held captive in a rebel camp for three months before miraculously escaping. As Julius and 14 other child soldiers ran to freedom they were shot at from a government plane hovering above that mistook them to be rebels. Nine of the boys were shot and killed. Julius ran 160 km in three days to make it back to his village where he was reunited with his family. Thanking God for freedom from captivity, he taught himself how to run, winning every race he lined up for. Julius, dubbed ‘the boy from the bush’ by commentators 18
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around the world, went on to represent Uganda at two Olympic games for the 1500m. He was Captain of the Ugandan Olympic team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the Sydney 2000 Olympics. After traveling the world for running and making money where he could from racing, Julius returned home to see his family in 2003. Out on a training run near his home, he found 11 orphans hiding underneath a bus. He crept over and asked them where their parents were. They told him the rebels had killed his parents. They asked him for money to buy food, but he had no money on him, as he had been out on a run. He told them to follow him home, which, at the time, was a grass hut. Upon arriving home, 2 km from the bus shelter with 11 orphans in tow, Julius asked his mother and father if they would care for the orphans while he went back to the USA to make money.
These orphans were
from rebels beneath
found hiding
a bus.
AS JULIUS AND 14 OTHER CHILD SOLDIERS RAN TO FREEDOM THEY WERE SHOT AT FROM A GOVERNMENT PLANE HOVERING ABOVE THAT MISTOOK THEM TO BE REBELS. NINE OF THE BOYS WERE SHOT AND KILLED.
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ABOVE: TWO ORPHANS FROM JULIUS’ VILLAGE, NOW BENEFITING FROM THE GENEROSITY OF THE LOVE MERCY FOUNDATION. BELOW: EL GETS INVOLVED IN VILLAGE LIFE, LENDING A HAND WHEN SHE CAN.`
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He told them he would send this money home to feed, clothe and send the kids to school. His parents agreed.
friends and family, we started the Love Mercy Foundation.
In 2004, as the war in Uganda continued to ravage his homeland, Julius was busy training and preparing in the USA for the Athens Olympics when he received a devastating phone call from home notifying him of the news that his mother had been shot and killed by rebels as she walked along the road. Following the shattering news, Julius was too devastated to compete at the Athens Olympics and withdrew from the competition.
SINCE FOUNDING LOVE MERCY, THE GENEROUS DONATIONS OF AUSTRALIANS HAVE GONE BEYOND WHAT WE HOPED WE COULD ACHIEVE IN JUST 18 MONTHS THE FOUNDATION NOW SPONSORS 33 KIDS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT EAT, GO TO SCHOOL OR BE ABLE TO AFFORD CLOTHING WITHOUT
Four years later, when I met Julius, he was still working in the US and faithfully sending money home to care for the orphans that had grown to 18 in number by this time. He had retired as an athlete, but was working for Nike as a professional training partner to help the crop of talented American athletes. Moved by his story, and by then close friends, my husband and I and my parents-in-law went to Uganda and celebrated Julius’s wedding. We met the 18 orphans and the incredibly moving story all of a sudden became real. To hear it was something. But to see it with our own eyes left me undone. We talked on the plane on the way home about starting something official to help Julius care for the kids and ensure a bright future for them. As well as this, we wanted to empower Northern Ugandans out of suffering in the wake of the war. So, in 2009, 18 months after meeting Julius and after encouragement and support from
SUPPORT FROM THESE GENEROUS SPONSORS.
Together, with our sister foundation Achon Uganda Children’s Fund we are building a medical clinic in honour of Julius’s late mother. The clinic will service more than 20,000 people in the northern region of Otuke. It will also relieve much of the suffering and needless deaths due to the current lack of adequate medical care. A micro-loan farming program called Cents for Seeds has also been created with the women. Cents for Seeds has made a huge difference to the livelihoods of the women and their families’ future by helping them to help themselves, which is crucial in order to break the cycle of poverty. But there’s still so much more to do, the need is so great – sometimes overwhelmingly so. The war in Northern Uganda has been DECEMBER 2011
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called the most neglected humanitarian emergency in the world today. It’s time to rebuild and restore. I’ve heard it said that the harsh reality is that the potential for people in this region in Uganda to live a full and healthy life relies much on how well we can communicate their story and the need. I often see their faces as I train, the faces that pop into my head, the images that will have a lasting effect on me: the malnourished baby in the desperate mothers arms is an image that I’ll never forget. It’s what drives me.
THIS IS WHY I RUN. I FEEL, NOW MORE THAN EVER, THAT MY RUNNING DREAMS HAVE FOUND A PURPOSE. MY MOTIVATION FOR RUNNING IN THE PAST THREE YEARS HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY. THE ACT OF RUNNING HASN’T GOTTEN ANY EASIER, BUT MY RESOLVE TO BE AS GOOD AS I CAN HAS BEEN BOLSTERED. THE ORPHANS DON’T CARE ABOUT THE OLYMPICS. THEY ARE WONDERING WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS GOING TO COME FROM. SO FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE A VOICE AND LEGS TO RUN I WILL TRY AND CONNECT THE TWO BY USING RUNNING AS A PLATFORM TO TELL THEIR STORY.
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With the support we receive for Love Mercy we are able to implement cutting edge programs on the ground. We focus on long-term development, working directly with the people in this war-ravaged area to better understand their needs.
If you would like to support the Foundation, please visit our website www.lovemercyfoundation.org
Julius and Eloise: mates for life.
ELOISE WELLINGS IS AN AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION DISTANCE RUNNER AND FOUNDER OF LOVE MERCY FOUNDATION. SHE HOPES TO REPRESENT AUSTRALIA AT THE LONDON OLYMPICS IN 2012 IN THE 10,000M EVENT. TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON HER ROAD TO LONDON 2012 FOLLOW HER BLOG, AND TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ELOISE’S FOUNDATION, VISIT www.lovemercyfoundation.org
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Structure Creates success DAN ATKINS I WAS AT NOOSA FOR THE SEVENTEENTH TIME IN A ROW THIS YEAR AS A SPECTATOR; AND COACH OF COURSE. AS ALWAYS, IT WAS INTERESTING TO WATCH EVERYONE RACE. I WAS VERY HAPPY AS COACH, AS ALL MY ATHLETES – YES ALL 26 OF THEM – IMPROVED ON THEIR TIMES FROM LAST YEAR. DAT RACING INC HAD FIVE BOYS IN THE TOP 20 AND MANY IN THE TOP 10 IN THEIR AGE GROUPS, AND NONE WERE FIRST-TIME ATHLETES. SO FOR ME AS A COACH, IT WAS A VERY SATISFYING DAY’S WORK.
The interesting thing about the race is that it attracts over 30 per cent first-time triathletes, and not just first time over the Olympic distance, but first time in any triathlon. No wonder the overall times of age groupers is slowing by 3 per cent every year! With little structure or preparation leading into the race, I wonder if these participants could have enjoyed the day a bit more if they had put some thought into their training. This is a progressive plan for you to follow for about eight weeks before your first triathlon:
“DON’T GET CAUGHT UP ON HOW MANY KILOMETRES YOU LOG. IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO USE AND UNDERSTAND HEART RATE RATHER THAN DISTANCE.”
Dan Atkins at the office:
his young swimmers take it all on board before their session
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THIS MONTH, I WANT TO PUT TOGETHER A BASIC PROGRAM FOR ANYONE AIMING TO ATTEMPT A TRIATHLON. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A REASONABLE LEVEL OF FITNESS BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT THIS PLAN WHICH IS AIMED AT FIRST-TIME TRIATHLETES FOR THE UP-TO-SPRINT DISTANCE. (750M SWIM; 20 KM BIKE; 5 KM RUN).
min easy warm-up stretch activation drills, 4 x 2 min at 85-90 per cent max heart rate, 30 secs easy, 4 x 1 min at 90-95 per cent max heart rate, 30 secs easy. 15 min warm down. Increase the 2 min efforts each week by one until you do 10 x 2 min, so on the seventh week you will do a 5 km time trial as a test to see where you are at! It’s always good to gauge how you are progressing.
WEDNESDAY AM: Sleep in; core session of about 20
MONDAY AM: Sleep in after a big weekend PM: Swim 2 km (aerobic)
A great way to flush out the legs after a big day Saturday and Sunday; mix in some drills and short main set of 8 x 100m with 10 secs rest for aerobic conditioning. Overall, this is an easy day. Make sure you keep hydrated.
TUESDAY AM: Ride 75 min total:
10km easy, then 4 x 3 min at perceived race pace holding a cadence (leg turnover) of about 90 RPMs, 2 min easy in-between. Heart rate should be about 90 per cent of max. Include a 10km warm-down, as you build into week 7 and 8. Run off the bike for 2km at your perceived race pace. PM: Run 45 min total (solid aerobic), 10
min includes some skipping, which helps running and overall conditioning. PM: Swim (pace setting): 2-3km; 400m easy warm-up, 100m hard kick (need the kick for the start and turnarounds) followed by a 500m swim Main: 10 x 100m with 15 secs rest (250m more than the race distance) but get the distance done for confidence in the race. 200m recovery; then 10 x 50m – 25m with your head up (for navigating in a race), 25m hard with your head down and 15 secs rest. Use your legs for this set; don’t worry about saving them for the ride/run; you need to train them for the swim, too. 100 warm-down – 2100m. You can add more if needed; work your way up each week by 2 extra 100s in the main set to 20 x 100m
THURSDAY AM: Bike/Windtrainer/Spin Bike at Gym: 60 min interval session (and strength)
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• 10 min easy-spin high cadence at 90-100 • 4 x 1 min hill climbs, seated for extra strength • 12 x 1 min efforts at faster than your perceived race pace, with 1 min easy W in-between • 15 min build (drop into a hard gear every 3 min and maintain the same cadence) • 10 min easy warm down PM: Run Track Speed: • 10 min easy warm-up • 4 x 30 secs hill efforts like bike to build extra strength. • 4 x 50m run throughs building each one faster than the previous Main: • 10 x 400m with 30 secs rest pacing is about 5 per cent faster than perceived race pace • 10min easy jog warm-down
FRIDAY Am: Swim: (Speed session) 2-3km • 300m easy 4 x 50m kick hard 10 secs rest between for 500m • 8 x 25m sprints with 45 secs rest (if in 50m pool, practise deep-water starts) • 200m recovery x 2 for 800m • 4 x 100m with 1 min rest hard for 400m • 8 x 25m sprints with 45 secs rest • 300m warm-down for 2.2 km (you can add more in the recovery and build the distance
with intensity. Over time, this will build your aerobic capacity for the longer distances). PM: Have the afternoon off.
SATURDAY AM: Long Aerobic Bike Ride – 120 min
Nothing particular with this session – maybe increase the volume up to 150 min, with the focus on building endurance PM: Have the afternoon off.
SUNDAY AM: A Long Aerobic Run
My theory on how long the run should be depends on your fitness but I would try to get at least 150 per cent of the race distance – for 5 km that is 7.5 km or about 50 min. Try to build this each week till you can cover at least 60 min non-stop or 10 km in total. Pace is totally dependent on the athlete but should be about 80-85 per cent max heart rate. PM: OFF
SEEING THE FINISH LINE:
my golden rule 3/3/3 3 SWIMS; 3 RIDES; 3 RUNS PER WEEK
BEGINNERS’ TRAINING PROGRAM MON
TUE
WED
THUR
FRI
SAT
SUN
AM
OFF
1. RIDE
OFF
2. RIDE
3. SWIM
3. RIDE
3. RUN
PM
1. SWIM
2. RUN
2. SWIM
2. RUN
OFF
OFF
OFF DECEMBER 2011
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Dan Atkins (centre) goes over the race strategy with his athletes.
Most of the sessions I have planned are time-based. Don’t get caught up on how many kilometres you log. It is more important to use and understand heart rate rather than distance. All my athletes use heart rate monitors all the time and I find it more indicative of where your fitness is at with regard to fatigue. It is also bang-on when it comes to tracking your progression. Add about 5 per cent to each session after each week and then, on the seventh week, test yourself with a 5 km time trial run on the Thursday pm and a 20 km time trial ride on the Saturday to gauge your progression. Now get smart and train sensibly, be
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consistent and stick to a progressive plan. Enjoy your success!`
DAN ATKINS
IS A TRIATHLON
SPORTS COACH AT THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SPORT. HE IS ALSO DIRECTOR OF DAN ATKINS TRAINING RACING. DAN HAS SOME 22 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE AS A COACH AND ATHLETE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT DAN VIA EMAIL: DAN.ATKINS@AUSPORT.GOV.AU OR CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE WWW.DANATKINSTRAINING.COM.AU
THE ROAD T LONDON PETER HADFIELD OAM
If you are looking to be a spectator at the 2012 Olympic Games, to be held from July 27 to August 12 in London next year, you’d better hurry and book your tickets. If you want a more intimate involvement and want to be in the thick of the competitive action you will need to better a few criteria as set down by the selectors of Athletics Australia. Fortunately, I am not in either camp, as I will be travelling to the UK as part of the ABC Radio commentary team and will have the best seat in the house in the 80,000-capacity stadium. Athletics Australia has identified seven athletes who finished top eight at the recent IAAF World Championships for early nomination for the London team. Early nomination doesn’t guarantee an automatic selection. These athletes are subject to meeting ongoing form and fitness standards and, like all athletes nominated by Athletics Australia, their final acceptance 32
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into the team needs to be confirmed by the Australian Olympic Committee. This will take place in June 2012. Our recently crowned International Female Athlete of the Year, Sally Pearson, ran under the Olympic 100m hurdles qualifying time of 12.96 seconds all season, including the blistering 12.28 seconds that sealed her gold medal in the final of the 2011 World Championships.
THE INSIDE SCOOP
Allow me to gloat for a few seconds about the prediction I made in the October Issue of the Jock Athletic Ezine: “Pearson’s performance at these [World] Championships in conjunction with her dominance in the leadup and post meets in Europe will certainly win her the International Female Athlete of the Year for 2011.”
YOU READ IT HERE FIRST!
TO Equally impressive in consistency has been World Silver Medalist Mitchell Watt, who ended his season with four of the five longest jumps in the world this year, including his effort of 8.54m in Stockholm, which was a new Oceania long jump record. Two walkers have received early nomination: Jared Tallent, who won a courageous bronze in the 50km walk, and Luke Adams, who finished fifth at the Worlds in an Olympic qualifying time. In the field events, javelin throwers Kim Mickle finished sixth with 61.96m in Daegu and Jarrod Bannister was seventh with 82.25m. Both of these athletes had thrown Olympic qualifying standards prior to the World Championships In the discus, Ben Harradine claimed a fifth place at the Worlds to go alongside his three Olympic qualifying standard throws prior to the Championships.
THE TASK AHEAD
So what is the task ahead to qualify for the remaining athletes? The athletes need to record an Olympic qualifying standard time or distance from May 1 this year for all events except the Marathon, 10,000m, Decathlon, Heptathlon and Walks, where the qualifying period commenced on January 1 this year due to limited competition opportunities. In addition to achieving the qualifying standards, athletes are also expected to compete in the Australian domestic season at a high standard, with paramount emphasis based on their performance at the Australian Olympic Trials March 2-4 in Melbourne. The final list of track and field athletes will be nominated to the AOC after the final selectors meeting on June 11, 2012, when athletes have satisfied the ongoing form and fitness obligations.
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“PLEASE SELECTORS – DON’T SELECT A RELAY TEAM FOR LONDON UNLESS ATHLETES DESERVE TO BE IN THE TEAM BASED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL MERITS.”
PASSING THE BATON And what about the relay selections? Guidelines for relay team selection are based on each of the team’s expectation to finish in the Top 16. Let me refer back to my previous article about selectors providing an armchair ride for 100m and 400m athletes gaining selection and quote from the published Athletics Australia Nomination criteria: “Athletics Australia has determined that: (1) The Olympic Games is the pinnacle
A refreshing approach to property
competition in the sport of track and field and that Athletics Australia should only be represented at the Olympic Games by its world class athletes.”
IF ATHLETICS AUSTRALIA IS TRUE TO ITS OWN STATED CRITERIA, IT CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT SELECT RELAY RUNNERS WHO DO NOT ACHIEVE THE NOMINATION STANDARD IN THEIR RESPECTIVE EVENT.
southernstarproperty.com.au
Matt Davies and Long Jumper Mitchell Watt are our leading world-ranked 100m sprinters in 2011 with a time of 10.31 run with an assisting wind at the Gold Coast. Their world ranking is at 180 … and that’s the best of them!
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.
2012 AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TEAM ATHLETICS AUSTRALIA’S NOMINATION STANDARDS EVENT
MEN
WOMEN
100m
10.18
11.29
200m
20.55
23.10
400m
45.25
51.50
800m
1:45.60
1:59.90
1500m
3:35.50
4:06.00
5000m
13:20.00
15:15.00
10,000m
27:45.00
31:45.00
Marathon
2:12:00
2:32:00
3km Steeplechase
8:23.10
9:43.00
110m Hurdles
13.52
100m Hurdles
12.96
400m Hurdles
49.50
55.40
20km Race Walk
1:22:30
1:33:30
50km Race Walk
3:59:00
N/A
Decathlon/Heptathlon
8200pts
6150pts
High Jump
2.31
1.95
Pole Vault
5.72
4.50
Long Jump
8.20
6.75
Triple Jump
17.20
14.30
Shot Put
20.50
18.35
Discus Throw
65.00
62.00
Hammer Throw
78.00
71.50
Javelin Throw
82.00
61.50
DECEMBER 2011
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T
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THE HAYDEN
Way
JOCK CAMPBELL DECEMBER 2011
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CRICKET
THE
BIG FISH RETURNS
BOWLERS BEWARE; THE DOMINATING POWERHOUSE OF BOWLERS AROUND THE WORLD IS BACK, MEANER, LEANER AND HUNGRIER THAN EVER. THIS MONTH MARKS THE RETURN OF “BATTING BULLY” MATT HAYDEN, NAMED BY A YOUNG AND CHEEKY MICHAEL CLARKE AS THE “BIG FISH”! Matt has been preparing like he did at his peak for the past 16 weeks, training full time to get his body, skills and mind absolutely “red hot” for the exciting new KFC Big Bash competition starting this month for the Darren Lehman coached Brisbane Heat. In fact Matt is so excited about the shorter form of the game and the new Aussie Big Bash competition that he is buying into the Brisbane Franchise. Big Matt is one of my all time favourite athletes that I have trained which has spanned the past 12 years. This is due to 38
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his work ethic, attitude and commitment to improving, and he’s not a bad bloke either! I am so glad to see him back in great shape and having such glowing hunger and excitement for T20 cricket, and now being able to apply his trade in and for his beloved Brisbane. So passionate about his city and state is he that every Rugby league State of Origin that Queensland wins, McGrath, Steve Waugh and myself receive a one word text from Matt in big bold letters “QUEENSLANDER”, and over the past few years this has been more often than not.
MATT’S FINAL SEASON IN IPL
In 2010 leading up to Matt’s now last season in the Indian Premier League, I spent six weeks living in Brisbane with Matt and his family to train him for the upcoming IPL season. This had been something I have done regularly with Matt over the past 12 years on his request and is a clear demonstration of how he is one of the most committed athletes I have ever worked with. Matt leaves no stone unturned in his physical and mental preparation for the game of cricket, but this time in 2010 I noticed a difference. Matt had retired from full time professional cricket some time before and had been busy setting up his brand new business venture, The Hayden Way*, shooting his Matt Hayden’s Home ground TV show, trying to prepare for cricket and spend time with his beautiful family. He had more distractions than normal and I told him he wasn’t his 100% focused and determined
ABOVE: MATT IN THE NATIONAL ANTHEM LINE UP DURING THE 2003 WORLD CUP. BELOW: GOING THROUGH HIS PREGAME ROUTINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PITCH.
Matt training on his favourite playground the sandhills of Stradbroke Island, QLD.
THE BATTING BULLY IS BACK FULL OF CONFIDENCE, FIT AND READY TO IMPOSE HIMSELF ON BOWLING ATTACKS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
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Matt playing for the Chennai Super Kinds in the Indian IPL.
on cricket preparation with so many new distractions. To his credit, he reorganised things as best he could and pushed through, but in reality cricket was no longer his sole source of income and dedication. It just didn’t seem the same. He ended up having an indifferent series, Chennai Super Kings still won, but in the past what had made him so great, which was his ruthless approach to preparation, had slipped. Although his commitment had only dropped by about 5%, which to most people could still pass as adequate commitment, I knew and he knew that 5% at his level of performance is enough to take the sheen off his greatness as a player. This he knew and retired soon after.
LAZARUS RISES
Now the “big fella” has returned hungrier than ever for success, and you can hear the excitement in his voice as he talks about T20 and the new Big Bash competition and where he’s going to take his new team the
Brisbane Heat. He is now 16 weeks into his comeback full-time training program for a competition that starts on the 16th of December. Just from that commitment alone to training, I know he’s back! The batting bully is back full of confidence, fit and ready to impose himself on bowling attacks around the country. For a 40-year-old athlete, a 16-week pre season is a great lead in. As you get older it takes longer for your body to adapt to training and get prepared for the explosive training and match play involved in the vigorous T20 cricket. This has been very well mapped out and implemented by Matt who clearly knows what it takes to be at the top of his game, and sends a great message to all involved about how seriously he is taking his exciting return to the field. If you’re in the crowd this summer and Matthew Hayden is batting, keep your eyes open, because he will be sending several DECEMBER 2011
41
missiles over the fence this year with enormous power. Matt, my only request, make yourself available for the Aussie T20 team for next year’s World Cup. Australia would love to see you take us to another World Cup win that would make it your third.
MATT’S NICKNAMES LIKE MOST AUSTRALIAN’S HAVING ONE NICKNAME WILL JUST NOT DO, MATT HAS PLENTY:
- MATTY
- HAYDOS
- DOS
- HAYDO
- BIG DOS
- THE BIG FISH - FISH JAWS
- MATT THE BAT
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JOCK CAMPBELL WAS THE PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE MANAGER FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TEAM FROM 2000-2005. DURING THIS PERIOD, THE TEAM WAS WORLD CHAMPIONS IN BOTH TEST MATCH (NO. 1 IN TEST RANKINGS) AND ONE DAY CRICKET (WORLD CUP WINNERS 2003 AND NO.1 IN WORLD RANKINGS. IT WAS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PERIOD IN THE TEAM’S HISTORY. THIS CULMINATED IN THE TEAM BEING VOTED NO.1 TEAM IN THE WORLD (IN ANY SPORT) AT THE PRESTIGIOUS LOREUS AWARDS IN 2003. JOCK IS NOW THE HIGH PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR AT JOCK ATHLETIC AND THE SAME FOR CHANNEL 9’S CRICKET COVERAGE.
*The Hayden Way is the brainchild of Australian cricket legend, Matthew Hayden AM. “Since retirement I have set up The Hayden Way; a company that promotes a lifestyle centred on community and family, social responsibility and sustainability through the celebration of sport, recreation and leisure pursuits. I subscribe to the theory ‘make your vocation, your vacation’ and my company attempts to bring together all of my passions in life: family, food, travel, fishing, cricket and surfing” Matt Hayden
Learn more about the Hayden Way @ www.thehaydenway.com
E
RMANC O F R E P H IG H EEKLY W 'S N E D Y A H MATT DULE E H C S N O S A E PRE-S
EEK ESSIONS PER W S G IN IN A LDING R T TING AND FIE T 3 X WEIGHT A B S E D U L C EEK, IN SSIONS PER W E S S L IL K S T ENDURANCE 2 X CRICKE D E E P S D N A SPEED PER WEEK + S N IO S S E S G IN 2 X RUNN NS PER WEEK IO S S E S R A L U C S 2 X CARDIO VA EEK SESSION PER W E R U T C N U P U 1 X AC K IONS PER WEE S S E S IO YS H P 1 X ING PER WEEK S EIGHT TRAIN E W G A IS S H S A IN M H IT 2 1EW ORK IS DON NS
W GE SESSIO HABILITATION E PR ’S AND MASSA TT A PY M A R LL E A : TH E T IO S O Y N PH TIVE SE PREVENTA UPUNCTURE, E C A TH . E E C TH N D A N N P PART SESSIONS A ODY MAINTE ULD MAKE U O TION AND B H N S E V D E N PR A E RY C PERFORMAN ARE FOR INJU THE BODIES E IZ IM PT O ELP MEASURES H GRAM. THLETES PRO A S U IO R E S OF ANY DECEMBER 2011
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FIT FACTS
SHOW ME THE MONEY EMPIRICA RESEARCH
BIG EXPOSURE BIG MONEY FOR SPECTATORS, SPONSORING ATHLETES CAN LOOK LIKE A GAMBLE, BUT COMPANIES ARE CAREFULLY SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON SPONSORSHIP IN ORDER TO FIND THEIR WAY INTO OUR HOMES, OUR MINDS AND HOPEFULLY OUR HEARTS. WHAT IS A GOOD SPONSORSHIP WORTH THESE DAYS AND WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT – AN ATHLETE’S ABILITY OR THEIR MARKETABILITY?
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SPONSORSHIP – WHAT IS IT WORTH?
Despite a steady drop in his rankings on the golf course Tiger Woods (currently 51st in the world) was clearly ranked first in Forbes list of highest paid athletes for 2011. Tiger reportedly made a whopping $75 million in 12 months, most of which was from his lucrative sponsorship deals with Nike and video game company Electronic Arts (EA). When the Tiger’s sex scandal hit the front pages in 2009 it wasn’t just Elin who dropped him, sponsors PepsiCo, Accenture, AT&T and Gilette did too, withdrawing their sponsorship of the talented golfer.
OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS WE SAW GLIMPSES OF THE OLD TIGER – WE’RE TALKING PRESEX SCANDAL TIGER – WITH HIS 3RD PLACE FINISH AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN AND HIS 4- AND 3- SINGLES VICTORY AGAINST AARON BADDELEY WRAPPING UP THE PRESIDENTS CUP FOR THE US TEAM. TIGER REPORTEDLY POCKETED $1MILLION BEFORE EVEN TEEING OFF. HIS HEFTY APPEARANCE FEE WAS QUADRUPLE WHAT GREG CHALMERS MADE FOR ACTUALLY WINNING.
It’s not just golfers who are raking in the sponsorship money. With NBA players topping the list, the second highest earning athlete for 2011 according to Forbes was LA Laker Kobe Bryant. Kobe made a lazy $53 million (but “only” $24.8 million of that was his salary from the Lakers). Lucky for Kobe the Lakers pay well because he was dropped by sponsors McDonalds and Nutella when rape allegations surfaced in 2003. Sponsor Nike stuck it out, staying quiet on the Kobe front until 2005 when things looked like they had died down a bit… oh yeah, and Kobe started playing well again. Tennis (and media) darling Maria Sharapova was the top of Forbes list of highest earning female athletes in 2011 at $25 million. A list she has topped for the last seven years in a row earning more than double that of the any other female athlete. After struggling on the court in 2009, her ranking dropping to a low No. 126 but she climbed her way back up the rankings and back into Grand Slam finals. Her list of sponsors is impressive and includes Nike, Head, Evian, Clear Shampoo, Sony Ericsson, Tiffany and Tag Heuer.In 2010 she ended her 10 year sponsorship with racket manufacturer Prince Sports Inc., but not one to sit around and mope, Sharapova extended her sponsorship deal with Nike for another 8 years, which could net her more than $70 million. Higher ranked tennis player, but lower ranked earner Caroline Wozniacki was second on Forbes list earning $12.5 million.
DECEMBER 2011
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ALTHOUGH SOME SPONSORSHIPS DEALS OFFER PERFORMANCE RELATED BONUSES, LIKE WOZNIACKI’S, OTHERS SEEM TO BE BASED LESS ON PERFORMANCE AND MORE ON PERSONALITY, OR REPUTATION.
Take five-time Olympic gold medalist Ian Thorpe. After retiring from competitive swimming in 2006 he has squeezed into his speedos again to launch his comeback. His much anticipated return to swimming was less Thorpedo and more… well… Ian. Ian clocked some less-than-Thorpedo times in the World Cup meeting in Tokyo, but that didn’t stop sponsorship offers from flooding in as his reputation floated back to the surface in Asia. Ian’s sponsorship deals leading up to next year’s London Olympics are rumored to be up near the $1million mark with the swimmer signing up to be Blackmores brand ambassador and the face of media company’s Play Up iPhone app in Japan.
Wozniacki earned $6 in prize money and $6.5 from sponsorships and appearances including a big bonus from sponsor Adidas for her 2010 No 1. ranking. 48
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What is interesting about these deals is that they are not at all performance based. They are not dependent on him making the Olympic team and do not have incentives or bonuses for making the team or placing. He is clearly being bought as a celebrity, not just a swimmer.
TO MAKE THE REALLY BIG BUCKS, IT IS NO LONGER ENOUGH JUST TO BE A GOOD ATHLETE. THE LINE BETWEEN ATHLETE AND CELEBRITY IS A BLURRY ONE – BUT WHEN IS IT OK FOR US TO CALL THE BALL “OUT”? WE EXPECT OUR ATHLETES TO BE ROLE MODELS TO OUR CHILDREN, BREAK WORLD RECORDS AND LOOK GOOD WHILE DOING IT, BUT IN SOME CASES IT SEEMS THAT AN ATHLETE’S MARKETABILITY HAS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIR ATHLETIC ABILITY.
EMPIRICA RESEARCH IS A SOCIAL AND CONSUMER RESEARCH FIRM BASED IN MELBOURNE AND LOS ANGELES.
FOR MORE ABOUT EMPIRICA RESEARCH, EMAIL CASSIE GOVAN CASSIE@EMPIRICARESEARCH.COM.AU
OR FIND THEM ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER (@EMPIRICA_UPDATE) OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE WWW.EMPIRICARESEARCH.COM.AU
AMATEUR ATHLETE /MAAM A R U E T A A T E U / E T E L H T A R U E T A M A
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A / E T E L H T A UR ATHLETE / AMATEUR ATHLETE
BLAKE R E L W O F AMATEUR ATHLETE PROFILE
DECEMBER 2011
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MEET
ATHLETE / AMA TEU
BLAKE FOWLER. TYPICAL AUSTRALIAN TEENAGER. LOVES HIS SPORT, LOVES HIS FAMILY, LOVES TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. CONSIDERED BY ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB BOLTON WANDERERS TO BE THE BEST YOUNG TALENT TO VISIT THE COUNTRY, BLAKE HAS OVERCOME MORE THAN HIS FAIR SHARE OF HURDLES TO PURSUE HIS DREAM OF BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER.
JA: WHO IS BLAKE FOWLER ? Blake Fowler is aspiring to become a professional athlete and mentor for young and upcoming stars to admire.
JA: WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE? Football, the real football. The one with round ball.
JA: AS YOU WERE ON THE RISE IN THE FOOTBALL WORLD, YOU COME FACE TO FACE WITH LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED? Entering my teenage years, I was faced with a brain tumour, resulting in double vision and severe headaches. After 2 operations and a dose of radiotherapy, I am now stronger than ever, striving to become my childhood dream, a professional footballer.
JA: HAS YOU BRAIN TUMOUR MADE YOU MORE DETERMINED TO MAKE A COMEBACK? It has allowed me to look at life a lot differently, and definitely for the better. Live every moment to the fullest, and never take anything for granted. With this in mind, making my dream reality is now priority for myself.
JA: WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOU’VE EVER DONE? The 7 day camp at Bolton Wanderers involved two to three intense sessions a day, allowing us to gain an understanding of how the professionals train at Bolton. This 52
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UR ATHLETE / A MATEUR ATHLET E was not only a test physically, but mentally as well.
JA: WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? My favourite session is practising my free kicks. I have always aspired to play like David Beckham, so I train like him.
JA: HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK & THE BREAKDOWN? I train once or twice a day. These sessions involve either a mix of gym, cardio, sprint, sand dunes or football training. It is important to mix your training up. I also am quite a talented football freestyler, you can check out my you tube channel :)
Blake, aged 12, on the attack for the Sutherland Sharks.
JA: WHAT’S YOUR BEST EXCUSE FOR NOT STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM? Don’t need excuses - excuses are for the weak.
JA: HOW DO YOU FIT ALL THAT IN WITH YOUR WORK/STUDY LIFE?
JA: YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION AND WHY?
Now I have completed my HSC, I do not have this problem. Although, during my schooling time, I had to make time for myself, so waking up and training early morning before school was the requirement.
I tend not to dread training sessions, so I will alter the question to most difficult. This being the sand dunes. These are physically and mentally draining, but with this in mind, the environment really has a positive impact on your efforts.
JA: WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM? Reminding myself of why I do what I do... because I love it. If you love something, you will stick at it. Plus I want to get shredded :) (Translation: I want to get really fit - 6pack and all).
JA: WHAT’S YOUR IDEAL GAME STRATEGY WITH REGARDS TO TRAINING, NUTRITION AND RECOVERY? Eat well, sleep well, train well. It is a combination of all three which will impact on your performance accordingly.
DECEMBER 2011
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AMATEUR ATHLETE / AM UR A E A T A T E M U A R / E T E L H T A R U E T A M
“Don't need excuses..., Excuses are for the we a 54
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k.”
E T E L H T A R U E T A M A / E T E L ARTH ATHLETE / AMATEUR AT HLETE
l. It is a l e w in a r t , l l e w “Eat well, sleep pact im l il w h ic h w e e r h lt combination of al gly.” in d r o c c a e c n a m r on your perfo DECEMBER 2011
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EUR ATHLETE / AMATEAUMATEUR R / A T H E L T E E L H T A R U E AMAT
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T A R U E T A M A / E T E L H R AT ETE MEETING THE GREAT MAN,,, PELE. Blake (left) and Terry Antonis (now playing for Sydney FC), meet Brazilian Superstar Pele at the Mastercard Launch of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
JA: WHAT’S YOUR NEXT BIG CHALLENGE? Taking it day by day will help me achieve my long term goals. By focusing on what I should be doing each day, I will be able to conquer anything I put my mind to.
JA: WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD AND WHY?
JA: NOW THE BIG ONE, YOUR FAVOURITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING? Once you want to succeed, as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.
WATCH THIS SPACE!
David Beckham. Ever since I was 7 years old, I have idolised him for his footballing ability. From his kick to his off field presentation, I aspire to be just like him...
JA: WHAT WOULD BE THE ONE PIECE OF ADVISE YOU’D OFFER TO ANY ASPIRING YOUNG JUNIORS LOOKING TO MAKE IT TO THE “BIG SMOKE”? Dreams really come true, all it takes is hard work and a passion. With a bit of luck, your dreams can become reality.
DECEMBER 2011
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OCEAN SWIMMING
SPOT ANDERSON GIVES US THE LOW DOWN SIOBHAN MCCARTHY
SPOT ANDERSON IS A SEASONED ATHLETE AND CERTAINLY KNOWS HIS STUFF. HE HAS WON A WORLD TRIATHLON TITLE, WAS IN THE UNCLE TOBY’S SURF IRONMAN SERIES AND A PRO SURFER, AND IS NOW BOSS HOG AT BONDI FIT – A TRIATHLON AND SURF/SWIM SQUAD, COACHING EVERYONE FROM NON-SWIMMERS TO LOVE THE WATER RIGHT THROUGH TO PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES. WITH THE OCEAN SWIM SEASON NOW UPON US, AND WITH MORE AND MORE PEOPLE HAVING A GOOD AUSSIE GO, SPOT GIVES US THE LOW-DOWN ON THE DOS AND DON’TS OF OCEAN SWIMMING.
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G: THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE FROM SWIMMING IN A POOL TO SWIMMING IN THE SURF. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE COMMON THINGS YOU SEE ROOKIES DO THAT ARE A BIG NO IN THE SURF?
1.
Letting fear take hold: be it concerns about sharks or a worries about drowning, many people share an irrational fear of the ocean. Even strong swimmers express such fears. When kids go to the beach, they play in the surf, even if they can’t swim. Adults could learn a lot from this and spend some time just floating in the water or playing!
2. 3.
Don’t swim too hard Instead of relaxing, people take off like scaredy cats, which lasts about 200 metres!
Navigation Rookies and even some pros tend to follow the swimmer in front. A good goal is to look at least up every 10 breaths and this can be practised in the pool!
WHAT IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING YOU HAVE SEEN PEOPLE DO IN AN OCEAN SWIM?
Unfortunately I see this more than you would
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“ P E O P L E TA K E O F F L I K E S C A R E DY C AT S, W H I C H LASTS ABOUT 200 METRES!”
Photo courtesy of Delly Carr. JOCKATHLETIC.COM 60
think: the lead swimmers go completely offcourse. I will often go with them for the drag until a certain point and then I take my own line direct to the turning can!
1. Get fit in the pool. You have a lot more options in the surf! 2. Swim in the ocean. Try to swim in the surf at least four times before race day.
WHAT ARE SWIMMING GOGGLES?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SWIM ON THE OCEAN SWIMS CALENDAR?
THE ADVANTAGES OF WITH OR WITHOUT
No goggles all the way. No goggles means I never fog up, never lose my goggles and most importantly and surprising to some, I can see where I am going!!!
WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO COPE WITH JUMPING INTO THE COOLER OCEAN WATER? Make sure you are warm before you dive in is a good tip! After 5 to 10 minutes after the ice-cream headache subsides, you are usually good for 30 to 60 minutes on the coldest day off the coast of Sydney!
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT TACKLING THEIR FIRST OCEAN SWIM?
I love the Cole Classic for the hype, although I wish it were a surf start/ finish! For a local swim, the Bondi to Bronte is great as it has a good surf start and a completely different surf finish. For the hard core, I’d say Palm Beach Swim – although I have never swam well during this event!
LASTLY, BUDGIE BOARDIES?
SMUGGLERS
OR
Chicks love boardies!
SIOBHAN MCCARTHY IS A COUNTRY KID TURNED TRI GEEK AND IS CURRENTLY TRAINING WITH A TRIATHLON SQUAD AND LIVING THE GOOD LIFE ON THE GOLD COAST. TO PASS THE TIME, SHE IS COMPLETING A MASTERS OF JOURNALISM AND WRITES A BLOG ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES. YOU CAN FOLLOW SIOBHAN ON TWITTER (@SIOBHANANN).
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE OCEAN SWIM CALENDAR VISIT: WWW.OCEANSWIMS.COM.AU FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING OCEAN SWIM TRAINING VISIT WWW.BONDIFIT.COM
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KEEP YOUR FEET
ON THE GROUND DR. MICHAEL MARTIN
DECEMBER 2011
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PERFORMANCE PSYCHOLOGY
PARENTS AND COACHES ARE IN A GREAT POSITION TO HELP JUNIOR ATHLETES UNDERSTAND THAT SUCCESS CAN EASILY MAKE YOU WANT TO RAISE THE BAR AND SET HIGH STANDARDS. AND THEY CAN TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ENCOURAGING MORE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS AND A TIGHTER FOCUS ON THE “WHAT, HOW AND WHEN” OF PERFORMANCE.
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DR. MICHAEL MARTIN IS A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST WHO HAS WORKED AS HEAD SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST AT THE NSW INSTITUTE OF SPORT AND HEAD OF PSYCHOLOGY AT THE AIS. MIKE HAS WORKED WITH OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLISTS, WORLD CHAMPIONS, WORLD RECORD HOLDERS AND PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF SPORTS OVER THE LAST 18 YEARS AND IS NOW BACK IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN CARINGBAH, IN SYDNEY’S SOUTH. (02) 8251 4010
DECEMBER 2011
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NUTRITION
Beat the Binge
This Christmas REBECCA GAWTHORNE AUSTRALIANS CONSUME, ON AVERAGE, A WHOPPING 6,000-7,000 CALORIES OVER THE COURSE OF CHRISTMAS DAY – THAT’S ABOUT THREE
THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU DON’T HAVE TO CUT OUT ALL THE FUN STUFF – MANY FESTIVE FOODS CAN BE HEALTHY – SO TUCK INTO SANTA’S SUPER-FOODS AND JUST WATCH THOSE CALORIE-LADEN ‘LITTLE EXTRAS’.
TIMES THE DAILY RECOMMENDED INTAKE FOR A TYPICAL ADULT MALE. IT’S NO WONDER THE AVERAGE AUSTRALIAN GAINS ABOUT 1.5KG OVER THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVE SEASON. AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WE RARELY LOSE THIS WEIGHT. IT TAKES JUST 7000 EXTRA CALORIES TO PUT ON 1KG OF WEIGHT AND WITH ALL THE FESTIVITIES, ALCOHOL AND SWEETS WE TREAT OURSELVES TO OVER CHRISTMAS, IT’S EASILY DONE.
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Turkey & chicken: A great
source of lean protein, iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins. Make it healthier: Take the skin off and stick to a palm-sized serving. Removing the skin can save you 50-plus calories and loads of saturated fat.
Roast vegetables: Delicious and
a great source of vitamins and minerals. Choose an array of roast vegies including pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, beetroot and greens. Make it healthier: Avoid drenching them in oil and dry bake or use spray before roasting.
Salads: Win your family and friends
over and save on calories by making a spectacular salad this Christmas. Start with dark leafy greens or reds such as baby spinach leaves, rocket and lettuce, plus your other coloured vegetables like pumpkin and tomato. Then add some fresh herbs such as basil, coriander, parsley or mint. Jazz it up with some addons such as toasted almond slivers and low-fat cheese. If you’re the host of the party, have an array of salad choices on the menu. If you are attending a Christmas gathering, offer to bring a salad so you have something healthy to fill your plate. Make it healthier: Hold the mayonnaise and creamy salad dressings and make your own using healthy extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, mustard and pepper.
Cheese, Crackers & Dips:
Don’t go overboard on these appetisers. To work off even a few slices of cheese plus some crackers with dip will take about 45mins of cycling at a moderate pace. Make it Healthier: Serve salsa with veggie sticks and make your own healthy tzatziki and hummus dips. Opt for low-fat cheeses.
Those Guilty Pleasures:
Cakes, biscuits, chocolates, candy canes and creamy sugar-filled sweets and desserts are everywhere at Christmas. Don’t help yourself to every sweet that comes your way or you will be piling on the kilos this Christmas.
Pavlova: Just because it is topped
with fruit, doesn’t make it healthy. The cream and sugar makes it energy-dense. Two slices of pavlova has more than 600 calories!
Rocky road: You might want to
think twice when you’re reaching for another slice of rocky road; just one thick slice has more than 500 calories! Choose a small piece or abstain completely!
Christmas pudding:
A typical serving will set you back more than 300 calories and contains 11g fat. Avoid the cream and save 30 minutes of jogging.
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NUTRITION
Six Tips to Avoid the Christmas Bulge DON’T HELP YOURSELF TO EVERY SWEET THAT PASSES 1. YOUR WAY Choose your favourite one or two treats and enjoy these guilt-free. Use your willpower to resist the rest. If you are given a box of chocolates, keep them hidden away until you have friends over to share them with, or pick certain days such as the weekend to indulge in a few. SET YOUR OWN LIMITS Have a plan for the Christmas festive 2. season. If you keep your eating regime relatively strict until at least a week before Christmas, you will eliminate a lot of extra calories and be in a great position for the New Year. Then you can enjoy Christmas day guilt-free. SHARE A HEALTHY DISH If you are hosting the Christmas 3. celebration, plan a healthy menu or make substitutions to the classic Christmas dishes for healthier, lighter alternatives. If someone else is hosting the festivity, bring a healthy dish to ensure you have something nutritious to fill your plate. Offer to take a delicious fruit platter or fruit salad for dessert to avoid over-indulging in pavlova or Christmas pudding.
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KEEP WATER HANDY A little alcohol or punch on Christmas 4. day won’t derail your diet. But your diet will be compromised if you consume it everyday from now until Christmas. Balance these drinks with water and set yourself a number of days you will keep alcohol-free. EAT BREAKFAST Start your day 5. off with a healthy breakfast across the Christmas season. It will keep you feeling satisfied, reducing the chances of an unhealthy Christmas food binge. The holiday season is typically busy, but fitting in all of your regular meals helps keep you on track and full when you do face Christmas treats that come your way. FIND TIME FOR EXERCISE Schedule a minimum number of 6. exercise sessions per week and stick to it. Incorporate exercise into family gatherings such as a walk or a game of cricket and footy at the beach.
REBECCA GAWTHORNE IS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN. For more information, contact: rebecca.gawthorne@gmail.com
C R E A T I V E
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BREATHING
EASY
I GET ASKED A LOT BY LAP SWIMMERS ABOUT ALL DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE FREESTYLE TECHNIQUE, BUT ONE THAT COMES UP MORE THAN ANY OTHER IS ABOUT BREATHING. EVERYONE HAS A PARTICULAR STYLE AND BREATHING IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF SWIMMING.
CRAIG STEVENS
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SWIMMING
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KEEP STROKE EFFICIENCY AND SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO KEEP MOMENTUM WHEN TURNING THE HEAD TO TAKE A BREATH. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHAT STYLE OF BREATHING SUITS EACH INDIVIDUAL’S TECHNIQUE. Some swimmers like to hold their breath until just before they turn their head before they let all their air out, while others prefer to breathe out gradually before turning the head. Both are fine as long as the all the air is released before the next breath is taken as you don’t want to be breathing out and in at the same time when the head is turned. By doing this you can concentrate more on grabbing the water and not worrying about being short of oxygen.
ONCE YOU HAVE THE BREATHING RIGHT THEN YOU CAN START LOOKING AT BREATHING PATTERNS. THIS IS WHAT THE MAJORITY OF SWIMMERS ASK ME ABOUT. HOW OFTEN DO I BREATHE? WHICH SIDE DO I BREATHE TO? SHOULD I BREATHE THE SAME IN TRAINING AS I DO WHEN I RACE?
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All these are questions that can have a great impact on the way you swim and perform on race day.
DIFFERENT STROKES The first question about frequency of breathing can be swapped and changed as you please. A good training tool is to increase the number of strokes you take per breath thus reducing the amount of breaths you take per lap. By doing this you can still swim at the same speed but increase your heart rate and make the body work harder. This also makes you think more about the length of your stroke, as most people tend to shorten their stroke when they are struggling for breath which means they are able to breathe in a bit quicker. A good way to try this is to do 4 x 50s with about 30 seconds rest in between each one. Start with breathing every 2 or 3 strokes, and then try to take one more stroke per breath each lap. Count how many strokes you take on the first lap then try to stay as close as you can to that number as you go through. The next question relates to which side to breathe to. This can probably have the biggest impact to your swimming. A lot of lap swimmers tend to stick to the one side, which can become quite painful if one side is overloaded too much and can lead to injuries down the track. Neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and even hip pain can all come from imbalance in the body from breathing to the one side too much. It is best to keep the body ‘even’ as much as
possible. Bilateral breathing – or 3-stroke breathing – is most popular for that reason. If this doesn’t seem suited to your technique, you can still breathe every 2-4 strokes. Just try to breathe to your right side for one lap and then to the left side on the next lap. It could take a bit of getting used to, but will become much more comfortable after some practise.
I SUFFERED POPPED RIBS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FROM BREATHING TO MY LEFT TOO OFTEN AND HAD TO TEACH MYSELF TO BREATHE MORE TO MY RIGHT TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING. EVENTUALLY IT BECAME EASIER AND MUCH LESS PAINFUL THAN PUTTING RIBS OUT OF PLACE!
up into a warm-up, a main set, and then a cool-down. The warm-up is the time to throw in a couple of other strokes and to mix up a few different breathing patterns and even some short explosive efforts. The main set is when you concentrate on specific race pace and race breathing and start to get comfortable at swimming at the pace you want to swim when it comes time to compete. Of course, you should always finish off a session with a few easy laps.
WATERED-DOWN VERSION The third and final question that puts it all together relates to those who swim competitively in still water, open water, or in triathlons. When competing, I definitely recommend always sticking to the breathing pattern that is the most comfortable for you. Usually in training you swim more than you would in a race, which is why it is so important to try and keep as much balance in the body while training. But when it comes to doing race speed or faster than race speed in the training pool, that’s the time to practise how you want to breathe in a race situation. Training is usually broken
CRAIG STEVENS IS A FORMER OLYMPIAN AND COMMONWEALTH GAMES ATHLETE, SPECIALISING IN THE 400M, 800M AND 1500M FREESTYLE EVENTS. HE IS NOW HEAD COACH OF THE ELITE SQUAD AT SANS SOUCI LEISURE CENTRE.
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