Softball: Throwing like a girl

Softball season is underway and girls everywhere are out there practicing their skills. So you probably know that if you’ve ever been told “You throw like a girl,” it means your throw kinda sucks.

The “girl throw” refers to a wimpy style a lot of girls seem to have. Girls often face the target with their forearm cocked back and the ball in their upturned palm. Then they throw with just the arm (rather than the whole body). The action is usually limited to a quick extension of the forearm. Essentially, girls tend to “push” the ball rather than hurl it.

Well, before we go any further – let’s get one thing straight. Girls can throw. In fact, many girls can throw harder and faster than a lot of guys. Softball players like Jennie Finch can pitch a ball close to 90 miles per hour.

Some people think the reason for the “girl throw” is based on physical differences between guys and girls. Not. If you ask an orthopedist, an anatomist, or a coach of a women’s softball team, they’ll tell you that there is no anatomical reason why boys and girls throw differently.

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Run Like a Girl: Endurance Racing

Endurance racing can be intimidating but once you make the leap, the amount of support and encouragement that comes from the community is infectious. Not surprisingly, many of the races for women benefit a female-targeted charity or cause. Here are some great events to check out:

26.2 with Donna: The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer
The annual Jacksonville Beach, Florida race, founded by news anchor Donna Deegan, benefits Breast Cancer research.

Danskin SheROX Triathlon
Series of 10 all-women’s triathlons that  inspire and motivate participants, volunteers and spectators alike.

Iron Girl
This nationwide series offers 10 events in terrific locations; destination races throughout the USA, and likely in your region. Join the women who are participating, celebrating and taking the challenge.

Rocketchix Racing
Rocketchix wants to give women of all ages and abilities the chance to discover their inner athlete.

Racing for a Good Cause
More and more active women are going beyond getting fit for themselves and crossing finish lines for the greater good. Charity races are booming, with more events and causes to fight for than ever.

Barb’s Race: 70.3 Miles of Wine Country
If Barb can beat cancer–twice–you can finish a half Ironman-distance triathlon. And Sonoma’s wine country is a great place to swim, bike and run 70.3 miles.

Maui Channel Swim Challenge
Billed as the only Masters inter-island relay race in the world, this event takes place over Labor Day weekend.

Susan G. Komen Race  for the Cure
By participating in a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure,  you will experience an event that has changed the way the world views breast cancer.

Nike 26.2  Marathon and Half-Marathon for Women
The Nike 26.2 Marathon and Half-Marathon for Women benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is open to runners and walkers, including men. It’s a celebration of women running, but men are welcome.

Thanks to Active.com for much of this info.

Shoe Review: MBT the Anti-Shoe

I’ve always loved sports.  I would play basketball on the driveway with my brothers Jim and John.  I would hit baseballs with them – and am still proud of the day I sailed one clear over the top of our 100 year old 2-story house.  I would postpone dates to watch Notre Dame football games and Oakland Raider games when an old friend from high school, Dave Casper, was a star tight end for them.  I have fond memories of sitting near the ice behind the penalty box at Chicago Blackhawk games with Patty Henderson when her husband was traveling on business and couldn’t use his ticket.  And, don’t get me started on the Chicago Cubs!

Unfortunately, none of my love of sports morphed into me actually wanting to play any of them.   Well, maybe golf, but accidentally swinging a golf club through a glass door in our family home as a teen put a crimp in that desire.  Truth be told, athletics and exercise just hasn’t been a priority for me.  So, why am I blogging on a women’s sports blog?  Age, gravity and maybe a little vanity has caught up with me and I knew I needed to find something to motivate me to get moving.

For the past 8 weeks I have been the proud owner of a pair of the most amazing shoes – MBT M Walk.  I’d been reading about all the new shape up shoes on the market and did my homework.  The MBT shoes are based on Masai Barefoot Technology.  I wanted to walk tall and have great posture like this magnificent African tribe.  The science appeared sound, so I took the plunge.

I’ve always wanted to be taller – and now I feel my posture has improved as a result of walking – yes, I am finally moving and not glued to my computer working all day long.  The results are encouraging.  Even sitting, I am more conscious of my posture.  As a result of my daily walks, my calves are getting firmer.  I’ve noticed a strengthening in my leg muscles.  One of my favorite things to do in New York or London or Paris is to wander for hours sightseeing or window shopping.  That had become harder due to hip and knee pain.  Now, I can walk much longer than I have in recent years and I have no ill effects.  It’s a real joy.

There have been some amusing moments in my MBT’s – the first time I walked down a flight of stairs…or was on an escalator.  That will get you to know where your center of gravity is real fast.  But that’s the whole point of the shoes…to work your body by keeping it slightly off balance so that you keep correcting to get to your center and strengthen yourself.

I still love to watch sports.  More and more, I am out walking by the beach, wandering favorite neighborhoods and moving.  As I begin to see the results, I am motivated to add more to my routine.  Maybe I will even try out the helpful exercise regimen on the MBT website…soon.

~Erin Martin

(Disclosure:  A pair of MBT’s were provided to this writer by the manufacturer for the purpose of reviewing them. All comments and opinions are personal and not influenced by any outside source. )

Winter Hiking & Camping

There might be a few good reasons to hang up your hiking boots during the Winter but I can’t think of one. If you love being outdoors and wish you could extend the hiking season, you’re in luck. Hiking, backpacking and even camping are no longer just three-season activities.

With some specific gear and training, you can be hitting the trails all Winter as well as the rest of the year. Just be sure you’re not heading out in summer trail shoes, a light weight pair of cotton pants and a fleece jacket. As long as you have appropriate outdoor clothing there’s no reason not to get outside and enjoy the winter wonderland.

Many public parks, cities, and towns maintain trails that are accessible for Winter hiking and even snowshoeing so check local resources if you’re not sure where to go.

Winter Hiking Tips
When participating in outdoor activities, dress in layers so you can easily adjust your clothes to regulate body moisture and temperature. Three types of layers are considered normal : a base layer against your skin (longjohns), an insulation or middle layer (fleece), and an outer layer (water-proof shell or windbreaker). As you hike in winter you’ll learn that staying cool can be as much of a challenge as staying warm

In the winter, COTTON KILLS. Cotton loses its insulating qualities when it gets wet, whether from rain or sweat. Cotton also takes a long time to dry out. Wool or synthetic materials are much better suited to winter camping in cold weather conditions.

Adjust your layers of clothing by adding or removing to prevent heat buildup and sweating. Too much moisture in your clothes will make you cold as it evaporates.

If you stop for a long break or at the end of the day, put on insulation layers before you cool off too much, otherwise your body will have to work harder just to warm you back up.

Protect against heat loss through your head by wearing a hat or balaclava (ski mask). Over half of your body heat can be lost through your head.

Instead of stopping for a long lunch, snack on food all during the day at short breaks. This will keep you from cooling down too much and having to adjust your layers of clothing too many times.

Carry a small insulated thermos-type bottle full of a hot drink or hot soup. If you get cold or just want a warming snack, you will already have something hot prepared.

Be aware of the signals your body is sending you. Cold fingers or toes indicate you should stop and address the cause of the problem if possible.

Hike with experienced companions and always leave a copy of your itinerary with family members who are staying behind.

Caution:
If you are going to be in mountainous backcountry, beware. Understand avalanche tendencies and be sure to check local avalanche conditions in your area before going out.

Related Posts:

Frostbite: Cold Weather Health Tips
Winter Fun: Wanna Try Something New?

Snow Business – Stay in Shape for Winter Sports Season

It’s time to hit the slopes. How do you get through the winter season in one piece? After all, mogul mashing or straddling a board downhill aren’t easy tasks, even if you are a daredevil.

You should have started training months ago but if your pre-season conditioning didn’t exactly prepare you, there are still steps you can take. At the very least, warm up by doing some stretches and abdominal crunches, and take a few runs on a beginner slope before you tackle a double-black diamond. Even better is to start a conditioning program that will help you have more fun on the slopes and avoid common injuries.

You’re probably eager to build yourself up as quickly as possible but remember that consistent training is what is really required. Even a minor ankle sprain can mean a major setback for the more serious athlete so take all the precautions you can.

Strength & Conditioning

A regular fitness program will make snowboarding or skiing easier and help prevent injuries. One of the basic rules of training is to start slowly and build up to the desired level of fitness.

If training time is limited, focus on muscular endurance and strength circuit training. Pick exercises that work more than one muscle group at a time, like squats, dead lifts and dead rows.

Muscle balance is critical in skiing and boarding, and you can help keep your knees safe by equally working the big muscles of the leg — the quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings. Pretty much any kind of strength routine is better than none, but for maximum benefit you’ll want to mix a variety of body resistance (i.e. push-up, sit-up, dips, pull-ups, etc.) and weight exercises (i.e. lat pull downs, upright rows, curls, etc.).

Following a phase of general conditioning, move on to more specific training, to condition the body and the mind for specific tasks.

Sport Specific Drills

Try drills that include core control, balance and endurance drills; pilates and yoga to build core strength and balance; jumping rope; and plyometrics — short bursts of exertion that build leg power such as squats.

For example, skiing uses quads (front of the thighs) and glutes. So it stands to reason that jumping exercises are the most specific way to train off the slopes for skiing. However, jump training puts tremendous shock on the legs, knees and joints. Best bet is to practice the movement of the jump, but minimize the landing impact.

If you’re a XC skier, the more you can isolate primary XC muscles in the back, abs, legs, shoulders, etc. in your strength workouts, the better. If you can find rollerboards and double pole machines, they’re super-effective at building XC ski-specific strength.

Lateral drills that mimic the side-to-side motion used in skiing and snowboarding will help strengthen and tone ski-specific muscles.

Boarders don’t use as many muscles as skiers, but they use their muscles differently and have different considerations. In particular, boarders need to be aware of space and balance.

The muscles that are used the most in snowboarding include the quadriceps, the adductors (inner thighs), the glutes, and much more than you might realize, the abdominals and lower back. These postural muscles are critical to maintaining balance and alignment, and any conditioning program should include a heavy component of crunches and lower back work. In addition to the usual squats and lunges, try to include some pylometric exercises like squat jumps. Developing explosive power in the legs will serve you well if you’re a snowboarder.

It also makes sense for boarders to work with a fitness or Bosu ball for balance and a medicine ball for upper-body strength and improved reaction time.

Endurance

This is where what you do matters less than how long you do it. For example, if you typically ski for two hours each time you get out in the winter, you will want to get in the habit of doing aerobic activities for at least two hours before you hit the slopes. These activities can include hiking, running, cycling, paddling, swimming, or any combination of these activities.

Do you need to “go long” every time out? Simply getting out for a longer workout one to two times a week is going to be enough — especially if you can supplement these longer sessions with a couple shorter aerobic sessions and strength workouts each week.

Also, interval training that includes harder sessions alternated with easier ones helps build endurance.

Tips for Avoiding Injury on the Slopes

Members of the ski-patrol see lots of snowboarders with wrist and shoulder injuries and skiers with injured knees. Here’s what you can do to avoid these common injuries.

Warm Up: Get your muscles fired before you go out. A good warm up increases your range of movement and lowers your risk of injury. Remember, warm muscles are pliable and less likely to be strained. Cold muscles are brittle and are more easily injured.

Stretching is always best done when the muscles are warm, so don’t just go out into the freezing cold and start grabbing for your toes. Stretch before you hit the mountain, while you’re warm.

A good warm-up takes approximately 15 minutes to increase the body temperature. Start gently with a slow but controlled increase in intensity. The warm-up always contains elements of the activity which is to follow. A warm-up for a XC skier is different from that of a snowboarder or ski jumper.

Contrary to popular belief the warm-up takes just as long when the weather is warm. A cool down following your time on the slopes will assist the gradual return of the body temperature to normal so definitely add some stretching after your runs.

Know How to Fall: Most ski instructors say that knowing how to fall is one of the best ways to protect your knees. If you feel yourself losing control, don’t try to sit; instead, give in to the fall, keeping your knees flexed and land on your side. Use your skis or poles to stop your slide rather than standing up. If you put a knee, an elbow or a thumb down first, you’re more prone to injury.

Stay Balanced: If you’re skiing, position yourself over the center of your skis. Keep your hands forward, and sense the soles of your feet at all times.

Know Your Terrain: Familiarize yourself with snow conditions and new runs. Examine the consequences of a fall — a harmless slide down the middle or a rough ride into rocks? Adjust your style accordingly. Use slopes that have packed snow and aren’t too crowded. Always avoid icy slopes.

Wear Good Goggles: Glare off snow can lead to accidents. Consider using goggles or glasses with lenses that automatically adjust to varying sunlight. If you want to use just one color, make it orange; it works on bright and overcast days.

Dress for Success: Choose the right clothing and equipment for the conditions. Proper boots can really help prevent injury (e.g. soft boots for beginning snowboarders). Although you pay more for specialized clothes and boots, it is worth it in the long run as it will contribute to safety and enjoyment. Dress so you’re not too hot and not too cold. Wear layers of high-tech fabrics that breathe. Cold skiers or boarders are slow to react, and overheated ones tire easily.

Drink Plenty of Water: You can become dehydrated long before your body senses you’re thirsty, sapping strength and impairing judgment. Carry water with you, and drink plenty and often — at least 8 ounces for every hour you’re on the slope.

Know Your Capability: Avoid skiing or boarding with people who are a lot better than you are, unless they’re willing to slow down and ski at your speed.

Quit While You’re Ahead: Fatigue is probably the greatest cause of injury. Don’t take “this one last run” if you really don’t feel up to it. Almost 90 percent of all accidents happen on the last run of the day. The end of the day also means the worst lighting (harder to see the bumps and icy patches) and the bumpiest snow.

Wear Wrist Guards: If you’re boarding, wear wrist guards made for snowboarding or in-line skating. This is particularly important for newbies If you don’t use wrist guards, keep your hands in a closed-fist position, which prevents falling on a hyperextended wrist.

Wear a Helmet: The back of the head is a frequent impact area, especially for beginning snowboarders.

Have a happy and safe winter season.

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Weighing in on the New Year

So you’re a resolutionist. You’ve resolved to eat right this year and get regular exercise, right? Slimming down and getting healthier are common New Year’s resolutions, but following through on the commitment is an uncommon accomplishment.

There are many pieces in the weight management puzzle. Emotions, appetite, will-power, self-image, and confidence all play a part. The road towards healthier eating usually starts with some simple lifestyle changes. Make healthy eating and regular exercise part of your everyday life. Sound easy? It’s not. You have to work at it.

In terms of exercise, the most important thing is to choose activities that are fun and that you can do on a regular basis. Instead of watching TV after dinner, go out for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Recruit a friend or family member to keep you company.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Snow Fun!

Build a Snowman	285 calories burned per hour
Have a Snowball Fight	319 calories burned per hour
Make Snow Angels	214 calories burned per hour
Shovel the Driveway	428 calories burned per hour
Go Ice Skating	476 calories burned per hour

PT Tips that can help lead to a healthier New Year:

• Eat three meals a day that are low in saturated fat. Meals should include a variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, grains, cereals and low-fat  dairy products.
• It’s okay to snack if you snack smart. Include fruits and veggies with fun dipping sauces. Fruits and veggies are low in fat, packed with nutrients. Smart Snacks
• Choose a variety of foods to get enough carbs, protein and other nutrients.
• Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for your height and build. If you’re training, take into account the extra calories you’re burning.

Here’s to a healthy, happy 2010!

Podcast: Pretty Tough Peak Performance Episode 09

Pretty Tough Peak Performance Podcast Ep.9

Pretty Tough is proud to present the ninth in our series of weekly podcasts focusing on Peak Performance.

The PT Peak Performance series features leading experts from the fields of sports nutrition, diet, sports psychology and core and fitness training, as well as athletes, trainers and coaches. Each program is 6 – 8 minutes in length and provides cutting edge information and actionable advice to help athletes of all ages perform at their peak with a special focus on the female athlete.

Episode 009: Rebecca Scritchfield discusses the ins and outs of energy and power bars. Listen as Rebecca provides essential details about nutrition, hydration and maintaining optimum health.

Pretty Tough Peak Performance Podcast Ep.9

About Rebecca Scritchfield: Rebecca Scritchfield is a Washington, D.C. based registered dietitian in private practice. Members of Congress, corporate executives, and professional and recreational athletes seek Rebecca’s expertise to help them reach their performance goals. She received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and was recognized by American Dietetic Association in 2009 as “Young Dietitian of the Year”.

Take the stairs – the piano stairs

It’s great when viral videos do more than just make us laugh.

Recently, we learned about a great video created by the Nike Foundation called the Girl Effect (definitely worth checking out)

We came across another video today from TheFunTheory.com. The  site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better.

Many understand the importance of physical fitness and have read or heard the advice ”Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator” but the fact is few people actually follow that advice.

Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do? Volkswagen, the company behind the Fun Theory initiative, produced this video to find out:

Podcast: Pretty Tough Peak Performance Episode 08

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:12 — 4.8MB)

Pretty Tough is proud to present the eighth in our series of weekly podcasts focusing on Peak Performance.

The PT Peak Performance series features leading experts from the fields of sports nutrition, diet, sports psychology and core and fitness training, as well as athletes, trainers and coaches. Each program is 6 – 8 minutes in length and provides cutting edge information and actionable advice to help athletes of all ages perform at their peak with a special focus on the female athlete.

Episode 008: Rebecca Scritchfield discusses the ins and outs of sports drinks.  Listen as Rebecca provides essential details about nutrition, hydration and maintaining optimum health.

About Rebecca Scritchfield: Rebecca Scritchfield is a Washington, D.C. based registered dietitian in private practice. Members of Congress, corporate executives, and professional and recreational athletes seek Rebecca’s  expertise to help them reach their performance goals. She received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and was recognized by American Dietetic Association in 2009 as “Young Dietitian of the Year”.

Win or Lose, It’s All in the Details

At a certain level, excelling in sports becomes really detail-oriented. When I was younger, I was always amazed by ABC’s Wide World of Sports television program that showed the dramatized inside look at the lives of athletes, especially into the lives of Olympic athletes since I have been obsessed with the Olympics for as long as I can remember (I originally thought I would go as a soccer player. Kudos to the 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s soccer team for inspiring many!). It was awesome to me to see how the lives of these successful athletes were 24/7 about their sport and then to see how after a bunch of blood, sweat, and tears later, everything finally came together in the end and they were successful, at the very least in their own eyes.

The past two months I have been traveling all over the world training and racing my bike. I have reached that point where it feels like my life could be a fairly engaging documentary. One of my training partners and I actually had a conversation based on this fact a few weeks ago. We discussed how we get up early, we ride to the track with our backpacks packed with the day’s necessities, we have a discussion over who’s iPod contains the most motivating playlist, we put that iPod on the stereo system, we ride efforts to the point of nausea, we adjust equipment to try to get the most speed out of ourselves, we try out the new and supposedly most technologically-advanced and fastest equipment, we discuss video feedback of the efforts we just did, we push ourselves even harder on the next efforts, we play cheerleader for our training partners and teammates who are just about on the point of not being able to do any more, we head out of the road for more hours of training, we come back to housing in the late afternoon and eat ridiculous amounts of food, we stretch and try our best attempts at recovery technique some of which include unique inventions of tight pants or humidity, we sleep, and then we start the same process all over again the next day. Some days we crash, and doesn’t that add even more to the appeal of a documentary?

The most interesting part of the actual documentaries to me was what happens after all the training and after the competition. No matter if training goes well or not, if the athlete meets the goal during competition or not, there’s always a reevaluation period. There’s always a flurry of questions as to what went well or didn’t? What could have been better? What can be improved upon next time? When you get to the point where your sporting life seems like documentary material, finding answers to these details consumes more time and effort than I thought was possible from watching the documentaries.

These past two months I took part in two national team camps and competed in two World Cup competitions. The camps went fairly well but my performances at the World Cups were not what were expected. Turn on the cameras; there have been some serious periods of reevaluation. There have been consultations with many people, the stuff ABC eats up. I have had to question all my preparations all the way down to the most basic, even where I live. I’m at that level now. There are checkmarks next to 24/7 and the blood, sweat, and tears boxes. Is there a checkmark next to the successful box? Only time will tell. For now that depends on the details.

www.kimgeist.com

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