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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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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Candace Parker Holiday Clinic

If you’re lucky enough to live in, or near, Los Angeles, and you’re a basketball player who wants to train with LA Sparks star Candace Parker, then you’re in luck.

Parker is hosting a one day training clinic on Dec. 28th for girls who want to improve their game and play against top competition.

Check out the flyer for all the details:

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

Role of a Sub

A player who shows envy or jealousy toward the starting team is often judged to have a poor attitude. In truth, envy and jealousy are natural feelings. It’s how a player handles her feelings that determines whether she is team-oriented.

Not wanting to sit on the bench is perfectly acceptable. If you’re a player who has given everything you’ve got, and it’s not good enough to be a starter, you can either quit the team and take on another challenging project, or accept the role of being a substitute, knowing you will have opportunities to contribute to your team’s success.

A substitute must learn to take satisfaction in performing steadily and reliably each time she steps on the floor including 100% effort in practice. A team can only be as good as the players they practice against. If the starters practiced against a group that was not giving it their best shot, they’d have a tough time improving. But if they have to scratch and fight every day to beat the subs, they’ll improve easily.

How a substitute handles feelings of jealousy or disappointment determines her attitude and her team spirit. A substitute should never:

Start or listen to gossip that alienates the team against another team member

Sulk or act disinterested while on the bench

Put a damper on everyone’s spirits after a game because she didn’t play, or

Grumble about having to practice with the weaker players.

The role of the substitute is difficult to master, but its rewards are worth the effort.

Podcast: Pretty Tough Peak Performance Episode 006

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:27 — 5.0MB)

Pretty Tough is proud to present the sixth 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 006: Rebecca Scritchfield discusses how an athlete can eat well while on the go.  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”.

http://www.rebeccascritchfield.com

Cyclocross practice, first ever [Video]

(Editors Note: Lauren Hall quit her job of five years to pursue a professional cycling career. She moved from Mississippi all the way to Colorado for the best training anywhere and has embarked on her first cyclocross season.)

Happy Birthday Nastia!

Gymnast Nastia Liukin turns 20 today!

Born October 30, 1989 Anastasia Valeryevna “Nastia” Liukin won five medals at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, including gold in the individual all-around. And much of her success is due to her parents.

Both her mother and father (who is also Liukin’s coach) captured Olympic gold medals and world championships as stars of the former Soviet sports empire.

Last year, while headlining the 2008 Tour of Olympic Gymnastic Superstars, the birthday girl talked to the Columbus Dispatch about her parents:

“There was never any pressure to be a gymnast,” Nastia Liukin said. “They just wanted me to be happy.”

It looks like Liukin grew up to be both. Happy Birthday Girl!

Podcast: Pretty Tough Peak Performance Episode 004

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:20 — 6.7MB)

Pretty Tough is proud to present the fourth 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 004: Rebecca Scritchfield discusses the importance of pre and post game meals for athletes.  Listen as Rebecca provides essential details about improving athletic performance through proper nutrition.

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 her expertise to help them reach their performance goals. Rebecca received a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. She has been recognized by the American Dietetic Association in 2009 as “Young Dietitian of the Year”.

http://www.rebeccascritchfield.com

Podcast: Pretty Tough Peak Performance Episode 003

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:57 — 8.2MB)

Pretty Tough is proud to present the third 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 003: Rebecca Scritchfield discusses the importance of meal balancing for athletes.  Listen as Rebecca provides essential details about improving athletic performance through proper nutrition.

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”.

http://www.rebeccascritchfield.com/

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