"The body doesn’t have a large storage depot for protein, as it does for carbohydrate and fat. The protein we eat from food has to be handled as we eat it. Like rookies sitting on the bench waiting for their chance to play, the amino acids in the pool are ready and waiting to be utilized. Either the amino acids are used within a limited time to build a body protein, or they are transformed.

If amino acids in the pool aren’t needed to become a protein, the body is equipped to reconfigure them either back to glucose to be used as energy or into fat. To transform an amino acid, the liver strips off the nitrogen, which may then be incorporated into DNA, RNA, or a nonessential amino acid. Excess nitrogen may also be incorporated into urea, or ammonia, both of which are excreted in the urine. In order to eliminate these, water is needed, so a high protein intake can result in excess fluid loss. The remaining part of the stripped-down amino acid may be reconfigured into glucose, and it is burned for energy.

How much protein do we need?
As you can see, our bodies can do a lot of things with the protein we eat. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein for people over the age of 18 is not a huge amount—.8 gram per kilogram or .36 gram per pound. For younger people who are still growing, ages 4 to 13, it’s .95 gram per kilogram or .43 gram per pound; and for ages 14 to 18, it’s .85 gram per kilogram or .39 gram per pound. These amounts represent the average daily dietary intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of about 97 percent of people in these age groups. However, athletes need more.

How much protein should be recommended is a hotly debated subject among some because, although the previous recommendations will supposedly maintain health, they do not necessarily represent the optimal intake or cover the needs of an athlete in training. Muscle damage does occur as a result of exercise, and additional protein is needed for repairing tissue. Optimal protein intake for athletes not only maintains health but also supports muscle growth, preserves bone integrity, and in certain instances helps with weight management. The type and intensity of training, duration, frequency, your fitness level, and your weight will all be considered when determining your protein needs (we will discuss this in more detail later).

What happens with excess protein intake?
Athletes do need more protein than their sedentary counterparts, but there still is a limit to how much can be used. Often when people consume excess protein, the ammonia formed as a by-product of protein metabolism cannot be eliminated through urine. So it is lost in sweat. If your sweat has an ammonia odor, your protein intake may be higher than your body needs. In healthy people, the body will employ protective mechanisms so that ammonia doesn’t build up to toxic levels. The rate that food leaves the stomach slows as a way to try to protect the body from ammonia overload. That’s why very high protein intake can sometimes make people feel nauseated.

Additionally, staying hydrated is a challenge for many athletes, and an excessive amount of protein intake requires fluid to break down amino acids and rid the body of nitrogen. If protein is consumed too close to practice, there is an increased demand for oxygen by working muscles and organs that process protein. In research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (Wiles, 1991), subjects thought the exercise was harder one hour after having a high-protein meal compared with those having only water; their Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) was higher. If your protein intake is very high, it is also likely that you are not taking in adequate carbohydrate, which will negatively affect performance. As is the case with many nutrients, too much of one can displace enough of another and cause imbalances. Power athletes can handle a lower percentage of calories coming from carbohydrate (as low as 42 percent, perhaps, although not necessarily ideal); however, some power athletes eat protein almost exclusively. The main point is that while athletes do need more protein than inactive people, excessive amounts can hurt performance." This is a podcast from an author of Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance. It's published with permission of Human Kinetics.

A friend just told me about this really neat site, " Aquatic Animation for Analysis and Education." It's web site is http://virtual-swim.com

It contains animations for all strokes at race pace and in slow motion for analysis, also from four angles.

Really cool - check it out.

This is a podcast from an author of The Runner's Edge. It's published with permission of Human Kinetics. Click on the title of this entry to hear the podcast.

Offers 10 tactics for maximizing hills

This is an excerpt from Cycling Fast. It's published with permission of Human Kinetics.

Climbs and descents make or break cycling races, according to cycling coach Robert Panzera. In his upcoming book, Cycling Fast (Human Kinetics, June 2010), Panzera covers hills and all elements that can make a cyclist faster, from conditioning to nutrition and key skills.

Panzera says even small climbs make a difference the closer a cyclist gets to the finish line. "Climbs are additive, meaning a 200-foot gain in elevation may not seem like much in the first few miles, but near the finish, it can seem like a mountain." He advises cyclists to take special note of hills toward the end of the race because these hills split the race into two groups-the leading group going for the win and the chasers trying to pick up the remaining places. In Cycling Fast, Panzera offers 10 tactics for managing hills and staying in the lead:

• Be near the front for corners that are followed immediately by hills. "This helps you prevent being gapped," explains Panzera.
• Shift to easier gears before approaching hills. "This prevents dropping the chain off the front chainrings when shifting from the big front ring to the small front ring," he notes. "Quickly go around riders who drop their chains."
  
• Close gaps on hills immediately, but with an even, steady pace. "Once the group starts riding away on a hill, it is nearly impossible to bring them back," Panzera warns.
• Keep the pace high over the crest of the hill, because the leaders will increase speed faster than the riders at the tail of the group.
• Relax and breathe deeply to control heart rate on climbs.
• Dig deep to stay in contact on shorter climbs. "Once a group clears the top, it is difficult to catch up on the descent," says Panzera.
• On longer climbs, ride at a consistent pace that prevents overexertion.
• Always start climbs near the front. If the pace becomes too fast, cyclists will be able to drop through the pack and still recover without losing contact with the pack.
• Hills are a good place to attack. "Know the hill's distance and location in the course before setting out on an attack or covering an attack by a competitor," advises Panzera.
• Try to descend near the front, but not on the front. Being near the front, as opposed to the back, gives cyclists a greater probability of avoiding crashes.

Panzera also advises noting all the descents before a race begins. "Long, straight descents may require work to stay in the draft, and twisty or narrow descents may require technical skills," Panzera says. "If the descent seems technical in review, it will definitely be technical at race speeds."

Cycling Fast covers the latest information on new high-tech racing frames, training with a power meter and heart rate monitor, and coordinating tactics as part of a team. Readers can learn how to periodize training and use the numerous tips, charts, and checklists to maximize effort.

Here are some thing you might be able to do after checking with your P.T. or Doctor. One is "Swim Running". Read this previous post here.

Another is Nordic Walking - walking with poles. Here are, "Thirteen reasons to take up Nordic Walking". This is an excerpt from Nordic Walking for Total Fitness. It's published with permission of Human Kinetics.

"Poles aren’t just for skiing anymore. Nordic walking offers fitness enthusiasts a unique workout that combines fun physical activity and maximum health benefits. According to Malin Svensson, author of Nordic Walking (Human Kinetics, May 2009), walking with poles offers a low-impact exercise that increases the heart rate as much as running does.

Studies have shown that Nordic walking burns more calories than regular walking. Research done by the Cooper Institute proves Nordic walking burns an average of 20 percent more calories than walking without poles. Some people tested also increased as much as 46 percent in oxygen consumption and caloric expenditure.

Similar to an elliptical trainer, Nordic walking uses both the upper and lower halves of the body, but Svensson says Nordic walking offers more upper-body benefits. "The elliptical machine uses bent arms and mainly works muscles crossing the shoulder joint, such as the chest and the back muscles," she explains. "But Nordic poles allow you to also straighten the elbow behind you, shaping your triceps." Nordic poles are measured according to a walker’s height, as opposed to the elliptical machine, which is one size fits all, Svensson adds.

In Nordic Walking, Svensson offers skills for maintaining an injury-free experience and ensuring that participants gain some of these benefits of the sport:

1. Burn more calories (20 to 46 percent).
2. Increase aerobic capacity even at a slow speed.
3. Increase upper-body strength.
4. Increase heart rate (5 to 30 beats per minute).
5. Take pressure off the joints.
6. Decrease neck and shoulder pain.
7. Increase upper-body mobility.
8. Increase functional capacity.
9. Feel less effort, even though the body works harder.
10. Improve balance and stability, making it safe to walk.
11. Improve gait and coordination.
12. Improve core musculature and posture.
13. Create a meditative and calming effect.
"