Active Rest

"Harder! Faster! Stronger! We must give 100% at all times. No Pain No Gain!" Every Coach in America

As much as I like to make my training resemble a Rocky training montage, it is impossible to give 100% at all times. Quite frankly it's also stupid. In the past week I have been updating my facebook status with my "active rest" week. Many have asked what this means. Many have told me to stop resting and get back after it.  The purpose of this article is to inform you what "active rest" is and to continue to encourage you Train Smart, Paddle Hard, Out Perform."

"Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.” Ralph Marston

Why Active Rest?
Active Rest is the exactly what it sounds like. Letting the body recover from normal stress patterns and intensities yet remaining active through exercise that is designed to rejuvenate the body often in a manner that feels good or is fun. The strategic practice of active rest can increase performance and more importantly keep you stoked about your training. In an article called active rest makes you stronger on active.com the author states, "Although rest is needed, it is still important to remain active on those days. The body, just like the mind, needs stimulation every day. Even after a grueling marathon many people find it's a good idea to move around, maybe take a walk, as early as the day after to avoid stiffening up. Even people who suffer heart attacks are encouraged to get out of bed and move around as soon as possible." I find the concept of rest challenging yet active rest still gives me all the benefit without me going crazy. Intense training or racing breaks down the body. Only through proper amounts of rest and diet can we recover and come back stronger. Over training is the #1 source of injuries in endurance athletes. If these athletes simply took a break , varied intensity, or cross trained they could avoid over use injuries and increase performance. The National Academy of Sports Medicine defines the #1 goal of sports performance is to decrease injury. Therefore, if we systematically plan recovery periods or simply listen to the quote above, we are likely to avoid over use injuries and keep our stoke firing.

Examples of Active Rest
Walking
Static Stretching
Dynamic Stretching
Low Intensity Paddle (an eco tour, etc)
Light Yoga
Bike Riding
Playing with kids
Light sporting activities
Knocking out the honey do list ;)

My Active Rest Experience - These are my actual Facebook posts in my active rest week following the Key West Paddleboard Classic and the Gulf Coast Stand Up Paddleboard Championships.

I was absolutely fried after back to back races. I fell apart in the Gulf Coast Race and knew it was time to take a break. I normally do not get passed in races after the first few minutes and begin to pick people off in the 2nd half of races. I faded at the four mile mark and had about 6 people pass me loosing my chance at a top 10. I knew I need a rest. It has been completely worth it. I feel refreshed energized and as stoked as ever. I have begun setting my sights on the YOLO seaside celebration in September as my next performance goal.
Here's the posts.

Day 1 Active Rest, slow sunset beach walk. Doing my best to let these tired muscles rest.

Active Rest Week Day 2 is going good so far. I shot baskets for about 40 minutes and did about 20 minutes of foam rolling and corrective exercise for my shoulders. Today is a normal training paddle day I'm jonesing for the water, might have to at least go float around. Please encourage me to keep resting!

Active Rest day 3. Long beach walk to Caladesi Island park border. No one in sight besides my beautiful wife.

Active Rest day 4 took a little bit of a hit today when one light game of basketball turned into 4 competitive games. Whoops, still lighter volume than normal and it had the fun factor.

Active Rest Day 5. Got a light core and flexibility workout in on the TRX today. took about 25 mins. I am falling more in love with TRX every day.

Active Rest Day 6. 1 hour relaxing paddle with my lovely wife. No intervals, mileage goals, or stroke thoughts. Just enjoying the water and the stoke of this wonderful sport. Almost ready to get back to training mode

Active rest day 7. Swimming with sharks! We walked up to caladesi island and went swimming. Some fisherman comes running up and splashing. "No need to worry he's just a little guy" as a 4-5 ft black tip swims away. Awesome.!We stood an watched him stalk a school of fish after.

It's quite funny to look back at these days and remember how I felt on each one. It was really hard to rest at first, but I really began to enjoy the slow pace of things. Even though I was "resting" I still exercised for over 60 minutes a day. Best part of all my sore shoulder is recovered and I found a way to loose 2 lbs even with the holiday weekend! Time to get back after it. YOLO!

5/2/11 Training Journal - MET con workout, hoops, and testing my QB

I am in hard core mode again. It is my goal to train about 2 hours a day up until the day I leave for Key West. Then I will give my body a couple days of recovery time to get ready for the big race.

Goal
Strength Workout
Bball for some fun cardio
Paddle Training my wife Erica

Strength Workout Summary
Today is designed to take about 45 mins and really tax the transverse or twisting plane of motion with a lot of SUP specific moves. I am having a lot of fun on the indo board, and can already feel a difference in my balance on my SUP board.

Core Warmup
Indo Board Freestyle
Square feet Triangles
Reach Triangles

Blocks are performed for time with no breaks. 3 minute recovery between blocks.

Block 1 X200
TRX Muscle Ups X50
TRX 1 arm Reach & Row X100
TRX Scorpion X40
Bball Court Sprints

Block 2 X 200
FM SUP Chop X50
FM Bar Press X50
FM Lawn mower X50
Rope Crosses X50

15 min shooting baskets cool down
Overall all I felt good. I can feel more mobility and power in my trunk and hips. All good things for a SUP'er.

Bball with Jason Grace
2 Games of 21 about 30 minutes
I abused Jason once again, but he keeps coming back. Gotta love it.

Training Paddle With Erica
Erica has 3 races in 3 weeks so I am helping her with a little technique and turning. She is not to concerned with placing just wants to feel comfortable on the board, enjoy the water, and work on her fitness. We paddled from the Clearwater Sailing Center Beach at Sunset. It was magical. Not many folks out. Just us, the dropping sun, and buoy turns. Erica is getting better at stacking her shoulders and beginning to add the "punch" to increase her RPM's.

My new Quick Blade!
Wow I am sold. This paddle lives up to it's name. I got a 110 in QB elite racer. I am very impressed with the paddle's efficiency. I feel like I am faster already. The blade does not "dance" in the water and enters and exits the water very smoothly. I didn't paddle very long distances on it, but I definitely feel more eefficient.

4/2/11 Stronger Than Carbon Fiber! Beach boot camp

I love Saturday's.
My friends have asked me to start a beach boot camp. The group ,energy, and excitement continues to grow every week.  After beach boot camp 3 SUP buddies joined me in my training paddle. It's so fun spreading the stoke.

Beach Boot Camp

KB's, DB's, MB's and SUP all blended together in a ffunctional core based class. We had 6 peeps in class today including one first time SUP'er, Lisa. We finished the class with a partner relay and my beautiful wife lit everyone up and gave her team a lead that would not be relinquished. Great Job E!

The SUP vibe in the Bay area keeps gaining momentum. I had my class of 6 going on while Brody Welte of Stand Up Fitness taught the Paddle Fit certification next door to a sold out class of 20! Kahuna Kai Adventure Center, also part of Stand UP Fitness had a 6 person lesson going on. My training partners joined up with me after boot camp and between all the groups there were 30 SUP'ers on the small Clearwater Sailing Center Beach!

Training Paddle
Jeff Comer, James Martin, and Matt Fillion and I had a 6 mile paddle planned to the spoil Island about 1 mile north of the memorial causeway. We launched from the Sailing Center Beach and I quickly took the lead. I wanted to be on the beach sipping coconut water before these dudes even got back to the bridge. As I was approaching the memorial causeway I had to pass one more boat channel. Of course 3 large boats came through at the same time and I had to stop and wait for them. They left me in some "washing machine" wake and I got pissed and tried to aggressively accelerate out of my dead stop to avoid falling off when SNAP! and SPLASH. I snapped my Kialoa Nalu in half and went flying in head first! It snapped in the middle of a carbon fiber paddle! I was 1.5 miles from the launch spot and my buddies were a bit back from me. I gathered my shards of paddle and it was time to prone paddle. My training buddies sat and chilled with me for a few minutes before I decided it was best to get my "swim" on. They continued on in the paddle. I was determined to beat them back. I alternated 20 swim strokes to 20 kneeling strokes. I have a new found respect for prone paddlers. My shoulders felt like molten magma. Thank god for the down wind. I couldn't wait to get to Brody and show him the paddle. Brody and the other paddle fitter's couldn't believer where the paddle was broken. I hope Kialoa will replace the paddle it wasn't even 9 months old and broke in flat water. I told him to order me a Quick Blade anyway. Apparently I need a stiffer shaft (that's what she said). I'm debating the 100 or 110 blade. What do you think QB users. My Nalu was 108in, I don't mind the big blade.

Anyway I guess I was still on the water for about 45 mins, about half the time I planned. I'll make it up on Sunday I guess. My training buddies wimped out and only went to the bridge. Come on guys step it up! The board was on my truck when you made it back.

SUP Community
I ran in to Chase from Water Monkey and Mike from Urban Kai while we watched the Hip Abduction SUP paddler Pat Klemawsihs's band. It was an all around great day for the SUP community in the Bay minus the paddle of course. check out thehipabduction.com. Amazing music. If you have seen my Youtube videos it's their music.

3/24/11 SUP Training Journal 1 mile Sprints & SUP rides in the pool while wearing a kilt?

Thursday

Super Busy Day Today

My gym, Harbour Island Athletic Club is hosting a huge party tonight so there is lots to be done. I also have marketing to do to for Brody and I's demo tomorrow to launch the partnership between HIAC and Stand Up Fitness to bring SUP to downtown Tampa. It's going to be 14 hr work day, but let's be honest I don't really work I have fun all day.

Goal
4 1 mile SUP sprints.

Summary
I met my SUP training buddy Jeff Comer at the Post Harbour dock and we were in for a windy one.
Our goal was to gps out 1 mile intervals along Bayshore so we didn't always have to rely on a watch.
By the time we got to the harbour island bridge it felt like I was on a treadmill. I knew an audible would be called. I made it .75 miles to the Davis Island bridge, but Comer was way far back and there were actual white cap swells coming off the bay. I turned around and we decided to head up the hilsborough river towards I275. I enjoyed this route as I hadn't gone this way yet. We made it 2 intervals out and decided to head back. We were both flirting with the over training line so I wasn't trying to be any one's hero today. After each mile interval we took full rest about 3 mins and talked a little. We completed 3 full intervals and about 3.5 miles when we made it back to Comer's dock. He called it a day and I finished up with some sprints to buoy turns until I totaled 4 miles in 58 mins.
Overall happy with my performance considering fatigue level and the 20 mph winds. I'm going to take it easy the next couple of days to save up for a big training run on Sunday.

Too much fun
So the party at HIAC was called the shamrock shake. We are aware that St. Patrick's day was a week ago, but we decided to throw an Irish themed blast anyway. Our parties are quite ridiculous with food from over a dozen different vendors. Pizza, Sushi, French, Mexican, you name it we had it. Our members washed it down with complimentary beer and wine while watching Irish dancers and listening to a live band.However, I might have been the most entertaining part of the evening. I dropped my YOLO original into the pool to market our upcoming programs and before you know it I had 10 kids lined up wanting rides! This was way too much fun. Some of the kids might have been over the weight limit as I nearly sank or fell in a couple of times. 2 kids turned into 3 on the board and the next thing you know I was exhausted and made a run for it. What a cool night!

3/22/11 SUP Intervals, Run Intervals, Short Swim

Goal for today
SUP Intervals- 10 X 3:1 Intervals + 1 Mile at tempo + Water Therapy
Run Intervals 10 minute jog warm up ->10 X 1:1 Intervals->10 minute Jog warm down
Swim 8 laps AFAP

Run Summary
My run volume the last couple of weeks has affected my SUP training so i scaled it back this week.
I started at 10:50 ran 10 minutes past the Davis Island Bridge and started my intervals.
I felt fricking fantastic! I saw a few HIAC members and one of my clients walking down bayshore so I went into show off mode. (I'm a ham I can't help it) I ran my intervals like parqour or whatever they call those crazy runners who are basically stunt men. Bay shore has exercise machines every once in while so I turned them into my obstacles. I hurdled the exercise machines and side walks,  juked out palm trees, and I even tried to long jump the sand pits. Fun!
Total time 45 mins approx 5 miles including walk time.
I ran in my Vibram Kamodo's for the first time today and they felt great, much better than my KSO's. They still need a little breaking in however.

Swim Summary
I've been slacking on my Total Immersion reading, but excelling in my swimming. My form is progressing every time. I am beginning to understand "Swimming down hill" and "floating on my buoy." My bilateral breathing is improving as well.
8 laps in 15 minutes. This is huge for me. A couple weeks ago this took me about 30 mins and I was nearly drowning every time.

SUP Summary
YOLO Eco Trainer
I have been focusing on form a lot lately so I wanted to focus on RPM's. I can't get the image of Brandon Rahae's RPM's in Saturday's race. He literally paddles at least 3 to my 1! Hence the interval I chose today.

I opened the gym this morning so I have been up since 4am. I took a power nap till about 4pm and hit the water around 4:30. I launched from my dock and headed south past the Clearwater Marina.
I hammered out my 3:1's paddling sub 12 min mile pace during the work period and pretty much drifting during the recovery minute. I went 7 intervals out before I turned around and went another Mile at tempo with a focus on form and efficiency. I finished with 10 minutes of "water therapy" where I stare in the water, drift with the current, and simply be thankful for being on the water. As seriously as i have begun to take my SUP training its equally as important to tune back in with why I love the sport in the first place.

I dominated today. If only I felt this good everyday through both workouts.
YOLO!

3/21 SUP Training Journal- Power Phase day 1

So excited to get into the power phase. Specifically NASM's EET(elastic equivalent training) phase
this phase is designed to
- enhance neuromuscular efficiency (brain body connection, how fast and efficient I can control motor skills)
- enhance prime mover strength
- increase rate of force production
- enhance speed strength

Do all of those sound like they could help out in SUP? A big yes and its much more fun than the endurance phase.

Here's a recap of how I have gotten here
November- Corrective Exercise/ Stabilization
December- Strength Stabilization
January- Max Strength
February-Mid March Strength Endurance

This approach is described as a progressive periodized model with a end result of peaking for major races in May and June. My body will never get to "used to a phase" and will continue to progress without plateaus or injury. The idea behind my strategy is to start by building a strong foundation and correcting muscle imbalances. I then added stabilization training to enhance the foundation and protect my joints for the more strenuous training to come. Next I went meat head and tried to get as strong as possible. The more weight the better, but all with a 3 dimensional core focus to make sure the strength was functional. Then onto strength endurance and finally power. In May I will focus on Power Endurance to hopefully be near my peak performance for Key West and the Gulf Coast race.

The EET phase is designed to be 5 reps of about 75% of max followed by a movement of the same muscles groups at low weight about 10% of max or Body weight for 10 reps or 10 sec to ensure max speed. I am starting with 1 minute rest after completing each pair of exercises to not fully recover, but still maximize power out put.

EET workout 1 (3 sets of each block)
Block 1
Power Clean 5 X 115
Tri Plane Squat Jumps w load X 10(round 1 sagital, 2 frontal, 3 transverse)

Block 2
Split Jerk 5 X 115
Hop Press 10 sec (round 1 sagital, round 2 lateral right, round 3 lateral left)

Block 3
Pull-up 5 X BW
TRX muscles up X 10 (I was amazed how much this burned at full speed I can do these all day)

Block 4
DB Bench Press 85 X 5
POP Pushups X10 (wow surprised how little power i had here)

Block 5
Free Motion Straight Arm Lat X5
MB Slams X 10 sec (way too much fun to throw temper tantrums in the middle of the gym)

Block 6
Hammer Strength Jammer 45lb plates X 5
FM Punch X10

Block 7 (the vanity rounds)
DB curls 35's X 5
Band Curls alternating X 10 sec

Block 8
FM Tricep pull down X 5
Dips X 10

I love this workout phase! Can't wait to progress in it!

Beach fun
Erica and I walked to the beach near sunset and played volleyball for about 45 minutes. Remember how fun and effective the idea of "active rest" can be! Burned a lot of extra calories, had fun, and bonded with my beautiful wife.

YOLO!

3/16/11 Strength Endurance Lead by Expert Trainer Jason Grace

I would lie if I wasn't nervous for what Jason was going to do to me today. I was pretty fatigued from yesterday and my heart wasn't 100% into it. That's why having a training partner or hiring a trainer is worth it. Jason got 5 X as much out of me as I would have given by myself. He also introduced me to the best regional band I have heard since Heritage. The Hip Abduction is fricking amazing! They sound as if  Paul Simon, O.A.R., and Dave Matthews got together and had a baby on a remote Caribbean Island. Check them out, they are on facebook. Thank you Amazing Grace.

Fighting Weight
207! My weight loss has begun accelerating again!
Goal 195 by 5/14 (Key West Classic)

Workout- All reps 15 unless noted
Who's Your Daddy, St. Paddy?
Dynamic Warmup - 2 Rounds

TGU x5 each (12kg)  (turkish get up's the best pound for pound exercise in the world)
Starfish Pushup x10  (pushup into a side plank with leg up)
Abduction Squats x10 (ankle band) (got to get glute's firing)
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KB Snatch+Windmill (12kg) (Amazing SUP exercise!)
Towel Grip Pullups (jump @ failure) (kicked my ass)
Crossover Pushups (lat. movement) x10
Suicide x 1 (BBall Court)
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FM "Paddle" (SUP stance) (Innovative move dreamed up by J really worked the eccenctic or negative of the paddle stroke)
Landmine Press (lunge stance)  (cool total press)
FM Warding Patterns (triplanar/ankle band) (best core exercise period)
Skater Jumps (focus on landing/loading) (getting ready for power phase)
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Jason must have smoked crack with a circus clown if he thought we could do this round this late in the workout. I was humming circus music the entire time. My core was gone and I am scared of clowns)
TRX Power Pull (1 hand TRX rows with a weight in free hand)
TRX Incline Pushups x8  (Wow this was hard about a 45 degree pushup, humbling)
TRX Susp. Iso-Lunge MB Slams (Circus music here)
TRX Scorpions x8 (I said no! I love this move, but my core was smoked)
Summary
Brilliant workout! Jason did amazing job of targeting SUP specific muscles and movements. Once the circus music went out of my head I felt amazing and jammed out to the Hip Abduction all the way back to the beach.