101 greatest training tips

"Stop fighting it!"

That's what a fellow marathoner yelled at me years ago in the middle of a very windy out-and-back marathon.

"Don't fight the wind, man," he said. "Wait until the turnaround, then pick up the pace when the wind is at your back."

The sheer simplicity of that advice! Until he mentioned it, I was dug in. Wind be damned, I was going to keep my pace or die trying. Thanks to that veteran marathoner's advice, I did neither. I ended up running a great race.

I've remembered his tip in every windy race and run since. That's the thing about a great piece of advice: Like a trusted friend, it'll always be there when you need it. Here are 100 more memorable running tips, gleaned from experts past and present.

Starting Out

1. Accept the challenge
"Everyone is an athlete. But some of us are training, and some of us are not." —Dr. George Sheehan, runner/writer/philosopher

2. Shoot for this (at least)
"Running 8 to 15 miles per week significantly increases your aerobic capacity, and positively effects many of the coronary risk factors." —Dr. Kenneth Cooper, aerobics pioneer

3. Be a minuteman
"The biggest mistake that new runners make is that they tend to think in mile increments—1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles. Beginning runners need to think in minutes, not miles." —Budd Coates, four-time U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier/coach

4. Wear good running shoes
"Spend at least $60. A good pair of running shoes should last you 400 to 500 miles and is one of the most critical purchases you will make." —John Hanc, author of The Essential Runner

5. Think big (and wide)
"Buy all shoes, both street and running, slightly longer and wider than your bigger foot. Also, avoid pointed shoes. You'll save yourself needless foot pain." —Ted Corbitt, ultrarunner and 1952 Olympic marathoner

6. Take the "talk test"
"The 'talk test' means running at a pace comfortable enough to converse with a training partner—but not so easy that you could hit the high notes in an Italian opera." —Runner's World editors

7. Listen to the rumbling
"If you feel like eating, eat. Let your body tell you what it wants." —Joan Samuelson, 1984 Olympic marathon champion

8. Relax to the max
"When running, let your jaw hang loose, don't bunch up your shoulders close to your ears, and occasionally shake out your hands and arms to stay relaxed." —Dave Martin, Ph.D., exercise physiologist

9. Don't crush the egg
"Don't clench your fists in a white-knuckle grip. Instead, run with a cupped hand, thumbs resting on the fingers, as if you were protecting an egg in each palm." —Runner's World editors

10. Make time for a quickie
"If 15 minutes is all the time I have, I still run. Fifteen minutes of running is better than not running at all." —Dr. Duncan Macdonald, former U.S. record holder at 5000 (set when he was in medical school)

11. Follow Road Rule Number One
"Running against traffic allows the runner to be in command. Anyone who is alert and agile should be able to stay alive." —Dr. George Sheehan

12. Try a "nooner"
"Noontime running provides a triple benefit: daylight, a break from the workday, and a chance to avoid eating a heavy lunch." —Joe Henderson, runner/writer

13. Warm up, then stretch
"Try some light jogging or walking before you stretch, or stretch after you run. Stretching 'cold' muscles can cause more harm than good." —Runner's World editors

14. Stay "liquid"
"Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate! In cold weather and warm. We use water to sweat, lubricate joints, tendons, and ligaments, and to carry blood efficiently to major organs. I work all day at hydrating." —Dr. Alex Ratelle, former masters running great

15. ...But be moderate
"Is beer good for runners? Sure...if it's the other guy drinking it." —Jim Fixx, author of the running bestseller, The Complete Book of Running

16. Listen up!
"You must listen to your body. Run through annoyance, but not through pain." —Dr. George Sheehan

17. Create your own running creed
"My whole teaching in one sentence is: "Run slowly, run daily, drink moderately, and don't eat like a pig." —Dr. Ernst van Aaken, renowned German coach

18. Come ready to play
"Fitness has to be fun. If it isn't, there will be no fitness. Play is the process. Fitness is merely the product." —Dr. George Sheehan

Basic Training

19. Take what you can get
"So-called 'junk miles'—those slow miles done on easy days or during warmups—do count. They burn calories as effectively as fast miles; it just takes longer. Regardless of pace, each mile you run burns about 100 calories." —Hal Higdon, runner/writer/coach

20. Learn from your mistakes
"You find out by trial and error what the optimum level of training is. If I found I was training too hard, I would drop back for a day or so. I didn't run for 5 days before the sub-4." —Sir Roger Bannister, first man to break 4 minutes for the mile in 1954

21. Dare to be different (but not dumb)
"In training, don't be afraid to be an oddball, eccentric, or extremist. Only by daring to go against tradition can new ways of training be learned. The trick is recognizing quickly when a new approach is counterproductive." —Benji Durden, 1980 U.S. Olympic marathoner

22. Reach for fast, low-fat fuel
"Energy bars are good portable food for runners. Look for bars with 4 grams of fat or fewer per 230 calories. Fat slows down digestion." —Liz Applegate, Ph.D., sports nutritionist

23. Go for the goal
"I believe in using races as motivators. It's hard to keep on an exercise program if you don't have a significant goal in sight." —Bob Greene, personal trainer of Oprah Winfrey

24. Think big...but carry a small eraser
"Brainstorm your training goals first, then write them down. Do this in pencil, so you can change some specifics when reality sets in." —Jeff Galloway, Olympic runner/author/coach

25. Show some horse sense
"During long, slow distance training, you should think of yourself as a thoroughbred disguised as a plow horse. No need to give yourself away by running fast." —Marty Liquori, running commentator and former world-class miler

26. Build with care
"If you put down a good solid foundation, you can then build one room after another and pretty soon you have a house. After your base mileage, add hills, pace work, speedwork, and finally race strategy." —Rod Dixon, New Zealand Olympian and 1983 New York City Marathon champ

27. Look at the big picture
"Whether one shall run on his heels or his toes is hardly worth discussing. The main thing in distance running is endurance—and how to get it." —Clarence DeMar, seven-time Boston Marathon champion and U.S. Olympic marathoner

28. Toss out the clutter
"Throw away your 10-function chronometer, heart-rate monitor with the computer printout, training log, high-tech underwear, pace charts, and laboratory-rat-tested-air-injected-gel-lined-mo-tion-control-top-of-the-line footwear. Run with your own imagination." —Lorraine Moller, 1992 Olympic marathon bronze medalist

29. Listen to your body (yes, again!)
"Your body is always trying to tell you where you are. Beware when you become tired and listless, when you lose interest in workouts and approach them as a chore rather than a pleasure." —Dr. George Sheehan

30. Go steady
"Day to day consistency is more important than big mileage. Then you're never shot the next day." —John Campbell, former masters running star from New Zealand

31. Find the right proportion
"If you run 30 miles a week, then about 7 of those—or approximately one-quarter—should be quality miles. Quality miles will boost your aerobic capacity." —Owen Anderson, Ph.D., running writer

32. Stay above bored
"A 40-minute run punctuated with a half-dozen 30-second pace pickups (not all-out sprints) can really jazz up an otherwise boring training run." —Amby Burfoot, Runner's World editor and 1968 Boston Marathon champ

33. Be a "cross-eater"
"Like cross-training, 'cross-eating' adds needed variety to your diet—and life. Expand your nutritional repertoire by trying one new food each week." —Liz Applegate, Ph.D.

34. Ease it back
"After a run, don't rush back into life. Take a few minutes to walk, stretch, relax, meditate." —Runner's World editors

35. Don't force the tissue
"Overly aggressive stretching can actually increase your injury risk." —Tim Noakes, M.D., author of Lore of Running

36. Think globally, act locally
"We wrote our workout schedules in 3-week blocks. My coach and I knew what my immediate goal was—what I was trying to accomplish in the next 3 weeks. But in the back of my mind was the ultimate goal: what I wanted to do months away." —Bob Kennedy, U.S. record holder for 5000 meters

37. Go with mind over grind
"Any idiot can train himself into the ground; the trick is doing the training that makes you gradually stronger." —Keith Brantly, U.S. Olympic marathoner

38. Have fun on your easy runs
"I make sure I have some really enjoyable training runs, remembering to 'smell the roses' along the way. That way I don't become caught up in the training-is-everything syndrome." —Sue Stricklin, top masters runner from the 1970s

39. Have fun on your hard runs
"Do tough workouts that you enjoy. Mile repeats and quarters are more fun for me than fartlek. ["Fartlek" is Swedish for variable-paced, up-tempo running.] I feel better about my running when I do the workouts I enjoy and that I know I benefit from." —Dan Cloeter, two-time Chicago Marathon winner

40. Stay open-minded
"When you try a new type of training, think like a beginner. Just because you can run 20 miles every Sunday doesn't mean you can survive 10 x 400 meters on the track at a fast pace." —Jack Daniels, Ph.D., exercise physiologist, coach, and former world-class pentathlete

41. Be a smart camel
"Before you do your long run, place containers of sports drink out on your course, even if you have to bury them." —Runner's World editors

42. Work on your growl
"The long run puts the tiger in the cat." —Bill Squires, marathon coach

43. Don't always watch the watch
"I don't wear a watch during my long runs. That way I'm not tempted to compare my time from week to week." —Lynn Jennings, three-time World Cross-Country champion

44. Rest assured
"Back off at the first sign of injury. Three to 5 days off is better than missing a month or two. Take regular rest days." —PattiSue Plumer, two-time U.S. Olympian

45. Divide and conquer
"Pick one thing each year that you need to improve, and work on that. It might be improving your diet, getting more sleep, or increasing your mileage. You can't work on everything at once." —Bob Kennedy

Hill Running

46. Join the resistance
"Hills are the only beneficial type of resistance training for a runner." —Arthur Lydiard, Olympic coach from New Zealand

47. "Chip" away at it
"Think chest/hips/push, or CHP, when it's time for uphill running. Chest up, hips forward, push strongly off each foot." —Jeff Galloway

48 Adapt—or weaken
"Running hills breaks up your rhythm and forces your muscles to adapt to new stresses. The result? You become stronger." —Eamonn Coghlan, Irish Olympian and only 40-year-old to break 4 minutes in the mile

49. Up the ante
"Move into a hill session gradually, running the first few repeats moderately and increasing the effort as you go along." —Frank Shorter, 1972 Olympic Marathon Champion

50. Avoid the downside
"The advantage of running hills on a treadmill is you can go up without pounding down the other side." —Ken Sparks, Ph.D.

51. Ramp it up
"If you live in the flatlands, you'll have to be creative about hill training. Deserted highway ramps or parking garages are possibilities, though they pose obvious safety problems. You may want to invest in a treadmill." —Bob Glover, runner/author/coach

52. Grab hold of the rope
"If you're laboring up a steep hill, imagine that a towrope is attached to the center of your chest, pulling you steadily toward the top." —Jeff Galloway

53. Lean into it
"When going down, I lean with the hill. I know I'm doing it right if I feel like I'm going to fall on my face." —Ed Eyestone, RW columnist, coach, and two-time U.S. Olympic marathoner

54. Save something for the summit...
"Don't attack a hill from the very bottom—it's bigger than you are!" —Harry Groves, renowned Penn State coach

55. ...Then take off!
"I've always found it effective in a race to make a move just before the crest of a hill. You get away just a little, and you're gone before they get over the top." —John Treacy, two-time World Cross-Country champion from Ireland Speed Training and Racing

56. Make the switch
"The difference between a jogger and a runner is a race-entry blank." —Dr. George Sheehan

57. Get up to speed
"Three half-mile repeats on the track at 5-K race pace with a short recovery jog in between shouldn't scare anyone away—and it will improve your speed." —Frank Shorter

58. Just "Q" it
"Quality counts, if you want to stay fast. Don't do all your workouts in the comfort zone." —Ken Sparks, Ph.D., top masters marathoner

59. Stay in control
"Run your own race at an even pace. Consider the course, the temperature, the weather, and most importantly, your current level of fitness." —Marty Liquori

60. Be flexible (or else)
"The idea that you can't lose contact with the leaders has cut more throats than it has saved." —Arthur Lydiard

61. Make a pass
"Passing competitors always gives you a lift. It probably has a physical effect, too, because you get a surge of adrenaline." —Libbie Hickman, world-class marathoner

62. Get over it
"If you have a bad workout or run a bad race, allow yourself exactly 1 hour to stew about it—then move on." —Steve Scott, coach and U.S. record holder in the mile

63. Be patient
"Expect to put in 6 to 10 successful track workouts before you begin to see some payoff in your races." —Marc Bloom, runner/writer/coach

64. Keep your finger on the pulse
"If your morning pulse rate is up 10 or more beats above your average, then you haven't recovered from the previous day's training. Take time off or back off until it returns to normal." —Dr. George Sheehan

65. Mix it up
"Fartlek training can help you build strength and endurance, learn race pace, and practice race tactics all in a single workout." —Bill Dellinger, former University of Oregon coach and 1964 Olympic 5000 bronze medal winner

66. Tie the knot
"I double-knot my shoe laces. It's a pain untying your shoes afterward—particularly if you get them wet—but so is stopping in the middle of a race to tie them." —Hal Higdon

67. Observe certain rituals
"Once you find a warmup routine that works, repeat it as habitually as possible."—Ted Corbitt

68. Warm up, don't wear down
"At most, jog easily for 15 minutes before a race. Then stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and lower back. With about 15 minutes to go, maybe do a few strides. But no more—you'll warm up plenty in the early going." —Mark Plaatjes, 1993 World Championships marathon winner

69. Wear the right pair
"Feather-light racing flats might help you run a faster 5-K, but lightweight performance trainers (with better protection and cushioning) are a better choice for most runners, especially in longer races." —Bob Wischnia and Paul Carrozza, Runner's World shoe experts

70. Finish it off
"To develop your kick, finish each repetition faster than you begin it. For example, if you're running 6 x 400 meters on the track, start off at a steady, controlled pace, then subtly shift gears in the last 100 or 200 meters." —Robert Vaughan, Ph.D., coach and exercise physiologist

71. Stay on pace
"It's better to run too slow at the start than too fast and get into oxygen debt, which is what 99.9 percent of runners do. You have to learn pace." —Bill Bowerman, renowned University of Oregon coach

72. Don't dodge the draft
"Slip in behind someone running a similar pace and, yes, draft. It's not illegal. It's not even poor form. On the contrary, it's just plain smart." —Priscilla Welch, former British Olympian and 1987 New York City Marathon champ

73. Snap out of it
"Occasionally pick up speed—for 2 minutes, tops—then settle back into your former pace. Sometimes this is all you need to snap out of a mental and physical funk. Pick a downhill stretch if you can, and really lengthen your stride." —Mark Plaatjes

Marathoning (Training & Racing)

74. Go minimalist
"Marathon training doesn't have to be a grind. By running for about 30 minutes two times a week, and by gradually increasing the length of a third weekly run—the long run—anyone can finish a marathon." —Jeff Galloway

75. Step back a bit
"Build up your mileage in gradual increments, but every third or fourth week, drop back in mileage to recover. This will help you avoid your breaking point." —Lee Fidler, coach and two-time U.S. Olympic Marathon qualifier

76. Don't push it...
"In marathon training, 3 hours slow is better than 2 hours fast." —Pete Gavuzzi, coach of four-time Boston Marathon champ Gerard Cote

77. ...And enough is enough
"Never run more than 3 hours straight in training, whether your marathon best is 2:42 or 4:24." —Ed Eyestone

78. Be vigilant
"During the hard training phase, never be afraid to take a day off. If your legs are feeling unduly stiff and sore, rest. If you're at all sluggish, rest. Whenever you're in doubt, rest." —Bruce Fordyce, nine-time Comrades Marathon champion from South Africa

79. Pamper your muscles
"When I'm training for a marathon, I soak in a hot tub every day, and get a weekly massage." —Anne Marie Lauck, two-time Olympian

80. Try winning combinations
"I include iron with vitamin C in my diet to prevent anemia. Without it, I wouldn't have the energy I need to train." —Joy Smith, 2:34 marathoner

81. Know when it's show time
"Just remember this: Nobody ever won the olive wreath with an impressive training diary." —Marty Liquori

82. Taper on time
"The key step between a great training program and a great race is a great taper. Your last long training run before a marathon should come 3 weeks before the race—not 2." —Pete Pfitzinger, two-time U.S. Olympic marathoner

83. Wait for the weights
"If you strength train, shelve your routine about a month before your marathon, to help you feel fresh on the big day." —Steve Spence, 1991 World Championships Marathon bronze medallist

84. Hone in on the range
"Rather than going into a marathon with just one goal—such as finishing in a very specific time—develop a range of goals so that you increase your chances of success." —Jerry Lynch, Ph.D., marathoner and author of The Total Runner

85. Don't be in a rush
"Thanks to the race-day adrenaline rush, any pace will feel easier than normal. So make a conscious effort to hold back in the early miles." —Lorraine Moller

86. Divide by three
"Divide the marathon into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart." —Mike Fanelli, runner and coach

87. Walk before you crawl
"When using the run-walk method to finish a marathon, the most important walk break comes in the first mile. The second most important one comes in the second mile, and so on. The point is, walk before you become fatigued." —Jeff Galloway

88. Be a little shady
"Squinting intently requires more energy than you can spare over 26.2 miles. So if it's sunny or you're allergic to dust or pollen, wear sunglasses." —Kim Jones, world-class masters marathoner

89. Save up
"To be effective over the last 6 miles of a marathon, one must harbor some sort of emotional as well as physical reserves." —Kenny Moore, writer and two-time U.S. Olympic marathoner

90. Forget about it!
"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming." —Frank Shorter Finish Lines (Miscellaneous)

91. Find a cheerleader
"The primary reason to have a coach is to have someone who says: 'Hey, you're looking good today!'" —Jack Daniels, Ph.D.

92. Be a copy cat
"Visualizing perfect running form will help you stay relaxed. Visualize before the race. Then, once you're in the race, pick out someone who's looking good and running relaxed. This will help you do the same." —Gayle Barron, 1978 Boston Marathon champion

93. Don't overthink it
"In running I go by the axiom that my coach Jumbo Elliott of Villanova used: KISS—Keep It Simple, Stupid." —Marty Liquori

94. Take baby steps
"You can't climb up to the second floor without a ladder. When you set your goal too high and don't fulfill it, your enthusiasm turns to bitterness. Try for a goal that's reasonable, and then gradually raise it." —Emil Zatopek, four-time Olympic gold medalist from Czechoslavakia

95. Muster your mental might
"Keep working on mental attitude. You have to fight that supposedly rational voice that says: 'I'm 50 years old, and I don't have to be doing this anymore.'" —Ken Sparks, Ph.D.

96. Train with someone...
"It may seem odd to hear a coach say this, but I think a really great training partner is more important than a coach." —Joan Nesbit, coach and world-class runner

97. ...Anyone...
"Never underestimate the value of a good training partner, even if it's your dog. Training allies will get you out the door on those days when exercise might otherwise be reduced to a finger on the remote control button." —Runner's World editors

98. ...But sometimes go solo
"The day after a hard workout, I always train alone. If you run with someone else, there can be a tendency to push harder than you should." —Mark Allen, former Ironman champion

99. Find a reason why
"We run to undo the damage we've done to body and spirit. We run to find some part of ourselves yet undiscovered." —John "The Penguin" Bingham

100. Feel the magic...
"For me, running is a lifestyle and an art. I'm far more interested in the magic of it than the mechanics." —Lorraine Moller

101....But do what you must do
"If one can stick to training throughout many long years, then willpower is no longer a problem. It's raining? That doesn't matter. I'm tired? That's beside the point. It's simply that I have to." —Emil Zatopek

GREAT!!!

Benefits of Spinning Exercises

Spinning is a Fun, Calorie Burning Workout

Some exercises are dreadful, others are addictive. I've found spinning addictive. Spinning offers a great cardiovascular workout and has been a key in my lifestyle change that has resulted in a loss of fifty pounds.

Spinning is a cardiovascular cycling workout on a stationary bike on which the tension can be increased, decreased, mileage and lapsed time is kept by a small computer, and calories burned and heart rate can be tracked by using an inexpensive additional heart monitor. Unlike stationary bikes of old, spinning developed as a class in which certified spinners taught routines ranging from strength and endurance training to calorie burners.

Some spinning classes today still have live trainers to encourage spinners and lead them through a heart-healthy workout. Other spinning programs follow video instruction.

When I consider the benefits of spinning on my health and lifestyle there are at least ten benefits to take up spinning as an exercise.

Cardiovascular Health

Spinning is primarily an anaerobic exercise, pulling energy from your reserves and building up your muscular endurance over an extended period of time. However, there are also aerobic benefits of Spinning. Planned Spinning programs include both endurance and cardiovascular training during the workout. At several points you may be required to break your steady pace and speed up to increase your heart rate.

Progress at Your Own Pace

Whether following a live instructor or video, the amount of resistance you apply, as you gain strength and endurance is up to you. Each spinning bike has a resistance control knob within easy reach of the handle bars. It works something like switching gears.

While instructors recommend an RPM, as you work toward increasing your RPM and maintaining a steady pace you can't fall behind the rest of the class. You don't feel out of place for not knowing an aerobic or step routine. No one really knows what level at which you are working, so you are free to progress at your own pace.

I was glad of that when I began spinning and ran the entire class with little to no resistance. I'm glad I can progress at my own pace now, because some days I want to add more resistance and work out harder

Low Impact

I have several friends who avoid the treadmill, elliptical, and stair stepper because of the traumatic impact on their knees or feet. Spinning keeps the pressure off of your knees and feet. You are able to work out hard on a Spinning
bike without hurting your knees and feet. It is also a good
workout for those who cannot use the treadmill or elliptical because of arthritis. I have friends who are able to join a Spinning workout who simply cannot stand the pain of high impact cardiovascular workouts.

Shapely Legs

It will not take long for your efforts on a spinning bike to show up as weight loss, but there is another great benefit to Spinning. Spinning uses large muscle groups in your legs. It does not take long before your thighs, hamstrings, and calves begin to take shape. Three spinning workouts a week will make a difference in the shapely appearance of your.

Lower Your Body's Workout Breaking Point

As you learn to work harder on the spinning bike you will begin to find that the breaking point, at which you begin to feel the workout, will become lower the harder you work. For me, the benefit is that once I reach a breaking point and work through it, I get the natural endorphin kick that most athletes enjoy.

The great thing about working your body into this kind of shape is that you feel better without the use of drugs. You feel better throughout the day following a workout and you have more energy. You are simply training your body to work more efficiently.

Ride Together

Regardless of your fitness level riding Spinning bikes keeps everyone together. This goes beyond sitting in the same spinning class, but each individual works equally as hard at their own level. It is amazing how you can feed off of the energy of other riders when you begin to fatigue and start thinking you might want to quit.

Riding together also gives you the opportunity to encourage others. You can inspire those who have not yet reached your level of fitness, while those stronger than you inspire you. Working together, everyone who spins can reach their goals.

Mental Strength

I've found Spinning does two things for me mentally. First, the warm up and cool down are great ways to relax. Before and after putting my body through a strenuous Spinning workout I can close my eyes, work just a little, and allow the physical exertion to become a catharsis for releasing pent-up emotions.

Spinning also builds mental strength. When you spin, there are good days and bad. The important thing is that you carry through with your regular Spinning routine. Push through difficult times. Push up hill climbs and push through endurance training.

Self discipline of the mind gained in spinning can be applied to all areas of life. I have found it most beneficial in areas of self-control and confidence. Spinning helps develop a positive, "can do" attitude.

Trainers recommend Spinning no more than three days a week. In addition to Spinning, strength training is recommended so that Spinning does not burn away muscle, but burns the fat you want to get rid of.

by Wendy Dawn

Squash - health benefits

Squash is an indoor racquet sport, played by two or four players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. Squash is a fast-moving and high-impact sport that provides an excellent cardiovascular workout but can place strain on the joints, especially the knees.

Although you need a partner to play squash, many squash centres and clubs offer friendly tournaments and games where you can meet and compete with other squash players.

Suitable for all ages

Squash is a game that can be played at any age. It is easy to learn and there are modified games and equipment to suit every size and skill level. Squash can be played for leisure or as a competitive sport.

Health benefits
Squash is a strenuous sport, in which a player can use a lot more energy than most other sports. Squash helps to:

Improve cardiovascular health; a game of squash will see you running, leaping and diving for the ball
Increase strength and fitness
Maintain a healthy weight
Increase flexibility and strength in the back
Promote good coordination, agility and flexibility
Build hand–eye coordination.

Other benefits

Squash also has many other benefits including:
Improved general and psychological wellbeing
Greater self-confidence and self-esteem
Better social skills and an opportunity to make new friends
Improved concentration
Stress release
All weather activity – as it’s an indoor sport, weather conditions don’t prevent you from playing.
Getting started – equipment
Before you set out to play a game of squash, there are certain issues regarding equipment and where you play, that are important to consider:
Racquet – you can choose to either buy you own racket or hire one from a squash centre. Smaller (mini) racquets are available for children.
Ball – the type of ball you use is best determined by the level you play at. The colour of the dot on the ball indicates its speed and degree of bounce.
Clothing – squash requires a lot of movement, so light clothes like t-shirts, shorts and skirts are recommended.
Squash court – you can hire squash courts at a squash or fitness centre for around $15–25 an hour.

Avoiding injury

Squash is a high-impact and very strenuous sport. As it also involves a lot of energy, with frequent stopping and starting, it is important to follow these safety tips:
See your doctor for a check-up if you have a medical condition, are overweight, are over 40 years of age or haven’t exercised for a long time.
Don’t play if you have a heart condition.
Always wear protective eyewear.
Wear purpose-designed squash shoes or indoor court shoes to ensure appropriate grip on the floor and stability to protect your ankles.
Do warm-ups before you begin to play.
Ensure you have shoes with good ankle support.
Drink plenty of water before, during and after playing.
Do cool-down exercises after you finish your game.
Don’t push yourself too far or too fast, especially if you are a beginner.

Things to remember

Squash can be strenuous, so if you haven’t been active for a while and your fitness level is low, have a medical check-up before you start.
Start at a level that suits your fitness.
To prevent serious eye injuries (As CDTRF, I injured neck by rocket), all players should wear eye protection
Drink plenty of water before, during and after playing. (soda can be fine to for mineral loss - CDTRF)

Excerpts taken from "Cycling and Health" compendium and interviews with Prof. Froböse

BACK PAIN Back pain is often the direct result of lack of exercise. This leads to a reduction in nourishment for the inter-vertebral discs. The result is that the function of the discs changes with the discs no longer able to fulfil their allotted task of supporting therequired weight. However, there are three ways in which cycling can help overcome back problems. Firstly, through set physical exercise, the discs receive more nourishment which aids their development. Secondly, the large muscles in the back strengthen and develop through cycling. Lastly, cycling aids the stabilisation of the individual vertebrae relative to one another. This is achieved by strengthening the 'small' muscles responsible for supporting the individual vertebrae.

KNEE JOINTS A general cause of knee pain is often attributed to the breakdown of cartilage. Excessive stress placed on the joint, for example by jogging, or being over weight, restrict or deny the supply of nourishment to the cartilage. Consequently the cartilage is weakened and starts to break down.




The knee starts to hurt as it denied minerals essential to the cartilage. Since the cartilage has no blood vessels of its own, the transfer of minerals occurs through diffusion. Movement of the knee joint therefore encourages the nourishment of the cartilage. Cycling is one of the least stressful ways of exercising the knee joint and therefore is an excellent way of strengthening the cartilage.

HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM The heart is our only "motor" and for this reason we should take particular care of it. Stress symptoms and hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis) for example have a detrimental effect on the heart resulting in high blood pressure. To get through the narrowed blood-vessels the same amount of blood has to travel faster and with fully-closed arteries a heart attack may occur. Cycling can improve the blood circulation in a large number of ways. Most importantly the heart will be working more economically because the pumping performance becomes more efficient - it leads to a drop in the overall blood pressure thus reduces the risk of heart disease.




IMMUNE SYSTEM Infections are one of the prime causes of absenteeism from the work place. One frequent reason is an ineffective immune system leading to allergic reactions and an inability to fight common colds. Cycling improves the quality of the immune system by allowing the body to protect itself against viruses and warding off bacteria. Consequently cycling is the most advantageous method of exercise for strengthening the immune system.

Life after sport? Counseling Professional Athletes Facing Retirement

I see a wonderful article written by Peter-Danton de Rouffignac.

Much of the early research into withdrawal from sport concentrated on the problems faced by younger athletes (all disciplines) retiring from full-time sport at high school or college (university) levels in America.A number of issues were identified which can affect the quality of the transition, and many of these have laid the groundwork for later research into the retirement of professional athletes, and have influenced the approaches increasingly being taken by sports federations and others to helping sportsmen facing retirement. This article examines the main trends and offers some conclusions.

Why athletes retire

As early as 1984, Ogilvie[1] cited three factors that may trigger retirement from professional sport, which he argued could have varying consequences on the young person’s ability to cope with retirement. They were: de-selection, injury and expiration of eligibility, any of which could precipitate the athlete’s (unwilling) exit from sport.

De-selection occurred when the athlete is suddenly dropped from a team or squad and can arise at any time, often without warning and coming as a rude shock to the athlete concerned. De-selection may be due to injury or loss of form, reduced quotas or the arrival of younger, fitter recruits. Later research by Ogilvie and Howe[2] also found that the numbers of young people making the transition from school or university to fulltime or professional sport were extremely low, and that a career at the top levels could be extremely short. According to their findings, as few as 0.021 per cent of American athletes (or 15,000 individuals) reached the level of a university team after high school, and 0.00007 per cent (50 individuals) reached the level of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Even those who made it to the professional ranks could spend an average of just 4.2 years in the national football league (NFL) and even less time in the NBA. The figures for black minority athletes were even more disturbing. Out of 30 million black men and women (population figures at the time of the survey), only one in 460,000 would end up making a career from major football, basketball or soccer leagues during that year; yet 43 per cent of all young black athletes polled believed they would eventually play professional sport as a fulltime career.The researchers placed much of the blame for thwarted ambitions on teachers and coaches who frequently encouraged unrealistic expectations in the young athletes, who in turn discovered that the transition, say, from high school to college level sport was beyond their capabilities, with a resulting shock to their self-esteem.

Another significant cause of retirement was athletic injury, which can strike at any time, and because of its unpredictability can cause additional problems of retirement planning. The level of injuries sustained by American sportsmen ranged from 21 per cent out of 21,000 athletes surveyed in 351 high schools by the University of Iowa in 1993, who were forced to retire from sport; to as many as 66 per cent of all NFL players whose retirement was the direct result of serious injury.

Other commentators have argued that as many as 50 per cent of college athletes retire early due to injury, and in sports such as professional skiing injury rates may reach an alarming one hundred per cent. . While the fulltime professional might be better prepared for an injury that may terminate his career[3], young school and college athletes tended to react either through denial (‘this can’t happen to me’) to ‘toughing it out’, disguising or denying their injury, and continuing to train and practice without informing their coach. Ogilvie and Howe cite examples of anger and resentment expressed by young athletes, against doctors, trainers and coaches who were sometimes imagined as obstructing the injured athlete’s return to competitive sport. Because the young people were single-mindedly dedicated to their sport they sometimes failed to develop other aptitudes and abilities which could provide a substitute when their athletic career came to an end. Lack of proper guidance and counselling, the authors argue, were to blame.

The third principal cause of athlete retirement was found to be expiry of eligibility – the young athlete’s time at school or college simply came to an end, together with the opportunity to remain as a member of the representative team[4]. Research by Blum[5] in 1995 found that academic emphasis was especially low for Black minority athletes – they were recruited on scholarships principally for their sporting prowess, with the result that withdrawal from sport often left them with few career alternatives. The research argued for higher academic standards on admission but noted that this policy might also have the effect of ruling many minority athletes out of sport at the university level.

Athletic identity

Where an athlete has a strong identity with his chosen sport, additional problems of transition can occur at any time. A dominant or exclusive athletic identity occurs when athletes define themselves principally by their role in sport, sometimes to the detriment or exclusion of their personal or social identity.[6]

Levels of athletic identity can be measured by examining the attitudes of the athlete himself, his family, friends and peers to his role in sport.[7] Consequences of a strong athletic identity identified by Meeker et al. include characteristics such as absence or low levels of self-worth outside sport, significant time and energy spent pursuing sport, ignoring the realities of playing professional sport, failure to generate interests and activities outside sport, failure to identify career alternatives in the event of a withdrawal from sport, and experience of depression when unable to continue a career in sport.[8]

Further findings in America[9] have shown that a strong athletic identity can lead to a reduced level of alternative career research, and increased problems after withdrawal or retirement, whenever it occurs. Ogilvie and Howe noted that athletes with a strong sports identity often reported ‘more venting of emotions, mental disengagement, behavioural disengagement, denial, seeking of instrumental social support, suppression of competing activities, and seeking of emotional support during retirement’.[10]

In their research into players retiring from the Australian Football League noted above, Fortunato and Gilbert note: ‘Research suggests that, due to elite athletes’ typically being totally involved in their sport, the majority of their friends and acquaintances and their social activities tend to be found in the sports environment…..Difficulties arise when these athletes are no longer part of the team or organisation. It has been suggested that due to athletes’ restricted social identity and the absence of social support, they may experience feelings of isolation and loneliness, which may lead to significant feelings of distress’.[11]

In a personal account of his retirement from professional sport during his 40s, American world champion triathlete Scott Tinley[12] noted that athletes are strongly defined by their sport, and often their individual role within it (for example, as a goalkeeper or high jumper). Athletes he notes tend to be identified by recognisable external ‘badges’, such as the shaved legs of the professional cyclist or triathlete, their distinctive sports clothing and equipment or their collections of trophies. Reactions to retirement can accordingly include a refusal to give up these symbols, with some athletes attempting repeated comebacks or trying their hand at another sport.

Educational levels

Additional problems can occur on transition where athletes have pursued their sports career to the detriment of their general education. Graduation levels of all student-athletes have been reported as low as 15 per cent in some areas of America to below 30 per cent in others, compared with the overall student body. This has been graphically described as ‘the jock trap’ – the situation in which many student-athletes leave college without an adequate education to fit them for a career outside sport.

Researchers again argue that lack of guidance is to blame, with too much emphasis placed on sporting prowess (and the concomitant fame attached to the college concerned) and insufficient consideration given to developing the young athletes’ academic potential and preparing them for eventual withdrawal from sport. Practical recommendations include individual and group counselling about career options in and outside sport, the need for the athlete to continue lower levels of maintenance fitness and sports activity after retirement, and helping athletes ‘let go’ and make the transition out of fulltime sport and into an alternative life while they are still relatively young.

This theme has been developed by professor J Scott Hinkle of the University of North Carolina[13] who states: ‘Collegiate athletes rarely make it to the pro ranks or to the Olympics. In fact, the majority do not make it to graduation. This reflects a need for career development and life planning with student-athletes in the early stages of their careers. Student-athletes’ career decisions are often postponed due to the intense level of commitment required by their sport participation. Sports counsellors have been successful using interventions which focus on development across the lifespan. In these classes student-athletes are informed and educated about the need for awareness of difficulties that may lie ahead and are taught the skills necessary for problem management’.

Hinkle also notes that participants in minor sports – covering virtually all sports activities except college football and baseball that generate revenues for the university - and embracing swimmers, athletes or gymnasts, also suffer from neglect by their college but still have their share of stress and other difficulties. This is also noted by Dr John F Murray[14] in the sports psychology journal Mental Equipment in relation to athletes within individual sports such as tennis, who often lack the larger social support resources found in team sports. ‘No athlete is an island’ he notes. In another article in the same journal, Dr Murray notes: ‘When your whole life has been geared toward athletic excellence, the prospects of retirement can be dreadful! This is commonplace at collegiate level where 99 per cent of the athletes do not go on to play their sport professionally. Counselling is a way to prepare athletes for the inevitable loss that occurs after the glory is over and only memories remain. As with any loss, people need effective ways to cope. Going at it all on your own might work for some, but I’ll submit that the vast majority of athletes benefit from early discussion and planning for retirement. There is definitely life after sport. Not planning for financial retirement is ridiculous, and failing to plan for the emotional effects of retirement is just as silly’.

Making the break

In their study of athletes’ typical reactions to leaving sport Petitpas et al.[15] cite typical reactions as including feelings of sadness at leaving the sports arena; loss of self-identity; anger at the circumstances surrounding the decision to leave sport; loneliness at separating from team mates; fear of an uncertain future outside sport; loss of confidence towards life; frustration at no longer having a special status as an athlete; fear of being left behind in the career world and having to catch up; frustration over loss of entitlement to privileges such as sponsorship and free travel; and concerns about managing money.

A more recent study is the individual research of Musselman[16] and Planella[17] which included a number of personal case studies based on interviews with eighteen athletes. Similar themes arise and the two researchers jointly summarised their overall findings as follows: ‘All athletes had invested a long time in the sport and had a large part of their identity framed by their success.All athletes experienced the transition period uniquely through particular reactions to factors operating before and at their retirement. Approximately 60 per cent expressed the opinion that their experiences had been a mixed or difficult process.The most significant determinants of successful transition were voluntary departure from the sport, an easing out of the sport, strong social support (provided by family and friends but seldom by coaches and/or sports organisations), pre-retirement planning (although few either chose or were able to access such services), and establishing a new focus either within or outside the sport.The most significant determinants of unsuccessful transition were involuntary departure, loss of self identity, and lack of other replacement activities for the large amount of available time. Achieving specific goals showed mixed responses. Whether individuals felt that they had been recognised within the sport culture appeared to be of most importance. Transition took some time, usually up to three years before athletes felt that the effects were less important. Most of the female athletes had abandoned exercise and express serious concern for weight gains.Generally, athletes were satisfied with the sport experience and given the opportunity would have chosen the same path’.

Occasionally it is the athletes themselves who reveal the traumas they went through on reaching retirement from professional sport. These were highlighted in January 2002, at the launch of a new programme involving the website monster.com and the US Olympics Team. Researchers found that 70 per cent of the athletes interviewed felt the time spent in training and competing had left them at a disadvantage in the job market; more than 60 per cent had or expected an emotional letdown after the Games; and 73 per cent had to work in low-level service jobs while training and pursuing their studies.

American hockey player A J Mleczko speaking of his impending retirement talked of ‘putting your life on hold to pursue a dream’ and adding ‘All of my peers have five years of post-college experience. I don’t know if what I’m doing qualifies me for anything’. Jimmy Pedro, a three-times Olympian and bronze medal winner in the 1996 summer games (judo) comments: ‘Most athletes don’t end up on a cereal packet. They don’t have a bank account. They don’t have a home. They need employment…..Right after (the Olympics) I was being pulled in lots of different directions. My speaking schedule was booked. I was exhausted and drained. When it all died down after three months I was empty, I was lost and I had three kids and had to put food on the table…An entry level salary, acceptable for a 21 year old recent college graduate, is a shock to someone in their thirties trying to catch up. It’s the kind of situation that just adds to the letdown’. But Pedro notes that former athletes make good employees but suffer from their late start and knowing where to begin. He goes on: ‘These are people who work well under pressure, are goal oriented, manage their time well, are used to a team environment, and know persistence and how to hustle. Unfortunately they rarely know anyone outside a small circle. Their network is their coach and their peers, who are going through the same thing’.[18]

Another US hockey player, interviewed[19] spoke of the difficulties he expected to face on retirement. Approaching 30, he admitted he had done little to prepare for his future: ‘I fell victim to it (the life of the professional athlete). Hindsight is 20-20. I am college educated but it’s still going to be a difficult transition for me at age 30….Guys have to take a serious look at the fact that they’re going to need a life after hockey. This isn’t the NHL and I don’t think anyone’s going to get rich playing in the IHL. You’re going to have to have a second career’.

Jean Lussier, a Canadian professional hockey player living in Quebec who had spent time playing in Lausanne (Switzerland) speaks of similar apprehensions.[20] Replying to questions about his plans for the future he notes: ‘I have gone through some difficult patches. I left a world I adored, for me hockey was more than just a simple passion. I have had to readjust. Life here in Quebec is not the same as Switzerland….Though I never wanted to push myself into the spotlight, I still found myself there! But you have to be able to turn the page. From being a public figure you become just another man in the street. Golf has enabled me to meet new people and make new contacts. Sportsmen who withdraw and cut themselves off can spiral into dark depressions. When you’re involved in sport everyone wants to shake your hand. When you become just another citizen, no-one is interested any more’.

Scott Tinley[21] in his personal account of retirement already cited sought recovery by talking to as many fellow athletes as he could during the immediate months of his own withdrawal from sport. He found that the ‘recovery process’ could last from as little as a few months to as much as ten years, with withdrawal symptoms including mental, emotional and physical illnesses. He encountered former athletes who had used drugs or alcohol as part of their survival mechanism, while some attempted or committed suicide, or suffered divorce and family break-up.

Many athletes reported missing their previously well ordered daily routine of training and competition, the foreign travel and the company and support of their team-mates. Without this many complained of the difficulty of ‘finding a reason for living’ or ‘a reason to get up in the morning’. Tinley describes feelings of isolation combined with that of knowing ‘you have to get through this on your own’. On a practical level, he records how his former income dropped by 90 per cent and how he gradually adjusted to his new life as a student and later a university lecturer in California.

Interventions

A number of researchers have also examined the role of interventions by counsellors and sports organisations and their effectiveness in helping athletes in transition, based largely on empirical evidence. Some of their conclusions are now examined.

In their report cited above, Musselman and Planella offered the following suggestions: ‘Prior to the retirement phase athletes:Must be made aware of the potential responses to transition through careful interventions during their participation.Must be encouraged to develop outside interests to provide some balance in their lives.Must be encouraged to recognise the life skills inherently involved in high level sport, such as commitment, time management and establishing long term goals.Should be encouraged to go through a period of reduced activity (detraining and less competition toward the end of their career).Should receive counselling in nutrition and the values of normal exercise. Should receive mentoring from former athletes in managing the experience’.[22]

The authors concluded that coaches and sports organisations should be more empathetic to the needs of retiring and recently retired athletes and institute career search assistance plans for those leaving sport.These sentiments are echoed by Emily Thompson, of Dalhousie University[23] who advises sports coaches as follows: ‘According to the research, the ease with which an athlete makes the transition out of competitive sport is intimately related to the experience they had during their competitive years. An athlete who has had a positive experience in sport and has accomplished what he or she set out to do in sport will be able to handle the challenges of retirement far better than the athlete who has unfulfilled expectations or feels they are being “pushed out” of their sport. To avoid the latter, we should be discussing retirement with our athletes as part of regular career planning sessions. Retirement should not be considered a finite moment in time – where one day the athlete is competing at high level, and the next they are not involved in sport any more. Training and competition at high level is a lot like an addiction – and just like other physical addictions, our bodies need time to adapt to the new demands – and going “cold turkey” can lead to serious and long-lasting side effects. Retiring athletes report having headaches, difficulty sleeping, irritability, a lack of appetite and even depression. By managing their transition we can reduce these unwanted side-effects. Instead, retirement should be viewed as a gradual process where initially the athlete gains an awareness that retirement is approaching, and then he/she experiences a pre-leaving interval, where the coach can offer modified training programmes to counter the physical/psychological side-effects of reduced training. This is followed by the actual act of leaving the sport, and then the athlete is free to explore “life after competition”. Depending upon the athlete, this process may take place over a matter of months or extend over a period of several years. Be aware that how you personally feel about retirement will be relayed to your athletes through words or your actions. Suggesting that it is “not my problem – you work it out” sends the message that you don’t care what happens to them once they stop competing. Avoiding the topic altogether sends the message that retirement is negative, and something to be dreaded and feared. By talking about retirement openly and regularly tells athletes that it is something they need to think about and they should embrace this transition and life after competition, with the same kind of commitment that kept them training throughout their career’.

Hinkle adduces similar arguments as Ogilvie, Blum and others and notes that all student-athletes suffer a number of anxieties arising out of ‘the threat of evaluation by others, lack of self-confidence, and unreasonable expectations from coaches and fans’. These are best treated, he argues, by specialist sports counsellors: the latter are not sport psychologists who focus on issues such as motivation and performances; nor are they coaches who are trained in physical education.

He notes: ‘The counsellor should not neglect the individual for the sake of sports performance or the organization/team for which the student-athlete performs. In contrast to sports psychology, sports counselling’s focus is on the athlete’s development as an individual, including personal and clinical issues associated with sport performance. For example, sports counselling assists student-athletes with reducing stress and anxiety, overcoming fear of failure and success, and burn-out. It also addresses interpersonal issues such as family and marital difficulty. In addition counselling can assist with problem prevention, coping skills; relaxation training; decision-making, life management and career planning; therapeutic strategies and crisis intervention.’[24]

Recognising the symptoms of athlete distress is an essential part of any retirement support programme, according to Petitpas[25] who notes: ‘Although many athletes choose to attend career transition programmes to acquire the knowledge necessary to position themselves to get a job or start a new career, they often have to deal with the emotional meaning of leaving elite sport competition. Our experience suggests that many athletes, particularly those in the midst of disengaging from competition, experience emotions such as fear, sadness and anger during their transition out of elite sport participation. Without getting into a lengthy discourse about the causes of these emotional reactions, they are often political, identity and support systems issues that must be addressed before these individuals are ready to engage in self-exploration activities. This does not imply that all these issues have to be resolved, but only that many athletes will need a safe forum in which to share their feelings.‘Unfortunately, many transitioning athletes believe that few people understand what they are going through. As a result, the first task in any sport career transition intervention is to give the participants opportunities to express their feelings in a forum in which they feel understood’.

Petipas also insists that advisors should be aware of sportsmen’s self-identity issues, and notes:[26] ‘A related issue is what has been called the Olympic self-image. Athletes at elite levels are often revered by fans and placed on pedestals. As a result, it is sometimes difficult for these athletes to imagine themselves in anything but high-paying high-visibility careers that will give them the same types of exciting and compelling experiences that they had during their athletic careers. It is often necessary to ask athletes to recall what it took for them to become elite performers. This will set the stage for looking at sports participation as a first career and for introducing the notion of transferable skills in order to accelerate their rate of advancement within a new career.’

Counselling the athlete in transition

It is clear from the research that the typical athlete faces a unique set of pressures that may require counselling help, especially during withdrawal, which can occur at any stage of his sports career. Elite athletes have invariably entered their sport at a very young age and have already spent several years in training and preparation before being identified by their local or regional federation as candidates for high level training. During their teenage years they have to adjust to a dual or triple role, as young people, as students and as athletes. These multiple roles produce a unique set of pressures, physical as well as mental, at a particularly vulnerable time in the young person’s development. Athletic advancement can often be at the expense of personal development.[27] Other commentators have argued that team welfare is often placed ahead of the personal welfare of the athlete, who may be encouraged to ignore injury and play on ‘for the good of the team’ to the detriment of his own long-term health.[28]

The high visibility of athletes can result in a variety of misconceptions and create further role confusion. Student athletes may be regarded by other students and faculty as ‘dumb jocks’ or a privileged and pampered elite that brings fame and notoriety to their school or university. Educational standards may have been waived to accommodate a promising sportsman and the high profile athlete may enjoy considerable indulgence from teachers and professors. Where this is not the case, the student athlete may have to face a choice of continuing his education or concentrating on the demands of high level sport (training, competition, travel) that may leave him too exhausted to study. Student athletes who participate in non-revenue generating sports may enjoy fewer privileges and yet be expected to perform well academically as well as in sport.[29]

External pressures include those of parents, coaches, federations, clubs and sponsors, who feel they have made an investment in the young athlete’s potential. Some athletes are reluctant to leave their sport because of these outside pressures and occasionally have been known to welcome an injury that offers a face-saving solution and enables them to retire.[30]

Media pressure can range from sudden and sometimes short-lived fame to criticism and violent attack when the athlete falls out of favour or suffers loss of form. The on and off-field exploits of professional soccer players, for example, are continually under a spotlight, as the media have a voracious appetite for alleged financial, marital or sexual scandals. The sportsman’s public profile can also lead to additional demands ‘to give something back to the community’ in the form of charity events or public speaking engagements for which he may have little time or appetite.[31]

As already noted, injury or loss of form can swiftly end a promising sports career at any time, forcing the athlete to disguise or downplay an injury in an effort to carry on and retain a team place, possibly to the detriment of his long term health. Such pressures may also come from irresponsible coaches and sponsors, whose reputations are built on the ability of their protégés to perform. This can lead to conflicts in counselling between team directors and coaches, and personal physicians more concerned about the individual athlete’s long term health.[32]

Barriers to take-up of counselling services

Not surprisingly some athletes turn to various coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drugs, either to enhance their performance or simply keep going, or to compensate for the pain of relegation or abandonment when their sporting career is threatened.[33]

Although several universities, sports federations and public bodies have initiated athlete assistance programmes, there are numerous barriers to their effective delivery. Among them is the sportsman’s own reluctance to use the services offered. This can be for a number of reasons including time constraints (real or imaginary); perceived loss of image (‘I can sort this out on my own’); pressure from peers or coaches; suspicion of outsiders (those not integrated into the athlete’s closed, protective world); misconceptions (the image of counsellors as ‘shrinks’ who deal with ‘head cases’); and the inappropriateness – real or imagined – of the range of services offered (for example an emphasis on career and job finding rather than dealing with emotional or psychological problems). Commentators such as Etzel and colleagues note that visiting a sports psychologist is regarded as acceptable by coaches and athletes if it is to do with performance enhancement or recovering from loss of form; but not if the athlete reports suffering from personal problems (regarded as an admission of failure by the coach).[34]

The same authors argue that by concentrating on motivation psychology and performance enhancement, sports psychologists and practitioners in exercise science may be ill-equipped to assist the athlete in dealing with related problems of anxiety, stress, depression and other psychosocial problems which some estimates suggest affect up to 25 per cent of the US athletic population.[35]

Further research noted by the authors indicates that as many as 70 per cent of the overall student athlete population have reported a need for counselling assistance from their coach.[36] This element is however lacking in a number of athlete support programmes studied by various researchers. A 1989 survey of American baseball and hockey players by Blann and Zaichowsky was critical of the emphasis on work placements, job search and self marketing techniques; while elements that were highly valued by the athletes included ‘seminars and individual counselling’. [37] These findings are again confirmed in the 2003 research undertaken by Fortunato and Gilbert among Australian rules footballers. They note:‘Players who involuntarily retired, that being through injury or de-selection, discussed not receiving adequate social support by their clubs, family or friends. While they obviously did not receive support from their clubs, these players all admitted to being offered support from their family and friends, but stated that their family and friends could not understand what they were going through. This seems to be a case of the players not being ready to accept support, rather than it not being offered. Further research should investigate:

1. factors which lead to perceived “lack” of social support;
2. factors that distinguish when one is ready to accept social support;
3. and the value of counselling from a person not attached to the club or player who is retiring’.[38]
4. 
   

Fortunato and Gilbert also cite three further independent research programmes which have highlighted the need for personal counselling of athletes undergoing transition. Hawkins and Blann’s study (1991) of American elite male and female notes that ‘both males and females agreed that programs using individual counselling or small group counselling would be most effective and that such programs would be most helpful if delivered both during and after their sport careers’.[39]

In designing the American CAPA programme (Career Assistance Program for Athletes) in 1988, the US Olympic Foundation emphasised that important element should include ‘counselling that allows athletes to share their feelings after, as well as before, a transition (eg. retirement) takes place’. A survey among athlete users of the programme noted that among the elements most valued by athletes were ‘small group discussions with other athletes, sharing feelings with other athletes’, which led to changes in the design of the programme (sadly, suspended in 1993 due to lack of funding).[40]

In the conclusion to their own study of Australian Rules football players, Fortunato and Gilbert note:‘A footballer needs to manage the transition experience from player to non-player effectively. This may be achieved through individual counselling which deals with some of the following issues:

1. self identity
2. social support
3. coping skills
4. managing change
5. developing a sense of control.

…….The nature of the counselling should take into account findings from this research that different issues are important to different types of retirees. For injured athletes the loss of career, the feeling of being “robbed” seemed to be paramount. For de-selected players, while this was an important issue, the focus of their anger and resentment was towards the club that had discarded them, often wrongly in their view. It is likely that the issues for voluntary retires at career end would be different from these groups’.[41]

Conclusion

During my own researches into retirement from sport, I have often been surprised and sometimes moved by the vulnerability of professional sportsmen, which is often at variance with their perceived tough-guy public image. Sports federations, professional clubs, coaches – and even dare I say sports psychologists – may sometimes fail the individual by not recognising that behind every dieu du stade there is a vulnerable human being. It is only through sports counselling that practitioners can start to address the many personal issues faced by professional sportsmen, not least at a time when they are experiencing a transition out of sport and into real life.


Peter-Danton de Rouffignac is a sports counsellor specialising in sports retirement and has researched many of the issues raised in this article, in association with INSEP, the French national sports training centre. ‘Life after sport,’ is available in draft by request to anyone interested in this topic and might like to contribute to ongoing research. Email peter-danton@orange.fr

http://istadia.com/article/peterdanton/110

Can there be an Iron man in reality?

A near indestructable armor over exoskeleton frame that gives speed and strength as well as ability to fly. As well as enough weaponry to take on tanks by him or herself.

We have known for awhile that the military has been investing in these technologies. Exoskeletons, jet packs, advance armor, etc.

Is it realistic? Maybe not?

Probably the cost, as well as technical nightmare to produce such a suit.

Personal body armor is a concept so integral to the human psyche that it's constantly manifested in fantasy and myth even when it's lacking in contemporary culture. Ironman is on such representation of the phenomena. KAI...

Aha....forget CDTRF....at least now. And give me a real ironmen sample xD

Ok here the one of the best shot as below;

This photo is really great...Mark Allen and Dave Scott going 'head to head' at the Hawai ironman. This was the most inspirational of images when to me when it come out on the front of the triathlon magazines. They look so fit/lean and were pushing themselves to the limit. They are purely REAL Ironmen.

Inside the Mind of a Serial Runner

For Pam Reed, a marathon is nothing — a morning warm-up before starting her day. Running through a desert for 28 hours in temperatures so hot the asphalt melts your Nikes? Now that's a race.

As she tells it in her new autobiography The Extra Mile (Rodale), Reed helped put ultrarunning on the extreme-sports map. In 2002 she became the first woman ever to win the Badwater Ultramarathon, a brutal 135-mile race across Death Valley in July. In 2003, she beat out all 80 competitors again and remains the only woman with the first-place title.

Last year, Reed became the first person to run 300 miles nonstop with no sleep. She holds the U.S. women's record for running the most miles in 24 hours (138.96), and she once completed the London Marathon and the Boston Marathon (she has run the latter twice) in 48 hours.

Is she crazy? "Maybe a little," says Reed, laughing. However, the 100-pound mom prefers the word "driven." "When a race is over, I'm definitely happy," she explains, "but within a couple of days or even an hour, I want to do it again. I want to see if I can do better."

In her book and in conversation, Reed comes off as complex, intense, even contradictory. She describes herself as an easily bored type A, yet she'll gladly run laps around the same quarter-mile track for two days straight. She claims to compete only with herself but has taken flack for supposedly dueling with 2004 Badwater champ Dean Karnazes.

Reed credits ultrarunning with healing her relationship with food. For 15 years, she battled anorexia. "I look at food now as fuel," says the former triathlete, who ingests Ensure, Red Bull, noodles and oatmeal during a race (often while running). "If I don't eat, then I can't do what I want to do. I see food now as a positive thing."

She shoots down the suggestion that her anorexia actually prepped her for the deprivations of her sport. "A lot of people think that," she says, "but it didn't." Instead she points to a surprising secret weapon: her age. "A huge aspect of ultrarunning is patience," explains Reed, who is 45. "And patience comes with age. I am not a really fast runner. I broke three hours in a marathon once. But in ultrarunning, it's not about speed — it's about heart.

"It's about how strong you are mentally," she adds. "And that's where I draw from my experience. I know that the pain is going to pass. I know what's on the other end."

Gender, too, plays a role, she believes, in her ability to run with a throbbing hip or feet studded with blisters. "When you look at who finishes these races, there's a ton of women at the top," she says. "Mentally, women are really strong, because physically, we go through so much. We can endure a lot."

Still, Reed insists that she isn't "inhuman." Or amazing. She believes that with practice and dedication and a crew of race assistants, you, too, could be running, Gump-like, up 8,000-foot inclines in 130-degree heat.

"I want to bring ultrarunning to the average person," says Reed. "It's not so outrageous to say, 'I'm going to run 50 miles.' You just have to put your mind to it." Just make sure your doctor says you're healthy enough for this kind of exercise.

She compares each race to "living a lifetime," with ups and downs as dramatic as the terrain. The past year has been especially tough: Reed, who recently moved to Jackson, Wyoming, had to drop out of Badwater 2006 and reports that she is running with more pain. Yet don't count this gritty groundbreaker out of the race. She's talking about attempting a run of 500 miles straight.

By: Alicia Potter
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