To help you get plugged into a local swim program, the following list has been compiled.
**Magnolia Aquatics:
Coached Workouts Every Saturday @ 6:30am - 7:30am, Sunday @ 1pm-2pm and Wednesday 7:00pm-8:00pm at Magnolia ISD Natatorium (14350 FM 1488, Magnolia, TX 77354)
Private Stroke Technique Lessons on Wednesday and Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Magnolia-Aquatics-Club-Masters/143062749049828?v=info
• $80 (10 swim) Punch Card
• $45 (5 swim) Punch Card
• $10 drop in rate
**Woodlands Master Swim Team:
See website for practice schedule. http://www.wmst.net/
WMST Fees
CISD/Northampton Program Payment Options
We encourage all of our members to consider buying a membership pass card. For the swimmer who plans on attending regularly, pass cards are the cheapest option since they allow for unlimited swim practices during the time period of the card. They are automatically renewed just before they expire.
The fees for a Membership Pass Card are:
• $68 Monthly
• $195 Quarterly: 3 month card, breakdown $65/month (Billed in January, April, July, October)
• $372 Semiannually: 6 month card, breakdown $62/month (Billed in January and July)
• $720 Annually : 12 month card, breakdown $60/month (Billed in January)
We offer punch cards for those swimmers who are not sure how often they will get to practice:
SWIM Punch Card fees
• $75 (10 swim) Punch Card
• $140 (20 Swim) Punch Card
Punch cards must be requested for renewal, ideally before they are finished. Allow 2 business days to process punch cards. If you run out of punches, have requested a new card, and would like to swim before the new card is ready, you may pay the Drop In Fee of $8.00 (exact cash or check made out to WMST) to the coach on deck. Please use this option only as a last resort! Visit the Punch Card Request tab ( click here) for renewal details. We offer special rates for the 18-24 age group and to full-time college students of any age.
**True Blue Aquatics:
Looking for a swim coach? Steve Breeding provides personal and group coaching in the Woodlands. With over 30 years as a competitive swimmer and coach Steve will begin with a consultation and then evaluation to thereafter design a program to fit your goals. For more details contact Steve at
832-563-7023.
**OutRival Racing Tri-Specific Swim Sessions:
OutRival Racing Triathlon-Specific Swims, Mondays, Noon-1PM, year-round
Location: Conroe ISD Natatorium (behind Sam's Club on I-45N).
Swim practice is mostly freestyle and includes tips on how to swim in open water.
Swimmers of all abilities welcome! Free for OutRival Racing Team members.
Punch-cards:
• $10 for 1 session
• $35 for 5 session punch-card
• $60 for 10 session punch-card
Contact us at info@outrivalracing.com to register. First session is free!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
The 10 Best Protein Sources for Runners
The 10 Best Protein Sources for Runners
Updated: Dec 13th 2010 2:47 PM EST by Matt Fitzgerald
Protein is important for runners, and some sources are better than others.
Written by: Matt Fitzgerald
Protein is a very important component of a runner’s diet. Your muscles are, after all, made of protein. And the protein you include in your marathon training diet or triathlete diet needs to be adequate to promote fast muscle recovery after workouts and to ensure that your muscles adapt fully in response to your training.
That said, some dietary protein sources are better than others. The best protein sources are those that offer a balanced profile of amino acids (amino acids are the “building blocks” of proteins), the highest concentrations of protein, lots of other essential nutrients, and healthy fat profiles. Here are our top 10 recommended protein sources for runners.
Albacore Tuna
Few foods provide more protein per calorie than albacore tuna. One can of white albacore tuna packed in water provides 41 grams of high-quality protein in just 220 calories. Albacore tuna is also a good source of vitamin B12, a very important vitamin for runners because of its role in cellular energy production.
Almonds
Plant foods do not provide as much protein—or as high-quality protein—as animal foods. But when it comes to plant foods, almonds are a very good protein source. One ounce of dry-roasted, salted almonds contains six grams of protein. Almonds are also an excellent source of vitamin E, fiber, and unsaturated fats.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
One of the leanest protein sources, a single skinless chicken breast supplies 28 grams of protein with a mere 2.5 grams of fat. Chicken breasts are also easy to prepare in all kinds of tasty ways.
Chocolate-Flavored Skim Milk
Skim chocolate milk is an ideal post-workout recovery food. In addition to providing dairy protein for muscle repair, it offers carbohydrate to restock muscle glycogen and water for rehydration. Studies have shown that athletes perform better in their next workout when they drink chocolate milk following an initial workout than they do after drinking a sports drink.
Eggs
For a number of years, eggs had a bad reputation because of their high cholesterol content. But we now know that the cholesterol in eggs does not increase the cholesterol levels of those who eat them regularly. What’s more, a single egg contains 17 grams of protein, and the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAA) of egg protein is a perfect 1.0. PDCAA is a measure of the amino acid balance in protein sources.
Grass-Fed Beef
Everyone knows that beef is high in protein. But some cuts contain a lot more fat than others. For example, a six-ounce serving of pot roast contains 32 grams of fat, whereas an equal serving of London broil has just eight grams of fat. So be sure to always choose leaner cuts of beef. Also, grass-fed beef is leaner than the usual grain-fed beef. A six-ounce beef loin from a grass-fed cow contains roughly 92 fewer calories than a six-ounce loin from a grain-fed cow.
Low-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt contains two forms of milk protein, whey and casein, both of which have perfect PDCAA scores of 1.0. Milk proteins are also rich in a protein fraction called glycomacropeptide (GMP), which is a powerful hunger killer. Therefore, calorie for calorie, low-fat dairy foods, such as low-fat yogurt, satisfy the appetite longer than most other foods. They are also a great source of calcium.
Roasted Turkey Breast
From a protein perspective, you can’t do much better than to have a turkey sandwich (on whole-grain bread, hold the mayo) for lunch. A three-ounce serving of roasted turkey breast supplies 24 grams of high-quality protein. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, and selenium.
Soy
Soy is probably the best plant source of protein. Its PDCAA score is a very solid 0.91. And there are so many delicious ways to include soy in your diet, including tofu, edamame, soy milk and soy-based yogurt, soy burgers, and soy protein powdered drink mixes.
Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate is probably the closest thing to a perfect protein source. Whey protein has the highest biological value (another score like PDCAA that measures protein quality) of any protein and is rich in the hunger-killing protein fraction, GMP. Numerous studies have found that whey protein supplementation accelerates post-workout recovery, enhances muscle performance, and even promotes weight loss by reducing appetite. You can find whey protein isolate in a variety of powdered drink mixes, nutrition bars, protein waters, and other products.
Wild Salmon
In addition to containing 44 grams of protein per six-ounce serving, wild salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to boost brain and heart health and fight inflammation. (Farmed salmon has lower levels of omega-3s.) To get adequate amounts of omega-3 fats in your diet, you should consume fish at least twice a week.
Updated: Dec 13th 2010 2:47 PM EST by Matt Fitzgerald
Protein is important for runners, and some sources are better than others.
Written by: Matt Fitzgerald
Protein is a very important component of a runner’s diet. Your muscles are, after all, made of protein. And the protein you include in your marathon training diet or triathlete diet needs to be adequate to promote fast muscle recovery after workouts and to ensure that your muscles adapt fully in response to your training.
That said, some dietary protein sources are better than others. The best protein sources are those that offer a balanced profile of amino acids (amino acids are the “building blocks” of proteins), the highest concentrations of protein, lots of other essential nutrients, and healthy fat profiles. Here are our top 10 recommended protein sources for runners.
Albacore Tuna
Few foods provide more protein per calorie than albacore tuna. One can of white albacore tuna packed in water provides 41 grams of high-quality protein in just 220 calories. Albacore tuna is also a good source of vitamin B12, a very important vitamin for runners because of its role in cellular energy production.
Almonds
Plant foods do not provide as much protein—or as high-quality protein—as animal foods. But when it comes to plant foods, almonds are a very good protein source. One ounce of dry-roasted, salted almonds contains six grams of protein. Almonds are also an excellent source of vitamin E, fiber, and unsaturated fats.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
One of the leanest protein sources, a single skinless chicken breast supplies 28 grams of protein with a mere 2.5 grams of fat. Chicken breasts are also easy to prepare in all kinds of tasty ways.
Chocolate-Flavored Skim Milk
Skim chocolate milk is an ideal post-workout recovery food. In addition to providing dairy protein for muscle repair, it offers carbohydrate to restock muscle glycogen and water for rehydration. Studies have shown that athletes perform better in their next workout when they drink chocolate milk following an initial workout than they do after drinking a sports drink.
Eggs
For a number of years, eggs had a bad reputation because of their high cholesterol content. But we now know that the cholesterol in eggs does not increase the cholesterol levels of those who eat them regularly. What’s more, a single egg contains 17 grams of protein, and the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAA) of egg protein is a perfect 1.0. PDCAA is a measure of the amino acid balance in protein sources.
Grass-Fed Beef
Everyone knows that beef is high in protein. But some cuts contain a lot more fat than others. For example, a six-ounce serving of pot roast contains 32 grams of fat, whereas an equal serving of London broil has just eight grams of fat. So be sure to always choose leaner cuts of beef. Also, grass-fed beef is leaner than the usual grain-fed beef. A six-ounce beef loin from a grass-fed cow contains roughly 92 fewer calories than a six-ounce loin from a grain-fed cow.
Low-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt contains two forms of milk protein, whey and casein, both of which have perfect PDCAA scores of 1.0. Milk proteins are also rich in a protein fraction called glycomacropeptide (GMP), which is a powerful hunger killer. Therefore, calorie for calorie, low-fat dairy foods, such as low-fat yogurt, satisfy the appetite longer than most other foods. They are also a great source of calcium.
Roasted Turkey Breast
From a protein perspective, you can’t do much better than to have a turkey sandwich (on whole-grain bread, hold the mayo) for lunch. A three-ounce serving of roasted turkey breast supplies 24 grams of high-quality protein. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, and selenium.
Soy
Soy is probably the best plant source of protein. Its PDCAA score is a very solid 0.91. And there are so many delicious ways to include soy in your diet, including tofu, edamame, soy milk and soy-based yogurt, soy burgers, and soy protein powdered drink mixes.
Whey Protein Isolate
Whey protein isolate is probably the closest thing to a perfect protein source. Whey protein has the highest biological value (another score like PDCAA that measures protein quality) of any protein and is rich in the hunger-killing protein fraction, GMP. Numerous studies have found that whey protein supplementation accelerates post-workout recovery, enhances muscle performance, and even promotes weight loss by reducing appetite. You can find whey protein isolate in a variety of powdered drink mixes, nutrition bars, protein waters, and other products.
Wild Salmon
In addition to containing 44 grams of protein per six-ounce serving, wild salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to boost brain and heart health and fight inflammation. (Farmed salmon has lower levels of omega-3s.) To get adequate amounts of omega-3 fats in your diet, you should consume fish at least twice a week.
Row Your Way To Triathlon Fitness
Row Your Way To Triathlon FitnessUpdated: Nov 10th 2010 6:17 PM EST by Training
Discover how incorporating the rowing machine into your workouts can benefit your training.
Written by: Tawnee Prazak
The rowing machine is as versatile as the triathlete. In one rowing workout, major muscle groups for swimming, biking and running are put to work—no transition required. Rowing develops strength, power and aerobic endurance simultaneously. “Rowing is the endurance athlete’s secret weapon that no one wants to talk about,” says longtime triathlon coach and triathlete Robert Beams.
Why Rowing
At first glance, rowing appears to be a swimspecific workout. While this is true to an extent, it’s the bike that gets the biggest boost from rowing. “From a triathlete’s perspective, rowing develops power for cycling better than it does for swimming,” says Will Kirousis, a triathlon and cycling coach. “It’s majority legs; the arms just finish the movement.” Explosive leg power comes into play during the drive phase of rowing. Just look at the triple-digit wattage—arms alone can’t do that.
Still, don’t discount the benefits of rowing for swimming. Rowing builds upper-body and core strength, and the arm pull-through phase mimics the catch phase of a swim stroke. Beams says he’s seen athletes shave seconds off their average 100-metre pace after taking up rowing. “It can’t improve technique but it does build strength,” he says. “It’s also a great tool for increasing range of motion in the shoulders and back.”
Then there’s the cardiovascular fitness component. The full-body constant motion nature of rowing is effective for building aerobic and/or anaerobic endurance. Rowing packs a double punch: It enhances cardio fitness while you strength train.
When to Row
Rowing can break up the monotony of swim-bike-run without taking you too far from the specificity of triathlon. Incorporate it into gym days—row 500 to 1000 metres before or after lifting weights—or do a brick workout that combines rowing with a spin class, running or even a swim.
Rowing is a reasonable substitute when swimming in a pool or open water isn’t possible. Also, rowing is non-weight-bearing, making it useful in rehab situations. “It can keep you healthy and in the game if you’re dealing with an injury,” Beams says.
Just don’t overdo it. “Don’t let rowing replace swim-bike-run, Kirousis says. “Remember, it’s just a cross-training tool. While in season, row after a major event or in a transition period to clear your head. In off-season, use it to build fitness.”
How to Row
Like swimming, rowing is highly technical. Doctor and rowing coach Thomas Mazzone identified the phases of rowing as catch, drive, finish and recovery. In the catch phase, the arms are extended and the legs fully bent. The legs are responsible for initiating force in the drive phase. When the legs reach the point of half extension, the arms follow with a strong pull, bringing the bar into the chest. The legs then extend as you reach the finish, followed by the arms releasing into the recovery. It’s important to maintain good posture throughout the entire movement; don’t slouch or hunch over, especially during the catch. However, it is okay for the back to have some forward-backward movement to enhance power.
A Few Key Considerations
- Don’t set the resistance too high—your power output will drop faster than you might think.
- Set the resistance in the middle and maintain a high velocity and consistent force.
- Don’t hyperextend the knees during the pushback part of the drive, and don’t allow the knees to bow outward.
- There should be no interference between arms and knees. If the bar hits your knees, fiddle with your technique.
Discover how incorporating the rowing machine into your workouts can benefit your training.
Written by: Tawnee Prazak
The rowing machine is as versatile as the triathlete. In one rowing workout, major muscle groups for swimming, biking and running are put to work—no transition required. Rowing develops strength, power and aerobic endurance simultaneously. “Rowing is the endurance athlete’s secret weapon that no one wants to talk about,” says longtime triathlon coach and triathlete Robert Beams.
Why Rowing
At first glance, rowing appears to be a swimspecific workout. While this is true to an extent, it’s the bike that gets the biggest boost from rowing. “From a triathlete’s perspective, rowing develops power for cycling better than it does for swimming,” says Will Kirousis, a triathlon and cycling coach. “It’s majority legs; the arms just finish the movement.” Explosive leg power comes into play during the drive phase of rowing. Just look at the triple-digit wattage—arms alone can’t do that.
Still, don’t discount the benefits of rowing for swimming. Rowing builds upper-body and core strength, and the arm pull-through phase mimics the catch phase of a swim stroke. Beams says he’s seen athletes shave seconds off their average 100-metre pace after taking up rowing. “It can’t improve technique but it does build strength,” he says. “It’s also a great tool for increasing range of motion in the shoulders and back.”
Then there’s the cardiovascular fitness component. The full-body constant motion nature of rowing is effective for building aerobic and/or anaerobic endurance. Rowing packs a double punch: It enhances cardio fitness while you strength train.
When to Row
Rowing can break up the monotony of swim-bike-run without taking you too far from the specificity of triathlon. Incorporate it into gym days—row 500 to 1000 metres before or after lifting weights—or do a brick workout that combines rowing with a spin class, running or even a swim.
Rowing is a reasonable substitute when swimming in a pool or open water isn’t possible. Also, rowing is non-weight-bearing, making it useful in rehab situations. “It can keep you healthy and in the game if you’re dealing with an injury,” Beams says.
Just don’t overdo it. “Don’t let rowing replace swim-bike-run, Kirousis says. “Remember, it’s just a cross-training tool. While in season, row after a major event or in a transition period to clear your head. In off-season, use it to build fitness.”
How to Row
Like swimming, rowing is highly technical. Doctor and rowing coach Thomas Mazzone identified the phases of rowing as catch, drive, finish and recovery. In the catch phase, the arms are extended and the legs fully bent. The legs are responsible for initiating force in the drive phase. When the legs reach the point of half extension, the arms follow with a strong pull, bringing the bar into the chest. The legs then extend as you reach the finish, followed by the arms releasing into the recovery. It’s important to maintain good posture throughout the entire movement; don’t slouch or hunch over, especially during the catch. However, it is okay for the back to have some forward-backward movement to enhance power.
A Few Key Considerations
- Don’t set the resistance too high—your power output will drop faster than you might think.
- Set the resistance in the middle and maintain a high velocity and consistent force.
- Don’t hyperextend the knees during the pushback part of the drive, and don’t allow the knees to bow outward.
- There should be no interference between arms and knees. If the bar hits your knees, fiddle with your technique.
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