Endurance
When the world's top athletes march into Torino Stadio Olimpico for the opening ceremonies of the Winter Games in Italy this February, they will embark on a 16-day quest to determine the best of the best in 14 sports—plus curling. We asked Eric Heiden, 47, five-time 1980 gold medalist-turned-head physician for the U.S. speed-skating team, to help identify which U.S. athlete would have the best tips for weekend warriors who want to improve endurance, power and speed. His answers were both predictable, "Speed skaters know from fit," and surprising, "Cross-country skiers are, hands down, the fittest." Use the Olympic advice assembled here to help you improve your 5K time or power through your turns on the slopes. (Sorry, curlers: Scrubbing ice with a broom didn't make the cut.)
Rebecca Dussault, Cross-Country Skiing
Considered America's best bet to bring home a medal in cross-country skiing, this resident of Colorado has won seven U.S. national championships.
Main Ingredients: "I've done so many sports, and this is by far the one that hurts the worst," says Dussault, 25. "Both strength and endurance are huge components."
How She Prepares: Dussault endurance-trains every day and hits the weights three times a week. "Cross-country skiers are some of the most fortunate athletes, because whatever trains us cardiowise can be considered cross-country training. I roller-ski, run, bike, hike, and even rock climb to get a workout."
STEAL THIS MOVE: This routine works equally well for runners who want to improve in endurance races such as a 5K or 10K and for Nordic skiers. Try it outside or on a treadmill.
• Jog slowly for 15 minutes as a warm-up. • Then, to loosen leg muscles, sprint for ten seconds and follow with a ten-second jog. Repeat.
• Run at your 5K race pace for two minutes.
• Jog for two minutes.
• Repeat the two-minute speed intervals six to eight times, with a recovery jog after each.
• Jog 10 to 15 minutes as a cooldown.
Keep in Mind: If you can't hold your form and speed after a few repeats, stop. Next time, slow it down
Power
Vonetta Flowers, Bobsledding
When Birmingham, Alabama-native Flowers, 32, and teammate Jill Bakken won the women's bobsled in Salt Lake City in 2002, they were the first Americans to medal in the sport since 1956.
Main Ingredients: "Bobsledding combines power and speed," says Flowers. "Therefore I do a lot of strength training, running hills and stadium stairs, pulling a weighted sled, and sprint training with leg weights."
How She Prepares: During peak training, Flowers spends about three and a half hours each day speed training and three to four hours strength training by lifting weights and doing core-strengthening exercises.
STEAL THIS MOVE: Most of Flowers's strength exercises can be done around the house: This low-weight, high-rep routine will help prevent shoulder injuries among paddlers and climbers. • Stand and press your back firmly against a wall, with your arms at your sides, holding small dumbbells or soup cans in your hands, palms facing in.
• Slowly raise your arms to shoulder height, being careful not to arch your back.
• Hold this position for one or two seconds, then lower your arms.
• Do five sets of ten repetitions.
Keep in Mind: As with all strength workouts, proper form is essential. Your
Speed
Speed Skating FitzRandolph, 29, took up speed skating at age four in Wisconsin the same winter Heiden made history in Lake Placid, New York. In 2002 FitzRandolph won gold in the 500-meter (547-yard) sprint, making him the world's fastest man on ice.
Main Ingredients: "Speed skating demands power and explosiveness," says FitzRandolph. "But if you don't have endurance, you start to pay the price after your first lap."
How He Prepares: During peak season, FitzRandolph works out five hours a day, split evenly between strength and endurance training. During the summer, a majority of his distance workouts are on a road bike, which engages similar muscles to speed skating.
STEAL THIS MOVE: This tempo workout will improve your endurance when tackling hills on a bike. You can do it on the slopes or trail with a flat area at its base or try using a resistance trainer.
• Ride for 15 to 20 minutes as a warm-up. • Pedal uphill at a sprint, about 80 percent of your maximum pace, for 45 seconds to a minute.
• Glide down the hill, and ride slowly on the flats for six minutes.
• Repeat six times.
• Ride for 10 to 15 minutes as a cooldown.
Keep in Mind: Your goal is consistency of speed from the first rep to the last. If you can't keep pace, you've reached the point of diminishing returns.
DHEA: The Wonder Steroid? The Truth About DHEA
The Big Idea: The steroid DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) has been touted as a wonder pill that pumps up muscle mass, increases endurance, and amplifies one's sense of overall well-being. Sounds like something the FDA should be keeping a closer eye on, right? Turns out, Congress excluded DHEA from the list of supplements it banned in April 2005. Today, you can purchase the pills at your local health food store.
The Reality: If you're under 40, as I am, your body already produces ample DHEA. I tried a doctor-suggested five-milligram-a-day dose for a month and didn't feel a thing. After age 40, though, natural DHEA nose-dives, which is why the supplement has grown popular among mature triathletes. But according to Owen Anderson, Ph.D., editor of Running Research News, older athletes can reap the same benefits (greater strength, enhanced well-being) and avoid nasty side effects ("backne," anyone?) by simply improving their training: "Reach for higher-quality training, not the pill bottle."
Source:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0512/sports/olympians.html
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