Wearables v. Unplugged

UNPLUGGED? DIGITAL ADDICTION IS ATTRACTING ATTENTION

Unplugged Jeb Wallace-Brodeur; Winter hikers from Vermont unplugged as they descend from the summit of Mount Flume in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.

Time to deliver the mail, to deliver you on target in this new year and make the most of your time. Before we do that let’s take one step back and ask a key question. Could you go one day a week unplugged? That means not plugged into a device of any sort, but plugged into the moment, plugged into reality, instead of virtual reality. If the answer is no, you could not go a day without your device, maybe that is your new year’s resolution. To plug back into you and those around you!

If the answer is no, then let’s figure out why. Or, as this is a fitness article, let’s figure out if your devices are serving you or are you serving them? We know from brain imaging that a ping, ring or vibration for most people activates a dopamine squirt in the brain. Simply put, dopamine is a chemical created in your brain that is generally released and is associated with a reward response. However, too much “reward”, like too much of any good thing, can quickly become not a good thing. That is why we’re now seeing more and more digital addiction as devices surround us every day. Hence, the pressing need to unplug on a regular basis.

But let’s go back to the first sentence. Mail delivery; how does that relate to what the fitness world and to what marketers are calling wearables? Before wearables, we relied on training by feeling, or what exercise physiologists called RPE, rate of perceived exertion. There are a variety of RPE scales, 1-10 and 6-20 tend to be the most common scales used. The scales correlate on the lower ends with exercising easily, and as the scale progresses, exercise increases from moderate to hard at the top end of an RPE scale. Training by feeling is like delivering the mail to the right street. It generally gets you close to the destination of exercise that is on target.

One of the first wearables, in a consumer sense, is now known as the ubiquitous heart rate monitor (HRM). A heart rate monitor simply does that, measure your response to exercise, which is generally associated with an increase in heart rate as exercises becomes more difficult. Training by heart rate will show several patterns over time, but I would argue that training by heart rate is like delivering the mail to the right block on a street. It gets you close to the intended address, but not to the exact house all the time. The house you’re trying to deliver your mail to is the house that has the right intensity of exercise at the right time. The danger with heart rate training is generally most people just play the high heart rate Olympics, seeing how high they can get their heart rate up each workout. This isn’t a system that will support sustainable fitness. Rather it is a system that will ensure that the mail will get farther and farther away from the intended address as time goes on, farther from becoming a fit, happy and healthy person.

Perception and heart rate are fickle responses to a variety of stressors. They are affected by many variables. The key ones are generally sleep, nutrition, stress, hormonal variation and hydration. Often those five are interconnected. Each (and other “stressors”, including positive stressors) has an impact on perception and on heart rate. For example, if you haven’t slept enough or ate a big meal the night before exercise you might feel sluggish the next day. That means, what was an easy workout yesterday might feel hard the next day and your heart rate might be higher or lower than usual. Again, your fitness mail won’t be delivered to the right address and you won’t be making the most of your time.

That is where wearables and measurement come into play. Many of you likely received Fitbits, Garmins, Misfits or Jawbones (or one from a host of other companies), power meters or another type of GPS devices or apps over the holidays. Or you’ve already been using one or many of them. The real question is, are you using them or are they using you? Do you know what that data overload means and why you’re doing what you’re doing?

The key functions of devices like Fitbits (the most common wrist wearable) are to measure steps, purported calories (which in most cases when compared to lab results are highly inaccurate), heart rate, and sleep. There is other data you can mine from these devices, but those are likely the key metrics. A power meter (usually associated with cycling or rowing) measures watts – just like the power a light bulb uses. A power meter measures the power one produces while exercising. Finally, a GPS usually is used for outdoor exercise and measures pace per mile. In the very near future we will be potentially wearing oxygen measuring devices and accelerometers are already being used in the commercial marketplace to measure speed of movements.

Whatever device you’re using, the key becomes the use of the information to create positive change. If you’re not using the information (inferring meaning) and tracking progress then you’re likely using the wearable as a toy, a digital distraction that is eliciting a digital dopamine response. Some are calling this digital cocaine.

However, if you are using a wearable to create a better sleep pattern for example, or to increase your pace per mile, set steps goals every week, or increase your wattage output with the same or lower heart rate, then you are on the right path. If you are doing these things (or other strategically tracked and utilized metric), using the data to create change, then you are delivering your fitness mail to the right address every time you use your wearable or device. You are using a feedback loop called assessment (data) to inform instruction to create change. That change will be a newer, stronger, fitter, and faster you in the year ahead. And a smarter you by unplugging from your devices once a week and plugging into your life. Wishing you miles of safe smiles in 2016 and a fitness quest that is dialed in.

Joey Adams, M.S. Exercise Science, Intelligent Fitness, Metabolic Specialist, VO2 assessments and performance analysis. www.intelligentfitnessvermont.com

WHAT ARE WEARABLES? Fitness gadgets flood the market. Becoming more and more easily accessible, these gadgets run the gamut from Fitbits to power meters measuring everything from calories burned to oxygen processed.

You see them on your coworkers’ wrists. You wear them in your Spinning® class, on your cross country ski, even in the pool. You sleep in them at night to determine your resting heart rate and you check in with them to see how you’re feeling.

What we call wearables is high level technology that may even surpass that of computers and smart phones. Narrowing the topic to fitness, wearable tracking devices do just that, and more.

Of course there’s the element of GPS that can find your location, plot a course or record your travel. Fitness tracking devices can also give you immediate access to pace, speed, distance, time, altitude, heart rate, watts, calories and oh so much more.

Furthermore, this data can be uploaded to a computer program used to record and store workouts or compare with previous training sessions, assessment and sharing with others such as a coach or training partners or competitors.

Wearables, as opposed to hand-held or equipment mounted, come in a staggering variety of styles and models. The technology in each is similarly efficient and reliable. The difference is primarily one of individual needs and preferences.

For example, are you a runner, cyclist or swimmer? Do you want to record your effort during weight lifting of your heart rate in the pool? Do you want to know where you’ve been when snowshoe touring or where you need to go to find the next shelter on the Long Trail? Do you want alarms to notify you if you are leaving a training zone or reminders to get up out of your chair and move a bit? Are you fine-tuning your competitive performance or simply wanting the motivation to lead a more active daily life while you check to see how much you are sleeping? You could, after all, just be looking for a fitness watch as some new bling.

Yet wearables have stepped far outside the restrictions of watch design. Leading wearables include Jawbone, Garmin, Fitbit, Microsoft Band, Moov Now, Misfit and Polar. Wearables are found on wristbands, clip-ons, glasses, shoes, helmets and even socks that tell you when to buy new ones or headbands that interpret dreams.

For years runners have worn chips to clock their race time and other micro chips have been implanted in pets for identification.

Those uses are tame compared with some of the more weird devices such as Ping garments that allow social networking on Facebook, digital tattoos, pet pac collars that transmit bio data directly to the family veterinarian, and a tweeting bra that, yes, allows the wearer to use Twitter. (And we thought amazing the early tracking devices worn by seniors who tend to get lost.)

Mind you, I do not condemn the use of wearables. I confess that I am an athlete heavily reliant upon my heart rate monitor and power meter. Both have helped me train more effectively and given me confidence to push to the next level. Perspective, however, is an important tool in our training toolbox. Balance is, as always, imperative. Linda Freeman

These articles first appeared on the Active Vermont page of the Rutland Herald & Times Argus on January 29, 2016.

CREATIVITY and the active life

Curiosity, creativity and passion. What is life without them?

Mental creativity is sparked by physical exercise. The college student who goes for a run before she writes her term paper, the artist who hikes before he paints or the CEO who spins before a board meeting find that their thoughts flow during, and immediately after, activity.

There is science to support this as well. A few years ago the Huffington Post noted the work of Wendy Suzuki, a neuroscience professor, who claimed that through exercise she discovered “improvements in strength, stamina and overall cardiovascular fitness … mood, memory and attention.” (www.creativitypost.com)

“In her research, she found that exercise stimulates the hippocampus (the part of the brain necessary for long-term memory) to create new brain cells. This ‘hippocampal neurogenesis’ enhances our ability to recall memories and our ability to imagine future scenarios, which is a key element of creativity.”

Later the Post reports: “To activate the ‘creative cerebellum,’ take a walk, play tennis, run around the block, putter in the garden, hang the laundry …. Doing so deliberately diverts your attention, quiets the left prefrontal cortex, and activates the movement-oriented cerebellum.”

It seems, however, that it takes a bit more than a few random minutes of action. One study shows that those who exercise regularly experience better results than those who are sedentary.

Cognitive psychologist Professor Lorenza Colzato of Leiden University wrote: “We found that people who are doing exercise on a regular basis outperform those who don’t. We think that physical exercise trains your brain to become more flexible in finding creative solutions.”

When we speak of creativity, just what do we mean? In addition to such words as imagination, innovation, artistry and inspiration, are words like vision, individuality, initiative and resourcefulness. Creativity is not just a matter of thinking outside the box, it is a matter of putting those thoughts into practice.

Steve Jobs said that creativity is simply connecting the dots. William Plomer embellished this by saying “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.”

In her recently published book, “Rising Strong,” Brene Brown speaks of curiosity, creativity and courage as elements that integrate.

Perhaps Alan Alda would agree: “Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been.”

To build and maintain a lifelong habit of exercising regularly takes creativity. What do you do when the kids are home from school, when your game is rained out or when the snow cover is too thin? You think creatively of an alternative way in which to exercise, to build strength, burn off some stress, stimulate your heart rate or practice your balance or flexibility.

In turn, when you have done so, you will find that you are thinking more clearly, are motivated and go forward with your day in a more positive frame of mind.

Being creative does indeed mean being courageous. “A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.” Denis Waitley

To become stale, stagnant, uninspired, dull and listless is not only discouraging and sad, it is unproductive to the point of failure. Curiosity opens our thinking to explore while exercise stimulates energy as well as thinking to create more. It is the pebble in the pond and the proverbial ripple effect.

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” Would you argue with John F. Kennedy about this?

MOTIVATION IS WHAT GETS YOU STARTED

Motivation is one of those words so broadly defined as to be almost useless. It is useless, that is, unless you find a definition that works for you.

Let’s consider a few of the synonyms of motivation found in the reliable world of the Thesaurus: catalyst, desire, encouragement, impetus, incentive, reason, wish.

Okay, motivation is what gets you started. We get that. It is the catalyst, the impetus, the incentive that begins feebly with a wish and more positively with desire and reason. Furthermore it is supported by encouragement.

Delving more deeply, we find that motivation is about action, drive and hunger. Now we’re talking. Motivation leads to passion and passion is what fuels our spirits as well as our actions. Of course, this is the piece of the motivation pie in which it is possible to overindulge.

Motivation is also referred to as get-up-and-go or the right-stuff.

Goodness knows we do not want to venture into the dark side of the word, the antonyms. Hatred, discouragement, depression and above all dullness are not where we want to live our days.

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

Jim Ryun won a silver medal in the 1968 summer Olympics in track and field. Did you know that? Possibly not. However, you may well have read the above, one of his often quoted and pithy sayings. It’s quite true. Try it.

Find motivation and then seek ways to stay motivated until what you have begun, putting one foot in front of another, like it or not, becomes habit; and habit becomes what you like, and putting one foot in front of another becomes what you really want and choose to do.

Consider the word encouragement. It works both ways. You and I can encourage each other to be or do something, but we must be equally open to receive encouragement if it is to be useful. Encouragement offers support, helps to build confidence and bolsters an attitude of hope. Encouragement is far more than rah-rah cheering. On one hand, it is kind, while on the other promotes boldness and audacity. When we offer encouragement to another, we do so because we believe in him or her, we have faith that another individual is capable, strong, resilient and worthy. Again this works both ways in giving and receiving, offering and accepting.

DAILY

By now we have settled into a new year. 2016 is official. The sprint to the finish of the old year is a thing of the past. We’ve had time to reboot and are now running smoothly into the winter months. Seasonal events, snow sports, winter carnivals, taxes and an onslaught of ads for spring and summer clothing and gear blur visions of the immediate future.

Whatever momentum was built or destroyed in the previous month must be reset as well. It is time to consider personal progress towards health and fitness. It is here that the concept of DAILY is significant.

Fitness is not something acquired by going to a class, maneuvering through a weight circuit, or hitting the treadmill once a week. Fitness is cumulative. It is something that needs to be addressed daily. By doing so, bit-by-bit you will enjoy progress and reap the rewards.

If you are a competitive athlete or already engaged in strenuous physical training, you know that you need to balance your hard days with easy days. You know that intensity must vary and you know that there are multiple elements to fitness.

For those seeking health, increased strength and well being as part of their everyday lives, exercise is a key component, but does not need to be overwhelming.

What is needed, however, is to exercise DAILY. Some days your workout, or training session, will be short and some days long. Some sessions will be intense and others easy. Sometimes you will emphasize flexibility or balance or endurance while at other times you will simply walk the dog or stroll with friends. What is important is to make the HABIT of exercise a DAILY habit. Soon you will look forward to your time even if you cannot imagine doing so right now.

Let me share some examples with you.

I am new to the practice of yoga. I have learned that to practice yoga at home, preferably at the start of the day, is a good habit to acquire. Since my days are full of professional training, I dismissed this concept, until recently. I have learned that as little as 20 minutes spent with my notes and yoga mat transform my day.

Four days a week I work with a group at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont. Our 45-minute, lunchtime sessions are a testament of what small group personal training can do in the corporate setting. Some dedicated employees are able to attend all four sessions per week and others do so as work permits. Over the years the energy, enthusiasm, education and training has reached a high level. What’s more, in addition to increased strength, fitness, flexibility and balance, these athletes (and, yes, each and everyone has become an athlete) have gained the confidence to try new things and have much fun while doing so.

While many find it best to address their exercise needs in the morning before the day begins, others find the evening the time most do-able. There is no right or wrong. There is no one form of exercise, one piece of equipment or one sport that is better than another. The bottom line is always that the training that you will do is the training that is best.

Above, I alluded to education. For most individuals, exercise science is interesting, enjoyable, and provides a sense of purpose to one’s efforts. While it is not necessary to be able to recite the names of all the muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves in the human body, it is very helpful to understand the muscular-skeletal system and how it works.

It is easier to strength train, for example, in a balanced manner when you know that the biceps are the opposing muscle group to the triceps; that when you work the quadriceps, you should also train the hamstrings, when you stretch the shins you should also stretch the calf muscles, and so on.

Learning more about your cardiovascular system and aerobic exercise helps you to understand the value of active exercise and to assess intensity to appropriately enhance the strength of the most important muscle in your body, your heart.

Now I refer you back to the word DAILY. I hope you will consider taking the challenge and making exercise a deliberate and purposeful part of each day of your life. Of course you must do so in a way that accommodates family and work, a way that provides for sickness, injury, weather conditions and all the other obstacles to a smoothly executed daily plan.

I invite you to record your efforts in whatever way you choose. Perhaps what will support your plans is to join a class, buddy up with a friend or work with a fitness professional. Perhaps you have the time to explore the internet or browse through one of the many exercise books on the market. Hopefully you will take advantage of the many steps you can add to your day by choosing options to the elevator, remote, auto and chair.

Admittedly it takes a bit of gumption to get outdoors when the temperature is chilly and the air damp, but go ahead. Bundle up. Give a companion a nudge. Open the door and walk out. See what happens.

Energy creates energy. Rather than fatiguing, moving muscles stimulates more action. Activity promotes positive effects to body and mind. It’s a wonderful give and take, an excellent continuum.

Does it all go back to the hypothesis of motivation? Recently I read that one of the top ten resolutions for cyclists (also applying to athletes of any sport) is to be sure that each ride, each training session, has a purpose, structure. Don’t just exercise to get it over with. Think about why you are training and prepare to reach the eventuality you desire. No more junk miles.

On the cover of a magazine that arrived in my mailbox yesterday is the title of an article, “Harness the Power of Intention” steps to make lasting change. These steps have universal application and appeal. It all begins with finding out what you want. Learn more about what you need to do to achieve your goal; become an informed participant. Commit to your goals, your dreams and persevere. Be diligent and disciplined enough to give yourself the opportunity to achieve. Finally look ahead and envision yourself as you wish to be. (Yoga Journal, February 2016, Make this your year, by Elizabeth Marglin.)

BEGIN EACH DAY WITH INTENTION.

Yes, intention, motivation, a new year. They are gifts to be used. May we all do so and do so daily.

Maintain Fitness and Weight during the Off Season

Holidays 2015

STAY ON WHEN YOU’RE OFF – Unfortunately most active people, at some time, are derailed by illness or injury. More painful than the condition is the fact that these folks, who love to be up and about and pursuing their sport or exercise, are forced to take a break. Sentencing an athlete to sedentary rest is not what anyone wants.

It happens; though with the enormous strides made in medicine, physical therapy and training, alternative exercise is more often available. But these are alternatives. Facing 4-6 weeks away from exercise routines or sports specific training is daunting. The challenge is to remain optimistic and logical when feeling overwhelmed. The trick is to maintain what is safe, fuel appropriately, snag some extra sleep and be positive.

What is referred to as the “off season” for sports or conditioning, is that period of time just following the final race or event of the season stretching all the way to the start of the equivalent of pre-season, usually 4-8 weeks. An injured athlete faces down time much the same as a competitive athlete in his or her off-season or a recreational athlete whose favorite sport is seasonal and done for the year. The smart individual will look at this mandated time off as a significant part of training. In fact, some suggest that it is the most important piece of the whole.

Off-season is not the time to reduce all conceivable levels of fitness to zero. Though an initial week of zoning out and doing not much of anything might be called for depending on the previous season’s stresses, the remainder of the time should be devoted to activity that first heals and then prepares the body for what is to come.

Off-season is an excellent time to assess one’s overall strength and flexibility. Are there any problem spots, any weaknesses, any imbalances? Correct these now and help prevent overuse injury later. As you resume exercise, pay particular attention to working opposing muscles groups and a balanced mix of moderate cardiovascular exercise.

Off-season means you DO have time to play. You want to maintain about 50-60% of your conditioning and active play will help you do so as you relax your mind and loosen your tight hold on discipline.

Off-season is a great time to take some classes, work with a personal trainer who understands your sports and conditioning needs, make friends with a Concept2 rowing machine, explore new areas on foot, snowshoes or skis, and buddy up with friends or family for active hours that will remind you why fitness is your personal choice.

A word about the holidays – Apply the same skills that you apply to your training. Pace yourself. Finish strong.

Holidays 2015

While you’re at it, remember to reach out to others. A helping hand offered to those running the race, so to speak, along with you means a boost to your own energy, capability and, yes, joy.

EATING THROUGH INJURY AND HIBERNATION

by Kimberly Evans, MS, RD

Many active people are challenged to figure out how to eat when training stops. And let’s face it at some point in time training does stop. There are many obstacles to training even under the best of circumstance. For one thing, seasons change. That is how things work in Vermont, and unless you are an athlete with a year round training program, sometimes this means a pause in training.

And then, even the best athletes get injured. So you see, for one reason or another despite best intentions sometimes training stops.

When a change in weather or an injury stops an athlete’s training program they often struggle to figure out how to eat in response. As a dietitian who works with a variety of athletes, I have seen things go one of two ways. Training stops but eating remains unchanged, or training stops and so does eating. The writing on the wall is pretty clear here; neither of these scenarios leads to good outcomes.

When training stops and eating remains unchanged this typically leaves behind a deconditioned athlete with unwanted pounds. This makes it difficult, emotionally and physically, to bounce back. And, on the flip side, when a change in training results in an overly drastic decrease in eating, this too leaves an athlete deconditioned, with little energy, and in less than prime shape to jump back into the game.

So, while it is true a decrease in activity means you need fewer calories, it may not be quite as few as you think. Many formulas used to calculate calorie expenditure during exercise, for example the standard 600 calories per hour, grossly overestimate calorie burn. As a result, this leaves many injured athletes needlessly cutting excess calories during down time.

This is one of the most common mistakes injured athletes make, not eating enough for fear of unwanted weight gain. An overly restricted diet can result in prolonging an injury by not giving your body what it needs to heal.

This means that when the ice melts or that injury heals you are more deconditioned than you expected to be because of muscle loss that comes with an excessive calorie deprivation.

Here is the word of caution to sidelined athletes, please be diligent in continuing to take in adequate calories, especially from nutrient dense foods. Some foods you will want to make sure to continue to include on your plate are sweet potatoes, kiwi, salmon, walnuts, eggs, and berries. Bottom line, athletes need to eat well when training, and when recovering.

Injury aside, when workouts become less demanding eating needs to be adjusted. Continuing to eat like you are training intensely, while your are actually at rest during the off season will only result in one thing, unwanted weight gain. But not so fast. Weight gain does not need to be an unwanted side effect of changes in a training plan if you plan correctly.

First of all assess the duration of your off time. If your training will be sidelined for a week or less, it is likely that no real changes need to be made to your eating. When it looks like things will be off track for a week or more a modest reduction of about 300 calories will likely keep things in check.

Secondly, now may be the time to reduce your carbohydrate intake slightly. It is true that most athletes can get away with, and need, more carbohydrates. During off season pull back a bit and create more space on your plate for protein rich foods such as tofu, chicken, eggs, salmon, Greek yogurt and high protein grains like quinoa. This will keep both your tummy and your body happy at the same time.

Another great strategy can be paying attention to the timing of your eating while in your down time. Keeping eating limited to nine to twelve hours of the day at three- to four-hour intervals, as opposed to the graze-all-day plan, has proven to have positive impacts on weight according to some recent research.

In addition to following this nutrition advice, regardless of why you are less active, this might be a great time to try something new. Weight training, yoga, and meditation all show great benefits for the active person.

Yes, injury, weather related hibernation, family commitments and holidays could be a little bit of a game changer for the active person. However, a sensible approach that is not too extreme will keep you on the right road to successfully getting back on track to being your awesome active self.

Kimberly Evans, MS, RD, co-owner Peak Physical Therapy Sports and Performance Center and Whole Health Nutrition, Williston. To contact Evans, go to RD@wholehealthnutritionvt.com

To view the newly published e-book, Breast Cancer Superfoods, coauthored by Evans, go to www.breastcancersuperfoods.com.

HOLIDAY SEASON = ATHLETIC EVENT

Let the holidays begin, 2015

You’re in it now. The holiday season. No matter how you treat it, Thanksgiving is the beginning of a holiday marathon that ends for some on January 2 and for others on February 14.

It’s Sunday morning and you’re reading the paper. What led you to this point? Perhaps on Wednesday you finished early at work and headed home or here to Vermont to visit and wrap up the final preparations for, most likely, one of the most glorious and gluttonous meals of the year.

Thanksgiving is the one holiday nearly everyone can agree on and celebrate. There’s no quarrel over the naming of it and no squabbling over the commercialism. (Of course there’s the struggle between Native Americans and Pilgrims and the Christmas – strike that – holiday – decorations, songs and sales that began just after Halloween, but …)

Thanksgiving is the warm up to the main events, the 5k that spikes your speed for the marathon. Hanukkah falls early in December this year, Christmas on the 25^th, and for all others, school breaks, office parties and holiday events mark a period of merry-making as an occasion to prepare for, endure and ultimately recover from.

Sunrise Thanksgiving morning 2015, Harpswell, Maine. D.Bonito

Thanksgiving. Hmmm. Let’s see. After Wednesday you may have jumped out of bed early Thursday morning to go run a Turkey Trot or Gobble Wobble, or you may have dashed to the kitchen to begin the final round of cooking for the feast to follow. After the travel, sports, football games and feast, you finally sink into bed exhausted from the sprint to the finish.

But can you recover? No. It’s up early (and I do mean early) to attack Black Friday with a vengeance. After an all out race on Thursday, you’re really not up for the endurance event on Friday. However, it happens, and you must draw on your tediously conditioned reserves, your base.

Saturday is the family’s opportunity to ski (several resorts are optimistically open and there are always the early season trails on which one can make his or her way down, albeit cautiously), explore and visit, in addition to the endless feeding of the multitudes that inevitably follows Thursday, though everyone declared they would never eat again. Saturday is a day of intervals, either dragging along or speeding forward, on a straight path or multiple detours.

Alas, post Thanksgiving Sunday dawns. The fourth day of this particular event signals one of two things. There might be a frantic effort to stuff in a few more non-working activities (or leftovers), or one last-ditch attempt to come home with a buck. Or, the day may demand recovery. Perhaps the only exercise for many will be handling the remote. Monday, a workday, looms as threat or relief, a return to schedule.

But will you return to what has become the usual? Most likely, the answer is no. First of all, your body has become accustomed to an abundance of holiday foods. Rather than being satiated, your appetite now demands more. And more often. You decide you want to bake cookies, or that your friends would just love a home-cooked something as a gift for the next gift-giving holiday. Very nice. But are you sure? Or is it just your need to hang out in the kitchen, pick up a spoon and stir something? And please, no fruitcakes.

If you celebrate Hanukkah, you’re on the fast track for your next extended event with barely a recovery period. You must be organized, honor your need for rest and recovery even as you push forward to the start line. For others, preparations for the Christmas holiday season begin on Thanksgiving evening. Perhaps you watch one of the versions of “Miracle on 34^th Street” to put you in the mood. Maybe you drag out your boxes of decorations, write your gift list or organize cards, stamps and addresses.(Note: there continues to be some sort of practice of mailing greetings. The ready use of the internet has altered forever the face of correspondence and giving with electronically delivered holiday wishes and the ever useful last minute gift card.)

Somewhere in the intervening weeks professional obligations must be met while scrambling to put the finishing touches on the end-of-the-year fiscal records and social calendar. January 1^st will arrive all too soon and you will begin another new year in whatever condition you may have brought upon yourself.

An athlete periodizes his or her annual training plan, as well as shorter blocks such as the holiday season. For many athletes, this last month waiting for snow conditions to cooperate or this first month of on snow activity marks the start of their peak season. For others, December is the off season, the month of play and early base building before January training picks up in earnest.

The off season is never entirely sedentary. To give it all up in favor of a six-pack and the sofa is to invite an uncomfortable and discouraging return to training. A happy mix of activity is the key to maintaining enough fitness to move forward, but enough rest and relaxation to allow fatigued or damaged bodies to become whole.

Waning dedication to one’s sport, even to the extent of burn out, is always a risk and can be circumvented by deliberate time off. Better to choose alternative activities than be sidelined by overuse injury, don’t you think?

Traditional recommendations for athletes during their off season is to step away from their primary sport and focus attention and energy on other types of training. For example, a cyclist or runner should take advantage of the off season to further his or her core conditioning, strength training and even more intense yoga practice. Later, during peak season, whether competing, touring or adding miles, the pendulum will swing in the other direction and core, strength and other practices should moderate to balance the increased intensity of sport training.

Mentally a break is superb. Though reading and studying one’s sport or passion is motivating and educational, a good chunk of fiction might better relax the personality that self-disciplines.

The final piece of the off season pie is sweet. Take time to roll on the floor with your kids, meander through the woods (after rifle season and/or garbed in orange), slide recklessly down a hill, try some pond skating (when thoroughly frozen, please), roll a ball down an alley or try an old fashioned game of hide and seek.

Sunrise Barre Town Vermont late November 2015

Stop to notice spectacular sunrises and by all means plan to celebrate Winter Solstice. Do you remember last winter when I challenged you to find new and different outdoor ways to commemorate each full moon? Have you done so? Some of you have and keep in touch to let me know that you have had snow shoe adventures, hiked, paddled, enjoyed moonlight picnics, and more. I have heard of some good ones.The next full moon falls on December 25^th. How will you celebrate?

Until then, it is Sunday, the fourth day of the initial holiday athletic event, Thanksgiving. You have done it. Now you are ready to look forward to the month of December and all that it means to you and yours.

May the habit of giving thanks be one you practice regularly. Whatever our situation in life may be, there is always something for which to be grateful. You know the old saying, “any day I wake up in the morning is a good day.”

The American author William Arthur Ward wrote: “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

There’s this, too: “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” John F. Kennedy.

Pause for a glorious sunset as well.
Barre Town, Vermont 2015

WHEN DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME DEPARTS

We knew it was coming. Unless the powers that be decide to change the laws that govern the switch from Standard Time to Daylight Savings Time and back to Standard Time, etc., the change is inevitable. It happened last weekend and some are still grousing about it. Are you making excuses for your fatigue or lateness or lack of focus? Well, the best thing we can do is tell ourselves to “get over it.” Are you one of those folks who like to shrug and say, “it is what it is?” If so, say it to yourself and move one.

Personally I dislike fall. I have usually seen autumn as the marker of kids going back to school (I always hated that) and the time when I must settle down and be more diligent about work.

True, during the summer months work does not go away. But it seems different. In the fall I am scattered, unfocused, missing my structured cycling training and subsequent events and competitions to anticipate. I feel adrift.

In my Yoga class, I learned about VATA. Oh man, that’s me. Now I must learn what to do about it.

When I set the clock back I know it’s time to get serious about winter. Because my day starts early, I do not lose an hour of light; I find it at the beginning of the day instead of the end. (Perhaps you, too, could rise an hour earlier. Trust me, the autumn sunrise is a sight worth getting up for. And pausing for.)

I once read about an ultra distance runner who knew she was going to hurt, that the miles and the hills would cause her pain. It was inevitable. So she turned the tables and looked forward to the onset of the discomfort. She embraced it when it arrived and ran with it, no longer needing to fear or anticipate it.

Perhaps we can do the same. We know each day will become shorter and shorter. Now there’s no denying it has arrived and we can stop worrying. We can embrace these days that are bookended by light and a frequently extraordinary sunset as well.

An abundance of sunlight can be taken for granted, while a few bright hours are treasured. Clear night skies remind us that darkness is not all that bad. Whether from a mountain top or out the kitchen window, the harvest moon is striking.

Outdoor activities become an adventure in the dark. (Reminder: always practice safety habits, use lights and wear reflective clothing. Preferably go out in groups of two or more and be sure to be alert and predictable.)

Last winter I challenged you and my friends and clients to a “full moon adventure” each full moon of the 2015 calendar year. Did you take the challenge? There’s time left, you know.

Somehow Standard Time (and in our case EST) triggers reorganization. How many of you visit your medical care provider for your annual physical in and around November? And if you have done so already, did you notice the positive effects that your active lifestyle and good nutrition have had on your physical exam and the test numbers that indicate a healthy body?

If not, let this year’s return to EST mark the beginning of reorganizing your days, weeks and months to promote your personal and individual well-being.

The big three: exercise, diet and sleep, must be in balance. An active life is not a hectic life; it is one with intentional exercise and a defined goal in mind. Such exercise would include strength, aerobic exercise, balance, coordination, flexibility, specific sports or training skills and an appropriate body composition.

Exercise is positive unless it tips the scales to compulsive behaviors and addiction.

An active lifestyle is also intuitive and ready to join in any fun that might present itself. It is a life capable of endurance, but needing the time to refuel and rest.

EST validates exploration of indoor hours as well; hours to read, to write and to spend quality time with family and friends.

So here we are. Next stop – Winter Solstice. If all else fails, just remember that in only 37 days daylight will be on the increase.

Seasonal Affective Disorder a Challenge to Northern Residents

DON’T BE SAD

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is not a myth. It is not something to disregard. SAD, suffered in its most advanced stages is indeed dangerous. But for most, a moderate form of SAD is simply uncomfortable and discouraging.

SAD is rather simply defined as a form of sadness, despondency or depression related to changes in the seasons. Most people who experience this disorder first notice symptoms in the fall that last through the winter. Only a few have complained about the reverse, or spring into summer.

Those of us living and working in Vermont might be particularly susceptible to negative feelings as we progress through the vivid colors of fall into a bleak stick season and finally countryside of white. Those who embrace winter and choose to live here because of, not in spite of, winter conditions, will find it difficult to understand others who find the frozen landscape unpleasant.

Symptoms of the disorder include lack of energy, moodiness, irritability and hypersensitivity. It is common to sleep, or oversleep, more than usual, to experience food cravings particularly for foods high in carbohydrates and then, to add insult to injury, to gain weight, yet another cause of despondency.

Note that those few who are subject to spring and summer SAD also become depressed but have trouble sleeping and lose their appetites resulting in weight loss.

Norman Rosenthal, MD wrote in the journal “Psychiatry,” May 2008, that “6 percent of the US population, primarily in northern climates, is affected by SAD in its most marked form. Another 14 percent of the adult US population suffers from a lesser form of seasonal mood changes, known as winter blues.” Rosenthal also suggested that there is strong evidence of a genetic predisposition to suffer from this disorder.

SAD, untreated and left to increase in intensity includes serious symptoms of depression leading to thoughts of death or suicide. One who is in doubt about his or her condition should always seek medical advice.

Though there seems no known specific cause for SAD, what is known is that several factors often combine to produce this result. Short, cloudy or gray days with a decrease in sunlight can affect circadian rhythms, or one’s biological clock, and put us off balance and feeling scattered or unhappy.

Reduced sunlight can also cause a drop in the neurotransmitter serotonin resulting in depression while a change in the balance of melatonin plays havoc with sleep and mood. Interestingly it seems that females, and young people are more at risk than their seniors and those already suffering from clinical depression or bipolar disorder are possibly more vulnerable.

Bleak or a promise of Winter, Its all in the viewpoint. Photo Linda Freeman

Treatment for all forms of SAD range from light therapy to psychotherapy and possibly even medication.

If you find yourself struggling with the return to standard time, the darker drive on your way home from work or the lack of sunshine during your morning and afternoon, consider taking steps to cheer yourself up and “don’t be SAD.” Here are a few that have helped many before you.

Yes, living here in Vermont can be a risk factor in and of itself. However, making a few changes in your home and workspace could brighten the atmosphere in which you live and work.

For example, when the sun shines, it is bright and beautiful. Always take advantage of sunny days by removing obstacles such as blinds or curtains that can be opened or pulled back. Sit or work closer to the windows and, if possible, add skylights to your home. Healthy house plants are known to boost mood.

While some of those might be unattainable, getting outside should be a possibility. Take every opportunity to be outdoors. Some research shows that walking, running or spending time out of the house within two hours of getting up in the morning is beneficial all day. (Those early morning runners among you are onto something.)

And, of course, there’s exercise. As usual we of Active Vermont are strong proponents of exercise. Exercise regularly. Exercise is proven to help combat stress and brighten your spirits as it helps you become the fit and energetic person you are meant to be.

If you suspect that you or someone you know suffers from SAD, give them a helping hand. If symptoms appear dangerous, recommend a visit to their medical care provider or mental health practitioner.

If, on the other hand, symptoms are simply a personal annoyance, an obstacle to one’s normal well-being, find a way get up, get out, and brighten the day physically, mentally and emotionally.

This story first appeared in the Rutland Herald and Times Argus Sunday Edition, ACTIVE VERMONT, by Linda Freeman, 11-8-2015.

CROSS TRAIN FOR MAXIMUM FITNESS

PLAY THE FIELD

Cross Training is the name of the Game.

Variety is more than the spice of life; it’s good for you. It happens to just about everyone. Exercise finally becomes a habit and you regularly go to the gym, walk or run your loop, take the same exercise class three times a week or make it through some sort of exercise plan at home before you drop into bed at night. You get the job done. You feel better afterwards (usually) and you can check off another day on your calendar. It’s routine.

Or you are hooked. You love your sport. You can’t get enough of it. You put thousands of miles on your bike outdoors and then come indoors to ride more intensely all winter. You run more and more outside and when the Vermont winter comes along, you run some more (if you must, on a treadmill). You’ve dropped your other exercise to focus on “your” sport, be it golf, tennis, swimming, basketball or whatever activity has appealed to you.

Outdoor sports have their indoor equivalent so that, heaven forbid, you should miss any training. You may have already marked races or events on your 2016 calendar and are stressing over how to continue your current level of fitness. Or you may be closing in on your winter snow season and eager to do nothing but ski or board or climb or whatever.

If you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios, congratulations. You have already reached a level of health and fitness that is admirable. You have made exercise or your sport an important piece of your life.

But let’s take this a step farther. In an age of specialization, it is important to keep breadth and depth in exercise and training. It is important to cross-train.

Simply put, cross-training is participating in more than one sport or training activity. Cross-training helps to prevent overuse injury, burnout and accommodation that diminishes performance. Playing a variety of sports or training in a variety of ways keeps the program fresh, bolsters lagging motivation and enhances skills, strength and performance while building confidence. Cross-training often means trying something new and moving beyond one’s comfort zone. Cross-training is better than good for you.

So much is about balance. Physical balance is both about centering and making certain that opposing muscle groups are strengthened similarly. Playing only one sport can cause imbalance in muscular strength or joint stability that often leads to injury.

A recent report on youth sports speaks to all ages.

“With the increased emphasis on competitive success, specialization in one sport and greater propensity for specialty sports camps, weight training programs or speed schools, risks are on the rise related to overuse injuries. Researchers for the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) found an excessive focus on early intensive training and competition rather than skill development can lead to overuse injuries and burnout in young athletes.” (Posted on September 8, 2015 by Train for the Game LI in Sports Performance No Comments)

Baseball, softball, tennis, volleyball and swimming are sports that can lead to overuse injury to the shoulders or elbows. (Similarly, excessive computer use can lead to carpel tunnel syndrome).

Using pitchers as an example, the report suggests that a player “Rotate playing other positions besides pitcher, avoid pitching on multiple teams with overlapping seasons, not pitch with any elbow or shoulder pain and never use a radar gun, as it encourages over-throwing.” Furthermore the report states “Prior injury is a strong predictor of future overuse injury.”

New runners often complain of shin splints. Increasing training too quickly, running on a hard surface or inadequate flexibility are cited causes.

On the other side of the leg, Achilles injuries are again attributed to the strain of too much, too quickly.

“Hip injuries may be common among gymnasts and runners, due to the repetitive motions and large amounts of training in a single sport, which leads to strength and flexibility imbalances.”

You get the idea. Just as a budget, schedule or diet needs to be balanced to function at the highest level, so must your exercise or training. Besides, it’s much more fun.

Have you noticed that you can become adept with one set of skills and fitness level and then move to a different sport and need to begin again? If you have been running long distances or cycling steep hills, or maybe playing baseball or soccer in adult leagues several times a week all summer, did you perhaps choose to hike one of Vermont’s excellent trails and find yourself more challenged than you had anticipated?

Do you remember the beginning of last ski season when your quads and hips burned on your first run and caught you off-guard? Did your first swim in open water last spring, or your first paddle, leave you with unexpected soreness?

There is no argument that training specifically for one sport can be efficient, but if that efficiency is not balanced, it can lead to over-training, a reduction in performance and lagging motivation, not to mention pleasure. While excellence is desirable, it should not be bought at a cost to mental, physical or emotional well being.

While it is important to balance the workload on muscles, it is equally important to move in a variety of directions, speeds and intensity. If your sport emphasizes quadriceps strength, (large muscles in the front of the upper leg), you must be sure to balance hamstring and gluteal strength (muscles in the back). If your sport always moves you in the sagittal plane, (moving front to back as in running, walking, classic skiing or cycling), it is important to find a sport that will move you side to side like skating or skate skiing. If your sport is earthbound, include plyometrics or jumping exercises in your practice.

Then there’s the matter of speed and intensity. Within your week of exercise you should have hard days and easy days, long days and short days. Include hills and sprints to shake it up and remind your muscles that they need to perform in a variety of situations.

One thought is to let the season dictate your cross training. Some like to focus on hiking in the fall, snow sports in the winter, an early jump on the outdoors in the spring with walking, running and cycling, and perhaps paddling, swimming or team sports in the summer.

Sometimes simply changing the venue provides cross-training benefits. If you typically ride or run on paved surfaces, get out on the trails to find new challenges. If you are normally in the lake or pool, be sure to cross-train with weight bearing exercises on terra firma. If you pound the ground with one sport, glide on snow or ice with another. If you spend hours in a boat in the summer, spend more hours going vertical. If your exercise is rhythmic and measured, choose cross training that requires quickness and agility such as team sports like soccer, basketball or ice hockey.

Another thought is to cross train within a given week by combining or alternating sports, gym workouts, classes and family time.

Balancing strength and cardiovascular or aerobic training is always the way to go. Never get into a rut.

In the gym lift weights, step or jump on a Bosu, use your own body weight on a TRX suspension system, or practice core exercises on a stability ball, wobble board or Aerex pad. Work equally the upper and lower body, but spend extra time on the core.

To add interest to your core and flexibility workouts, join a yoga or Pilates class. Guidance and good form are always essential.

And, of course, if your sport, training or exercise is solo, try joining a team. It is difficult to focus on an endurance sport for hours on end. Share the responsibilities with teammates and friends.

In recent years triathlons have become increasingly popular. Once the sport of only the “iron” men and women of the athletic community, triathlons now come in several distances offering training and competitive opportunities to a range of individuals. Because the three sports of the triathlon integrate so well, (swim, bike and run), triathlons may be the perfect example of cross training with the additional benefits of balanced conditioning and the happy stimulus of competition.

So, mix it up. Play the field. Compete. Relax. Keep it sharp. Challenge. Have fun.

From the Rutland Herald & Times Argus Sunday Magazine, Active Vermont, by Linda Freeman, October 18, 2015.

ALL TERRAIN VEHICLES ASSUME A NEW ROLE

All Terrain Vehicles Assume a New Role – ATVs offer opportunities for sport, work and play.

It is often customary to run a line through outdoor activities dividing them between motorized and non-motorized. Paddling/motor boats, cycling/motorcycles, walking, running, hiking, cross country skiing/snowmobiles and ATVs. But the line blurs.

Shared passion involves a love of the outdoors, that visceral need to be outside on water or on the trail; appreciation of the land and loyalty to Vermont.

The landscape is changing. As users grow in number and respect, boots, mountain bikes, snowmobiles and ATVs segue from foe to friend replacing damage with care. New generations are repeating the admonition to be “good stewards of the land.”

What is an ATV?

A Google search offers a formal definition: “An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a quad, quad bike, three-wheeler, or four-wheeler, is defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is straddled by the operator, along with handlebars for steering control.”

There are single rider models for, obviously, one person, and there are two-ups that accommodate an operator and one passenger. The latter seem to dominate the market today. There are ATVs for racing, touring and utility. As the price escalates, versatility broadens and the population of users grows exponentially.

To ride off-road, young and old alike are starting their engines on Arctic Cats, Kawasakis, Hondas, Yamahas, Rangers, Gators and even Slingshots. At this year’s Tunbridge World’s Fair two leaders in the field were represented: John Deere and Polaris.

Tom Trottier of South Royalton has known ATVs “my whole life,” currently working for the John Deere business his dad owns in Hartland.

“When we first started selling,” he said, “they were primarily work machines. Now they’re for recreation and hunting as well as work.”

People at the Fair who stop to look “come from all walks of life,” Trottier said. “Some have barely seen one before.”

Once a potential customer identifies the way in which he or she plans to use the ATV, there are decisions to be made and options to choose. “A customer needs the ATV to qualify for work, play or both,” Trottier said.

An ATV is an investment, starting about $8,000 and up to $18,000 or so. There’s more horsepower to be had, better shocks, maybe more speed. Safety features include seat belts, doors or nets. Gas or diesel, power steering, brush guards, winches ….

Mike Stone

Mike Stone, who lives in Orange and owns Stone’s Service Station in Barre, is passionate about both his sport and the state in which he lives. An energetic advocate of shared responsibility and community, he exudes enthusiasm for his ATV club, the maintenance of the roads and trails on which he rides, and the community in which he lives.

Stone has been involved with ATVs “for a lot of years,” he said. He began riding in the late 80s when there were no organized trail systems and he participated in what he calls “renegade riding.”

His interest began at around age 9 but quickly fanned into something more. Stone was that “kid that sat on the corner drooling,” watching Joey Laquerre on snow machines and bursting to get out there himself.

For Stone, an ATV offered a way to get out and see the backcountry. Today that means seeing the backcountry by means of a trail network designated for ATV use. Stone is a key player when it comes to trails. In fact, named as VASA “Trail Master of the Year,” Stone oversees and maintains trails, always with an eye on the future.

VASA, Vermont ATV Sportsman’s Association, initiated in 1998 by the West Rutland ATV Sportsman’s Club, operates similarly to VAST, the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers. Both organizations coordinate leadership, recreational use, trail design, education, events and community relationships in order to grow their sport safely and responsibly.

Old-school renegade riding is out. Today’s operators must know and obey clearly defined laws, register their ATVs and provide proof of insurance. As in other Vermont recreational activities, ATV users study, test and consequently earn certification of their successful completion safety education. (The safety education course is mandated for riders 12-18.)

Membership in one of the 18 clubs throughout the state offers further guidance regarding laws, safety and, of course, plenty of events to bring together like users to share the trails and have fun.

Stone, a member of the Central Vermont ATV club, moved to his 80 acres in Orange nine years ago. “How lovely, right in my back yard I can be legal,” he said of his easy access to a marked trail system.

Though to some the image of an ATV rider is young and reckless, like Stone, many contemporary users are mature. With a wide spectrum of ages represented, Stone estimates that the average age is 40, but with quite a few riders in their 60s-80s as touring and group rides increase in popularity.

What about the young and reckless? Of course, they’re still out there. Just the other day on one short drive home I watched a kid on an ATV speed along the shoreline of the Winooski, get tossed free when he rolled his machine, then jump back on and tear off.

On that same drive I was passed by more than one muddy ATV being transported on a trailer. Are these activities wrong? Wrong may be the wrong word. They are simply not the activities that I am discussing here. “Mud will ruin an ATV,” Stone said, and as a mechanic, he should know. “Brakes, bushings, bearings – gone in 3 years. Mud is for the greenhorns.” Responsible users would like to break that reputation.

Though certain designated Class 4 roads are appropriate for use, not all are. “To interconnect trails is do-able,” Stone said, but challenging and work-intensive. A legally integrated statewide trail system offers solutions and enticements to this growing sport.

Most often ATVs need to be trailered to a trailhead. A more extensive network with approved feeder trails would be helpful to a sport that encourages families and provides for young and old, fit and disabled.

Much relies on the cooperation of landowners. This is a common theme when it comes to building land or water trails of any kind and, as is always the case, those involved with the trails express their debt of gratitude to the landowners.

Stone has spent many hours talking with landowners, obtaining permission from most to use their land for trails. There are benefits to all parties. For example, building water bars makes a big difference as water is responsible for much damage. The landowner benefits; the user benefits.

“We’re all together,” Stone said, “snow machines, bikers, skiers, horseback riders. We all need to work together. It’s about us all taking pride, using our resources, all working together.” This is a recurring theme for Stone who is a compelling campaigner for the partnership of land and ATV use.

Is it a sense of ownership that encourages stewardship? Stone points to a recently built parking lot at a trailhead. “Everything was donated. It is a community trail. Anyone who wants to park there and support the trail is welcomed. Each user is expected to add to the upkeep.” Clean, functioning trails improve property. “It’s about people taking personal responsibility,” Stone said.

Vermont needs to play catch-up with neighboring states that are enjoying increased revenue from ATV tourist dollars. This year Stone rode 90 miles in Rangely, Maine, where he noted that the large trail system included access to towns, restaurants and stores. Woodsville and Gorham, New Hampshire, two other New England ATV destinations, offer long, well-groomed or surfaced trails that attract visitors.

Clubs run a full calendar of activities, some simply for fun but many for a purpose. Stone won this season’s big event, the Poker Run sponsored by VASA out of Danville. He also speaks proudly of the good being done by the Washington Club where the annual March spaghetti dinner and silent auction raise enough money to give to each fire department in W Topsham, Orange and Washington as well as send two kids a year to summer camp.

But it is that special time on the trail that Stone describes that intrigues and beckons. “It is a low-speed sport,” he said, “with an average of 15-20 mph. Over 20-25 mph and the machines don’t handle well. They’re not designed for it.”

Quieter than a snow machine and noisier than a car, what Stone likes to do is “stop and park and listen.” There are sights and sounds that can only be experienced away from traffic, in the woods, or on top of that distant, inaccessible hill. An ATV can take you there.

“My biggest thing,” Stone said, “is not what the state of Vermont can do for us. It’s what we can do for the state. It’s not all about money. We need to take responsibility for where we’re living. There’s a lot of good feeling out there.”

And Stone, a charismatic speaker for the ATV community, liberally shares “a lot of good feeling” about his sport and his state. He makes you want to get out there on the trails as much as you can; and then to take care of that privilege.

From the Rutland Herald & Times Argus Sunday Magazine section, ACTIVE VERMONT, by Linda Freeman, 10/4/2015.

MASSAGE NO LONGER A TOUCHY SUBJECT

MASSAGE – NO LONGER A TOUCHY SUBJECT

Sarah Bothfeld, 2015 (photo Larry Gilbert)

There was a time when the word massage conjured images of steamy locker rooms or steamier massage parlors. With the rising popularity of spas and costly pampering that only those with deep pockets and free time could afford, massage assumed a privileged space in which touch performed the task of pleasant soothing.

Today massage therapy is recognized as an effective tool to be used for those suffering from a multitude of physical and emotional problems and by those who seek overall wellness.

Taking this a step further, massage therapy is integral to fitness and athletic performance, preparation, recovery, and injury rehabilitation.

To learn more, I spoke with Sarah Bothfeld, a massage therapist who grew up in Northfield, currently resides in East Montpelier and practices in Montpelier.

Bothfeld offers this definition of massage therapy: “Massage is a gift to the self. It works on the physical, emotional and mental aspects of our being. It can relax, rejuvenate and rehabilitate soft tissue. For the athlete, the person living with chronic pain, the stressed and the recovering, touch with the intent to balance, heal, and support can be a great addition to one’s life.”

Bothfeld lives an active lifestyle and understands the importance of her work. As a child she dared to keep up with her two older brothers as they swam, biked, explored the woods and skied. The outdoors has been important to her family, especially her dad who led the way and continues to bring the family together to sugar each spring.

Bothfeld’s diverse background underpins her ability to relate to her clients. She taught school in Camden, Maine where she acquired a love of sailing, and a boat. When she “needed to get out of town and wanted to do something drastic,” she joined the Peace Corps and spent more than 2 years in Costa Rica where she was able to snorkel, swim, commute by bike and run, “until it was too hot.”

It was in Santa Fe, NM, where Bothfeld transitioned to her profession. Having completed a 1,000 hour program at the New Mexico Academy of Advanced Healing Arts, and with over 500 hours of continuing education during her 25 years experience, she continues today to practice her craft.

On weekdays Bothfeld can be found exercising daily in a gym before her first client arrives. On weekends she is outdoors hiking, paddling and gardening in the summer; skiing Nordic, back country, Alpine or telemark when the snow covers the ground.

Among other things, a massage therapist must be fit for the profession. There seems to be an average of 7 years in the work before a therapist moves on due to the stresses involved.

Is there a licensing procedure for therapists in Vermont? “I think it’s inevitable,” Bothfeld said. “We are one of only a few states where licensing is not required. It will come about as concern for the profession grows.”

Bothfeld is a member of the Amerian Massage Therapy Association, AMTA and a board certified massage therapist. “The AMTA is a professional organization that you join as an active member after graduation from an approved school or with approved credits,” she said. “They provide liability insurance, lobbying and funding toward research and information to the public.” Renewal every four years requires proof of continuing education credits.

A board certified massage therapist has met the standards of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, NCBTMB, by passing a test and reapplying every two years with appropriate CEUs, indicators of continuing professional excellence.

Exercise and performance involve much more than simply going through the motions, pounding the roads to run, turning the pedals or the paddles, lifting weights, and increasing muscular and cardiovascular strength by whatever means works for you or for your sport.

In Active Vermont you have read of the importance of nutrition, balance, flexibility, recreation and recovery. Today, we add another component, especially useful for those coming off an active summer season and moving into an autumn offseason.

If you do not already include massage as a part of your regular training schedule or wellness program, you might want to consider doing so. Don’t wait until you need it, though massage therapy is an excellent addition to recovery from injury, illness or surgery.

Stress relief through massage is valid, though not the entire picture.

Massage therapy comes in a variety of packages: deep tissue, Swedish (basic techniques that most learn for therapeutic or relaxation), shiatsu, Rolfing®, neuromuscular therapy, medical massage to address needs of oncology, lymph system, scar tissue, orthopedic problems, hypertension, chronic pain and more. As with medicine, the changing landscape of massage mandates specificity for individual needs.

Sarah Bothfeld, 2015 (photo by Larry Gilbert)

Athletes gravitate towards a form of sports massage that is functionally a composite of techniques.

A therapist massages muscles to reduce pain and fatigue, increase flexibility and circulation, blood flow, and broaden joint range of motion.

An athlete, for example, may complain of knee pain. Frequently the condition is diagnosed, somewhat surprisingly, as not difficulty with the bones in the knee joint, but as a tight illotibial band or IT band syndrome. IT band and even shin splints, are often caused by connective tissue that needs enhanced blood flow that massage stimulates.

Injury, tears, trauma and over use make a muscle group so tight that it can actually pull bones out of alignment and cause further complications, possibly preventable through massage.

While massage therapy used for recovery is a no-brainer, systematic inclusion in a training program helps preventatively by keeping the body nourished with blood which in turn enhances performance, releases toxins, reduces mental and physical stress and brings to the individual an increased self-awareness and knowledge.

How do you choose a massage therapist? Word of mouth or a referral from another trusted professional is one way to find a massage therapist, and perhaps the best way. Remember, however, that what works for one person may not work as well for another and you may want to try several different techniques and therapists.

Interview the therapist before scheduling your first appointment. If you are referred by a medical professional because of an auto accident or workman’s compensation, be sure to check with your insurance company as some treatment is covered.

Frequency of massage depends on individual budget, schedules and needs. Regular massage does, however, encourage consistent and continuing results and benefits.

Sarah Bothfeld, 2015 (photo by Larry Gilbert)

Massage is a therapy of touch. Touch is physical and has been a practice of healing arts for much of history. In a negative world, touch can be invasive and inappropriate. Used within the context of massage therapy, touch, gentle or powerful, is the means to an end. The technique of touch provides a way to enhance strength and energy, release tension and open the door to quality of life.

10 Tips to Get the Most From Your Massage

American Massage Therapy Association (www.amtamassage.org)

Be receptive.
Don’t eat just before your massage.
Be on time. Take a few minutes to settle, de-stress, before you enter the massage therapy room.
How much clothing do you need to remove? Speak frankly with your therapist, who will in turn offer you privacy to undress and dress. Most are comfortable removing all clothing. The technique of draping is a part of the practice of massage. Your body will be covered except for the area being massaged. Modesty is always respected.
This is a big one. You will meet with your therapist before the massage begins to discuss your treatment. You must speak freely of your condition, what you bring to your massage on that particular day. You should let you massage therapist know if you have a problem with the lotion used, the music, or even if you’d prefer to talk or not to talk during your massage. Let your therapist know if you have concerns or anxieties or if something is uncomfortable or insufficient during the massage. He or she wants to make certain that you receive effective work and is dedicated to that purpose.

Linda Freeman Fitness

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