Let’s Get Ready to Rumble
Written by jodiojo
March 11th, 2010
Have you been outside lately? I’m not sure where you live but if you live in New England anywhere it’s gorgeous right now. What does that mean? We’re almost in season! Now with that big announcement comes the realization that the endurance season is about to kick off, the softball and baseball season is about to go crazy and basketball is almost over. YES! I love this time of year but transitioning to the in-season can be just as hard—if not harder—than transitioning into the offseason. Let’s look at some of the pitfalls:
Nutrition
Besides the fact that you need to go through a detox for alcohol and junk food, just getting back into the swing of pre and post workout, meal timing and eating right is a feat in itself. Sure, some of you are as diligent as the staff of MP4 and have been on it this whole time but many of you have not. The in-season means you are going to try and lose that same ten pounds that you started off the season with last year and you are going to start 2 weeks before like last year, too. Here are a few words of wisdom to help you out:
- Start packing and planning again. Now. Don’t wait any longer and drag it out. Get on that and get it over with. It’s not as bad you think it is so suck it up, find the cooler and get to it.
- Get back to drinking only water. Yes, pack up the diet soda, tonic water, etc. Find that clear substance called water and begin enjoying it again. If you were burnt out from your favorite electrolyte drink, too, find a new flavor. Nothing’s worse than hating that stuff and yacking it down.
- Break up with alcohol, peanut butter and ice cream. It’s time you see other foods. Besides, they were cramping your style by being too possessive anyway.
Training
I’m sure you started the offseason with some lofty goals, but for those of you who were fried to core and literally just wanted to sit around for a while and watch grass grow (or snow collect), you may be dusting off the bike right now, pulling out the last year’s kicks or looking for those favorite shorts again. Who knows what specifically, but if any of this sounds familiar, read on:
- Ok Conan, I’m sure you’re all fired up because the remake of the Clash of the Titans is coming out soon but if you think you’re going to “release the Crackin’” on your workout—think again. Use some sense here and start out slowly. Head Coach Scot from Dreamfar Training is opening up the season with a familiar ride/run at an easy pace. We love the way you think, Scot!
- Ok, so you picked up a few skills over the offseason and now it’s time to show them off, right? No! You still have to take it easy going into the in-season. Starting like a bat out of hell only wears you out sooner than later and you find yourself mid season, in peak shape, exhausted. Dead in the water with nothing to show for yourself expect your workout journal that chronicles a great offseason. Be smart here and start slowly, too.
- Right Johnny-come-lately! Now you want to make up for lost time by lifting, training, yoga, prehab, cardio and so on and it’s only Tuesday. Whatever time you lost, you lost. Now it’s time to work things in the smart way—slowly. Get your base first by being serious about the weights again. They do wonders for training for your sport and they do wonders for helping you make weight for your sport again. Regardless, make a sensible schedule and get it done.
These are just some of the ways you can undermine a great start to the season. Since we are all about balance here at MP4, we hope you use some common sense this season and set up a reasonable training schedule. If you are not sure of what that is, hit us up here at info@modelper4mance.com and we will help you out. Have a great start to the season!
Tags: eating for per4mance, training for per4mance
Remember the perfectly awful special effects in the old Clash of the Titans? Was the Cracken a water monster? Didn’t it look like it was filmed in someones bathtub? Or was that a Sinbad movie? Great obscure reference!
I love that you said break up with alcohol, peanut butter and ice cream. It sort of feels like breaking up (with the sexy bad boy who smells so good), doesn’t it?
And the last one-liner that I’m loving from this post is “whatever time you lost, you lost.” here isn’t any getting it back either is there? A lesson that of course I learned the hard way, but am now trying to live by.
Is it bad that i read this and wanted to bargain with you?
NUTRITION:
1. I got that down.. being a vegetarian with a food allergy is hard enough.
2. Water. Water and coffee. Which is technically just infused water, right?
3. I think my “homemade” ice cream which is really just a protein shake in disguise is legit. I hope!
TRAINING:
check, check, and check. I’m not too concerned – training is the one thing that keeps me sane. Not to mention, I have three different teams and two different coaches who I trust with all my mitochondria and fast and slow twitch fibers. They know their stuff!
-Erika
p.s. The weather in Minneapolis makes it look like God is crying (or sweating real hard from a good workout). Rain and fog all week!
Erika! The nutrition thing: It can be done. I was a vegan for years, and a physique competitor with NO wiggle room. Oh, and I’m gluten intolerant. You and I will be talking soon, probably when I get back in town. I feel you on the coffee.
By the way, you’re a hoot. You fit right in with the smarty-pantness that pervades MP4. 