Welcome again to my newsletter updating the public on the latest news within the industry. The current issue will have a special concentration on pre-season training as many athletes from various sporting backgrounds will be starting pre-season very soon, if not already.  Also new in the current edition are small facts you may be interested in. If you would like to know something that hasn’t been included in this the current edition, send me an email with the topic and I will try and include it in the October issue.

Chocolate Helps Blood Pressure!!!

It’s true, recent findings by a group of scientists found that eating 100 grams of dark chocolate a day for an 15 day period significantly reduced blood pressure¹. It is believed that flavanols in cocoa are responsible for the drop in blood pressure found in the group tested. The test was a great success for all chocolate lovers, though further testing is needed to identify if there are the same benefits in milk chocolate and white chocolate. Larger, more diverse studies are also needed to further show the benefits that chocolate, and in particular, cocoa flavanols in the chocolate have. 

Periodisation, What is it?

Sports seasons can be split into different sections, each with its own specific objective. This usually consists of 3 phases; pre-season, competitive and off-season.             Many believe the pre-season phase to be the most important as it is preparing the athlete, or group of athletes for the main competitive phase. A bad pre-season can often lead to a bad start to a season. Pre-season follows a general principle called the S.A.I.D. principle, meaning Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. It is intended to prepare the bodies aerobic and anaerobic systems for the competitive season that follows. The athletes peak performance is not generally reached in this phase as competitive match play is always more demanding, but preparing the body as close to the intended intensity is of great advantage to the athletes. A good pre-season programme will be specific to the individuals in the sport and should be followed by a well constructed training programme in the competitive phase to maintain higher levels of performance².

Sporting Key Points For Pre-Season

• Pre – Season should follow a good off – season programme that maintains suitable aerobic capacity.
• Different sports require different types of training and within sports, different positions differ on demands as well.
• Different body types recover at different rates. Have suitable recovery times between training sessions.
• Don’t overwork individuals, injuries will occur. Injury prevention is key.
• Use some fitness tests to compare base and progressing fitness levels. Make sure they are sport specific.
• Be as close to competitive fitness before the competitive season begins.²

Can Massage Help?

Pre-season puts a huge demand on the body, as it follows the off-season phase and thus meaning a period of reduced intensity. The increase in intensity causes stresses on the body in which they have not adapted to. Sports massage can assist in minimising the risk of injury as micro-traumas occur within the muscles when exercising. Regular sessions of massage between training sessions can decrease recovery time and reduce the onset of muscle soreness. This allows the athlete to perform at a higher level when required to. The regularity of a massage depends on the level, intensity and quantity of training that the individual is performing. For example, elite athletes may have a sports massage every day, whereas a person who participates in exercise to keep healthy may wish to have a massage every 2 to 3 weeks².

SportExercise Decreases Risks of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of chronic fatigue and diffuse muscle pain and sleep problems. It has been suggested by Mannerkorpi and Henriksson that aerobic exercises performed at a low and moderate intensity, such as swimming, walking or cycling, could improve the symptoms and distress levels in individuals with fibromyalgia. This means that 30 minutes of regular activity, maybe 4 or 5 times a week, could not only reduce the risk of fibromyalgia, but also reduce the risk of the onset of cardiac problems in later life³.

Can Soap Cause Allergies?

Atopic Dermatitis, more commonly known as eczema, has risen in recent years. A suggestion for this may be the increase in use of strong soaps and exfoliants. The UCL Institute of Child Health recently published an article advising people that strong soaps and exfoliants used over-excessively strip the skins epidermis (outer layer), resulting in an allergic response. Professor Callard of the institute quoted “from a clinical viewpoint, it is important to stress that over-zealous washing, using harsh detergents and/or abrasive skincare products that can damage the skin, are likely to be at fault.” 

Quick Facts!!!

“Adults lose 2 to 3 litres of water a day at rest, via sweat, breathing and waste products.”

“During exercise you should drink 150 to 300 ml of water every 20 minutes.”

“Men need 11 to 13 cups of water a day to replace fluid loss whereas women need 8 to 9 cups a day.”

Some of you may know, I have recently been training to take part in a marathon challenge held at and around Colworth Park in Sharnbrook. The challenge involved completing 3 separate races over 3 days, totalling 26.2 miles in total. I completed the challenge in 3 hours and 41 minutes, running through fields, tracks and even behind Santa Pod race track! I decided to raise money for Keechs Cottage Childrens Hospice as well and have managed to raise over £300. If you wish to donate you may still do so at www.justgiving.com/carminecientanni

References

1. Grassi, D., Necozione, S., Lippi, C., et al, Cocoa reduces blood pressure and insulin resistance and improves endothelium-dependant vasodilation in hypertensives, Hypertension, 2005, Vol. 46; pp. 398-405.

2. SportEx Dynamics, April 2008, Issue 16; pp. 6-21.

3. Mannerkorpi K. and Henriksson, C., Non-pharmacological treatment of chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, Best Practice and Research: Clinical Rheumatology, June 2007, Vol. 21 (No. 3); pp. 513-534.

4. UCL Institute of Child Health (www.ich.ucl.ac.uk)