Gallagher Fitness Resources

Category: Training Tips – All Levels

Beginner to Competitor, these tips apply to all runners.

  • Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

    delayed onset muscle soreness

    Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

    Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) appears on day 2 or day 3 after a more intense workout, race, long run, or hilly run. The DOMS phenomenon is puzzling to most newer half-marathoners and marathoners because it doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense. It isn’t fatal, but it does get your attention. Why? Because you had the best workout! You felt great the day after a harder effort. But then, WHAM! You felt quite a bit of discomfort or pain later.  We often have runners in the store who think something has gone horribly wrong with their training because “I felt so good yesterday, now everything hurts!”

    Warm Up – Especially before Intense Workouts

    To minimize Delayed Muscle Onset Soreness be sure to Warm Up before entering the “workout” portion on any run.  It will help you lessen DOMS discomfort.  Susan and I have always emphasized “starting off easy!”  Start every run with a progression of walking, to light jogging, to jogging, to easy running, building to your intended pace over the course of 10-15 minutes.  48-72 hours later your body will be thanking you!

    Stay Hydrated!

    Another way to minimize Delayed Muscle Onset Soreness is to stay properly hydrated. Even a little bit of dehydration can have a dramatic effect on your post-workout soreness and discomfort.  Muscles repair best when they are rested and well fed.  Hydration and the appropriate “EZ pace” help muscle repair and recover quickly.  Just cuz you feel good doesn’t give you permission to go harder.  You will pay for that extra bit eventually.

    Patience Pays Off

    As always, be patient!  If you are in a hurry to get in shape, you better factor in some time to recover from the injuries and aches and pains that will follow.  There is no rushing the human body.  If you push yourself too hard, too long, or too quickly your body will respond by making you sore enough to slow you down and make you re-think your enthusiasm! We call those the “too” injuries and DOMS is their calling card.

    Follow a Plan

    A solid training plan will guide you to your race goals and help you avoid DOMS. Read about the training plans that Gallagher Fitness Resources offers on our TEAM GFR Saturday Mornings page. The Team GFR Training Plans provide suggestions to balance out your intense days and race days with properly placed recovery workouts. Sign up for a Team GFR Training Plan through RunSignUp. Give them a try this year!

  • Half Marathon + Marathon Weekend Final Tips

    Half Marathon + Marathon Weekend Final Tips

    You Can Improve Your Performance During the Last 48 Hours Without Running a Step

    While the physical training has been done, you can significantly enhance the quality of your performance and how you will feel after your race by doing the right things and avoiding the dumb things during the final two days. You’ve done the work. You covered the miles in training. Your “graduation day” is near; don’t let your goals become clouded by your worries or anxieties.

    (Note: Susan and I have been compiling and sharing these pre-race tips for years.  Many of these tips were adapted from articles and books by Jeff Galloway, John Bingham, and many other authors and coaches.)

    Key Mental Concepts

    Be Positive – You are naturally going to have negative thoughts over the next couple days, so have this list ready to bypass them and move into the world of positive thinking!  Repeat them to yourself as often as necessary:

    • I have no pressure on myself
    • I’m going to enjoy this
    • I’ll start slower and enjoy every step
    • The people around me are great
    • I’ve earned this!
    • Because I started slowly, I’m finishing strong
    • I feel successful!
    • I have been patient for the last 3-4 months, I can be patient until the 20 mile mark (or the 10 mile mark for the half-marathoners)

    Focus – Because of nervousness, the excitement of the pre-race expo, or the distractions of another city, the marathon, friends, etc., it’s easy to lose your concentration.  Remind yourself why you put in all those miles over the last 3-6 months.

    Be In Control of your Pre-Race Schedule and Thoughts – Be in charge of your behaviors during the crucial 48 hours before the marathon. You can control your attitude, your eating, your schedule, etc. This doesn’t mean that you should be sitting at home or in your hotel room eating salt-free pretzels and PowerBars and drinking water. Being with friends is positive. Just remember, you have veto power over what goes into your mouth, where you go, and how late you stay out. Being in control of your destiny is the primary step in running your best.  Plan ahead!

    The Night Before

    • Drink a couple mouthfuls of water (four to six ounces) every hour.
    • Mentally rehearse the marathon: feeling good, overcoming challenges, recovering.
    • Eat light carbohydrate snacks like energy bars or gels (not too many!).
    • Relax with friends or family.
    • Relax, laugh, enjoy the moment.
    • Did we mention – relax?
    • Go over the procedure, route, etc. for getting to the start.
    • Do a very relaxed mental rehearsal of the marathon, concentrating on the positive.
    • Pack your bag – again.

    Your Race Day Bag Should Contain

    • Race number and pins and Timing Chip on your shoe!
    • Race instructions, map, etc.
    • Shoes, socks, shirt, shorts, and gear to stay warm
    • Other clothes if it’s cold: pants, technical fiber top, long-sleeved T, gloves, hat, ear covering, etc.
    • Water (about 32 ounces)
    • Bandages, BodyGlide, etc.
    • $20-30 for reserve funds
    • Energy bars, gels, sport beans, bloks or your chosen carbohydrate source (enough for start, second half, and after)
    • Fanny pack or plastic bags
    • Some extra “throwaway” shirts and/or pants as extra layers in case the staging area is cold
    • Garbage bags as an inexpensive waterproof top and ground cover

    More Half Marathon + Marathon Weekend Final Tips

    Your Schedule for Half-Marathon or Marathon Day

    1. Wake Up – Set your wake up call so that you have plenty of time to get moving, gather your gear together, and go through your usual eating and drinking timetable which worked for you during the long runs.
    2. Eat – You should use what has worked for you in your long runs. Eating about 200-250 calories of high quality carbohydrate about an hour before the long one has helped many runners to stabilize their blood sugar level for the first half of the marathon.
    3. Go Slowly in the Beginning – Almost everyone who performs a personal record in the marathon runs the second half faster than the first. Slow down by 10-20 seconds per mile (from your projected marathon pace) during the first 3-5 miles. Many marathoners report that by starting out 15 seconds per mile slower, they have the resiliency to run 20-30 seconds per mile faster at the end of the marathon.
    4. Take Walk Breaks – For the first 16-18 miles of the marathon or the first 8-9 miles of the half-marathon, walk through water stops or stick with the run/walk ratio you may have practiced over the last 3-4 months. That way you enter that all important last portion of your event with all the energy reserves you need to finish strong!
    5. Eat During the Second Half of the Marathon – Eating small carbohydrate snacks during the second half of the marathon has helped marathoners improve time goals by boosting the blood sugar level. This will enhance your feeling of well being, maintain mental concentration, and sustain a positive mental attitude.
    6. Remember: Everyone Has at Least ONE “Bad” Patch – Group support helped pull you through at least one bad long run, didn’t it? By helping others through their tough times, you receive positive internal rewards. These tough runs teach you how to deal with tough portions of the marathon itself. During your race you will have tough spots. Stay positive and draw on the strength of those surrounding you in the race. Don’t be surprised by a “bad patch.” Acknowledge it and know that your training, your training buddies, and your willingness to do your best will pull you through until you start feeling better again. The closer that finish line and finisher’s prize is, the better you will begin feeling!

    Race Day Morning List

    • Drink two to four ounces of water (a few mouthfuls only!) every 20 minutes or so.
    • Eat – according to the schedule which has worked for you in the long runs.
    • Bring your bag, car keys, etc.
    • Leave at least 30 minutes before you think you’ll need to leave . . . in case of traffic, etc.
    • If you have several hours at race site before start, stay warm, get off your feet and relax.
    • 45-60 minutes before the start, walk around the staging area to mentally rehearse lining up.
    • Thirty minutes before the start, walk around for 15 minutes to get the legs moving.
    • Keep an eye on the porta-potty lines.  Don’t wait until it’s too late!
    • Jog for two to three minutes (very slowly) just before lining up.
    • Keep the legs moving, in place if necessary, as you stand waiting for the start.
    • If going for a time goal, get to the starting area early enough to secure a good place.
    • Those with a goal “to finish” should line up in the back of the crowd.
    • Joke around; enjoy the energy and personalities of the folks nearby.
    • Go out slowly. If it’s hot, go out even slower!
    • Get over to the side of the road when taking a walk break.
    • Drink when you feel the need. Drinking at every water station might be too much for some.
    • If you feel warm, pour water over your head at each water stop.
    • Each walk break gives you a chance to appreciate and enjoy every mile.
    • When tired shorten your stride.
    • Don’t stretch during the run or immediately afterward.
    • You may cut out the walk breaks after mile 18-20 if you’re feeling good.

    Immediately After Finishing Your Half Marathon or Marathon

    • Grab water and carbohydrate food(s).
    • Walk, eat and drink. Do not sit down or lie down for at least a half hour after finishing (unless you need medical attention).
    • If possible, immerse your legs in a cold bath, as soon after the finish as possible.
    • Walk for 30 to 60 minutes later in the day.
    • Eat carbohydrate snacks continuously for the rest of the day.
    • Drink four to six ounces of water or electrolyte fluid (at least) every hour.
    • Walk for 30 to 60 minutes the next day.
    • Run/walk for 30 to 45 minutes two days after the marathon.
    • Continue to alternate: walk 30 to 60 minutes and run/walk 30 to 45 minutes.
    • Be certain to make a gentle return to running. If you are feeling absolutely on top of the world for a few days, that’s great! Rest up and enjoy the view from there. Don’t be in a big hurry to get back out on the roads. Your muscles and your spirit will need some recovery time even if your mind doesn’t think so.  Your muscles will thank you!

    Even more Half Marathon + Marathon Weekend Final Tips

    Race Week Advice

    Race Day – It’s All Between Your Ears

  • 60-75 percent Effort Is Important

    60-75 percent Effort Is Important

    60-75 percent Effort Is Important

    Repeat after me – Endurance. Aerobic Endurance. Gotta have it or you won’t have any fun out there.

    Face it. A half-marathon or a marathon is a long way. Pacing yourself evenly throughout the race is the fastest way to the finish line. Guaranteed. But most importantly, you need the endurance and the patience to cover the distance. Running at 60-75 percent effort on most days will extend your aerobic endurance. With aerobic endurance you can teach yourself to pace accordingly on race day.

    Think about it in these terms: Let’s say you have to drive 13.1 miles one way to work each day. Would you get there on time if you had to get out and push your car the last half mile or so? Veering out of that aerobic zone and going too fast on your easy days will rob gas outta your gas tank. Our bodies are not equipped with a visible fuel gauge. It won’t be apparent that you are out of gas until the moment you realize you are. You wouldn’t want to show up at work looking like you had to push your car a half mile to get there. Don’t do that to yourself on race day either!

    60-70 percent effort is CONVERSATION pace

    60-75 percent effort is important. You’ll know you’re there when you cover miles upon miles chatting, laughing, giggling, singing – and breathing deeply – as you run. Those runs when you feel as though you really aren’t doing much, but the miles just roll by. Those easy – seemingly effortless – days provide lots of oxygen and fresh blood flow to your muscles, tendons and joints. It’s like taking a long aerobic bath with your running buddies. Your body loves that stuff! Keep your easy long runs easy!

    That’s why 60-75 percent effort is important too. If your goal is to run your best half marathon or marathon possible, most of your training days should be in this range. We follow this philosophy in our Team GFR Training Plans. Take a look at our training plans and join us.

  • How to Run and Walk Half Marathon

    How to Run and Walk Half Marathon

    TIP #1: Approach the Half-Marathon by splitting it into two equal halves. The first half takes you to the 10-mile mark and the second half is the final 3.1 miles (5k). Now before you question my math skills, listen to my reasoning. The first 10 miles should be your “warm-up” for that final 5k run. Patience in the first 10 miles will yield enormous results and pleasant surprises over the last 3 miles – guaranteed! The easiest mistake runners make is going “just-a-teensy-weensy-too-hard” during those first ten miles. If you hit the 11 or 12 mile mark and you find yourself wishing it were all over, then you probably made THE mistake. If you pass the 10-mile mark and you are “ready to rumble,” then you DID NOT make THE mistake.

    TIP #2: [More bad math] Mentally and physically split that first 10-miles into equal parts of 7 miles and 3 miles.
    While you are conserving your energy for that final 5k, taking it easy and feeling strong, those other runners around you will be dreading the second half of their race. You’re just getting warmed up! During that 7 miles, you should be taking walk breaks as in training.
    Once you’ve passed the 7-mile mark, you can increase your pace slightly and begin passing those people who are already beginning to slow down. This “second half of the first 10 miles” is only 3 miles! [See how this wacky math works to your advantage now?] At this point, you can keep the same run/walk ratio and pick up your running pace slightly -OR- you can keep the same running pace and decrease the walk ratio by 15-seconds. Either choice will increase your overall pace. Since you “took it easy” for the first 7 miles, you will be ready to “pick it up a bit.”

    TIP #3: [Final section of bad math] If you’ve done this correctly, you still have half your energy left to burn and there’s only a 5k to go!
    – No death march for you! Anybody can complete a 5k, right? It’s concentration time – time to be aware of “closing the gap” on those people in front of you. You will notice that they seem to be getting closer to you with every step. After a 10-mile warmup, it’s time to have some fun passing them up – you’ve earned it with your patience!
    Walk breaks during the final 5k? It’s up to you. If you know you can run a 5k with confidence – DO IT! If you need a walk break or two or three, put them in. If you want to walk only to get water, do that. This final 5k is yours to enjoy as you wish. You did the training. You did the walk breaks. You took it easy during the first 7 miles. Tear it up!
    During the last 25% of the race, many runners eliminate walk breaks. For the Half-Marathon, that would call for your last walk break to be around the 10 mile mark, if that is what you choose.
    Remember, you can also opt to spread the walk breaks out after 10 miles. For instance, if you’re trying to average 10 minute miles and are doing 5 and 1’s through the 10-mile mark, you could choose to take a walk break at 11-miles and 12-miles rather than continue with the 5 and 1’s.

    TIP #4: Start thinking about throwing kisses to the crowd at the finish line and having fun feeling strong! Go to the nearest mirror right now and practice your finish line smile!
    – ENJOY your success! If the weather is decent, hang out and cheer your buddies in. Hang out and visit if you can. Congratulate yourself and the other people in your group. Wear a silly grin on your face and take pleasure in that post-race buzz!

  • Race Day It’s All Between Your Ears

    Race Day It’s All Between Your Ears

    It’s race weekend and you’re a bit anxious.  You’re looking for some wisdom to calm your nerves.  I’d like to reference a quotation from the famous pro golfer Bobby Jones. [In 1930 he won the “Grand Slam of Golf.” Eighty plus years later, no one has replicated his feat of winning the four major tournaments.] He is credited with saying: “Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course…the space between your ears.” Also attributed to Bobby Jones was the observation: “Some people think they are concentrating when they’re merely worrying.”

    You’ve been preparing for this weekend for 4-6 months or more. That’s a lot of prep time. Think about it. You have had good runs.  Poor runs.  Runs that taught you something new.  And runs that proved just how fit and ready you are for your big race.

    I mention the thoughts of Bobby Jones to emphasize that the only thing standing in the way of a personally successful run this weekend is the grey blob of gelatinous matter between your ears. While Jones was referring to golf, his words are easily applied to the half marathon and marathon. If this is your first ever half marathon or marathon (or even second, third, or thirteenth) be prepared for the tricks your mind can play on you between now and the finish line.

    If you are in your final week, by now you have endured phantom aches and pains in probably thirty-seven different places in your body. If the left 1/4 inch of the third toe of your right foot all of a sudden begins to hurt, face it, all your preparation has been wasted. You might as well just stay home on race morning and eat a couple dozen jelly donuts and watch reruns of I Love Lucy. How can you possibly do well?

    Over the course of the last few days, raise your hand if you have had the sniffles, a headache, a sore throat, bad breath, overly sensitive hair follicles, or new wrinkles appear where they have never before existed. Have you lost count of how many times your pulse rate has gone up and down and up and down and up and down? Let me offer the following diagnosis: You have the most fatal of all runner’s diseases – the dreaded PRE-RACE JITTERS. The only known cure available is a starting line and a starter’s pistol, whistle, or air horn.

    You may very well suffer from this feared malady until you hear the bweeeeeep of your timing chip. I’m sorry. It’s part of what you got yourself into when you decided to commit to a half marathon or marathon goal. Keep the words of Bobby Jones in mind. Keep that “five-and-a-half-inch course” between your ears clear of the obstacles and don’t worry. YOU ARE READY!!

    A Checklist to calm those pre-race jitters:

    • Hydration: Thirsty now? Get some water. Don’t wait until two days before. Try some electrolyte replacement too. Water alone does not replace electrolytes lost from sweating
    • Toenails: Clip them a day or two before the event
    • FAQ and Race Day Info: Check your event site for info.  Nearly all half-marathons and marathons have this available.
    • Weather: Check conditions the night before and in the morning
    • Clothing: Lay out all options from sleeveless to long-sleeve, shorts, capris, vest, jacket, socks, shoes, bra, technical underwear, cap, etc.
    • Accessories/Food/Hydration: Sunglasses, key pocket, camera, gu’s, gel’s, shots, beans, electrolyte replacement, water carrier, have it all ready to go the night or two before
    • Water and Electrolyte Replacement: Water will be on the course, as well as Gatorade or other electrolyte replacement. Be sure you know who the drink sponsor is and if you’ve never used their product, you may wish to take your own that you are familiar with.
    • Plan Ahead: Check supplies before closing on Friday and go to Gallagher Fitness Resources ahead of time to stock up on essentials!
    • Extras: Pack a towel and set of dry clothes, extra water and pretzels or favorite snack to have in your car or bag when you finish. Food is available at the finish but plan a backup just in case what is available does not sound good. Replenishing lost nutrients as soon as your stomach can handle it helps you recover quicker.
    • Dinner night before: Do what has worked the night before your long training sessions; don’t do anything you’ve never done before!
    • Arrival: Arrive early enough to stand in line for the port-a-potties
    • Stay warm: Disposable garbage bag with hole cut in top may help keep you warm while waiting around for the gun to go off
    • Have fun! Be confident you have done your best to prepare. Stop worrying, it won’t help. The hay’s in the barn.
    • Good Luck! Smile for the camera and get those arms up in celebration!

  • Reflections on 2013 Boston Marathon

    Reflections on 2013 Boston Marathon

    Boston Marathon 2011

    “Hey, ya look like a runnah.  Ya here ta do Bahstun?”  Imagine being greeted with that line by a cab driver on Friday as you arrive at Logan Airport.  The race is Monday – Patriot’s Day, three days away – and it’s apparent the city has already accepted you with open arms.  Everywhere you look are signs, banners, and billboards welcoming you to the Boston Marathon.  The first, the oldest, the most famous.  You and 27,000 others from all over the world earned your way here by meeting a qualifying time or by raising a target goal for a charity. You belong here and Boston is already celebrating your achievement.

    For one hundred and seventeen years Bostonians have cheered their local citizens and guests from every corner of the world to that finish line on Boylston St.  The spectators spread out over 26.2 miles have exceeded a half million people in recent years.  They shout and applaud as if you were a superstar for the Celtics, Bruins, Patriots or Red Sox.  Crazy thing is that you are as average and normal as those people screaming your name.  Like them, you have a job, a family, and responsibilities.  What links you is a shared passion – the passion to run in this race.

    I have been a runner for over 40 years.  I have coached runners and walkers for 30 of those years and have been blessed to own a running store in Salem for the last fifteen plus years.  I have personally run the Boston Marathon three times and plan to run it again.  Today, I’m still working my way through the tragedy we all witnessed on Monday.

    On April 15, 2013 the finish line on Boylston Street was senselessly splattered with the blood of innocent spectators.  Within a few terrifying moments, those spectators in Boston were taken from a world of Boston Marathon Day magic to an agonizing reality of a world tainted by evil and infected with fear.

    It is true.  We runners and walkers shut down parks, cause traffic to be re-routed and create inconveniences for those not directly involved.  However, the trade-off is typically a city-wide happening that celebrates health, hard work, and personal achievement.  In cities and towns worldwide, road races offer participants and fans a unique opportunity to use the roads for a different purpose – to raise money for charities and to challenge ourselves to be better.  The intention is to provide for the good of many while offering our hometowns a free spectator event.  I pray to God that has not changed – not now, not ever.

    In my book, innate human joy and the unconquerable feeling of personal achievement trumps anything an evil mind can ever hope to defeat.  My wife, Susan, and I have witnessed that countless times as we have cheered runners, walkers, friends and family members to their own personal goals.  Accepting a challenge, whatever it may be, and continuing forward to a finish line, wherever it is, defines us as human beings.  We cannot let fear and terror take that sense of accomplishment from our hearts and souls.

    On Monday, three people were killed and many still cling to the hope that their lives will somehow be normal again.  Boston showed the world how to respond immediately to an unthinkable act of violence.  I believe Boston will also show us how strong and resilient we all should be when faced with tragedy.

    Put on your shoes, Salem.  Let’s join up with walkers and runners in Boston and worldwide and send a clear message that you can’t take away our streets or our dreams.

  • Uphill Techniques and Tips

    Negotiating hills can be challenging but you can improve your efficiency with some awareness. Here are some uphill tips, presuming you’re not having to be concerned about rocks, tree roots or other trip hazards.

    • Keep your eyes focused on the top of the hill. Don’t look down.
    • As you run or walk up the hill with your eyes up, visualize someone at the top of the hill pulling you up with a rope that’s tied to a central spot between your hips. Creative Visualization is an amazing tool that many athletes frequently use. If you practice this, you will actually “feel” your hips being drawn up the hill by this invisible rope.
    • Keep your hips going straight up the hill. Visualize small headlights attached to the front of your hip bones. You need to keep those headlights centered on the road! Don’t let them “weave” back and forth across the road.
    • Keep your head up! Looking up and keeping your head erect puts your body (especially your spine and hips) in the right position.
    • Maintain a quick cadence and keep your stride length short. Don’t over-stride. Think baby steps.
    • Use your arms, but don’t overdo it! Reach back with your hands far enough to brush the sides of your hips.

    Continue past the top of the hill and concentrate on using good form for several more yards after you have crested the top. Keep up the quick cadence. In other words, don’t lose your momentum when you get to the top. Going up hills with good form is important. Being able to continue after you have “conquered the hill” is what will make you more efficient and stronger.

    *************************

    Many look up at a hill and say, “Oh my!”

    Try this demonstration:

    • Look up, eyes straight forward – take a deep breath
    • Look down – take a deep breath

    You get more air with your head up and we need all the oxygen we can get when going uphill

    Eyes up – head up – oxygen

    Spine straightens up – hips align – increased efficiency

  • Breathing Awareness

    Do you practice diaphragmatic or “belly” breathing? Do you breathe when you stretch? Correct breathing – slow, relaxed “belly” breathing – is important for effective stretching, rolling out and many other activities. Good breathing helps us relax, increases blood flow throughout the body, and helps relieve built-up tension. With practice, correct breathing is a simple, yet highly effective tool.

    As you breathe in, the diaphragm presses downward on the internal organs and their associated blood vessels, squeezing the blood out of them. As you exhale, the abdomen, its organs and muscles, and their blood vessels flood with new blood. This rhythmic contraction and expansion of the abdominal blood vessels is partially responsible for the circulation of blood in the body. The rhythmic pumping action, referred to as the respiratory pump, also helps remove waste products.

    The respiratory pump is important during stretching and rolling out because increased blood flow to muscles improves their elasticity, and increases the rate at which lactic acid is removed from them. Work on slow, relaxed breathing when you stretch and roll out.

    BREATHING AWARENESS EXERCISE

    Observe your normal breathing pattern without making any changes, nor controlling the breath in any way. Simply observe, and notice the quality of your breathing, depth, evenness, sound, smoothness, roughness, rate. Let the breath come and go in its own natural rhythm.

    Follow the breath from moment to moment, and develop sensitivity by the direct experience of feeling the breath as it enters and leaves the body.

    Breathe in and out the nostrils.

    Feel the breath, and follow it, the moment it enters your nostrils, through the nasal passages, throat, trachea, bronchi and into the lungs. Let the exhalation be a long, slow release.

    Notice whether or not you are breathing equally into each nostril and lungs. Be aware of tightness and restriction in the rib cage. Notice the quality and amount of expansion in the ribs and lungs. Do both lungs expand equally? Into which part of the lungs do you mostly breathe?

    If you practice breathing with awareness, the quality of your breathing will improve with little effort.

    BREATHING EXERCISE #2

    How can I relax and bring my heart rate down? Practice diaphragmatic breathing. Here’s an exercise. It takes practice, so be patient and persistent.

    Get comfortable, either sitting, or lying on your back with pillows under the knees or lower legs on a couch.

    1. Breathe in slowly and deeply, using diaphragm, 4-6 seconds (one-one thousand, two-one thousand, etc)

    2. Hold your breath for about three seconds

    3. Slowly begin to exhale, counting for twice as long as the inhale, and gently pushing from down low for the last 2 or 3 seconds to get that last bit of stale air all the way out.

    Repeat steps 1-3, two more times for a total of three times. Next breathe normally for ten breaths. Then repeat the whole sequence. Although it takes practice, this is a relatively simple relaxation tool and it works really well.

  • Stretching

    STRETCHING

    Done properly, stretching can do more than just increase flexibility. Benefits include increased relaxation, increased body awareness, reduced risk of injury, and reduced muscle soreness and tension. Unfortunately, stretching is not always done properly. Therefore, the benefits are not always realized. Common mistakes include stretching cold muscles, overstretching, performing exercises the wrong way, and shallow breathing.

    Click here for breathing tips.

    OVER-STRETCHING

    Occasionally, the progression of sensations you feel as you reach the extreme ranges of a stretch are localized warmth of the stretched muscles, followed by a burning (or spasm-like) sensation, followed by sharp “ouch!” pain. The localized warming usually occurs at the muscle’s origin or point of insertion. When you begin to feel this, it is your first clue that you may need to “back off” and reduce the intensity of the stretch.

    If you ignore (or do not feel) the warming sensation, and you proceed to the point where you feel a definite burning sensation in the stretched muscles, then you should ease up immediately and discontinue the stretch! You may not feel soreness right away, but you probably will the next day. If your stretch gets to the point where you feel sharp pain, it is quite likely that tissue damage has already occurred and may cause immediate pain and soreness that persists for several days.

    Click here for Trigger Point Therapy information to help your stretching be even more effective!

  • Trigger Point Therapy

    TRIGGER POINT THERAPY

    Trigger Point therapy is an effective injury prevention strategy, increasing muscle elasticity and functionality. It’s like doing your own deep tissue massage. Trigger Point therapy helps you gain a better appreciation of which muscles are tight and how to release them. IT Band Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis, Shin Splints, Piriformis Syndrome and other common conditions are addressed through TP therapy. You can learn to take care of yourself by treating the cause of a problem, not just the symptoms. You can minimize the aches, pains and conditions that steer you off the path toward your goals, and you can function at a higher level.

    What are trigger points?

    Pain related to an irritable point in muscle or fascia, not caused by acute local trauma, inflammation, degeneration or infection. The painful point can be felt as a nodule or band in the muscle, and a twitch response can be elicited on stimulation of the trigger point. Palpation of the trigger point reproduces the feeling of pain, and the pain radiates in a distribution typical of the specific muscle harboring the trigger point.

    What is muscle elasticity and why is it important?

    Muscle elasticity is the muscle rebounding to its natural state. It is important for sustaining optimal performance without factors of fatigue and injury. Proper muscle function is key for flexibility, balance, power, stamina and injury prevention. An inelastic muscle is like a rope. The muscle loses its ability to lengthen and rebound. In some cases, the rope-like muscle has knots. You cannot stretch a knot out of a rope, or a knot out of a muscle.

    How does the use of Trigger Point tools give me elasticity?

    The TP Massage Ball, TP Footballer and TP Quadballer work to improve the body’s performance by increasing elasticity within the muscles, allowing them to rebound to their natural state. This is achieved through increased blood flow and elevated oxygen use and reduction of scar tissue and muscle adhesions. The tools knead out the adhesions, scar tissue and knots within the muscles. The kneading and the increased blood and oxygen combine to increase elasticity, making the muscle function like a bungee cord instead of a knot-filled rope.

    What is the difference between elasticity and flexibility?

    Flexibility describes how far a muscle can stretch, without regard to how elastic the muscle actually is. Elasticity is the ability of the muscle to rebound to its natural state after it has been stretched. If you tried to stretch a knot in a rope, it just gets tighter. If you stretch a bungee cord, it returns to its normal state. Factors of aging, wear and tear and biomechanical dysfunction due to inelasticity of the muscle and the surrounding connective tissue and fascia can significantly reduce the range of flexibility.

    Gallagher Fitness Resources has been selling Trigger Point therapy tools since 2007 and offering classes since 2008.

    Contact: 503-364-4198 or E-mail Susan for more information or to schedule a Trigger Point session.