How to train for great results in a competition while sitting on the couch.
Are you getting ready for NZ Shears yet? Sometimes the sheep aren't right, or we're just not able to get to work, a big wet, last on the list to be called, and practice is just not happening. I've got a way to help you get started. Visualisation is a way to make a huge impact on your performance without breaking in to a sweat. Numerous studies have found that mental practice is a beneficial way to improve your skills without moving your body. It increases your experience and
7 tips for a great speech
7 ways to make a great speech if you manage to win this weekend! We’ve all heard the mumbling from the podium, and the thanks to the ladies in the lunchroom (they are important, don’t forget them) – but to make your speech one people will enjoy listening to as much as they enjoyed watching you, here are a few tips. 1. Enjoy the moment. You have worked so very hard to get here, and you deserve to be here – savour it – at least 5 other people don’t get the chance to do this. 2.
How to make your shearing day feel easier in one easy step!
I remember watching a play over 15 years ago about a young shearer who was doing really well in a board race, when he fell apart. He was listening to music on headphones, and he threw them off. Someone, probably the woolhandler, said to him, something along the lines of “you were doing so well, what happened?” and he said “John Rowles came on”! I have been thinking about this, so I’ve looked up the research, and most of it that I found says that music does not alter performan
6 things that happen when you are dehydrated - especially true in the woolshed.
Firstly, you need to know this…
1. 20% of energy during exercise is used for muscular activity – the shearing or woolhandling part 2. 80% is used when we sweat (the dripping off the nose part) 3. Dehydration is affected by
a. Fluid intake
b. Heat
c. Fluid loss
d. Exercise e. Our own bodies So, when you are dehydrated, from working in a hot shed, or sweating a lot, or not having enough fluid on board to start with your body does not function as it shou
17 tips on how to make sure you wake up refreshed in the morning
Shearers as we know are among the most elite of endurance athletes – exercising by working every day. Exercise increases the need for sleep – to allow for numerous biochemical processes, including muscle recovery and effects on the sympathetic nervous system (the heart) – I'm guessing you know about the mornings when you are achey, stiff and your heart is pounding in your ears - not from the effects of the night before either - it could be because you didn't get enough sleep
How does compression gear help with recovery?
While everyone who is cool seems to be wearing compression gear, I’ve been looking in to the why’s of it. There is some iffy research out there to be honest with you – some says there is no benefit with wearing tights after a big event to help with recovery, others say yes. Many people who wear the gear report the benefits even in how the body feels in the morning. Most research says that wearing it when racing (the research is on runners mostly) doesn’t make a difference – b
8 Ways to improve recovery after a hard day
1. Cold water baths. There seems to be some improvement in muscle chemistry after a 10 minute cold bath for 10 minutes. There also are effects on the central nervous system by decreasing the workload on your heart and decreasing the effects of overheating.
How to make this work for you… have a hot shower first (stretch when you are in there), get clean then jump in a cold bath (10 degrees) for 10 minutes. 2. Drink enough fluid throughout the day to keep your wee pale colour
What happens when we work in the heat in the sheds?
Working in the heat as we know is a tough job – but evidence shows that trained subjects, working in heat of about 40 degrees with 10% relative humidity, and at about 60% of maximal capacity for 10 days increased their overall performance after several days, and had much increased function in general. What is very interesting is that if this became humid heat then performance dropped rapidly – every subjects’ function drops with maximal performance much earlier (7 minutes). I
Overhydration
Still on the topic of hydration, and urine, did you know that there is such thing as overhydration? So, here anyway, it’s still super hot, and sheds, they are not going to be changing in a hurry. So, you are out there working in hot, hot, heat for long hours every day, and you are sweating! You are losing water from your body - it needs to be replaced... What should you do about it? Until about 30 years ago, athletes were told not to drink while exercising, leading to some un
How to know if you are hydrated enough
It’s hot, you’re working hard and sweating profusely…. How do you know if you are hydrated enough? Seems a group of scientists have done the dirty work for us at Arkansas University and have found that you need to be urinating (when you feel the urge, not just because it’s a convenient time) five times in 24 hours to make sure that you are optimally hydrated. This information is important, because the results of chronic dehydration in a normal non exercising population “may l
