Training Concept #6 - The HR Monitor

CONCEPT VI: “The HR monitor”

Many athletes use a heart rate monitor (HR monitor) when training and racing. Knowing your heart rate under various conditions can teach you much about your performance physiology. In endurance athletics, monitoring heart rate may reveal problems in your training program, errors in your race pace, and warn you of stress caused by environmental factors. Understanding the implications of heart rate can help you avoid training and racing errors. The intention of this article is to caution you about the difficulties and limitations of interpreting exercise heart rate.

The heart rate monitor is an electronic device, which conveniently records heart rate while you are exercising. Heart rate is an approximation of exercise intensity. It is an indirect measurement of physiologic workload (oxygen consumption, energy expenditure, aerobic capacity, or VO2). Therefore, knowing your training heart rate or the perceived effort associated with that heart rate, is important so that you can intentionally train significant elements (VO2max, VO2submax, and lactate threshold) of your physiology.

Physiology: Heart rate is related to VO2 in a linear manner. The approximate relationship (+/- 8% error) is:



This tells you that if you plan to train at 70% of your VO2max, then you must paddle at 80% of your maximal HR (HRmax). However, this straight-line relationship between HR and VO2 tends to break down at the low and high values. For example, maximum heart rate is achieved before maximum VO2. This relationship is still practical because the higher the heart rate response, the greater the exercise intensity.

Factors other than oxygen consumption can influence heart rate. These factors include temperature, emotions, food intake, hydration state, body position, muscle groups exercised, continuous vs. stop-and-go exercise, or isometrically or rhythmically contracting muscles. In many arm exercises, heart rates are higher when compared to leg exercises. Consequently, heart rate during upper body work, tends to over predict the actual VO2. Heart rate response to paddling varies for paddlers of different experience, skill, and fitness levels.

More variables: In order to use the heart rate monitor for training and racing, paddlers must know their 1) maximal heart rate (HRmax) and 2) training or racing target heart rate (percentage of HRmax).


1. The usual calculation used to predict HRmax is 220 minus age. However, for at least 1/3 of athletes, 220 minus age will over or under predict HRmax by at least 15 beats per minute, leading to workouts which are too intense or too easy. The only sure way of determining HRmax for the paddler is an actual field measurement. Warm up for 10 minutes, paddle 250m hard, rest for one minute, then paddle 500m and check heart rate at the end.

2. There are two methods commonly used for calculating target HR. The first is the percentage of HRmax (__% X HRmax). The second is the percentage of the difference between HRmax and resting heart rate (__% X (HRmax - HRrest) + HRrest). Be aware that these two methods result in different heart rates!

More problems: Lactate threshold, which is very sensitive to training, is a key physiologic factor for predicting performance. The threshold is the VO2 at which lactic acid begins to accumulate because it is produced by the working muscles faster than it is metabolized. Much training effort is devoted to having this occur at the highest exercise intensity possible so that you can paddle fast and far. HR is commonly used to identify this threshold intensity, but be aware of the following concerns:

1. HR is a deceptive measurement for lactate threshold training. What is threshold HR? It is often suggested to be 82 to 88% of HRmax. Actually, it may be 65 to 94%. Or another source says “threshold intensity is about 80 to 88% of VO2max which is about 85 to 92% of HRmax.” Careful! Threshold occurs at different levels for different people.

2. HR associated with threshold will increase over time with proper training

3. HR varies to environment and mood, but threshold doesn’t follow HR.

4. HR only partially determines the amount of blood being circulated by the heart to the active muscles. Cardiac output = heart rate X stroke volume. Imagine the effects of fatigue and dehydration on HR during a long, hot race! The blood volume drops causing the stroke volume to decrease and the HR to increase in an attempt to compensate.

5. Lactate threshold is a function of how hard the muscles are working, not how fast the heart is beating.

HR may be affected by other things.

1. Cardiac drift is the tendency for the heart rate to rise slowly as you paddle, even at a constant pace. HR can rise by as much as 20 bpm during constant velocity paddling lasting 30 minutes. Hydration may help to stabilize the drift. Drift will cause you to paddle slower even though you have the ability to maintain an even pace.

2. HR is sensitive to environmental conditions and to psychological state. HR is higher when weather is hotter or more humid and when you are tense and irritable.

Should you train by pace or by heart rate? VO2, your oxygen consumption, not heart rate is significant for determining work intensity. The heart is along for the ride and will do what muscles require it to do. The skeletal muscles become fatigued faster than the heart. The heart slows down when the paddling muscles do, not the other way around. Your goal is to develop greater fatigue resistance in the paddling muscles at the desired pace.

Training based on HR makes the heart primary and paddling muscles secondary. Practicing pace rather than HR trains the precise neuromuscular coordination and precise muscle functioning that you need to race. The less you practice pace, the lower the coordination and economy. If you want to race at a goal pace, practice that pace, not a HR.

Conclusions: Use the HR to monitor condition and change, not to control the training program. The HR monitor is a device, which collects data, and it is not a coach. Information collected by a HR monitor refers specifically to your heart and doesn’t tell you whether your paddling muscles are really ready for your goal racing speed. Only training at race pace can do that.

Remember that your HR is along for the ride. It will do what your exercising muscles tell it to do. If your muscles cannot sustain high intensity work for a long period of time, they will not drive your heart to its limit or its target rate. If you improve the fatigue resistance of your muscles at high speeds by practising those speeds, then your ability to sustain race pace for longer periods of time will force your heart to work harder to keep up with your muscles.

HR can be a powerful paddling assistant. Get used to how you feel at different work intensities and check the HR monitor occasionally for objective feed back. After some practise, you’ll be able to guess your HR within a few beats. You’ll also be able to feel lactate threshold intensity and sense how hard you can push yourself for the ambient conditions. A high HR may tell you that you are racing too fast, or that you are fatiguing or dehydrating and that you’d better conserve your energy if you want to maintain pace. Or you can learn these warning signs by how you feel. Don’t fall short of your performance goals by letting a misleading heart rate control your training and racing!

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Training Concept #5 - Cross Training For Paddling

CONCEPT V: “Cross training for paddling”

What are your performance limitations? Do you run out of strength or out of breath when racing? When I transitioned from running to paddling, my cardiovascular system was well developed but my upper body musculature was far from adequate to propel a boat at speed. My maximum heart rate while paddling was only 122 beats per minute, while my running maximum heart rate was 180 bpm. I was seriously out of balance and needed to develop upper body musculature in order to take advantage of my cardiovascular efficiency.

I began supplementing paddling with resistance training and the benefits quickly manifested as gains in paddling speed and economy. I worked to strengthen those muscles that were easily fatigued or rendered sore after a race until they no longer limited performance. New “weak spots ” often appeared and dictated the places where more attention was needed.

A proper training balance minimizes injury risk (tendonitis, muscle strain) and maximizes performance gains. In my situation, this balance combines paddling with cross training: resistance workouts for upper body strength and running for cardiovascular fitness. Here are some ideas about cross training for paddling.

Cross training, in the context of this article, includes 1) progressive resistance exercise (PRE), 2) cardiovascular fitness training, and 3) maintenance training when you can’t paddle.

1. Progressive resistance exercise is a system of training that uses resistance (weights, body weight, or friction) to progressively increase workload to enhance strength/endurance. It involves three variables: resistance, sets, and reps. A general model consists of lifting a weight 8 to 12 times (reps) for 3 sets and increasing the workload over a period of weeks and months. Start with a light weight for 8 reps and slowly build to 12 reps. When this is achieved, move on to increased weight, drop back to 8 reps, and progressively build again. This same system can be used when doing push-ups, pull-ups, or when using a variety of exercise equipment. General strengthening and specific strengthening can be combined to maximize the cross training benefit.

a. General strengthening

In order to reach your true potential as a paddler, the “core” muscles which are attached to your pelvic girdle and spine need to be strengthened. These muscles stabilize the body when paddling, allow strong, coordinated movement, and resist unwanted energy absorbing motion. This allows a particular pace to be sustained with a lower total energy cost. General strengthening implies total body exercise, not just strengthening the primary boat movers. Greg Barton (world champion kayak paddler) describes his favorite strengthening exercises in The Barton Mold. Also, C. Hoyt promotes strengthening the primary muscle groups with the following exercises:

Torso rotators: sit-ups, static trunk rotations, bridging, dead lifts

Shoulder extensors and medial rotators: bench press, rowing, chin-ups, pull-overs

Shoulder lateral rotators and flexors: elbow extensors: push-ups, dips, bench press,triceps extensions, lateral raises, cross cable laterals

Hip and knee flexors and extensors: curls, extensions, raises

Spine stabilizers: rowing, dead lifts, surfer

b. Specific strengthening

The specificity-of-training principle suggests that training should closely mimic what you do when you race. Strength routines should be specific to the muscular patterns, overall body posture, and muscle mechanics associated with the forward stroke. Specificity is important because the nervous system recruitment of various motor units are totally different for two dissimilar activities. Pulley weights or a modified rowing machine can be used to simulate stroke mechanics.

Regular resistance training strengthens the paddler and improves paddling economy. Strength stabilizes the paddler’s movements, reduces wasted motion, and minimizes energy losses between the paddler, boat, paddle, and water. A strong, stable “body/boat unit” allows higher quality training and racing. When economy is improved, endurance is enhanced because fewer total muscle fibers are required to produce the force necessary to paddle at a given speed. When exercising fibers are fatigued, they are replaced by rested muscle fibers. Therefore, increased strength in creases economy by a) improving stability, b) decreasing the number of muscle cells required to sustain activity, and c) delaying total fatigue by allowing collections of cells to share the work in an alternating manner.

2. Does exhaustion or stressed breathing limit your performance goals? Paddling is not the best exercise to develop a large cardiac output. Cardiovascular training requires the use of large muscle groups (such as legs) in repetitive motion, non-stop, for relatively long periods of time. Activities include running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, swimming, walking/hiking, etc. Keep in mind your beginning fitness level. Easy walking may provide adequate training stress if you are not comfortable with high intensity work. Vigorous running may be necessary to provide adequate stimulus for improved aerobic fitness if you are already in great shape.

3. Cross training can be used to maintain fitness or perhaps improve paddling performance when you can’t get to the water. Off-season is a perfect time to cross train. The purposes are to slow the de-training effect of inactivity and to strengthen your “weak spots”. If you are “land locked” for a while, increase your running and PRE to maintain fitness.

Don’t give up valuable paddling time in order to cross train, but incorporate PRE and running to compliment your paddling. You will feel strong and fit and your training capacity and racing performance will escalate.

Training Concept #4 - Speed Strategy

CONCEPT IV: "Speed strategy"

You want to get faster! Gradually increase your ability to paddle fast. Much of that new speed will come from having a higher VO2max rather than from the development of anaerobic capacity. More oxygen processed by the muscles creates more energy, more muscle force, and a higher paddling velocity. Some speed will come from improved economy, because economy means higher speeds without incurring greater oxygen cost.

Some will come from lifting the lactate threshold (LT), because a higher threshold allows speeds to be sustained for longer periods of time. And some will come from better neuromuscular coordination - improved reactivity of the nervous system. This heightened ability to utilize available muscular force to drive the boat forward reduces wasted energy on non-propulsive, stabilizing movements. And some speed will come from pure strength - the ability to stabilize the body and generate large amounts of force.

Optimal speed development involves carrying out a lot of work at target race pace (TRP). The "specificity principle" implies that specific exercise elicits specific adaptations creating specific training effects. In other words, you must practice the specific thing that you want to improve. This practice will also be at an intensity that will boost your lactate threshold paddling velocity (LTPV). LTPV is a great predictor of performance in both endurance and sprint events.

When you paddle faster than LTPV, lactate production outpaces consumption and large amounts of lactate begin to accumulate in the blood. Someone with a high LTPV can paddle faster with less lactate accumulation and less fatigue. As LTPV improves in response to appropriate training, it pushes up VO2max and pulls up paddling velocity. Maintain the existing workouts suggested in the previous articles, but add the following training component.

This speed development strategy is a simple systematic plan that deserves some effort. The essence of this concept is that you must be able to paddle the TRP (target race pace) for a short distance before you can sustain it in a long race. What to do?

1. Determine your TRP. For example, if you are preparing for a 10-mile race, review your times from previous races over the same course, and decide on your goal for this race. Check the pace chart (Table 2) to determine your speed pace for the course. If last year’s time was 1 hour and 44 minutes, your pace was 5.8 mph.

2. Your goal is to break 1:30 this year. Your TRP is 6.7 mph. This is a fairly big step, but see if it works. You need to learn to paddle this new pace reliably. According to the pace chart, you must be able to stroke 1/4 mile in 2 minutes 15 seconds. If necessary, establish a slower goal for a while, because you’ll need to paddle this speed for 8 X 1/4 mile repeats with a 3-minute recovery between each repeat. This should be a hard effort but not an all out sprint. All repeats should be the same speed/time. Otherwise, adjust your pace accordingly.

Table 2. Pace Chart




Continue this recovery time progression until you are down to 1-minute breaks between the repeats. At this point, try 2 x 1 mile repeats, striving for the TRP for each repeat. Now increase your pace for the 8 x 1/4 mile repeats and continue the process.

Note that the 1/4 mile and 1 mile speeds are calculated as steady-state velocities. Because you actually start at zero mph and accelerate for approximately 50 meters, your maximum speed is actually just a bit faster than indicated. This correction factor varies for individuals and is easier to just ignore.

Always establish a goal time for a race. This should not be a wild guess but a sure thing because you have practised TRP. Make your own pace chart to include intended race distances. The influence of waves, wind, and current may affect your overall time, but your performance will improve regardless.

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Training Concept #3 - The 1000 Meter Time Trial

Concept III. “The 1000 meter time trial”

As the weather gets nicer and the evenings get longer, it is easier to slip in a third weekly workout. The emphasis so far has been to establish that all-important aerobic base including a weekly aerobic paddle, a lactate threshold paddle, and a biweekly long paddle. Now that you’re comfortable with this workload, it’s time to increase the workout intensity by including the 1000-meter (about 850 yds.) time trial. Adding this strategy to your training offers potentially huge benefits from a quick, high intensity workout.

Keep in mind that the purpose of this training series is not to dictate a training program. The intention is to stimulate thought about the effectiveness of your training. Exposure to important components of exercise physiology may help you to critique your training program, develop the best training composition, and derive the greatest benefit from your training time.

Races are the highest quality workouts and can have the greatest impact on your fitness. The time trial is a race against the clock and should be performed at top speed but with your best form. The racing benefits derived from the 1000-meter time trial typically are greater than those from other distances.

The 1000-meter time trial will improve your speed, power, economy, and endurance. These are all the things that we desire in order to enhance our paddling performance. Here are some reasons to focus on the 1000-meter workout:

1) Race pace training increases aerobic capaccity more than a less intense but longer workout.

2) 25% of the energy required to paddle 1000 meters is produced anaerobically. Improved anaerobic capacity will enhance your kicking power at the end of longer races and improve your ability to utilize mid-race surges.

3) Practicing at 1000 meter speeds decreases the "perceived effort"
experienced in longer races.

4) The faster pace develops neuro-muscular coordination for maximum power
production and sustained faster pace.

5) 1000 meter pacing improves your paddling economy in order to allow you to paddle faster for a given effort and to conserve muscle glycogen.

6) This training heightens the aerobic capacity of fast twitch muscles, therefore, increases your VO2max and paddling velocity at lactate threshold.

7) Faster paddling improves biomechanics, dynamic flexibility, and range of motion for greater speed development.

8) Faster turnover develops optimal stroke cadence for racing.

9) Training variation offered by the 1000-meter time trial adds physiologic adaptation specific to that form of training and adds to your overall fitness.

10) The speed developed from the 1000-meter time trial improves performances at longer distances.

A 1000-meter course in a canal is perfect for this time trial. Start with a 20-minute easy warm-up paddle. Record your 1000-meter time so that you can monitor your improvement. Warm-down for 20 minutes. Stretch after your workout and relax while you re-hydrate and replace carbohydrate stores. You should realize large performance benefits for very little training time. The next article introduces a speed training strategy to further prepare you for your big race.

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Training Concept #2 - The Long Training Paddle

CONCEPT II: “The long training paddle”

The previous training article stressed the importance of using training time effectively. More specifically, maximizing aerobic fitness is the most important means of achieving most racing goals. Concept II carries this theme further by introducing "the long training paddle".

The long training paddle is performed continuously at a relatively comfortable intensity (60-80% VO2max) for an extended length of time. Although the work intensity increases progressively as training improvements are achieved, the training stimulus is generally accomplished by increasing exercise duration. If you decide to try the long paddle, gradually increase a training session on alternate weeks to two hours or more.

There are numerous physiological and psychological benefits derived from the long aerobic paddle. The continuous steady-state workout produces the largest aerobic adaptations in both the central circulation and peripheral tissues. Benefits include: enhancement of oxidative enzymes, improved oxidative potential of both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers, increased capillarization, raised cardiac output, heightened VO2max, hypertrophy of slow twitch fibers, increased mitochondria size and density, improved paddling economy, simulation of long race conditions, improved endurance, increased training workload, increased capacity to mobilize and oxidize fat, opportunity to practice fluid/electrolyte/carbohydrate intake, increased paddling comfort, and expanded capacity to withstand fatigue and boredom.

These are all significant training adaptations. However, I will expand on two of these benefits: 1) stimulation of fat metabolism for enduring energy, and 2) increased workload for the paddler with limited training time.

Energy for exercise is typically derived from ingested nutrients, the phosphate pool, muscle and liver glycogen (carbohydrates), and the breakdown of stored fat. Ideally, when we’re racing we want to count on energy contributions from all of these sources. However, these sources are trainable, and readily available energy from fat is crucial in order to maximize performance.

The long aerobic training paddle enhances the rate at which the exercising muscles can utilize fat. Stored fat is the body’s largest source of potential energy. Average fat reserves represent about 100,000 kcal of energy, while carbohydrate energy reserves are less than 2000 kcal. While the quantity of fat available for energy is almost limitless, carbohydrates can be depleted rapidly. As fat becomes the remaining energy source, it will become preferred for much of your endurance performance. Fat is only metabolized in the presence of oxygen and the long paddle is the perfect tool to train the athlete’s ability to mobilize and utilize fat as an enhanced energy source.

The long training paddle is a convenient way for the paddler with time constraints to increase the weekly training workload (training stimulus). If you are currently paddling one hour two days per week and increase one training session to two hours, your weekly workload increases by a very significant 50%. Typically, I will compliment the Wednesday night workouts with a 3-4 hour weekend paddle. This is a productive training regimen,
until more training days become available.


During the long training event, hydrate freely with fresh water. Also, take along an energy supplement in the form of a drink, fruit, cookie, or candy. Use this carbohydrate only if necessary to push you through an energy low. By restricting food intake during the paddle, you place an urgent demand on your fats to be a primary source of energy. At the end of
your exercise, replenish immediately with lots of carbohydrates, electrolytes, and water.

The long paddle should become an important part of your training program. The increased weekly workload will improve your aerobic fitness. The efficient fat metabolism will spare the rapid depletion of glycogen (carbohydrate). On race day, the long paddle will help boost your performance and leave you with a powerful finish.

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Training Concept #1 - Aerobic Training For Aerobic Racing

CONCEPT I: "Aerobic training for aerobic racing" (or use your time effectively)

This is the first of a series of articles about physical training. The emphasis is directed toward training for canoe and kayak racing, although, preparation for making a Hawaii Kai run or a day cruising around in Kailua Bay involves the same training principles. This series is intended to stimulate thought and discussion about your training program. Are you achieving your racing goals? Have you reached a plateau or are you losing your competitive edge?

Every training session should have a purpose. Most of us are limited to the amount of time that we can spend paddling. So, spend this time effectively and specifically to reach your objectives. Are you expanding your aerobic fitness, building your anaerobic power, pushing your lactate threshold, stimulating fat metabolism, building a strong background for the year 2001 racing season, or fine tuning your fitness for the next race?

Let’s assume that you’ve been spending time in your boat building the requisite paddling skills, fitness base, and stroke mechanics. Regardless of goals, your success will be determined by your underlying aerobic conditioning. Therefore, the first training concept concerns "aerobic training for aerobic racing".

The major energy source for paddling differs depending on the intensity and duration of exercise. Table 1 illustrates the relative contribution of aerobic (reactions involving oxygen) and anaerobic (reactions not requiring oxygen) energy sources. The energy spectrum describes the concept that as exercise progresses beyond several minutes, the aerobic system predominates. By understanding this energy spectrum, it is possible to train for specific improvements of the appropriate energy system.

Table 1. The Energy Spectrum.

Duration of maximum exercise



If the competition lasts longer than 30 minutes, 95% or more of the energy for the race is derived from aerobic sources. When this concept is applied to training, it is clear that most training time should be spent on aerobic development.

For example, if available training time is two days per week and one day is devoted to anaerobic workouts, then 50% of the training time is spent preparing for 5% of the race. A better balance might involve a long aerobic paddle one day and an anaerobic threshold paddle the second day. Aerobic training takes place at an intensity below the anaerobic
threshold. You should be able to talk comfortably and enjoy the scenery at this level. The anaerobic threshold occurs at the intensity at which the breathing rate begins to elevate rapidly. If you are working harder than this, you are training for something else.

Remember to use your time effectively by designing your training composition to compliment your racing. If your race is mostly aerobic, then use most of your time to boost your aerobic system.

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Training Concepts For Paddlers - Intro

INTRODUCTION:

Every couple of days I will adding a paddling concept from Bruce von Borstel.

Training guidelines for the non-elite paddler are relatively hard to come by. Personal observation of training methods or the lack of training methods dictate the need for the development of a simple (non-technical) but effective training model.

The recreational racer has several obstacles:

1) race distances vary tremendously from 500 meter sprints to 30+ mile open ocean paddles and

2) training time is limited because of jobs and family responsibilities. It is evident that training time must be used effectively to maximize training effect, fitness, and race preparedness.

Paddling offers a multitude of health and wellness benefits for the general population. These include cardiovascular conditioning, musculo-skeletal fitness, weight management, stress reduction, skills and coordination development, enjoyment of the outdoors, social opportunities, friendship, and competition. Guidance in developing canoe and kayak skills, stroke mechanics, and physical competence will help to make the paddling experience more pleasurable, safer, and enduring.


TRAINING CONTENTS

CONCEPT I: "Aerobic training for aerobic racing"

CONCEPT II: "The long training paddle"

CONCEPT III: "The 1000 meter time trial"

CONCEPT IV: "Speed strategy"

CONCEPT V: "Cross training"

CONCEPT VI: "The Heart Rate Monitor"

CONCEPT VII: "The Aging Athlete"

CONCEPT VIII: "Long Distance Paddling"

CONCEPT IX: "Hypothermia"

CONCEPT X: "The Training Balance"

by Bruce von Borstel
Copyright © 1999 [Bruce von Borstel]. All rights reserved.

Sun Run 2009 - 25th Anniversary

Sunday, April 19 @ 9:00 a.m. - Register online: www.sunrun.com

Get in on the Celebration!

Join in and help us celebrate 25 years of community spirit and personal achievement in health and fitness!

REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE!

Register before the Early Bird deadline of January 31 and pay only $30 for your individual entry. Your fee includes a souvenir 25th Anniversary T-shirt featuring artwork by Tiko Kerr, PLUS a donation to The Vancouver Sun Raise-a-Reader campaign and amateur athletics via the Jerome International Track Classic.

Vancouver Sun subscribers save $2 on their Sun Run registration! The Vancouver Sun subscriber discount option is available on your registration form.

Enter online today at www.sunrun.com, or call 604.689.9441 for more information.

Corporate and School Teams - Early Bird Savings! Rally your friends, family, co-workers, neighbours and classmates together and enter as a team. Save $5 per member registered before the team Early Bird deadline of February 6 (Corporate team early bird entry is $35 per person) and February 13 (School team early bird entry is Students - $17 and Adults - $22 per person). All you need is a minimum of 10 for a Corporate team and 20 for a School team.

* Late additions to your Early Bird team? The final team deadline Corporate teams is March 6 and for School Teams it is March 13. Even if you create your team before the Early Bird deadline, you are welcome to add new people to your team list right up until each deadline noted.

* A fun way to show off! Corporate and school team entry fees include team T-shirts imprinted with your organization logo or school name.

Enter your team online at www.sunrun.com, or call 604.689.9441 for more information.

ICF Congress Update

The ICF held their annual congress in Rome Italy on November 28 – 29.

Here are some of the highlights from that meeting:

The 2009 Championships will now include a 4X100m sprint relay (male and female K1)– in an effort to make canoeing a more exciting sport for TV. This should be an interesting event, you can see a test event here.



At the 2010 Championships they will also include a 5000m long distance event for both male and female K1’s.

Flatwater Racing will now be known as Canoe Sprint, Slalom Racing is now known as Canoe Slalom, and Marathon Racing will be Canoe Marathon.

I really the really interesting thing was that they changed the events to make it again more TV friendly. So they dropped all of the womens 1000 meters events. As well as the mens C4 1000 meters, mens K4 500 meters, mens C4 500meters, mens K4 200 meters, womens K4 200 meters, and the mens C2 200 meters. See chart below.



Here is the "new" format for the World Championships.



As you can see the regatta is in two sections, the first being the "Olympic" events, and the non "Olympic" events.This should make the regattas next year quicker with having less events. That's if the local regattas follow the same outline as the ICF.

Unfortunately it is the women who will be getting cheated out of all of the 1000m events. It will be interesting to see if this happens at the local level. I certainly hope not. Well see.

Epic Manufacturing Problems In China - Update

This is posted on Epics website.


As many of you may have read, Epic Kayaks has moved its manufacturing facilities in China. We no longer contract out the building of our boats & paddles to Flying Eagle, the composite boat builder we began working with roughly 3 years ago. We have already moved into a brand new 10,000 square meter (100,000 square foot) factory, with a custom set up for our new production. Our new production company is Hangzhou Epic Boat Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Epic Kayaks, Inc. Controlled directly by Epic, our new factory gives us complete oversight of the entire manufacturing process. This will ensure the best possible efficiency and quality control.

Leading the charge is our new Director of Manufacturing, Dave Kruger. With over 30 years experience in the composite boat industry, and direct knowledge of factory layout and operation, Dave has been invaluable in this transition. He has been in China for the past three months, setting up our new facility and preparing our new production line. The factory is now complete with temperature controlled laminating rooms, high capacity vacuum pumps and a large oven for post curing to optimal properties. The first boats from our new factory will start rolling out in January 2009!

The biggest challenge of this move has been getting all of our molds, equipment, materials and finished product out of the old factory, a process being hindered by Flying Eagle. In July, we mutually agreed with Flying Eagle that Epic would be moving production out of their facility. It was agreed that we would be free to take all Epic possessions, including our molds, which we had contracted Flying Eagle to build (per our designs) and purchased.

As our moving date grew closer, Flying Eagle started making more and more demands. Before we could move our boat molds, they said, we’d need to purchase them AGAIN – paying 100% of what we’d already paid. On top of that we would be paying a currency fluctuation in their favor (they invoiced us in US Dollars for the molds, but then wanted the equivalent Chinese Yuan based on when we purchased) plus an additional 17% tax. They are also demanding that we purchase materials from them at an inflated profit margin compared to what we would pay on the open market, with some of these items being a 2-3 year supply.

To make matters worse, they insisted that we sign a lopsided separation agreement. Once the separation was complete, if we hired any former Flying Eagle employees (even those who had quit many years ago) Epic would be liable to a US $200,000 penalty per employee to be paid to Flying Eagle. If we continued to use the same non proprietary high temperature resin system for mold making, we’d have to pay them a $1 million penalty! There were absolutely no restrictions on the Flying Eagle side – they would be free to do whatever they wanted.

It became clear to us that Flying Eagle was trying to take advantage of a foreign company. They wanted to extort as much money out of us as possible, then put completely unreasonable business restrictions on Epic. They said the only way we’d ever get our property out of their factory was to agree to these ludicrous demands. While we have no intention of stealing their employees or copying their resin system, agreeing to huge penalties could leave us vulnerable to false charges that Flying Eagle may try to level against Epic, in hopes they could collect millions of dollars from us in a Chinese court.

In November, as we attempted to move our manufacturing materials to our new location, our moving truck was stopped at the Flying Eagle factory gate by their security guards. We called the police, and when they arrived we stated that we were simply trying to retrieve our possessions (molds, materials, equipment and finished product – all supplied and/or paid for by Epic.) The police went inside to get Flying Eagle’s side and when they returned, we were told that Epic must pay Flying Eagle RMB 8 million (nearly US $1.2 million) that they claim was owed.

With this ransom put on our property, and after four months of agonizing, time consuming and ultimately fruitless negotiations, we had no choice but to take legal action. We have filed a suit against Flying Eagle in the intermediate level court in Hangzhou, China. We’ll see where this leads; we hope the court system is objective enough to clearly see our charges.

In the meantime, work continues in our new factory. We are already working towards rebuilding some of our molds so that we can maintain production and supply our customers. Fortunately, in anticipation of our move, we have built up our stock of inventory at our headquarters in Charleston, SC; as well as some of our distributors worldwide.

It is unfortunate that this positive move for us has been marred by the complicated scenarios of doing business in a foreign country. We thank you for your support and look forward to bringing you the latest and greatest paddling innovations from our new factory in 2009.

Epic Production Problems With Manufacturer

Charleston-based kayak company sues Chinese manufacturer By Andy Owens

aowens@scbiznews.com

Published Dec. 10, 2008

A Charleston-based company that sells kayaks around the world has filed a lawsuit against its Chinese manufacturer after the manufacturer refused to release Epic Kayaks' proprietary kayak molds and threatened to put the company out of business in China.

Greg Barton, a two-time Olympic gold and bronze medalist and co-owner of Epic Kayaks, said several American companies doing business in China find themselves embroiled in similar conflicts when they try to end a business relationship with a
Chinese manufacturer.

Now, he's concerned about getting a fair hearing in a Chinese court. Barton and his partner hired attorneys overseas and hope, by taking a legal route, that Fuyang-based Flying Eagle will be pressured to come to an agreement.

"Can we get a fair trial in a Chinese court - an American company going against a Chinese company? Even if we do, are we going to be allowed to conduct business in the same area?" Barton said. "They've said they can put us out of business or make it impossible for us to do business in that area."

The dispute began over project management and pricing in July, some three years after Epic moved its production to Fuyang, an industrial city south of Shanghai. Flying Eagle manufacturers the rowing shells that many national teams used at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The dispute led Epic to try to dissolve its business relationship with Flying Eagle and find a new factory in Fuyang. But four months after agreeing in principle to a separation agreement, Flying Eagle refused to release Epic's molds and equipment unless it received "hugely inflated, ever-changing fees that, if paid, would sink the company," Epic said in a statement.

Barton has spent the past three months in China trying to negotiate a settlement and has spent nearly half this year dealing with production in China. As the demands of Flying Eagle kept escalating, including clauses that could potentially leave Epic vulnerable to penalties up to $1 million, Barton said it became clear Flying Eagle officials thought they had Epic "over a barrel."

Epic filed a lawsuit in the intermediate level court in Hangzhou rather than agree to pay a "ransom" for its proprietary property and equipment.

"It's definitely going to have a significant impact on our cash flow and hurt us quite a bit," Barton said. "It's already hurt us for several months."

Barton said Epic Kayaks has some inventory in the United States and in Europe, so the company is able to fill some orders. Epic produces high-performance paddles and kayaks and was born out of a desire to bring modern, well-designed racing technology to touring kayaks.

"It's definitely costing some money but not nearly the value of what they're holding on to," Barton said. "Unless we're able to secure, very quickly, the release of our molds and things, we're going to be rebuilding some of those."

POWERbreathe Update #3

This week was a little hectic and I did not finish all of my workouts with the POWERbreathe. Even with the reduce training, I still managed to move up on the testing to 580 litres consistently.I have not managed to do a run test yet. Hopefully I will do that this week.

I am now at the 2-1/2 scale, and will be jumping to level 3 mid this week.

POWERbreathe Update #2

After weeks now with the POWERbreathe, and I am starting to measure a difference. I am consistantly blowing 570 to 580 litres per min now, and I am up to level 2 on the scale. Middle of this week I will be moving up to 2-1/2.

I hope to be starting some run tests soon, to see the difference in my breathing.

P90X Phase Three - Day Sixty Four

It is back to Chest and Back. Man was I ever bagged. I barely made it through it. I managed to increase my push ups, and a little improve, and I mean little on the pull ups. I am not very good at the pull up part, but I keep on trying. Maybe one day I will be good at them.

Afterwards I gave Ab ripper X a shot, but only lasted half way, and then I completely bonked. I hope to do better on it on Wednesday.