Nutrition/Exercise

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I'm a freshman and I'm always on to go. I have had really bad knee problems. This summer my knees hardly ever bothered me this summer. I've noticed that during the offseason after volleyball my knees really start to hurt again. I was wondering if you have knee problems. If so, how do you keep your knees from getting worst? If not, do you have any ideas/tips on how I can keep my knees healthy?

Chyanna Black Hudson, Co.

I guess the first thing I'd say is stay in shape. Lift weights, you don't have to lift a lot of weight but if you lift at least 2x a week, that will help keep your knees strong. Leg extensions & leg curls are key (especially the curls) if you don't know how to perform them correctly, find someone that does or even look it up on the internet. Key is to go slow & be smooth on the way up & down. Like I said, you don't have to lift a lot of weight, but doing it will help strengthen your ligaments in your knees.

Second, learn how to get off your horse correctly so you aren't 'stabbing' legs into the ground. Staying close to your horse while dismounting & keeping your knees bent when you land & when you run will help protect your knees from injury.

Third- STRETCH. Stretch out a lot. Get flexible. & stretch every time before you ty in practice & in competition.

Preventing ACL Injuries.

Research shows that girls are more likely than boys to tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Studies have shown that female athletes tend to have strength imbalances between their quadriceps and their hamstrings. Therefore "jump training" such as plyometrics and weight training can prove to be beneficial to goat tyers and overall knee health. Look below for links on plyometric exercises that I found to be helpful in my training.

QUESTION: I have heard you refer to proper nutrition and exercise, but I’m unsure exactly what you mean by that. Are there certain foods I should or should not be eating, and are there certain exercises outside of goat tying that will help improve my performances inside the arena?

Lacy Egli, Roseburg, OR

Good question-

We all know what we SHOULD eat; balanced diet with fruit, veggies, protein & dairy with little sweets & fats. That's been hammered into most of us as little kids growing up. The food pyramid. But I am mainly concerned with the amounts of sweets & fats that go into my body. If I cut out the sweets (things with lots of sugar in it, including POP!!) and then make smart choices if I happen to eat at fast food places- There's a lot of grease & fat in hamburgers, fries, etc... so I look for the more healthier choices at those types of places- I know it's hard when traveling, because they are so convenient to eat at, & I do like to have a greasy ol burger now & then. There's an old saying, "you are what you eat!" & it's true- I love junk food (potato chips, pop, chocolate) but if I really want to win, I start eating smarter at least 6 weeks before rodeos start & all the way through the rodeo season. It's amazing how much more energy you truly do have & how much better you feel. Drink lots of water... it's the best thing out there for you! I see with the college girls (from coaching) when they come to school, they don't have very balanced diets- some are strictly fruits & veggies with little protein (meat) & then those girls tend to get sick more often & have less amounts of energy. So make sure that you are still eating enough red meat, as it's important too. Not to sound gross--- but check your stool- if it's pale colored (not dark) then you MAY need more protein. Also check your urine- if it's really dark yellow, you are not drinking enough WATER. Again, I apologize for the grossness, but it makes sense.... I'm not trying to give medical advice, this is just from my own personal experiences.

For exercise- anything that you can do outside of the arena to make yourself, faster, stronger, quicker, more agile all will help benefit you in the arena as well.

I liked to lift weights- especially with my lower body (legs) & my core (stomach & back). I don't do as much upper body, as I am fairly well blessed with arm strength, but if that's somewhere that you need to be stronger, lift with your arms too- I did some, but not as much as I really focused on doing leg curls, leg extensions, hip flexer exercises, abductor & adductor exercises (inner & outter thigh), calf raises, squates, lunges. Lots of sit ups; watch some FitTv to get some great ideas on variations to sit-ups!

I like to lift in 3 sets (three times) of either 8, 10, 12 or 15 reps (#'s in a set). I like to be working two body parts at once, where I rotate between sets. Say I was working on my leg extensions, I would complete one set of 12 reps & then go work on my leg curls for a set & then go back to the leg extensions until I have completed all three sets.

If you want to get stronger- you should be lifting enough weights in a set of 12 reps that you would be really feeling it on about your 8th lift. YOU SHOULD NEVER BE IN PAIN & you should lift SLOWLY all the way through up & down. If you aren't feeling it around the 12th rep, you may need to add a little more weight. If I want to maintain what I have & just tone it: I will lift in 3 sets, but higher reps- 15, 18 or 20. So that I am still working my muscles, it should still feel like a work out, not a waste of time. if you are unsure on how to lift or use a machine or how much weight you should use ASK SOMEONE THAT HAS KNOWLEDGE that is available to you, that can go to the weight room & help you... You should never be in pain, your muscles & (sometimes joints) feel worked but shouldn't hurt during the workouts. Again Fit Tv is a great tool in finding creative ways to work out if you have the channel!

Plyometrics are EXCELLENT for goat tying- they work on quick busts of speed from certain muscle groups. there is a site on the internet that will help get you started with Plyo training- www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/legplymo.htm & www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/armplyo.htm and browsing around that site will give you some ideas of how to train with agility & strength as well.

I like to work on getting faster- I sprint (since I hate jogging/running long distances this was always easy for me!)- like across the width of the arena- sometimes just to the other side, sometimes there & back; which will help more with agility too. Shuttle race (where there are blocks or cups places 20 feet away from the starting line- you start at the line, sprint & pick up a block or cup, run back & place it on the starting line & then sprint & get the other cup or block & then place it back on the starting line. Helps in both speed & agility. have someone time you or time yourself to challenge yourself to get faster.

Playing any other sport is great too- I got to hate basketball (I had a bad attitude towards it, now that I look back) in high school, but still tried hard in practice (& of course games) to get faster & better, because I believed it would make me a better goat tyer.

And the time that you spend outside of the arena, preparing yourself to be a better goat tyer, is also a great time to train your mind. Use imagery & see your runs (good ones only) in your head. Remember why you are training, focus on how it will make you a better goat tyer. See yourself do well in practice, at the rodeos & see yourself achieve your goals that you have set as a goat tyer.

If you have any questions, please let me know. Best of luck to you in 2007! Happy Holidays!!!

Lynn Smith

07/27/10

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