Conditioning world class athletes and their equine counterparts are so similar that some of the advances made to prepare the stars of track and field are applicable to the stars of harness racing
.
Racehorse Exercise Physiology Seminar Course One is for racehorses trainers about applying many techniques used to improve the performance of human athletes. REPS I will be conducted December 4 through 6, 2009 at Mohawk Inn and Mohawk Race Track in Campbellville, Ontario, Canada.
The course is being offered by FaCT Education of British Columbia and Racehorse Conditioning Systems Inc. of Albrightsville, PA.
The information presented and discussed in the seminar will not take the place of the trainer’s already honed skills of how the horse, looks, acts, feels and sounds. It merely gives more, somewhat scientific, data supporting the quest to win more races.
“We are not teaching racehorse exercise physiology. We are sharing ways and means of testing racehorse physiology and how these tests can be applied to any training program,” said Joe Geiser, president and CEO of Racehorse Conditioning Systems Inc. "Participants will go home with a ton of new training possibilities, things that can be used every day. We will discuss ideas and work with tools which may help our horses go faster and remain at top speeds for longer distances."
“We look forward to sharing the newest understanding of lactate as a potent biomarker to help with exercise and training prescriptions,” said Andrew Sellars MD, who will conduct the course. “Our hands-on approach to the testing of horses is not difficult. I bring expertise in training humans and using these tools. You all have the expertise in training racehorses. Together we can build some very interesting bridges.”
Dr. Sellars is director of FaCT Education, a world class coach and tri-athlete. FaCT stands for Feldmann and Chlebek Test which is a unique approach to testing and training athletes.
“We see remarkable similarities between the horse and the human athlete, and our tools and tests
are in parallel,” Sellars noted.
The three-day program will offer demonstrations and discussion on the topics of:
· Understanding aerobic [oxygen dependent] and anaerobic [oxygen independent] muscle fiber development.
· Learning about lactate as a fuel source for working muscles as well as a fitness test to set training intensities.
· Understanding the difference between lactate and lactic acid.
· Using the Lactate Balance Point [LBP] system, a simple and safe testing method for measuring lactate.
· Employing methods for testing fitness and the foundation to create performance lines – Fit Lines – as a tool to evaluate a horse’s overall development.
· Utilizing the newest technology in measuring speed in combination with a horse’s heart rate.
· Discussing how to build an inexpensive and portable testing lab, using the Polar Heart Rate
Monitor System, the Lactate Pro Analyzer and FaCT software.
· Reviewing the Central Governor Model for racehorse performance, resistance conditioning,
glycogen depletion and refueling and spleen dumping.
The course, which costs $500, begins on Friday evening, December 4 and includes field testing at
Mohawk Racetrack and at least two racehorses.
For more information go to: the RCS website, or contact Joe Geiser at [email protected] or by calling 570-722-COLT (2658).