Dragonwing Blog
Nutrition for athletic girls is a source of confidence!
March is National Nutrition Month and we’d like to share tips on good nutrition for girl athletes. Balance is key. It is important to include lean protein, nutrient rich carbohydrates (whole grain, non GMO if possible), low-fat dairy, fruits, and vegetables in an athlete’s diet. It is essential to be properly hydrated, so drink your water throughout the day! Some folks say 1/2 your body weight in ounces – shoot for at least eight glasses.
To prep for a game, start out with a hearty breakfast rich in carbohydrates to keep your energy up, move on to a balanced lunch containing protein vegi, carbohydrate combination, spread out protein consumption throughout the day, try to avoid bad fatty foods (eat the good ones like avocado), and eat your last meal two to three hours before game time to be sure you have digested it. For our recommendations for post-game recovery foods check out our guide here!
Join the conversation and leave us a comment on what food routine works for you
Is now the time to try karate? Renshi Lisa thinks so!
Many of our customers wear Dragonwing girlgear (sports bra, spandex short or cami) under their karate uniform, which is called a Gi. Lisa’s daughter Jordan wears our sports bra and compression shorts under her Gi.
There are many types of martial arts, so Lisa recommends exploring a couple until you find one that fits your personality. I interviewed Lisa recently to learn more about her interest in practicing and teaching martial arts to people of all ages. Below are some excerpts of our conversation.
How did you get into Karate? A friend in New York invited me to an Aikido class 25 years ago. It was fun, so I tried a few different types of martial arts. Karate is the one that stuck! Today, my entire family practices karate: my husband is a 3rd degree black belt, and my children Jordan (18) and Nick (16) are both 2nd degree.
At Dragonwing, we’re all about empowering girls to be strong and confident in sports and life. How can karate help empower pre-teen and teen girls? Girls face body image challenges, bullying, and other stresses, especially beginning around age 11. They want to be their own unique selves AND they want to fit in. I use karate as a way to tell girls to be vibrantly you. Karate makes girls feel stronger and safer and improves their mental health.
I see it in my students: as girls gain confidence in class at the dojo, they take that confidence with them into the world. They learn more than physical skills; they gain mental toughness and the strength to stand up for themselves.
But isn’t karate a very standardized athletic activity? How can you make it uniquely you? Karate allows for a safe space to be strong, for big, strong, personal moments. Especially in sparing, karate can give you space to be you. You feel strong, capable, and proud. I think that applies to all sports. You can be completely different in your sport than you are at school or at home.
What are the benefits of karate? Karate is good for focus, agility, brain balance, strength, and community. Being part of the dojo community is so important during this time of social distancing. Practicing together, even when we’re physically apart, helps us feel connected to something bigger.
How do you recommend people choose a dojo? It’s about personality and fit. If possible, try a couple of different places and see which one works for you. There’s a lot of variety in martial arts so there’s something for everyone. At Bushido Karate Dojo here in Maine, our students range from 3 to 60 years old.
How can doing karate benefit athletes who play other sports? Karate is three dimensional: it helps with kicking and posture alignment, teaches body movement, and, at a basic level, releasing kinetic energy – what I call, the kinetic chain. When our body is well aligned, it makes the most efficient use of energy.
Karate also is great for cross-training because it works different muscles – or uses the same muscles differently – than your main sport. For example, we worked with a lacrosse team on how to roll, pull up, and still have the ball – all using karate movements!
Tell us about the free online karate class you’re offering? We’ve got a fun, high energy class every weekday (Monday – Friday) at 11 a.m. (EDT). Anyone can sign up on our website, Bushido Karate Dojo, scroll down the page, enter your information, and we’ll send you the link for joining the class.
How to contact Lisa
207-627-7170
https://strongersafersmarter.me/
bkdfitness@gmail.com
Keeping Your Daughter Active During Social Distancing
With the pandemic Covid-19 causing a complete shake-up of our way of life, stress and worry can easily take its toll, not only for ourselves but for our girls. Their reality now includes school cancellations, online learning, practice and game cancellations and being socially distanced from their friends and teammates. The prospect of staying at home for any prolonged amount of time can seem overwhelming and worrisome. Downright boring for active girls who are used to being on the move. Offering normally athletic girls ways to remain active can help them manage stress and maintain their current fitness.
Gratefully, companies have been stepping up with a host of free fitness opportunities online to keep your daughter moving. Taking advantage of these virtual offerings can allow girls to stay fit and strong during a time when it’s easy to lose momentum, and worry that the lack of team practices will leave them less than ready once they finally return to sports.
Below is a list of resources that include offerings such as online boot camps and yoga sessions, free apps to download featuring work out sessions to keep your daughter (and you!) moving. We located some helpful links for at-home conditioning and interval sessions that target certain sports for those searching for something more specific.
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YMCA VIRTUAL 360 CLASSES - Free Bootcamp, Yoga, and Barre sessions.
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WORKOUT BUDDIES - Downloadable fitness app that allows connecting with friends.
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FITNESS BLENDER - Offers opportunities to filter and select specific types of free workouts based on length of workout desired, type of training, etc.
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LACROSSE CONDITIONING - Sample conditioning routine for staying in Lacrosse fit condition during downtime.
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BASKETBALL WORKOUT - Basketball inspired interval workout.
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VOLLEYBALL CONDITIONING - Ten-minute video workout that combines cardio, strength training, and plyometrics.
Our goal is to make sure that both you and your family feel supported during a time when anxiety can be at a critical level. Please feel free to share this list of resources with others in your community and let’s help manage the stress together by staying healthy and keeping active.
Stay safe and be well.
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P.S. What to do karate? Check out online classes from my friend, Renshi Lisa Madiera at Bushido Karate Dojo.
Lisa Magiera
Renshi
renshilisa@gmail.com
(207) 627-7170 - (WORK)
She’s awesome and the classes are awesome! Stay tuned for an in depth interview with Lisa.
