Tsotang Maine. tipped to win the Two Oceans Marathon, visits the Powerade Performance Stand

Tsotang Maine is hoping it will be a case of ‘third time lucky’ when he takes to the streets on Saturday in the Two Oceans Marathon.  Today he visited the Powerade Performance Stand at the Expo to fine tune his muscles in the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Chamber.

The 37 year old from Lesotho has a string of wins behind him including the 2005 Soweto Marathon and is vying for a first place finish on Saturday which could well place him in contention for a spot in the Lesotho Olympic team.  “There is something about the number 3,” said Maine, who finished in third place in 2011.  “Almost every race I have ever entered I have won on my third outing and I am hoping I will do the same in the Two Oceans Marathon.” 

Maine was accompanied on the Powerade Performance stand by fellow Team Toyota member, Mamorallo Tjoka who is hoping for a first place finish in the women’s race.  “I have won the Soweto Marathon 5 times, even beating the Russian twins (Elena and Lesya Nurgalieva) but I have not managed to beat them in the Two Oceans.  Last year I came third – behind both ladies,” said a hopeful Thoka.

Thoka was apprehensive about entering the Vacusport Lower body Negative Pressure Chamber:  “The device is quite intimidating but my team mates egged me on and I am glad they did as it was extremely relaxing and I can definitely feel a lightness in my legs.  I will definitely look at including sessions on this device for training purposes.”

Athletes visiting the Powerade Performance Stand at the Two Oceans Marathon can also get advice on how to tackle the race by sports scientist, Ross Tucker, however, due to a leg strain, will be back on the stand tomorrow, Friday, 6 April.

Powerade Performance Stand activities for Friday, 6 April.

Date	Time	Action
04 April 2012	10h00 - 18h00	Gustav Obermeyer will be opperating the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Chamber.
06 April 2012	09h00	Expo begins
06 April 2012	10h00	Ross Tucker Presentation
06 April 2012	11h00	Ross Tucker Presentation
06 April 2012	12h00	Ross Tucker Presentation
06 April 2012	14h00	Team Nedbank Q&A
06 April 2012	15h00	Celebrity Runners Q&A
06 April 2012	17h00	Expo ends

Mamorallo Tjoka, one of the ladies favorites from Team Toyota

Some of the Team Toyota team mates

Tsotang Maine from Team Toyota, one of the favorites to win the Mens race.

Powerade Gives Athlete a chance to ‘Train Like an Olympian’

First time Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour participant, Ian Burger, might not have completed the race after breaking his cycle’s chain, but was drawn amongst over 2 000 entries to ‘Train Like an Olympian’ at the Powerade Sports Academy that will be in operation at the  London 2012 Olympic Games from 5 - 10 August.

“I entered the competition never believing I would be the Powerade Chosen One,” said 27 year-old Burger from Cape Town.  “When I was called to say I had won I thought it was a joke.  But reality set in when the call was followed up by a visit from a Powerade representative.”

The Biomedical Engineer and MRI Physicist, has just completed his PHD in Respiratory Motion Correction in Cardio MRI and is hoping this will be published in the Medical Journals and then adopted around the world as a new practice. The trip will enable Burger to conduct further research and gain insight into advanced training techniques.  Burger is a water sport enthusiast interested in canoeing, surfing and fishing and more recently he started running and cycling.

“I want to attend all the lectures and speak to some of the sports scientists and coaches at the Powerade Sports Academy,” said Burger.  “I trained as a Mechanical Engineer and my fascination of robotic arms pushed me into Biomedical Engineering.  I am currently working on the MRI scanning of fetus’s in-vitro, but robotic arms still remain of key and hopefully the sporting fraternity would benefit from the research I intend to undertake.  I see this trip as a launch pad for my research and this is a good place to start.”

“Powerade is a performance sports drink, and as such, everything we do around our sporting assets ties back to a scientific approach to hydration and exercise,” said Craig van Niekerk, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager. “Ian is young, energetic and enthusiastic and is looking at getting as much benefit from the Powerade Sports Academy as possible to help him in his profession and sporting activities.  Hopefully the experience he gains through Powerade will give him that added inspiration that will one day make him a legend in medical technology.”

The Powerade Sports Academy gives athletes a chance to meet and train with Olympic coaches and athletes, focusing on skills in five different Olympic sports including athletics, swimming, football, cycling and basketball.

The coaches tailor make sessions using techniques from the various sporting codes to strengthen an athelete’s condition and help them  become better all round born sportsmen.

The Academy will deliver experiences and learnings in technique, fitness, team work, competition, hydration, nutrition and psychology.

Specifically, throughout the Academy the participants will be educated on hydration and how hydrating correctly with Powerade can optimize performance.  There will be both physical and psychological tests carried out throughout the experience to help put these learning’s into perspective.

Lectures will take place at lunch time including psychology and the application of science in sport.

Jennie Stenerhag, the 2009 Cape Argus Winner Experiences Innovation at Cape Argus Lifestyle Expo

Winner of the 2009 Cape Argus Cycle Tour, Jennie Stenerhag from Sweden, visited the Powerade Performance Stand at the Cape Argus Lifestyle Expo today to see what it feels like to experience the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber.

“I compete in up to 78 races a year,” said Stenerhag,  “This means that I have to be in peak condition all the time and machines like the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber will be beneficial for me as it helps prepare athletes as well as getting rid of the build-up of lactic acid after a race.”

Stenerhag will be in action on Sunday and is hoping to repeat her 2009 triumph.

When asked by a member of the public what advice she can give to cyclists starting out Stenerhag said:  “Go slowly.  It is best to go for short rides, and perhaps even twice a day, but do not go on these long slow rides.

When asked about her training, the charismatic cyclist said:  “I train based on what race I am about to compete in but normally between three and four hours a day.  I will not do any more.  People say one should train for a minimum of five hours, but I do not believe that.

“I have raced up to six days in a row and need to prevent injuries.  I like this Vacusport chamber and definitely see it as the way of the future and will definitely use it on a regular basis.

The principle of the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber lies in space medicine. The device was designed to help astronauts keep fit in the weightlessness of space and maintain the arterial blood supply of the lower extremities. 

“Powerade is an endurance performance sports drink, and as such, everything we do around our sporting assets ties back to a scientific approach to hydration and exercise,” says Craig van Niekerk, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager.

Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber was conceptualized in the 1960’s by the German Institute for Space Medicine at the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne.  Since its introduction, many papers have been written on the device, including one published by the American Journal of Physiology in 2001.

There are eight different programmes that can be utilized in this machine:

• Regeneration after training, reduction of lactate, cool down
• Regeneration after competition
• Improvement and optimization of performance before or after competition
• Vessel-training, capillarisation, optimization of blood count
• Rehabilitation of sports injuries (ruptures, bruising, haematomas)
• Rehabilitation of sports injuries (stretched or pulled ligaments and fractures)
• Wound healing
• Traction programme for the spinal column

Jennie Stenerhag passes on tips on training and the race day

Janez Vermeiren, Top Billing presenter is trying to decide if he should test out the device 

David Bellairs and Liezel van der Westhuizen wait for their turn on the Vacusport Lowerbody Negative Pressure Decompression Device

Stevel Marc has a chance on the device and is not short of a humerous moment

Liezel also gets a turn

After an explanation and a couple of questions Janez cannot wait for his turn

Janez Finally gets his turn

Kevin McCallum finds the device really interesting and is one of the first to try it out.

Powerade MC Stevel Marc and Gugu Zulu with his girlfriend Survivor South Africa Maldives runnerup Letshego Moshoeu

Jennie Stenerhag tries out the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Device

POWERADE OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE VACUSPORT LOWER BODY NEGATIVE PRESSURE COMPRESSION CHAMBER TO ARGUS CYCLE TOUR ATHLETES

The Powerade Performance Stand at the Cape Argus Lifestyle Expo allows athletes to:

·         Experience the new Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber to fine tune muscles in preparation for the race

·         Enter the Powerade competition and stand a chance to win a ticket to the London 2012 Olympic Games

Johannesburg, 5 March, 2012 ­– The world renowned Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber, known to optimize and increase physical performance and significantly reduce injuries, will be on the Powerade Performance Stand at the Cape Argus Lifestyle Expo from 8 – 10 March. The machine will be made available to all athletes in their final preparation phase leading up to the grueling race.

The principle of the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber lies in space medicine.  No astronaut can do without the lower body negative pressure and the device was devised to help astronauts keep fit in the weightlessness of space and maintain the arterial blood supply of the lower extremities. 

“Powerade is an endurance performance orientated sports drink, and as such everything we do around our sporting assets ties back to a scientific approach to hydration and exercise,” says Craig van Niekerk, Coca-Cola South Africa Marketing Assets Manager.

It is not the first time that Powerade has used technology for the betterment of sport.  “In the recent cricket tour between South Africa and Sri Lanka we introduced the Powerade Performance Tracker, a system that operates via GPS and monitors player’s speed and heart rate thus enabling him to operate at peak performance.  Now we are offering all cyclists participating in the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour 5 minutes in the Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber,” adds van Niekerk

The Vacusport Lower Body Negative Pressure Compression Chamber has been thoroughly researched.  The device was conceptualized in the 1960’s by the German Institute for Space Medicine at the German Aerospace Centre in Cologne.  There have since been many papers written on the device including by the American Journal of Physiology in 2001. There are 8 different programmes that can be utilized:

• Regeneration after training, reduction of lactate, cool down
• Regeneration after competition
• Improvement and optimization of performance before or after competition
• Vessel-training, capillarisation, optimization of blood count
• Rehabilitation of sports injuries (ruptures, bruising, haematomas)
• Rehabilitation of sports injuries (stretched or pulled ligaments and fractures)
• Wound healing
• Traction programme for the spinal column

Cricket South Africa has purchases one of these chambers and it was utilsed throughout the recent Australian and Sri Lankan Tours.

That is not all Powerade is offering the 35 000 athletes:  “Globally we sponsor sporting codes at the highest level, including the Olympic games, and all cyclists that purchase Powerade concentrate at the stand can enter our ‘Train like an Olympian’ competition,” says van Niekerk.

In August 2012, The Powerade Sports Academy will be in operation at the 2012 London Olympic Games.  Powerade is running a number of competitions over the next couple of months offering South African athletes a chance to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity.  One ticket is on offer to Argus cyclists.

The lucky winners will meet and train with specialist Olympic coaches and athletes focusing on skills in 5 different Olympic codes, namely athletics, swimming, football, cycling and basketball.

There will be sessions in each sporting code using techniques to strengthen condition and help participants become better sportsmen.  The academy will deliver experiences and learnings in technique, fitness, team work, competition, hydration, nutrition and psychology. 

“Powerade will specifically educate participants on hydrating correctly to help optimize performance.  There will be both physical and psychological tests carried out throughout the experience to help put these learning into perspective,” concludes van Niekerk.  

Local and international sports scientists will visit the Powerade Performance Stand to give advice on training and how to perform best during endurance sports.