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Post by aao2010 on May 20, 2009 3:01:53 GMT -5
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Post by Lori on May 20, 2009 3:24:28 GMT -5
Thanks, Christy, Gasp, aao2010, '911'groban, Mtnme & Skaterswaltz for all the great stuff over the last week or so - news seems to be picking up as we get closer to to Vancouver, eh? And yes, it DOES appear that the soul patch is fading...  |
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Post by aaosmts19 on May 20, 2009 6:35:19 GMT -5
Wow, aren't we lucky? A 2-fer! The workout and a 10-minute interview!
Loved the interview...he seems relaxed, happy, and introspective. Great comments about JR and the young'uns....
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Post by majestic on May 20, 2009 17:37:42 GMT -5
Wow Christy, your google alerts are sooooo much better than my google alerts, LOL. Thank you for sharing that. On another note, is it me or has Apolo practically rubbed that soul patch clean off?  I got lucky and just happened to be sending emails when that alert came in. It's typically already posted "news" when I get around to reading my alerts. BTW: Downloads are posted in the video forum for both the interview and the workout. |
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Post by tdav on May 21, 2009 0:04:52 GMT -5
LOL He and Julianne are forever going to be tied to that question!
Anyway, I never thought that this would bother me so much but I...you don't know how much I want him to compete in Sochi. It's like, yeah, I want to see "Apolo vs. Ahn III" but I also want to see "Apolo vs. Ahn IV". It's like, it's not short track without Ahn and Apolo and vice versa. And I know that another four years is a big decision and sacrifice but, it's like...he can't stop! It's like he'd be stopping short. I'm just dreading it. I'm completely and utterly dreading it.
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Post by kirkland on May 21, 2009 3:22:21 GMT -5
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Post by evie5 on May 21, 2009 6:05:50 GMT -5
LOL He and Julianne are forever going to be tied to that question! I think he answered beautifully, artfully suggesting that he and Julianne host a TV show together and steering it clear of any romantic notions. |
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Post by justsayin on May 21, 2009 12:05:08 GMT -5
I sent the link to the youtube version of this leg workout to my personal trainer to see what he thought. I've been working with this guy for almost a year and I've been very impressed with myself because I've done as many as 50-60 unweighted squats in a row.....now, not so much impressed..  Anyway Dan's (my trainer) response was interesting. He was duly impressed, of course, especially commenting that Apolo adds a 20 pound (or more) weight vest "just for fun". Dan guessed that Apolo is probably lifting about 250 pounds doing those weighted squats. He thinks the weights are probably labeled in kilos not pounds. The weight bar alone is 45 pounds usually. But, Dan says, based on how deep those squats are and how quickly he gets back up, "he's not doing any real 'heavy lifting' as opposed to what he can potentially lift. But I love his closing comment: "Its amazing what the legs can do when they are well trained." YOWZA, I think we all had already figured that one out!! |
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Post by autumnsbliss on May 22, 2009 10:24:27 GMT -5
Very interesting video and it's cool to see how Apolo (and most likely the rest of the ST team trains). Last year I visited the Colorado Springs OTC and got to see wrestling practicing along with the Ladies Volleyball and loved getting a glimpse of what workouts they do. As a runner athlete I will comment on some of things I seen on the video: First his hurdle drills at the very beginning. I do them for Steeplechase and basically they are for balance, flexibility, and strengthening CORE and upper leg muscles (hamstring/Quads). I will tell you these drills are definitely not easy and the fact his coach was focused on his form shows that they are indeed tough to do (I was trying to see what hurdle height it was set to and I think it was 42" the high hurdle height for Men's Hurdles). Dan guessed that Apolo is probably lifting about 250 pounds doing those weighted squats. He thinks the weights are probably labeled in kilos not pounds. The weight bar alone is 45 pounds usually. But, Dan says, based on how deep those squats are and how quickly he gets back up, "he's not doing any real 'heavy lifting' as opposed to what he can potentially lift. Your trainer is absolutely right about how low (hence why his coach was wanting him to go lower) he goes and how fast he gets up (looked to be about average speed) effects the value of the weight he has on the bar. If Apolo wanted to add another value of difficulty he would be getting up very slow from those squats (he probably does but like his trainer said, he's not going to give ALL of his secret workouts out  ). The same thing about going low and slow for his calf raises that he was doing. His jumping exercises were crazy, his balance is AMAZING (as it should be  ), which is what those exercises are mainly about besides lower leg strength. I remember the first time I did the one where he's jumping from the side onto the bench and back down and I wiped out about 4 times.  Last thing I will comment is his CORE/ab exercises. He did the what I call the "circular fire hydrant" in the very beginning and was doing some of the "vertical toe touch" at the end. I'm sure there are a TON more CORE/ab exercises he does because in his sport CORE is very important since they go at very low angles on the ice which takes a lot of strength on the midsection to keep oneself up. I will have to pass this video to my friends, I'm sure they would be interested into knowing how similar some of these workout/exercises are to our own (granted we definitely don't put in 8-10 hours of training like Olympians do ). |
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Post by evie5 on May 22, 2009 19:59:17 GMT -5
Thanks Justsayin and Autumnbliss for your insights. It helps me (who is not an athlete) to understand more.
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Post by wags on May 22, 2009 21:15:19 GMT -5
Did I hear right - that Apolo wants to lose another 10 pounds? Seriously??
Well I'll do my part. He can send it to me and I'll pack it on my a$$ with everyone else's donation. (this can't possibly all be mine!!!)
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Post by mtnme on Jun 5, 2009 11:07:25 GMT -5
Editor's Notes: Lending a handThu Jun 04, 2009 By Dave Ungrady / Universal Sports Athletes who wear the USA’s red, white and blue have a request for you, the American Olympic and Paralympic fan.
Through Independence Day on July 4, gymnast Shawn Johnson, skier Lindsey Vonn and others will ask for money to help them continue their gold medal pursuits. Your minimal support -- they’re asking for at least a $5 donation -- could help free the athletes from the struggles of financing their athletic ambitions.
“Any donations that anyone can give are highly appreciated,” Melissa Stockwell, a 2008 Beijing Paralympian and Iraq war veteran, said in a conference call announcing the program this week.
The U.S. Olympic Committee designed the new fund-raising program at a time when the still-struggling global economy is forcing companies to make some painful decisions about supporting USOC programs. Longtime USOC sponsors Home Depot and General Motors no longer support Olympic athletes. Bank of America, another sponsor, announced this week that it is considering ending its relationship with the USOC unless it can get more from its deal.
The America Supports Team USA program, announced June 3, places U.S. Olympians front and center to help solicit donations to the group’s Athlete Support Program. Supporters can purchase a program T-shirt, a lapel pin or a U.S. Olympic Team rings wristband, with proceeds funding the program. Athletes are volunteering their services to the campaign.
A snappy television promo that will air on several U.S. networks opens with American gymnastics diva and television dancing star Johnson and snowboard Olympic medalist Gretchen Bleiler asking with inviting smiles to donate to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams. Vonn later lures potential donors with a catty squint of her forehead.
More than a dozen top U.S. Olympians are featured in the promo and about 90, including speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, will be part of other video promos, print advertisements and posters.
Noticeably absent from any present promotions are four of the more high profile U.S. Olympic athletes. USOC Marketing Communications Manager Nicole Saunches says swimmers Michael Phelps and Dara Torres will not participate due to scheduling conflicts as they prepare for the upcoming U.S. and world championships.
From this perspective, those two are big misses. In addition to Johnson and fellow gymnast Nastia Liukin, the Beijing all-around champion, these are the athletes American Olympic fans most recognize. Not including Phelps is like staging a papal convention without the Pope. Liukin is expected to be part of collateral materials related to the promotion.
Further, the USOC hopes Beijing decathlon gold medalist Bryan Clay will be included on a poster. He was quoted in a USOC press release saying, “the money raised will not only help offset training and competition costs but will also allow more Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls to achieve their dreams.”
The USOC has yet to establish a fund raising goal for the program. The committee should look north for inspiration as its fund-raising efforts evolve. Since January 2005, the Canadian Olympic Committee has supported the Own the Podium 2010 campaign that has raised tens of millions of dollars to help its athletes win medals and place in the top three in gold medal count at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Most of the money -- the goal is $110 million -- has come from the Canadian government and corporate sponsors, but the program has a stated goal of $5 from the general public.
Tying Independence Day into the campaign is significant. “We want to connect team USA to the period between Memorial Day and July 4th and own that period,” USOC Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird said during the teleconference. “When you think of Thanksgiving you think of football. When you think of the Christmas holiday coming you think of the Macy’s parade in New York City. We have the aspiration to connect to a time and that helps sponsors get what they want, year in and year out.”
While in that mind frame, we feel compelled to offer some suggestions. How about a Labor Day program that asks Olympic supporters to donate a day’s wages -- or more realistically, at minimum, an hour’s wages -- to the athletes’ cause? Or an April 15 program that promotes a tax credit or deduction equal to the amount of the donation? Or perhaps best of all, an “express your affection with a donation” campaign tied into Valentine’s Day? Link to the original article: www.universalsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=23000&ATCLID=3746782_____________________________________________________________________ I disagree with a few points here.
1) For starters, any of us who follow the Winter Olympics know exactly who the athletes are who are doing the promo spots. With the Winter Olympics less than a year away, it is THOSE athletes that are in the immediate and dire need of support. It makes sense that those are the athletes that are featured. Phelps may be more recognized, but given his recent publicity hickups, he isn't exactly the poster child at the moment for athletic wholesomeness that gets Americans inspired enough to open their wallets.
2) If July 4th is the supposed deadline, where are these much talked about promo spots? July 4th is less than a month away. Who's organizing this thing anyway? Wouldn't they get more money if they planned ahead and gave people a chance to budget in a larger donation - or any donation at all for that matter?
...hey, I'm just sayin'...
3) Which gave me a couple of ideas.
Since we don't have a Skater of the Month for June, we could make this promotion our SOTM and either ask those who participate in this endeavor with their donations - to donate to this instead of an individual skater. You could send in your checks individually - OR- we could gather them all together and send them en masse with a card from The Rocker Fund as a whole. (If we did the latter, I could at least keep track of the grand total of all the donations generated)
Waddya think?
(and towards that end, I'll post this on the TRF threads)
4) Which also got me thinking how you and your community could get more involved.
For example: As you all well know, I live in the Lake Tahoe region (Yeah, yeah, yeah - you know, you've seen enough pictures LOL) This area is FULL of Winter Olympic athletes-past and present, the two most cuurent and prominent at the moment being Daron Rahlves (skicross) and Julia Mancuso (skiing). But while doing research, I found a whole slew of other 'hopefuls' from the area, too.
I was going to make a game out of it. (Hey, it's short track off season- we need something to do to keep ourselves occupied during the summer...LOL) soooooo:
Find out what Olympic athletes are from your area. I'll start a thread on the Un-Apolo board where you can post pics of your neighborhood Olympic athletes. Once you've done that, you could get YOUR community involved with supporting the 'Hometown' guys and gals. You might even be able to contact them and get them to participate. A much bigger endeavor, I know...and the bigger the city, the harder the endeavor.
Just some thoughts. If you're like me, and you watch the Olympics religiously, think about all the MANY hours of enjoyment you've gotten over the years watching these athletes do what they do. All that free entertainment is worth a few bucks or a few hours of your time, don't you think?
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Post by sk8on on Jun 5, 2009 15:15:40 GMT -5
Team USA Athlete Spotlight: Apolo Anton Ohno speedskating.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/2982 Image by Harry How/Getty ImagesApolo Anton Ohno Home: Seattle, Wash, Birthday: May 22, 1982 Short Track Speedskating2002 Olympic medalist (gold, silver)
2006 Olympic medalist (gold, 2 bronze)
2010 Olympic hopeful Personal SpecsHeight: 5'8" Short List Performance * 2002 Olympic Winter Games - gold (1500m), silver (1000m) * 2006 Olympic Winter Games - gold (500m), bronze (1000m, 5000m relay) * 23-time World Championships medalist * 2008 World Champion - team, overall, 500m Vancouver WatchOhno is one of the most recognizable current American Winter Olympians and perhaps of all time, thanks in part to his trademark soul patch and, more importantly, to his Olympic pedigree. Ohno is expected to add to his stash of medals from the last two Olympic Winter Games (five total) as he leads a strong U.S. Short Track Team. He has won an Olympic medal in every distance and will again be a podium player throughout Vancouver. Just one more medal would make him the most decorated Winter Olympian in American history. PersonalOhno didn't begin speed skating until 1995, but within two years he was already the best short-track skater in the United States. After finishing last at the 1998 U.S. Olympic Team Trials as a 15-year-old, he rededicated himself to make the 2002 U.S. Olympic Team. He has been an international star ever since his double-medal performance in Salt Lake City. He was given his unusual first name by his father, Yuki, who combined the Greek words "Ap," translated to "steering away from," and "lo," translated to "look out, here he comes." His middle name, Anton, means "priceless." Ohno's hobbies include photography, inline skating, video games and dancing. "Chunkie" and "Chunk" were his nicknames as a stocky child growing up. Did You Know...?* Won ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," Season 4, with partner Julianne Hough on his 25th birthday * Father, Yuki, owns a Seattle hair salon called "Yuki's Diffusion" |
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Post by mtnme on Jun 5, 2009 15:16:14 GMT -5
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Post by sk8on on Jun 5, 2009 15:45:29 GMT -5
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~Lori
