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Once again the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer and longer – leaving no doubt that it’s winter time – even when you live somewhere with no snow!
The sun has a big effect on our bodies – it’s how they know when it’s time for bed and when it’s time to get up and get moving. As we near the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, those daylight hours become so few that they seem to almost not exist at all! In the United States where I live the sun rises around seven in the morning and sets around five in the afternoon during the winter months! That leaves a mere ten hours of of light and also that usually dark outside when we wake up and dark outside before we get home. Being completely out of the light during your waking hours takes some serious adjustment.
What Short Days Mean for Fencers
What does that mean for fencers? It means that your biological clock is telling you that it’s time to start thinking about sleep at dinner time! Since fencing practice during working days necessarily takes place during the afternoon and evening, that means that fencing brains are feeling more sluggish and less focused as the days get shorter and those internal clocks start saying “bedtime” when we’re on the strip. This is especially true for kids, as they have less experience with and therefore less ability to shake off shorter days.
Our internal clocks affect literally every system in our body, from hormone levels to blood pressure to brain function to digestion. It’s truly amazing! Cortisol, which is a stress hormone that also cues us to be alert, is highest in the morning and then lowers as the day goes on. It makes your mind sharp and ready to face anything. The light of the sun stimulates our bodies to produce cortisol, which of course helps us to train and fence more effectively.
For fencers, the time of year that is traditionally “off season” for many other summer sports is actually our “on season.” Competition season starts heating up as the days are shortening, then ramps up as the days get longer until Summer Nationals for fencers in the US, at which time the days are they’re longest. So fencers have to adjust training in order maximize competition performance, as your biological clock is telling you very different things as the competition season progresses.
**A side note: there are some proponents of moving fencing to the Winter Olympic Games, which would allow for the additional two events that aren’t currently held to be added as there is more room. It would be great to see all twelve medals awarded instead of the current ten!
Adjusting Your Training
In order to get the most out of training during these shorter days, there are some truly effective methods for you to take advantage of.
● Regular Sleep Schedule
This goes for kids and for adults – keep that sleep schedule regular! While the time that the sun rises and sets might be out of control, you can still affect your sleep schedule by setting an alarm clock, even on the weekends and then going to bed at the same time.
● Weekend Training
Consider incorporating some weekend training into your schedule to allow you to get some morning time in when the sun is awake. Weekend training will also allow you to train during the time that you’re most likely to compete.
● Eat Smart
This means again keeping a schedule. Try to eat at the same time every day, even when you’ve got fencing training. And of course it’s always important to eat healthy foods and to hydrate adequately.
● Wake Up
If you do find yourself getting sleepy during training, try some of these methods to wake your mind up. The best part: you can do these without interrupting training! You don’t have to ask your coach for a break, so you won’t be disturbing class.
- Pull your hair – not hard! Just reach in deep and gently tug your hair back and forth. This is actually an old yoga method for bringing in focus, and it really works!
- Massage your hands – Another yoga method, gently massage the meaty parts of your hands, starting down near your wrists and working up all the way through your fingers .
- Tighten and loosen your muscles – You can do this standing or sitting, anywhere that you are. Starting with your feet, tighten your muscles and hold for a count of five, then release. Move up to your calves, then thighs, then bottom, back, hands, arms, shoulders and finally face. The whole process takes less than a minute, but will effectively wake you up.
- Remove layers – This one only works if you have layers on that you can take off. Being warm makes us sleepy, and inside fencing gear can be pretty warm. Open your jacket when you are not fencing and are on deck.
- Get upside down – Bend over completely, preferably while standing, and allow the blood to flow into your head for a count of ten. Then SLOWLY come back up so that you don’t get dizzy. This can really clear your head when you’re sleepy!
- Drink water – This helps a lot when you’re fighting fatigue, plus in general it is super important to drink adequately when you train, and especially when you fence since you’re wearing a heavy uniform, which is going to force you to lose more water. Oftentimes kids aren’t all about drinking water during the winter because it’s icy cold. If you notice that your child’s water bottle remains full after the training, try pouring lukewarm water in and reminding them to drink.
● Get outside in the sunlight
Get out into the sun as much as you can. Your body needs that feedback, not to mention the vitamin D. Try to avoid being inside during the entire length of the day and never seeing the sun except during the walk to the car. This is really important for kids, who don’t always get outside during the school day. Go for a ten minute walk or spend a few minutes in the park every day, especially on training days.
The good news is that the days will get longer again! These insanely short days only last for a few weeks. By adjusting your training, you’ll get the most out of these short days.
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