I got up this morning with plans to do a brick workout (bike, then immediately run in preparation for triathlons) before my wife and stepdaughter left for Nashville.
Once I was awake I had absolutely zero desire to get up and work out. So I took stock of myself. Was I injured? No. Have I been overdoing it? Did I need a rest day? No. Was I low on nutrition or water? Nope, and nope.
I was just low on motivation, so. . .
I got up, got my bike, put on my helmet, and rode 15 miles.
On returning to the house I mixed up a glass of gatorade, then realized. . .
I had zero desire to go on the run.
So I changed into my running shoes, grabbed my running buddy (Buddy the German Shepherd/Boxer) and went out the door and ran seven miles.
If you have a goal, whether it's a 5K, 10K 50K, or losing 5, 10, 50 pounds, or just having enough energy to get through the day, you've got to get up, get out there, and do whatever fitness program you've decided to do. If you honestly need a rest/recovery day, take it, then get back out there again. Just don't let your morning mood dictate your fitness plans.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
I'm Fit, So Why Is Running So Hard?!?!
During my wife's first half-marathon she wound up running alongside a woman who was obviously fit. It turns out she was in fact a fitness trainer at one of the local gyms. She was also obviously struggling with this race. She looked at my wife and wondered out loud how this could be so hard when she was already fit. She reasoned that as good shape as she was in she should have been able to complete this race without this much suffering.
I've heard the question. I've even watched the question formulating in a runner's mind. I knew what they were going to ask before they knew what they were going to ask. "If I'm this fit, why is running so hard?"
The trainer's regimen in preparing for the half marathon included precious little running. She mainly participated in and led fitness classes. She thought that this would prepare her for the half marathon. There were two problems with her approach.
1. Specificity. If you want to train for a long run, you should do some long runs. It is obvious that weight lifting alone will not prepare one for a race, but it is less obvious with other exercises. Similar exercises are better, but exact exercises are the best.
2. Energy systems. Other than training your legs to run, you also must train the correct energy systems.
The first energy system is the phosphagen system. This system is lousy for distance running. This is the energy system used for short intense bursts. It lasts for about 10 seconds. This is the system used when lifting a heavy weight or a short sprint.
Second is glycolysis. It produces energy less quickly than the phosphagen system, but lasts longer. It is still not the best for distance running as it only lasts from 30 seconds to about 2 minutes. My suspicion is that the aforementioned trainer did a lot of interval workouts with intervals lasting in that range. She probably had this system well developed from her workouts.
The final energy system is the missing piece of the puzzle for someone who does a lot of fitness, but struggles at a longer run like a 5K (or sometimes even a mile). The aerobic system. The power of the aerobic system is that it can provide lots and lots of energy. It just takes does it more slowly, and unlike the other two systems, requires oxygen. It actually provides 18 times the energy per molecule of glucose as glycolysis does. Not to mention the main fuel source of the aerobic system is fat, rather than carbohydrates as in glycolysis. There is a rather limited supply of blood sugar and stored sugar in the body as compared to fat stored in the body.
Of course, the body is complicated, and it uses energy from multiple systems at once so the faster one is going, the more glycolysis starts to kick in. Even given the fuel necessary to keep the engine running, the chassis has to hold together through the duration, but the point of it all is this.
To run long distance the aerobic system must be developed. Working out with glycolysis as your fuel source is great it burns more calories in the same amount of time, but if that is someone's only way of working out what usually happens in a long run is that they try to run the way they workout.
It happens this way. Fit person is accustomed to a certain level of perceived exertion, runner is used to running long distances. Starting gun goes off. Runner takes off at an aerobic pace, fit person takes off at the RPE (rating of perceived exertion) they usually workout at. Two minutes later, runner is still going at the same pace, but the fit person has reached the limit of glycolysis and starts slowing down. At this point they either gut it out and keep running (albeit more slowly) and never really recover their breath, or they slow down enough to recover and do it again. Meanwhile, runner keeps going at steady pace.
So, it pays to develop all three systems. This means you too all you Long, Slow, Distance runners. Running uses all three systems to different extents so don't forget to train the other two systems as well.
I've heard the question. I've even watched the question formulating in a runner's mind. I knew what they were going to ask before they knew what they were going to ask. "If I'm this fit, why is running so hard?"
The trainer's regimen in preparing for the half marathon included precious little running. She mainly participated in and led fitness classes. She thought that this would prepare her for the half marathon. There were two problems with her approach.
1. Specificity. If you want to train for a long run, you should do some long runs. It is obvious that weight lifting alone will not prepare one for a race, but it is less obvious with other exercises. Similar exercises are better, but exact exercises are the best.
2. Energy systems. Other than training your legs to run, you also must train the correct energy systems.
The first energy system is the phosphagen system. This system is lousy for distance running. This is the energy system used for short intense bursts. It lasts for about 10 seconds. This is the system used when lifting a heavy weight or a short sprint.
Second is glycolysis. It produces energy less quickly than the phosphagen system, but lasts longer. It is still not the best for distance running as it only lasts from 30 seconds to about 2 minutes. My suspicion is that the aforementioned trainer did a lot of interval workouts with intervals lasting in that range. She probably had this system well developed from her workouts.
The final energy system is the missing piece of the puzzle for someone who does a lot of fitness, but struggles at a longer run like a 5K (or sometimes even a mile). The aerobic system. The power of the aerobic system is that it can provide lots and lots of energy. It just takes does it more slowly, and unlike the other two systems, requires oxygen. It actually provides 18 times the energy per molecule of glucose as glycolysis does. Not to mention the main fuel source of the aerobic system is fat, rather than carbohydrates as in glycolysis. There is a rather limited supply of blood sugar and stored sugar in the body as compared to fat stored in the body.
Of course, the body is complicated, and it uses energy from multiple systems at once so the faster one is going, the more glycolysis starts to kick in. Even given the fuel necessary to keep the engine running, the chassis has to hold together through the duration, but the point of it all is this.
 |
| I'm still learning to swim in the aerobic zone. This is what the upper limit of glycolysis looks like in a triathlon swim. |
It happens this way. Fit person is accustomed to a certain level of perceived exertion, runner is used to running long distances. Starting gun goes off. Runner takes off at an aerobic pace, fit person takes off at the RPE (rating of perceived exertion) they usually workout at. Two minutes later, runner is still going at the same pace, but the fit person has reached the limit of glycolysis and starts slowing down. At this point they either gut it out and keep running (albeit more slowly) and never really recover their breath, or they slow down enough to recover and do it again. Meanwhile, runner keeps going at steady pace.
So, it pays to develop all three systems. This means you too all you Long, Slow, Distance runners. Running uses all three systems to different extents so don't forget to train the other two systems as well.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Get Fit, Have Fun, Kick Stuff
KB500 Fitness as self defense. A 45-50 minute workout based on martial arts movements led by a certified personal trainer who also happens to have 29 years experience in martial arts. In this workout you could burn 500+ calories, and you get to kick things! This class does not require martial arts knowledge, but at the same time someone with a martial arts background can also get a great intense workout. As a martial arts instructor I know how to teach the fundamentals of the techniques to keep the class fun while minimizing the risk of injury. As a certified personal trainer I know how to program the class for maximum fitness gains.
I have been asked how fitness became such an important thing to me as a martial artist, and the answer is simple.
The idea of self defense generally conjures images of men in heavily padded suits being kneed in the groin by newly empowered women. It also makes people think about pepper spray and concealed carry licenses. When I started martial arts classes as a child it made me think of the bullies that were pushing me around and how I could finally find a way to stand up to them.
As I grew up, it became pretty obvious that if I used what I call "proactive self defense" I might never have to rely on a tiger claw to the face to protect myself. It was the difference between learning what to do if someone were to jump me in a dark alley and learning to stay out of the dark alley in the first place.
So what does this have to do with fitness.
The top ten causes of death in the United States:
I have been asked how fitness became such an important thing to me as a martial artist, and the answer is simple.
It is all self defense.
The idea of self defense generally conjures images of men in heavily padded suits being kneed in the groin by newly empowered women. It also makes people think about pepper spray and concealed carry licenses. When I started martial arts classes as a child it made me think of the bullies that were pushing me around and how I could finally find a way to stand up to them.
As I grew up, it became pretty obvious that if I used what I call "proactive self defense" I might never have to rely on a tiger claw to the face to protect myself. It was the difference between learning what to do if someone were to jump me in a dark alley and learning to stay out of the dark alley in the first place.
So what does this have to do with fitness.
The top ten causes of death in the United States:
- Heart disease: 597,689
- Cancer: 574,743
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 138,080
- Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 129,476
- Accidents (unintentional injuries): 120,859
- Alzheimer's disease: 83,494
- Diabetes: 69,071
- Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 50,476
- Influenza and Pneumonia: 50,097
- Intentional self-harm (suicide): 38,364
Do you see anything on that list that can be prevented or lessened with a side kick to the ribs?
Neither do I.
So this is how I became interested in the idea of fitness being a form of self defense. Things on this list that have been shown to be lessened, delayed, prevented, or cured by physical activity include heart disease, many forms of cancer, respiratory disease, stroke, alzheimer's, and diabetes. 6 out of 10 so far, but wait there's more! Developing a fit, strong, healthy body, along with improved body awareness and balance can lessen the likelihood and severity of injuries from accidents. Exercise is also an effective treatment for depression, which can also affect the intentional self harm statistic.
8 out of 10 of the top causes of death can be alleviated by exercise.
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