Conditioning Research

We have previously discussed barefoot running . Here is Erwan Le Corre of MovNat ( who I recently interviewed ) doing just that Richard has also mentioned his admiration of minimal shoes .

Fermented food OK, as you may have noticed this blog is often just a record of things that I come across which I find interesting - generally in the area of fitness, conditioning and diet. Here is something I've been thinking and reading about a bit recently: the idea of fermented food - think yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, pickles - being uniquely healthy. I think I first came across this idea in Sally Fallon's book Nourishing Traditions , much of which is predicated on the work of Weston Price (who made an extensive study of traditional diets in the 1930s, diets unadulterated by modern processing and diets consumed in societies where there were few of the diseases of civilisaiton). Fallon has a good article on Lacto-Fermentation if you want to learn more. Stephan has discussed fermentation a bit on his blog : Healthy grain-based African cultures typically soaked, ground and fermented their grains before cooking, creating a sour porridge that's nutritionally superior to unf...

Good stuff - we are evolved for survival not truth..... these logical issues are really interesting to think through. I did 3 years of logic at university and there was some analysis of arguments like this. One thing I remember was this idea of the material conditional: if A then B, usually expressed s A=>B. For example if it is raining, the grass will be wet. One thing to be aware of though is that it doesn't go in the other direction: just because the grass is wet doesn't mean it is raining. You can't argue from the effect to the cause. Just because athlete X trains with plyometrics or bands or kettlebells or whatever doesn't necessarily mean that those things are responsible for his success or his physique.

I thought this was of interest. With all the usual warnings about association not equalling causation , Night Eating - defined as 25% of daily food intake after the evening meal and/or awakening at least once per week to eat - is much more common in the obese. I wonder is there is some relation here to Intermittent Fasting . Such behaviour removes even the short fast that is there for most after the evening meal. Prevalence of Night Eating in Obese and Nonobese Twins The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of night eating (NE) and associated symptoms in a population-based sample of Swedish twins. A total of 21,741 individuals aged 20–47 years completed a questionnaire in 2005/2006. NE was defined as 25% of daily food intake after the evening meal and/or awakening at least once per week with eating episodes. The prevalence of NE was 4.6% in men and 3.4% in women. Among obese men and women, the prevalence was 8.4 and 7.5%, respectively. Men and women with NE had 3.4 and 3....

from Mountain Athlete . Looks good for the hip flexors (and glutes) which get tight if you sit behind a desk for most of the day

There have been some great comments on this debate on recent posts. Please make sure that you read the comments if you are interested in this stuff. Thanks to everyone for their comments. In particular John Sifferman's comment pointing to his post: Specificity in Training - How much carry-over does weight lifting have in real life? Will your time under the iron help you on the field, on the mat, or in the ring? is really worth reading. I hope he doesn't mind re re-posting it here: I have read numerous studies that have concluded that specific weight lifting activities have very little, if any, carry-over to athletic activities. It sounds crazy, I know. Believe me, I was pretty skeptical when I started reading these research abstracts myself. How could getting stronger hinder an athletes performance? Isn’t it the biggest, strongest, fastest athletes that are always the best? These questions were racing through my mind, and I had to ask myself, “how much does my training he...

I like this because - like the parkour one I posted recently - it is based in the city in which I live. Some great skills here and as I was watching I was spotting some familiar places!

Here and at Keith's Theory to Practice site there has been some debate recently about the whole issue of functional training. This is an issue dealt with in Doug McGuff's Body by Science and something I explored a bit more in my interview with Luke Carlson . A reader (Noel) of both Keith's TTP blog and this one sent us both a comment which he agreed I could reproduce here: Fellas, The recent posts about the BBS/super slow movement have irked me to the extent that I am compelled to write this email. While on the macro level I don't really care what they espouse, I don't think their claims are getting the critical examination they deserve. Let me crudely characterise the debate as consisting of two sides: machine based, super slow, one set of failure based on published research (Dr McGuff) versus free weights, 5 reps or less, multiple sets based on coaching experience (Rip). I'm not suggesting Dr McGuff and Rip are in direct opposition (I don't know if t...

Methuselah has done it again (his last one was an excellent discussion of diet ) this time about exercise intense, brief, infrequent....

Recently I read Doug McGuff's book Body by Science and was subsequently fortunate enough to interview him . One of the areas of his thinking that I found fascinating and challenging was his view of "functional training". He drew a sharp distinction between exercise - which would increase your strength - and skill training which would make you better at applying that strength. This idea was revisited in some further posts (for example here , here and here ) and generated some interesting comments. Reading around the subject a bit more one of the people that I came across was Luke Carlson, CEO of DiscoverStrength . His website has an excellent discussion of this area , including a paragraph on why " functional" strength training is a fallacy! Keen to learn more about this whole area I contacted Luke and asked if I could interview him on this subject of "functional training". Graciously he agreed to answer my questions. This is a good interv...

More gratuitous hill photos from yesterday of course the weather is rarely like this!

An interesting one for those who say you need loads of carbs to train effectively. See the conclusion: A low carb weight loss diet shifted fuel utilization toward greater fat oxidation during exercise , but had no detrimental effect on maximal or submaximal markers of aerobic exercise performance or muscle strength compared with an high carb diet. Effects of a Low Carbohydrate Weight Loss Diet on Exercise Capacity and Tolerance in Obese Subjects. Dietary restriction and increased physical activity are recommended for obesity treatment. Very low carbohydrate diets are used to promote weight loss, but their effects on physical function and exercise tolerance in overweight and obese individuals are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a very low carbohydrate, high fat (LC) diet with a conventional high carbohydrate, low fat (HC) diet on aerobic capacity, fuel utilization during submaximal exercise, perceived exercise effort (RPE) and muscle strength. Sixty ...

I put up all sorts of material here about fitness, diet, conditioning..... But the real reason that I am interested in all this stuff is because I want to apply it to be fit enough to do and enjoy the things I love. And I love being in the mountains. This was yesterday . Perfect weather in the Highlands. This is what it is all about. Getting here is a big part of why I train.

It is definitely worth reading the whole of this excellent post , but for now have a look at this extract: One question is, why does fructose (and alcohol) intake result in visceral fat, and not the more benign sub-cutaneous or intra-muscular fat? I have one possible explanation that I like to term the 'circulatory fat deposition model.' When you ingest a toxin like fructose or alcohol, the body automatically increases circulation to the vital organs (and in particular the liver) so that it can be filtered out of the blood stream. Since any ingested substance will naturally diffuse to even concentration throughout the blood, this is the only way to preferentially increase the flux of toxin to the liver. Fructose is well known to contribute greatly to post-meal triglyceride levels (Chong et al., 2007). The liver takes fructose and produces palmatic acid (i.e. a stable saturated fat) from it. It then releases that fat into the blood stream. Since the filtering of fructose isn...

I interviewed Doug by email ...Bo does it by video:

OK here is an interesting one. (It is epidemiology and as ever association doesn't equal causality , but it is interesting....hypothesis forming as my scientist friends tell me) A systematic review of the evidence supporting a causal link between dietary factors and coronary heart disease. What is associated with heart disease? intake of trans-fatty acids and foods with a high glycemic index or load What isn't: total fat; alpha-linolenic acid; meat; eggs; and milk. What is protective? intake of vegetables, nuts, and "Mediterranean" and high-quality dietary patterns (whatever they are - I think lots of meat and few fruits is high quality!) What isn't: supplementary vitamin E and ascorbic acid (vitamin C); So it sounds like: meat, eggs, milk, low carb, veggies and nuts. Don't worry about fat....don't take supplements?

Sounds like a job for a low carb diet! Findings show insulin -- not genes -- linked to obesity

Back to the discussion about "functional" training. Doug McGuff explained that there is a real distinction between skill training and strength training. Skill training is very very specific. The idea is to get stronger and then use appropriate skill training to apply that strength. Drew Baye's latest post expounds the same idea: Exercise in accordance with proper training principles, then apply your improved fitness to the enjoyment of your chosen recreational activities, but don’t try to mix recreation and exercise - it takes the fun out of recreation and the effectiveness out of exercise.

A minimal RT program that required little time to complete (11min per session) resulted in a chronic increase in energy expenditure. This adaptation in energy expenditure may have a favorable impact on energy balance and fat oxidation sufficient to assist with the prevention of obesity in sedentary, overweight young adults, a group at high risk for developing obesity. Minimal Resistance Training Improves Daily Energy Expenditure and Fat Oxidation

There has been a lot of chat recently about vitamin D, not least from Stephan . Here is a study that says that sufficient vitamin D is needed for peak athletic performance . Time for sunshine and fish oil

This is absolutely superb. Methuselah has done an outstanding job here. Pass this on to as many people as you can, who wonder about the paleo diet.

Jeff has done an interview with Doug McGuff . It looks like he had a lot of similar thoughts about the approach to me. Jeff keeps a good blog and comes from a "paleo" perspective as well, so the concerns he had reflected mine. Doug provided some good answers which again clarified how his approach can be integrated into an active / paleo life following what Art Devany would call a power law distribution of activity. Jeff's interview with Doug

Great interview with Brian MacKenzie of CrossFit Endurance The Most Dangerous Man in Endurance Training! So, you want to do your first endurance event (anything over 2 hrs)? I know, you’re thinking where to begin? I mean, if you want to run 26.2 miles or swim, bike and run 140.6 miles or run an ultra marathon (anything over 50 miles), you’ve got to put in the hours, right? I mean at least 14-30 hrs per week to be really ready and to do your best, right? Wrong. How about getting your deadlift up to 460. Instead of your “Sunday run” of 2 hours, you work on getting your back squat up to 350? Sounds insane doesn’t it? Not when you find out that the guys doing just this kind of work are averaging less than 9 hours per week of training and are finishing 100 mile runs only a handful of hours behind such endurance legends like Dean Karnazes. Brian MacKenzie and his team at CrossFit Endurance are shaking up the world of endurance training by teaching technique, adding intensity and then...

More impressive stuff from Gymnastic bodies . I'm still working on my frog stand! Arch/Hollow Snaps are a dynamic exercise specifically designed to build explosive core strength. They may be performed for either time or distance. If necessary, a weighted belt may also be added to the midsection to increase the training load.

Another interesting mobility move from Mountain Athlete. Actually this is almost a f unctional movement screen - if you know what I mean. I'm increasingly learning - with lots of encouragement from Rannoch - the importance of mobility .

Here is a disturbing new study for those of us who spend our days sat down at the office..... The more sitting down you do....the more likely it is that you will die - irrespective of what leisure time activity you do! (Of course we are all going to die eventually....) So stand up! In addition to the promotion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and a healthy weight, physicians should discourage sitting for extended periods. Sitting Time and Mortality from All Causes, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer PURPOSE:: Although moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is related to premature mortality, the relationship between sedentary behaviors and mortality has not been fully explored and may represent a different paradigm than that associated with lack of exercise. We prospectively examined sitting time and mortality in a representative sample of 17,013 Canadians 18-90 yr of age. METHODS:: Evaluation of daily sitting time (almost none of the time, one fourth of the time, half of th...

Here is Dr McGuff - the guy that I recently interviewed .

If you have not already done so, make sure you read Stephan's piece Reversing Tooth Decay . It is superb

Floating Bones posted a really good comment on my post on Tensegrity . Anatomytrains.com has a 20-page summary of the first edition There are several very good papers on biotensegrity.com why the compression-based model is fundamentally inadequate to explain our musculoskeletal system. Levin has been studying this for his whole career as a MD. Model-maker Tom Flemons has some great models on his site: tinyurl.com/toms-models . I talk about floating compression models on my website floatingbones.com . Part of what I add to the structural conversation is the impact of our nervous system on our structure.

1008.6lb or 457.5kg History as Nick says . Andy Bolton's new world deadlift record of 457.5kg (which is 1008.6 lbs). 3rd lift at the South East Powerlifting Championships, promoted by the Gallery Gym, Windsor and held at the Thames Valley Athletics Club in Eton.

.......one last one for tonight on High Intensity. Here is an interesting looking gym - Discover Strength . There is an interesting page on Strength Training for Distance Running : Strength Training is a fo undational component of a comprehensive distance running training program. The inclusion of a properly designed strength training program is important because the benefits of strength training are not achieved through running or cross-training alone. The page includes a review of relevant research, including this on functional training: Although the term " functional training " has become increasingly popular in the sport and fitness industry, the use of the term is somewhat deceiving. The intent of so called "functional training" is to perform movements that mimic movements performed during daily life. The thought is that these "functional" exercises carry over to our normal movements in daily living. However, the scientific research in the area of mo...

Continuing the High Intensity theme, I have come across some other studies from Wayne Westcott. Westcott works for South Shore YMCA and is .....an internationally-renowned authority in the area of strength fitness. In addition to serving as our Fitness Research Director for the Quincy Branch Keeping Fit Programs , Dr. Wayne Westcott has authored more than 20 books and serves as a consultant for numerous national organizations such as the U.S. Military , the American Council on Exercise , the American Senior Fitness Association , and the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation . He is also editorial advisor for many well-known publications, including Prevention , Shape , and Club Industry m...

That interview with Doug McGuff got me thinking quite a bit about the whole High Intensity thing. Here is a study which says that - for resistance training aimed at combating low back pain - there is no point in doing more than one set of an exercise. (Incidentally the same as was found in this review - The preponderance of resistance-training studies shows no difference in the gains in muscular strength, hypertrophy, power, or endurance as a result of performing a greater number of sets. ) Randomized trial comparing the effects of one set vs two sets of resistance exercises for outpatients with chronic low back pain and leg pain. AIM: Progressive resistance exercises (PRE) are prescribed to reverse the deconditioning associated with chronic back pain. The spine rehabilitation program has utilized 2 sets of progressive resistance exercises during each session, with increased resistance between sets, and with successive sessions. Exercise literature has challenged the need for multi...

Asclepius sent me this link to look through and there is some fascinating stuff there. COOLING INFLAMMATION INFLAMMATION IS THE FOUNDATION FOR CANCER AND DEGENERATIVE/AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES. SMALL CHANGES IN DIET AND EXERCISE, E.G. OMEGA-3 OILS, LOW STARCH, PLANT ANTIOXIDANTS, AND MA INTAINING MUSCLE MASS, CAN DRAMATICALLY ALTER PREDISPOSITION TO DISEASE AND AGING, AND MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF GENETIC RISKS. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH, I AM TRYING TO EXPLAIN HOW THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET AND LIFESTYLE COMBAT DISEASE. There are some really good posts on the blog and it will repay some study.

The great Tom Kurz (stretching fame) commented on the post Get Stronger then Apply it . It is worth reprinting: "The idea is that skill training is really specific, so if you want to get better at a skill you have to practice that skill....exactly.” Not very exactly.... A quote from Science of Sports Training: Right Resistance The amount of resistance in sport-specific exercises has to ensure duplication of intermuscular and intramuscular coordination. If resistance is too great, the movement may resemble the external form of the technique, but it will require different coordination than the one that is best in the technique. For example, the intermuscular and intramuscular coordination in throwing a 1.5 kg (3.3 lb.) ball using the technique of a javelin throw without a prerun is the same as in throwing a 0.8 kg (1.75 lb.) javelin. In throwing a 4 kg (8.8 lb.) ball in the same fashion, the external form resembles the javelin throw, but the muscular coordination registered by a...