Finishing Strong

2012-02-12T23:15:00.001-08:00

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is. C. S. Lewis

2012-02-03T07:49:00.001-08:00

Are you a good fat burner? Find out what it means to be Metabolically Efficient and never run out of energy. Go to http://ping.fm/je4Ll

2012-01-18T12:39:00.001-08:00

Something to consider when doing Yoga..http://ping.fm/QWTjz

2012-01-15T11:52:00.001-08:00

Thought I would send out a reminder of the great benefits from metabolic testing. Check it out at http://ping.fm/YXay7

Tracking Training Effect (Part 1)

2011-07-20T11:07:00.000-07:00

Tracking your Training Effect
Part 1: Sustainable Power

If you are training for an upcoming event, competition, or any challenging physical pursuit then the benefits from evaluating your training effect should not only be understood but should remain in the forefront of your plans. As many coaches have often remarked “you won’t know where you are going until you know where you’ve been”. By tracking not only the training you accomplish but also the effect from that training, it can make all the difference to your potential for success. It doesn’t matter whether that success is measured by a personal best or just finishing strong in the event or quest. Regularly inserting a performance test into your training plans is essential to keeping you on the safe, efficient and most EFFECTIVE track in your training.

There are many types of fitness tests that help you monitor your training. Some are more general tests to evaluate your overall health and fitness while others are very specific and intended to describe the outcomes that directly affect the result of the event or challenge. Athletes or individuals who intend to participate in short events, like sprinting, combative sports (i.e., MMA), downhill skiing, or ball games will benefit most from tests that evaluate more short burst power, functional strength, anaerobic endurance (max effort for a few minutes), and skill levels. On the other hand for those individuals who are preparing for longer events requiring sustaining their efforts for more than a few minutes, possibly even hours, will need to be evaluated more importantly for their stamina and endurance, and more specifically their sustainable power.
We are going to define sustainable power as the mechanical output generated from a culmination of the body’s ability to generate and sustain energy (metabolic pathways) with an enhanced muscular efficiency (neuromuscular adaptations). The mechanical output can be measured as wattage (bike, row), pace (run, walk) or level (elliptical, stair-climber, etc).

In Part 1 of tracking your Training Effect endurance is the focus. Here I am going to discuss a few ways you can evaluate how effectively your endurance level is progressing. However, testing is not as easy as it sounds. One difficulty is that when describing sustainable power we often are really talking about a target value that needs to be defined further according to the duration of the endurance event. Some endurance events are considerably longer or shorter than others. Thus, the test for training effect should be sensitive to those differences. For example, your “sustainable pace” is quite different in a 10K run (just over or under an hour) than it would be on the run portion of the Ironman Triathlon (3-5 hours). Testing would have to assess the intensity for which you will be sustaining. Essentially, we rely on different energy systems less or more heavily depending on the length of the event. For example, one performance field test used to evaluate endurance athletes is the 20-30 minute functional threshold test (FTT) or the functional threshold power or pace (FTP) test. This test is essentially a time trial (TT) in which you would be required to run or ride for a 30 minute time period at your fastest pace or highest speed possible. From this test we can determine your FTT along with your functional threshold heart rate (FTHr) which is a fair prediction of your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR). This FTHr is the heart rate that represents the pace or speed (FTP) that is at the lactate threshold (LT). The FTP test is a good predictor of the training effect in events that are less than an hour or two in duration. However, if you try to rely on this 30 minute time trial to evaluate your preparation for a marathon you would be missing critical information on how well you have developed the energy systems required to keep you going for more than an hour at speeds that are often well below the LT.

A better test to evaluate your progress for the longer course event is to determine your training effect at a sub-threshold pace. One way to do this is to evaluate your pace changes at a controlled heart rate that is below the LT. This will require that you first conduct the FTT (FTT tool click here) to determine your FTHr or better yet get into the performance lab to participate in a lactate threshold test to determine you actual LTHR. Once you have your LTHR or FTHr then you can conduct another sub-threshold field test on another day. This sub-threshold test can be a run for 1 mile or a bike for 6 miles at a speed or pace that stays at 10 beats lower than the FTH. You can then use the average speed for that distance as your benchmark to evaluate your long course sustainable pace (LCSP) changes. As speed improves at the same heart rate you can be confident that you are increasing your sustainable long course pace.

If you would like to evaluate your sustainable power The Fit Stop Human Performance lab can provide this testing in a laboratory setting with analyzers that will not only provide your LTHR but will also identify your ability to burn fat and spare carbohydrates (long course priority) as well as provide insights into your unique physiology that can be used to help you reach your endurance potential.

However you decide to evaluate your training effect try to do it regularly. How you feel about your training (good or bad) or feeling strong as you push one of your tempo runs is not always a good indicator of how well your training is going. Be sure to test your training effect regularly and insure that you are training most effectively and with the ability to Finish Strong in your event.

To your continued great health,

Ventilatory Threshold (VT) vs Lactate Threshold (LT) - Quick summary

2011-02-24T13:06:00.000-08:00

Q. What is the Ventilatory Threshold, Anaerobic Threshold, and how are these different than Lactate Threshold?

A. The Ventilatory Threshold (VT) is determined from ventilatory changes that reflect a trend change in your CO2 extraction, O2 consumption, and the breathing volume and rate. This trend change is often highly correlated with the lactate threshold. Both suggest a trend toward accelerated or accumulating fatigue problems. The Anaerobic Threshold (AT) refers also to a more fatiguing, non sustainable, level of exercise intensity where your body can no longer rely on utilizing fat and oxygen to maintain energy demands. The AT is determined when the RER exceeds 1.0 which is when 100% of your energy is now coming from carbohydrates. The assumptions are that VT and AT occur at very similar levels of intensity to the Lactate Threshold (LT). The LT is when lactate production becomes greater than lactate clearance, causing a buildup of lactate in the blood. Again, we can perform blood lactate testing to find this point but this involves frequent blood sampling throughout the test, with only a fraction of data points that are obtained from ventilator testing, and no "maximum fat burning" determination. It is your threshold characteristics that are by far the most informative and important information for evaluating the training effect

Sustainable Pace: Field Test

2011-02-18T18:35:00.000-08:00

For a runner to evaluate their training effect (TE) it is important to learn how to monitor their sustainable pace. The sustainable pace(s) is an intensity level that you can sustain w/out accelerating the release of fatigue related waist products and the acidosis that accumulates when you are training at or above the lactate threshold (LT). In the lab you can evaluate this effect by determining the changes in speed (or power) and oxygen consumption levels (VO2) at the Lactate or ventilatory thresholds. See Lactate Threshold.

Lab testing can distinguish how the runner has physiologically adapted to improve his or her sustainable pace since we can observe the actual changes in oxygen consumption (i.e., metabolic fitness). Where as, speed changes at LT could represent both the economy of motion changes as well as those metabolic fitness changes. Knowing this is important because without all that information we typically are only guessing if your fitness is lifting up your pace to it's potential. Even using time trial speeds or race results may not be the best indicators of how well your body is adapting to your training plan. Time trials (TT) rely on your fastest effort for 30-60 minutes which can represent; your effort, metabolic fitness, economy and anaerobic (above LT) endurance changes. This may work well for endurance events that last fewer than a couple of hours, however if your event requires longer efforts (i.e., marathons) the anaerobic component to the TT may not reflect how well you can actually sustain the sub-threshold paces involved in the longer races or efforts. Similarly, if you evaluate your TE by your races only you can't be sure if the slower than goal pace was due to poor pacing, weather, fueling, effort, dehydration, overtraining or low fitness.

Although lab testing is your best bet to evaluate your TE the feasibility of regular testing every month is low due to limiters like cost and logistics. Another option that can be included along with periodic lab testing is to evaluate sustainable pace by using a field test that can monitor your pace changes at a constant subthreshold heart rate. One way to do this is to choose a heart rate that is about 10 beats below your lactate threshold heart rate and then run a 1 mile time trial at that heart rate. If the mile time decreases at the targeted HR from test to test than your sustainable pace is improving. This is a relatively safe test as well as a great field test to determine your TE for races or events that take longer than 2-3 hours.

To start tracking your Sustainable Pace check out this tool: Sustainable Pace Tracker.

Metabolic Efficiency

2011-02-13T18:34:00.000-08:00

Metabolic efficiency can generally be defined as your ability to sustain more work (power, pace, etc.) while using less energy. More specifically ME can be defined as your body's ability to utilize more fat as fuel while sparing your limited amount carbohydrates.

To become more “metabolically efficient” will help you to access more of the 80,000 plus calories you have stored as fat and preserve the less than 2,000 calories available as stored carbohydrates.

Key Points: Training

Key point 1: Low to moderate intensity workouts are a key training component to improving your metabolic efficiency

Long duration and/or more frequent steady state workouts that are at or near the intensity of your Maxfat burn zone, which is about 55-65% of your MaxVO2, will help to optimize your ability to use fat as a fuel and help spare your limited but precious glycogen (i.e., stored carbohydrates).

Estimates are that even while exercising at your max fat burn zone your carbohydrate stores can sustain your effort for only around 5.5 hours before it will become necessary for you to slow down due to depletion problems. Additionally, pushing at intensities that are above that zone can severely shorten that duration potential. Obviously, this information is critically important for long course endurance athletes like Ironman and other ultra-distance athletes, but this concept may also be relevant in helping all athletes and exercisers to burn more fat while training. And this may be critical to recovery and in maximizing your power to weight ratio.

(Note: elite endurance athletes can often burn up to 8 calories per minute at their FatMax while most everyone else will burn less than half that amount).

The renewed focus on the importance of increasing fat utilization (i.e., metabolic efficiency) has been promoted by recent presentations by Registered Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist Bob Seebohar who believes you can “teach your body to burn more fat” and at the same time avoid gastrointestinal (GI) problems that are common with endurance athletes. He has observed that many athletes are not only limiting their potential to use more fat as energy but can actually be lowering their fat use because they are training too hard and consuming too many carbohydrates. This is especially relevant during the lower volume transition and base periods in training programs.

Read Bob Seebohar
http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/multisport-zone/fuel-station/metabolic-efficiency-training
Sample metabolic efficiency training journey
http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/multisport-zone/fuel-station/my-metabolic-efficiency-journey

Key Point 2: Increased training volume is the Key to maximizing fat utilization, increasing performance and burning body fat

Another key factor in optimizing endurance performance is your ability to maximize your volume of training by ramping up the frequency, duration and intensity of your training at a rate that you can continue to cope and recover. As long as you are able to adapt to performing more frequent, longer, and more intense workouts you will continue to increase your ability to maximize fat utilization, push up your sustainable pace, and give you an even greater net calorie expenditure. Of course the critical consideration when ramping up your volume is RECOVERY. Generally it takes many phases and even years to lift your training volume up to your potential safely.

Read: Matt Fitzgerald’s Racing Weight
http://www.velopress.com/sample/sample_RW.pdf
How does nutrition fit in the metabolic efficiency equation?

Key Point 3: Nutrition

Seebahor also recommends a periodized approach to eating which includes limiting your carbohydrates especially during your transition and base training periods. During these periods the focus should be on eating fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats and limiting sugars and grains. Your food intake should adjust according to the volume of your training with carbohydrates only increasing in concentration as training intensity and volume increases.

Read: Paleo Diet for Athletes by Joe Friel and Dr. Loren Cordain
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/paleo_books/forathletes.shtml or Bob Seebahor’s Nutrition Periodization for Athletes
http://www.amazon.com/Nutrition-Periodization-Endurance-Athletes-Traditional/dp/0923521836

In summary:

Maximizing your endurance training effects will require walking a delicate line between pushing too hard too frequently which can limit your ability to use fat as a fuel, leading to early plateaus in your endurance fitness. On the other hand the volume in your training will need to be progressed with an appropriate dose of intensity to continue to maximize both fat utilization and sustainable power. Nutrition can play a critical role in helping you adapt to the training cycles necessary to reach your peak fitness. A periodized approach both to your training volume and your fuel intake is critical to your success.

Strategies:

• During your base training periods start eating mostly fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fats. Consider a periodized nutrition plan.
• Start Tracking all your exercise and food intake on http://www.trainingpeaks.com/
• Consider tracking your power to weight ratio and metabolic efficiency at a credible human performance testing lab.

o Test your metabolic efficiency on the treadmill, bike or both to evaluate your current ability to burn fat and to determine your max fat burn zone.
o Re-test your metabolic efficiency if the baseline test determined that your fat utilization was limited.
o Test your body composition to evaluate body fat% and lean mass changes.
o The goal with this testing is to set your training parameters (i.e., what pace and heart rate is associated with my max fat level) and to determine if your training and nutrition changes are having the desired effect.

Seebohar refers to the crossover point as the"Metabolic Efficiency Point" which is the intensity where carbohydrates first begin to burn at a greater rate than your fat energy. The goal is to move this point to the right on the graph below so that the Metabolic Efficiency Point will occur at higher pace or power outputs. To determine your individual crossover you’ll need to get tested.

If you have an interest in optimizing your metabolic efficiency the Fit Stop is currently offering an opportunity for you to experiment with some of these concepts by participating in our Metabolic Exercise Profile. This testing will provide the following useful information and tools to help you maximize your endurance potential and a greater ability to decrease your body fat:

• An Exercise Metabolic Assessment to determine your current Maxfat level, aerobic threshold, and cross-over point (where you begin to burn more carbohydrates than fat).
• Determine your metabolic training zones for heart rate, power and pace.
• Receive your own energy expenditure table which will list your calories expenditure rate for carbs and fat at various sub-maximal intensity levels. See sample table at www.fitstop-lab.com/tools/metabolicefficiency.xls
• An exercise physiologist will also help you set-up your training program and tracking system using the Training Peaks platform.
• Re-evaluations will be included at half price.

Fat Burning: Fact vs. Fiction

2010-12-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

Here is a very succinct and helpful video on how to work at weight management. Here at the Fit Stop we provide the parameters to train by and a further explanation of how to best progress the mix in your trainig and eating patterns.

Ryan Hall's decision not to race Chicago

2010-10-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

This blog by Ryan stimulates good discussion on what it means to train to win by training and racing SMART. Check it out at http://ryanhall.competitor.com/2010/09/30/why-i-decided-to-not-run-chicago/

Jumping Back on the Fitness Bandwagon

2010-10-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

What do you do if the inevitable illness or any interuption causes you to miss several weeks of workouts? This article sets up a good strategy to get you back into your routine safely.
Jumping Back on the Fitness Bandwagon

High Reps and Light Weights vs. Low Reps and Heavy Weights?

2010-10-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Some solid information from ACE on heavy vs light weight for general strength gains.
High Reps and Light Weights vs. Low Reps and Heavy Weights?

Bike Hill Repeats

2010-10-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

Bike Hill Repeats

Avoiding Panic at the Swim Start

2010-10-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

Avoiding Panic at the Swim Start

Sub 2 Hour Marathon | An American Record?

2010-09-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

Check out this video on running economy - great insights into the role of running drills and form focus to enhnace sustainable pace.

Tools to Track your Endurance Fitness

2010-07-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Check out the simple fitness performance trackers (spreadsheets) at http://www.fitstop-lab.com/tools/FitTracker-bike.xls or http://www.fitstop-lab.com/tools/FitTracker-run.xls.

You will find that with these spreadsheets there are several tracking options that you can use to monitor your training effects on the bike or the run. The goal is to be sure to regularly benchmark your fitness changes as you progress in your training plan. Tracking these types of benchmarks will let you know if you are "on track" with your training. You will notice in the trackers that you can measure effect using a time trail (TT) method or a pace vs heart rate method. The TT method looks measure improvement in effect by looking at how much faster you can go for a 20-30 minute all out effort. The pace vs HR medthod on the other hand will compare a sub-maximal (i.e., sub-threshold) pace while maintaining a steady heart rate. Training effect improves when pace is faster at the same predetermined heart rate (or alternatively you could maintain a certain pace and track HR changes over time). Basically, the difference between these two types of self assessments is that the TT will determine both lactate threshold and anaerobic endurance adaptations combined. These TT tests work well to predict race performances for the shorter endurance event (i.e., under 2.5-3 hours) such as international distance triathlons or 1/2 marathon or shorter races. Where as HR vs pace tracking will suggest how well you have moved up the lactate threshold pace (or power) for the more extensive races like marathons, 1/2 Ironmans or longer races. Both types of tests can serve you well for shorter races but you should not rely on only the TT type trackers to predict how well you are doing on your training for the longer events.

Let me know how you do with these. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me. Keep training to Finish Strong.

P.S. Don't forget that the Fit Stop provides metabolic exercise testing if you are ready to benefit from a comprehensive picture of your performance profile and training parameters. Call us at 76-634-5169 or email kjnico@fitstop-lab.com . Check the testing out on the web at www.fitstoplab.com

Injury response and your doctor

2010-04-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

I was forwarded an interesting article regarding how to respond to your aches and pains from exercise. Although I would never recommend avoiding seeing your doctor for significant injury symptoms or if you are new to exercise with a history of injuries, but I do appreciate the common sense approach to the typical and occasional pains associated with many fitness training activities. I am not a proponent of pushing through the pain, however I am a proponent of learning how to work around the pain. Check out this article which has credible sources like Dr. Paul Thompson and other respectable physicians with vast exercise experience.

The link is http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/fashion/01best.html?emc=eta1

Performance Nutrition: Key recommendations

2010-02-09T22:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a summary of the Fit Stop's basic recommendations for eating healthy while training to maximize fitness performance:

Try to eat 5-6 smaller meals a day to give your body a steady supply of energy (calories) and nutrients and to keep your blood sugar at a consistent level.

Eat nutrient dense, fiber rich, complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole-grain pasta, potatoes, whole-grain breads, low sugar high fiber cereals, and beans. Carbohydrates provide the energy needed to maximize the intensity in your training which is the most important factor for increasing strength, power and endurance.

Eat high quality, low-fat poroteins, such as egg whites, chicken, turkey, tuna, lean red meat, low-fat dairy products, and if necessary low-fat protein supplements.

If, because of high volume training or limited time, you have difficulty eating the recommended amounts of food every day, try to consume a high protein, low-fat powder drink as a snack or as part of a meal. Be careful though, if you are trying to get rid of some excess body fat, the powder drinks can cause calories to add up quickly.

For healthy snacks choose fruits, dried fruits and nuts along with sports nutrition bars that are low in fat and high in carbohydrates and protein. Try to avoid these foods directly before working out as this may cause a spike in insulin and comensurate drop in blood sugar during exercise. Choosing low glycemic foods to ingest at least 30-60 minutes prior to exercise can prevent low blood sugar and increase fat oxydation.

Consume energy drinks before and after weight training but just water during weight training. When training for endurance exercise that lasts over an hour you should consume carbohydrates during your activity (approx. 30-60 gms/hour) and a mixture of carbohyrates (2/3) and Protein (1/3) immediately following your long workout in order to maximize replenishment of your stored carbohydrates (e.g., glycogen) in the muscle. Go to Fuel Tools for more info and to determine you fueling needs.

Be sure to consume enough fuel to balance your energy expenditure. Try not to limit your fuel intake by more than 5oo calories below your actual expenditure. Learn your energy balance by participating in a Cardio-Metabolic Exercise Profile.

CAUTION: These statements have not been reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. This information product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Consul with your physician or registered dietician before starting any weight-loss, fitness and diet program.

Maximizing Strength to Weight Ratio - Part 1

2010-02-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

Like with many training goals to get your best end result you will more than likely target an example or model of the outcome you have in sight. If your goal is to be more competitive in an endurance event then all you have to do is look at the podium in that event and you can identify some traits that tend to be common amoung the winners. If your target is road racing on a bike then your model body type would be light, thin on top with a significant amount of power producing mass in the lower body, whereas if you were modeling a triathlete you might find athletes who are light but they would typically show up with a little more mass in the upper body. On the other end of the spectrum if your goal event was to be a competitive olympic rower you would no doubt see bodies that were still lean but quite a bit heavier since they are required to produce enough power to move themselves and their boat or shell faster than their competitors over a relatively short period of time. Not only do different types of events suggest the optimal body type but the duration of the event will dictate which type of athlete will reach the podium. Generally longer endurance events like marathons or triathlons will favor light athletes while short sprinting type events which require explosive power over a short distance will usually favor the larger body types.

Whatever your target, one thing that is common to all these athletes is that they do not carry any excess weight that does not produce some form of power for their event. Muscle is the power producer while body fat does not produce power and is generally sufficient for your health in only relatively small amounts. So any excess in body fat is a limitation whether you are sustaining long bouts of exercise or short sprints. Granted - some sports like football and power lifting may require very high absolute mass levels to perform well and even excess fat can create a more powerful affect when trying to move another heavy mass. But if we are talking about the ability to move quickly and efficiently the LEANer mass (not fat) is most critical to high performance. This is why when we are evaluating an athlete's physical fitness and performance we typically will look at their strength relative to their weight. For cyclists we measure fitness performance by looking at their watts (power) per kilogram of body weight. A cyclist who is a mountain specialist will need to generate a very high wattage per kilogram of their body weight at their lactate threshold (LT) or functional threshold (FT) to be competive on the hills. This means they have to be light but at the same time able to generate a relatively high sustainable power to be competitive. A power to weight ratio of 5.0-6.0 or more is typically required for the top competitors. That means if you could generate 400 watts at your LT (that's a lot) than your weight would need to below 145 lbs to have more than a 6.0 watt/kg. Calc: 145/2.2 = 66 kg, that's 400 watts/66 kg = 6.1 watts/kg. Sprinters (cyclists) on the other hand will require a high sustainable power but also will need to be able to generate high levels of absolute power for the all out sprint. This means they will typically be heavier with huge power producing thighs.

Endurance runners will also need to generate a powerful pace relative to their body weight. You will typically see thinner, lighter athletes in the longer events and slightly larger athletes with more mass for short or middle distances. Some researchers have estimated that for every 1% reduction in body fat you can see a 1% increase in running speed. For triathletes the same is true, a higher power to weight ratio will equate to a faster run and ride.

Now, don't go out and start cutting weight by shutting down the fuel supply and exercising into oblivian just yet - there are limits to what you can lose and how you should lose it. As with any fitness endeavor you do not want to abuse you fitness to get light. My next post will discuss the optimal training guidelines for optimizing your strength to weight ratio.

P.S. to find out your power to weight ratio go to www.fitstop-lab.com/fitnesstesting.htm and get evaluated today. Choose the Cardio-Metabolic Exercise Profile - and check for specials at http://www.fitstop-lab.com/

MaxFat: Part Two

2010-02-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

As we discussed a while ago the Fat Burn zone can be a confusing concept since exercising at your MaxFat level does not necessarily lead to an optimized ability to burn off excess body fat or even push up your fitness level. However, the truth is there are real benefits to understanding this concept and with being able to identify your own maxfat zone which can lead to a better training effect; whether that effect is increasing your ability to sustain long workouts (stamina), recover quicker from extensive training, increase your sustainable power and yes, even optimize your body composition (i.e., body fat %). The following information provides actual fat bump charts of athletes and exercisers who completed a Cardio-Metabolic Exercise Profile in our lab. Each chart suggests a different training history and their story may help illucidate more fully the fat utilization theories and how you could benefit from similar information.

Sample 1: The endurance runner

Typically an endurance trained exerciser who has trained a large percentage of the time in the sub-threshold levels will provide a fairly high fat utilization (6-9+ kcals/min) at their fat bump and their fat contribution will continue to decrease as intensity approaches the lactate or ventilatory thresholds (LT). Quite often at LT there will be little or no fat utilization and energy systems will be relying primarily on carbohydrate fuel (i.e., from stored glycogen in liver and muscle). This athlete showed a fairly high utilization even at the LT suggesting a good ability to spair the limited glycogen even at a fairly high sustainable pace.

Sample 2: The endurance cyclist

Notice the fat burn rate does not go up quite as high for this similar sized and fit athlete, though fat utilization is still present even at his LT. This is a very well trained endurance athlete like the runner example but because the test is on a bike the fat contribution will typically be lower. One theory for this is that since muscle recruitment and fatigue is more concentrated in the legs when cycling the fat utilization is limited by comparison.

Sample 3: Endurance Cyclist

A fit Cyclist during a 30 minute sustained effort just below his threshold wattage. Note the low contribution of fat for energy. This is actually not bad for an effort level of 80% of max VO2. Remember - fat contribution will decrease as you approach your threshold intensity.

Sample 4: Overtrained/ Unrecovered Fit Cyclist

This cyclist is a world class masters cyclist who came in for testing following a long hard ride. Note the random spikes of fat utilization. High intensity training can have residual effects on fat utilization compromizing the sparing or replenishment of glycogen for days. Other factors that might have contributed to this response may include unusually high stress response to testing discomfort (i.e., mask, etc.) or even eating behavior leading up to the test. Take away - be sure to evaluate your metabolic responses when you are fully recovered.

Sample 5: Very unfit new exerciser

Note the extremely low lactate threshold and low level of fat contribution throughout the test.
This individual had just started training on the elliptical machine 3 days per week and was hoping to start a running program. The test on a treadmill suggested that she would not be able to run even at a slow pace without exceeding her threshold. We encouraged her to spend most of her training in the next 6-8 weeks working below the threshold to avoid overreaching and to begin maximizing her ability to sustain work and use more fat as a fuel. Later we suggested she add some more intensity by including 1-2 interval workouts a week at or slightly above the LT (i.e., zone 3&4) to encourage greater fitness development.

Interval Training Burns More Fat, Increases Fitness, Study Finds

2009-07-31T15:19:00.001-07:00

Keep in mind when evaluating the study below that "quicker" fitness does not necessarily mean optimal. Your goal will dictate the specificity of your training. If you are looking to run a marathon then interval training is only one small (all be it important) componant to your training plan. Or if you are focussed on "Finshing Strong" - then getting fit "quickly" is not as critical. "Quickly" can also suggest to me a greater potential for overuse injury. Be smart and have fun!

Interval Training Burns More Fat, Increases Fitness, Study Finds

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Lactate Threshold (what's the big deal?)

2009-07-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

Research says...

Lactate is produced as a side reaction in a metabolic process called glycolosis. Glycolosis is the body's energy system that breaks down carbohydrates (glucose) that are stored in muscle and liver to produce energy. Lactate IS NOT the cause of acidosis - that burning sensation your feel in the muscle - but rather it is the byproduct of glucose breakdown during intense exercise. So lactate is actually an indirect measure of acidosis or muscle fatigue.(1)

Your Lactate Threshold (LT) is a marker showing how much exercise (or physical work) you can sustain before the evidences of glycolosis are present. More specifically LT is that point in your exercise level where you begin to accumulate lactate in the blood and breathing becomes noticeably more labored (ventilatory changes). LT usually corresponds to your best 15k or 10 mile running pace or a 40k time trial on a road bike.

Your LT can be evaluated by several methods that include monitoring your heart rate, oxygen consumption and Power output or speed at LT. With appropriate training technique you can increase your LT which will enhance your body's ability to increase energy production through mitochondrial respirations ( or more aerobic pathways) thus decreasing the reliance on energy from glycolosis (anaerobic). Which means you can spare your glycogen (ie., your stored carbohydrates) which are in limited supply compared to the large amount of energy you have available from fat storage.

Additionally, smart endurance training will improve your acidosis-buffering effect, thereby decreasing fatigue allowing for a longer tolerance of challenging workouts and an enhanced training effect allowing for even more intense training. Here are some the recommendations from the literature on how to improve your LT:
An intense workout that is slightly above the LT is considered by some researchers to be the best for boosting LT (2)

20 minutes or more of training at a HR just above the LT is enough to significantly increase LT (3)

LT tends to be higher in older runners with one study showing the average LT at 85% of MaxVO2 for older runners and 79% for younger. Keep in mind that MaxVO2 scores are lower in the older athletes since they tend to decline with age. (4)

Research suggests that training programs that are a combination of high volume, interval and steady-state workouts have the most pronounced effect on lactate threshold improvement. (5)

Further applications:

Knowing your heart rate at LT allows the heart rates of other training zones to be calculated. For example, base endurance training (the longer slower training in zone 2) is typically 90-95% of your LT heart rate and the harder LT interval training in zone 4 is about 105% of LT while tempo training workouts are usually right around LT. The prescription of training using individual heart rate zones based on the LT heart rate (from exercise testing) can have a profoundly beneficial effect on training adaptation.

Retesting: If training goes well and the HR prescription proves to be ideal for moving the threshold higher (to the right) then the program is working. If however, the results are not as effective as planned then modifications in the training plan would be warranted.

You can get tested to determine your LT at the Fit Stop Human Performance Lab in Carlsbad, CA. go to http://www.fitstop-lab.com/fitnesstesting.htm

1. Robergs, R.A. Ghiasvand, F., & Parker, D. 2004. Biochemistry of exercise-induced metabolic acidosis. American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 287, R502-16.

2. Increased Training Intensity Effect on Plasma Lactate, Ventilatory Threshold, and Endurance.". Medicine an Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol 21 (5), pp 563-568, 1989.

3. Changes in Onset of Blood Lactate Accumulation (OBLA) and Muscle Enzymes after Training at OBLA, European Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 49, pp 45-57, 1982

4. Lactate Threshold and Distance Running Performance in Young and Older Endurance Athletes," Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 58(4) pp 1281-1284, 1985

5. Robergs, R.A. , & Roberts, S. 1997. Exercise Physiology: Exercise , Performance, and Clinical Applications, St. Louis, MO: Mosby

The information and programs are for informational purposes only. They do not substitute for the advice of a qualified health care professional or physician.

What's the "Fat Burning" Zone

2008-10-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

As with many concepts related to exercise and it's benefits, the effects and the rate of change can be quite specific to each individual, especially when talking about weight loss or body fat changes. However, science does give us some suggestions that can be helpful when trying to maximize your ability to burn fat without jeopardizing your health or your endurance potential.

Specifically, related to the question "should I workout slower to optimize "fat burning?" Let me suggest that there is indeed a specific zone of intensity where you will burn the highest amount of fat calories per minute. Unfortunately, depending on the individual, those fat calories may not add up very quickly. For example, during metabolic exercise testing and through a method call indirect calorimetry, scientists can evaluate the concentration of fat and carbohydrates that are utilized for energy at different intensities. Usually, during rest and at the lower exercise intensities we see the highest percentage of fat utilized. Keep in mind though, at rest and low intensity the overall calorie burn is quite low. So, if you are exercising in zone 1 you may be burning mostly fat, but your calories expended will take a very long time to add up to weight lossed. Additionally, if you are not at a high fitness level you may be burning even less fat because you are doing even less work. For example, an elite level triathlete may be able to run an 8-minute mile pace and still maintain his or her heart rate in zone one (i.e., very low relative intensity). Running at that speed will require a very generous amount of calories to sustain and most of it will be derived from fat. Alternatively, If I were running an 8-minute mile pace my level of intensity would be much higher and closer to, if not exceeding, the lactate threshold. That would put me at a zone 3 or 4 intensity level (i.e., hard sustainable), which would require utilizing mostly carbohydrates since I'm already exceeding my fat burning zones.

NOW KEEP IN MIND if I weighed the same as the elite athlete we would be burning close to the same amount of total calories to run that 8-minute mile pace. If we both ran an hour the elite athlete will have burned most of his or her calories from fat while I will have depleted much of my carbohydrate stores and very little fat due to "harder training".

QUICK REVIEW: As exercise intensity goes up so does the overall calorie expenditure, however the fat burn will usually increase only to a limited expenditure rate as other energy systems need to take over. Often, as your intensity approaches and surpasses the lactate threshold, metabolic testing reveals little to no fat calories expended and energy is derived from nearly 100% carbohydrates.
So, according to the above analogy you might surmise that I need to slow down if I am going to burn fat and ultimately lose body fat. However, things are not always how they seem. In reality my goal should be to become fitter so that when I run in zone 1 or 2 I am not doing a shuffle step or walk to keep my heart rate down. I do this by training at levels that stimulate continued improvement in my lactate threshold (LT). Training to increase my LT or sometimes referred to as the anaerobic threshold has been shown to be most effective when combining a variety of training levels. Specifically, sometimes I should train at or slightly above the lactate threshold (zones 3-4) to stimulate LT overload adaptations and other times during longer bouts (zone 1-2)to enhance aerobic kinetics and fat burning adaptations. So there are different adaptations at different intensities (i.e., specificity of training).

Special Note: Recovery after the harder workouts is a key to seeing threshold improvements. As my threshold improves so does my sustainable pace and so does my ability to burn more fat calories and the total calories during exercise.

Also, keep in mind the fact that burning off the extra body fat is dependent on how many total calories you expend at the end of the day as compared to how many you take in from food. So the additive effect of all exercise and activity will promote body fat loss.

Let me introduce a couple more energy/training related concepts that might help you further understand the mechanisms involved with burning calories and losing body fat.

1. In the lab exercise scientists have discovered that exercise that is intense but sustainable (at or around your LT) for bouts up to an hour can have significant effects on how many calories you burn post exercise. There is a term for this called EPOC or excess post oxygen consumption. This concept suggests that you not only can burn calories during exercise but when sufficient work levels are sustained we can see additional calories, specifically fat, burned for several hours after exercise. However, usually individuals who are not very fit will have limited benefit from extra fat burned post exercise because they are generally not able to sustain work rates high enough to accumulate much of an additive effect from the fat burned. SPECIAL NOTE: hard sustained exercise creates higher EPOC which also requires a longer recovery period because of the stress on the system and depleted energy stores.

2. There are studies that show elite endurance athletes who burn well over 4,000 kcals per day often may only consume 2500-3000 kcals. These athletes continued to function and train for months on end and didn't necessarily continue to lose body fat (note: this low calorie intake is quite common among endurance athletes). Studies observed that the athlete’s metabolism adjusted to adapt to the limited energy intake by holding on to the stored fat. It was suggested that the training effect was also compromised due to the lower fuel intake. The point I am making here is that how much and when you fuel your body can have an effect on your ability to use and burn fat. High stress loads with limited fuel restoration and recovery can effect metabolism for the worse.

In summary, how to maximize your body fat burn is often a comprehensive and somewhat complicated approach, not usually accomplished by quick and easy methods. We've all heard that there are no good quick solutions like pills and starvation diets. Similarly, even the "fat burn zone" by itself is not as easy an answer as we might like.

Good luck and keep challenging your training - you will win in the end if you train smart and continue to learn as much as you can.

These exercises or lifestyle changes should not be attempted if you experience any discomfort, pain or dizziness. If you have a history of knee or back pain, high blood pressure or musculoskeletal injuries, you should seek medical advice and the expert services of a trained fitness professional.

Exercise of the Month (Oct. 08)

2008-10-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Exercise of the Month
Step-ups and Step-Downs
Both these are outstanding functional exercises for preparing your knees for greater challenges ahead. If you have not exercised in a while or suffer from knee instability problems than these exercises are for you. Be careful though - good form is imperative to preventing knee pain. Always try to keep you rear-end well behind your knee and don't let your knee travel forward beyond the toes of the active leg. You should lean forward slightly from the waist while performing the down motion with this exercise - but be sure to maintain a neutral spine (i.e., slight arch in the low back with chest out).

Step-ups
Place a sturdy box, bench, or step about 4-10 inches high in front of mirror and stand facing the step or to the side of the step. Keeping your hips and shoulders square, slowly step up on the bench as though you're going up stairs but in slow motion. Then step back down. Keep a neutral posture. Start with no weight and slowly progress with added resistance from dumbbells. Holding the weight while stepping requires a strong focus on core – so don’t forget to activate. Complete 10-15 reps for 2-3 sets, 3-4 x per week. Start at 4 inches and if knees are tolerating the motion and strain well (no knee pain) then add 1 inch per week until you reach 10 inches. Then move on to the more challenging step-down exercise below. You can add weight with dumbbells for a greater challenge.

Step-downs

Stand on top of the bench. Keep the foot of your non-dominant leg on the bench, with the toes slightly turned out (5-10 degrees). Keeping your hips and shoulders squared forward, and arms on hips or in front of you for counterbalance, slowly step forward off the bench as though you're going down stairs but in slow motion. Then step back up. Repeat w/out letting your knee turn in. Complete 6-15 reps for 2-3 sets, 3-4 x per week. Start at 4 inches and if knees are tolerating the motion and strain well (no knee pain) then add 1 inch per week until you reach 8-10 inches. Now you are ready to take on more challenging leg exercise like lunges and squats.
You can add weight with dumbbells for a greater challenge.

For a down-loadable list and description of additional core and functional exercise go to the following link.

http://www.fitstop-lab.com/pdf/Function+Core.pdf

These exercises should not be attempted if you experience any discomfort, pain or dizziness. If you have a history of knee or back pain, high blood pressure or musculoskeletal injuries, you should seek medical advice and the expert services of a trained fitness professional. .

2008-10-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

http://www.fitstop-lab.com/pdf/Function+Core.pdf
These exercises should not be attempted if you experience any discomfort, pain or dizziness. If you have a history of knee or back pain, high blood pressure or musculoskeletal injuries, you should seek medical advice and the expert services of a trained fitness professional. .

HRV, EPOC & Training Effect

2008-04-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

This post includes an article written by Don Hagan, PhD. about the "Training Effect" system and Suunto t series monitors. Don was a good friend and wrote this summary a few months before he passed away in 2007. He will be missed.

New technologies are emerging allowing the athlete to better monitor the effectiveness of their exercise training program. It is now common to use a chest belt with electrodes to measure exercise heart rate to determine if one is getting a sufficient training stimulus, and for computer systems to store this information for further evaluation. However, heart rate is only part of the story. New research suggests that heart rate variability (HRV) and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which is the amount of oxygen consumed after exercise during recovery, can be used to monitor the effectiveness of exercise sessions and training programs, and monitor fatigue and recovery.

Suunto of Finland has taken these advances and incorporated them into small wrist-top computers, called the “Suunto t6" (and recently added are the t3 & t4 monitors). Information captured in the wrist-top computer can be downloaded into a personal computer for further storage. In the Suunto t6 system, the athlete wears a chest belt containing electrodes which record heart beats. The heart beat signals are then transmitted to the wrist-top computer, where the time intervals between respective heart beats are measured and analyzed for fluctuations in the time intervals. The information also can be downloading to a PC and exercise sessions can be analyzed using a specialized Training Manager software program or transfered into online platforms like the Training Peaks TM Platform.

The major innovation of the Suunto t6 system is its capacity to measure heart beat time intervals and determination of HRV. Understanding the mechanisms controlling heart rate allows one to better understand the utility of the Suunto t6 system. Heart rate is regulated by both the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, which work in an inverse, interactive fashion. That is, when one system is in control, the other is quiescent, and vice versa.

During rest, heart rate is primarily controlled by the parasympathetic system, and HRV occurs due to increases and decreases in chest size associated with the inspiration and expiration of breathing, respectively. During inspiration, the time difference between heart beats becomes shorter, which causes heart rate to increase slightly. Likewise, when one breaths air out of the lungs, the time difference between heart beats becomes longer, and heart rate decreases slightly.

During rest, the influence of breathing on HRV will force heart rate to vary by several beats above and below its average rate. The effect of breathing on HRV also is evident during light exercise up to a heart rate of about 110 bpm. However, movement from rest to light exercise, and then to moderate and heavy exercise, is associated with a gradual decreases in both parasympathetic control and HRV, and to an increase in sympathetic control of heart rate. At maximum heart rate, sympathetic control is nearly complete, while the contribution from the parasympathetic system is negligible.

Aerobic capacity and exercise training influence HRV. Chronic exercise training produces a decrease in resting heart rate, or bradycardia, due to enhanced parasympathetic control. As a result, endurance athletes have greater HRV than do non-endurance athletes at rest and during low-levels of exercise up to the ventilatory threshold. A healthy heart has a large HRV, while individuals with heart disease have less HRV. Evidence shows that people with low HRV have an increase risk of heart attack.

An important feature of the Suunto t6 is the use of HRV to estimate the level of EPOC required for an exercise session. Recent research evidence suggests that EPOC can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of an exercise training session and monitor fatigue. EPOC is related to the intensity and duration of the exercise work bout, i.e., the greater the intensity and the longer the duration of a training session, the greater the EPOC. Thus, a high intensity exercise session will have high EPOC, while low intensity exercise will have low EPOC. This is why it is impossible to train every day at one’s maximal oxygen uptake capacity. The post-exercise oxygen consumption requirement is so high; one is not able to pay off the debt before starting the next high-intensity exercise session. This also means that a training program with an emphasis on low-intensity, long duration exercise will produce lower EPOC, because the energy requirement of the exercise work bout is paid using atmospheric oxygen and not stored energy sources. A high EPOC without adequate rest and restoration will contribute to an athlete becoming “over trained” and more susceptible to injury.

In addition to measurements of heart rate, HRV, and estimation of EPOC, the Suunto t6 system has the capacity to estimate and record breathing rate and the pulmonary ventilation, or volume of air moving into and out of the lungs. Both of these measures can be of use in understanding the stress of an exercise work bout. For example, exercise intensities above the lactate threshold are characterized by a higher breathing rate and pulmonary ventilation than exercise below the lactate threshold. You know you are in this zone when talking to your exercise partner is difficult.

It is well known that heart rate at any given work rate is reduced as a result of training, and that decreases in exercise heart rate are an indicator of an increase in aerobic and endurance capacity. The same response occurs for breathing rate and pulmonary ventilation, which transfers into a lower energy cost of breathing during exercise, and improved work efficiency.
In the Suunto t6 system, heart rate and HRV are used to determine the stress of the exercise session and training stimulus by estimating EPOC associated with the exercise session. By monitoring EPOC, an athlete can follow their adaptation to training, and determine when to increase the exercise stress level to repeat the adaptive cycle.

An important feature of the Suunto t6 system is the Training Effect function in the Calendar View of the Training Manager software program. The Training Effect function displays the performance and exertion level of the exercise session based EPOC value. With this function, the athlete can follow successive performances and see their rate of adaptation. The function also allows the athlete to determine whether or not an “overreaching” or personal-best performance leads to overtraining.

Advances in biosensor and wireless technologies, and data storage and analysis software programs are allowing scientists, coaches, and athletes to better measure the responses of athletes to training and to develop a greater understanding of the adaptive process associated with exercise training. These developments will likely lead to improved personal performances, racing strategies and training regimens. The Suunto t6 is one of the leaders in this new trend of combining science and technology into new tools for the benefit of today’s athlete.

Don Hagan, PhD. has 25 years of experience conducting exercise physiology research and has published 60 manuscripts on a wide range of exercise training topics. Dr. Hagan’s previous research experience includes working as a researcher at the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research, Institute for Human Fitness, University of North Texas Health Science Center, and Naval Health Research Center in San Diego. He is currently working for the Space and Life Sciences Directorate at the NASA/Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The information and programs are for informational purposes only. They do not substitute for the advice of a qualified health care professional or physician.

We are all Athletes

2006-01-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

I believe anyone can and should train like an athlete! …

As Dr. George Sheehan once said; "we are all athletes, the difference is that some of us are in training and some of us are not!"(1) Anyone who is serious about their health and fitness and has the willingness and patience to train smart can plan for optimal results, long term impact and peak performance. The point here is, if you are training to get results then you should be training like an athlete. The top athletes know that training hard is important but not "all important". There is a fine line between training hard and over-doing it. Knowing how much is too much can make the difference between optimal results and negative or no impact.

For example, NASA experts recognize that no matter how advanced the technology, their vehicles in space will always be in need of an adjustment. As a matter of fact, if left unto themselves, they won't stay on target. The most critical aspect is what these experts call the "attitude" of the vehicle (2). Peak performers are not any different. They consistently need to be willing to make adjustments to stay on target. It is the reality of the 2nd law of thermodynamics, and it is at work in all of us...we will breakdown and sometimes at an accelerated rate unless we can "tweak" the system a bit. Sophisticated cardio-metabolic and functional strength testing encourages exercisers to make those critical adjustments in the "attitude" of their training.

Below is a list of some common traits among elite endurance athletes:

•athletes have a long term vision that is in focus
•athletes train in systematic and periodized phases to ensure optimal recovery and energy management
•athletes are constantly training their technique
•athletes work toward a consistent overall healthier lifestyles (diet, stress,etc.)
•athletes get immediate intervention when injured
•athletes need a strong sense of commitment & teamwork
•athletes are constantly re-evaluating and testing outcomes from training

Note that most of these traits can actually be integrated into your program and they won't require extreme time commitments or over-whelming intensities. Find out how to train more like an athlete by scheduling a Fitness Evaluation today. You can reach us at (760) 634-5169 or email kjnico@fitstop-lab.com .

1. Former runner, MD, and author who was referred to as "the running guru"
2. Adapted from a quote by Tim Hansel in his book "Holy Sweat"

Challenge vs. Recovery

2005-11-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

Although my field is exercise physiology I hope to use these posts to comment on the many similarities I've observed between the "smart training" concepts that enhance physical endurance and the broader concept of finishing strong in Life.

In his book Finishing Well Bob Buford interviewed Howard Hendrichs and they discussed what it meant to "finish well". Dr. Hendrichs commented that finishing well is described in the writings of Paul in the Epistles. He wrote, "Paul says you cross the finish line running and not staggering."

In that light I believe the key to finishing strong at health and fitness is to try and apply a measured dose of challenge integrated well with a healthy dose of regeneration. To train hard is occasionally necessary in order to improve. At the same time, there has to be time to regenerate during the struggle, or the stress may be too much. There is a thin red line between enough and too much exercise and that amount is specific to each person and should be thought of with a strong finish in mind.