Importance of Interval Training

"Not Having Time" is no-longer a valid excuse!  

LAST WINTER, half a year before the Leadville Trail 100 mountain-bike race, Dave Wiens knew he had his work cut out for him. After winning the event six times in a row, from 2003 to 2008, the 46-year-old Gunnison, Colorado, rider finished second behind Lance Armstrong in 2009. To recapture the title, he would have to best the race's strongest field ever, including three-time Tour of California winner Levi Leipheimer and Olympic cross-country riders Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski and Todd Wells. Worse, Wiens barely had time to train. "Between a new job selling medical supplies, my work promoting a local mountain-bike race, my responsibilities for trail advocacy, three active sons, and my wife's schedule as a nurse, I just didn't see how I could be competitive," he recalls.
Rarely do amateur athletes have the luxury of making fitness a top priority. Even genetically gifted regular Joes like Wiens (and Outside's fittest real athletes) have long lists of commitments and little free time. Training is often the first thing on the chopping block. "Time has to rate as one of the biggest constraints for anyone trying to gain or maintain fitness," says Chris Carmichael, founder of Carmichael Training Systems and author of The Time-Crunched Triathlete. "But it takes less time to get fit than most athletes think."

A lot less. Research shows that short, well-targeted, high-intensity workouts can get you as fit as much longer sessions. According to a 2008 study in the American Journal of Physiology, one and a half hours a week of high-intensity interval training will improve arterial structure and function just as much as five hours a week of lower-intensity workouts. And researchers in Denmark showed that runners who added speed training to their regimens while decreasing the overall volume of running by 25 percent logged faster times in a 10K field test after just six to nine weeks. "Most people can spend 50 percent less time working out and still get 80 percent of the benefits," says Lynda Wallenfels, an elite endurance mountain- bike racer and cycling coach.
It's the same with strength training. Numerous studies have shown that you can achieve equivalent gains in strength even if you reduce the frequency of lifting—down to as little as once a week—as long as you fine-tune the workout volume and intensity. "The question is whether you are working hard enough to force the body to adapt," says Bill Pierce, professor of health sciences at Furman University and author of Run Less, Run Faster. "Intensity is the variable that has the greatest impact on improved fitness."
Wiens is proof. In his run-up to Leadville, he rode less mileage than in previous seasons, using interval routines to maximize the impact of his shorter sessions. And while he didn't win (he came in fourth behind Leipheimer and the Olympians), he slashed 12 minutes off his previous best time. "I was really surprised," he says.
The takeaway for the rest of us: "I don't have time" is no longer an acceptable excuse. What follows is your guide to boosting performance on almost any schedule.

Fitness: Paleo diet story

Fitness: Paleo diet

Anthony D’Amato lost more than 200 pounds on a low-carb Paleo diet.

Anthony D'Amato

Photo : Dave Rentauskas

Anthony D’Amato, 27, Lakeview
Singer/songwriter in band the Live Debate
Lost 215 pounds

I was always the funny fat guy. I was Homecoming king—I probably weighed about 325 then. I started touring after high school, and my weight started skyrocketing. One night in 2009, with a beer in hand, I saw I weighed 375 pounds on my friend’s scale and decided it was time to make a change. My waist was a 50. I was wearing a 3X or 4X; I couldn’t shop anywhere but Wal-Mart.

I started researching online. I’ve evolved into a Paleo diet: meat and sustainable proteins, low carb, low sugar [find out more at thepaleodiet.com]. I probably eat more than I ever ate before; I just used to eat bad things at the wrong times. Keeping sugar low has changed my whole life. At the beginning, there were a couple of nights I would cry myself to sleep. But it was a routine and once you start seeing results it’s like, Let’s not stop. I started walking every day, too. From one to two miles up to five miles a day.

After I lost 200 pounds, in April of last year, I cut my long hair—that’s when it all came together. I thought, I look different, I’m a thin guy. I sometimes look in the mirror and don’t recognize myself.—As told to Marissa Conrad

The nutritionist says “Inherently, this plan makes a lot of sense,” Shanta says. But there’s one part of the diet that she’s not a fan of: the high volume of saturated fat it recommends. “If you decide to eat like a caveman, I’d love for you to make an effort to eat more unsaturated fats—chicken instead of beef.” Why? While you may lose weight with a fatty, protein-heavy plan, many experts believe you could be setting yourself up for heart issues down the road by eating too much of it. (It’s that decades-old Atkins debate all over again.)—Liz Plosser

A Hunter's Story-- Film about the San People

The Great Dance - A Hunter's Story | Film about the San People

The film shares the San perspective of tracking thus:

"Tracking is like dancing because your body is happy. It's telling you the hunting will be good. You feel it in the dance. It tells you. When you are tracking and dancing, you are talking with God." (You can view the full film at bottom of this post. )

This film simply blew my mind. Here you have all the secrets you need to know about he nuance of understanding our ancestors had with their bodies and their environment: the animals, the plants, the winds and rain, fire, and the sun. They were highly skilled and tuned beings who could see the world so deeply, see the connections between things, read the signs all around them, and retell the story through words, hand gestures and movement, sand drawing and painting. They read their world well.

As a seemingly highly evolved 21st century Great Ape, I am fascinated by our genetic, cultural and spiritual heritage. I am also amazed at where we are now. Shaman-like, I believe it is our job to connect the past to the future, thereby creating the present. That's what I like to do, and I get a lot of inspiration from a deeper acquaintance with our hunter-gathering ancestors and their ways of being.

This film starts out with this quote: 
"/XAÁ is the word for DANCE in the !Ko language of the Kalahari and also means to REVERE, or to show ONENESS."

It is so powerful, especially when you reconnect it to the idea that tracking is like dancing "because your body is happy".  Our ancestors knew how to be happy in their bodies by being in the moment and connected to themselves and their world.  We can do the same.  I recommend it.

Now enjoy the film below and let me know what you think.  I plan on sharing more of the insights I have gained from this film and these people in future blog posts.

"This is a film dedicated to the ancient !Xo San people, whose harmony with this vast Kalahari desert landscape inspired the movie. Use this to learn more about the !Xo San - the Kalahari Desert Bushmen - or to travel into their minds, hearts and landscapes through the unique images."

BFT

PS. I recommend supporting www.kuru.co.bw. An organization whose vision is that:
The San peoples of Southern Africa will achieve permanent control over their lives, resources and destiny.  I want to see that happen too!

Peanuts Are Not Paleo

Thanks, Wikipedia.

It’s clear that people are very attached to their peanut butter. And since peanut butter has the word “nut” in it, even Paleo people assume it’s ok to eat it, despite the warnings all over every Paleo site in the internet kingdom.

Peanuts are as much nut as sweetbreads are bread. (sweetbreads are organs, by the way) Legumes aren’t on the Paleo diet and therefore, peanuts aren’t either. Let’s talk details.

Legumes
While legumes, or beans (lentils, black beans, soy, peanuts, etc.), aren’t as bad as grains, which contain gluten and other harmful substances, they should be avoided. They absolutely must be cooked for long periods of time, sprouted, and preferably fermented to remove, at best, most of the harmful lectins and phytic acid contained in them.

Legumes are a mediocre source of protein, a huge source of unnecessary carbohydrates, and therefore produce a big glycemic response. Moreover, legumes give most people gas. I think they’re sort of a waste of calories.

Aflatoxin
In my opinion, peanuts are one of the more alarming legumes. With the number of peanut allergies doubling over the last decade, there’s clearly something going on here. There are hypotheses, but no concrete reason for the increase in allergic response to peanuts. One theory has to do with the aflatoxin present in most of the peanuts (and wheat, rice and other major crops) in the U.S.

Aflatoxin is a toxin that is created by mold that forms when crops like peanuts are stored in large masses. It’s one of the most carcinogenic substances known. Besides the fact that it could cause cancer if enough of it is ingested, there’s also growing suspicion that aflatoxin could be causing an immune system reaction – an allergy.

There’s really not enough evidence to prove this yet, but the fact that there’s a poisonous substance permeating your peanuts should give you pause.

Roasted Peanuts Are Worse
Although the roasting process will rid the peanut of some of its phytic acid, it actually changes the structure of the proteins so as to make them more allergenic. By the way, when you hear the word allergy, you might be thinking to yourself, “Well I don’t have anaphylactic shock when I eat peanuts, so I’m fine.” But allergies can be way less severe than your throat closing up. It could be as subtle as a skin rash or just feeling mentally out of it. Or maybe it makes your digestion wonky.

Anyway, we roast our peanuts in the U.S. while in China, they boil or fry them. According to this study, China wins because the allergenic potential of the boiled and fried peanuts was less than the allergenic potential of the roasted peanuts. That may be one of the reasons so many more people in the U.S., and not China, are allergic to peanuts.

There are about 9-12 peanuts in a tablespoon of peanut butter, so if you’re eating a few tablespoons of the stuff a day, that’s kind of a lot of peanuts…

Overall, I think almond butter is a better choice if you’re going to insist on having a brown spread on your toast – wait… banana? I just don’t think peanuts are worth it, but as always, it’s your choice.

Anyone have any thoughts on the topic?

List From Northwest Foot & Ankle Shoe

A list of recommended shoes that won't allow your feet to forget what they were made in the first place.

 We usually recommend the same kind of footwear for most activities; that is, footwear that is flat, widest at the end of your toes, and possesses a flexible sole. This description includes shoes used for hiking and sports. Your body does best when your foot is allowed to move as it should, feeling and responding to the changing terrain encountered during hiking, for instance.

Link Here 

Paleo Exercise Video

When Do We Get Stronger?

I'll give you a hint.  Not at the gym, not at the track or trails.  While we're resting.  Smart rests worked in to your workouts and sleeping well are KEY.

Here's some tips on improving the quality of your sleep from here:

Link Here

1:

Earn it the hard way

"The best way to earn a good night's sleep is by making love," says Dr Pam Spurr, author of Sensational Sex: The Revolutionary Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Fulfillment. "It should leave you feeling relaxed." And if sex isn't an option? "Masturbation might not have the same allure, but it will definitely help purge stresses from the day."

2:

Hot-foot it

Try socks. Swiss researchers found that men with warm hands and feet fall asleep in up to half the time it normally takes. The reason? Warm hands and feet cause blood vessels to enlarge, dispersing heat and lowering your core temperature.

3:

Keep a pad

"When you lie there thinking about things you must do it keeps your mind alert," says Chris Idzikowski, an expert in all things snooze who works at the Edinburgh Sleep Centre. "By writing it down on a pad kept near your bed, you can forget about it and relax into slumber."

4:

Sleep as nature intended

Darken down
Bathroom strip lighting is no aid to restful sleep. US studies show that exposing our senses to bright light close to bedtime jolts the brain into thinking we're supposed to be up and alert. Fit a dimmer in the bathroom and don't watch TV in bed.
Roll over
Have a go at sleeping on your left-hand side. Doctors at Philadelphia's Graduate Hospital found that people who sleep on their left sides experienced sleep-disturbing acid reflux less frequently than those who sleep on their right sides or backs.
Cuddle up
Who to? The wife, someone else's wife, the dog – it doesn't matter who you curl up with just so long as you recreate that pack-animal bonding. According to studies from the University of Chicago, loneliness is a cause of sleep loss. Research reveals that lonely people have poorer sleep patterns than those in relationships.

5:

Calm it

Make your bedroom a total relaxation zone by decorating it with greens and blues (not reds and oranges). And create some relaxing low-level "white noise" by tuning your radio between stations. Also, get some earplugs and make sure your curtains are lined to cut out light.

6:

Turn it down

Lower the temperature on your radiator thermostat. "Your body temperature drops when you sleep," says Idzikowski. "Encourage this process by making sure your bedroom isn't overly warm – between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius is ideal."

Minimalistic Winter Shoes

Ancestral shoes for the winter.

Aerobic Threshold Training

Although I've ran my fastet race of my life recently, I realize now that I have a poor aerobic fitness.  I have been reading The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing by Philip Maffetone.  Was there something to this low heart rate training to increase aerobic capacity?  I decided to try it.  Last weekend, I ran a 5-mile race and averaged <6:30 per mile.  I can run an 18.5min 5km.  But what is my max aerobic pace?  I calculated 180bpm - 41 years old = 139bpm.  Fixing that heart rate I ran 5miles.  Boy was I surprised how slow that is for me!  But it is my baseline and I plan to try this for a few weeks before my next race.  My results: 

mile   pace 
1       11:16.5 
2       11:04.7 
3       11:08.8 
4       10:55.2 
5       10:47.9 

According to the book, if I was in good aerobic shape, I'd be clicking off <7min/miles for 5miles at 139bpm.  

Here's a great FAQ on MAF training. 50 FAQs about MAF training:

Here are some of my answers to frequently asked questions for low heart rate training, generally pertinent to Maffetone's approach. Disclaimer: read at your own risk. Author is not responsible for any health conditions, reduction in performance, injuries, death, or humiliation that results from reading or following this advice. For professional advice, see a physician and get a coach. 

1. What might indicate that I could really use some low heart rate training? 

You have poor aerobic fitness, which doesn’t necessarily mean that you aren’t a good or a fast runner. You can be running 2:45 marathons and have poor aerobic fitness (which means perhaps you're capable of 2:15 or faster marathons and hence you can probably run a 5k in about 14 minutes). Maybe you run a 20 minute 5k, but a 4 hour marathon. Here are some possible indicators:

a. There is no pace “relationship” between your shorter distance races and your longer distance ones. What does this mean? There’s a good explanation in Hadd’s article below, but there are some rules of thumb to the effect that, if you assume you are properly trained for the distances you are racing, your pace will decrease by the same amount, each time you double the distance of your race, usually somewhere between 12 and 16 seconds, depending probably on genetics. Therefore, on the lower end, one who runs 5 miles at an 8 min/mi pace would run 10 miles at 8:16/mile, and 20 miles at 8:32/mile. The relationship may degrade some, particularly as the distances get longer in between (say 5k to marathon, or even half to marathon), but you should still see a relationship. If the math is getting too messy for you, you can use a common pace calculator, such as that at McMillan Running and see whether your short distance times project out to long distances. If your marathon is more than 20 minutes slower than what your half predicts, then there’s a good chance you have an aerobic problem, assuming (1) you completed a full training program for the marathon and (2) the marathon was not in abnormally high heat and/or humidity or had other significant environmental factors.

 

b. You are incapable of running at low heart rates, for example, you find you have to walk at a heart rate of 180-your age.

c. You always burn out somewhere between mile 16 and 22 in a marathon, no matter how much carbohydrate you take in.

d. You have difficulty completing your long training runs and your pace slows down in the last several miles, just in order to finish them.

e. You are completely shot at the end of your long training runs, or even your short runs. (You probably will be after most forms of speed work, that’s expected, to a degree).

f. You are sore most of the time and possibly plagued by minor injuries frequently, or you get sick quite often.

g. Your race times are not improving – it seems as though you are working harder and harder in training and nothing’s getting better.h. You are very reliant on carbohydrates to get you through training runs. 

 2. What are some of the relevant websites? Mark Allen on Ironman Live Maffetone Hadd Mark Allen - duathlon.com Matt Russ Pfitzinger on basebuilding Pfitzinger on fat utilization 

3. What benefits might I reap from low HR training?  ....Total of 50 comments here