aungiers

The one fact that I think that most people forget about is that there are many energy systems working at a single time but in different proportions. The lower the intensity of exercise the greater the proportion of the energy being supplied by fat. Also the longer the duration of the exercise the greater the proportion of energy being supplied by fat. I dont think that there is a black and white answer to fat zones but I do think that there is merit in both lsd (3hrs +) and intervals. Keep in mind that after a ride there is a recovery period where fats can be utilised to contribute to bringing the body back into a state of rest and and as a result a hard interval session could be as effective as a longer easier training session. Power is a far more reliable training guide than heart rate though. There are too many outside variables contributing to heart rate whereas power is based solely upon the amount of effort you place into the ride

As a cyclist there should be little or no need for creatine. Creatine aids in an energy pathway could ATP-PC system. The energy that a person can obtain from this system lasts no longer than 6 seconds; once 6 seconds of exercise has passed the body makes use of glycolysis to obtain energy. The theory behind creatine is that by supplementing with creatine you re-energise this system quicker and can therefore produce a powerful burst more repeatedly. Ergo it is more beneficial in weightlifting not cycling. Rather spend the money and effort on raising your lactate threshold and therefore improving your aerobic capacity

Sorry, you are right mtbvip. I got my facts wrong. Patients with Type 2 Diabetes should avoid sugar rich diets.

Metabolism isn't related to just physical activity that we do; it is all the chemical reactions in the body, catabolism and anabolism. Heart rate is not the factor which will determine your metabolic level (I do agree that a high heart rate will increase metabolism through an increase in energy expenditure). There are many other factors to think about including the anabolic portion. If you begin to skip meals on a chronic basis you will not get the nutrition required to build cells and regenerate tissue, therefore your metabolism will decrease. Exercising before or after breakfast depends on the exercise you will begin to undertake; you wouldn't run a comrades without having something to eat prior! I agree with what you say about eating after 6pm. With regards to the book you have read; though I cannot make a comment on the literature, it does sound like a prime example of so-called "experts" think they know what they are talking about, publish something. The issue with this is that the general public seem to believe absolutely everything that they read purely because it was in a book or on the internet.

@andydude: the example of the hot-plate is very different; that is down to a reflex. When you place your hand on the plate the stimulus causes the response in nervous system which sends the stimulus through the reflex arc. The action of pulling your hand away from the stove is created by motor neurons that send a "message" to your muscles which pull away. It does not make use of the brain but just the reflex arc where processing is done in the spinal cord and as a result is know as a spinal reflex. The central governor theory is a theory with regards to long-term and prolonged activity. Asd the body exercises it produces heat; one part of the central governor is related to protecting the body from overheating. The body needs to run at very specific conditions to function and if these conditions change i.e an increase in temperature the effects could be fatal. The central governor's role is to prevent this overheating from happening via exercise by inducing fatigue to ensure that no further activity can occur and heat produced. using your car analogy; imagine your engine had the processing ability to cut out at a certain temperature to prevent any damage occurring to your engine. This is only one aspect of the central governor theory. The pain the next day is DOMS (Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness) and as agteros says it is from micro-tears of the muscle fibres(this is a necessary response for adaptation of the muscle). The theory with regards to "flushing" the lactic acid is active recovery and it does speed up the reduction of blood-lactate

Sugar is not limiting when it comes down to racing performance. Apart from fat it is the next best thing when it comes to an energy source. Too much of it though and you will become diabetic which is a certain problem. I would cut down in your tea and coffee (1/2) and maybe in your pro-nutro. A bit of ice-cream and chocolate every now and then is not a bad thing just not everyday. The fat burning effects of caffeine is reduced when you have any form of glucose with your beverage (rusks, sugar, choc, etc). Too much sugar will become converted and stored into fat

A relative and somewhat widely accepted theory on fatigue is the theory of the central governor developed by Tim Noakes. It is a very interesting concept based upon that the brain (central governor) induces fatigue to prevent damage occurring to the body through over-strenuous exertion of the body.

The_Break is 100% correct. The best thing to do is to get a complete program designed by a coach or sport scientist who will do a complete assessment including lactate thresholds, anthropometry, flexibility etc Be careful of generic programs. DO NOT EVER GET A PROGRAM OUT OF A MAGAZINE OR OFF THE NET AND APPLY IT TO YOUR TRAINING. THIS INCLUDES ANYONE WHO MAY GIVE YOU A PROGRAM OVER THE NET! YOU ARE BEING CONNED. To get results you need to see someone who will test, design a program based on a needs analysis performed on you, with a structured periodized frame. With regards to power, power training in the gym (Think olympic lifts, not your local VA, Planet Fitness machine work) as well as plyometrics will improve your peak power output exceptionally so; however this is only a component of the bigger picture. Go and see a reputable Sport Scientist or coach to get the best outcome

Everything in there is gold!

I agree with the Saint

Just an interesting little fact right here; carbo-loading is the biggest myth in sports-nutrition. Your muscles can only store 30 odd grams of glycogen and as a result the stores have an upper limit. There is a method of depleting these stores and then through intense training you can raise this limit however this technique is not without its problems and should be performed 3 weeks prior to a big event. I recommend just ensure you consume enough fuel (carbohydrates, fat and protein). Keep in mind that too much carbohydrate will then be converted into fat. Just eat how you do while training. Weight loss should be done pre-season, not just before an even or during the in-season

Running, rowing and swimming are excellent ways to maintain cardiovascular fitness while beating the boredom and monotony of cycling. Perfect for the off-season. However to improve at cycling the best thing to do is to cycle

Cramps can be due to nerve firing causing tetanus. So make sure you stretch dynamically beforehand. Drinking tonic water before activity will aid in the magnesium issue. I dont think the gin will help though

Doctor or biokineticist? I do not know why BMI is still taught let alone used. I agree with fandacaious. I think they mean aerobic capacity which is related to lactate thresholds. A higher aerobic capacity means you can do more work for longer periods of time. If you have an aerobic capacity of 91% that is not bad at all because you can have a high work rate while using aerobic glycolysis as an energy pathway. Who did the testing?

It is complete hokum. I coach cricket and the sad thing is that through the publicity the cricketers give, kids as young as 9 are wearing them and they really do believe that it works. Some of the 14 year old boys are equally gullible