Total Body Transformation Training Blog

Dr. Udo Erasmus is one of the world's leading authorities on dietary fat. Dr. Erasmus pioneered the benefits of consuming essential fatty acids (EFAs) in his best seller Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill. To summarize his findings and recommendations: not all fats are bad, and to the contrary a healthy diet needs a proper amount of Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. A great source of Omega 3 fats is cold water fish like tuna, salmon, and mackeral. But as important as getting the healthy fats is the ration of healthy fats. Dr Erasmus has created his own prorietary oil blend to meet this need.

Recently a Danish study was done to determine the impact fat consumption on athletes. Athletes were give 1 tablespoon of Udo's Oil Blend (containing omega 3, 6, 9 and MCT fats in the nutrionally benecial agreed upon ratios) per 50 pounds of bodyweight. At the end of 4 weeks, the mean improvement in stamina was 50%. Since many people still believe that eating fats increases risk of heart attack and stroke, Dr. Erasmus tested cardiovascular risk factors in some of the athletes. Within 3 months:

Their triglycerides were down by 21%.

Their good HDL cholesterol was up significantly

Their so-called bad LDL cholesterol was down significantly

Their HDL/LDL ratio was up by 39%

In other words, their performance rose, and so did their cardiovascular health. Since highly trained athletes typically have less bodyfat than average adults and recreational athletes you may way to adjust the ratio of a tablespoon per 50 pounds, but the general guideline holds.

It's amazing how much information there is out there to learn about running. Endurance training in general is a very technical activity and the more you delve into the science of peak performance the more you start to see charts and graphs about VO2, lactate buildup, strength curves and the like. Oh, and then there are the reviews of running shoes. Performance shoes, stability shoes, motion control, neutral... and the list goes on and on.

Like most things there are some basics that you have to learn right away -- like buying a pair of shoes a half size or so larger than what you normally wear. Especially for a distance event, you need the extra room in the toe box (that's a technical term!) to accomodate swelling.

The problem is determining what a "half size" bigger really is. Especially if you live in the USA. Shoe sizes in the US are not consistent across shoe brands -- and they are not consistent across models either! A size 11.5 in a Brooks Addiction 5 is not the same size (let alone fit) as an 11.5 New Balance 716. Oh, and the New Balance 1221 is different still. There is a solution that seems to work universally well. The metric system. Most running shoes list their size 3 times -- in US units, in UK units, and in centimeters. The UK measurement is usually a half size smaller than the US size, go figure. But the metric measurement is the holy grail. The size 12 Brooks Addiction is 29.5cm. The size 11.5 New Balance 716 is 29.5cm. Bingo! A half size is a half or full centimer depending on the fit of your normal size.

All those years in school and I didn't really believe the teacher when they said the metric system would make our lives easier. Now I know better.

The low carb dieting craze has everyone rethinking what is means to eat a healthy meal. Whether it is Atkins, Protein Power, South Beach, or The Zone Diet everyone it seems is questioning the USDA Food Pyramid and how to best eat for health. If we cut out the hype and the celebrity endorsements and infomercial promises of losing 99 pounds in 3 days there are three fundamental issues that have come out of the "low carb" diet craze of the past 5-10 years:

1) Not all fats are bad. We need fat in our diet in order be healthy and there are plenty of good fats that we should be eating. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) from cold water fish like salmon, tuna, and mackeral. Monsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil. We've also learned to avoid trans fats -- specifically foods that have partially hydrogynated oils in them. If it come in a box, it usually has partially hydrogynated oil!

2) Protein is good. There is some debate on how much protein a person needs but it is becoming generally accepted that someone who works out regularly 3-6 times a week with strength training and/or endurance activities should get about 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. Depending on your activity level this can be adjusted down (or up) but the basic recommendation from strength coaches over the past 10 years of a gram per pound of lean body mass as a minimum is holding up.

3) Some carbs trigger an insulin release in the body quickly, others don't. Releasing too much insulin retards the release of glycogen and has been studied and shown to be a contributing factor in obeseity and type 2 diabetes among other things. I am not saying "no carb" here -- or even suggesting that we eat "low carb". The connection between insulin resistance and obseity and type 2 diabetes is hard to ignore. And a primary way too much insulin is released is through the processing of carbohydrates.

There is actually little debate now on these three points. But what does this mean for someone that enjoys running, rowing, biking and other endurance activities. For years people have loaded up on bagels only to find out now that they are "forbidden" since they have a high glycemix index! Well, come common sense -- and some easy shortcuts -- can help most people eat better and still train for endurance activities at our peak.

Daily meals and snacks should have protein, carb, and fat. Healthy protein, good carbs, good fats. By mixing proteins and fats with carbs you automatically control the glycemic index of the overall meal. So if you love baked potatoes then make sure that there is a same size (relative) amount of protein, another green vegetable wouldn't hurt, and use butter over margarine; olive oil instead of butter better yet; and watch out adding all the toppings.

There is a huge difference between a Power Bar and a Balance Bar. Power Bars are mainly carbs with little fat and protein. Balance Bars (and Zone Bars, etc) are mixed to have a 40-30-30 ratio of carbs-protein-fat. There isn't some magic to 40-30-30 -- it's just a ratio that works for most people, your mileage may very :) The net effect of the Balance Bar is that it is filling and doesn't spike your insulin levels like a Power Bar does.

There is a magic time to eat sugar and high carb, high glycemic foods! RIght after a workout. This is common knowledge within the strength training world. within 45 minutes after a strength or endurance workout your body needs to start the rest and recovery cycle. Muscles and cells need to be hydrated and nourished. You want an insulin response at this time since the insulin release with prompt the repair to the muscles and cells. So right after a workout have a meal replacement drink or a balanced meal of protein, fats, and carbs. This is the time to have 3 times as many carbs as protein. And one of the carb portions should be something with a high glycemic index -- grape juice works great as does a banana, etc. The other two carb portions should be medium to low GI. Personally, I find taking a meal replacement shake with a small glass of grape juice or similar just easier.

So no matter what some people will say, not all carbs are bad. Endurance training needs and thrives on low-GI carbs that release slowly into the body and give us fuel for long times. The high GI carbs are great for sprins and sudden bursts of energy. Save those for during the race when you need a boost.

You want to start distance running but you've never run in your life. What are you to do? If you have access to a treadmill then you can get started in a safe, comfortable way without having to worry the winter weather and the exact distance and course you run on.

Running on a treadmill has the advantage of offering a smooth, cushioned surface that is easy on the joints. Most treadmills come with programmable modes where you can alter the elevation throughout the workout. Here is a beginning running program taken from "The Non-Runner's Guide to Marathon Training". At the end of the program you should be able to run for 30 minutes straight comfortably.

Week 1: 3x/week -- walk at 3.0 - 3.5 mph
Week 2: 4x/week -- walk at 3.0 - 3.5 mph
Week 3: 3x/week -- walk at 3.5 - 4.0 mph
Week 4: 4x/week -- walk at 3.5 - 4.0 mph
Week 5: 3x/week -- run 5 min; walk at 3.5-4.0 mph for 5 min; repeat twice more
Week 6: 3x/week -- run 10 min; walk at 3.5-4.0 mph for 5 min; repeat once more
Week 7: 4x/week -- run 15 min; walk at 3.5-4.0 mph for 5 min; repeat once more
Week 8: 4x/week -- run 20 min; walk at 3.5-4.0 mph for 5 min; repeat once more
Week 9: 4x/week -- run 25 min; walk at 3.5-4.0 mph for 5 min; repeat once more
Week 10: 4x/week -- run 40 min

If all the talk about sets and reps from my last post sent shivers up your spine then there is a simple solution for building strong muscles and an agile, flexible body: bodyweight exercises. Bodyweight squats, push ups, pull ups, and crunches/situps come in all shapes and sizes and can really get the heart pumping and make you lean and strong. Plus, they increase flexibility and especially target the lower back.

Bodyweight exercises and calesthenics are standard practice for martial artists, boxers, rowers, and gynasts. You won't get big but you'll get strong and agile. Here is a simple set of bodyweight exercises to do as a warmup or as a strength training workout. Aim for high reps total on these -- 100 or so -- and build up slowly to that number if you've never done the exercises before.

Squats (hindu squats are a favorite)
push ups (dive bomber style work the shoulders great)
sit ups (pilates-style curl ups)
back bridge

Another alternative is to do a 20-40 minute "power yoga" routine. Baron Baptiste has some excellent DVDs, books and tapes. Steve Ross can be found every morning at 6am on the Oxygen channel. Power yoga emphasizes bodyweight movements that will build strength and endurance. You don't have to get into the metaphysical aspects of it -- that's probably what you have running for :)

Running and strength training do not mix. When I say "strength training" I am referring to the typical bodybulding workouts to failure that grace most of the muscle magazines every month. The issue is overtraining. Serious strength training requires that the body have prolonged periods of rest to recover, and mixing various runs with today's "latest" multi-set split routines puts tremendous fatigue on the body.

Plus, body building routines and training for a marathon have distinctly different goals. Most elite runners are lean -- very lean. They have just enough muscle tissue in order to accomplish the demands that a marathon places on the body. Physiologically, someone training for a marathon is training to body's skeletal system for endurance. A body builder is trying to get bigger. Hypertrophy, the "pumping up" of muscle and sorrounding fiber, is the goal. A traditional body building routine sacrifices endurance deliberately for muscle size and plumpness.

Being totally and completely new to running I can hardly call myself an expert. But in looking through the raft of books on long distance running at the local Border's and Barnes & Noble (not to mention the ability to look at scanned in pages on amazon.com) I've noticed some serious issues with how most running books approach recommending a strength training routine. Every book I've seen has placed the emphasis on machine style circuit training.

There are a number of problems with this approach. Without debating the value of machines versus using free weights too much, it is easy to look at this from a functional perspective. Machines produce isolation movements and work a specific muscle. Machine based weight training looks at the body as a sum of piece parts by and large. Large compound movements like the squat and deadlift engage all of the muscles in the body. They are "functional" in that your whole body has to coordinate the movement and it's strength response in order to suceed. Building up total muscle skeleton endurance is easier using large compound movements.

Circuit training routines typically combine many exercises one right after another with little rest between exercises. The idea is to get some of the benefits of strength training and cardiovascular training all rolled into one. The problem is specificity. There are specific proteins, amino acids, and biochemical responses to trigger in order to gain strength. There are specific proteins, amino acids, and biochemical responses to trigger in order to increase indurance. There is no set of proteins, amino acids, or biochemical responses to trigger that can do both.

The benefit of strength training for a runner should be more dense muscular fiber -- dense, not bigger -- and an anaeorbic ability to "sprint" for short bursts under increased work load. Also, strength training can be used to improve musclar skeleton issues like a weak lower back, weak knees, poor abdominal strength, etc. All of these can benefit a runner. So what is needed an approach that doesn't overtrain the body and still provides functional benefit and an increased density of muscle.

Instead of 4 sets to compete failure, or 10-12 exercises of 8-12 repetitions with little no rest in between a more balanced (and some would say "old school" power lifting approach) is ideal. 3-5 exercises. 3-5 sets per exercise. 3-5 minutes of rest between sets. The 3-5 exercises should focus on large compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, dips, pull ups, pull overs, clean and jerks, and shoulder presses. Never train to failure. When you finish a set of 5 repetitions you feel like you could have done 1-2 more reps.

Focusing on large compounds movements provides muscular stress and development to the entire body. 3-5 minutes of rest per set allows the body time to recover and rest up. Not training to failure prevents overtraining. Start a "3x5" routine like this with weights for each exercise that you could easily do 10 repetitions of. Plan on working out 3 times a week. Add 5-10 pounds per exercise per workout -- or not if you feel like you couldn't complete the 3-5 reps at that poundage. Do this for 4-6 weeks and then cycle back to the beginning -- this time with a starting weight that is a little higher than last time's starting weight. And change the order of the exercises (you don't have to change the exercises themselves).

This type of strength training routine was the standard approach for building a strong, hard body up until the steriod crazed body building era began. This mixes well with running and any other endurance sport because it is focused, brief, intense, and does not completely tax the body. What it develops is the central nervous system's ability to respond to load and stress. And that can come in handy when you need that extra kick on that last 400 yards.

Are you an associative runner or a disassociative runner? Actually, the associative/disassociative designation applies to any form of exercise -- running, strength training, yoga, pilates, etc. Basically the question is asking whether you use some form of background noise/thoughts to get you through the workout. Associative runners don't use headphones or MP3 players during their treks. They try and focus on the rhythm and pace of the run, drawing the mind back each time it wanders. Disassociative runners let the mind wander. They day dream, listen to music, sing, etc.

Conventional wisdom says that people who try and disassociate from a workout are trying to prevent boredom and are first and foremost trying to "get through" the workout. The concern is that in disassociating you are trying to separate the mind from the body and are losing a vital connection that is key to peak performance. It is harder to acheive a "flow" state through disassociating. Movement practices like yoga emphasize the connection of the mind to the body, and most runners who are associative talk about the high they get but laying all thoughts aside during the run and jut getting into the pace of the movement.

Not being a runner by nature, I listen to music depending on the type of workout I am doing. Power yoga and aikido are without music, but with a typical strength training routine I blast hard rock into my ears. It psyches me up. A little head banging is good for moving heavy iron and seems to get the adreneline pumping before a heavy set of deadlifts or squats.

For a non-runner about to train for his first marathon, I have an interesting confession to make: I hate running. Always have.

This doesn't mean a general disdain for aerobic exercise. Quite the contrary. The Concept 2 Rower is a thing of beauty. Time passes while rowing in an instant and it's been a remarkable way to get into a flow state for me. Maybe rowing is my version of running.

If you are a non-runner prepping for a marathon how many pair of running shoes do you need? Three according to "4 Months to a 4 Hour Marathon". All alike. Use 2 of the pair initiall and alternate your runs with them. These are your "training" shoes. About a month before the marathon introduce the third pair -- your "marathon" shoes -- and cycle all three pairs into your workout. The idea is to break in your marathon shoe and allow your training shoes to last as long as possible and recover in between runs. That's right -- recover. The cushioning in running shoes take a beating whenyou train and by alternating shoes they should last longer. Typically running shoes are good for 500 miles or thereabouts. So my alternating two pair you should get them to last for more than 1000 miles of training. Wow.. that's a lot of running!