[scott.ferguson]

scott.ferguson on March 16, 2017 at 11:37 am · in reply to: Fasted workouts and Gatorade #4275

Hi Mariner, Scott Ferguson here…Author of the beetroot juice article on the website.

You should be well carbed up and recovered to reap the most from your strength training sessions. That is one reason why we separate our strength sessions by ~48 hours. The goals of fasted low-intensity training and strength training are certainly different and thus we must approach them as such. Strength training in the morning is awesome because it frees up your day but I suggest waking up early enough to get some complex carbohydrates and protein down and give it time to absorb (15-20 minutes is ample). During your bigger weeks you’ll likely have two sessions planned per day, strength in the morning when you are recovered and lower intensity aerobic capacity training in the PM that can be accomplished with lower muscle glycogen stores. Hopefully this all makes sense?

Also, with regards to Gatorade: The simple sugars in Gatorade, when thrown onto an empty stomach prior to exercise, can cause a huge surge in insulin which can make you feel like crap when the sugars are all stored away. On the flip side, a surge in insulin can be beneficial post-workout after your post-workout meal (perhaps breakfast). This will help replenish muscle glycogen and get you ready for your next sessions. So, if you are going to use Gatorade, slam it towards the end of your strength session.

Scott

[scott.ferguson]

scott.ferguson on December 2, 2016 at 10:03 am · in reply to: Staying healthy #3564

Hey Bruno,

Thanks for your post. I’m a Physiologist at the University of Colorado (Disclaimer: PhD, not MD so this is not “official” medical advice). I too have struggled with staying healthy as I seem to have a minor auto-immune deficiency that predisposes me to recurrent mononucleosis (mono) infection. I got really sick with mono when I was 17 (ended up in the hospital for a few days) and have experienced significant illness in (seemingly) random bouts over the past decade. I’m now nearly 30 and this last year has been a very healthy and productive training year, however I was sick through most of my mid-twenties (through graduate school).

This won’t be a surprise to you, but the biggest change I’ve made to my lifestyle is maintaining an adequate sleep cycle. I shoot for at least eight hours/night and notice that I get sick after consecutive nights of <7 hours. I don’t have kids and I live across the street from the laboratory where I work so I certainly have little excuse for not getting my z’s in.

Aside from sleep quantity, quality is also equally important. There is some scientific literature to suggest that exposure to back-lit screens (i.e. cell phones) within 2 hours of bed-time can attenuate melatonin production by as much as 80%. So, “sleep hygiene” maybe something you can further dial in for more restorative sleep. Also, if you are feeling run down from a poor night of rest, alter the workout or bag it all together. Adding the additional stress of training will further impair your immune system.

Hopefully this helps?

Cheers,

Scott F.

[scott.ferguson]

scott.ferguson on December 1, 2016 at 11:40 am · in reply to: deciding on a training plan #3555

Hey Al, Scott Ferguson here (author of the beetroot juice article on the website)

You pose a great question that I feel many folks could benefit from. It sounds to me like you may have a strong maximal aerobic capacity which would lead to a strong performance in a 1000 ft climb. Also, you’re likely correct in stating that your upper body strength needs improvement, particularly if you are planning to hit those 12’s in the high country.

However, from speaking with Scott and Steve and from my knowledge of exercise physiology, my advice would be to still keep your endurance training at the forefront of your training plan. You may be able to shorten your transition phase and focus your attention on building strength (i.e. transition or max strength workouts) where you are weak. However, there is no substitute for those long hours in the saddle (figuratively) and despite exercising your legs during these sessions, changes in vascular function do occur globally (i.e. in your arms). Once you establish a solid base of strength you can transition from general training (i.e. weight and pullup training) to muscular endurance exercises at the climbing gym or crag. At this point, you’ll have a nice strength AND endurance base built and you can hone in on making these muscles fire more efficiently for your given climbing discipline.

Finally it is important to note also that the ability to ascend 1000 ft quickly may not transition directly to impeccable endurance performance. The body can accomplish amazing feats by still metabolizing primarily carbohydrates (rather than fats) during this climb. The low intensity long duration training suggested in TFTNA are aimed at improving our ability to metabolize primarily fats which will afford long duration performance well past the ~45 minutes it takes to climb 1000 ft. A high VO2 max doesn’t equal superior endurance performance. Scott Johnston can tell you about folks he’s trained with a low VO2 max who have accomplished exceptional feats of endurance.

So, short answer: No, don’t direct your program specifically to climbing and neglect the low intensity stuff. You’ll get plenty of time to hone your sport specific skills later in the spring after you have established that endurance foundation. It’s not always exciting….but it works.

Does this help at all?

Cheers,
Scott

[scott.ferguson]

scott.ferguson on October 30, 2016 at 1:04 pm · in reply to: The right training tools for Ski Mountaineering? #3313

Interesting points brought up here. Hopefully I’m not beating a dead horse but I too have been frustrated with trying to find a suitable way to incorporate the stress of strength training into my training stress score (or similar measures). One thing to keep in mind is the type of contraction you’re performing mostly (i.e. concentric vs. eccentric). The scientific literature suggests that eccentric contractions, where the muscle is stretched against a contraction (much like resisting bumps on the downhill ski/board decent), results in far greater damage than a concentric contraction like uphill skinning (for a cool review see Proske and Morgan (2001)). This is despite your Heart rate suggesting the uphill being more taxing. So… your big day at the resort may wreak greater havoc on the muscles of your quads and glutes even if your heart rate doesn’t show it. We need a better metric to measure muscle damage on the fly…. a biopsy or urine test just aren’t practical ?.

My only solution is to train smart with regards to the scheduling of your weight vs. endurance sessions. If I hammer it at the resort on a Sunday, I’m not planning to have a heavy weight session on Monday (at least not on squats or other lower body exercises). Instead, depending on the stage of my training I’m much more inclined to have a lighter endurance day coupled with an afternoon of rest. It is worth mentioning, however, that the degree of muscle damage following each eccentric session will be reduced following repeated exposure. So…you’ll get less taxed as your downhill season wears on (assuming you are getting out often enough).

References

Proske, U., & Morgan, D. (2001). Muscle damage from eccentric exercise: mechanism, mechanical signs, adaptation and clinical applications. J Physiol, 537(2), 333-345.