SmackFu,
Are you off doing your sprints,and practicing all of your new fitness training tips?
Alot of bodybuilding sites DO recommend high intesity, low volume Cardio such as sprinting. (if thats the proper way to put it). Most bodybuilders will tell you the same thing I do, and I know this because this is how I was taught.
However, I am discovering this may be a myth, and I will admit my fault. There is some truth to it though, as stated here in this cite. There is countless examples saying that too much cardio will cause catabolism from cortisol levels, yet I have not seen a single link posted denying it.
Bodybuilders are not the average fitness exerciser though.
To emphasise the slow jog example: (not really slow)
According to the same website, different page, a moderate intensity workout burns more fat, than a heavy one, or even a light one.
[/quote]
Based on recent and very detailed research studies, in terms of
absolute fat burning, a moderate intensity workout burns the most fat. At a heart rate equal to about 75% of max, fat burning will approach 0.5 grams - 1.0 grams of fat per minute. There is a weight dependence with the lower end referring to a 100 pound individual and the upper end to a 200 pound person. As the duration continues (greater than 1 hour), fat burning can increase slightly (another 10%).
At a mild intensity, the majority of calories expended (85 - 90%)
are fat calories, but the absolute level is only about 60% of the
moderate intensity. At high intensity levels, fat burning declines
to a level of about 65% of the moderate pace, as sugar burning
supplies the rest. The high rate of sugar burning exhausts the
limited sugar supply in muscles and causes muscular failure.
[/quote]
So high intensity may not be the best for fat burning. I learned something here.
Interested in seeing a link denying that distance running causes excess cortisol levels (which is a catabolic steroid btw, catabolic meaning muscle destroying). It is only fair, seeing how I am providing link after link supporting my side.
Nothing on the burning of protien in the muscles though, so will have to admit my wrong there.
You’re supplying many links, but how many support your position. The OakTree link “cannot be found.” The first link in your last post is by people who are pushing two supplements, NitroMine and GluteControl. They refer to studies show this and studies show that, but they don’t even reference to the studies. If such studies do exist, what are the data? How valid are they? Have they been published in a peer review magazine? Such general statements that “research shows” and “studies show” are meaningless without particulars establishing the validity thereof.
Metabolism consists of catabolism and anabolism. This is a natural ongoing process. Muscles are strengthened with stress, but this stress temporarily tears down the fibers; however, they are rebuilt stronger.
From my own readings and actual experience (for which I have no links, sorry), once an individual maintains at least 30 miles a week, his or her metabolism increases and then weight loss is more easily attained. To obtain that mileage, you need LSD. It is true that interval training or speed training does increase one’s VO2 maximum. As far as fitness to run races faster, there is no substitute for speed work. As far as weight loss goes, there is no substitute for mileage.
I am not arguing that running does not cause weightloss. I know about hypertrophy and understand about the aspects of metabolism.
My main point is that running will not cause signifigant muscle size. Heavy weights are needed for that.
My other point was that long distance running causes catabolism. The second point does not matter to the O.P so I will drop it.
My first point still stands. Running does not cause enough hypertrophy to cause signifigant gains in muscle mass. Neither does curling a 10lb dumbell over and over for years.
Hi guys… may I share with you my own experiences? Not as a runner or jogger, but rather, as a Road Racing Cyclist - as in Tour de France style racing.
I represented my country at World Championship and Olympic level in the 1980’s in the amateur ranks and I remember something wonderfully interesting about my strength levels over long distances. Road Racing, you see, is unique in that order for someone to be good at it, you need to be able to both sprint when necessary, and also expend marathonic levels of endurance too - and to be able to mix them up all over the place during the course of a race. Indeed, there is no sport in the world which expends SO MANY calories per day as the Tour de France. The food intake per day is absolutely extraordinary. When I raced in tours, I used to average 5 huge plates of pasta per day and yet, at 6’1" I was down to 68 kgs at times - which is really really gaunt - but I had very muscular legs to be sure.
What I found after many years of racing was this… the big gears - essentially the really high speed stuff, well every time I used the big gears it was like weightlifting - in a 180km race there were only so many times I could do it and then I had no ‘sprint left’. But I could still ride on my ‘endurance’ power. What’s important to realise is that at the end of a stage in le Tour de France, you still have to have something left for the ‘business end of the race’ as they say.
So what did I find worked best? I found that my best performances, those races where I had the most juice left at the business end of the race, were those races where I avoided using the big gears (the weightlifting gears) as much as I possibly could whilst still staying in the leading group of riders. Sometimes this meant I pedalled at extraordinary cadence for 5 minutes or more - delibrately avoiding the big gears - but I always had more ‘super squirt’ left at the end of a long race as a result.
Weird, huh? The mysteries of anabolic vs anaerobic energy expenditure.