“Move It To Improve It”--How Exercise Makes Almost Everything Better
How long has it been since I reminded you that “Motivation is job one.” Too long, I think.
Happily a recent New York Times article gives me good reason to return to a favorite topic.
The Times asked a group of experts why we make so many exercise “excuses” and/or erect “mental blocks” that interfere with our fitness plans. And how can we overcome these blocks to increase our workout consistency?
For beginners, says How To Change book author, Katy Milkman: Stop calling them “excuses.” That self-critical term leans too close to shame, an unhelpful burden. Instead, plan, plan, plan. Devise a complete strategy or series of action steps.
That is, always know what you’re going to do next. Forget about the excuse that’s pushing you toward not doing. Forge on to Plan B.
Also, don’t obsess about the cold, the expense, the time-crunch you’re feeling, or various aches and pains that might accompany your exercise program. With all the fitness alternatives surrounding us these days, there’s always a way to deal. Again: Be prepared.
The best advice of all came from Edward Phillips, a Harvard professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation. “If you remain sedentary, your risk of deleterious health effects is 100 percent,” Phillips said.
Now, that’s telling it like it is. Anything you do, even 5 minutes, is better than nothing at all. More at NYTimes.
Related: Last week I wrote that we needed a variation on the venerable “Use it, or lose it” phrase that’s popular among regular exercisers. “Lose it” is a negative thought that might not prove helpful to some.
With an assist from RLRH reader M Hanlon, I’ve now got a good variant. Here it is: “Move it to improve it.” It’s a maxim that would be supported by a wide range of health-fitness professionals from orthopedic surgeons to physical therapists to cardiologists to strength and marathon coaches. Last and perhaps most important--mental health counselors.
Tell your friends: “Move it to improve it.”
Should You Let ChatGPT Coach You?
Let’s face it: AI internet tools are intriguing for lots of reasons beyond fake Taylor Swift images. For example,, untold numbers of runners have wondered if AI could provide a useful training program. For free, or close to free
Naturally, a group of running researchers also wondered the same. So they devised a simple test to find out.
The researchers “invented” a beginning runner who was training just twice a week for a total of 10 miles/week. This runner then asked ChatGPT for a 6-week training plan that would “improve performance.”
The runner made two requests, known as “prompts” in the AI world. The first was short and simple. The second included more information about the runner, including his usual heart rate during runs, his desired improvement (3 to 5%), his use of a treadmill and smartwatch, and so on.
The ChatGPT output--its training plans--were next submitted to a group of running coaches with a masters degree in sports science, and at least 5 years of coaching experience. The coaches rated the GPT training programs on 22 criteria that were drawn from existing scientific papers.
The big question: Are “training plans generated by ChatGPT appropriate and in-line with recent scientific evidence, and do the AI-derived training plans differ based on provided input information granularity?”
Result: The ChatGPT training plans were not highly rated by the expert coaches, but received additional points in proportion to the depth and specificity of the prompting. The more you tell ChatGPT about yourself and your training goals, the better the advice you receive. Yet even the best ChatGPT plans were “not rated optimal.”
Conclusion: “We advise avoiding the use of ChatGPT generated training plans without an expert coach’s feedback. ChatGPT currently does not cover many aspects which are relevant in a coach-athlete relationship such as motivation, monitoring, and training plan adjustments.” More at J of Sport Science & Medicine with free full text.
New Research: Better Breathing Can Improve Endurance Performance.
It’s no secret or surprise that you have to breathe optimally to perform well in endurance sports. In fact, I would have assumed that all elite athletes do this quite naturally on the way to attaining top performance. .
However, that’s not the finding of a recent examination of 69 “elite endurance athletes” who were compared with 44 healthy non-athletes. On a battery of pulmonary function tests, nearly 45% of the elites exhibited “dysfunctional breathing patterns.”
The big problem? They weren’t using “a diaphragmatic breathing pattern, which is associated with better pulmonary function test results,” and more oxygen delivery to the legs when the respiratory muscles become fatigued. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle just below the rib cage and above the stomach.
The researchers concluded: “It may be important to incorporate breathing exercises into an athlete's training to help develop a proper breathing pattern and thus better exercise performance.” More at Nature with free full text.
Here’s a simple YouTube video explaining how you can learn and practice diaphragmatic breathing.
Yes, You Can Get Faster In The Marathon
The runners from Minnesota Distance Elite aren’t among the favorites in Saturday’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Orlando, FL. But it’s not for lack of top coaching. Coach Chris Lundstrom qualified for 3 Marathon Trials himself, and has a PhD in kinesiology with an emphasis on, you guessed it, running performance.
Several years ago he published a paper that followed veteran 3-hour marathon runners as they prepared for their next 26.2-miler. This is an interesting group because we all know it’s not easy to continue improving in the marathon after you reach a certain fitness and performance.
Lundstrom investigated runners in their mid-30s with previous marathon bests around 3 hours (males) and 3:30 (females). He wanted to determine how much their physiology and performance would change in yet another 12-week marathon buildup.
Here’s what he found: The biggest difference was a drop in percentage of body fat, from an already-low 18.7% to 16.7%. This, along with their training, allowed the runners to achieve a significant improvement in their vo2 max--a key determinant of marathon success.
The runners trained an average of 53 miles a week with just one workout that was rated a “quality session.” Their Relative Perceived Exertion of training level on a weekly scale was a modest (even low) 4.8 on a 1 to 10 scale.
You wouldn’t use the word “hard” to describe this level of marathon training. These runners simply trained consistently to get ready.
So how did the runners perform in their goal marathon races? It varied considerably, as they raced in different locations with different weather.
Most did not improve their best times of the previous 2 years. Two did run impressive times, however. Their improvements stemmed largely from a big jump in their vo2 max after the 12-weeks of training.
Conclusion: “Maximal aerobic capacity can increase in this population, which is already well trained.” It helps to train consistently and perhaps drop a couple of pounds. However, you won’t necessarily run a fast followup marathon unless you pick a fast course with good weather. More at J of Human Sport & Exercise with free full text.
Running Builds Strong Bones In Mid-Life Athletes
Running generally builds stronger bones, particularly of the lower body … except when it doesn’t. Bone fracture risk is high in teen runners, especially among females who don’t fuel sufficiently. Under-eating male adolescent runners also face higher risks.
But what about in midlife when one wants to build strong bones as a hedge against any future osteoporosis? How are those runners doing in the bone-health arena? A recent paper looked at bone mineral content and density in 212 runners (average age in the early 40s) vs 110 age-matched non runners who did not meet global recommendations for physical activity.
The reviewers analyzed the two groups in terms of “cumulative loading rate” on the bones. This cumulative load was almost twice as high in runners vs non runners. We often call this “pounding.” It can lead to some injuries, but it can also promote greater bone strength and health.
Result of the current comparison: Bone mineral content and bone mineral density of the runners was significantly higher than the non runners. That’s important because “the objective of the middle aged population is to maintain or slow the reduction in bone mineral density.” The enhanced bone health was true only in the lower body, not in the lumbar spine.
Conclusion: “We recommend running as a suitable physical activity, supplemented with other activities, such as building muscles, including the back muscles, to promote
bone strength in the spine.” More at J of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness with free full text.
Maybe Ketones Are A Functional Brain Food--Not A Body Fuel
The Keto or ketogenic diet gained much of its early notoriety for its potential to enhance weight loss and endurance performance. The first of these has produced modest supporting evidence, but the second not so much--at least not for endurance athletes. Now the field seems to be shifting from the body to the mind.
This shouldn’t be a big surprise, as the strongest support for a keto diet comes from studies of epilepsy, a brain disease.
Researchers are currently digging into other possible links between a keto diet and our mental states. In his newsletter, Physiologically Speaking, Brady Holmer explains that ketone esters could limit brain fatigue, thus improving ultra-endurance performance in events where your mental focus is just as important as carbs-glycogen to keep you going.
A deep new report at National Public Radio quotes a number of experts in the field of psychiatric medicine. They are intrigued by the possibility that ketogenic manipulations could reduce symptoms of bipolar and depressive disease. This is a long way from hard science, but there are a number of serious trials under way..
Proponents of “functional nutrition” believe we might someday come closer to understanding how specialized diets could improve the health of individuals with specific conditions. This is a long step from carbohydrate-loading for marathon runners, but it’s an area receiving increased attention. More at NPR.
Marijuana Makes Runners Feel Better, But Run Slower
As marijuana becomes legal in more states (and countries), we’ll see increasing research into how the long-debated substance affects mind and body. Some of the investigations will be exercise studies. Here’s the latest.
A University of Colorado team had previously found that up to 80% of local exercisers had also used marijuana before or shortly after exercise. (Colorado legalized usage a decade ago.) Now they wanted to test how marijuana changed the running experience.
Did it make the runners “feel” better or worse? Did they run faster or slower?
The answers were a bit of a toss-up. The runners reported more enjoyment and “high” symptoms, and also less pain, when running with marijuana vs without. Also, in a bit of a surprise, their runs were more positive with a CBD-dominant strain than with a THC-heavy marijuana. Generally, THC is thought to produce stronger effects.
However, running on marijuana was also rated more difficult or effortful than without. The runners were slower, perhaps due to marijuana’s tendency to increase heart rate. “It is pretty clear from our research that cannabis is not a performance enhancing drug,” said senior author Angela Bryan.
The researchers are primarily interested in learning if marijuana could boost regular activity among non-exercisers by lessening their perceived discomfort during exercise. More at U Colorado News and Sports Medicine.
Sorry, Ladies: Dark Chocolate Won’t Make You Faster
You can construct a reasonable hypothesis that consumption of dark chocolate before running could boost performance. After all, dark chocolate contains ample amounts of anthocyanins--those strong antioxidant flavonols found in richly colored fruits and vegetables. Anthocyanins might then increase nitric oxide availability, which is thought to increase exercise potential.
Like I said: A hypothesis worth testing.
So researchers designed a cross-over study with college-age female runners. During one arm of the experiment, the runners received Ghirardelli Unsweetened baking chocolate 2 hours before treadmill testing. At another time, they received the same number of calories of Ghirardelli White Chocolate with no flavonols. (Baking chocolate is known to contain about twice the flavonols of dark chocolate.)
Result: There were no significant differences between conditions for vo2 max or energy expenditure. The dark chocolate had “no effect on running economy or fuel utilization.” Thus, “It cannot currently be recommended to use dark chocolate acutely for the augmentation of running performance.”
Hypothesis denied. Sorry about that. More at Topics in Exercise Science & Kinesiology with free full text.
There remains a small open window for dark chocolate fans. This was an “acute” study, meaning subjects got the dark chocolate only once--2 hours before their treadmill test. It’s possible that regular, “chronic” use of dark chocolate could provide a positive benefit, as has been shown in several tests of male cyclists.
You’ll have to test this hypothesis on your own. Enjoy!
How To Run Smart In The Heat
Here’s a clear, evidence-based heat-running article that you should definitely read right now if you’re racing in the weekend’s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
Okay, I know you’re not. But you should review the article anyway, because it won’t be long before you have to face the challenges of heat running, wherever you might live.
The most important advice here is: “Modify your training plan.” That’s code for “Run slower.” Along with “Run less,” there’s no smarter approach to running in the heat.
Actual heatstroke can be life-threatening, which concerns many. But it doesn’t ordinarily strike runners unless they are highly motivated to maintain a fast pace in hot, humid conditions. For example, in a Marathon Trials competition.
An underlying virus or other condition can also provoke heatstroke, so be particularly careful about not running in the heat if you already feel compromised.
Many of us will suffer from heat cramps or heat exhaustion (but not heatstroke) when the temps/humidity rise too high. These will make you feel like crap, but they’ll also resolve relatively quickly when you do the common-sense thing: Stop running, seek shade, drink modestly, and lower your body temperature, perhaps by pouring cold water over your torso.
Don’t overdrink when you feel hot, as this could lead to hyponatremia, a dangerous brain-swelling condition. The goal is to cool your body, not to fill it with water or other fluids.
Also, don’t panic. You’ll almost certainly feel better a couple of minutes after you stop exerting yourself in the heat.
If no one’s offering you $100,000 to finish your run, don’t continue to push hard . Stop and recover. Don’t regard running in the heat as a toughness test. It’s actually a smartness test. Be smart. More at Marathon Handbook.
SHORT STUFF You Don’t Want To Miss
>>> Elliptical vs treadmill: How well does an elliptical workout simulate treadmill running?
>>> On thin ice: The evidence for Graston technique and prolotherapy is weak, so proceed cautiously
GREAT QUOTES Make Great Training Partners
"The marathon never ceases to be a race of joy, a race of wonder."
--Hal Higdon, writer, coach, and elite marathon runner
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading. See you again next week.