The strength of strength (training)
Use it or Lose it.
Many years ago I was really suffering from a L5/S1 back issue. It was debilitating. Frustrating. It affected my commentary (standing on concrete for hours), cycling, lifestyle and so much more. It added to my depression. Exacerbated it.
I was getting 2-3 hours of sleep. The nighttime challenges of a disk that protrudes are relentless. Think of it like a finger that is poking you while trying to sleep. The finger is poking you to get up and stretch. To take pain relief drugs. Anything to remedy the discomfort.
I started strength training seriously months ago. I was an “on and off” resistance training person. I prescribe it. I endorse it. However, I didn’t really walk the walk or talk the talk.
Not only did the strength training help my back but, if done correctly, can help your performance and longevity!
From Alan Couzens: “What I wish more (American) endurance athletes understood about #StrengthTraining ... For endurance athletes, having bigger non-oxidative muscle is just dead weight. And yet... So many endurance athletes structure their strength training like strength athletes or bodybuilders. Just like endurance training, effective strength training has "zones" often expressed as a % of 1 RM (Repetition Maximum). In Australia and Europe, Strength Coaches are generally familiar with, and work, the entire spectrum of zones. In the U.S., all too often, the obsession with power sports leaks its training methodologies across into non-power sports. And there is an almost exclusive obsession with 70+% RM loads. As an endurance athlete, when doing your strength training, always keep one question in mind... Am I building muscle that I can use in my event?”
What are your thoughts on Alan's break down?
Here’s something from Dan Go: “Below is an MRI image of 3 people: (Thigh) Left is a 40-year-old triathlete. The middle is a 74-year-old sedentary person. The right is a 70-year-old triathlete. The dark part is the muscle and the light part is the fat. What you see is that a 70-year-old may be able to retain the same amount of muscle and bone density as a 40-year-old if maintained through exercise. If not, then you suffer the fate of the 74-year-old sedentary person. The lesson? You either use it or lose it. Stay active and train consistently to live a long and prosperous life.
