Training Humans 101…..
“I don’t know”.
In sport, these 3 words are the words that should take the place of the overly used 2 word statement of….”its genetic”. There’s a deeply entrenched paradox at work in the culture of sport, of medicine, of all things human. The paradox is that the deeply researched yet data-less “its genetic” belief system dominates much of sport, exercise, medicine, and our culture as a whole.
Put data ahead of dogma as to follow the data, not the crowd.
We hear the phrase “its genetic” so often from craddle to grave that indoctrination into the belief system yields an unquestioning acceptance of nonsense and empowers the embracing of fictional limitations.
Physiology matters. Very little of human physiology is open to being characterized as “its genetic”.
The species has survived and grown to 7 billion in number because its -not- “its genetic”.
And genes are -not- set in stone blocks of cement. Genes change in response to the delivery of a consistent stimulus.
Looking at the immune system alone, let alone nerve, brain, and muscle…..if such wasn’t the case we’d all be dead.
Don’t shoot the messenger.
Lets replace the dataless claim of …”its genetic” with the words “I don’t know”.
From there its a short walk over to reality, embedded in the phrase…..”stimulus induces adaptation”.
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ETG info: genetics vs training —–
https://theetgtrackclub.com/d…/TheETGgeneticMasterOfSport.pdf
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“We have previously shown that the superior endurance performance of African distance runners, compared with white runners, was due to their ability to sustain a higher percentage of V02rnax with increasing running distance.”
“Of particular interest is that these superior performances may be due to a training induced adaptation.”
“…..the white runners spent as little as (13%) of their total training volume performing high-intensity (>80% V02rnax) running……which in all cases was significantly less than the African athletes (36%).”
June 1997……….1.A. Hawley, et al Training Techniques To Improve Fatigue Resistance And Enhance Endurance Performance Journal Of Sport Sciences……Volume IS #3……1une 1997….page 328 – 329
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“The aim of this study was to compare the demographic characteristics of elite Kenyan runners with those of the general Kenyan population.”
“Athletes were separated into two groups according to athletic success: those who competed in international competition and those who competed in national competition.”
“A higher proportion of all athletes ran to school each day (controls 22%, national athletes 73%, international athletes 81%) and covered greater distances.”
In conclusion, Kenyan runners are from a distinctive environmental background in terms of geographical distribution, ethnicity and travelled further to school, mostly by running.”
“These findings highlight the importance of environmental and social factors in the success of Kenyan runners.”
V. Onywera, et al
Demographic characteristics of elite Kenyan endurance runners
Journal of Sports Sciences…..Volume 24 #4….April 2006…page 415 – 422
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“When corrections were made for the black athletes’ smaller body mass, their superior ability to sustain a high %VO2max could not be explained by any differences in VO2max, maximal ventilation, or submaximal running economy. Superior distance running performance of the black athletes was not due to a greater percentage of type I muscle fibers”
P. Coetzer. T.D. Noakes, et al.
Superior Fatigue Resistance Of Elite Black South African Distance Runners
Journal of Applied Physiology……..Volume 75 #4……..October 1993……page 1822 – 1827
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“We conclude that the African and Caucasian runners in the present study differed with respect to oxidative enzyme activity, rate of lactate accumulation, and their ability to sustain high-intensity endurance exercise.”
A.R. Weston, T.D.Noakes, et al
African Runners Exhibit Greater Fatigue Resistance, Lower Lactate Accumulation, And Higher Oxidative Enzyme Activity.
Journal of Applied Physiology……Volume 86 #3……March 1999…….page 915-23