Marathon Runner Vs Sprinter
Who has less body fat, a Marathon Runner or a Sprinter?
If you answered the Marathon Runner, you’d be wrong!
Which body is healthier?
Certainly not the Marathon Runner. His years of aerobic training have caused a build up of oxidative stress (free radicals) which speeds up aging.
Too much aerobic training have spiked his cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and lead to adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is associated with tiredness, allergies, frequent influenza, anxiety, depression, and the inability to lose weight. Not to mention the fact that aerobic training has permanently limited his performance in power and strength tasks. Less of the more desirable fast twitch muscle fibers is a direct result of him specialising in endurance sports.
In contrast with our Marathon Runner the Sprinter does interval training. Short bursts of intense effort (sprints) have caused him to build large amounts of functional muscle, while at the same time dropping his body fat below that of the Marathon Runner. The result for our sprinter a strong, powerful body built for health and performance.
So what can we learn from these two characters.
Don’t get me wrong. Long Slow Duration (LSD) training (E.g. Running, Cycling, Swimming etc at a constant pace) can be effective in fat loss but only to a certain extent. Participating in these activities over long periods of time not only can wreak havoc on your body, but it isn’t the ideal approach for dropping body fat either.
In comparison High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), when used correctly is a superior system to achieve better body composition. You will increase muscle, decrease body fat while still building a strong aerobic base.
Bottom Line: If better body composition is your goal (i.e. more muscle/less fat), train like the Sprinter not the Marathon Runner.
This entry was posted in Cardio, Interval Training.
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