http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/fashion/04best.html?hpw=&pagewanted=all
this article is super relevant to two experiences i've had in fitness training over the last couple years.
first, i'm well aware of the correlation between losing weight and gaining speed. hellyer even described it once as the difference between just running and running with a weight vest. according to this article, there's a point in which the trade-off doesn't work any more. that seems like a great point to generally work towards, without being too maniacal about it.
second, a gym (xsport) recently made me go through a rather elaborate fitness test in order to try the gym for a month free. the test is definitely slanted towards making you feel like a giant fat-ass so you sign up on the spot for a personal trainer. however, my results didn't fit that story as well as they'd like. basically, they started off by informing me that according to my height and weight i had to lose 22 lbs of fat to basically be in average shape. however, that theory broke down when they took my VO2max, which was apparently in "marathon runner range" (i wish they'd given me the exact number so i could know if that had any truth to it). basically, i take both figures with a huge grain of salt, but it was interesting to see one theory derailed by the other. again, i'm sure my VO2max would improve with some additional weight loss, but certainly 22 lbs of fat is not in the cards.
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Very interesting. I've been marathon training recently, and it's been a lot harder than last year. Part of that is probably because of the Colorado air, but I also think it might be because, surprisingly, I've lost weight. I just don't feel as strong as I did last year. This was my favorite part of the article: "The problem is that everyone has a point at which further weight loss actually makes their performance worse. People vary so much that there is no formula to figure out the perfect weight." So my question would be, how the hell would xsport know what's right for you? Don't even try to lose 22 lbs, Sally; your boobs would be GONE!
ReplyDeleteFunny you should say so because that was actually my very first thought (which I almost said out loud!) when he said it.
ReplyDelete24 hour fitness made me do the same thing and also told me I had 43% body fat. Which might have been vaguely true at the time because I wasn't small, but still...43%? During the frisbee season? Doubtful.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've been at the same weight since maybe June, despite almost daily Crossfit training and eating differently. Maybe this is the right weight for me? Hope so.