Telomeres.. Im going to lead with this today. Have you heard of them? Telomeres are end caps which live on each one of our Double Helix (DNA) like the ends of a shoe lace. Our DNA is not unlike our cells in that they have a protective shield which surround them. When the Protective coat around the DNA starts to break down, that is when aging begins to accelerate and chronic disease may take hold. While there are many lifestyle and genetic factors which determine Telomere health, Science has identified important steps that we can take to increase the length of our telomeres and our life span.
Telomeres are often referred to as a fuse in your body. Each time your cells divide to replace the ones which have lived out their usefulness, your telomeres get shorter…. and shorter… and shorter. Telomeres, as previously mentioned, are the protective end caps on your DNA. As your cells, divide, the telomere gives up a little bit of its length to allow for new cells to be created. The “Fuse” analogy applies to the understanding that once the fuse gets used up; that is when the Telomere gets too short, then cancer, aging and degeneration occur. While part of this is just the natural order of things, YOU can live a life that can actually delay the aging process and keep your Telomeres long and sexy!
1. High Intensity Interval training.
The catch all term in fitness right now that is as ubiquitous as ‘Organic’ is on our trendy food items. But there is some real benefits that can come of proper training. Lets break it down. The High Intensity interval element to training is noted by Science as having the most beneficial effects on metabolism and skeletal muscle. HIIT training, when down correctly, combines compound movements, weight training, and high cardiac output. This combination helps to ensure that Hormones are balanced, …which has an effect on metabolic rate, …which has an effect on skeletal muscle cell production, ..which means you are able to mitigate Oxidative stress throughout the body better. Telomere health is speculated to have a direct correlation to your bodies ability to manage oxidative stress. HERE is a scholarly article on the subject.
2. Healthy Fats.
Lipids are our cells best friend. Lipids are fats that your body uses to protect against a host of attackers in your body. Eating a Diet that has a good amount of Healthy Fats is key to ensuring that your body can synthesize the food in your GUT and pass it along to your cells and all the Telomeres inside those cells. The best fats are those which come from ;
-Grass Fed animals free of antibiotics, hormones and grains
-Plant based Fats like Olive oil and Coconut Oils.
As the understanding of metabolism and Fats grows, we are also seeing evidence that your body is able to maintain optimal insulin levels when FAT is used as an energy source. The more you and I can keep our hormones level, the better off our DNA is to keep us in the fight for years to come.
3. Aerobic training .
Your Blood Pressure is a key indicator of your cardiac health. The cells in your blood as well as the cells in your Heart tissue have the same genetic make up and are effected by your lifestyle in similar ways. A study HERE found that aerobic training was better for blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, inflammation mitigation, and overall stress reduction that resistance training alone. The participants were put on very strict workout regiments, one was based on aerobic conditioning and the other Was solely focused on Resistance training in the gym. Over the course of the study, participants that were doing 45 mins X 3 days per week of aerobic training had a more positive effect on Telomere activity and the aging process. For reference, aerobic conditioning maintains longer duration intervals @ or below 65% of max cardiac output.
(Therefore, this stands as great counterpoint to the HIIT training benefits which were pointed out in Point #1. train both and get Life extending benefits!)
4. Cruciferous Vegetables and Folate .
Folate is a B Vitamin that naturally occurs in your foods. We humans rely on B Vitamins like Folate to aid in the replication of cells, production of DNA as well as production of genetic material. In other words, it is pretty important stuff. If you have explored supplementation at all you would have clearly noticed that there is a host of B vitamins. Not all have the same effect on the body. Folate is unique and Cruciferous Vegetables are chalked full of it. Some of the best choices are:
-Asparagus
-Brussel Sprouts
-Broccoli
-Beets
-Caulifour
5. Sex.
I love when science tells me that Sex is good for my lifespan. In an article published in PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY , (hows that for an area of study), a group of women that had sex at least once per week were shown to have longer Telomere length in their 40’s and 50’s . The benefits of sex are seen far and wide in cultures around the world. As well, there is science behind sex and health that goes back millennia! We prude Americans often times dont want to see the science because we are afraid to even talk about the subject. Sex is good for mental and physical stress mitigation which translates into better cellular health down the line. maintaining a strong relationship with your partner also has been shown to increase your lifespan as well. SO go… have lots of sex and live forever. Thats my plan at least :)
Programming Notes 3/11-3/15 ** This is week 5 of the Gymnastic Strength Exposure Cycle. The pull up capacity training is beneficial for the vertical pull strength but also for grip strength. “Jackie” is on the schedule so we get to test a great benchmark. Intervals are intense and also precise this week. Train hard and recover well.
3/11
Baseline;
400m Run
3X
5 Burpee
10 Banded Lat Pull Down
15 Med Ball Thruster
Gymnastic Strength:
Week 5**
3X
Max Strict Pull Ups
then,
1:00 Hollow body Flutter Kicks
Conditioning:
18 Min AMRAP
16 Cal Bike
14 Wall ball Shots
12 Dumbbell Snatch 50/35
10 Toes To bar
Cool Down:
1:00 Reverse hand Plank Hold
Lat Band Stretch
3/12
Baseline;
2X
500m Row
:30 Hip Hinge Hold
:30 DeadBug IpsaLateral reach
:30 Deadbug Contra lateral Reach
1:00 Single Leg Toe Touch
Deadlift Primer;
3X8 @135/95
-Deficit Romanian Deadlift
-Pendlay Row
Deadlift
5-5-5-5-5
*Build to 80-90% of Working max
Benchmark:
“Jackie”
1000m Row
50 Barbell Thruster 45/35
30 Pull Ups
Cool Down:
Banded Hamstring Stretch
3/13
Baseline:
3X
20 Jumping Jacks
18 Russian Twist
16 Lateral high Knee Hops
14 Elbow To Instep Lunges
12 Jump Squats
Front Squat:
8-8-8
*Build to a heavy 8
WOD;
AMRAP 2
21 Lateral Box Jump Overs
Max Rep Front Squat 185/115
-Rest 2-
AMRAP 2
18 Lateral Box Jump Overs
Max Rep Front Squat 155/105
-Rest2-
AMRAP 2
15 Lateral box Jump Overs
Max Rep Front Squat 135/95
-Rest2-
AMRAP 2
12 Lateral box Jump Overs
max Rep Front Squat 185/115
Cool Down:
Pigeon Stretch
3/14
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Inchworm Push Up
Divebomber Push Up + Calf March
Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Marching High Kicks
Groiners
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Sprint W/ Change of Direction
400m Run
Gymnastic EMOM10
A- 50 Double Unders
B- Handstand Hold X :30
Sprint Work:
2X 100m Sprint
-Rest 3 Mins Between-
2X 200m Sprint
-Rest 3 Mins Between-
3/15
Baseline:
500m Row
3X
10 Banded Pass thru
10 Banded Trunk Circles
10 Banded Squats
10 Banded Lateral Monster Walks
10 behind the neck barbell Press + :02 Hold at top
Strict Press:
5-5-5-5
Conditioning:
60 Cal Row
40 Russian Kettlebell Swing 53/35
30 Push Jerk 135/95
40 Russian Kettlebell Swing
60 Cal Row
