Everything in Moderation right?! For many of us that were around (and undereducated) 10+ years ago, we were sold on CrossFit being the end-all be-all fitness solution that we can do for the rest of our lives. SO we bought in hard, doing 1-3 workouts per day, leaving wrecked but getting really frickin fit! Even today I travel around and see how many gyms still push the same talking points and training modalities. High Intensity Fitness prescribed 5-6 days per week because it is whats popular and sells. But what is going on in the GUT can be very different from what is showing in your lean muscles and aerobic capacity…
After many blood tests and a reshaping of my own way of thinking, I have drastically changed the way I program over the years. While much of my programming could still fall under the auspices of ‘CrossFit’ training, the differences are in the periodization and weekly energy output that I expect from my athletes. Additionally, Ive gotten older and wiser. I know that 5 days per week of WODS is not good for me and others my age. Strength days and long slow aerobic days of swimming or jogging are the new norm and you yourself should incorporate them as well.
Lets look at high Intensity Fitness. It all comes down to the small organisms called Mitochondria inside tour cells. When you are starting a Fitness Regimen or just rolling off a couch, Interval training is amazing at getting your cells and mitochondria to work at peak levels. Respriation, Hormone balancing, and nutrient exchange all benefit from a good bit of High Intensity Training. Tapping into your bodies metabolic capacity to RESPOND to any and all stimuli is hugely beneficial for creating body and mind that are adaptable and healthy.
Prolonged exposure to the same thing does have its draw back which is the basis for my opinion article today. This is because the adapted hormone response inside the body can go from good to bad for the GUT and even beyond; noting of course the inability to sleep well and a dramatic drop in Testosterone. But for today Ill focus on the GUT, the second brain inside our bodies that is the epicenter of all that is HEALTH and LONGEVITY.
Our GUT is resilient and mendable when treated with kindness, let me just say this.. But Over Training can lead to disfunction and permeability within its lining and this is a recipe for breakdown.
1. Leaky GUT Syndrome.
Exercise produces Physiological stress on the body which in many cases is handled through proper rest, recovery and relaxation techniques. In the case of 5-6 days per week of intense exercise the GUT cannot recover and the lining of the GUT begins to break down. Our intestines have small villi that tightly join to block out harmful bacteria, food and other damaging particles from leaking through the GUT lining. A Study published in 2017 noted the findings amongst ultra-endurance athletes that commonly overtrain. Symptoms include inflammation, liver and kidney damage, and IBS.
2. Depression.
Did you know that 95% of our ‘feel good’ hormone Serotonin is produced in the GUT? The Hormone is vital for well being not just in our minds but also in our organs and tissue cells. When the balance of bacteria is out of whack and the structure of the GUT lining is damaged, less and less Serotonin is produced. For many years I was very perplexed by the mood swings I would have and aggravations I would express with my family when I was deep in training modes. Thinking that MORE EXERCISE would increase the Positive Feedback Loop, I just went back to the gym and hit another workout until I was too tired to care. What I dint realize is that overtraining was causing my problems and tempering my intensity was the answer.
3. Malabsorption of Nutrients.
The muscles we wish to care for and strengthen all need a complex amount of Vitamins and Nutrients. More importantly, so does the organs that support these muscles. Overtraining High Intensity Workouts leads to not just a breakdown of the GUT lining but massive Gastric Dumping as well. Gastric Dumping is the bodies inability to process foods and liquids, resulting in diarrhea and IBS. Beyond these acute issues , malabsorption produces anemias like I found in myself in 2016. Because I was overtraining, my red blood cell count got so low I was borderline anaemic, creating a situation where I Was short of breath, fatigued and my skin conditions worsened. The long term effects of Malabsorbtion can lead to issues like edema, heart failure and organ failure. Not to get you all freaked out.. but its the truth.
The silver lining is that the GUT is resilient and YOU have control of your training plan. YOU can reach out to myself, or your coach to develop goals and a specific plan for long term health and wellness. Even as a high Performance Athlete, there are specific ways I have found to mitigate any damage while keeping you in top shape.
Here are some tips;
-Limit Intense Exercise sessions >1 hour or >90% output for 45 + minutes to 1-2 days per week.
-Hydrate before , during and after your sessions!!
-Consume Carbohydrates like Vitargo during your workout to provide energy and fuel to the GUT.
-Eat a Whole Food Diet, Organic and Red Meat.
-Avoid NSAIDS or anti inflammatory medications that are harmful to the GUT
-Long and Slow Aerobic Exercise should be 2-3 days of your training.
-Supplement with Glutamine, and high quality probiotics
We are all in a much smarter place than we were 10 years ago. The science backs us up and your coaches should be held accountable for their ability to help you look out for 5-10 year goals. If you have read this far, I will assume that you care about your health and long term well-being . Lets tackle this together and be the best we can be well into our years.
Love
Eric
Programming Notes 1/13-1/18 ***Heavy Strength Focused work load each day this week. Tuesday is your day to take the brakes off and hit the conditioning piece with force. It will be a very leg heavy day with the squat pyramid beforehand. Recover well with good sleep hygiene and protein intake.
1/13
Baseline:
400m Jog
3X
10 Marching High Kicks
8 Bow/ Bend
6 Trunk Circles
4 Barbell Roll Outs
Hamstring Primer :
3X 8
-Romanian Deadlift 135/95
-Pendlay Row
Core Work:
3X1:00 @ Each
-Eccentric Deadlift (1/1/3)
-Side Plank
-Deadbug Contra Lateral Reach
-Rest
Strength Work:
30 Sandbag Cleans 150/100
For Time
*Move efficiently
1/14
Baseline:
800m Run
2X
8 Elbow To instep Lunge
8 Boot Straps
400m Run
2X
8 Side Lunge
8 Jump Lunges
Squat Flow: Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Ankle Roll Out, Bootstraps, PNF Stretch, Squat W/ T Spine Stretch
Front Squat Pyramid:
Every 2:00 for 14 mins
5 @ 70%
5 @ 75%
4@ 80 %
4@ 82%
2 @ 87%
2@ 90%
1 @ 90+%
Anaerobic Conditioning:
Every 5 Mins for 5 Rounds
12/9 Calories on Rower
6 Burpee Over Rower
12/9 Cals on Rower
-Rest Remaining Time-
1/15
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
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
Banded Activation:
10@ Each
-Pass Thru
-Bent Row
-Pull Aparts Supine
-Pull Aparts Prone Grip
-Press and Rip
Conditioning:
27-21-15
Push Ups
-Run 200m Between Each set-
15-12-9
Seated Barbell Press 95/65
-Run 200m Between Each Set-
12-9-6
Strict Ring Dips
-Run 200m Between Each Set-
1/16
Baseline;
2 Miles on Assault Bike :45 Easy pace / :15 Hard
3X
10 Kip Swings
5 Burpee Pull Ups
:15 Chin Over Bar Hold
10 Bootstraps
Gymnastic Strength:
4X8
-Weighted Pull Up
-Dumbbell Bent Row (tri-pod)
Strength WOD:
3X 5 Minute AMRAP
-25/18 Cal Bike Buy In-
9 Deadlift 315/225
9 Chest TO Bar Pull Ups
-Rest 5 Mins Between Intervals-
1/18
Baseline:
Run 1 Mile On Air Runner (:50 Casual Pace/ :10 100m Pace)
Lunge Flow:
-Ankle Roll Outs
-Hamstring Pulses
-Elbow To Instep W/ Reach
-Samson Lunge + Reach
-Bootstraps
-Pigeon Stretch
Core Strength;
4 Rounds NOT FOR TIME
12 Parallette Pass Thru
100m Off Balance Kettlebell Carry (AHAP)
Aerobic Condtioining:
12 Rounds for Time
8 Kettlebell Front Rack Reverse Lunge 70/53
6 Kettlebell Snatch
400m Run
130120 "3 Harmful Effects of High Intensity Training on the GUT"
