Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 101, December 2017 | Page 33

COACHING BODY SCIENCE physical stress will result in the body becoming less efficient at managing that particular stress. If we apply this to running, consider the muscular and skeletal stress the body is placed under. With every stride, muscles contract to create movement and stabilise the body, and the skeletal structure experiences and manages impact every time the foot strikes the ground. The term “Progressive Overload” describes a process of applying a small yet substantial amount of stress for a set amount of time, followed by a set period of rest and recovery. The recovery period allows the body to repair damaged tissues, making them slightly more adept at managing the stresses. This applies to all forms of exercise, including running. However, if the stress applied is too great or lasts too long, or the recovery is insufficient, the body isn’t able to adequately repair damaged tissues. Doing this repeatedly will lead to a gradual degeneration of the tissues, leading to pain and possibly injury. The 10% rule When it comes to increasing your running mileage, the best advice is do so by no more than 10% from one week to the next. – BY ERNEST HOBBES, BIOMECHANIST T his time of year sees many people reaching into the back of their closets to once again pull out their running shoes, and as difficult as those first few runs are, they begin to feel much easier very quickly, tempting runners to push themselves further. Until the body fights back... and that’s why runners are advised to increase their weekly mileage by a maximum of 10%. Furthermore, this rule applies not only to novice runners, but also to those building up to their first 21km, or their first marathon or ultra. The first thing to understand is just how amazing your body is. If you apply the appropriate stress to the body, it will become better able to manage that stress. The opposite is true as well, that avoiding reaches the liver for processing, the liver places all of its attention on the alcohol. If you drink very slowly, all the alcohol is collected by the liver and processed immediately, avoiding all other body systems. However, if you drink quickly, the liver cannot keep up and the alcohol continues to circulate in the body until the liver is available to process it. That’s why drinking large amounts, or drinking quickly, affects the brain centres involved with speech, vision, reasoning and judgment. But wait, there’s more… Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning that it causes water-loss and dehydration, causing the loss of important minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation. Added to that, when the body is focused on processing alcohol, it is not able to properly break down foods containing carbohydrates and fat. Therefore, these calories are converted into body fat. Meanwhile, alcohol contains seven calories per gram and offers no nutritional value. It only adds empty calories to your diet. Also, skipping a meal to save your calories for drinks later is a bad idea. If you come to the bar hungry, you are even more likely to munch on unhealthy snacks, which are often salty, making you thirsty and leading to more drinking. Rather eat a healthy meal first, and sip water between drinks – you’ll feel fuller, which will stop you from over-drinking. Alcohol affects your body in other negative ways: 1 Drinking may help induce sleep, but the sleep you get isn’t very deep, which can trigger you to eat more calories the next day. The 10% rule is a very general guideline to reduce this risk of pain and injury – by applying stress and incrementally increasing the dosage (weekly mileage), the body is able to adapt and manage the stress sufficiently. Keep in mind that it is just a guideline, as every runner has a different tolerance for physical stress. Some runners may find that even a 10% increase in weekly mileage still leads to pain. Others may be able to safely increase mileage at a higher rate. Injuries occur simply because stress exceeds tolerance, and each runner should adjust their weekly mileage based on how their body responds to the increase, with the rule of thumb being slow and steady is best. A more gradual increase leads to a lower risk of pain and injury, and thus 10% is as good a starting point as any. About the Author Ernest is a biomechanical, video, and running gait analyst at the High Performance Centre (HPC) of the University of Pretoria. 2 Alcohol can also increase the amount of acid that your stomach produces, causing your stomach lining to become inflamed. 3 Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, liver disease and heart trouble. 4 Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which is detrimental to your diet plans. Research shows that if you drink before or during a meal, both your inhibitions and willpower are reduced, so you are more likely to overeat, especially greasy or fried foods, which can add to your waistline. 5 Alcohol actually stimulates your appetite. Moderation is key In any weight-loss plan, there are three main components: Diet, exercise and sleep. As stated, a moderate amount of alcohol can increase total calories, decrease your motivation for exercise and healthy eating, and negatively affect your sleep. Despite this, many people can enjoy a drink or two without throwing those three components completely out of whack. On the other hand, drinking heavily can significantly derail energy levels, has a larger influence on dehydration, negatively impacts hormonal levels, and can significantly disrupt your sleep. Therefore, limit your overall intake of alcohol and you will reap some of the enjoyment of alcohol consumption, while not derailing your overall progress. As with all things in life, moderation is the key. About the Author Christene is a registered dietician based in the Johannesburg area. 33