Chapter 7 - Fitness Is Built On A Foundation Of Frequent, Low-Intensity Movement Flashcards
(91 cards)
1
Q
General everyday low-level movement promotes:
A
- Health
- Immune function
- Fat metabolism
- Brain function
2
Q
Brief, high-intensity strength and sprint workouts deliver:
A
An anti-aging effect, by:
- enhancing organ function
- optimizing body composition
- elevating mood and cognitive function
- developing no total body functional fitness
3
Q
A pattern of chronic exercise in pursuit of extreme or narrowly focused fitness goals can trigger:
A
- increased cravings for quick-energy carbohydrates
- inhibit fat metabolism
- compromise immune function
- exhaust the body’s stress management mechanisms
- break down lean muscle tissue
*in that way, workouts that are too frequent and too stressful to allow for adequate recovery can actually undermine fitness and health
4
Q
Chronic Cardio
A
A pattern of frequent medium-to-difficult-intensity sustained workouts, especially with insufficient rest between sessions
- describes a pattern of overly stressful cardiovascular workouts that last for too long and are conducted too frequently, with insufficient rest periods in between
*generally speaking, the workout is conducted at a heart rate too high to be considered aerobic
*any exercise can be considered “chronic” if it created excessive stress and does not allow for sufficient recovery
5
Q
Chronic Cardio may promote:
A
- illness
- injury
- fat storage
- accelerated aging
- declining cognitive function
- and ultimately burnout
*abuses the body’s fight-or-flight stress response
6
Q
Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate
A
180-age in beats per minute
- where you achieve optimal aerobic, fat-burning benefits
7
Q
Inactivity leads to:
A
- metabolic and hormonal imbalances that inhibit glucose metabolism
- elevated triglyceride levels
- excess body fat storage
- elevated blood pressure
- disturbed leptin signaling
8
Q
Compromised Leptin Signaling Causes
A
- an increase in appetite
- an up-regulation of fat-storage genes
- a down-regulation of fat-burning genes
9
Q
People who spend most of the day sitting experience chemical changes in the brain that promote
A
Inactivity
*while people in the habit of moving have brain wiring that encourages regular movement
10
Q
A leisurely (one mph) 15-min walk after a meal
A
Lowered by half the two-hour-long blood sugar spike that occurs after a typical meal
11
Q
Engaging in bouts of standup work
A
Helps to re-engage important muscles and promotes good posture and skeletal alignment + significantly increases caloric expenditure
*but won’t counteract the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle - it’s still not moving…
12
Q
A pattern of chronic workouts can result in assorted negative consequences, including:
A
- Stress
- Hormone Imbalances
- Body Composition
- Inflammation
- Injuries
- Fitness
- maxes out adrenal glands
- impairs immune function
- suppresses testosterone
- encourages systemic inflammation
- teaches the body to prefer burning glucose to fat
- increases sugar cravings
- traps you in fat storing mode
13
Q
Excess cortisol production and too much exercise stress in general promotes:
A
- systemic inflammation
- oxidative damage (via free radical production) by a factor of 10-20 times normal
- suppress immunity
- compromise bone density
14
Q
Hormones effected by chronic exercise
A
Chronic elevation of cortisol suppresses:
- testosterone
- growth hormone
- other adaptive hormones
This compromises:
- fat burning
- muscle development
- energy levels
- immune function
- sex drive
15
Q
Two antagonistic hormones
A
Testosterone
- a major adaptive hormone
- muscle building
- mood-elevating
- cognitive performance enhancing
- anti-aging
for both men and women
Cortisol
- the primary catabolic stress hormone
*these two hormones antagonize each other, so chronically elevated cortisol will suppress testosterone
16
Q
Well-planned brief, intense workouts causes
A
- a quick spike in cortisol
- elevates levels of adaptive hormones (like testosterone + growth hormone) for a longer duration
These adaptive hormones:
- muscle growth
- recovery
- stabilize appetite
- stabilize energy levels
- promote feelings of vitality
- help delay aging process by enhancing organ reserve
17
Q
Chronic cardio’s effect on body composition
A
Increases appetite and cravings for quick burning carbs, especially if one normally eats a high-carb diet and is not fat-adapted
- workout fueled by glucose
Chronic stress and high cortisol likewise promote:
- hunger and carbohydrate cravings
- fat storage around the abdomen
*cortisol is also associated with insulin resistance
18
Q
Chronic exercise promotes systemic inflammation
A
Due to excessive and chronic cortisol production
Furthermore, chronic exercisers consume large amounts of carbs - an eating pattern that promotes:
- systemic inflammation
- accelerated oxidation
- free radical damage
19
Q
Injuries and chronic cardio
A
Due to:
- recurring muscle fatigue
- repetitive impact
- chronic inflammation from excessive catabolic hormones released in response to chronic cardio traumatized joints and connective tissue
—> leading to incidences of both acute and overuse injuries
20
Q
Fitness and chronic cardio
A
Gets you good at chronic cardio…
Can lead to:
- muscle imbalances
- inflexibility
- recurring stiffness
- recurring soreness
Leaving out other modes of exercise in an optimal fitness program, including the development of:
- power
- speed
- strength
- building lean mass
21
Q
Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL)
A
Hormone triggered by exercise
Enables both glycogen and fat to be mobilized from storage and dumped into the bloodstream to be used for fuel during the workout
Levels drop once the workout ends
22
Q
Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL)
A
Released after HSL levels drop following a workout
Post-exercise elevation promotes the restocking of both glycogen and fat to speed recovery
When levels are elevated, cells reel in nutrients circulating in the bloodstream and lock them away in storage
23
Q
Caloric compensation is particularly relevant when one’s exercise pattern is chronic, because:
A
A depleted body will become even more inclined to consume additional calories, store them as fat, and conserve energy in every way possible throughout the day…
Conserves energy by:
- reducing NEAT (non-exercise activity)
- slowing metabolic rate
24
Q
One pound of muscle burns approximately
A
6 calories per day
25
One pound of fat burns
Two calories per day
26
Organs
Accounts for most of the calories burned in our basal metabolic rate
- brain = 20% of (basal) calories burned
- heart = 20%
- liver = 15-20%
*which allocates about 20-30% of total daily caloric expenditure to skeletal muscle
27
The metabolic benefits of adding muscle and reducing fat are:
More hormonal than caloric…
- building lean muscle mass with strength training is known to improve insulin resistance
- losing abdominal fat optimizes hormonal function and improves health
28
Excess abdominal fat cells
Produce abdominal proteins and pro-inflammatory chemicals known as cytokines and release them into the bloodstream
These agents must be processed in the liver, causing more inflammatory agents to be released as a consequence of
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Engaging in a genetically appropriate exercise program
- minimizes insulin production
- optimizes fat metabolism
*and practicing intermittent fasting can slow the process of cell division and improve cellular repair
- in contrast to an extreme exercise regime (burning lots of calories, replacing those calories, tearing down muscle, rebuilding muscle… can result in accelerated cell division throughout the body - a quintessential marker of aging…)
30
Primal Blueprint Pyramid
Sprint
Lift heavy things
Move frequently
+
Play
Recover
31
Sprint
Several 8-20 second bursts
Every 7-10 days, when 100% energized
32
Lift Heavy Things
Brief, intense resistance exercises
2 times per week for 10-30 minutes
33
Move Frequently
More general daily movement
(avoid prolonged inactivity)
Cardio workouts at “180-age” heart rate
- cycle
- hike
- walk
- walk/jog
- water activities
Flexibility/mobility
- pilates
- yoga
- tai chi
- gymnastics
- dancing
- dynamic rolling/stretching/therapy work
34
Aerobic
Means “with oxygen”
Conducted at an effort level that allows sufficient oxygen to be available to burn predominantly fat for energy
*fat metabolism requires oxygen
35
Anaerobic
Means “without oxygen”
Indicates an effort level that is difficult enough to cause an oxygen shortage, prompting the burning of a greater percentage of glucose for fuel
*since glucose metabolism does not require oxygen
36
Metabolic effects of a workout varies by:
Intensity level
37
An aerobic workout:
- is comfortably paced
- burns primarily fat
- is minimally stressful to the body
*any exercise conducted at or below a heart rate of 180-age = aerobic zone
38
An anaerobic workout:
- burns primarily glucose
- stimulates the release of stress hormones into the bloodstream
- causes lactic acid production in the muscles (a byproduct of performing work efforts without adequate oxygen)
39
Exercising at high intensity and triggering the fight-or-flight response promotes:
Optimal gene expression when efforts are brief and conducted in an optimal pattern that always balances stress with sufficient rest
*brief, intense workouts deliver hormetic, or adaptive, stressors
40
Hormesis
Is a two-phased dose-response relationship to an environmental agent whereby low-dose amounts have a beneficial effect and high-dose amounts are either inhibitory to function or toxic… (Wikipedia)
Defined as an adaptive response of cells and organisms to a moderate (usually intermittent) stress
*examples: isometric preconditioning, exercise, dietary energy restriction, and exposures to low doses of certain phytochemicals
41
Benefits of aerobic exercise:
(HR Zone = 180-age)
- stimulates the metabolic action of the body at a level more than twice that of normal resting rate
- optimize fat metabolism both during the workout and throughout the day
- improved cardiovascular function
- improved lung capacity
- strengthens bones and connective tissue - thereby, enhancing performance and recovery
- minimizes injury risk
- makes the body more resilient for high intensity workouts
- boosts the immune system, by —>
- optimizing flow of anti-aging
hormones, and —>
- building a more efficient circulatory system
- stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis
- up-regulates the enzymic activity necessary to become an efficient fat-burner
- fat metabolism
- mitochondria
- cardiovascular function
- musculoskeletal strength & resilience
- mitochondrial biogenesis
- synthesizing mitochondria
42
Chronic exercise at heart rates above aerobic maximum causes:
- the body to prefer glucose as fuel, both during the exercise and throughout the day
- obstruct immune system function
- destroy white blood cells
- elevated cortisol levels
- suppress testosterone levels
- trigger chronic systemic inflammation
—> which compromises immune function and hormone balance and elevated risk for many diseases
*while high-intensity workouts are critical for peak performance and longevity, the key is to make them brief, interspersed with extensive recovery, and conducted only in the presence of a strong aerobic conditioning base
43
Any workout regime that fervently pursues fitness or lofty performance goals without respecting a proper balance of stress and rest
Can compromise health and disturb delicate hormone balance
44
With plenty of oxygen available to make fat the preferred fuel source in aerobic exercise
Mitochondria produce energy more efficiently than when glucose is the primary fuel source
45
Building more mitochondria through aerobic exercise means:
Cells can handle a greater workload without getting overwhelmed, and fewer free radicals are produced in the process of ATP energy production
46
The net result of sensible aerobic exercise is you:
- burn energy more efficiently
- minimize free radical damage
- and consequently, delay the biological aging process
47
Cardiovascular function and sensible aerobic exercise
- increases capillary network (blood vessels that supply the muscle cells with fuel and oxygen)
- raises the stroke volume of your heart (more blood pumped with each beat)
- improves lung capacity (as a function of receiving more oxygen from the cardiovascular system)
48
Aerobic exercise and musculoskeletal strength and resilience
- strengthens bones, joints and connective tissue (so you can absorb increasing stress loads without breaking down)… critical to exercise recovery
*maintaining strength and skeletal integrity is a hallmark of healthy aging
49
Mitochondrial biogenesis and aerobic exercise
Both aerobic-level and appropriate high-intensity exercise increase the number and size of mitochondria within the cells
*moving, lifting, and sprinting transforms previously sluggish metabolisms into efficient fat-burning machines by optimizing mitochondrial function
50
Mitochondria Function
Primary role:
- produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) —> used as energy for virtually every cellular process
Other important roles:
- synthesize the important sex hormones: testosterone & estradiol
- regulate insulin levels in cells
- regulate calcium levels in cells
- metabolize fat and glucose into usable energy
-
51
The more mitochondria
The more cleanly and efficiently the body produces and burns energy
52
Mitochondrial Myopathy
Gene mutations that damage mitochondria
*chronic cardio and overtraining have this degenerative effect…
53
The downside of ATP production
The process generates free radicals
- which accelerate the aging process by increasing oxidative stress
*as long as there are a sufficient number of healthy mitochondria and naturally produced antioxidants such as glutathione to counteract free radical damage, cells remain intact
*if mitochondrial function is compromised, or if the number of mitochondria is too low, free radicals escape and wreak havoc of the body
54
Synthesizing Mitochondria
The body’s adaptive stress response stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis
- responding to a stress demand by multiplying and improving efficiency
Exercise and muscle mitochondria have a synergistic relationship…
- resistance and endurance training improve mitochondrial function and increase resistance to degradation, while optimal mitochondrial function enhances exercise performance
when the body is challenged by a demand (such as weight training repetitions) structural and neuron neurokinetic changes occur… mitochondria
55
Mitochondrial function is measured by:
The presence of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
- a metabolic regulator that increases mitochondrial biogenesis
56
Exercise in a depleted state helps kick in:
AMP-activated kinase (AMPK)
- which increases mitochondrial biogenesis in response to lack of cellular energy as an adaptation to applied stress
57
Sprinting for mitochondria
Recent research that sprinting and HIIT training is just as effective, if not more effective at activating mitochondrial biogenesis than steady state endurance…
*slow twitch muscle fibers contain the most mitochondria… thus, it has been known that endurance training (slow, long distance jog, or cycling) increases mitochondria
58
Resting Heart Rate
Beats per minute at rest
- average RHR = 72bpm
- a fit person may have a RHR of 40bpm, or around 20-30% of maximum HR
- smokers and highly unfit people may have a RHR that exceeds 100bpm
*athletes have a higher stroke volume than an unfit person does (thus, a lower RHR)
59
Stroke Volume
More blood pumped per beat
60
Aerobic maximum heart rate
(180-age)
Aerobic threshold or “FatMax”
The upper limit for exercise intensity that maximizes fat burning
- beyond this point, the rate of fat burning decreases rapidly, and the rate of glucose burning increases proportionally
*for an unfit person, the most basic movement like walking to the mailbox can easily elevate heart rate up to aerobic maximum
*a fit person can perhaps climb hills comfortably on a bike or maintain a steady pace during a run while still registering a heart rate below 180-age
61
The Black Hole
The range of 180age to 85% of maximum heart rate
- for sustained workouts, this level is too difficult to en aerobic in nature but not difficult enough to be categorized as truly high-intensity
*chronic cardio is almost always conducted in the black hole
62
Chronic exercise in the black hole results in:
- excessive production of stress hormones
- suppression of immune function
- increased injury risk
- promotion of carbohydrate dependency instead of fat-adaptation
63
Occasional challenging workouts that exceed maximum aerobic limits and drift into the black hole and up to aerobic threshold zones:
Can produce outstanding fitness benefits when sufficient recovery follows
- the key is to avoid a pattern of chronically exercising in the Black Hole and introducing an elevated pattern of burnout…
64
High-Intensity Zone
90% of maximum heart rate and beyond
Optimal zone for occasional brief, all-out efforts
- bursts under 8sec: primary fuel = ATP
- efforts between 8-30sec: preferred fuel = lactate
- medium-to-high intensity over 30sec to several minutes: preferred fuel = glucose
65
High-intensity zone workout benefits:
- support enhanced organ function
- accelerate metabolism
- delay physiological aging
66
Aerobic maximum heart rate
Unless you are conducting a brief, all-out, high-intensity effort (e.g. sprinting), you should be strict about limiting workout intensity to the aerobic maximum
- the only way to insure you aren’t in the black hole is to use a heart rate monitor…
*180-age
67
FatMax
The threshold at which maximum fat burning occurs
- as the heart rate climbs beyond that point, the proportion of glucose burning rapidly increases, while fat burning decreases accordingly
Studies suggest it occurs at around 60-65% of max heart rate
- (in contrast, VT occurs around 77% of MHR in well trained athletes and 75% in lesser trained athletes)
*180-age
*also called “aerobic threshold” - but this can get confused with ventilatory threshold (VT)
68
Ventilatory Threshold (VT)
Represents the point where increased effort would cause a non-linear spike in:
- ventilation
- glucose metabolism
- lactate accumulation
- fight-or-flight hormone release
- recruitment of oxidative fast-twitch (type IIa) muscle fibers
Occurs at 77% of MHR in well trained athletes and 75% in lesser trained athletes
*this calculation is typically too high a percentage to train at and it’s advised to stay at 180age to avoid burnout…
69
As you become fitter…
Your speed at maximum aerobic heart rate will improve, as will the amount of fat you burn at that heart rate
- you will be able to train at higher speeds although your intensity (HR) remains the same —> relative difficulty remains similar
70
Maffetone 180-âge formula adjustment factors
- Subtract 10: recovering from illness, surgery, disease, or taking regular medication
- Subtract 5: recent injury or regression in training, get more that two colds annually, allergies, asthma, inconsistent training, or recently returning to exercise
- No Adjustments: training consistently (4x/week) for two years, free from aforementioned problems
- Add 5: successful training for two years or more, plus success in competition, with no injuries
*when it comes to calculating your MAF rate, it is always better to err on the conservative side… if you’re not sure if you should adjust down, then go ahead and do it…
*likewise, if you suspect you are on the cusp of overtraining, subtract 10 beats to allow for recuperation
71
What is the lower limit of a so-called aerobic exercise “zone”?
The Primal Blueprint suggests that any level of low-level movement contributes to your aerobic development… (walking to the mailbox, walking the dog around the block… can be considered beneficial aerobic movement…)
*Aerobic energy-producing enzymes and muscle fibers are recruited for any activity starting from the most basic effort on up…
*when endurance athletes routinely skip over the easy stuff in favor of chronic exercise (or jumping right up to aerobic max at the beginning of a workout) they miss out on optimal development of low-end aerobic-energy-producing enzymes and muscle fibers used at higher intensities
72
Monitoring training HR
- Best = wireless HR monitor that consists of a chest strap that transmits to a wristwatch or your smartphone
- Less effective = placing a finger on the carotid artery on the neck, count to ten, multiply beats by 6
- Decent way, but inaccurate as well = nasal breathing (breath only through the nose)
- Last resort = perceived exertion signs… you may break a moderate sweat, easily able to converse an extended period of time without getting short of breath
*perceived exertion is still important… because a workout that results in fatigue and sugar cravings is ill-advised, regardless of the heart rate zone in which it was conducted
73
Maximum HR Calculation
*least objectionable
206 - (0.7 x Age)
*margin of error = 6.4 bpm
74
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Measures the time gap between your heartbeats
- also known as “R-R Intervals”
- fluctuates in how often your heart beats inside of your average bpm
A high HRV score on a scale of 1-100 - meaning more variability in the time gap between heart beats - indicates a healthy, fit, well-rested heart
Had gained populatity as an accurate method of tracking recovery from stressful exercise and identifying a state of:
- overtraining
- cardiovascular fitness progress
- cardiovascular disease risk
75
A low HRV value
A heart beating closer to a fixed rhythm
Believed to be an indication of a poorly functioning heart… perhaps belonging to:
- an overtrained athlete
- a person who is unfit
- an over-stressed person
- someone who has developed cardiac disease risk factors
76
HRV values are fairly subjective and highly individualized - there are no established optimal ranges
While a higher score is better than a lower score, everything must be referenced off an individual baseline range established over months of daily tracking
*values fluctuate l throughout the day… they should, therefore, be taken at the same time (under similar circumstances) each day
*influenced strongly by age and gender
A lower than normal value can alert you to:
- excessive stress
- burnout
- insufficient recovery
77
When the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system achieve a healthy balance
Your heart can essentially relax into a more natural rhythm, whereby routine variability occurs due to assorted environmental stimuli
78
Two bands of the HRV spectrum
1. LF (low frequency)
2. HF (high frequency)
79
Low Frequency (LF) HRV Level
Represents both sympathetic and parasympathetic activity
80
High Frequency (HF) HRV Level
Represents the parasympathetic nervous system
81
High power levels for both LF and HF
A well functioning nervous system and cardiovascular system
82
Low HRV score and high LF reading
Suggests a prolonged state of fight-or-flight/ sympathetic nervous system dominance
83
A high LF value in relation to his or her HF value… or a high LF:HF ratio suggests
Someone who is stressed
84
Low HRV score and a low LF reading suggests
A state of general burnout:
- the fight-or-flight response has been exhausted
- adrenal glands are producing lower-than normal levels of cortisol
- parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system are dysfunctional
85
Ideally, relating to HRV, one would like to see:
- a high HRV score = parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system working in balance
- a high HF value in relation to LF = stress response and stress hormones moderated/optimized
86
When one is functioning in a heightened state or peak performance zone due to positive and enjoyable stressors:
This is reflected in increased levels of both HF and LF power, as well as a high HRV score
- this is true even when the sympathetic nervous system is dominating because of the highly stimulatory environment
87
Abnormally low LF value suggests
An excess of high-intensity exercise
88
Anaerobic Threshold (AT) and LF/HF Spectrums
LF/HF power spectrums can help identify the anaerobic threshold (AT) during a workout
- HF power output rises sharply when AT intensity is reached —> a counterintuitive phenomenon of the parasympathetic nervous system kicking into high gear when you reach red line pace… perhaps, as a safeguard against extreme stress on the heart (and other organs?), but the reason not completely known to scientists
89
Anaerobic Threshold (AT)
The intensity level at which lactic acid accumulates in the bloodstream faster than it can be removed
- this is the byproduct of a sharply accelerated rate of glucose burning caused by increases in pace that leave insufficient oxygen to burn fatty acids
*know as the “red line” = the point at which athletes can maintain the highest possible sustained intensity level without succumbing to the lactic acid burn and declining performance that occur if you exceed AT pace…
*also referred to as lactate acid threshold (LT/LT2)
90
Conduct the majority exercise in the fat-burning aerobic heart rate zone (180-age) to:
- optimize cardiovascular function
- increase stroke volume of the heart so that more blood pumped with each beat
- improve lung capacity
91
High-intensity exercise
- promotes gene expression
- closely mimics the movements of Primal ancestors
- build muscle
- support enhanced organ function
- accelerate metabolism
*as long as they are brief, relatively infrequent, and coupled with sufficient periods of rest and recovery
