Faster Further Higher
At the selection process to the army, while attempting the running race, three candidates collapsed and one died. Later, it turned out that they had not been advised that practice makes perfect and that the human body has to be trained for stamina and endurance. They had foolishly decided to “just go” run, climb and lift the required weights, after years of leading sedentary non-athletic lives.
Physical capabilities can be improved with the correct training and exercise. The efficiency of muscles varies in different people, and can be increased by 16 to 25% with proper training.
Muscle has “fast-twitch fibres” (white muscle), which are good for sprinting. They contract rapidly and tire easily. Slow-twitch (red) muscle fibres are good for endurance sports. They have increased muscle power are twice as efficient. With training it is possible to develop a particular muscle type, but a choice has to be made between speed and endurance.
A strong muscular tall powerful human cannot move swiftly or manoeuvre as efficiently as a small lean person. The same is true of animals. The cheetah is capable of tremendous sprinting speed over short distances, but the horse has far greater stamina and endurance.
It is possible to excel in related events which have similar energy requirements. The same people will do well in the 100-meter sprint, the 400-meter, the 110-meter hurdles and the long jump but not in the 1,500-meter event which requires more stamina. Tremendous torso strength is required for the throws like the shot put, hammer and javelin. These stocky athletes usually do not do well in sprints and jumps.
If a sprinter, swimmer and marathon runner stand next to each other there is a marked difference in the shape of their bodies. Elite swimmers like Michael Phelps is 6 feet 4 inches tall, but has short legs attached to a long trunk, with giant size 14 feet which are like fins. Hicham El Guerrouj, the Moroccan marathon runner is only 5 feet 9 inches but has long thin runner’s legs with a short torso.
To excel in the chosen sport, genetically, the person should be born with the required physique. Sebastian Bea, Olympic rower, had the right lineage. His parents were both outstanding athletes. His father was an Olympic basketball player, and his mother a swimmer. In short, aspiring athletes need the correct genetic mix inherited from the right parents.
World-record holders are moulded after they are born. They need dedication, motivation, excellent training and the drive to develop the strength, speed, and endurance to excel. However, a God given genetically correct form and physique can be wasted without the right training, nutrition, and mental discipline. (Maradona is a classic example).
Everyone should try to stay in shape from the time they start school. The greater the delay, the harder it becomes to achieve targets.
Set a primary fitness goal, short and long-term and focus on why you are training. Is it to remain healthy, loose weight, contour the figure, improve cardiovascular status, control blood sugars, and normalize blood pressure, for anti anxiety and anti depressant effects, to help work through fatigue or to compete in sports.
Prioritize goals, as monthly, long-range and lifetime goals, but keep them realistic. Achievements will then seem more worthwhile and motivation greater. Regular exercise workouts should include warm-up, workout, and cool-down phases. Inadequate preparation can cause injuries and be a setback.
Stretch and warm up before starting for 15 minutes to increase muscle blood flow and reduce the possibility of injury like muscle fibre strain or rupture.
Do one or two pull-ups, spot jogging, skipping, push-ups, and short stepping in place. Keep increasing the pace until you start to sweat. Finish your warm up with stretching. Slowly stretch and move your muscles, tendons, and ligaments to increase flexibility. Stretch the Achilles tendon. Lunge from side to side and front to back. For each workout, pick and target a specific area that needs improvement. Decide ahead and fix a rotating time table so that all the major muscle groups are exercised.
High intensity exercise causes lactic acid to accumulate in muscles tightening them. Muscles need recovery time. Active muscles also need a cool down process to remove the excess lactic acid. Stretching is therefore essential to complete a workout. The time taken for the cool-down involving walking and stretching should be around 15 minutes.
Over exercising is almost as bad as too little exercise. It increases the risk of stress injury which can result in loss of days of exercise.
Regular exercise and physical training keeps you in better shape mentally and physically, irrespective of your age. It reduces the chances of falls and injuries and will result in greater strength, endurance, and physical capability.
Say “I can.” Not “I cannot go faster or further!”