Don’t believe what you read.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Track at 8am and Yoga at 8pm– Sign up HERE

Mobility:

10 Wall extensions
10 Scapula Push ups
Hip extension with band

Warm-up:

Jumping jacks 30 seconds
5 Inchworms
10 Squat jumps
15 Sit ups
Jumping jacks 30 seconds

Agility

5 Rounds, alternating between movements:
6 Speed Skater Hops for distance (3/side) – DEMO
50 meter Bear Crawl

Conditioning

40 min AMRAP:
Run 400 meters
20 DB Power Clean and Push Press (35/25)
20 Grasshoppers (l/r equals 1 rep)
20 Pushups
20 Back Extensions
20 Pullups or Ring Rows
5 Wall Walks

Notes:  If there is a bottle-neck on the Back Extensions, just move onto the pullups and come back to it.  Remember to scale the movements to allow for continual movement.  Nothing should be too challenging or heavy that you have to take extended breaks!

Cool Down:

Downdog calf stretch
Couch stretch
German hang

Written by Matt W.

Today’s post was supposed to be about how consuming a protein + carbohydrate supplement immediately after 60-minutes of moderate-intensity exercise actually increases fat oxidation (burning fat for energy). Now the post is mostly about healthy skepticism with some analytical thought, and practical recommendations mixed in.

I read in a book I am quite fond of, called “Nutreint Timing”, that athletes who received a carb + protein shake immediately following exercise had greater fat oxidation vs. when they consumed the supplement 3-hours later. After reviewing the study cited to validate this claim, I determined that this information is not entirely true.

Upon review of the data in Levenhagen et al, it appears to me that 1)There was no statistically significant increase in fat oxidation when the supplement was taken immediately or 3-hours post workout, the margin of error alone could have accounted for any differences and 2)The study’s results actually state “…fat oxidation [was] also unaffected by the timing of the oral post-exercise supplement intake and 3)The study is specific to athletes performing at 60% of their VO2 max on a recumbent bike, and the study is leg-muscle specific.

So were the “Nutrient Timing” authors lying, or did they perhaps simply misinterpret the data? I think that, based on the context and how small a part of the book said claim was, the latter is the case. Whole body fat oxidation post-exercise did increase over baseline both when the supplement was ingested immediately and 3-Hours post-exercise. But immediate ingestion did not definitively increase fat oxidation vs. later consumption. I think that the authors’ may have had preconceived notions and selectively read the data vs. maliciously leading you astray, but who knows? 

The other question this investigation raises is, ‘do I believe that the results of a study with 10 subjects of various body weights performing at a steady 60% of their calculated V02 Max apply to me, in Paradiso CrossFit, performing a variety of functional movements at varying degrees of intensity as measure by % of V02 Max?’ I personally don’t think its a perfect model.

I think the obvious lesson here is, don’t take what you are told at face value because it may be false or hyperbole. Ask questions, especially when it comes to matters of your health or performance.

If you’d like to practice skepticism in regards to your health, find a supplement with claims on the label, or even worse a sensationalized headline. See if either is backed by a study. If there is a study to back it up, skip straight to the “Results” section, or ctrl +f and search the proposed benefit/claim. See if the results match the label or headline’s claims. If they do, and you are a truly healthy skeptic, jump to the “Subjects” section and see if the test subjects are 1)Human and 2)fit your demographic/body type. The “Methods” section can also be very useful in determining whether the stimulus applied that produced the results is a stimulus you encounter. If the subjects were asked to clap their hands for 20 minutes after a 3 day fast- do the results of this study apply to you in a WOD?

Examine.com is another great resource for investigating supplement claims in particular.

Happy investigating!