For all you marathoners and triatheletes

[eytonxav]

I do very little cardio (need to do more), but nevertheless, this article caught my attention as it suggests that too many endurance events or associated training may not be good for your heart. Thought it might be of interest to those that utlilize this form of exercise:

This Type of Exercise can Damage your Heart
by Craig Ballantyne, CTT
Contributor: Men's Health Magazine
Creator: Turbulence Training

I’ve just emerged from my training research lab with a tsunami of scientific studies that give us 5 more scary reasons to cut traditional cardio from your fat loss workouts.
This breaking research just goes to show you that unless you are training for endurance sports, there’s practically no good reason to engage in long, slow cardio (especially really long sessions as you’ll discover in a moment). And if you do train for endurance events, you should be aware of the potential heart issues with excessive training.
First up, let’s take a look at why cardio fails as much as Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
./.
If you want a safer AND more effective way to train that strengthens your heart while also getting you super lean and chiseled, try out my unique TT Bodyweight Cardio Metabolic workouts. You can get ripped, anywhere, anytime!
Train hard but safe,
Craig Ballantyne, CTT
http://www.ttfatloss.com/?s=spicoli&x=0&y=0

 

[Nemo2]

As the T-shirt says:

Eat Well
Exercise Regularly
Die Anyway

 

[braumeister]

Good grief!
What a load of ...

This guy is trying to scare people and make a buck, that's all.

First, NONE of the [basic, uninterpreted by him] facts in this article are disputed, and all are very well known.

Second, the bottom line seems to be nothing but an effort to sell his $39.95 book.

For an opposite view that contradicts his "frightening" interpretation of a Mayo Clinic study, look at the Younger Next Year book.

 

[RunningBum]

I read and consider the warnings like this about endurance events. So far I'm still convinced the gains exceed the risks for me. I'm not inclined to be swayed by a "Certified Turbulence Trainer" with a financial incentive to steer people towards other forms of exercise.

 

[ERhoosier]

Disclaimer- My mid-life crisis was turning into bit of an exercise junkie. Endurance cycling (mult 100+mi rides ea yr), triathlons (thru ironman distance), and a few marathons. I've read the June Mayo article & it does review some cautionary (though still early) clinical reports. But realize the author is still PRO cardio, just not to competitive marathon/ironman "extreme". NO ONE in legitimate medical community is claiming all "cardio" is bad like this Turbulence Training huckster. Plenty of evidence that short bouts of hi-intensity training is not complete substitute for aerobic exercise. Am Heart Assn (minimum) recommendation is 75-150min/wk of moderate-to moderately vigorous exercise-
American Heart Association Guidelines for Physical Activity
Recommendations from Am College of Sports Medicine are in same range but more detailed-
ACSM | News Releases
BTW- Always get doc's exam/clearance prior to starting any exercise program.

 

[haha]

For the past year I have been doing about 6 hours/week of moderate to modestly vigorous aerobic exercise, plus a few hours of walking. My cardiac numbers have never been better.

Everybody is a guru, but few of them know anything. This is true in almost every area where popular articles are written.

For example, some guy will say that paleo man didn't do "chronic cardio", whatever that is supposed to be. How did he get to the game? On a bus? Anyone who has ever been hunting knows that you are walking and walking, because when animals are hunted they are not easy to find.

So many people today have so little concrete experience with life that almost anything served up to them will be accepted.

Now if chronic cardio means strapping some meter to your chest and trying to keep your heart pounding for hours, well what do you expect other than trouble? I wouldn't use one of those things for anything.

There is a lot of information on the internet, but most of it is wrong. That includes financial information too. I can't believe how many people pontificate on topics that they obviously know nothing or next to nothing about.

Ha

 

[mystang52]

You "gotta" be kidding me. This is an advertisement, nothing more.

 

[RunningBum]

Now if chronic cardio means strapping some meter to your chest and trying to keep your heart pounding for hours, well what do you expect other than trouble? I wouldn't use one of those things for anything.

I don't use a heart monitor myself, but I know some runners who use one to make sure they don't go over a certain rate, not to try to keep it at a high rate. It's kind of like watching your speedometer to make sure you don't go over the speed limit, not to see how fast you can make your car go.

 

[eytonxav]

Just to be clear, the reason I posted this has nothing to do with this guys promotion of his program, but rather the following statements that I was not aware of regarding extreme endurance cardio type training.

In a study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2012 Jun;87(6):587-95), researchers concluded that there are potential adverse cardiovascular effects from excessive endurance exercise.
Frankly, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. After all, what happens when you do a high-volume workout?
Well, your muscles get really sore, right? And that’s called muscle damage.
Now think for a second…what is your heart?
It’s a muscle.
Therefore, when you do high-volume cardiovascular training, your heart experiences a LOT of muscle damage, and over the long-term this can damage your heart.
The researchers from the Mid America Heart Institute of Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, MO, said that while regular, short workouts are good for your heart, that long-term excessive endurance exercise may cause “pathologic” structural remodeling of the heart and large arteries”.

I simply thought the subject of potential heart damage might be of interest to those that are involved in such activities, so please do not expend your energy or time on what this guy is promoting/advertizing.

 

[braumeister]

I still stay this is nonsense.

From the abstract of the study you cited:

However, this concept is still hypothetical and there is some inconsistency in the reported findings. Furthermore, lifelong vigorous exercisers generally have low mortality rates and excellent functional capacity. Notwithstanding, the hypothesis that long-term excessive endurance exercise may induce adverse CV remodeling warrants further investigation

In other words, the researcher is saying this MIGHT be happening, and he should be given a slug of money to study it.

 

[mystang52]

"Just to be clear, the reason I posted this has nothing to do with this guys promotion of his program, but rather the following statements that I was not aware of regarding extreme endurance cardio type training."
Similarly, I did not intend, or mean to imply, that I was criticizing you the messenger. The key word, for me, regarding that Mayo statement was "potential." That is far from anything conclusive. Conversely, I think it's safe to say there is a wealth of evidence extolling the benefits of regular exercise, even for the more extensive training needed for marathons etc.

 

[haha]

We should all remember that athetics are one thing, physical training for health and wellness another.

I don't know enough about marathons or triathlons to comment, other than to say that is is impressive to be able to go on that long. But it is clear that this sort of sustained effort would be a very occasional thing in a non-competitive environment.

Not many people actually want to run 26 miles.

Ha