Quality over Quantity in Exercise
From bib. source
The good news is that quality (high-intensity) exercise improves fitness more efficiently than quantity (high mileage). This means that shorter but more intense workouts make the best use of the athlete’s limited exercise time.
In other words, higher intensity in a single exercise session contributes to fitness more efficiently than higher “extensity¨ (LeMond 2015, 4).
Extensity and fitness per exercise session
Perhaps by “efficiency¨ is meant the amount of fitness produced per exercise session. And this statement may be true because the amount of time spent on an exercise session, or the distances traversed by an exertion, contributes to fitness only insofar as it is mediated by intensity. The distances traversed by an exertion in an exercise session correlates with a minimum intensity, such that longer distances traversed by an exertion means higher intensity than otherwise. But, higher intensity can always be increased above the minimum at any distance traversed by exertion, such that it is a guaranteed way to produce more fitness.
The reason for the efficiency of high-intensity exercise for fitness is that “[h]igh-intensity interval training […] triggers mitochondrial biogenesis¨ (LeMond 2015, 3).
Mitochondrial biogenesis mediating virtuous cycle between fitness level and intensity ceiling for exercise
Mitochondrial biogenesis being triggered by high-intensity exercise allows for a positive feedback loop whereby the higher the fitness the higher the ceiling of intensity for future exercise, which leads to even more fitness. Consequently, high-intensity exercise sessions are not just more efficient for fitness, but bio-energy optimal. Of course, we must acknowledge that we have not defined physical fitness yet.
Lowering of intensity floor for exercises due to reduction in percentage bio-energy use for the same exercise
Hypothetically, the minimum exertion needed for a fixed distance traversal would also relatively drop with each session as the percentage of bio-energy needed to do a given exercise (with particular degrees of motions, involved distances and directions) is reduced.
It is, of course, important to have “recommended foods and nutrients that support exercise and mitochondrial health,¨ i.e. “bio-fuels,¨ to really take advantage of built fitness for future exercise sessions (LeMond 2015, 4). There are many “pro-mitochondrial nutrients that support athletic energy production,¨ but the holistic maintenance of cell function is probably most important (LeMond 2015, 5). A wide array of portion-controlled nutrients are then needed (LeMond 2015, 4-5):
- Vitamins and antioxidants (often gotten from fruits and vegetables)
- Non-animal protein
- Occasional red meat (for a long-term big boost in proteins and vitamins)
- Healthy fats (i.e., not trans fats that degrade the membranes of cells and mitochondria)
- Timely carbohydrates
Relation to BEAST / BRATS
Both of these harken back to parts of the BEAST or BRATS fitness system.
extensity mitochondrial_biogenesis cytology anatomy mitochondria biogenesis bio-energy red_meat fat red_meats animal_protein non-animal_protein vitamins antioxidant vitamin animal_proteins non-animal_proteins sports_science athleticism medicine nutrient nutrition tophology quality quantity portion_control biogenesis biofuel bio-energy BEAST_fitness_system BRATS_fitness_system mitochondrium biochemistry trans_fat trans_fat
bibliography
- “Becoming a BEAST.” In The Science of Fitness: Power, Performance, and Endurance, 1–8. Waltham, MA: Academic Press, 2015.