Marshall Burt’s
Velocity Focused Training
2006 Update
Marshall posted the following in his
blog at Run
Tex. It contains the lessons he learned during 2006. Part
of the lessons learned are specific to his velocity focused training
methods, so I thought it important to bring readers up to speed on the
on-going advances in Marshall's training philosophy.
"Training Lessons Learned In 2006
--- pH Level
The body's pH level is a critical aspect of the ability of cells to
adapt to the training you do. I had this information in the 1980's
because the Soviets were making a big deal about it back then. I had
info in the 1980's about how in clinical nutrition, some hosptials in
the U.S. were putting patients on "alkaline" diets to aid their
recovery from surgery. Little research that I came across since then
followed-up on that information, and I lost track of the subject
matter until late 2006. Being "anabolic" means the environment inside
your body is in state where it can build tissue, thus its in a state
where it can adapt to your training. The ability to keep your body in
that state can tend to compensate to some degree for poorly designed
workouts and/or a poorly designed overal training program. "Stay
Anabolic", written in bold 72 font is the title to a page[written in
the late 1990's] in a section of the ETG Training Packet. Until the
end of 2006 "stay anabolic" meant to ingest certain amount of protein
in your dient; to put rest days and break periods in your training
program; and to avoid adding more intensity in your training than goal
pace training already provided. Conceptually, those items contained
only 2 or 3 of the 4 legs of the "Stay Anabolic" table. The last part
necessary is the pH of the body, and the provision of the gene level
essential nutrients [ie. B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, calcium].
--- Essential nutrients at the gene level
Essential nutrients critical to training adaptations at the level of
the gene, can be depleted if training intensity is high enough, and
nutrient intake is low enough [a relatively easy situation to create].
B-vitamins are among these, and likely the most important. The list at
present, are B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and calcium.
--- Avoid depletion of essential nutrients
In following a goal pace only trainng program, if you set high goals
avoid having trainng velocities for --all-- of your workouts being
well beyond your current fitness levels. Cumulative nutrient depletion
and low pH status will exceed your ability to compensate with
supplements, rest days and break periods. Go a few weeks to a couple
months with intermediate velocities to elevate your fitness level to a
point where nutrient utilization be less of a massive stressor on the
body. In short, avoid having a massive gap between your current
fitness level and your goal paces for all of your workouts. One or 2
in the training program is acceptable.
--- Standardized menu on training days
Following a standardized menu that is set for all training days is
extremely effective. It creates an easy, mindless way of providing a
basic foundation of essential nutrients.
--- Progressions
Following a training program that has intervals that start at short
durations, progressing to longer durations, is extremely effective.
--- Cap on training volume
Setting a 3 repetition cap on intervals is extremely effective in
keeping the training stimulus within the ballpark of optimal
[particularly when intake of essential nutrients and maintenance of pH
level is taken care of]
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Test Your pH
If you'd like to test your urine pH, you can buy pH paper for about
$10.00 from a lab in Round Rock, Texas.
Quantum Labs
Keep in mind that you are looking at the pH of urine. How you choose
to do that is up to you. You can do the "stream of flow" method of
placing a strip of pH paper in a given position. Or you can choose a
less potentially messy method by using a dixie cup to collect a small
amount, then dipping the pH strip in to cup.
Many Americans are reported to be between 5.5 - 5.8. For them the
paper won't change color. You'ld like it to turn green to be 6.8 - 7.0
range both in the morning and in the evening.
Keep in mind that eventhough you're looking at urine pH, what you're
really out to measure is the efficacy of your diet and supplement
intake, and thusly, the status of the environment inside your body
that your cells operate in to respond to your training. Creating the
best environment is helpful over the long term.
The use of the pH paper can help you use trial and error to get your
diet to a point where things are approaching the ballpark of being
optimal and staying that way for most of the day.
For a list of foods that can help you get some idea of what foods can
make your pH more alkaline see a general list at
Energy Is For Life
There are also supplements that can help make the pH more alkaline,
calcium and magnesium being among them.
For an example of a standardized training day menu & supplement
intake;
--- go to
www.theetgtrackclub.com
--- then click on "ETG Training Packet"
--- then click on the packet section titled "Increasing Train-ability"
--- see pages 10 & 11"