Health and Fitness

General nukkad-style discussions.
This forum is lightly moderated, and members are expected to moderate themselves.
Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Mon Oct 30, 2017 5:28 am

Singha saar, you need to do strengthening exercises like that 5 minute hill training circuit I had posted. Just running doesn't help.

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:51 am

ok dada.

Primus
Forum Moderator
Posts: 512
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:20 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Primus » Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:18 am

Singha wrote:
Mon Oct 30, 2017 3:22 am
is it true that pretty much all humans have some amt of heart valve leakage ? ie if someone does a proper ultrasound scan something or other will always come up?
My post disappeared!

Anyway, it is not true that valve leakage is normal or very common. Mitral valve prolapse is the best known of congenital regurgitation and affects about 2-3% of the general population, slightly higher figure in some studies and is more common among women. Otherwise, most people should have no leakage on echo cardiograms.
a slightly enlarged prostate was found in stomach organ annual ultrasound this year Jan. it was not found in 2016 Jan. I went to my FILs surgeon cum urinary doc @ fortis and he said not to worry but to take a PSA test, which came back negative. my wife's maternal uncle one of them was found with prostate cancer he is around 65...in apollo chennai cancer center they implanted a 3d scan planned grid of radioactive 'rice grains' into the prostate which releases radioactivity over time , he comes back every year for checkup.
This is one malady that will affect ALL men eventually. If you live to be 100, you are almost 100% likely to have prostate cancer although it may be microscopic and confined to the prostate itself. Symptoms of 'prostatism' start in most men after 60 and even earlier in many.
though i run marathons, my hypothyroid means i tend to put on weight quickly from any indisciplined eating and very hard to lose weight. so while my optimal should be 77kg, i am always around 83-85 in recent years. and my vo2 max is not great so i find it hard to run fast, and if i start making a sustained attempt at fast short runs my legs and hips get minor injury whose downtime i cannot afford in marathon train cycles of 16-20 weeks. so i run slow. and i use a heart rate monitor belt paired to my garmin and keep the HR below 160 on the long runs, esp in the first half. the body anyway lets know when its not able to cope and run becomes a walk and quickly attempting to run again shoots up the HR to 180...in these situations i find drinking some gatorade, a bit of fruit and walking quietly for around 10 mins makes things functional again and one can start jogging very slowly....perhaps a deficit of water and overflow of lactic acid needs time to clear up.

by avoiding office lunch and taking tiffin home i am starting another attempt week2 now of reducing to 77 which really helps over long distances like FM. its easier to get lighter than to develop a more powerful engine. the elites at that distance are usually 5'5" , 60kg paired to a massive but light F135-mki geared turbofan....fuel sipping supercruise mode is the default...with bursts of blue flame cone afterburner use for breakaways. the elite african women esp the ethiopians are barely 5' but i have seen them up close...they are scary fast like gazelles, super graceful.
With thyroid supplements and regular TSH measurements you should be able to stay euthyroid, it is quite simple in most people. Then it becomes a matter of paying attention to three things: 1. Portion control (our biggest problem - pun intended!), 2. Avoid high calorie dense foods esp sweets and 3. Regular exercise.

Exercise alone is never enough for weight loss without calorie control. However it is a great motivator and of course great for overall health. All you need to do is 150 minutes per week, even brisk walking around 45 minutes three times a week is enough.

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Mon Oct 30, 2017 7:37 pm

Singha saar, those elite gazelles you are admiring all have 3 things which we don't have: (1) Genetics; (2) A rural upbringing with zero processed foods.; (3) Full time focus. The 1st 2 are what really matter with the 3rd ensuring they break into the top 100 ranks. With #3 you can get into Kasture madam leagues but not Ash Nath leagues.

I did an experiment last week - a hard 13 mile run in the hills, with middle 3 miles climbing 2000 ft and the corresponding descent. Ascent was always below 12:20 min/mile and descent was consistent around 8:20 min/mile - essentially translates to faster than 5K effort on the uphill and approx. tempo pace effort on the downhill. Total calories burned ~2000 or a bit more. Lunch and dinner was deliberately low calorie (total < 1000 calories) to keep the deficit and most calories were protein to accelerate recovery, very low carb. Weighed myself next morning - not a single pound of change! Not even water loss! Allah knows what I was burning for energy. :rotfl:

Another thing I have observed. I think we obsess too much on the body weight aspect and not enough on the conditioning and technique aspect of running. Even with the same body weight, an improved running technique (thru track and tempo workouts) and conditioning (thru strength exercises specific to running muscles) can make one much faster for longer distances and to achieve that via weight loss alone would be much harder or sometimes not possible.

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Wed Nov 01, 2017 1:14 am

Big's Backyard Ultra - A Race with No End

Its an event with a sequence of 1 hour duration races. Each race is 4.16 miles long along a loop in the race director's backyard (hence, the name). Each race starts on the hour (1st race starts at 7am, next race at 8am etc.) and a runner wanting to run the next race must complete the previous race in the 1 hour time frame and be at the starting corral on time. If one finishes a race before the 1 hour time limit, they can use the residual time to rest/eat/sleep/poop. The winner is the last person standing who runs a race all by himself (no girls even came close to winning yet). There are no time cut-offs (since the race takes place on private property and doesn't need any permits from the city/county/state). The loop is 30% road, rest gravel trail - mostly flat with a gradual climb or two. Most people can complete the 4.16 mile loop in less than 45 minutes. Sounds easy? :mrgreen: After all, what could go wrong in 4.16 miles? :twisted:

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:43 am

very interesting concept. one can trust the founder of barkley to come up with it and throw in the rattlers on the trail for "fun" lol.

Javee
BGR Newbie
Posts: 69
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:03 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Javee » Wed Nov 01, 2017 4:27 am

The start and stop of the race really screws up your body, rhythm and will make you loose gas quickly.

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Wed Nov 01, 2017 5:59 am

Actually the need to maintain a steady rhythm with no end in sight is what kills most runners.

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:02 am

Singha wrote:
Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:43 am
very interesting concept. one can trust the founder of barkley to come up with it and throw in the rattlers on the trail for "fun" lol.
SHQ and me are thinking of going next year if we can register on time.

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Wed Nov 01, 2017 10:45 am

the large horsey physique yet still strong ability to climb hills and power through miles is a gora thing.
good for ultras, good for 2:45, maybe for 2:30 but not good enough for elite fm level.

and drugs or not, in Comrades we see what africans do do at ultra distances if they put their shoulder to it :twisted: the winners cover the 88km at 14kmph in daytime heat with never ending hills.

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Wed Nov 01, 2017 1:55 pm

failure is a path to growth...

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Wed Nov 01, 2017 4:25 pm

The video shows the up run - much less preferable than the down run which has a much smoother ride and hits the exposed sections during the cooler parts of the morning plus you don't go thru the ghetto parts of Durban in the dark (runners have gotten mugged and stripped there). Hopefully the 100th anniversary of Comrades is a down run coz that's when I plan to go back.
Singha wrote:
Wed Nov 01, 2017 10:45 am
the large horsey physique yet still strong ability to climb hills and power through miles is a gora thing.
good for ultras, good for 2:45, maybe for 2:30 but not good enough for elite fm level.

and drugs or not, in Comrades we see what africans do do at ultra distances if they put their shoulder to it :twisted: the winners cover the 88km at 14kmph in daytime heat with never ending hills.
Actually I really suspect high drug usage among the African males who run Comrades and place top 10 consistently. One red flag is these elites never run any other road race outside South Africa and are nowhere to be seen with the Ethiopian and Kenyan FM elites and includes convicted repeat dopers like Bongomusa and that Russian Up/Down run record holder who apparently was also a drug dealer. The women's top runners on the other hand have a mix of African and non-African runners who have competed and placed in other races worldwide like Ann Trason or Ellie Greenwood. The conservative estimate among the locals is ~10% of the field cheats by taking shortcuts or car rides. Truly a hard scrabble race, not for those with chi-chi 1st world sensibilities. :lol:

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Wed Nov 01, 2017 4:55 pm

I was watching various videos and seems to be all shapes and sizes at back of pack there. its pretty amazing how some of them cover 88k given non-athletic looks. one can somehow cover a 42k but a hilly hot 88k is not for the faint of heart. mind over matter stuff.

in that video 2 miss the cutoff somewhere in between and are sandbagged right there. i was recalling your epic rant after the pacer misled your whole pack and dropped the egg at inchanga hill.

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Wed Nov 01, 2017 6:41 pm

There are plenty very stout big bellied types like Vlam the legendary 12 hour pacer. At those distances you have to be a Jeep not a gazelle. Speed doesn’t matter, pacing and strength does.

I actually felt sorry for that pacer coz he was about to get thrashed by the crowd before cops stepped in. I managed to do my comrades bit when a south Africa sdre next to me keeled over and fainted when we got stopped and I carried him to an ambulance and gave his SHQ waiting at the finish line a sitrep plus whom to contact. Next year was a much easier experience sticking to the 11 hour pacer who is a strong 60 something year old ox. Till paki terrorist salmonella struck and I got hauled off around mile 53-54 with ~2.5 miles to go. :lol:

People who live in hot humid areas like Bombay Chennai Florida typically do well at the back of the pack in Comrades. Fairweather California types have a hard time plus have the longest flight time to get there which makes it harder.

jamwal
BGR Member
Posts: 356
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:31 pm
Contact:

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by jamwal » Thu Nov 02, 2017 10:29 am

For my trek of Chandrataal (4200 m ) to Surajtaal (4900 m), 45-50 km, i managed to get a middle aged gaddi shepherd as a guide. He was as thin as a stick, carried around 20 -22 kg on his back and walked much faster than me. I had trained for months for the trek but I could barely follow carrying less than 10 kg load.

Terrain was very tough with huge rockslides, river crossings, steep slopes etc. . But it never gave him a pause. Almost every shepherd there is like him. Then you see people from same stock living in cities and they will not even walk 100 m in a day.

There is more to body and capability than just size of muscles. Experience and conditioning is as important if not more.

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Thu Nov 02, 2017 11:14 am

a similar old and thin man delivered my 80kg washing machine. came in a huge carboard box in a tata ace to the basement. i thought the 2 guys and 1 driver together would jointly drag it 20m to the lift and then 10m inside my house...but they stood aside and this man somehow technically put it on his back, all the way in lift to my bathroom. I stepped forward to help but was told to stand aside lest I upset his set technique and balance.

i can barely push that thing on tiled floor.

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Thu Nov 02, 2017 6:14 pm

Running uphill is all about patience and very disciplined pacing as the line between sustainable effort and redlining & being reduced to a walk is very fine. Women usually do better than men running uphill as they are typically lighter with better T/W ratio.

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Fri Nov 03, 2017 9:19 am

i have seen women with broad hips and thickish legs better able to slog along mile after endless mile in robotic pace mode vs the gazelle types or men, who are poor at doing this barring the comrades type back of pack surati heat-treated specimens.

Javee
BGR Newbie
Posts: 69
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2017 5:03 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Javee » Fri Nov 03, 2017 9:48 am

Misra, we do the downhill running too during our treks. We ran down from keerganga to barsheni last year in no time. We typically do this on the last down climb as even if we fall, it's not going to be a big issue. Last year one of our guys did fall and had a twisted ankle and had to use a stick to walk the rest of the distance.

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Fri Nov 03, 2017 1:51 pm

running cross country with backpack and hiking boots is a recipe for falls or twists imo. only army men train for it.

trail runners never carry any large backpack and often nothing at all - killian sometimes use a CFT type small pack...others like walmsey seem to just run the long hauls between aid stations as is or maybe a small handheld bottle. being the sharp end of spear they manage on very less food or water.

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:43 pm

Running downhill is where maximum injuries happen. It’s rare to get injured running uphill as cardio rather than muscular system is the limitation. Best to leave running in boots to Army, SF, Navy SEAL types. Otherwise the probability of a shin splint goes up exponentially for weekend warrior ITvity munna types like us. If you want to run downhill trails, get good trail running shoes with good toe protection and moderate lugs like Salomon ones and learn to lift your feet and scan ahead by 20-30 ft. :mrgreen:

Singha
Forum Moderator
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 6:59 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Singha » Sat Nov 04, 2017 3:05 am

Uphill or downhill running exposes runners knee issue like no other

Raja
Forum Moderator
Posts: 152
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Raja » Sat Nov 04, 2017 4:26 am

The knee issues are almost always not an issue with the knee but an imbalance in muscular strength above or below the knee. Different causes for uphill and downhill running manifesting knee issues. In former case it’s weak glutes and hamstrings, calves and in latter case weak quads. Any moderately technical trail will expose such shortcomings even if not too hilly.

jamwal
BGR Member
Posts: 356
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:31 pm
Contact:

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by jamwal » Sat Nov 04, 2017 6:17 am

Running uphill or downhill is best left to ultra fit people, specially at high altitudes above 3000 meters. Running downhill is indeed a good rush, but reasonably safe only in certain locations.

Primus
Forum Moderator
Posts: 512
Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 12:20 am

Re: Health and Fitness

Post by Primus » Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:35 am

This might change Cardiology as we know it. Groundbreaking study coming out of the Lancet this week.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance ... sca1=tlxpr

Randomized placebo controlled study, major implications for interventionalists, hospitals and the companies that have made billions.

Basically 200 patients were randomized into stent vs sham cath for stable angina. Results indicate stents make no difference and patients feel just as improved with standard medical therapy. If you read the media reports on this, including the opinion of leading cardiologists in the editorial on the paper, it indicates the end of an era.

I have always suspected this but now the study provides factual evidence that a lot of what we do in medicine is ineffective. Public perception and demand, driven by relentless promotion by vested interests, coupled with greed on the part of the healthcare community has bankrupted many a society, not to mention the poor patient who can ill afford such costly procedures.

What an eye-opener!

Post Reply