I broke it, I JUST BROKE IT !!!!! I just broke my record in the 10 km !!!

My last time was 44'13" but today I pulverized it in :

41'04"

I never thought I was capable of doing that !!! It's just amazing for me !

My laps :

- Km 1 : 4'00"

- Km 2 : 4'06"

- Km 3 : 4'06"

- Km 4 : 4'09"

- Km 5 : 4'11"

- Km 6 : 4'09"

- Km 7 : 4'08"

- Km 8 : 4'09"

- Km 9 : 4'10"

- Km 10 : 3'53"

Average pace : 4'06"/km (14,61 km/h)

What to say, I'm just happy !

0

Unknown

11:04:00 م

This month I had a challenge which was to run 5 km in less than 20 minutes.
And... I just did it ! I feel so good !!!

But you know, since my record at the 10 km is 44'13" I wasn't really confident about the "less than 20 min" part but I trained hard during 4 weeks to master the precious pace (about 4'00" per kilometer i.e. 15 km/h).

And then I ran those 5 km this morning in :
19'25"

Check out the time of each lap :

- Km 1 : 3'56"

- Km 2 : 3'56"

- Km 3 : 3'54"

- Km 4 : 3'53"

- Km 5 : 3'44"

My average pace : 3'53"/km (15,45 km/h).

at this pace my footpod system isn't trustworthy but it was really 5 km

0

Unknown

11:44:00 م

Guys, you can't imagine how happy am I right now !!!!!  
I just broke amazingly my record on the 10 kilometers !!!

44'13" !!!!

I went to the stadium to run precisely those 10 km.
Here is my times for each kilometer :
Km 1 : 4'20"
Km 2 : 4'22"
Km 3 : 4'28"
Km 4 : 4'26"
Km 5 : 4'22"
Km 6 : 4'26"
Km 7 : 4'28"
Km 8 : 4'25"
Km 9 : 4'32"
Km 10 : 4'18"

Average pace : 4'25"/km (13,57 km/h)
It was really though but it is worth it and I'm so happy !!! I never thought I could one day run this distance in less than 45 minutes ! It's just amazing !


The graph is not accurate :(

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Unknown

12:53:00 ص

If you want to gain strength or if you feel that your stamina is stagnating you can try something that'll certainly help you : The weighted pull-ups !!!

Training only with your bodyweight will limit the stress you apply in your muscles and so will limit as well the development of your strength/stamina abilities. Then, if you increase virtually your bodyweight your muscles will respond by an appropriate adaptation.

I tried it for the first time this morning. I added 9 kg/20 lbs to my bodyweight (total ~91 kg/200 lbs). When I could do 12-14 repetitions without no added weight now I can do only 4-5 !!!! I really liked it, and when I remove the weights I feel very light and much stronger !!!! Of course I'll see the real evolution only in a few weeks but even during the first workout you will notice some differences.

What will you need to do those weighted pull-ups ?

- A bar (of course)

- a weight belt...

But if you don't have any weight belt you can easily use :

- a backpack


- in which you'll put some weights...


- or even some ankle weights...

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Unknown

11:36:00 م

You know what ? I've got brand new scores !!!
Recall that I have a goal for this year, to reach the bar-barians requirements i.e. : 
to execute in less than 10 minutes the following exercises : 
- 40 dips
- 50 push-ups
- 20 pull-ups
- 5 muscle-ups !!!!

Of course I still ain't able to complete this challenge. I've been training each exercise in an independent way, this is my first step : at least reaching the total number of repetitions. And recently I broke some records. Actually, I didn't really test my real maximum repetitions before. Then the following ones are my official maximums :

- 32 dips (only 8 left)
- 39 push-ups (only 11 left)
- 14 pull-ups (only 6 left)
- 0 muscle-ups (pffff)

I don't really know if one day I could do at least one muscle up, I tried and it seems so hard !

I don't give up, I keep trying and trying...

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Unknown

8:55:00 ص

I'm fed up with doing bodybuilding exercises without any accurate motivation. And from now on I always want to hang a goal on my bodybuilding routine. I want a concrete motivation. Then I've just set a new goal for 2010 : to complete the Bar-Barians requirements !

I found out the Bar-Barians on youtube, they are a team of elite bodybuilding specialists from Brooklyn ! These guys are really really strong !! (Bar-barians' blog here)
To get in this team, people have to respect some requirements... they have to prove their strengths, just watch that, the candidates have to complete in less than 10 minutes :
- 40 dips
- 50 push-ups
- 20 pull-ups
- 5 muscle-ups !!!!

If you have ever done one of these exercises you know that this is utter craziness !!! For me it is, I even don't know how to do a single muscle-up !!! (You can see a video that illustrates those requirements here)

Then, this year I want, just for fun, to reach these requirements !! I like the idea that I have not the level to complete that today but if I train hard I could reach those amazing requirements or even to come up very close by the end of this year.

What am I able to do today ? I'm able to complete (not in a row right now) :
- 25 dips
- 30 push-ups (did it recently)
- 14 pull-ups (updated)
- 0 muscle-ups

I'll update frequently these figures in new posts according to my evolution.

credit photo : reActive gym

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Unknown

2:30:00 ص

Today it's raining.
After waking up, when I opened the shutter and seen outside all these raindrops falling on puddles, that not made me happy that much. The truth is running under the rain it's not really what I appreciate the most, my glasses are full of raindrops, my shoes are soaked and full of mud, I'm cold, well it's quite annoying then.
But, despite those mother nature's whims I went out to do my workout though. 

As a rule, when it's raining I always do my workout (except when it's a huge rain since I don't have specific clothes for that). I really want to run when it's raining because I think that's kind of easy for me to find an excuse to not train. I'm afraid that I'm like that, I've got the "logic of the excuse" ! If I do not run when it's raining then I won't run either when I'll be tired, when it'll be too warm outside, when it'll be too cold, when I'll have a little pain, when when when...
For that reason I force myself to run even if it's snowing, raining, warm, cold and whatnot...

Then, here I am running completely soaked by the stadium to do some intervals. And what a surprise when I see the number of runners training just like me in the morning and under the rain ! When we pass each other, I greet them and they nod to me as to say "ho, how I perfectly understand you my friend !". Then, I don't feel alone anymore. 

You know, I often talk about energy because for me energy is motivation and motivation is a powerful strength which allows us to do things, to move and to feel alive, as a breath of fresh air.

When I see all those people running while the weather is against us I  actually don't see people but pure energy and it really feels so good ! 

0

Unknown

2:27:00 ص

I didn't start very well this new year, lately I haven't respected my workout routine at all ! But... I can tell this time is over ! Today I did my first 16 km workout since a long long time ! I'm really happy since last week I even wasn't able to move myself because of a back pain and today, yes, today I succeed in running 16 km (about 10 miles) without walking ! It feels so good !

When we've got a routine, pains are terrible. Before my back pain I had a recurrent pain in my right shin which was preventing me to do my workouts properly. The consequences of that is less training and an obvious loss of my usual level, but I don't mind actually ! I don't mind because the beauty in practicing a sport is the tenacity ! With patience and tenacity we can recover or even get to a better level ! 

And come on, even if we reach once again a level that we already reached in the past, for me it's a real victory anyway !

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Unknown

2:37:00 ص

Because of a wicked lack of motivation I did a break on my sport. I didn't run for about 3 weeks, 3 WEEKS !!! 3 weeks it's so huge, we lose a lot of capacities. I'm really sad of it but I tell myself that it's like a rest period and I'm sure that'll be good for my lap joints and my muscles.
Today I went out to do a little workout, 5 km, it's not that much but in order to go back to train I think it's pretty good !

But, my gosh, I can really feel the lack of training, I'm not tired but I feel pain in my thigh and I lost some breath. I knew that would happen, but it's not a problem, what I like in this sport is the humility we must to have facing this activity and if I want to get back to my old level I have to fight for it... and I'll do it !

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Unknown

12:05:00 ص

August was an amazing month, I never run as much, sometimes I even ran two times a day. It was just happiness.

Check out the sum up below :

- 319 is the amount of kilometers I ran. (it's just the distance between Porto and Lisbon)

- 31 is the number of hours I spent running.

- 5'46"/km is my average pace (i.e 10,4 km/h).

- 26.261 is the total amount of calories I burnt ! This whole energy is equivalent to 210 bananas (about 30 kg of them).

- 21.797 of the overall calories is sugar (i.e 5,45 kg of sugar) and which is equivalent to 1090 pieces of sugar !!!

- and 4.464 of the overall calories is fat (i.e 500 grams of fat) which is equivalent to 600 grams of butter (or about half a liter of olive oil).

- and the last but not the least : 100% is the percentage of happiness I felt when I was running.

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Unknown

10:03:00 ص

I saw a chart very interesting in a running magazine. It shows the time we can save in a race if we lose some weight. As you can see in the chart below, you can really run faster if you lose some weight. Keep in mind that it works only if you are not in shape yet, I mean don't cut a leg to lose even more weight, you definitely won't run faster... :)

(click to enlarge)

Let's imagine, if you lose 4,5 kg (9,92 lbs) you can save almost 3 minutes in a 10k race. If you get used to run 10 km in 45 minutes, then now you can run this same distance in 42 minutes ! Isn't that a huge difference ??? Basically it's a pace of 4'13"/km instead of 4'30"/km if you see what I mean... ;)

But, of course you might think that this chart is a bit weird or not convincing. I thought all the same. How could we spare 3 minutes in a 10k race with our same usual training, only because of a 4,5 kg loss ? I mean why ?

Actually, it's quite obvious. I'm gonna show you...

It's maths time folks... (fasten your seat belt and stay focus !) lol

Ok, to show you why we can run faster after a weight loss diet you have to know some informations :

- When we run we spend energy depending on the distance and not on the time. It means we spend almost the same amount of energy if we run a 10k distance in 45 min or in 1:15' hour. This energy also depends on our bodyweight. The more you weigh the more you'll spend energy, it's easy to understand.

- To calculate the energy spent during a race we just need to know our bodyweight and the distance. Then, the overall amount of calories burnt is : 1 Calorie per kilometer and per kg of bodyweight. If you weigh 80 kg and you run 10 km, you'll burn 1 (cal) x 80 (kg) x 10 (km) = 800 calories.

Ok, now that you know these informations let's do maths...

We know that an 80 kg athlete burn 800 calories to run 10 km.

Now if this athlete lose 4,5 kg he'll only weigh 75,5 kg. And then to run those 10 km he'll burn only 755 calories. ( 1 cal x 75,5 kg x 10 km = 755 cal)

As you can see, now he doesn't need to burn as many calories as before.

Let's imagine that this athlete was able to run this distance in 45 minutes, then he spent 800 cal/45 min = 17,78 calories per minute. We can say that this is his maximum capacity of energy consumption per minute (the oxydation of inner fuels with the maximum volume of oxygen the athlete can sustain for the specific distance).

But now that he lost weight he won't need to burn 800 calories anymore but only 755. But of course he's still able to burn 17,78 calories per min. And 755 (cal) / 17,78 (cal per min) = 42 min 28 sec !!! It means that he can now run 10 km in 42'28" instead of 45' !!! And then the chart is actually quite accurate and convincing. Obviously, he can also run farther with the same energy than before : 800 (cal) / 75,5 (kg) = 10,60 km. He can now run 600 meters more than before in the same time than before (45 min).

You can see now how important our weight is when we want to be as efficient as possible.

Hope you liked this post, as usual leave a comment if you want to add anything or if you have any doubt.

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Unknown

10:00:00 ص

"We lose fat only from 45 minutes of exercise" ...I heard that thousand times yet and sincerely I cannot hear it anymore, it's a nonsense !

You know, I'm always looking forward for some informations about the consumption of energy when we're practicing sports. And I just found out some very good ones !!!

- What we know : We know that our body uses sugar (glucose) and fat (fatty acids) as energy source when we run. The sugar delivers 4 Calories per gram and the fat, 9 Calories. Of course our body uses in the same time these two kind of energies.
Then, what we have to understand is that the sugar is easier and faster to oxidize than the fat, then the sugar delivers its energy much more promptly. That's why the sugar is almost the only energy source when we have to run very fast (or when we do a very powerful exercise).
On the other hand the fat is the energy of slowlyness or better, the energy of long duration exercises (like marathon or ironman héhé). Actually, our stocks of fat are almost unlimited. A 70 kg fellow who has a fat percentage of 15% means that he has 10,5 kg of fat in his body. In comparison we have only about 500 gr of sugar stored in our body, 400 gr into our whole muscles and about 100 gr in the liver. The sugar which is into the muscles cannot get out to refuel other muscles or even the nervous system, it's inside then it keeps inside. Plus, 70 % of the blood stream is reserved for our central nervous system and then, it's good to preserve the sugar because we only burn the fat in the presence of sugar. So, no more sugar = no more energy even if you are the most fat guy of the earth ! Of course our body knows how to create sugar without sugar (gluconeogenesis) but it's another tale...

- How many energy are we using when we're running ?
It's quite simple to figure out. It's 1 Calorie per kilometer and per kg of bodyweight. The speed has a too little effect to be relevant, it's 0,95 to 1,06 Calories from 7,5 km/h to 21km/h. Then I guess it's better to use the average of 1 calorie as a basis.

Ex : I weigh 80 kg. Then when I run a 10 km distance I burn : 1 (Cal) x 80 (kg) x 10 (km) = 800 calories. The problem is I don't know which part of these 800 calories is sugar or is fat...

- Now that we know how to calculate the energy used, we can try to figure out the distribution between the sugar and the fat of this amount of energy ! Then I did a graph that shows us the share of each energy source depending on the time of exercise.

(click to enlarge)

As you can see the more your workout lasts the more you will burn fat. Hey! You people who are doing diets, you know now what you have to do... run slowly and longer ;)
Ex : last thursday I ran 21 km. Then I burn, 1(Cal) x80(kg) x 21 (km) = 1680 Calories.
I ran during about 2 hours, then the part of the fat burnt is 31%, then 1680 X 0,31 = 520,8 Calories (of fat). We know that each gram of fat gets 9 Calories, so I burnt an amount of 520,8/9 = 57,87 grams of fat ! Wow ! It's just the amount of butter contained in 2 croissants ! ;)

In conclusion, we do use fat since the beginning of the workout (not only since 45 min of exercise). Of course just a little part of it but even if you run only half a hour you will burn 10% of fat from the whole calories burnt, it's more than nothing. And keep in mind that the more you'll train the more you will able to use fat as source of energy.

Hope you liked this post, for any further informations, any doubts or even to rectify some stuff you can leave a comment.

Keep running...

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Unknown

1:28:00 ص

First, thanks to Easy Runner for this topic idea. Actually, this question is probably the one that divide the most the runner community.
A lot of people want to work out on an empty stomach in order to lose weight more efficiently. Some others think that running in this way is good to prepare their body to very long distance races like the marathon. And finally there're also people who don't care but they just can't eat before training because they train early on the morning, then eating is quite difficult due to the possible digestion problems during the workout (stomach cramps...). Obviously, plenty of runners will tell you that running like this is very dangerous because of the hypoglicaemia consequences (risks of dizziness or even fainting) and also because we can face a lack of performance.



In fact, after sleeping our carbohydrates stores are low so is our insulin rate. Insulin is an inhibitor of the lipolysis, which is the release of fatty acids on the blood stream. On the opposite a low rate of insulin stimulates this lipolysis. That's why people think they can burn more calories from fat. Actually, a study plublished on the International Journal of Sports Medicine proves it but it works above 30 minutes of exercise. However, the study adds that the difference between eating or not is quite small.
Getting our body used to train like this allows a better support of the final part of long races when our carbohydrates stores are exhausted. Then, the body "knows" how to use more efficiently the energy coming from fat.



I read a lot of things about this practice issue on running forums and what I noticed is there're a lot of people who train without ever eating before running and they never have problems. On the other hand, there're also a lot of runner who can't run if they don't eat, so they quickly feel dizziness or a lack of energy. As it happens, some people just can do it and some others don't. I guess it probably depends on each metabolism. DNA is unfair isn't it ?! lol

In my case, I run all my workouts on an empty stomach, and I never had problems. But sometimes I happen to run on the afternoon and I have to admit that I feel more energy and easyness but I also feel heavier because of a feeling of discomfort in my stomach.

If you want to lose some weight or prepare a long distance race, then you can run on an empty stomach but you have to try gently first in order to notice if you can support it or not. Why don't you try once a week to begin ?!

0

Unknown

8:12:00 ص

Please tell me why am I making always the same mistakes ? I guess sport is really not an activity easy to deal with !
I've been doing bodybuilding since few years yet. What ? You don't believe me ? Ok, I know it's not that clear when you're staring at me but I swear I really do lol ! I began in a weights room but after a while I gave it up because of a little lack of motivation. Months after I started again but this time at home. Then, I tried several routines, several exercices and quite often I suffered injuries, mainly tendinitis and so once again I gave it up.
We can always copy routines found on some specific sites and apply their advices but after a while we must adapt these ones to our body behaviours, to our sensations and capacities. So, we have no choice but to test several routines to find out THE ROUTINE ! In reality it's good to change this one from time to time in order to restimulate the muscles, but always fitting our capacities. Then I guess I finally found THE ONE, the routine that match perfectly with me, my bodybuilding Holy Grail !
Then, I had the great idea to train everyday but only one muscular group per day and doing only one exercise. Ex : I train shoulders doing 6 sets of lateral and frontal raises. In this way I'm able to work much more the intensity without too much fatigue and risks of injuries. I really like this training because it lasts only 15 minutes (warmup + 6 or 7 sets). We all have 15 minutes to train in a day. And for the mind it's good because we know that we will train hard but only for 15 minutes and not for 1 hour or more, that makes a big difference for the mind ! Of course I sometimes take a day in the week for a due rest.
It's the perfect workout for me but...

...But it's not so simple, I have always the same annoying problem, when I find a good routine I have to spoil it with my stupid mistakes. The problem is when I feel easyness I can't wait without increasing the number of sets, the weights, and also the number of repetitions. I finally end up by training almost half a hour. I only know I'm doing bad when I'm not able to complete some sets I used to finish, and as well when I postpone too many times my workouts, probably because I'm not really excited by them anymore. Yes, you guess well, it's the unhappy signal of an overtraining !

I don't want to go on like this anymore, then I'm back to basics, I came back to my initial routine, only 6 or 7 sets no more, a good balance between intensity and resistance, I increase weights of course but not too fast. And obviously 15 minutes no more !!!!

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Unknown

11:19:00 ص

A lot of people think that running can be quickly very boring. I guess it's because this sport might seem not too diversified or even not fun at all. Well, maybe it's not as fun as some other sports but it can be at least diversified.
To enjoy running we need first to find a personal motivation, it can be for a weight loss, for a well being state, for any health issues, for competition etc... And then, we have to set up a workout routine. It can be two times a week, three time or why not much more. But the important is to diversify this routine. Not just go out for a run and that's all. No no ! Because if you do that and if your motivation is not that strong you're gonna give it up quickly ! Sport is also psychology, your mind commands. Actually, isn't sport supposed to be a mix of entertainment, self transcendence, satisfaction, recreation, joy... ? Of course it is ! Then, if your running experience doesn't really match with those last words it's really normal that you'll give it up.
Ok, let me give you some advices :
- First, try to find the variables that you are able to change : the route, the distance, the speed, the duration, the moment of the day etc... Don't be concerned if you run only 15 minutes one day, you will run 30 or 45 min another day. And if you run slowly one day, try to run faster by intervals next time. Change the route, it'll allow you to see different landscapes and cross different people etc... work your imagination, you can do it ;)
- You can also take part in competions or set targets, this is a good motivation to keep training. Try targets of distance : "I want to run 20 km in 6 months". Targets of time : "I want to be able to run during at least 1h30". Target of speed "I want to do my route 2 minutes faster in the final of the month" etc...
- If you're not a misanthrope you can train in a running club or with some friends, it's motivating. A basic stamina pace allows you to talk easily, then you can run and gossip with your friends : two activities in one ! ;)


Well, now I'd like to show you my weekly workout routine as an exemple. I try to run as much as possible 5 days a week, and each workout is different. But if I can't it ain't a problem, 5 is a maximum, then if I run 3 times in a week I'm satisfied because it allows me to get a better recovery ! Keep in mind that sport is not an obligation, it just has to be part of your life as another activity no more no less. Don't feel guilty if you can't train one day but try to be regular though.
Ok, lets talk about my own weekly workout routine :

Monday, a 10 km workout. No speed target. I change the route often.


Tuesday, my favourite. It kills me but it's amazing. I did it today and it was euphoric and exhausting... ok I know today is Friday and not Tuesday lol... I'm just a bit behind schedule lol.
This is a specific speed workout. I do 3 or 4 intervals of 8 minutes (or more, it depends) at a high speed pace.


Wednesday, a little and slow workout in order to recover from the last one. 7 or 8 km.


Thursday, 2 solutions :
- a basic stamina workout of 12 km
- a long run of 1h30 up to 2h00 (16 km up to 20 km)


Friday or Saturday, a M.A.S workout. 7 or 8 intervals of 400 meters.
For this one I train at the stadium of my town for the accuracy of the athletics track. There are often other people training, I can feel the energy there. Stadiums are great sources of synergy, I like it.


Well, I hope you appreciated this post and of course I wish you don't see the running as a boring sport anymore ;)

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Unknown

11:57:00 م

credit photo : maniacmiler18

Let's talk about sport... at last !!!

Don't think I've been only cooking these last times, no no I do workout more than ever ! Today, instead of my interval training workout I decided to test my M.A.S. (maximum aerobic speed) It's a reference speed for long distance runners. The percentage of it determine the different runners' paces. Paces which have to be sustained during races or during workouts depending the distance (80% of it for a marathon, 90% for a 10 km race).
Since few months I've been training my maximum aerobic capacities at a pace of 15km/h which is kind of good to my modest claims. But I never really determined it, I only estimated it with some scores I made on personal races. Then, today I wanted to make it accurate in order to sharpen my future workouts.
After a due warmup I ran around a 400 meters track during 6 minutes at my maximum pace. The process of this test requires that the pace has to be the more regular as possible and we have to finish completely exhausted and the heart rate at its maximum. The difficulty of this test is obviously to sustain a regular high effort during these 6 minutes. But why do we choose 6 minutes and not 5 or 7 ? Because it's proved by scientists that most of people is able to sustain a maximal aerobic effort during a maximum of 6 minutes. Beyond this time, the performance decreases a lot because the organism suffers the consequences of the anaerobic metabolism. The athlete can't continue the same effort because of his inner limitation of oxygen transportation and absorption. That's why the anaerobic metabolism increases in order to maintain the initial effort but only for a short moment until the effects of lactic acid stop the athlete (fatigue, burn sensation in muscles, tetany...)

So, in the end of the 6 minutes, we stop running and figure out the run distance. And now... ladies and gentlemen, I have the honour and privilege of informing that... this morning... I ran... a bit more than... 4 laps... that is... 1640 meters !!!! Héhé ! It means my M.A.S. is : 16,4 km/h (3'40"/km) which is, always to my modest claims, very very good ! Honestly I didn't expect that value ! I'm really happy ! It's 1,4 km/h more than my old M.A.S.

It's really really cool, finally I am a runner lol !! But it also means my future workouts will be more difficult ! lol

You can see below, the graph of my M.A.S test (the red line shows a pace of 15 km/h but it's because it isn't accurate in high speeds)

0

Unknown

11:45:00 م

When we don't have any bodybuilding bench we can even so use our own body weight to work our chest. After a while the classical pushups (done with our two arms) become very easy to do, so why don't use only one arm to intensify this exercise ?

Then, let me show you 2 different pushups exercises :

One arm pushups, feet in height :

Clap pushups, one and a half arm :

0

Unknown

8:21:00 ص

I created today a challenge on the Nike+ site : The Weight Challenge.
"Choose your team and run the most kilometers until the end of October"

Existing teams :
- less than 45 kg
- 46 kg to 55 kg
- 56 kg to 65 kg
- 66 kg to 75 kg
- 76 kg to 85 kg (my team)
- 86 kg to 95 kg
- more than 96 kg

That's interesting to know if the weight really affects the distance and the frequency of runs.

Which team is gonna win ?

0

Unknown

2:49:00 ص

I decided once more to challenge myself : running 300 kilometers in October (186,41 miles) ! Hope I'll take it up. If you're interested, you can follow the progression of my objective in the window below.

OBJECTIVE 300 :

0

Unknown

9:48:00 ص

Water seems to be the best solution during physical exercise. When we get thirsty it's very natural to drink water. Ok, but isn't there a better solution than just water ? During sports, our body suffers a loss of water (perspiration) but not only, it loses as well glucose (sugar) and mineral salts. Dehydration is not really recommended, decrease in salt leads to a loss of performance (and dehydration) and glucose it's simply the main source of energy for our muscles but also for our central nervous system. Then, as far as I can understand it would be a good idea to drink a mixture of water, sugar, vitamins and mineral salts, no ?! Ok ok we don't need to be an Oxford graduate to find that but the problem is not there. Notice that not all drinks can be effective ! Effective means real rehydration and prompt absorption of glucose. Yes, some beverages can even have an opposite effect : dehydration and/or a not sufficient absorption of glucose. Héhé, as you can see it's not so easy huh ?!
Ok, I'm gonna give you the secret : o s m o l a r i t y ! Osmolarity is the concentration of particules (sugar, salt...) in a liquid.
- So, an isotonic drink is a liquid which has an identical osmolarity than our plasma (blood) therefore both have a same osmotic pressure. Wow !!! Really good to know... lol ! Ok, it simply means that all the components of this isotonic drink can be absorbed faster.
- If you drink a hypotonic drink that is a less concentrated liquid (water is hypotonic) it will be absorbed as fast as an isotonic one but with a low absorption of nutrients (glucose, sodium...).
- Sodas, lemonades, energy drinks and some fruit juice are all hypertonic. They are the bad ones ! Actually they have a high level of concentration and decrease the quick penetration of water and nutrients in the organism. These ones can cause dehydration (the water contained in cells get out to balance the osmolarity).

Recipe for 1 liter of an isotonic drink :
- 1 liter of water
- the juice of an orange or lemon for the flavour (optional)
- half of a teaspoon of salt
- 30 gr of sugar by hot weather or 70 gr by cold weather (replace sugar by honey if you want)
- If you intend to exercise for more than 2 hours, you can also add 40 gr of maltodextrin (it's a low GI sugar sold in drugstores).

About beer, a lot of people use to drink a beer just after a tough competition. Some studies show that drinking a beer after a physical exercise allows a good recovery (high GI) but some others maintain that beer is far to be a good rehydrator (diuretic) then I think this kind of beverage must be drunk in moderation to avoid bad surprises.

0

Unknown

11:20:00 ص