I just had an interesting experience regarding the spread of information. I just re-read an article about Base Training by Matt Russ that someone posted on another board. This time around one part stood out to me. Russ says that “high stress training breaks down capillaries”. I’m not an exercise physiologist but this did not strike me as correct so I did a little research on the web. I was amazed at how far and wide this article and fact was quoted. It was re-posted everywhere. People quoted Russ in message board posts as support to their arguments. It seemed be another case of ‘if it’s on the internet it must be true’. I’d love to hear some comments from any experts in the field on this topic. Here are a couple studies that disagree with Russ.
1:
Four weeks of speed endurance training reduces energy expenditure during exercise and maintains muscle oxidative capacity despite a reduction in training volume.
Iaia FM, Hellsten Y, Nielsen JJ, Fernström M, Sahlin K, Bangsbo J.
J Appl Physiol. 2009 Jan;106(1):73-80. Epub 2008 Oct 9.
PMID: 18845781
2:
Effect of high intensity training on capillarization and presence of angiogenic factors in human skeletal muscle.
Jensen L, Bangsbo J, Hellsten Y.
J Physiol. 2004 Jun 1;557(Pt 2):571-82. Epub 2004 Mar 12.
PMID: 15020701
i think andy coggan is best able to answer this, but my reading has always led me to believe it’s precisely the opposite. muscle hypertrophy, capillarization, increase in mitochondria, myoglobin, hematocrit, are all the benefits of anaerobic work, as long as your recovery and food intake is adequate. certainly things break down during a workout, but such microtearing is a precursor to subsequent hypertrophy. were this not the case, the great efficacy of intensity work would not have proven out.
This is old cycling “myth and lore”, as Jobst Brandt used to say, right up there with aging your tubulars and wiping your tires after riding through glass. No idea how it started, but it was used to justify low-intensity riding during the off-season (“no big ring this ride!”). Utter nonsense.
I just had an interesting experience regarding the spread of information. I just re-read an article about Base Training by Matt Russ that someone posted on another board. This time around one part stood out to me. Russ says that “high stress training breaks down capillaries”. I’m not an exercise physiologist but this did not strike me as correct so I did a little research on the web. I was amazed at how far and wide this article and fact was quoted. It was re-posted everywhere. People quoted Russ in message board posts as support to their arguments. It seemed be another case of ‘if it’s on the internet it must be true’. I’d love to hear some comments from any experts in the field on this topic. Here are a couple studies that disagree with Russ.
1:
Four weeks of speed endurance training reduces energy expenditure during exercise and maintains muscle oxidative capacity despite a reduction in training volume.
Iaia FM, Hellsten Y, Nielsen JJ, Fernström M, Sahlin K, Bangsbo J.
J Appl Physiol. 2009 Jan;106(1):73-80. Epub 2008 Oct 9.
PMID: 18845781
2:
Effect of high intensity training on capillarization and presence of angiogenic factors in human skeletal muscle.
Jensen L, Bangsbo J, Hellsten Y.
J Physiol. 2004 Jun 1;557(Pt 2):571-82. Epub 2004 Mar 12.
PMID: 15020701
Who is Matt Russ?
I don’t know who is responsible for the misconception that high intensity training somehow damages or destroys capillaries, but Mike Walden (of Schwinn-Wolverine fame) is the first person I ever recall making that bogus claim. Joe Friel and Rick Crawford then appear to have played significant roles in causing the notion to spread. In any case, it is incorrect - indeed, if anything capillary neoformation is enhanced by high intensity training.
Okay, I got curious and googled him. Here’s what he has to say in an article on base training:
“The process of building capillaries occurs gradually. Because high stress training breaks down capillaries, base training is best for allowing the slow growth of capillaries.”
As I indicated before, the claim that “high stress” training breaks down capillaries is incorrect. However, so, too, is the claim that capillary neoformation is a slow process - in fact, training-induced increases in capillary density initially occur so rapidly that it has been hypothesized that they must grow along pre-existing pathways or tracks in muscle.
NOTE: The above should not be construed as an indictment of Russ’ abilities as a coach, or as an argument against (or for) the idea of “base” training. All I am commenting upon is the physiological correctness, or lack thereof, of the above statements.
Thanks for confirming my beliefs, everyone. If I may, I’d like to ask a follow up question that is loosely related. I’ve always been stimulated to know what is going on in my body when I train and I am in the early stages of marathon training right now.
In terms of physiology, am I correct in believing that the major benefit in the 32k (20 mi), or in some cases longer, long run is in training the muscle to store more glycogen. I realize there are also benefits to the connective tissue and aerobic adaptations as well but it seems that these would already be quite developed by the time one reaches 32k.
…and wiping your tires after riding through glass.
But it seems to make so much sense… I even though the rougher/thicker leather on cycling mittens was there, partly, for that purpose. Wouldn’t some sharp-edged piece of glass stick to the tire and only later puncture it?
…and wiping your tires after riding through glass.
But it seems to make so much sense… I even though the rougher/thicker leather on cycling mittens was there, partly, for that purpose. Wouldn’t some sharp-edged piece of glass stick to the tire and only later puncture it?
At 40kph, your wheel makes about 5-6 revolutions per second. How many seconds elapse before you can get your gloved hand to the wheel after going through glass that you didn’t see in time to avoid?
Jobst is fond in saying things in an authoritative way that often makes people not want to question what he says (kinda like that tube/talcum powder thing)–but in this case he’s clearly wrong–and speaking like a Californian.
First off, ‘tire wipers’ (myself included) often start wiping both tires (or at least the front) when approaching glass, not after (in case you’re wondering, you wipe the rear with your foot, since wiping a tire with your hand is impossible when using a full fender in the rear).
Secondly, a cursory look at my tires after finishing a ride often shows small stones/glass that may potentially cause a flat, but have not penetrated the tire. I think the difference is that this phenomena seems to be specific to wet tires.
As ‘proof’, I’ll simply say that the first week I stop wearing gloves, I end up cutting my hand while wiping a tire.
As for capillaries, I just try to keep them from ‘bursting’…
I even though the rougher/thicker leather on cycling mittens was there, partly, for that purpose. Wouldn’t some sharp-edged piece of glass stick to the tire and only later puncture it?