The 4-Hour Body_ An Uncommon Guide to Ra - Timothy Ferriss [164]
The sprint group followed the 30-second burst protocol. The control group performed more traditional moderate-intensity cycling for 60–90 minutes at 60% VO2 Max. Both groups worked out 3x a week and were evaluated before and after with an 18.6-mile cycling test. The improvements were almost identical, as were the increases in muscle oxidative capacity.
Recognize that working long in the gym is often a form of laziness, an avoidance of hard thinking. Three to four hours per week or less than 15 minutes per week? The choice is yours—work long or work hard—but the results appear to be the same. Trust data instead of the masses.
That’s where we have a cliff-hanger. This chapter was a last-minute addition, and dead-tree publishing being what it is, there wasn’t time to update before hitting the shelves.
Find the outcome here: www.fourhourbody.com/ultra.
Will it reflect my self-realization or self-destruction? Only time, or distance, will tell.
TOOLS AND TRICKS
CrossFit Endurance (http://www.crossfitendurance.com/) Brian MacKenzie’s homebase and house of pain, replete with workouts and forums. If you don’t want to suffer or celebrate alone, there is a full listing of nationwide teams that train and compete together.
“The Marathon Monks of Mount Hiei” (http://der.org/films/marathon-monks.html) Check out this documentary about the incredible Hiei monks from Japan, and their path to enlightenment. The DVD shows their death-defying fasts, their vegetarian training diet, their handmade straw running shoes, and more. You can visit the following link for an 11-minute preview: www.fourhourbody.com/monks.
ENDURANCE WORKOUT TOOLS
Gmap Pedometer (www.gmap-pedometer.com) As nice as fancy gadgets can be for tracking your runs or bike routes, a Google Maps hack gives you the same data with no added equipment. Gmap Pedometer lets you superimpose your route over Google’s map data, generating the distance traveled. The site lets you save your favorite routes and share them with friends.
Keson RR112 Roadrunner 1 Measuring Wheel (www.fourhourbody.com/roadrunner) This lightweight wheel is primarily used by real estate agents appraising houses, but you can use it to quickly measure short distances for sprints, whether around the block or on the track.
Seiko DM50L Metronome (www.fourhourbody.com/metronome) Brian suggests training your step per minute tempo with the help of this metronome. I found it easiest to use 90 beats per minute for one leg.
Casio High-Speed Exilim EX-FC100 (www.fourhourbody.com/exilim) Brian uses this camera to videotape all his trainees at 30 frames per second. As he says, “you can learn more in one hour of video analysis than you can in a year of self-correction without video.” Casio claims it can record slow-motion videos at up to 1,000 frames per second.
“Pose Method of Running” by Dr. Nicholas Romanov (www.fourhourbody.com/pose-method) This book teaches running as a skill with its own theory, concepts, and exercises. Just mind the ankles.
CrossFit Exercises (www.fourhourbody.com/crossfit) Instructional videos of almost every single CrossFit exercise and routine.
GENr8 Vitargo S2 (www.fourhourbody.com/genr8) This is the carbohydrate supplement that Brian uses to rapidly replenish glycogen. He can consume up to 1,100 calories an hour of Vitargo. Don’t try that with Gatorade.
Trail Runner (www.trailrunnermag.com) The only magazine dedicated to off-road running, written by trail runners who have races and runs from 5K to 200-plus miles. Trail Runner’s annual race directory features 1,100 trail races worldwide.
Born to Run (www.fourhourbody.com/borntorun) This book, authored by Christopher McDougall, introduces most readers to the incredible Tarahumara Indians, a tribe of superathletes hidden in the mountainous deserts of Mexico, and details a once-in-a-lifetime foot race pitting them against US ultrarunning legends like Scott Jurek. It’s a wonderful read that made a non-runner—me—finally get off my ass and on the grass 3 times a week barefoot.
Running Barefoot: Training Tips (www.fourhourbody.com/harvard-barefoot)