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By Rick Moore
Calling someone a "genetic freak" generally isn't regarded as the kindest—let alone politically correct—thing to do. But when applied to Lance Armstrong and his success in the Tour de France, that tag might be right on the mark.
According to Stacy Ingraham, a kinesiology professor at the University of Minnesota, Armstrong, who is currently shooting for an unprecedented eighth Tour title, happens to be built for bicycling, much as Michael Phelps is built for swimming.
"Let's just take it as it is that Lance is in fact a genetic freak," Ingraham says. "Part of it is, when you look at his anaerobic threshold, his threshold is somewhere between 78 and 82 percent (above 60 is excellent), which means he can work out at about 82 percent of his max capacity.... That also means that his ability to endure a high level of pain is also very remarkable, which means he can handle a higher workout than most of his competitors."
"When you can do that in practice," she adds, "obviously that transfers to performance, and when he needs to put the throttle down he can do it, and he basically will blow everybody away."
Greg Rhodes is a graduate student in kinesiology who knows a thing or two about endurance and training. Rhodes was a two-time All-American in Nordic skiing at Carleton College and has been a triathlete for the last 12 years. His academic focus is on sports performance, so he's more than a casual follower of Armstrong's accomplishments.
In addition to the high anaerobic threshold, Rhodes points out that Armstrong has a larger than normal heart "in a positive volume capacity." It may not be two or three times the size of the average human heart, as some suggest, but it definitely helps with intense exercise. "His ability to pump blood through his system, because of his heart size, is one of those astronomical things," Rhodes says.
The larger heart likely contributes to a hump in Armstrong's back, which, ironically, makes him more aerodynamic, Rhodes says.
Having the chance to investigate topics like the aerodynamics of bicycle racing and the best ways to achieve optimum training are what excites Rhodes about his graduate work at the U. "A lot of these questions we're coming up with are just starting to be answered," he says. "That's what's pushing the field of kinesiology and this specific field of kinesiology that I'm interested in."
When you add together all of Armstrong's physical attributes—his anaerobic threshold, his heart size, his low percentage of body fat (and attention to diet)—you have a finely tuned cycling machine.
"That's what separates the best from everybody else," Ingraham notes. "He has utilized every aspect of the sports science field, from the ergo-dynamics on his bike to the exercise physiology, to the sports psychology. He has maximized everything, including his own body composition, to be the best of the best."
However, Rhodes also points out that Armstrong's amazing physiology isn't the only thing that's propelled him to greatness. The traits that other world-class athletes possess—hard work, determination, professionalism, being a team player—Armstrong also has in spades. Plus, there was his bout with cancer (he was diagnosed in 1997, two years before his string of seven consecutive Tour de France victories), which naturally realigned his perspectives.
"He's overcome cancer, so even on the worst day of training [or the worst day in a race], he'll say, 'This is nothing compared to lying on the bed and doing chemotherapy,'" Rhodes says. "The cancer part of it really plays into the professionalism, the mental toughness, and, as we say in training, the ability to suffer."
By Mark A. Pereira, Ph.D.
Diet trends come and go in the United States, leaving Americans puzzled about what makes a sensible diet. While people may want to believe there is a quick fix, the best bet may be to tune out the hoopla and stick with Uncle Sam. The government probably knows best when it comes to recommending what we should eat. Indeed, most of its recommendations are backed by a wealth of science. Clearer recommendations, however, are needed about foods and dietary habits to avoid or limit.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently issued new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, with several key points to heed. First, the suggestion that Americans eat at least three servings of whole grains per day is essential to minimize disease risk. Many studies have shown that consuming whole grains, such as brown rice, whole wheat, and whole grain breakfast cereals instead of white rice, white bread, and refined grain cereals lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
The guidelines recommend that fat make up about 20 to 35 percent of calories, but choosing fats wisely is more important than the total amount. Fat should come primarily from vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and fish. It is also essential to cut out trans fats. These partially hydrogenated oils—found in many processed, baked and fried foods—raise bad cholesterol in the body and lower good cholesterol, increasing risk of heart attack more than saturated fat.
Abundant fruits and vegetables will go a long way toward helping people achieve good health. Eat at least five servings (recent recommendations are even higher, at nine or more) of fresh or frozen fruits and non-starchy vegetables per day, and vary the produce you consume to take in a wide range of nutrients.
It’s also critical to limit fast food and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. A recent study from the University of Minnesota and elsewhere found a strong link between fast food consumption, weight gain and diabetes risk. Participants who ate fast food two or more times a week gained 10 more pounds and had twice the increase in blood sugar and insulin over 15 years than those who ate fast food less than once a week.
A surefire way to maintain a proper body weight and ward off chronic disease is to avoid a high calorie diet made up of fast food, sugar-sweetened beverages, processed food and refined grains. Instead, fill your belly with fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins acquired from the grocery store. For beverages, the smart choices are water, low-fat milk or soy products. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to one or two drinks per day.
Prepare your foods at home with the right types of fats, when necessary. Be physically active every day for at least 30 minutes or more. Above all, find activities and foods you enjoy, and “Eat, Drink, and be Healthy!”
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Mark A. Pereira, Ph.D, is an assistant professor of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. This column is an educational service, and advice presented should not take the place of an examination by a health-care professional. For more health-related information, go to http://www.heathtalk.umn.edu.
By Kathleen Olson
We've all heard the parenting advice: “Don’t fight in front of the kids.” While this is great advice, most parents will find that over the many years of raising children it is much easier said than done. Conflict is a part of life, and it's more important how you resolve it than pretending it doesn't exist. Conflicts can give you a chance to teach your children how to discuss and work out problems without getting into a heated argument, fighting or putting your child in the middle.
Researchers say that couples who have unsettled fights in front of their children encourage negative thoughts and distress about marriage and family life. Children may also blame themselves for parents fighting. We know that a strong child-parent bond is the key to childrens' mental health and social adjustment. Research suggests that it's just as important for children to feel secure about their parents' relationship with each other.
Does this mean children shouldn’t see their parents fight at all? No. While ideally you should avoid having huge fights in front of your children this doesn't mean that whenever children are around, parents always have to see eye-to-eye. Children of parents who have regular and resolved fights have higher levels of interpersonal poise and self-esteem than those whose parents have chronic unresolved fights or those whose parents appear not to fight at all.
The combination of raising children, financial problems, busy schedules and differences in personalities can combine to create problems in even the most stable relationship. Here are some tips on how to communicate and problem solve effectively.
If you have a disagreement in front of your child, pay close attention to how you make up afterwards. It is useful for children to observe how adults re-negotiate their relationship following conflict. This reassures children that when distance and anger come between family members, the relationship is not over but can be resumed and enjoyed again. If parents can learn to control anger and not blame the other, their behavior becomes a model the child can lean from.
A marriage takes work and time. You are teaching your child valuable lessons about how to behave and what to expect from close intimate relationships. When you model respect for your partner, your children have a much greater chance of learning how to do it in their own lives.
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Kathleen Olson has spent her career focusing on parenting issues and believes that most issues we face in life go back to parenting. She is an Extension Educator in Family Relations for the University of Minnesota and has two children of her own.
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