#012: Optimizing Your Body for Fitness Performance

Show Notes

Two example of Sports where bodyweight manipulation is likely a necessary evil for elite performance.

Cycling

Most people think when I get off the bike after a 6-hour session in the saddle, I eat everything in site.  And naturally, I feel like I deserve it. But I’m already on the heavy side for climbing and I can’t afford an extra kilo (of bodyweight) so I have to be very careful about how much I’m eating. I remember sitting down on my birthday and only having this pathetic little piece of cake.”

Lance Armstrong

Then the documentary stated that an extra .5 kilo of weight would slow him down 11s per km on a climb.  When a 3500km race comes down to a few seconds in key stages, that weight is huge.

Yet remember, Tour de France racers average 6-8k kCal per Day.

3 Principles (pulled from this): 

1. Prioritize power to bodyweight ratio
2. Need to Minimize Relative Weaknesses
3. Manipulating body size happens in the off-season

Strongman

Watch the “Born Strong” Trailer

Brian Shaw, Eddie Hall, Hafþór Björnsson, Zyndrunas Savickas

• They pay a price to consume the volume of food necessary to win.
• To consume enough food, they can’t eat real food.
• Eating until they are sick, doing that every single day.
• Eddie Hall and his health concerns (5’ 9” – 433lbs at his peak weight)

2 Principles (pulled from this):

1. Mass Moves Mass
2. Overeating (or undereating) is unhealthy

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Applying Principles to the Sport of Fitness

#1 – Prioritize power to bodyweight ratio

In the Sport of Fitness this means… 

1. Locomotion: Running, Cycling (moving), Kayaking, Rowing on Water, SUP, Rucking, O-Course, etc.
2. Bounding: Double Unders, Box Jumps, Box Jump Overs, Burpees
3. Hanging Gymnastics: C2B, T2B, BMU, RMU, Dips, Rope Climbs, O-Course (cargo rope, monkey bars)
4. Inverted Gymnastics: HSW, HSPUs

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Will manipulating my body to make myself better at these activities, improve my performance in the Sport?

You must first figure out where you compare to the average.

What’s average?  The average person you compete against or want to compete against.

So if your goal is to be a Sanctionals level athlete…

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Read: What is the Best Body Type for CrossFit?

#2 – Minimize Relative Weaknesses

Are gymnastics and bodyweight bearing locomotion a weakness?

Is it clear that your body weight or body fat is the cause for that?

If yes to both, then gradually push your physiology in that direction.

(or)

Is moving external loads and spinning ergs a weakness?

Is it clear that your body weight or body fat is the cause for that?

If yes to both, then gradually push your physiology in that direction.

Read: Considerations for Big & Tall CrossFit Competitors

#3 – Manipulating body size happens in the off-season.  

The off-season is for making larger changes.
…that will set you up for success when your competition comes.
…not to provide an immediate boost in fitness performance.

3 Examples

1. If you spend the majority of your training time on gymnastics and endurance activities, your weightlifting capabilities will likely dip.
2. If you take a cycle to do hypertrophy work (Bodybuilding) you will likely lower your 1 Rep Maxes.  
3. If you reduce your caloric intake dramatically to lose access fat, you will likely lack the normal energy you have to train hard and recover fast.

BUT all these things can allow you to perform better once the season rolls around and you go back into a more balanced program.

#4 – Mass Moves Mass

Bodyweight increases as the easiest way to improve your ability to move an external load, especially for shorter, lighter athletes .

• Do: maximize muscle mass on your frame
• Don’t: Sacrifice body composition.

Performance vs. Aesthetics | Be honest with what you really want.

Lauren Fisher posted some wise words about this on her Instagram.

#5 – Overeating (or undereating) is unhealthy

There is no healthy way to underfeed or overfeed an organism.”

Matt Chan

While it isn’t sustainable, it may be necessary to optimize for Sport.

Cycle in and out of a caloric deficit or surplus and a maintenance diet.

The whole point of a deficit or a surplus is that it’s NOT sustainable.
Don’t try to sustain it!

Ready to join the ranks?

Email me to start the next chapter in your journey.

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