Re: [OT] Lance Armstrong & physical abilities

[Guest guest]

I recall last week there was some discussion going on about Lance

Armstrong and his extraordinary athletic acheivements. The discussion

was about low carb vs high carb diets, this post is OT but I thought it

interesting. I came across this article, it mentions that Mr. Armstrong

has some physical attributes that most people don't, which contribute to

his success as an athlete:

" He has a resting pulse in the low 30s and nearly seven litres of lung

capacity, one of the highest ever recorded, and his body also produces

almost negligible lactic acid, hence his ability to ride harder and

longer than anybody else. "

Full article here:

http://tinyurl.com/7u9lp

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I saw a similar bit of info about 3 weeks ago on a Biography Channel story on

his mother. That story focused mainly on her, and her focus on raising him as a

single mother. But it did mention that he had a larger heart (30% ??) than

average (able to pump more blood, more efficiently), and that they surmise

perhaps that contributes to his sports success.

Rebekah

[Guest guest]

>I recall last week there was some discussion going on about Lance

>Armstrong and his extraordinary athletic acheivements. The discussion

>was about low carb vs high carb diets, this post is OT but I thought it

>interesting. I came across this article, it mentions that Mr. Armstrong

>has some physical attributes that most people don't, which contribute to

>his success as an athlete:

>

> " He has a resting pulse in the low 30s and nearly seven litres of lung

>capacity, one of the highest ever recorded, and his body also produces

>almost negligible lactic acid, hence his ability to ride harder and

>longer than anybody else. "

>

>Full article here:

>http://tinyurl.com/7u9lp

>*

>**

>

It is wonderful what kind of shape he is in. Many of these " attributes "

are well known physiological adaptations to aerobic training. While the

resting heart rate in the 30s is uncommon, it is not unheard of in

highly trained athletes. My doctor says he starts to worry when someone

gets lower than 30. Other adaptations to endurance training include

lower blood pressure, a larger heart, dilated arteries and increased

blood volume/vessels. I think most telling is the young age at which

Lance Armstrong began serious athletic training. When the body is still

growing, I believe it can make even bigger adaptations to training over

extended periods of time than someone starting older can. The body

grows into the role of aerobic athlete. So Mr. Armstrong, a phenomenal

one in a million athlete with plenty of innate ability, owes much of his

success to plain old hard work and training.

And who knows, he may be Governor Armstrong of my state someday.

Deanna

resting heart rate 52, BP 90/50