Does running eat muscle?

Kryten

I think the clue to the usefulness of this article is in he title: Sprinting the new keep-fit fashion.

Read next month's article to find out why sprinting is no-longer considered a good idea and you should really be doing rhythmic gymnastics instead.

[Deleted User]

Just a quick cheers for whoever recommended the Anita Beans book, managed to snaffle it off Amazon for £8. Looks just what have been after as trying to juggle exercise and weight loss.....and failing.

Now back to the handbagging.

[Deleted User]

Cortisol contributes to muscle breakdown, but it doesn't metabolise it.  If that's 'eating it' then fine, but it's important to recognise the difference.  Consuming protein helps repair the muscle breakdown - that's why you have it post exercise as a recovery drink - it's not required to fuel the exercise.

When you get the ammonia sweats you either really are running on empty (very unusual) or you're working so hard that the glycogen conversion is all going to feed your muscles (or you've passed 'the wall', so you've got no glycogen left) and there's no other way of fueling your brain (which won't run off of fat).

But for the vast majority of healthy, well-fed runners, including those who do marathons & ultras (taking fuel on board eg. gels, etc. during the exercise), it just isn't an issue.

Gymaddict

I've had the ammonia sweat a few times. Must be working really hard then. Shame it doesn't correlate to speed..

[Deleted User]

Hats off to you, then, GA!

Edit:  for the effort, that is, if not the speed...

Gymaddict

I do agree with you wholeheartedly (and did try to say this in my post) that it's really not an issue for most runners and if there is a distinct lowering of a muscle mass in a person - then there are other reasons eg as ZZ mentioned so eloquently earlier - poor nutrition will lead to muscle loss.

[Deleted User]

Zanzinger wrote (see)

Swimmers train for hours, every day. Do they lack muscle mass too? You have no argument, it is flawed, and I'm bored!

When I was at school, the swimmers (many of whom were county or national level) were all like bl**dy Adonis!

Gymaddict

As i get older and wiser - i do tend more towards the argument that tall skinnies run because they are good at it - NOT because running makes you tall and skinny. Similarly for other disciplines.

Moose - mmm you obviously didn't go to my school then - no bloody adonis' round here.

Gymaddict

PS - WHAT is that in your avatar. Looks very rude to me

Kryten

Chocolate Moose wrote (see)

Zanzinger wrote (see)

Swimmers train for hours, every day. Do they lack muscle mass too? You have no argument, it is flawed, and I'm bored!

When I was at school, the swimmers (many of whom were county or national level) were all like bl**dy Adonis!

Ditto rowers.

[Deleted User]

GymAddict wrote (see)

PS - WHAT is that in your avatar. Looks very rude to me

You're not the only one to have thought so, but I can't see it myself!  What does it supposedly look like then?  I assure you it is perfectly innocent!

First race was a half mara run in rugby shorts and a t-shirt - the avatar is a photo of the t-shirt.