Ultrastrolaris, muscles, and iron brains

2007/02/25 Rementeria Argote, Nagore - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Genetika
• Anatomia/Fisiologia

Triathlon is one of the most demanding sports tests, and in addition to muscles you have to have a very complicated head. (Photo: Delly Director / triathlon.org

In order to know what differentiates athletes who participate in the most demanding sports events in the world, numerous studies have been carried out. And it is not easy to carry out these investigations. In fact, it's much easier to test people who play any other sport by running on a treadmill or moving weights... It is usually a matter of a few minutes, a few hours, at most.

But in the toughest sports tests in the world (ultramaratones, triathlon Ironman...) there are a lot of hours (even days in the most extreme tests), so they work in the sport test itself to investigate the activity of athletes.

Genetic advantage

According to some experts, we sometimes forget that the human body evolved to run, for example to pursue hunting. Therefore, with good prior preparation, almost anyone can be ultraidor. But genes also have a lot to do, and it's logical to think that ultrachirolari has a genetic advantage for the toughest activities: it has variants of genes that give it proper body for long and hard physical activities.

It can be said that the best ultracolists have been genetically born for hard sports. (Photo: Delly Director / triathlon.org

This statement cannot be generalized to all ultracolists. Genetic research has shown that many of the best ultracolists have the same variants as certain genes. Therefore, the theory of genetic advantage has its foundation, but it is not yet complete.

However, it is true that genetics determines the basic physiology of an athlete: muscles, respiratory system, circulatory system, etc. In the case of muscle, for example, it is clear that depending on the sport test the muscle is more suitable. In the case of ultrachirolari, it requires resistant muscles that work for a long time.

The main fuel of this muscle is fat. Fat brings much more energy to the muscle than glucose, but its use is more expensive. Because they have seen that ultraferols burn fat more easily than normal; in some way, they take better advantage than other athletes to the fat stored in the body and store glucose to burn it later.

Control with boss

But the body of the ultrabolarium, with these advantages, has limits, like the rest. And before damaging the body the muscles harden. It is a protective mechanism. But it seems that the ultrabolists manage to delay this protection mechanism.

Ultrabolists not only have iron muscles, but also the head. They reach the extreme of pain and impossibility, but they are able to move forward. Do not give up easily.

Of course, it improves workouts and mind. But to what extent is it natural and to what extent did it win with training? For now we have no answer.

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