Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Creatine supplementation

The muscle only obtains energy for muscular contraction through the energy liberated by the rupture of ATP molecules (adenosine + phosphate + phosphate + phosphate).

When this rupture takes place energy is released and it is used by the muscle This reduces the ATP to ADP + P. ATP is very limited and it allows some few seconds of intense activity (2 to 3 seconds), and for that reason it is necessary to reload it quickly if we want to prolong the effort for more seconds.

To do this the energy contained in another compound, PCr (phosphate + creatine) is used. This compound, also limited, allows to rebuild ATP, prolonging the high intensity effort until 20 seconds approximately, until its concentration in the cell decrease. Because PCr has an essential role in ATP levels recovery, this decrease harms the work capacity. Next graphic shows the changes in muscle ATP and PCr during the first seconds of maximal work.

What would happen if we increase PCr levels in the muscular cell?

We could maintain elevated ATP concentrations for more time and then we could maintain high intensity effort for more time.

Also, we would accelerate the ATP recovery from high intensity efforts, and to repeat many more times that effort.

Translated to climbing, will allows to make harder boulder problems, more longer more quantity of problems per training session, In boulder comp, will allows a faster recovery from attempts, and maintain a high intensity work capacity throughout the whole event, and in the case of rock climbing, it will allow us to work routes, and if the same are divided with some good rests, will allows to use as energy source to arrive from to until the top.

To achieve this one can make in two ways, with training, in particular the intermittent training (interbloque), and/or increasing creatine stores.

So creatine supplementation is one of the main ergogenics supplements that exist at the moment.

The speed and efficiency of the PCr replacement depends mainly on the total muscular creatine, so supplements with creatine helps to increase the stores, with the consequent performance improvement.

Some of the proven effects scientifically are the following ones (Naclerio Ayllón 2007):

1. increase intramuscular creatine levels according to each person's natural limit. (Branch 2003, Syrotuik & Bell 2004, Walzel, and cols. 2002).

2. improves the speed of the recovery processes and it slows the fatigue in intense and repeated works with incomplete recovery rests(<>

3. allows to maintain bigger work volumes with the wanted intensity (Branch 2003, Rawson & Volek 2003)

4. induces an cellular volume increment, due to their osmotic effect. The hydration and cellular expansion constitutes fundamental stimulus to attenuate the catabolism and to stimulate protein synthesis, favoring the regeneration processes and hypertrophy. (I gave Pasquale 1997, Persky & Brazeau 2001).

5. facilitates calcium ions release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum speeding up the contraction-relaxation processes because the acto-miosine bridges are formed and they break faster facilitating the capacity of the fiber be stimulated in smaller periods of time , improving again the work efficiency (Nooman, and cols. 1998).

To be able to achieve a maximum saturation of the intracelular creatine deposits, the only way is through the ingest of a nutritional supplement that contains a high concentration of creatine monohydrate. There are two ways to take creatine:

First one is to use a loading period, with 0,25 to 0,35 grams per kilogram of body weight distributed in 4 daily takings during 7 days, and then to a maintenance period of with 0.03 to 0,09 grams per kilogram of body weight. Due to the increment of the cellular volume that has as effect, it accumulates water in the cells, producing this way an increase in total body weight, something that is counteractive in climbing. During this loading period it is probable an increase from 0,75 to 1 Kg. of body weight, as consequence of that increase of water in the cells.

Second way, is through a longer loading phase, using 5 grams of creatine in a daily dose for a 30 days period, wich allows to arrive to similar creatine concentrations, but after that period of time, and recently there to get benefits. Then it should be continued with the period of maintenance. This option is the most recommended for climbers that are not carrying out trainings that are mainly beneficiaries from creatine (those that train several capacities at the same time), but in climbers that are in a period of maximum force training they will be directly beneficiaries if the creatine accumulates quickly and they take advantage of it to improve the training quality and indirectly it will impact in the performance..

Lamentablemente, la creatina no es para todos, ya que existe un 30% de la población que no es sensible a la creatina, por lo tanto no se verán beneficiados por este suplemento.

To facilitate the absorption, the creatine monohydrate ingestion should be accompanied by high glycemic index beverage (fruit juice),.

The creatine supplementation should be accompanied by a washing period after 2 or 3 months, to allow natural creatine synthesis. This period is approximately of 1 month before a new loading phase.

Creatine is not for every one. 30% of the population is not sensitive creatine, therefore they won't be benefited by this supplement.


Tuesday, January 8, 2008

INTERBLOQUE: special boulder training

Some years ago they were given to know the effects of the intermittent training in the sport practice. I start Immediately applying the knowledge of the physiology from this type of training to climbing, obviously adapting them to climbing. What I denominate INTERBLOQUE (in Spanish) is the application of the intermittent training to climbing, specially training for boulder climbing.

The intermittent training implies short moments of effort (10 to 30 seconds) of very high intensity, with rests that take the relationship 1:1, 1:2 (for example: 10" x 10" or 10" x 20"). The intermittent exercise escapes to the classic explanations of the physiology of the effort that divide the energy production in three systems (alactic, lactic and aerobic) that come from cyclic sports.

What we get from this? The idea is stress to the maximum the fast energy production, starting from the rupture of ATP and its later resynthesis from phosphocreatine, and here is where the importance of this type of training resides.

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Monday, January 7, 2008

Maximum climbing performance. A matter of head

Maximum performance situations consist on those moments where the climber puts everything, physical as mentally. When the climber isn´t 100% involved in the action, it is probable that that route or boulder don´t come out, mainly if it is at the limit of our possibilities.

According to some scientific works of the psychology of the sport, seven mental and physical conditions have been identified that the athletes describe as characteristic sensations that experience in the moments in that they are performing exceptional executions:

1- Mentally relaxed.

2- Physically relaxed

3- Optimist

4- centered in present

5- Full of energy

6- Extraordinary consciousness

7- Under control

All these conditions are psychological states that will make the difference when finishing a route, and not only in competition, but also when climbing at our maximum level.

We all will have felt anxiety at some time before giving our "last try" to a route or boulder. Our main task in those moments is to control the adverse sensations that can play us a bad passing impeding us success in our objective.

The presence of an appropriate emotional climate can help to mobilize the psychological reactions that are essential for a brilliant execution. A negative psychological climate generate the opposite, i.e., frustration feelings, fear, anger, concern.

High level athletes have identified their own level of individual execution and they have learned (intentional or unconsciously) to create and to maintain this state in a voluntary way.

This level of individual execution is in first measure represented by the denominated "arousal" or level of excitement of all resources of the body that influence in the activity.

The arousal is a mental state of excitement, which goes from the drowsiness to the maximum excitement level, therefore for each task will exist an optimum level. But in any moment the extremes will be ideal.

Let´s take 60 movements route for example where one should administer our energy throughout all the movements, if we begins with a too high excitement level, it is probable that we presses too much the holds and after some few movements the forearms gets pumped and don't get our objective.

The opposed would happen in a boulder problem where we need a high excitement level to give the best in each try, where we should grab each hold with our maximum force.

It is so for each activity we will find our right arousal level.

The following graphic illustrates this.

START

This Blog is dedicated to sport climbing training, and I wil try to share my ideas about climbing, training, and everything related on those topics . I hope this information should be usefull to everyone. Critics, comments and oppinions are welcome.