Straight Answer about Conditioning

wildcard_seven · 08-08-2006, 10:35 PM

Alright. Here's the deal: I've always had crap endurance. Always. When little kids ran around the playground, I was always the one stopping for a break. In gym class when we ran around the track I was always among the two or three stragglers who broke down after a lap, and I tried. When I just missed the school bus, and was highly motivated to get the driver's attention so I wouldn't have to wait outside in the cold for my Mom to come home I would sprint after it and then gas after 30 feet.

More to the point, when I was in the Navy and we were running and excercising all the time, I practically had a heart attack doing the final running test, and made a mile and a half in 11 minutes--exactly average for my age (18), and just passing.

I'm 6'3" about 185 and actually of an athletic build. I'm actually quite physically strong too, in the weight room and on the mat. I'm just not blessed with any endurance. The only theory I have on this is that I know for a fact that my birthmother (I'm adopted) smoked at least a pack a day throughout the entire pregnancy. Maybe it's got something to do with it. I don't know.

But, here's what I wanna know. Can someone with my shit natural endurance improve enough to be competitive with GOOD athletes at a high level of say grappling or MMA? Or, can they just get up to average at best?

Gimme the straight shot--I'm not using this as an excuse not to train. I always start running a couple months in advance before a grappling tournament, I eat okay, and I go to the gym. I'm not gonna stop conditioning cause I don't want to get WORSE. I just wanna know what is a realistic expectation.

Draft · 08-08-2006, 11:28 PM

I don't think there is a scientific answer for what your asking.

Yeah your mother smoking through out her pregnancy can have effects on your development but judgeing by how tall you are I don't think its a huge factor.

Also I don't believe there is a limit in increasing your enduarance or strength. It might take you longer than others to build up more stamina but your body won't just be like ''Ok, thats it, i'm not going any further'' if you just keep pushing.

You just have to train hard, maybe harder than others but eventually you'll build up more and more.

It would be unrealalistic to say that you can't improve yourself any more.

Revok · 08-09-2006, 12:07 AM

My snap judgement for your lack of endurance would be that you're simply lazy when it comes to conditioning. Unless you're hunched over with asthma and fighting for each and every breath, or you start having heart palpitations, consider yourself an indolent twat. Now get out and put in some miles.

TDonovan · 08-09-2006, 12:20 AM

If you're cleared from the doctor and have nothing wrong, just keep pushing it. Nobody can say how well you will end up. Put in your best effort and you'll get something out of it. If you feel like having a heart attack after 1.5 miles for 11 minutes, you are either extremely out of shape or you DO have something wrong.

Teddy Roosevelt had TERRIBLE asthma as a kid and was definitly put a huge disadvantage. He pushed himself and went on to kick ass with his rough riders and fight in wars.

wildcard_seven · 08-09-2006, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revok

My snap judgement for your lack of endurance would be that you're simply lazy when it comes to conditioning. Unless you're hunched over with asthma and fighting for each and every breath, or you start having heart palpitations, consider yourself an indolent twat. Now get out and put in some miles.

Fuck you. I have friends who do NOTHING but sit on a fuckin' coach and go to the gym, once, sometimes twice a week, and they can go round after round like they've been sneaking off and running marathons after midnight. If you think genes have nothing to do with it you are an arrogant prick.

Revok · 08-09-2006, 01:31 AM

Sorry mate, you're entirely right - you're probably just a genetic disaster.

**Standard** · 08-09-2006, 01:37 AM

My question to you is are you actually going to base trying to become a professional fighter on what someone on a sherdog forum says??

If you really wanted to do it, you wouldn't be asking if you could.

Slick_mick · 08-09-2006, 02:22 AM

surely endurance is as entirely genetic as say strength, no one has a problem in agreeing there are freaks who can do no lifting at all yet put up big numbers whilst others slave away in the gym and remain mediocre at best so why is this any different.

sometimes its reassuring to hear someone is in the same boat as you and offer some advice, after all is trhis not what the forum is for?

just keep working hard at your endurance, if you say your a strong guy already focus more on your endurancve and let the lifting take a back seat.

The great thing about working your stamina as opposed to strength is that you can see and feel dramatic results in a very short time whereas strength takes many months to see the same dramatic improvements, keep at it.

Ian Coe · 08-09-2006, 07:01 AM

If its something you need to work on......put like 3 times the hours and more effort into it

I'm your weight, 3 inches shorter and in about 6 weeks I've gone from being ok fit to...well...lets say I'll do ok.

Just put the time in.
The heart palpitations after running 1.5 in under 11 is understandable, sometimes after doing a hard set training I'll feel like vomiting and my heart will be beating like a bitch, but in time your recover quicker and quicker.

Not to say don't do anything you don't like, but easy off the weights till you get yoru fitness up, when I lift and train the same day I get worn out pretty quick, and the day after I'm just sore so that hinders cardio training (i'll do it anyway, but I will be sore as hell and have a marginally lower time)

Girljock · 08-09-2006, 09:06 AM

Have you been to an sports doc....maybe even a physical therapist to get an evaluation? Maybe they can give some insight. I'll tell ya.....it sounds like asthma or some terrible O2 exchange in your blood. Or maybe even some other things going on. Hey...if you can afford it...have insurance...get it checked out. Just to eliminate it. OR.......go to a local runners club (Road Runners or something) they might be able to watch you...run...see what happens and give you some insight.

Now..you say you eat OK.... fuel has a lot to do with cardio and performance. Sometimes you can't go thru a long workout without eating something. I will get sick, heavy heartbeat....it's just nasty. If it's short workout (under 2 hours to me

)...I need to eat about an hour before and then right after it.

Keep working at it though. My mom smoked more than two packs a day and I'm.......fine

Well good enough. I have plenty of endurance (now I'm not going to win any world class marathons, but I could run for hours) but it takes time. And maybe you need to change your training methods. Either way I think you need someone to watch what happens.....and give you some ideas on how to adapt to it.