We’re continuing our CF Adaptations today by talking about Stamina. This is Part 3 in an 11 part series (unless I get distracted). If you missed the first two you can check them out HERE & HERE.
Merriam-Webster defines stamina as the strength or vigor of bodily constitution and the capacity for standing fatigue or resisting disease.
How’s your bodily constitution? Yea, I don’t know either. Basically what we’re talking about is the ability of the body’s systems to work together to process, deliver, store and utilize energy.
Can CrossFit training help with that? Ummm, yea!
In addition the 1-5 rep strength work, we also perform workouts that we call metcons (short for metabolic conditioning). These workouts tend to be short and fast. They can last anywhere from 3-20 minutes or can include some type of work/rest interval training. The shorter the workout, the more intense it can be. In those instances we are training anaerobically and increasing our lactate threshold.
The lactate threshold is a point during exhaustive, all-out exercise at which lactate builds up in the blood stream faster than the body can remove it. Anaerobic metabolism produces energy for short, high-intensity bursts of activity (lasting no more than a few minutes) before the lactate build-up reaches a threshold where it can no longer be absorbed and, therefore, accumulates.
During moderate exercise the lactate can be absorbed quickly, but with high-intensity exercise it is produced faster than the body can absorb it. This lactate threshold is marked by a slight drop in pH (from 7.4 to about 7.2) that is thought to and cause fatigue and reduce the power of muscle contractions. At this point the athlete is forced to back off or slow down. Presumably, having a higher lactate threshold means an athlete can continue at a high-intensity effort with a longer time to exhaustion.
As we increase our lactate threshold, we can produce more power for longer periods of time- STAMINA.
This is what we want from our training:
STAMINA: Out Work – Out Last – Win
Go get some!
About the Author
Dr. Chris Biles, DC is the head trainer and owner of CrossFit Waxahachie. He is a Level 1 CrossFit Certified Trainer and is passionate about all things fitness. He has competed for many years in adventure racing, mountain and road bike racing, and marathons. His main sport now is the new Sport of Fitness- CrossFit.