Aerobic Base: Bigger Is Better.

Or, "A Fundamental Foundation
Developing a big aerobic base"
By Pete Pfitzinger, M.S.(2 Time Olympian and exercise physiologist)
As featured in the November 2004 issue of Running Times Magazine

"How does a big aerobic base improve your running performance?

Your cardiovascular system consists of a series of steps that bring oxygen from your lungs to the mitochondria in your muscle fibers. Aerobic base training produces a wide range of positive adaptations that optimize your cardiovascular system and improve your ability to produce energy aerobically.

One of the most important adaptations to aerobic base training is an increase in the number of capillaries surrounding the muscle fibers. Capillaries are the transportation system for your muscle fibers, bringing oxygen and fuels in and waste products, such as carbon dioxide, out. By increasing the number of capillaries per muscle fiber, base training improves the ability to provide oxygen to the individual muscle fibers.

Other important adaptations to aerobic base training increase the ability of your muscle fibers to use that oxygen to produce energy aerobically. Mitochondria are your muscles’ aerobic energy factories. Base training increases the number and size of the mitochondria in your muscle fibers and also improves the efficiency of the mitochondria by increasing the activity of aerobic enzymes. These adaptations reduce your lactate levels and allow your muscles to use more fat and less carbohydrate to run at a given speed. A big aerobic base helps improve your ability to recover from training and enables you to handle more high-intensity training such as tempo runs, VO2-max intervals, and speed work."

Read the whole article HERE.