[Closed] fitness, mere mortals vs the pros

Just to cloud matters even more, some people might also be genetically predisposed to enjoy training 🙂

new blood please.

Guy I train with (top 20 Elite UK MTB rider) has 7.0 litre lung capacity - so for every breath he gets 1.5 litres more air than me - explains why he is an aerobic monster. I blame genetics..

Ian, I was also thinking that, do people respond to training better than others, and if so how and why?

I think:

33% training, 33% mental attitude, 33% genetic e.g big lungs (VO2 max and all that) and predisposition to develop the right kind of muscle, and of course physical co-ordination, balance etc, body that recovers well.

Although I am sure the proponents of Sports "Science" will have some kind of blood test that dispoves my theory. And some magic drink.

vo2 max and how fast you recover seem to be the crux of it.
i dunno ask njee or gee.

footflaps encourage him to take up smoking! 😀

mate is an olympic swimmer, physiologically suited to her sport (and im certain talented too) but perhaps more importantly competitive as hell and quite happy to flog herself* in training

i think people who combine all the elements mentioned are top end atheletes, the ones who do that AND have a big physiological advantage are the legends - Phelps et al

*not literally chaps

I agree with fontmoss. I think people accept too quickly that they are not "made of the right stuff"
You can be very very good with the right type and amount of training.
You will certainly need the genetic assets to add to the above to become a champion mind.
The interesting part is,you never know how good you could be 'till you put in the effort .....only one way to find out 😉

physically there are three basic elements

how big your engine is - capacity
what % of the total you can operate at - threshold
how efficient you are in turning physical work into forward motion - efficiency

then add the complex mental issues

in a word the elite are genetic freaks with immense mental capacity not just for suffering but for focus and determination

they don't want to win, they need to win and they are so far beyond normal riders you have to witness it to believe it

Its a tricky balancing act, I have seen a few elite athletes that do all the right training, have the right head for it, but just don't have the talent. Have also seen talented athletes whose heads just fall right off, and they can't get them back on.

Good comparison [url= http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_factsheets/2006/power082.htm ]here[/url] between an ordinary competitive cyclist and top pro Jens Voight. Really brings home how different the pros are.

To succeed at the top you need the right attitude, but without the right genes to give you the engine, no amount of will power will get you to the top.

There is an interesting bit in Joe Friel's training bible about Elite riders. He reckons it takes 5 years of dedication to find out if you have what it takes as an Elite, but most give up before they get there.

but most give up before they get there

i think the head plays a big part in setting top athletes aside even simple stuff like all your mates getting lashed, meeting girls/boys etc whilst you're at home getting your 9 hours and waking up early doors to go and hurt yourself.

im quite happy being a tea drinking jessie that runs/pedals a bike occasionally tbh

And, some people seem to be successful in spite of themselves. Jan Ulrich would have been better as a professional cake eater but had quads and lungs like volkswagens.

(Can't believe this thread has got this far without dissolving into "they are all on drugs anyway")

Another element not really mentioned here is recovery, injury and sickness.
Some people appear to be able to train hard every day and not injure or fatigue and others are always getting injured or sick or having to take extra breaks and fatigue quickly.
Maybe its genetic or maybe its poor sleep or training program, what ever it is i think its a key thing that prevents many athletes from being the best.