Tips for stamina; maybe a routine?

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 10/03/2011 8:56am

Sure, but nothing is scientific or exact.

I drink two small/"regular" size bottle of water by noon everyday (plus an orange juice if you want to count all liquids) and then usually make a good dent in the pitcher at whatever restaurant I'm eating at during lunch, and am usually teaching without break after that until 7 when I make another large dent in a pitcher of water for dinner (and maybe another bottle afterwards).

On days I run I have en extra few glasses after the run in the morning and after muay thai I have a packet of "electrolytes" or hydration salts in my water.

Tracking of rest won't be as specific or accurate I'm afraid. When I first came here (read: 1-2 month period of time) I would sleep and wake very early (Up by 6:30 whether I wanted to or not with plenty of energy) and has slowly regressed back to my natural state of staying and waking up late 'till I hit the wall of "You MUST be up by NOW for RUN or WORK" and then try and sleep at a reasonable hour before then.

I feel sleep is very, very important and while I don't always get my 7.3 (How many it takes me to get the full REM Cycles **** done usually) I try very hard to.

**bob63** · Posted On: 10/03/2011 10:03am

buy a heart rate monitor to ensure you are in your target area during your cv work. I used this formula and it worked for me http://www.briancalkins.com/HeartRate.htm
with hill sprints pick two points approx 30-50 meters apart, when warm get your fastest time, recover, then aim to cover the distance in 90% of that time, walk back down and repeat until you cannot physically get within 90%.

**bob63** · Posted On: 10/03/2011 4:06pm

apol's you add 10% to the time so 110% of the time not 90% dohhhh

**erezb** · Posted On: 10/03/2011 5:30pm

Don't know how your knees are, if they hurt and you can swim...swim.
Besides, im pretty sure you are making good progress, dont hasten stuff! it's not healthy.
working out 6 times a week is enough! add to your runs some pull ups and pushups and be patient

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 10/03/2011 8:21pm

Originally Posted by bob

buy a heart rate monitor to ensure you are in your target area during your cv work. I used this formula and it worked for me http://www.briancalkins.com/HeartRate.htm
with hill sprints pick two points approx 30-50 meters apart, when warm get your fastest time, recover, then aim to cover the distance in 90% of that time, walk back down and repeat until you cannot physically get within 90%.

I don't have a heart rate monitor and sadly I don't think I can get one (read: afford one) at the moment. I'm a bit tight on funds already and only earning Thai Baht so it's a bit different.

Originally Posted by erezb

Don't know how your knees are, if they hurt and you can swim...swim.
Besides, im pretty sure you are making good progress, dont hasten stuff! it's not healthy.
working out 6 times a week is enough! add to your runs some pull ups and pushups and be patient

And my knees are fine ever since I switched to the Vibrams Five Finger shoes (and generally minimalist/barefoot running), but there is a pool at the Stadium and I'd love to get in some laps, for me it's one of the hardest exercises of all. And thanks for the encouragement. It's just tough because I made so many quick gains (or losses, for weight) and now it's sort of slowed/plateaued and I just want to keep the momentum going.

**Sorekara** · Posted On: 10/03/2011 8:24pm

That's alot of water. What are you doing to compensate for possible electrolyte loss?

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 10/08/2011 6:04am

What do you mean?

And I drink a lot of water because it is very hot here and dehydration is a serious risk.

**Sang** · Posted On: 10/08/2011 8:31am

Your diet needs work:

Switch out the pastry and milk for a protein source and half a cup of rolled oats.

Lunch is ok, just don't go nuts on the rice portions and add some veggies.

Stop drinking any calories (milk and juice included).

Switch out that noodle dinner you are eating for some protein and vegetables.

**Sang** · Posted On: 10/08/2011 8:41am

Tips for stamina:

You are dieting, low calories are going to make your body tire easier.

If you are training three days a week in Thailand I wouldn't bother adding anything else, just stay consistent with your training and it'll come. Experience leads to relaxation which leads to less exertion when throwing techniques which leads to a seemingly super fit person.

There is no shortcut to experience, consistency is the key.

**WorldWarCheese** · Posted On: 10/08/2011 10:02am

Thanks, Sang, that's good advice.

Breakfast is the easiest to change as it primarily comes from 7/11. I can switch to water and while I don't think they have oats can I do something like a yogurt or a fruit or something. (Chopped, delicious, iced fruit is available for <$1 everywhere here).

And the portions aren't too big, and if they serve me too much I can always opt out of finishing the plate (not considered rude here, thankfully). And I can ask for more veggies now (learning enough Thai to effectively change meals to my taste was a priority)

And the dinner..... TT I really love my noodles. I can easily swap it for another rice dish with more emphasis on veggies like lunch (because Thai's don't have a "breakfast, lunch, dinner are different foods" mentality) but finding say a chicken breast and some greens would be a tall order unless I made it myself. I do love som tum and it consists of a large portion of dinners though (all the good issan places are usually night-time joints).

And while I'm not necessarily dieting, I'm eating what most Thai's consider regular meals, it is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less than my American norm. I've never been good at food control on my own, I'm just fortunate to now live in a country where eating out at local restaurants for every meal is the norm and the food and portions they serve are much healthier than what I was used to back in the USA.

And yeah, while I do feel there is real merit to the hill sprints/sprints in general I've started doing (second week now for once a week sprints) as I really feel stronger and an ability to kind of regenerate after a hard workout quicker I also understand a lot of it has to do with just getting used to the movements and becoming "pro" at them. Then they'll be easier and I can do it for longer.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone, I'm going to stick to this routine (and better breakfasts) as best I can in hopes of an improved image and training session. I'm in it (muay thai and Thailand) for the long haul so this is a marathon, not a sprint and while I loved the quick gains I made early on I know it's coming down to pacing and consistency now.