Special Concerns for Endurance Athletes
Endurance athletes face an uphill battle in gaining weight. Performance requirements restrict them from doing so to any great degree. They may want to weigh more, but their coaches and teammates depend on them to win. There is generally perceived to be an inverse relationship between weight and proficiency in endurance activities.
Can an endurance athlete gain weight and still perform well? That depends on the athlete’s current physical condition, bone structure and what type of weight is gained. Gaining excess fat clearly has negative consequences for endurance.
Aerobic capacity is expressed as oxygen consumption per kilogram of bodyweight. Gaining fat will increase the requirement for oxygen without increasing the ability to utilize it. Excess fat produces no increase in the force that can be generated, but increases the workload. (more…)