How much of a consideration is the body’s production of cortisol important to planning a sprint workout? Is it a consideration when placing a weights sessions right after a track session?
A term just for the Bodybuilders?
cortisol regulation is a product of several key factors in both volume, diet, and program design…you want to maximize cortisol (the processing time) and minimize the negative effects.
Cortisol production is critical. It’s been given more than unfair amounts of critical press in the last decade from the whole ‘anti-catabolism’ phenomenon introduced from our freinds of formerly Muscle Media 2000 magazine. I remember reading about it with great interest and much less experience.
While cortisol is responsible for liberating protein from our precious muscle (and connective) tissue, it serves a much higher role in terms of the immune system. While too high a level of cortisol is bad for muscle building and connective tissue strength, it’s great for recovery. The reason is this: when cortisol levels are low, the immune system becomes overly sensitive. Not good! The main vehicle of the immune system is inflammation and swelling.
Too sensitive an immune system and you’re not just sore after a hard workout, but you stay sore for another 4 or 5 days while all that inflammation clears. An overly sensitive immune system also reacts to many of the common foods you eat and things in the environment that you breath into your lungs - it’s called ALLERGIC HYPERSENSITIVITY.
Low cortisol will burn you a lot faster than high cortisol will in many ways. Adequate production of cortisol after you work out prevents inflammation and mobilizes your recovery. Mind you, if you work out too frequently, cortisol will liberate resources faster than the recovery process can replace them.
Cortisol becomes a critical determinant of an athlete’s training planning. With good laboratory resources, cortisol measurements, along with DHEA, Androstenedione, Testosterone, Test. Binding Globulin, estrogen, and free androgen index can help you to determine the length of microcycle that’s best for you. Every individual varies, so every individual’s planning should vary accordingly…