Obama swimmer improves fitness and power, will compete in Steel City Showdown cycling race
When last we left the news on Obama Academy distance freestyler Erik Rauterkus, we informed you of his City League medals and state competition. We also informed you that in addition to Rauterkus’ swimming achievements, he was participating in Cycling Fusion Winter Training, a cycling fitness program through the Cycling Fusion studio in Oakmont. The program was 12-weeks long, and it was aimed at developing fitness scientifically and measurably.
Those measured results are now in.
“He already started with the biggest "engine" I've ever seen or tested,” said Cycling Fusion’s Chief Cycling Officer Gene Nacey. Nacey was describing Rauterkus’ fitness assessment at the beginning of the 12-week program. The parameter measured to in order to assess fitness was called VO2 max, i.e., the rate at which a person’s body can take in oxygen to produce energy. Recall that in basic combustion reactions, it takes a lot of oxygen to burn even a little fuel. Likewise, Rauterkus’ starting VO2 max was 84(ml/kg/min). This means that for every kilogram of Rauterkus’ body weight, he could take in 84 milliliters of oxygen per minute. This oxygen could then be funneled in to the cellular respiration process (the process by which oxygen is used in the body to break down fuel for energy).
Nacey had noted that Rauterkus’ starting VO2 max was impressive. Rauterkus’ pulmonary system had likely been impeccably conditioned through varsity swimming. However, Nacey also explained that a person’s starting VO2 max is also limited by his own genetics.
“Each person's VO2 max is predominantly determined by our parents, with research showing that one can improve it by up to 20 percent or so through training,” said Nacey.
In Rauterkus’ case, genetics did not seem to limit his capacity to improve upon his VO2 max.
“[Whether or not Rauterkus] can hold on to [his starting VO2 max of 84(ml/kg/min)] is yet to be seen,” said Nacey. “That is clearly ‘pro-level’ genetics.”
But Nacey also explained that one of the goals of the program was to get athletes to better use their fitness for power (i.e., work done per unit time, like bicycling in a race).
“Eric adapted well to the extensive work we did on our ‘low end efficiency,’” said Nacey. He explained that the principle [of ‘low and efficiency’] is twofold. If we can be more efficient in the lower heart zones, we can save our ‘high end’ for the harder efforts (i.e. big climbs and sprints at the finish) while being faster at lower heart rates. So basically, if an athlete can use a good VO2 max to be powerful when he’s not exerting himself too much, he can (in the words of Nacey) “wear down opponents before a key point of attack later in the race, or the big finish at the end.”
Here’s a graph charting Rauterkus’ improvement of power and efficiency before and after the 12-week program:
From Nacey: “Notice in the graph how [Rauterkus’] power improved significantly in the ‘After’ test, and the Efficiency also is an entire level above throughout the entire exam. This means he started more efficient (think SAME power produced at LOWER heart rates) and stayed more efficient right through to the end (even though he was still producing more power)!”
The Steel City Showdown bike races are set for April 29, 2012. Rauterkus’ results will be posted when available.
Those measured results are now in.
“He already started with the biggest "engine" I've ever seen or tested,” said Cycling Fusion’s Chief Cycling Officer Gene Nacey. Nacey was describing Rauterkus’ fitness assessment at the beginning of the 12-week program. The parameter measured to in order to assess fitness was called VO2 max, i.e., the rate at which a person’s body can take in oxygen to produce energy. Recall that in basic combustion reactions, it takes a lot of oxygen to burn even a little fuel. Likewise, Rauterkus’ starting VO2 max was 84(ml/kg/min). This means that for every kilogram of Rauterkus’ body weight, he could take in 84 milliliters of oxygen per minute. This oxygen could then be funneled in to the cellular respiration process (the process by which oxygen is used in the body to break down fuel for energy).
Nacey had noted that Rauterkus’ starting VO2 max was impressive. Rauterkus’ pulmonary system had likely been impeccably conditioned through varsity swimming. However, Nacey also explained that a person’s starting VO2 max is also limited by his own genetics.
“Each person's VO2 max is predominantly determined by our parents, with research showing that one can improve it by up to 20 percent or so through training,” said Nacey.
In Rauterkus’ case, genetics did not seem to limit his capacity to improve upon his VO2 max.
“[Whether or not Rauterkus] can hold on to [his starting VO2 max of 84(ml/kg/min)] is yet to be seen,” said Nacey. “That is clearly ‘pro-level’ genetics.”
But Nacey also explained that one of the goals of the program was to get athletes to better use their fitness for power (i.e., work done per unit time, like bicycling in a race).
“Eric adapted well to the extensive work we did on our ‘low end efficiency,’” said Nacey. He explained that the principle [of ‘low and efficiency’] is twofold. If we can be more efficient in the lower heart zones, we can save our ‘high end’ for the harder efforts (i.e. big climbs and sprints at the finish) while being faster at lower heart rates. So basically, if an athlete can use a good VO2 max to be powerful when he’s not exerting himself too much, he can (in the words of Nacey) “wear down opponents before a key point of attack later in the race, or the big finish at the end.”
Here’s a graph charting Rauterkus’ improvement of power and efficiency before and after the 12-week program:
From Nacey: “Notice in the graph how [Rauterkus’] power improved significantly in the ‘After’ test, and the Efficiency also is an entire level above throughout the entire exam. This means he started more efficient (think SAME power produced at LOWER heart rates) and stayed more efficient right through to the end (even though he was still producing more power)!”
The Steel City Showdown bike races are set for April 29, 2012. Rauterkus’ results will be posted when available.
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