Thirsty (for knowledge) Thursday: Three Links

Here are 3 interesting links: the first about how good burpees are, the second about the difference between time trial and triathlon bikes, and the third about taking time off after your racing season is done.

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ARTICLE ONE: Here's an article asking if burpees are the best! The author of this article spoke with a cardiologist and a trainer to find out if burpees really deserve all the hype they get for being such a good workout. They posed the question "Can a round of burpees stand in for an entire workout?"

The Doc they talked to said "they're one of the best exercises for improving cardiovascular fitness" which is quite a statement. He also explained they they have a....

[...] high-calorie burn compared to other kick-ass exercises, like squats, deadlifts, and lunges, in order to meet that higher consumption of oxygen. "Other benefits include improvement of blood flow and lowering of blood pressure," he adds. "It can also help in improving cholesterol levels in individuals."

Bottom line: they still can't replace a nice hour-long workout, but if you go really hard for 10 minutes (saying you're short on time), then they are a great substitute workout! But the Doc and trainer they talked to urged not to go longer than 10 minutes because your form could fall apart and you could end up hurting yourself.

Also, check out the full article for a few recommendations on different versions of burpees to try.

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ARTICLE TWO: This article goes into the perfect amount of detail (not too long, but more than just a few sentences) discussing the difference between "triathlon bikes" and "time trial bikes."

I'll be honest: I always thought they were the same thing - I've used those terms interchangeably. But the author here highlights the frame geometry rules that UCI has in place for TT bikes, how frame gemometry is a bit different for tri bikes, and makes the point that triathlon bikes have a BIT more comfort built in so athletes are still OK to run after their bike segment.

A tri bike and a TT bike. Can you see the differences?

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ARTICLE THREE: This one might be the most timely for October. Here's an article about when/why to take some time off after your triathlon season is over. It's written by Tom Bishop, who represented Team England at the 2018 Commonwealth Games following an ITU World Triathlon Series medal-winning season in 2017.

Bishop says to look for when your races are done, and then look at your motivation level. If your motivation is low, then take some time. And he notes if you've been slightly looking forward to being done with racing, then REALLY make sure to take a little break from training.

He mentions 6 things to do: don't set a time limit (return to training when it feels like it's time), relax your diet, get more sleep, consider looking into physio treatments to fix nagging issues, take a break from social media if you are too inundated with triathlon-related things, and get some house jobs done!

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For more "Thirsty Thursday" posts that highlight workouts, body science, and all kinds of interesting information, CLICK HERE. As always, check back for some "Friday Funnies" tomorrow!