HELPING SISYPHUS WITH SPORTS SCIENCE
 |
| Sisyphus by Titian (circa 1549) |
OMG did I get it wrong! As part of my Re-read Book Series, I included a post on THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS by Albert Camus; and wrote about Sisyphus - who was condemned by the gods to rolling and carrying a boulder up a mountain then having to repeat it all over again as the stone fell back down - and how this myth is a test of endurance and mental strength for the endurance athlete.
However, my previous post about Sisyphus never really sat well with me and I want to clarify a couple of points and bring new information to light:
One point to clarify is that the previous post said Sisyphus’s boulder rolling is a test of endurance. While this is true, it is also a test of power and strength, too.
Sports science can be helpful in describing Sisyphus’s situation by defining terms. Sports science refers to endurance as the physical capability to sustain exercise for a period of time. For instance, Sisyphus taking 5 hours to roll and carry the boulder up the mountain is a measure of endurance. Sports science refers to strength as the ability to exert force to overcome resistance. For example, after weighing the boulder to be 200 pounds, Sisyphus was able to exert enough force to move this boulder. Power is defined by sports science as the amount of work performed over a given period of time. Sisyphus being able to roll and carry this 200 pound boulder up the mountain in 5 hours is an example of power. While I did say Sisyphus’s boulder rolling is a test of endurance, sports science might push back a bit to say it is more of a test of power.
Another point to clarify is that the gods condemned Sisyphus to rolling and carrying a boulder up a mountain as punishment. So Sisyphus did not participate in this activity of his own free choosing, different when we choose to follow an exercise program. I learned that Sisyphus had deceived others and the gods wanted to punish him. Yet, the gods turned the tables on Sisyphus by deceiving him, too. They told Sisyphus that his punishment stopped when he could get the boulder to the top of the mountain. And, with their special powers, the gods controlled events so the boulder always rolled back down the mountain. Even though boulder rolling is a test of power for Sisyphus, he was powerless because the outcome was controlled by the gods. Yet, as author, Albert Camus, asserted in my first post, Sisyphus was able to rise above all this - even to the point of being happy with a life of boulder rolling.
Something not mentioned in this myth is: how did Sisyphus recover from a bout of boulder rolling to be ready to go again? Given that Sisyphus was involved in an activity that taxed his power, both sport and health science can offer some best practices so Sisyphus could recover and be ready for another bout of boulder rolling.
One source of recovery Sisyphus needs to consider is sleep. If sleep quantity and quality becomes inadequate, he would probably only last for a few days of boulder rolling. RESEARCH indicates that a 7-9 hour window of sleep is optimal for maintaining health. Further, elite athletes seem to be able to sleep past this time window, most often by taking a nap during the day. All told, Sisyphus will need to prioritise sleep any chance he gets - even with a nap during daylight hours.
Another recovery source is sports nutrition. Since Sisyphus is engaging in power exercise, he will need relatively more protein than average. One sports nutrition source recommends 1.6 to 2.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight for strength and power exercise. Whereas, 1.0 to 1.6 g of protein per kilogram is recommended for endurance exercise. So, with Sisyphus weighing 70 kilograms (155 lbs), he would need at least 112 g of daily protein for strength and power exercise. The diet in ancient Greece consisted of the “Mediterranean Triad” - cereals, olives, and grapes. And legumes were becoming widely used at this time with the most frequently mentioned being black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and garden peas - all good plant-based sources of protein. Also available to Sisyphus is kykeon - an ancient Greek power shake! Kykeon is a barley gruel to which water, herbs, and grated goat cheese are added. Sports scientists would probably counsel Sisyphus to drink kykeon throughout the day as this is a good source of both complex carbs and protein while on the move.
In addition, sports scientists would want to counsel Sisyphus on the importance of drinking water to stay hydrated while boulder rolling and carrying. They would want to counsel him on the colour of his urine - clear and plentiful says hydrated, whereas, dark and concentrated says dehydrated. Adding salt to kykeon would help Sisyphus retain water and prevent cramping when exercising in the heat of ancient Greece.
With these tips from sports scientists, Sisyphus would have a good chance to one day get the boulder to stay at the top of the mountain and earn his freedom back!
* * *
Thanks for reading. For more on Sisyphus and exercising in the heat, check out the Re-read Book Series & Recovery sections in the EOOC TABLE OF CONTENTS.
QUESTION?
info@experiment1coaching.com
FOLLOW
If you enjoyed this post, never miss out on future posts by following Experiment of One Coaching and ‘Like’ us on FACEBOOK.
WEBSITE
Experiment of One Coaching covers topics ranging from running, strength training, health & wellness, sports nutrition to travel. I usually post once or twice a month.
Comments