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RE: [RC] Weight - heidi

Truman, I hate to do literature searches, but there sure was a lot of hard science substantiating the fact that weight has roughly 1/20th the effect on aerobic work that it does on anaerobic work when I had it crammed down my throat in exercise physiology class.  Had some more presented in veterinary CE (by Dr. Coffman, if memory serves--citing various equine researchers) at AERC conventions.  It's a handy ploy to call the science you don't like "irrelevant babble" but that doesn't make it not so.
 
Given the proper level of fitness to do the job and a backpack that fits properly, no, there isn't a big difference between somebody Bruce's size packing a 35# pack and a 50# pack on a hike--but there is a WHALE of a difference between him trying to run the 50 yard dash with one versus the other.
 
I'm a fat old lady, and I can still toddle up the driveway quite comfortably with a 50# bag of grain on my shoulder, once I get it UP there and balanced so that I am not fatiguing specific muscle groups (unlike the anaerobic heave-ho to get something like that up over my head to put it on a horse)--and my "fit" weight would be not much more than half of Bruce's.  And at the speed at which I can travel aerobically (which at my fitness level is only a walk) it doesn't make much difference if it weighs 35# or 50#.  (My dog food bags weigh 35#, and my Equine Senior and beet pulp bags weigh 50#, so I think I have a pretty good one rat study on this one.)  Now, if you make me travel anaerobically with either one, all bets are off!
 
Heidi
 
PS:  Bruce, you'd better share pictures of you in the dress--can you top Barney in his tu-tu?



Bruce, Bruce, Bruce,

Don't you realize that there is a local singularity in earth's
gravitational field in the vicinity of an endurance ride. In this
singularity the earths gravitational behaves very differently than
anywhere else. It is one of the biggest mysteries of nature. No theory
can predict it and there has been no experimental verification to date.
However, there are those that swear it is there and they substitute
irrelevant babble for repeatable experimental evidence.

Those that hold the singularity religious belief dear to their hearts
should try a simple experiment. Down a 35 pound back pack and hike 20
miles maybe with a 3000 foot climb along the way. Then add 15 pounds to
the pack and hike the same trail. That's the same percentage change
between 165 pounds and your 235. Of course if they were hiking the near
an endurance ride, it will probably be easier ;-) .

Be sure to shave your legs when you wear you new dress.

Go get them at the Tevis.
Truman

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