EP 543: Part 1- Wrapping Our Brain Around the Central Governor Theory - Part 1
Trail Runner Nation
Trail Runner Nation
4.5 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 24 October 2021
⏱️ 42 minutes
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Summary
The central governor theory is based around the premise that the brain will override your physical ability to run and "shut the body down" before you're able to do serious or permanent damage to yourself.
Dr. Joe Uhan, founder of Uhan Performance in Eugene (Physical Therapy, Coaching, Running Analysis) and is studying manual therapy fellow-in-training at Johnson & Johnson Physical Therapy in Steamboat Springs, CO.
Topics we cover in part 1:
- What is the central governor
- What the central governor does. Tries to determine how much output can the body give without catastrophe.
- The central governor depends on all systems of the body. There's the role of the different peripheral systems and then the central brain. Everyone's Different.
- How close to catastrophe does the central governor shut down the body?
- How can we have a better relationship with our governor.
- Which is easier to train; the peripheral systems or the brain?
- Does the central governor fall out of shape?
We referenced the article Joe wrote in irunfar
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | To that question, then, there's also a central component. |
| 0:06.3 | The central component is the brain, and the brain, again, is deciding, okay, well, how long |
| 0:11.8 | can we sustain whatever effort that is? |
| 0:14.2 | And I think that's the beauty of ultra running, right? |
| 0:16.4 | It's like in some of my best performances, I never had that top end capacity, but I always |
| 0:22.1 | had the ability to just sustain it. |
| 0:25.4 | And that's what's so wonderful about this sport is that you have that central capacity |
| 0:29.5 | to just kind of manage things. |
| 0:31.6 | The brain allows us to continue at a pretty high level for a really long time, and I think |
| 0:36.2 | that's why we all do ultra running. |
| 0:43.4 | Thanks for joining us at the Trailhead. |
| 0:45.2 | This is TrailRunner Nation, where we go on virtual runs with experts that help teach |
| 0:50.4 | us how to be better runners and possibly better humans, grab an energy drink, and let's |
| 0:55.4 | get going. |
| 0:56.4 | Today, we're going to have our minds blown by Dr. Joe Yuhan. |
| 0:59.9 | In this episode, we're going to talk about the central governor and how it affects every |
| 1:04.6 | run that we're on. |
| 1:06.5 | This topic is so integral to our lives as runners that we had to do two episodes. |
| 1:10.8 | This is part one of those two episodes, so you'll need to pick up and stay tuned for |
| 1:16.3 | next week. |
| 1:18.8 | Don Santa Claus came to my porch yesterday and dropped off a path projects, package |
| 1:23.9 | and inside was the new Killam PX pant. |
... |
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