Nutrition, Shaolin Monks, and GST

[moldy_potatoes]

Hallo!

A close friend of mine traveled to china to train at a shaolin monastery. He told me that their meals were given 3x/day (it was 3 or 2 times a day, I can't recall), and they ate the same thing every day as follows: a bowl of rice, with veggies. A


This presents an interesting puzzle. Monks training for hours a day, given nothing but a bowl of rice & veggies. I'm sure if you have any experience with northern shaolin style you know the demands of stance and form training is not a walk in the park.

Does anyone have a rational theory for why these shaolin guys can train for hours and eat such moderate, humble amounts of food? They are skinny, yes, but at some point you have to run out of fat to make up all the energy intake needed. How is the body adapting to such a thing?

Edited May 29, 2015 by moldy_potatoes

[Christopher Schwab]

(Quick answer in between writing my study on Autism and Forensic Psych, so I won't go in to detail.) 

 

My guess would be the first few years for them were brutal in large part because of nutritional deficiencies, but like all things the SAID principle applies. (Specific-adaptation-to-imposed demands) where they have become so neuromuscularly efficient at performing these tasks after doing them tens of thousands of times that is not exhausting any longer. While it is still an effort for them, it becomes about as strenuous as a normal workout for us would be and since it is a part of their daily lives their body has become extremely efficient at not wasting any energy when performing the movements. 

 

In short, practice makes easier, and since it is easier for them they lose less energy even though it still seems like a huge work volume to us. As a result of them using up less energy, they need to eat less to replenish it. Also, they rely more on speed, power, and flexibility so they can get by with the minimum amount of muscle mass, so they are not actively trying to maintain or add-on muscle mass their protein requirements can be somewhat lower. 

 

How is the body adapting to such a thing? Someone more knowledgeable than me will need to chime in but I suspect because they start young (just as with Coach's seemingly superhuman gymnasts) it is much easier for them to build up an enormous work capacity than it is for us adults and as such it will be much harder for them to become overtrained (although some certainly are chronically overtrained)

 

On a side note, with all the interest in ketones popping up these last few years as an alternate energy source in a fasted state, it would be fascinating to measure Shaolin Monk's ketone levels. Despite a carb-heavy diet, they would use the carbs up very quickly and may need to switch to ketones. I would wager a Guinness that they are quite high

[Blairbob]

 You have to remember that the Shaolin are supposed to be vegetarian being Buddhists.

Which doesn't matter anymore since it's a state run organization these days.

[Josh Schmitter]

 You have to remember that the Shaolin are supposed to be vegetarian being Buddhists.

Which doesn't matter anymore since it's a state run organization these days.

I'm pretty sure that's a misnomer. I've come across it in several books that they are predominantly vegetarian, but cannot refuse food donations even if they are non-veg options.

[Jan Reipert]

doing so for years might have slowed down their metabolism. movement efficiency might play a role too.

[GoldenEagle]

Point 1: Basic Biology.....a cell wall is made of protein.

Point 2: Vegetables and fruit have protein.