Is there a real alternative to Gene Doping?

Recently, the media increasingly began to appear information about Gene Doping.

Special Gene

Gene doping is the manipulation of human genes, modification, rectification of human genes directly into the body to improve athletic performance. it is believed that the person who correctly processed using genetic engineering techniques, becomes invincible. This time is now. Gene therapy techniques are being developed today. They invested a lot of money: create technological products worth hundreds of millions of dollars. And it is justified, because science works primarily on human health. Gene therapy techniques are already a huge number, they act, they heal. And where is the guarantee that they will not be used in sport.

It is noted that all Kenyan champions (on the run) comes from the same tribe, living near Lake Victoria. On this basis he concludes that they have as a result of mutations in a particular gene appeared to help these runners to show outstanding results and achieve victory over other athletes who do not have this gene. However, no specific reference to serious studies on this issue there is none.

In our opinion, this is just an inference, which is easily refuted by other examples. Suffice it to draw attention to the fact that the winners of the last four Olympic Games (including Beijing) in race for 10,000 meters are stayers Ethiopian Gebrselassie and Bekele.

By the way, the same runners for more than ten years and owned the world record in race for 5,000 m and 10,000 m. But the Ethiopian distance runners do not have a similar gene. Hypotheses about the Kenyans superiority over the other runners in the endurance of much, but they are all, in our opinion, far from reality. However, the crux of the matter lies elsewhere.

Mountains effective than doping

Coaches and runners on the medium, long and marathon Ethiopia and Kenya without scientists, doctors and pharmacologists empirically developed an unconventional method of training in the mountains. It allows runners descended on the plain, to show results at the level of world records and higher.

Mentors of these athletes empirically determined how fast the highlands in the midlands and their wards have run training segments, as well as perform other work with a running light of the lack of oxygen. In short, they have a concept of construction of training in mountain conditions. Runners of Kenya and Ethiopia almost not caught on doping, although the corresponding laboratory test them very carefully. However, the approval of many trainers, specialists and doctors that are not limitless possibilities of the human body, and therefore can not do in the sport without doping - caused great doubts.

And so the authors have developed the concept of building a workout in the midlands for endurance runners, constantly living in the plains, which allowed our students to successfully compete with the stayers who used doping in the training process and even beat them. Unfortunately, we can not explain it in this article, since its size does not allow to do it.

As you know, the running speed is a derivative of the length and frequency of steps. The length and frequency of steps are closely interrelated: an increase of one parameter, usually leads to a decrease in another. Some athletes adjust the speed, primarily by increasing the frequency of crossovers with relative preservation of the step length. Less athletes regulate the speed of running, increasing the length of the running step at a relative frequency stabilization. The third category includes athletes, which, depending on the prevailing conditions can regulate the running speed by using both measures.

So - athletes running in the mountains by the stride length is not profitable. For this running style requires supplemental oxygen, and it is known to be in the mountains and so lacking of Oxygen. There is another reason that athletes can not run in the mountains, extending the running step - it is very mountainous terrain relief. Therefore, the runners in the mountains instinctively go into a run in which the desired speed is maintained by frequency crossovers, which is more economical. Athletes are constantly living in the mountains or a long time being in the midlands and highlands, produced adaptations corresponding increase in the frequency of the running step. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in athletes in the women's endurance after the descent from the mountains to the plains.

Thus, on the basis of the foregoing, it can be concluded that the mountain, as is known, not only improve the functional readiness runners endurance, but also they form an economical running technique.

There is an alternative!

It should be noted that these dopes Blood Transfusion, Erythropoietin, Mildronate, Phenotropil, Dexamethazone etc. are mainly to improve the functionality of the athletes in cyclic sports endurance as it promotes better oxygen delivery to working muscles. But doping, which would at the same time improved the functionality of the athletes and their technique of movement, yet not "invented". By the way on the basis of mathematical calculations claim that progress results from the strongest sprinters in the world currently is not due to the use of banned stimulants, and by improving their technical skills.

So what is the answer to the question posed in the title? There is an alternative! But let's all in order. it is believed that the steroids epoch and other stimulants ends. And now we are approaching a new, more perfect - gene doping. The acquisition and the cost of identifying such doping is disproportionately higher than the existing ones. In other words, again, the emphasis is on the leading role in the training of athletes experts of medical and biological cycle.

But this approach for more than three decades, has not justified itself as a permanent feature in recent years, accompanied by a high-profile doping scandals. Why again step on the same rake? Also in the country there was not a cyclical sport associated with the display of endurance, both in winter and in summer, where domestic competitors would be leaders. Although funds for the purchase of pharmaceuticals spend a huge amount.

At the same time, to improve the training methodology itself in cyclic sports endurance (both in Soviet times and now), spent crumbs.

In these sports disciplines to the present time we have virtually no coaches, athletes are able to train world-class without the use of "Farm." Meanwhile, many foreign coaches (Italy, USA, Norway, ...) achieve high results in their charges by improving training technology. And a clear example: speed skater Ivan Skobrev by going to the group of athletes Italian coach M. Marchetti, won two medals in Vancouver (silver and bronze). The rest of our skaters, using outdated methodology training with its notorious idea of periodization by Matveev LA, were mainly in the second and even the third ten. A similar pattern was observed in skiers, racers, combinators and our other Olympians.

It should be noted that in Rio 2016 (and this is the first time!) Our athletes compete with foreign "clean". The result is known as "clean" Russia has lost its status as a great sports power, being in the team standings in the second ten countries - participants of the Olympic Games.

The real alternative to doping (including gene) in our opinion should be as follows:

Firstly, the money in the first place it is necessary to invest in improving the methods of training, but not in medicine, pharmacology, gene therapy technology.

Secondly, you need to create a few training centers in the mountains for athletes involved in cyclic sports (biking, racing, running, boating, walking trails, and track and field, swimming, skiing, skating, triathlon, biathlon, short - track) for endurance.

Third, you must also seriously address the development of methods of training in the midlands and highlands. This approach has significant advantages over any kind of doping techniques:

• -safe for the health of athletes;
• -It will not be associated with doping scandals;
• -It will allow year-round athletes to compete and show first-class results for the entire year, as demonstrated by runners on average and long distances from Kenya and Ethiopia. Athletes using doping in the training process, can not do so;
• -cost effective;
• -Finally, in the Russian sphere of sports medicine according to the Hippocratic oath will their duties and truly lead the fight against illicit stimulants.