Herschel Walker and IF

Jeff Bearden · 10-27-2007, 09:06 AM

Anybody remember this guy. Herschel Walker was a popular football player who ran for UGA and later the Cowboys in the '80's-'90's. I've always seen articles about his workout only being pushups, situps and sprints but I ran across one the other day that I found interesting. He was asked by the media how he found time to do 2000 situps and 1500 pushups per day. And he replied "I only require five hours sleep a night. And I eat only one meal a day."

Just thought that was interesting given his size, strength, and athletic ability.

Jeff Bearden · 10-27-2007, 10:56 AM

Well, he began that routine when he was 12 and continued it through high school and college. He found the time because he didn't spend as much time as most people sleeping and eating, that was his point.

Jeff Bearden · 10-27-2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heidi Anschultz

How did he not need as much sleep as everyone else? Why would sleeping less be better in terms of recovering the body from daily stresses?

The statements just aren't scientific enough to believe them.

I don't really know, but I myself have only slept 5-6 hours a night for years and only eat once or twice a day and I'm a big guy. Even when I try to sleep late/in my body doesn't let me. Some people just don't sleep as much. I don't have any fancy scientific data for you, just experience. I have been in the Army for 20 years and have conducted lots of vigorous training on minimal sleep and few calories. You'd be surprised how the body adapts and how far you can push it.

Steve Liberati · 10-27-2007, 01:19 PM

lets also not forget Hershel Walker genetics are far above the average person's. What works for him most likely won't work for the rest of us.

Jeff Bearden · 10-27-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Liberati

lets also not forget Hershel Walker genetics are far above the average person's. What works for him most likely won't work for the rest of us.

Maybe so but he was always the chubby kid before he started his pushup/situp/sprint routines at age 12. His motivation for sprint training was to be able to beat his sister. Don't we all know that sprinters are more muscular than distance runners? So, maybe it wasn't all genetics.

Robb Wolf · 10-31-2007, 07:47 AM

I think genetics played a pretty big role there. I like intermittent fasting, I love sprints...but I'll never be at the level of Hershal Walker. Not without many trips to Tijuana! It's interesting stuff but it's always a hazard emulating the workout and lifestyles of elite athletes. Approach with caution.

Mike ODonnell · 10-31-2007, 10:01 AM

Even if he did manage to keep it up through HS....something tells me that once he hit a Division I program at UGA and went pro...his eating and workout routines changed dramatically!

and yes....he was a Genetic freak in a good way!

Next up: Why prisoners are ripped and huge on only eating 3 meals, relaxing and lifting in the yard...

Jeff Bearden · 10-31-2007, 05:13 PM

Okay Robb & MOD,fair enough, but I just think it's interesting that at some point he said out loud that he only ate one meal a day which was absolutely unheard of back then.

Now for the prisoners. What about the prisoners who don't have access to free weights or machines for security reasons and only do Burpees?

Rob Johns · 11-05-2007, 12:07 AM

First time poster but I often read your posts and this reminded me of something. I actually remembering reading something about hershal walker back in the 90's and he pretty much admitted that a lot of his claims about his training regime etc were exaggerated because it "pays the bills". I think the fact that these antecdotes are still around now probably attests to the effectiveness of his self-publicity strategy. So I would take anything he said with a grain of salt. But Walter Payton on the other hand...that was a player that trained like a madman