Dr. Mark Smith is one of the most educated and knowledgeable fitness professionals I have had the opportunity to meet and pick his brain.
As you’ll hear in this episode, he has been a part of some very interesting and popular research topics, providing first hand evidence and information that will have a huge impact on how you train.
Trust me, you may want to take some notes in this episode!
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Mark’s Background
- Attended Loughborough University of Technology in England
- Masters in Exercises and Sports Science at Colorado State University
- Doctorate in Physiology
- Expert on High Intensity Interval Training
- Works out of Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, CA
- Advisory Board member and Instructor for the Titleist Performance Institute
- Tennis and Rugby player growing up
- His Doctoral focus was on heart disease and arteriosclerosis
- Was involved in the research at beginning of the Paleo Diet movement with Dr. Loren Cordain
- Began working on High Intensity Interval Training research
- Started working with Greg Rose and Dave Phillips, joined the board for TPI (Titleist Performance Institute)
Highlights
- Mark works with many individuals that are not professional golfers
- Golfers are starting to train more like athletes, which has had a big impact on their distance
What are some of the big nutrition mistakes that golfers are making?
- Not realizing that nutrition is important in their ability to play longer and with less injury
- Not switching to more of a Paleo style diet
- Not paying attention to blood sugar levels when competing
- Need a long term plan (lifestyle habits) vs just focusing on day to day nutrition or game day nutrition
- Not following the 80/20 rule
- Get off the GMO’s
What is Paleo?
- Refers to what humans ate in “pre-agricultural times”
- Lean protein
- lots of veggies (potatoes and legumes are not veggies)
- Beans/legumes are out (acidic, possible inflammatory response)
- Grains are out
- Dairy is out
- Avoiding limiting grains, legumes, dairy, and processed food
- Can eat lean protein, veggies, fruits, nuts
- Dr. Mark’s website: docsmith.org
- Dr. Cordain’s website: thepaleodiet.com
High Intensity Interval Training
- Dr. Mark’s research paper on Interval Training: Sprint Interval Training
- HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training): training at a high level of intensity for a short duration with short rest periods or less intense periods in between (with shorter duration rests, your body is not able to recover enough to get back to maximal effort)
- SHIIT (Supermaximal/Sprint Interval Training): the sprints are at maximal intensity followed by up to 4 min recovery period. With the longer rest period, the body is able to recover better and is able to get to super max levels for the next sprints
- Golf is more like hammer throwing than a marathon runner
- Wants his clients doing more maximal effort sprints than endurance exercise
- Need at least a 4min recovery period (with a 1 minute sprint) to be able to get your intensity level up again for the next sprint
- Good for all populations to build strength and conditioning (Mark uses his 84y.o. client as an example
- As you get more fit, don’t go longer (with your sprints), go harder!
- Long duration exercise has as much or more of a risk factor for heart attacks than the high intensity training (Mark provides a research example, which is also explained in his paper)
Mark’s 5 simple movements when needing a quick workout
- Push something
- Pull something
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Lunge
TPI Website (exercises)
Tabata: Not a supermaximal intensity interval protocol (not the best protocol for a power or sprint athlete)
Gibala: 30 sec, 4min recovery (named after Marty Gibala) Mark believes this is a more optimal approach for the power and sprint athlete.
Pregame breakfast and in round snacks
- Turkey
- Jerkey
- Nuts
- Banana
- Mini meals
- carrots, broccoli
- Just make it real food!
What does Dr. Mark Smith struggle with in his Diet?
- not letting the 80/20 rule turn into the 70/30 rule
- Chips and salsa
How’s your golf game?
- Has played only 3x this year
- As good as its ever been for as little as he has played
- struggles with chipping
- struggles with focusing and consistency
- recommends checking out (Vision 54)
Last Piece of Advice and Action Steps
- Find a certified trainer, get evaluated and get a program designed for you
Where to find the Doc
- Docsmith.org
- Facebook: Dr. Mark Smith
- Twitter: Dr. Mark Smith
