There is no doubt that culture is an important constraint in performance and perhaps the example of women most clearly displays that. Unfortunately there are still many women in the world unable to take part in sport and exercise due to their culture or religion. Thank goodness for athletes like Paul Radcliffe who are beginning to show the men up and no doubt are close to their genetic potential!
I'm quite worried about the cultural constraints on children; it seems more and more difficult for children to take part in sport or exercise.
Originally posted by 2LAP Unless the 'some point/short time span' you refer to is caused by 'natural selection' in which case we do agree...........
If I live in a sunny place (having a tan all the time), cycle 20 miles a days and eat no junk food then my children will not be born with enhanced potential to tan, the potential to be fitter or the potential to be healthier. These factors won't effect their genotype as they do not create a selective advantage. This would be the case even if continued for many generations.
They might grow up healthier than the ones who (via natural selection) didn't get born because their potential parents died of melanoma's from all that glorious Sun.
Originally posted by EoinC They might grow up healthier than the ones who (via natural selection) didn't get born because their potential parents died of melanoma's from all that glorious Sun.
Thank you for the complement 2lap. 🙂 That was a very interesting article. What happens to an athlete when training at high altitude? Are there certain systems in his body that are addapting to the thin air so that when he gets closer to sea level his body uses oxygen more efficiently?
Originally posted by bryanquinn Thank you for the complement 2lap. 🙂 That was a very interesting article. What happens to an athlete when training at high altitude? Are there certain systems in his body that are addapting to the thin air so that when he gets closer to sea level his body uses oxygen more efficiently?
Yes there are, but these adaptations don't occur at the genetic level. Things like heamatocrit rise to increase the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood (the same effect as doping with EPO). Not all of the adaptations are beneficial though, as an example, on return to sea level the athlete may have a deminished anaerobic capacity.
