Part 3
Genetics
Genetics I would argue is the most valuable variable when discussing major differences between running events and basketball. When you see a great athlete no doubt work ethic would define their existence and certainly possessing great form. Its apparent that these are key to success, but if you look deeper into someones gene pool you will notice that many humans in general are predisposed to great genetics that can alter the definition of work ethic between themselves and their peers. By this I mean great genes=you may not have to work as hard as someone else to attain a certain athletic goal. Now, when I speak about genes what am I talking about? We all have seen two overweight parents create a child that turned out to be a superstar and everyone looks at the parents and say "what, wait, how"? Deoxyribonucleic Acid aka DNA are the building blocks of all life and we all have strains unique to only us. When you see an overweight person you have to realize that their weight is not a sign of genetics solely. A study I once read quoted a finding from the Journal of the American Medical Association where they found that 70% of body weight was attributed to genetics. I have heard numbers ranging from 50%-70%, but I feel 70% makes more sense. This basically means that an overweight person may actually be a great athlete under their mass, but that may have not been their goal in life. So, when they make a kid, the child in fact, could have superstar genes.
The reason I chose to discuss weight and genetics is very important to this discussion as weight plays a major role in athletic performance in all 3 sporting events I have discussed. In basketball having a body solid with muscle and above average height is vital. Guys like Muggsy Bogues got away with being short and small back in 90's, but those days are gone. The small guys in the league these days are a few inches taller and definitely possess a more muscular physique. In basketball if you do not have the genes that will allow you to be taller than the average then you are in a sense "down a few points". If your Mom was 5 foot and dad was only an inch taller then its likely you won't see a day in the NBA. In this sense genetics are HIGHLY important to a basketball player.
With runners if you see a talented East African you will notice their frame is small and they weigh much less than the average superb American distance runner. The genetics of an East African are far superior as the smaller frame=improved power to weight ratio=lower heart rate at faster velocity compared to an athlete whose genetics provided a larger frame. Body mass index is a great tool to use in this argument. When you look at an East African their BMI will usually be anywhere from 17-22 or so. An American will usually be a bit higher. Take BMI in reference to basketball. A score of 26 is considered a bit overweight, however does Lebron James look overweight? No way. Their genetics have allowed their bodies to have huge frames that happen to come with muscle mass that is far above average. BMI becomes irrelevant for bball, but for runners it is a great predictor of success I have found. For both large muscular frames and small lean frames genetics play a huge role. A great question I can not answer is, "which is more rare"?
The ability to develop muscle mass quickly and to maintain body weight are keys to basketball success. These types of genetics are rare as you will find if you go talk to guys lifting weights regularly. Many complain that they just can not put on muscle even with supplementation. Runners have a similar issue when it comes to muscle. Distance running requires a different type of genetics to be above average. Successful runners indeed need to possess certain muscle fibers in above average proportions.
Specifically, there are muscle fibers we are born with that come in a specific ratio dependant on your genes. You will notice that young kids, in their earliest signs of athletics will show you a very interesting scientific experiment. If you take 10 kids and make them run a mile, then take the same group of kids to run a 50 meter sprint you will undoubtedly find that the same kids who did well in the mile will not be the same ones who do well in the sprint. This is due to what biology calls fast twitch and slow twitch fibers. Fast twitch, usually considered to be white muscle, great for explosive bursts of speed needed in track and also in basketball and not as important in mountain racing. Slow twitch, red muscle contains an abundant source of myoglobin allowing this type of fiber to carry a significant amount of oxygen to the muscles to delay the onset of lactic acid. Both types of muscle have the ability to be enhanced through training. However, it is said that white muscle, the speed muscle is not easily formed whereas red muscle can be enhanced easier through aerobic conditioning. There are studies that suggest humans can develop a 3rd type of fiber that consists of a mixture of fast and slow twitch fibers. If you believe this (I do) then when it comes to determining which sports genetics play a more vital role in (in terms of muscle fibers), one would have to place track and bball above mountain running. This brings me to my next point, work ethic in relation to genetics.
If you are born with a superior muscle fiber matrix you are sure to gain more from the same workouts than someone with a less superior genetic makeup. This could be the reason why we see some really great athletes get by on little work. You occasionally hear stories of guys who run 60 miles per week and run world class times in the 5k-10k. Impressive. When it comes to mountain racing this idea of work ethic and genetics becomes skewed. Its almost impossible to get by in mountain running with out spending a good amount of time in the mountains at some point during build up. You can get by on less work if you are born with a great proportion of red to white muscle allowing your body to transport oxygen far more efficient than your competition. In basketball you hear stories of guys taking weeks off after seasons, this is unheard of with runners. If a runner takes off a month that is a pretty big deal. Genetics are definitely important, but for a runner they must train their muscle fibers over a long period of time and slow twitch fibers are only enhanced after many hours of muscle memory. Then and only then does the capillary system become more advanced and oxygen carrying capacity in muscle fibers increased. Taking a huge break thwarts any attempt at developing elite level muscle fibers. When I played basketball I recall taking large breaks after the season and the "hard stuff" like cardio was not taken very serious with the team. Except when my Dad was the coach. Distance running calls for a great demand on work ethic and something about that drew me in.
Work ethic is definitely more important in distance running, but definitely I'd have to say genetics play a bigger role in basketball as they are more visible with little time for analysis. To see natural talent in distance running you would have to get in shape and analyze how fast one got in shape. Then, let them get out of shape and test again to see how well their body adapts to workouts and how quickly fitness is attained. Basketball will give you results much quicker. When it comes to fast twitch fibers, there is no arguing that this aspect of genetics can be viewed instantly. Someone with natural speed can take months off from competing and one day they can decide to run a fast rep, line drill, sprint and you will notice they still have speed, but may lack the fitness after a long break. If you do not have certain genes that allow you to gain muscle or grow tall, or even long arms your road to basketball fame starts 2 strikes down. You definitely need to be born with a high proportion of slow twitch to fast twitch muscle to be a great distance runner, but I honestly feel that a runner born with a solid mixture can succeed through years of hard work. I'm no scientist nor do I want to be one, just thought this would be an interesting topic to look at and see what develops from it. Your comments are appreciated and I will respond back! Thanks for reading
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