Note:
If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
At 18 years of age, I discovered this stimulant - Coffee
I usually do my best to avoid coffee as it can make me nervous, between the ages 14 and 18, and I tend to fumble things rather than do things better. Even when I drink diluted
coffee, I can get more hyped up and it made me have restless
thoughts.
However, as I am a Hindu, by religion, there are times, I used to follow some of the spiritual events which were held once or twice a year where I had to stay awake from night to morning. The leader of the group told us to drink coffee to keep us
awake.
When the time came where I was feeling sleepy
such that I could even sleep on the floor or anywhere so long there is a
clean floor. Once the coffee was drunk, I was able to keep myself awake; I was
able to chat with my friends till 3am; at that point I had
to take another drink to stay awake till 5am when it was coming to the
home stretch to finish my overnight staying alert.
From
here, I realised that coffee was able to keep me awake throughout the night. I did not know the meaning of stimulant at that time. Over time, I
come to understand that coffee affects your heart induces an elevation of the heart rate. I did not know that it was good for training until I met my friend Arul, who was one year my senior during my stay at the Loughborough University of Technology.
I did not use coffee before a run when I was an athlete in the Loughborough Track Club of Loughborough University. I
used to take coffee in a very diluted form for breakfast. This was when I was around
24 years of age where I can be alert throughout the day by drinking coffee. I did not drink concentrated coffee as I just wanted a calm and not a restless mind.
At that time, I would say that I prefer drinking orange or any fruit juice of my choice. I also avoided sugar in my drink.
My senior, Arul, told me the importance of coffee in burning fats. Having done the
Physiology lesson on coffee, he assured me that it is good to drink coffee to burn fats. Judging from his physique, I found that he could actually run to burn more fats. I told him that the glycogen will be spared from being used so long one is trained. A fit person uses fats more than glycogen during a run. From then on, he told me that nobody clicks with him to run and he decided to run. Many were amazed that we were able to run in snowing weather. From then on, sometimes I tried drinking coffee to burn fats, hoping that I become slimmer by drinking coffee during my long run. I tried out on different timing for the drinking coffee and this experiment went for an extended period.
All
the more, since my degree research title was on heart rate, I was observing on my heart rate at times when I was drinking coffee. It was confirmed that my heart rate goes up all the time when I drink coffee.
By Narayanan
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
