Long Carries: Fed or Fasted?

Training
1

Hi Coach,

I have become a huge fan of long carries with a Rogue feedsack (Wreck bag) since your articles on the benefits of long carries (“The Right Way to Train for Fat Loss” and “The Eternal Warrior Plan”.

In the spirit of “The Best and Worst Cardio for Natural Bodybuilding”, would you recommend long carries to be done fed or fasted? I suspect this is contingent on goals (maximum hypertrophy above all else vs. AMPK, longevity, fat loss promotion a la Primer 52).

I suspect distance/duration is an important variable as the 2-3 miles covered in a 30-45 minute walk is different than one setting out on a 2 hour, 6 mile+ session. The former seems closer to the fasted walking end of the spectrum, while the latter is potentially the “FASTED, MODERATELY INTENSE, STEADY-STATE CARDIO” you warn against.

If fed is optimal, would protein + carbs be your recommendation or protein only (I’ve seen some coaches recommend the latter for morning cardio)?

Thank you for all that you do for the training community!

2

Does anyone have thoughts on this? Love the long carries Coach Thib advocates for, but want to ensure that I’m not handicapping myself by doing them fasted daily.

4

Well, I can tell you what I do. I have carbs (usually Surge WOF), the same I would as doing morning strength training or crossfit-style strength/conditioning. The only thing I do fasted are early morning walks on my non-training days. I focus on protein after the training session.

I don’t know about “optimal”. I just want to feel ready and capable for the task I’m doing, and long carries, which I intersperse with weight-vested walking, needs fuel, at least for me.

5

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