HAMMER UNDER 3 HOURS AND OVER 3 HOURS

BY BRIAN FRANK

Back in 1992, when I introduced Sustained Energy, it was intended for our clients taking part in long-distance, ultra-endurance efforts. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, ultra-distance events were becoming more common, yet there were no products specifically designed for prolonged exercise. The only fuels available were the usual combination of sugar, citric acid and salt, and they simply did not work for ultra distances.

However, shortly after introducing Sustained Energy and giving athletes a genuine ultra fuel, I realised there was also a lack of carbohydrate fuels for higher-intensity, shorter-duration exercise. It became clear that the products available at the time were not working well for many athletes, even over these shorter periods. This led me to develop Hammer Gel, followed later by HEED.

The introduction of Hammer Gel in 1995 and HEED in 2004 created the need to distinguish between the products and explain their best uses. To make this easier, we began referring to exercise periods lasting less than or more than three hours, so you could identify which fuel was most suitable based on the duration of your session. The introduction of Perpetuem in 2002 made this distinction even more important.

Since then, we have advised athletes to approach fuelling with a clear dividing line: under three hours or over three hours. If you are exercising for 1–3 hours, use Hammer Gel if you prefer to drink water, and HEED if you prefer to drink your fuel (see my other article or video on this subject). Both are complex carbohydrate-only fuels that provide an effective energy boost for these durations.

However, if you are planning to exercise for longer than three hours, Perpetuem  should be your main source of calories. Perpetuem contain protein, and some fat.

These guidelines have confused many clients and even some of our staff. No one seems confused about exercise lasting less than three hours: use Hammer Gel or HEED and you will be fine. It is the fuelling for 3+ hours where confusion tends to arise. Even today, I regularly hear clients ask:

“Does that mean for my long events, I start with HEED or Gel for the first three hours, then switch to Perpetuem.

No. That is absolutely not what I am trying to convey.

The key point is this: when you are exercising for 3+ hours, you skip Gel and HEED and begin immediately with your protein-fortified fuel. This is the crucial takeaway.

After many hours, you may want to change things up to avoid flavour fatigue or to give yourself more energy towards the end.

Perpetuem

Is an excellent combination for long days. We are talking about efforts lasting 3, 6, 12, 24, 36 hours and beyond.

The difference is simple:Perpetuem contains protein. HEED and Hammer Gel do not.

This matters because, after around 1.5 hours, your body will begin burning some protein through the process of gluconeogenesis. In fact, roughly 10% of the calories converted to glycogen will come from protein.

That means if you are not consuming a steady source of protein during long activities, your body has to get it from somewhere.

If you rely only on a carbohydrate-based fuel source, your body will eventually begin drawing protein from, yes, your hard-earned muscle mass.

This can break down valuable muscle and speed up fatigue, both of which we want to avoid.

Perpetuem helps fill that gap and offset what your body is burning.

In addition, Perpetuem has the added benefit of containing some fat, which can help support fat metabolism.