Maffetone Method Misunderstandings

The Maffetone Method, or MAF (maximum aerobic function) training is an excellent way for any athlete to train and live a healthy lifestyle. It is a holistic approach to training and living that incorporates sustainable aerobic training using the 180 formula, eating a whole food diet, avoiding junk food, managing stress, recovering well, getting adequate sleep and being mindful of how everything above affects your mind and body.

Many athletes are drawn to this method because they have read about it, been told about it by someone or watched a video about it. They are attracted to the numerous stories about improving while maintaining the same low heart rate, avoiding injury, and setting personal bests. Some are recovering from injuries and wish to find a better way to train and stay healthy. Others notice that their daily training heart rate is very high and want to find a way to train lower and with less stress on the body. Also, some have reached a performance plateau or have declined in performance and would like to find a way to improve and hit new personal bests. After a lot of research and investigation, many athletes decide to pull the trigger and give MAF training a try. Although at its core the method is rather simple, each individual athlete is complicated, and the process of learning about oneself and adapting it to one’s lifestyle may lead to some misunderstandings about what MAF training is all about.

Misunderstanding #1: The Maffetone Method is all about the 180 formula

My initial experience with the Maffetone Method was in 2003/2004 and just as it is with many athletes in the beginning, it involved only using the 180 formula. As athletes implement this training lifestyle into their lives, it is important to remember that it is so much more than the 180 formula, and so many other factors contribute to a healthy athletic career and aerobic improvement.

Misunderstanding #2: The Two Week Test is the Maffetone diet/The Maffetone diet is a low carb/no carb/keto diet

I can understand when beginning athletes read about the Two Week Test (TWT) and think that it is the recommended diet. Indeed, for some people the food listed in the test may be good enough to serve as a low or no carb diet. However, the purpose of the TWT is to determine carbohydrate intolerance, not to eat a specific diet. There is no Maffetone diet. Rather, the method recommends a diet based on eating real and whole foods. Just as each individual athlete is different from all others, so are the foods that they eat. Some athletes adhere to a keto diet, some to low carb, some to Paleo, some to vegan or vegetarian, some follow other diets, and some have a more general or agnostic approach. In the end, the Two Week Test is all about finding how much carbohydrate you can tolerate. For more information see https://philmaffetone.com/2-week-test/

Misunderstanding #3: The Maffetone Method is meat-based

Some believe that the method is based on consuming meat, however this is not the case. As a matter of fact, there is a vegetarian and vegan Two Week Test. https://philmaffetone.com/the-vegetarian-and-vegan-two-week-test/

Remember, the method involves natural eating and avoiding processed junk food!

Misunderstanding #4: The Maffetone Method is a cookie cutter approach to training

Over the years, I’ve seen some athletes who are frustrated with the method because their aerobic performance isn’t improving. They take their frustrations out by saying that the method and the formula are very “cookie cutter” and don’t consider the individual athlete. I understand and empathize with their frustrations, but I won’t discuss the reasons why they may not be improving here.

One aspect that makes the Maffetone Method such an excellent approach to training is that it is individualized to each athlete. No one is going to apply the principles in the same way. Their diet, sleep, stress management and recovery needs are all going to be different, as well as their application of the 180 formula to their daily training. The Maffetone Method is actually the complete opposite of a cookie cutter approach!

Misunderstanding #5: You can’t do any strength training while training aerobic base

This is not true! As a matter of fact, strength training is vital and necessary to the longevity of athletes, no matter what sport they do. It should never be avoided when healthy.

This isn’t to say that athletes should go out and destroy themselves while strength training, doing endless sets of heavy weights and high reps leading to extreme soreness. Great strength can be built sustainably and in a manner that compliments aerobic training and keeps the body strong, balanced and healthy. I recommend checking out information on “slow weights” at https://philmaffetone.com/coachs-corner-getting-strong-the-slow-weights-way/ Another approach that many like to use to build strength and fits nicely in MAF training is the Pavel Tsatsouline protocol: https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/pavel-tsatsouline-return-of-the-kettlebell-master.html

Misunderstanding #6: You can’t do any speedwork or go above your MAF number

Again, this is not true! Many athletes who are new to the method spend countless hours training at their MAF (180-age), and I’ve seen people go as long as two years without adding any intensity! You absolutely can do speedwork! The healthiest practice is to first build your aerobic speed for a period of time, which I’ve seen varied from three to nine months. The best way to judge your improvement is through a monthly organized MAF test or by repeating the same workout once every two to four weeks under similar conditions and seeing if you improve. If you hit a plateau, you can incorporate harder training into your routine, not exceeding 20% of your overall volume. I won’t get into the specifics of how to train speed, but here is an excellent summary of building aerobic speed and adding intensity: https://philmaffetone.com/secrets-of-speed/

Misunderstanding #7: Only seasoned athletes see quick improvement using MAF

I’ve seen many comments over the years that long time runners are the only ones who seem to improve when they take on the Maffetone Method. This isn’t true. I’ve seen many veterans who had to slow down from seven minute miles to thirteen minute miles, and it took them quite a while to bring their speed down aerobically. I’ve seen people new to the method improve quite quickly from fifteen minute miles to eight minute miles. Again, every athlete is different and improvement will vary. When starting this method, it’s important to know that you are starting a rebuilding process and that it may take a while. You may have to leave your ego behind and live in the moment, forgetting everything about what you were doing before. Also remember, it’s not just about the 180 formula, but also the other components that make up the method. Those other components greatly affect aerobic speed and improvement!

Misunderstanding #8: Maffetone Method means always going slow

Maybe. If you’re just starting out or if you’re a veteran who has never focused on building aerobic efficiency, you may indeed go very slow. And as long as you accept the likelihood that you aren’t as aerobically fit as you thought and that it takes years to develop your full aerobic potential, you have adapted the right frame of mind and you will improve. Getting upset and frustrated because you aren’t improving quickly or you aren’t running the paces you were running before will just add more stress, and will thus slow you down!

As I always state, everyone is different and responds to the method differently. Diet, sleep, stress, and recovery are equal to measuring heart rate and speed using the 180 formula. So if you feel painfully slow, especially in comparison to what you may have been doing before, that means that you have a lot of work to do with your aerobic system. It’s important to not compare yourself with anyone else or with what you were doing before, but rather to live in the moment and understand that you are working to make the engine run correctly and smoothly. If you set too many expectations on yourself, you may find that you’ll be very frustrated and disappointed. Instead, revel in the fact that you’re not suffering endless injuries, that your body is hardening and becoming a strong machine and that there are no limits to what you can do. If you stick around long enough and work diligently and consistently, you’ll be treated to the fact that running at your MAF is TOO HARD and TOO FAST!

Misunderstanding #9: You can’t get injured using the Maffetone Method

Adopting MAF training definitely reduces the likelihood of injury because you’re reducing the stress on your body. However, some athletes feel that running every day at MAF means that you can train as much as you want and never get injured, and that is not true.

If your diet is poor and full of processed foods, you have a greater chance of injury. In fact, the inflammation caused by a poor diet is considered an injury. If you have a lot of life stress and don’t adjust your training to compensate, you can get injured more easily. If your sleep is poor or if you don’t allow for recovery, injuries can happen even if you train at or below your MAF number. Also, if you add too much volume that your body can’t handle, you can get injured. If you neglect strength training, you can develop imbalances and get injured. Finally, if you combine any of the above issues, your chances of getting injured are further increased even if you train at or below MAF every day. Keep this in mind and remain mindful of all the external stresses that affect your body.

Misunderstanding #10: Training at your MAF number is boring

This is a complex issue. I LOVE running hard, setting personal bests, and leaving everything at the finish line. I LOVE gasping for breath as I push hard and summit a mountain peak. But I keep it in perspective. Doing that is not sustainable on a frequent basis in the long term. I can pretty much guarantee that if you don’t adopt a positive mindset and learn to love ALL aspects of training, even those slow times where you’re not going all-out and setting personal bests, you won’t last long in your sport. Therefore, save your major efforts for races or personal fastest attempts on certain courses or mountains. Learn to savor every single day that you are able to train and be healthy.

It takes athletes many years to learn and adapt the Maffetone Method to their lifestyle. It’s ok to misunderstand certain aspects and to make mistakes. It’s part of the process of learning and applying the method. I have made many mistakes and misunderstood many aspects of the method. Our application of the method is always changing, just as we all change physically and emotionally throughout the years. What’s important is to be mindful and to maintain an open mind so that you can learn and adapt.

I hope you found this summary helpful and please don’t hesitate to leave me feedback or send me a message. I love to chat about training. I’m not science-educated nor a certified coach or exercise physiologist, but I feel I have a lot of information and experience to share and love to chat about it.

Happy trails!