The Central Governor Theory, proposed by South African sports scientist Tim Noakes, challenges the traditional view of fatigue in exercise. Instead of attributing it solely to muscle failure, Noakes suggests it's primarily regulated by the brain to protect the body from overheating and organ damage. Key elements of the theory: Brain in control: The brain constantly monitors bodily signals like temperature, heart rate, and blood chemistry. Based on this information, it sets an "intensity ceiling" to limit exertion and prevent exceeding safe physiological limits. Avoiding catastrophe: The Governor aims to prevent catastrophic failures like heatstroke, cardiac arrest, or organ damage. It prioritizes long-term survival over pushing to absolute physical limits. Fatigue as a feedback signal: The feeling of fatigue isn't muscle weakness, but the brain's way of slowing you down before reaching dangerous thresholds. That is all well and ...