071 How to Improve your Conditioning

Send us Fan Mail1. Pick your test. 10 Minute Assault Bike2k Row10 Rounds for TimeQuarterfinal Workout 2If it’s a mixed test, make sure the limiter is in fact conditioning and not something else. Make sure the limiter was not pacing. If you need to change your strategy and retest, do that first.  2. Choose your training frequency. 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5-10x/week. Most athletes are going to land close to a 2x/week frequency for their high intensity. 3. Choose your training pieces. a. Long slow distanceThis is about limiting your exposures to high intensity and accumulating a bigger training dose. b. IntervalsThis is about accumulating successful exposures to your race pace. Pace will either be race pace or slightly above race pace. Race length / 4 for interval length. Race length x1.5-3 for total work duration.  Aerobic work:rest ratios (1:1 or 2:1). Progress first by adding intervals (increasing the total work duration). Once at 2-3x race length, then progress by increasing pace or decreasing rest. I change the training piece no more than 5-10%/week.  c. ThresholdThis is about successful exposures to the discomfort of racing. Usually at your goal pace (what you intend to hold for the retest). Start at half the length of the test, extend the length until you get to race length. Stick to 5-10% changes per week.  Sample 2k Row ProgramTest: 7:00 (1:45/500m)Goal: 6:40 (1:40/500m | 5% improvement)Long Slow Distance:45 Minute Row @ Zone 2Interval Session:8 Sets500m Row @1:40/500mRest 1:40Progress – 10 Sets, 12 Sets, 1:39, 1:38Threshold Session: 1 Set1,000m Row @1:40/500mProgress – 1,100m, 1,200m, etc.  Sample Quarterfinal Workout 2 ProgramTest: 20:00 (15 reps/minute)Goal: 19:00 (16 reps/minute | 5% improvement) Long Slow Distance 20 Minutes @60%1:00 Air Squats1:00 Bike Erg1:00 Alternating Step Ups 1:00 Bear Pushups-Rest 5 Minutes-20 Minutes @60%1:00 Bike Erg1:00 Ski1:00 Stairmaster1:00 Row Interval Session:3 Sets @85-90%AMRAP 5 10 AB Cals10 WB10 BBJORest 5:00AMRAP 5 Row CalsRest 5:00Progress – 4 Sets, 16-18 reps/minute, 4/3/2 minute restThreshold Session: 1 Set @16-18 reps/minute50 WB1:3 Work Rest50 BBJO 1:3 Work RestProgress – combine WB and BBJO, 1.5-2.5 sets, reduce rest