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Two Minutes You Can’t Afford to Miss
Often endurance athletes overlook the importance of a warm-up. Given the time challenges we all know so well in completing our workouts, little imagination is need to understand how many athletes are coaxed into neglecting the warm-up and are keen on “getting right to the task”. However, how you spend a mere 2 minutes can be the difference between increasing your performance during the entire workout to follow or a pulling muscle, including your cardiac muscle, yes that’s your heart.
The purpose of the warm-up is to facilitate the transition from rest to physical exertion. It consists of 2 minutes of sport specific activity at intensity below the aerobic threshold. The aerobic threshold is the minimal intensity level that promotes cardiovascular adaptations – very, very easy! Just 2-minutes of this low intensity movement are enough to prepare the body for workouts that occur at an intensity of 50% - 75% peak heart rate (HRpeak) or more.
During the 2-minute warm-up, muscle and core temperature are being increased and blood flow is augmented (1). These physiological adjustments enhance the body’s readiness for the more intense exercise to come. Preparing for the workout by warming-up may reduce the susceptibility to musculoskeletal injury through increasing connective tissue extensibility, improving joint ROM and joint function. Intern, these changes increase force-velocity and enhance muscular performance (1). If that alone isn’t reason enough to include a warm-up, this might motivate you more; starting intense exercise too abruptly can result in cardiac abnormalities similar to those seen in patients with cardiovascular heart disease (1).
Generally, a warm-up of 2 minutes is sufficient preparation for the workout. There are instances when a longer warm-up is desirable. A longer warm-up can be used to incorporate tasks related to specific issues exhibited by the individual, such as stretching a tight muscle group or performing a low intensity drill to improve technique. Finally, the benefits of the 2-minute warm-up may be amplified by including a 5-30 minute progressive pre-workout set. By increasing the intensity above the aerobic threshold, either gradually or with short burst like intervals that we call accelerations, the pre-workout set can be of further benefit when portions of the workout occur at intensities 75% or greater than HRpeak.
In summary, spending just 2 short minutes will yield a guaranteed return during the dozens of minutes to hours of your main workout. You won't find an investment with better benefits than that, especially in this market.
(1) For references regarding this article please contact the author.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
The purpose of the warm-up is to facilitate the transition from rest to physical exertion. It consists of 2 minutes of sport specific activity at intensity below the aerobic threshold. The aerobic threshold is the minimal intensity level that promotes cardiovascular adaptations – very, very easy! Just 2-minutes of this low intensity movement are enough to prepare the body for workouts that occur at an intensity of 50% - 75% peak heart rate (HRpeak) or more.
During the 2-minute warm-up, muscle and core temperature are being increased and blood flow is augmented (1). These physiological adjustments enhance the body’s readiness for the more intense exercise to come. Preparing for the workout by warming-up may reduce the susceptibility to musculoskeletal injury through increasing connective tissue extensibility, improving joint ROM and joint function. Intern, these changes increase force-velocity and enhance muscular performance (1). If that alone isn’t reason enough to include a warm-up, this might motivate you more; starting intense exercise too abruptly can result in cardiac abnormalities similar to those seen in patients with cardiovascular heart disease (1).
Generally, a warm-up of 2 minutes is sufficient preparation for the workout. There are instances when a longer warm-up is desirable. A longer warm-up can be used to incorporate tasks related to specific issues exhibited by the individual, such as stretching a tight muscle group or performing a low intensity drill to improve technique. Finally, the benefits of the 2-minute warm-up may be amplified by including a 5-30 minute progressive pre-workout set. By increasing the intensity above the aerobic threshold, either gradually or with short burst like intervals that we call accelerations, the pre-workout set can be of further benefit when portions of the workout occur at intensities 75% or greater than HRpeak.
In summary, spending just 2 short minutes will yield a guaranteed return during the dozens of minutes to hours of your main workout. You won't find an investment with better benefits than that, especially in this market.
(1) For references regarding this article please contact the author.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
Off-Season Training
The off-season is just as important training phase as any other. Its primary purpose is to provide recovery from the physical and mental fatigue that accrued during the previous training and racing season. The second objective is to minimize the amount of detraining that occurs while still facilitating this all-important rejuvenation process. Achieving these goals will ensure you are prepared for the beginning of next season well rested, motivated, mentally fresh and injury free, while having minimized the decrement in your physical fitness. Striking the balance in the off-season between reduced training for recovery and enough to minimize detraining is a key to improving as an endurance athlete from year to year.
Observational analysis suggests many serious age-group athletes, those who train consistently throughout a majority of the year; underestimate the importance of the off-season. Their common off-season flaw is combining weeks of too much training with weeks of too little exercise. Training too much doesn’t allow the recovery necessary for the body to repair itself. While extreme reductions in training during the off-season accelerate the detraining process. The unfortunate result of such a poorly planned off-season is the inability to build on the previous year’s training and racing. This can create a plateau in race performance from year to year. In a way, it’s the endurance athletes’ version of Bill Murray’s “Ground Hog Day” played out over and over during years racing.
The cessation of training for as little as one week can lead to a decrease in physiological markers associated with performance. For example, levels of oxidative enzymes drop dramatically within 2 weeks of stopping training. These decreases continue for up to 6 weeks until enzyme levels have decreased to pre training values.* To make matters worse, it takes longer to increase enzymatic levels than it does to lose them. In fact, it can take as much as 3 months to regain fitness levels similar to those preceding six weeks not training.* It will take an athlete who stops exercising for the month of December, several months to reach a similar level of fitness they had in November. In addition to the delay in returning to the previous level of fitness the greater stress and higher level of cumulative fatigue required increases the athletes’ susceptibility to injuries and overtraining. This is easily preventable with some off-season planning.
Of course, individual factors have the most influence on the best off-season plan. Nevertheless, here’s some general yet practical advice for the off-season that might prove useful for your off-season. For a period of 4-8 weeks, cut the duration and frequency of training by 25%-50%. Almost all of the workouts should be low density (short duration and low intensity). It turns out that the frequency and duration of workouts are the least important components of maintaining fitness*. This leaves intensity is as crucial training parameter to prevent, or as it specifically relates to the off-season, to minimize detraining. The good news is it takes surprisingly little intensity to accomplish this. One workout (per sport) every 1 to 2 weeks at a moderate to hard intensity should suffice. Similar to duration and frequency, the length of the intervals and number of repeats should be decreased compared to other training periods. Finally, a good off-season plan can substitute some of the typical workouts with exercise from variety of other sports. This can be refreshing compared to the monotony associated with your normal training and will give your body and mind the rest it needs to recover while staying active.
Having a plan and setting goals for the off-season is a necessity that will ensure you recuperate from the previous year’s training and leave you well prepared for the next.
*For references regarding this article please contact the authors.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
Observational analysis suggests many serious age-group athletes, those who train consistently throughout a majority of the year; underestimate the importance of the off-season. Their common off-season flaw is combining weeks of too much training with weeks of too little exercise. Training too much doesn’t allow the recovery necessary for the body to repair itself. While extreme reductions in training during the off-season accelerate the detraining process. The unfortunate result of such a poorly planned off-season is the inability to build on the previous year’s training and racing. This can create a plateau in race performance from year to year. In a way, it’s the endurance athletes’ version of Bill Murray’s “Ground Hog Day” played out over and over during years racing.
The cessation of training for as little as one week can lead to a decrease in physiological markers associated with performance. For example, levels of oxidative enzymes drop dramatically within 2 weeks of stopping training. These decreases continue for up to 6 weeks until enzyme levels have decreased to pre training values.* To make matters worse, it takes longer to increase enzymatic levels than it does to lose them. In fact, it can take as much as 3 months to regain fitness levels similar to those preceding six weeks not training.* It will take an athlete who stops exercising for the month of December, several months to reach a similar level of fitness they had in November. In addition to the delay in returning to the previous level of fitness the greater stress and higher level of cumulative fatigue required increases the athletes’ susceptibility to injuries and overtraining. This is easily preventable with some off-season planning.
Of course, individual factors have the most influence on the best off-season plan. Nevertheless, here’s some general yet practical advice for the off-season that might prove useful for your off-season. For a period of 4-8 weeks, cut the duration and frequency of training by 25%-50%. Almost all of the workouts should be low density (short duration and low intensity). It turns out that the frequency and duration of workouts are the least important components of maintaining fitness*. This leaves intensity is as crucial training parameter to prevent, or as it specifically relates to the off-season, to minimize detraining. The good news is it takes surprisingly little intensity to accomplish this. One workout (per sport) every 1 to 2 weeks at a moderate to hard intensity should suffice. Similar to duration and frequency, the length of the intervals and number of repeats should be decreased compared to other training periods. Finally, a good off-season plan can substitute some of the typical workouts with exercise from variety of other sports. This can be refreshing compared to the monotony associated with your normal training and will give your body and mind the rest it needs to recover while staying active.
Having a plan and setting goals for the off-season is a necessity that will ensure you recuperate from the previous year’s training and leave you well prepared for the next.
*For references regarding this article please contact the authors.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
Key Components of Training
There are four main components of every training program - the Frequency, Duration and Intensity of the exercise and the all important Recovery. When the various systems of the body are stressed (intensity and duration) repetitively (frequency of training sessions) a stimulus is created that leads to adaptations given proper recovery. This stress-adaptation response should form the basis of all training programs and is fundamental for improving performance. Without any of these four elements there is no training response!
In the broadest terms frequency is the number of times an event occurs. In terms of training and workouts, frequency refers to the number of times a person exercises, completes a specific workout, or the number of intervals within a workout. As long as someone can count, frequency is a simple concept and it is easy to quantify accurately.
Of course, recovery or rest is the divider or separation that allows us to quantify frequency. Like frequency, recovery seems easy to understand and implement in the training program. Or is it? In actuality, many athletes overlook the importance of the Four R’s – recovery, rest, relaxation, rejuvenation. The training model requires a stress which creates the stimulus that when given recovery leads to adaptation. The Four R’s are a topic unto their own and warrant their own specific article. Suffice it to say for now, if you remove the recovery from that equation you aren’t training - you are overtraining.
Duration and intensity are the two key components found in each and every workout. It is generally accepted that nearly every workout should have specific goals. One of these goals should be to produce a specific stress or workout load. Again, the determinants of workout load are intensity and duration. The duration of a workout is generally measured in time or distance or both. Like Frequency, duration is a concept we are familiar with and use regularly in our daily lives. Given the accuracy and familiarity of using time and distance, duration is relatively easy to measure and quantify.
It is generally accepted that nearly every workout should have specific goals. One of these goals should be to produce a specific workout load. Again, the determinants of workout load are intensity and duration. The duration of a workout is generally measured in time or distance or both. Given the accuracy and familiarity of using time and distance, duration is relatively easy to measure and quantify. Most athletes are able to implement duration into their training in a systematic fashion.
On the other hand, determining, measuring and implementing the intensity of a workout is one of the most challenging aspects of endurance exercise. Yet, training at the proper target intensity is the key to producing the desired physiological response. The intensity of exercise initiates physiological reactions that stress the body. The physiological response to the intensity of the exercise together with the duration of that response determines the stress of a workout or workout load. We measure intensity with three distinct categories in our training and coaching. These are Absolute Intensity, Physiological Intensity and Subjective Intensity. As with recovery, a discussion of intensity and the best parameters to use for gauging it warrant a discussion dedicated solely to them.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
In the broadest terms frequency is the number of times an event occurs. In terms of training and workouts, frequency refers to the number of times a person exercises, completes a specific workout, or the number of intervals within a workout. As long as someone can count, frequency is a simple concept and it is easy to quantify accurately.
Of course, recovery or rest is the divider or separation that allows us to quantify frequency. Like frequency, recovery seems easy to understand and implement in the training program. Or is it? In actuality, many athletes overlook the importance of the Four R’s – recovery, rest, relaxation, rejuvenation. The training model requires a stress which creates the stimulus that when given recovery leads to adaptation. The Four R’s are a topic unto their own and warrant their own specific article. Suffice it to say for now, if you remove the recovery from that equation you aren’t training - you are overtraining.
Duration and intensity are the two key components found in each and every workout. It is generally accepted that nearly every workout should have specific goals. One of these goals should be to produce a specific stress or workout load. Again, the determinants of workout load are intensity and duration. The duration of a workout is generally measured in time or distance or both. Like Frequency, duration is a concept we are familiar with and use regularly in our daily lives. Given the accuracy and familiarity of using time and distance, duration is relatively easy to measure and quantify.
It is generally accepted that nearly every workout should have specific goals. One of these goals should be to produce a specific workout load. Again, the determinants of workout load are intensity and duration. The duration of a workout is generally measured in time or distance or both. Given the accuracy and familiarity of using time and distance, duration is relatively easy to measure and quantify. Most athletes are able to implement duration into their training in a systematic fashion.
On the other hand, determining, measuring and implementing the intensity of a workout is one of the most challenging aspects of endurance exercise. Yet, training at the proper target intensity is the key to producing the desired physiological response. The intensity of exercise initiates physiological reactions that stress the body. The physiological response to the intensity of the exercise together with the duration of that response determines the stress of a workout or workout load. We measure intensity with three distinct categories in our training and coaching. These are Absolute Intensity, Physiological Intensity and Subjective Intensity. As with recovery, a discussion of intensity and the best parameters to use for gauging it warrant a discussion dedicated solely to them.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
Intensity – How does that feel?
As discussed in our previous article, there are four key components every training program shares in common - the Frequency, Duration and Intensity of the exercise and of course Recovery. As promised, this article will focus on the intensity of exercise. While the other key components of training, duration and frequency, are easy to quantify, intensity poses a greater challenge to define and measure. Determining and measuring the intensity of a workout is one of the most challenging aspects of endurance exercise.
I believe a lack of guidance and understanding, at least in part, is why many endurance athletes simplify training by using the less complicated “the harder - the better” method. We all know that training at the proper target intensity is the key to producing the desired stress, physiological response and adaptation and that there should be a well-balanced mix of intensities in our training regimens. Most of us know that the low intensity workouts are just as important as training at high intensity. So how can we overcome the tendency to train harder, usually too hard?
In determining the best method to monitor workout intensity a balance must be found between the accuracy, validity and practicality of the method. The first step to choosing the proper training intensity begins with understanding what intensity is, how to measure it, how it changes, and how your body responds to it.
To help, I break intensity into three categories:
1) absolute intensity,
2) physiological intensity,
3) subjective intensity.
Absolute Intensity can be gauged by a number of different parameters. Speed, pace and power are examples of absolute intensity. They are precise, objective, and to a large degree independent measures of intensity. In addition, these parameters are familiar and practical to use. It is for this reason that many athletes gravitate toward using absolute intensity to determine the difficulty of their workouts and if the workout was successful. I prefer to use speed, pace, and power as observations while training but not to guide or determine the intensity during most workouts. My reason is that Absolute intensity does not provide insight into the specific physiological response to exercise. For example, is the physiological stress of biking 60 minutes at 250 watts the same when the temperature is 72 degrees with 40% humidity compared with 88 degrees and 70% humidity? I hope the answer is an obvious, No. For this and similar reasons speed, pace, and power are not ideal for determining workout intensity. It can be very useful information to have though.
Another means of gauging intensity is by the body’s physiological response. I refer to this as Physiological Intensity. The energy expended per minute of exercise, energy expenditure (EE, Kcal/min), is used to define intensity. As such I consider the metabolic response to exercise or EE as the “gold standard” for determining exercise intensity. Each individual has a unique and specific EE and metabolic response to exercise that will vary with changes in physical fitness. EE provides an accurate, objective physiological and semi-independent means of determining exercise intensity. Unfortunately, measuring the metabolic response to exercise requires elaborate and expensive equipment along with considerable expertise. This makes monitoring EE impractical for gauging intensity in anything but an exercising testing environment (exercise physiology lab).
Heart rate, which is directly correlated to oxygen consumption, is the most convenient, practical and reliable method of measuring physiological intensity during a typical workout. It provides a window into the body to view the stress a workout puts on it.
For these reasons, I recommend using Heart Rate as the primary guide to monitor the intensity of your workouts. In simplest terms, HR is directly correlated with intensity so, the harder you go, the greater the physiological stress and the higher your heart rate will be. Therefore we can use heart rate zones to target specific training objectives. Training in the lower zones (55-70% and 70-80% of maximum heart rate) will improve stamina and endurance, while training at higher intensities (85-90% and 90-100% of maximum heart rate) will raise your anaerobic threshold and VO2max, both highly praised indicators of fitness. Depending on the time of the year and your goal races, certain zones should be emphasized more than others. To find out about your individual zones, conducting a metabolic test is best. If you don’t have access to Performance Testing, you can derive your estimated maximum heart rate from a formula using your age (220-age). Whether Max HR is estimated or measured, various percentages, such as those outlined above, of the maximum heart are then used to estimate the training zones. Needless to say direct measurement is far better than estimation.*
Using heart rate as a guide for determining exercise intensity does have some shortcomings. Being aware of these shortcomings and the factors that affect heart rate during a workout can make it an even more effective training tool. The most primary disadvantage with heart rate for gauging intensity is that it is not a determinant of exercise intensity but rather the result of the intensity. It is not independent but rather dependent on the exercise workload. As such heart rate has a delay in its response to changes in exercise intensity (workload). Thus heart rate is not a good indicator of intensity shortly after changes in exercise intensity (approximately 1-2 minutes). Some circumstances that accentuate this disadvantage are going from a resting state to light exercise or when workload is very hard for short periods of time. Other factors affect heart rate such as health status, training status, dehydration, temperature, humidity, medication, and previous exercise.
Often, heart rate is influenced by terrain, time of the day, temperature and physiological aspects (e.g., cardiac drift). Relying too heavily on a fixed number (heart rate or watts) could over or underestimate your capability, especially when racing. That is why I like to use heart rate as the guide for physiological intensity and integrate the third measure of intensity, Subjective Intensity, as an observation. Subjective intensity is measured by your subjective effort or Rating Perceived Exertion (RPE) during the workout. Interestingly, research has shown that RPE is consistently comparable with physiological data such as heart rate, lactate concentration, respiratory rates and ventilation for a given subject.
To measure your RPE I use a scale from 1-10:
1 = Very light
3 = Light
5 = Moderate
7 = Hard
9 = Very Hard
10 = Absolute Maximum
Using HR as a guide and RPE as an observation is the most effective combination for judging the intensity of most workouts. HR provides practical, reliable semi-independent gauge of physiological intensity and together with RPE they provide feedback on each other.
Besides being able to subjectively target specific physiological responses, comparing your heart rates with your RPE while training provides you and your coach with valuable information, such as level of fitness, level of fatigue, possible sickness, excitement or de-hydration. This brings us back to the statement, “use heart rate as a guide and PRE as an observation. Tuning in to what you are feeling while exercising is an “intense” opportunity to train towards your potential!!
* A Training Zone Test is designed to collect data that provides information about your individual and optimal training zones and your maximum aerobic capacity. The training Zone Test combines sophisticated scientific equipment that enables the measurement of cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic parameters. We combine this with a unique graded exercise protocol. The protocol is unique to you. That is we adjust the length and amount of the exercise stages based upon observations of your physiological response to the exercise intensity during each stage. Following the test, we analyze the data and create individualized training zones specific to your physiological responses and your health and performance goals. The training zones are ranges of variables such as heart rate, speed or power, rate of perceived exertion, caloric expenditure, and oxygen consumption. Of these parameters, Heart Rate, when used in conjunction with RPE, is the effective means of apply training zones to your training and racing. That’s because it is the most practical, most reliable gauge of physiological intensity.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
I believe a lack of guidance and understanding, at least in part, is why many endurance athletes simplify training by using the less complicated “the harder - the better” method. We all know that training at the proper target intensity is the key to producing the desired stress, physiological response and adaptation and that there should be a well-balanced mix of intensities in our training regimens. Most of us know that the low intensity workouts are just as important as training at high intensity. So how can we overcome the tendency to train harder, usually too hard?
In determining the best method to monitor workout intensity a balance must be found between the accuracy, validity and practicality of the method. The first step to choosing the proper training intensity begins with understanding what intensity is, how to measure it, how it changes, and how your body responds to it.
To help, I break intensity into three categories:
1) absolute intensity,
2) physiological intensity,
3) subjective intensity.
Absolute Intensity can be gauged by a number of different parameters. Speed, pace and power are examples of absolute intensity. They are precise, objective, and to a large degree independent measures of intensity. In addition, these parameters are familiar and practical to use. It is for this reason that many athletes gravitate toward using absolute intensity to determine the difficulty of their workouts and if the workout was successful. I prefer to use speed, pace, and power as observations while training but not to guide or determine the intensity during most workouts. My reason is that Absolute intensity does not provide insight into the specific physiological response to exercise. For example, is the physiological stress of biking 60 minutes at 250 watts the same when the temperature is 72 degrees with 40% humidity compared with 88 degrees and 70% humidity? I hope the answer is an obvious, No. For this and similar reasons speed, pace, and power are not ideal for determining workout intensity. It can be very useful information to have though.
Another means of gauging intensity is by the body’s physiological response. I refer to this as Physiological Intensity. The energy expended per minute of exercise, energy expenditure (EE, Kcal/min), is used to define intensity. As such I consider the metabolic response to exercise or EE as the “gold standard” for determining exercise intensity. Each individual has a unique and specific EE and metabolic response to exercise that will vary with changes in physical fitness. EE provides an accurate, objective physiological and semi-independent means of determining exercise intensity. Unfortunately, measuring the metabolic response to exercise requires elaborate and expensive equipment along with considerable expertise. This makes monitoring EE impractical for gauging intensity in anything but an exercising testing environment (exercise physiology lab).
Heart rate, which is directly correlated to oxygen consumption, is the most convenient, practical and reliable method of measuring physiological intensity during a typical workout. It provides a window into the body to view the stress a workout puts on it.
For these reasons, I recommend using Heart Rate as the primary guide to monitor the intensity of your workouts. In simplest terms, HR is directly correlated with intensity so, the harder you go, the greater the physiological stress and the higher your heart rate will be. Therefore we can use heart rate zones to target specific training objectives. Training in the lower zones (55-70% and 70-80% of maximum heart rate) will improve stamina and endurance, while training at higher intensities (85-90% and 90-100% of maximum heart rate) will raise your anaerobic threshold and VO2max, both highly praised indicators of fitness. Depending on the time of the year and your goal races, certain zones should be emphasized more than others. To find out about your individual zones, conducting a metabolic test is best. If you don’t have access to Performance Testing, you can derive your estimated maximum heart rate from a formula using your age (220-age). Whether Max HR is estimated or measured, various percentages, such as those outlined above, of the maximum heart are then used to estimate the training zones. Needless to say direct measurement is far better than estimation.*
Using heart rate as a guide for determining exercise intensity does have some shortcomings. Being aware of these shortcomings and the factors that affect heart rate during a workout can make it an even more effective training tool. The most primary disadvantage with heart rate for gauging intensity is that it is not a determinant of exercise intensity but rather the result of the intensity. It is not independent but rather dependent on the exercise workload. As such heart rate has a delay in its response to changes in exercise intensity (workload). Thus heart rate is not a good indicator of intensity shortly after changes in exercise intensity (approximately 1-2 minutes). Some circumstances that accentuate this disadvantage are going from a resting state to light exercise or when workload is very hard for short periods of time. Other factors affect heart rate such as health status, training status, dehydration, temperature, humidity, medication, and previous exercise.
Often, heart rate is influenced by terrain, time of the day, temperature and physiological aspects (e.g., cardiac drift). Relying too heavily on a fixed number (heart rate or watts) could over or underestimate your capability, especially when racing. That is why I like to use heart rate as the guide for physiological intensity and integrate the third measure of intensity, Subjective Intensity, as an observation. Subjective intensity is measured by your subjective effort or Rating Perceived Exertion (RPE) during the workout. Interestingly, research has shown that RPE is consistently comparable with physiological data such as heart rate, lactate concentration, respiratory rates and ventilation for a given subject.
To measure your RPE I use a scale from 1-10:
1 = Very light
3 = Light
5 = Moderate
7 = Hard
9 = Very Hard
10 = Absolute Maximum
Using HR as a guide and RPE as an observation is the most effective combination for judging the intensity of most workouts. HR provides practical, reliable semi-independent gauge of physiological intensity and together with RPE they provide feedback on each other.
Besides being able to subjectively target specific physiological responses, comparing your heart rates with your RPE while training provides you and your coach with valuable information, such as level of fitness, level of fatigue, possible sickness, excitement or de-hydration. This brings us back to the statement, “use heart rate as a guide and PRE as an observation. Tuning in to what you are feeling while exercising is an “intense” opportunity to train towards your potential!!
* A Training Zone Test is designed to collect data that provides information about your individual and optimal training zones and your maximum aerobic capacity. The training Zone Test combines sophisticated scientific equipment that enables the measurement of cardiac, respiratory, and metabolic parameters. We combine this with a unique graded exercise protocol. The protocol is unique to you. That is we adjust the length and amount of the exercise stages based upon observations of your physiological response to the exercise intensity during each stage. Following the test, we analyze the data and create individualized training zones specific to your physiological responses and your health and performance goals. The training zones are ranges of variables such as heart rate, speed or power, rate of perceived exertion, caloric expenditure, and oxygen consumption. Of these parameters, Heart Rate, when used in conjunction with RPE, is the effective means of apply training zones to your training and racing. That’s because it is the most practical, most reliable gauge of physiological intensity.
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
Base Training Basics
Recently, I’ve become involved with building homes, beautiful homes. This process is very systematic and not unlike the planning, preparation and training that is required for those of us competing in endurance sports. If a very thorough and methodical process isn’t followed the home might end up as a disaster. Imagine if you started by bringing items that you need to enjoy the home first - sinks, tubs, stove, a bed… At first, it might seem like a good idea to start at the end. You could cook and sleep and after working out take a shower. Obviously without a roof, walls, windows etc. this scenario wouldn’t work and your daily life would be chaos. Even before the walls and roof you need a foundation to support them. It is literally the base that supports every other part of the house and if it’s not done right you could end up with a leaning Tower of Pisa. For endurance sports, base training is the foundation that supports all of the training and racing to come. Base training isn’t complex but if certain methods aren’t followed you could end up collapsing, like a house with a bad foundation, long before you even start a race.
Here are a few general rules of base training.
1) Low intensity – Conversational training should make up 80% of your training, if you can’t carry on a conversation you are going too hard;
2) Progressively longer durations – Increase long workouts and weekly training amounts by approximately 10%-20%;
3) A touch of high intensity training – Every 7-14 days include a shorter workout at an intensity equal to or exceeding your race pace.
4) The base training period – The length should be close to half as long as the training time leading to your most important race. (e.g., if your begin training 5 months before your major race the base period would last about 11 weeks).
For those of you interested in the physiological rational underlying longer low-intensity workouts here are some of the adaptations that occur during base training.
1) The capillary density, a network of very tiny blood vessels, increases. This decreases the distance between the oxygen rich blood and the working muscles.
2) The number of mitochondria also increases. These are little “power plants” inside your muscle cells, which produce aerobic energy.
3) Together the increases in capillary and mitochondria density combine to make energy production (e.g., fat utilization) and removal of waste products more effective.
4) Bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles undergo structural adaptations that prepare them for harder workouts.
Remember, your athletic experience and other individual factors such as the timing and distance of you goal race(s) will determine the ideal structure of your base training workouts!
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
Here are a few general rules of base training.
1) Low intensity – Conversational training should make up 80% of your training, if you can’t carry on a conversation you are going too hard;
2) Progressively longer durations – Increase long workouts and weekly training amounts by approximately 10%-20%;
3) A touch of high intensity training – Every 7-14 days include a shorter workout at an intensity equal to or exceeding your race pace.
4) The base training period – The length should be close to half as long as the training time leading to your most important race. (e.g., if your begin training 5 months before your major race the base period would last about 11 weeks).
For those of you interested in the physiological rational underlying longer low-intensity workouts here are some of the adaptations that occur during base training.
1) The capillary density, a network of very tiny blood vessels, increases. This decreases the distance between the oxygen rich blood and the working muscles.
2) The number of mitochondria also increases. These are little “power plants” inside your muscle cells, which produce aerobic energy.
3) Together the increases in capillary and mitochondria density combine to make energy production (e.g., fat utilization) and removal of waste products more effective.
4) Bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles undergo structural adaptations that prepare them for harder workouts.
Remember, your athletic experience and other individual factors such as the timing and distance of you goal race(s) will determine the ideal structure of your base training workouts!
(published in Hawaii Sports Magazine)
