Conditioning Methods I'm Using Right Now Part 2

Last week I went into a bit of detail of the conditioning methods I used for the 1st phase (preparation) for my conditioning block I'm currently in.

I described the how and why for conditioning methods such as high resistance intervals, explosive repeats and aerobic plyometrics.

This week we'll take at another 3 conditioning methods being cardiac power intervals (CPI), threshold training (TT) and high intensity continuous training (HICT).

CPI helps oxygen supply at higher intensities and improves power endurance of the heart by stimulating an increase in strength of the fibres of the heart along w/ a corresponding increase in mitochondria which carries oxygen through the blood.

For this you'd do 4 - 12 x 60 - 120secs/session at maximal speed and then resting until your heart rate returns to 130bpm using exercises that allow you to maintain a high output at longer work lengths. I'm still "off legs" for the most so I've been using manual treadmill, cross trainer at the highest level, bike turned right up and heavy ropes where I usually get up to a heart rate of 165 - 175 by the end of the set.

TT increases the aerobic system's maximum rate of ATP regeneration so more power can be produces aerobically by raising your anaerobic threshold which is the point that you pass into anaerobic glycolysis which means lactate build up and a drop in performance.

For this you need to actually test to find your anaerobic threshold which you can do by performing a 6min run and recording your heart rate at each 60sec interval. Get the average of those 60sec interval and you'll have your anaerobic threshold. It's not an exact science but there actually isn't one!

When doing TT you'll need to do 2 - 5 x 3 - 10min sets/session keeping your rate at a +/- 5 beats of your anaerobic threshold and if you start to feel a drop in performance then drop back and hold somewhere in the -5bpm range. I have been doing this as my only "on legs' drill.

HICT offers the unique stimulation of high intensity performed at high volume where usually it's high volume/low intensity or low intensity/high volume. It stimulates greater 02 utilisation and results in increased endurance of the fast twitch muscle fibres so you can go harder for longer.

Train this by doing 1 - 2 x 10 - 20mins/session @ 150 - 160bpm with 5mins of active rest between sets using maximum resistance on exercises such as bike, cross trainer, walking lunges up a steep hill or step up. I've been using cross trainer only for this.

Right now I've done 8 conditioning sessions in 12 days and if I stay on schedule then I'll finish up with another 8 sessions in 11 days - no muckin around here!