Posted at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
6 x 400m w 90s recovery if you didn't do this as homework last week,
Or,
4-6 x 600m w 2min recovery
This Saturday at 830am we're finishing up the 8 week block with a retest of the 5k waterfront TT.
Pictured are some of the awesome crew down in Cambridge working through some skills and drills during a CrossFit Endurance workshop we conducted down there on the weekend.
Posted at 07:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
10 x 200m w 60s recovery
Homework for the week is one or both of the following workouts.
1) 5mins on, 2mins off x 2, then 1min on, 30s off x 5 at max effort.
2) 6-8 x 400m with 90s rest, no more than 5s deviation between rounds, or else 50 x walking lunge 'bonus' after workout.
Posted at 02:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
4-6 x 800m w 3 mins rest (+5 sec deviation=burpees!)
Heart rate is a long favoured performance measurement in the endurance community. Most runners and cyclists can rattle off their max HR, and the various training zones and percentages that they use to elicit a particular response.
But it can be tough to get accurate data - what happens when you drink a couple of strong espressos?
Or get a bit dehydrated? Or have a lot of work stress? All these things and many others, affect your heart rate. So basing your training off a percentage of HR has it's downsides.
Stick to plain and simple percentage of effort.
100% = as hard as possible.
90% = pretty darn hard, but with a little left in the tank.
Simple.
And that way, you are always training at an appropriate effort for how your body is feeling that day.
The Eastern Bloc weightlifters have known this for decades. Turn up to the gym, find the heaviest load they can lift for THAT particular day, and then calculate training loads to work with from that load. If they always worked from their PR's (the lifts they achieved maybe once a year when everything was perfect), then the chances of burning out are high.
Being able to feel your body working, and basing your efforts on your actual performance is quite liberating vs the constraints of HR zones. If you stick to those designated parameters, you may be over or under training on a given day.
Try good old fashioned effort instead.
Posted at 08:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Death by 10m.
- Run 10m in minute 1, 20m in minute 2, 30m in minute 3 and so on for as long as possible.
- Gym record sits at 18 with Lars, and he is away today! So his title is ripe for the plucking folks....... :0
Homework this week: 90 secs on 90secs off for 6 - 8 rounds, max effort.
Saturday training is on at 830am this week. Meet at the gym.
Sneak peak at the Team Faster t-shirt.....still a work in progress. Thoughts?
* update - check out results below, we have a new record for Death by 10m, and the t shirt design has been adjusted slightly. Any thoughts on the colour? And we need a decent running tee to print it on.....
Posted at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Team Faster about to charge up 'The Hill of Death' at Mt Wellington. 550m long, 120m high. 2-4 mins of physical and mental stamina.
Posted at 09:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Workout
"Tosh"
3 x (200m + 400m + 600m)
- rest exactly the time each interval takes.
Posted at 07:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Most endurance athletes when pressed, will admit that strength training is an important part of their routine. But ask them what kind of exercises they are doing, and the answers that tend to be forthcoming are situps, planks and swiss ball circus tricks for 'the core', and maybe some rubber band drills that vaguely resemble the dog paddle...
Strength training is not body weight exercises, it is not rubber band training, and it is not core work, it is about getting stronger. With functional movements like deadlifts, squats and presses. Using external loads from barbells. Heavy barbells.
Posted at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Pictured are the team getting their mobility on. Agressive soft tissue work on the ITB, glutes and calves is crucial if you want to remain injury free. It's also a good part of warming up before high intensity sprint work.
Last Saturday a few team members tackled the dreaded Mt Wellington hill run.
550m in length with about 150m of elevation, it's a nasty, NASTY 2-4mins of anaerobic effort.
Results are at the end of the post.
Running today was SUPPOSED to be a one mile time trial, apologies everyone for the measurement error, (more like 1.3 instead of 1.6km) but you all smashed it effort wise anyway, so well done.
Posted at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Wonder why we spend so much time on running technique? Running is a skill just like Olympic Weightlifting, sure you can just pick up something heavy off the ground the same way you can just start running, but you will get better at both things with the correct technique and lots of practice.
Homework this week is nice and simple.
2km at 85% - use this session to focus solely on running technique, stay as relaxed as you can and try to just let it happen. Close your eyes occasionally (only if it's safe!) and try to feel the forward lean and your efficient stride.
Saturday 3pm we're meeting at Mt Wellington outside the Mountain Road entrance as the track is double booked.
Workout
100m on the minute for 10 mins
Posted at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)