Incorporating a variety of intensities into your training program will build a resilient body. When we focus on just one aspect of fitness we can only really get strong in that specific aspect, leaving a huge part of fitness untapped. This can be applied to most sports, but is really applicable to running and triathlons. This article will help you structure your training and highlight the importance of training at different intensities so you can maximise your performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHY DO WE NEED VARIETY IN OUR TRAINING?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we always train at a certain intensity and on the same terrain then we can only really expect to perform at a certain level, and we never really develop diversity in our fitness. We are made up of two main energy systems, aerobic and anaerobic, and our muscles consist of a variety of different fibres with unique roles. When we add variety into our training we challenge these different systems and optimise a wider range of muscle fibres to cope with different stresses. As a result, we become stronger and more resilient in target events. Adding a variety of intensities in to our training program is a sure way of improving our performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

COMMON MISTAKES. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pushing too hard in each training session and using pace and \/ or distance to gauge a successful week of training are all common mistakes. These metrics are important but it doesn’t necessarily tell us much about how well we have developed each energy system. We can end up spending an overwhelming amount of time training in Zone 3<\/a>, halfway between aerobic and anaerobic, without fully optimising either system. You can develop fitness by doing this but our performance will soon plateau and we will never reach our true potential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matt Fitzgerald, amongst other authors, talks about the 80\/20 rule<\/a>, meaning, 80% of your training should be at low intensity and 20% of your training at high intensity. This allows us to structure our training into different intensities so we can develop and optimise each energy system efficiently. It is an eye opening experience to truly feel what easy intensity really is! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOW DO WE SET THESE INTENSITIES? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My article on heart rate training<\/a> talks about using heart rate as a guide for setting our training zones<\/a>. If you are training for the olympics, or aiming to come first in an ironman triathlon then heading to the lab to determine these metrics would be optimal. However, if you are new to heart training then I would start with the MAF Method<\/a> to determine your aerobic threshold heart rate, then simply add 25-30 bpm to this number to determine your anaerobic threshold heart rate. This will give you a ball park figure to work from. Try to then aim for 80% of your training sessions at your aerobic threshold heart rate, which will feel super easy, and 20% of training time incorporating intervals where you train at or above your anaerobic threshold heart rate. This will allow you to start the process of structuring your training session and will certainly add a variety of intensities into your training week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea is that you end up exposing the body to different intensities, making your easy sessions truly easy and your hard sessions hard enough, allowing for maximum adaptation of each energy system and muscle fibre. In my own experience you end up reducing the amount of accumulated fatigue during your week because you are simply not pushing the intensity too high each and every day, allowing you to train more frequently, and thus more consistently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FINAL THOUGHTS <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a legitimate argument about how accurate generic formulas are to determine your heart rate zones due to the difference in genetic make ups. The counter argument to this would be that by using these basic formula’s to start with will at least add variation into our training, and most people will benefit from this alone. As you become more experienced you can then fine tune these measures by doing time trials or heading to the lab to get more accurate readings. This process won’t miraculously improve your performance over night, nor was Rome built in a day. Train like this for at least six to eight weeks and you will start to see the benefits. Train smart to maximise your performance and to reach your true potential. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Variety is the spice of life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1652,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-training"],"yoast_head":"\n