High intensity training

Speed and power training: understanding your fast twitch muscles...

in High intensity training

Muscles and muscle fibre There are more than 250 million muscle fibres in our bodies, and more than 430 muscles that we can voluntarily control. Muscle fibres are bundles of cells, held together by collagen (connective tissue). Each fibre consists of a membrane, numerous nuclei and thousands of myofibrils (inner strands) that run the length... MORE

Road cycling: interval training for speed

in High intensity training

Interval training improves anaerobic power and sprinting ability in road cycling Article at a glance: In competitive road cycling, relatively little attention has been paid to the anaerobic capabilities of cyclists.  Riding in a pack has been shown to reduce energy cost by as much as 39 per cent at a given speed when compared... MORE

Is training intensity the real key to building muscle...

in High intensity training

Weight training for genuine strength and power gains Article at a glance: The differing types of strength are outlined and commonly used strength training systems identified; The role of training intensity in building muscle mass is discussed and the link between lactate production and generating intensity is explained; The relationship between building muscle mass and optimum... MORE

High-intensity training: one size doesn’t fit all

in High intensity training

In recent years, there’s been a torrent of research showing that adding some high-intensity training (for example high-intensity intervals) to an endurance-based training programme produces big gains in performance. What’s less clear, however, is the best way to structure this high-intensity training. For example, how hard should each interval be, how long, how many repetitions and how many sessions per week... MORE

Hill training for endurance

in High intensity training

South African coach Abrie de Swardt has come up with some excellent tips for hill training in a recent issue of The Coach. Hill training, as you may be aware, offers the following benefits: helps develop power and muscle elasticity; improves stride frequency and length; develops co-ordination, encouraging the proper use of arms during the... MORE