PEAK PERFORMANCE IS NOW...
Owen Anderson explains why training at intensities above 90% VO2max is one of the most potent routes to fitness Cyclists, swimmers, rowers, cross-country skiers, orienteers, triathletes and runners all engage in interval training in order to increase the amount of time they spend exercising at very high intensities. A runner scampering along without stopping at... MORE
A new German study confirms that increasing intensity works better than upswings in volume For years we’ve been preaching in these pages about the merits of cranking up the intensity of your training rather than pressing the high-volume button. That philosophy is based on an avalanche of research showing that high-intensity work is best for... MORE
Explosive type strength training enhances distance-running performance One of the most fundamental rules of training is specificity; if you want to train for an event, your training should replicate the demands of that event. The rule of specificity arises because different events tend to rely on different energy systems in the body (which need to... MORE
Use a blend of these interval training techniques for maximum endurance gains High-intensity interval training is known to boost endurance performance, but not much is known about which type of high-quality interval training produces the largest performance gains, especially in well-trained athletes. The optimal intensity and duration of intervals, as well as the length of... MORE
Intense training is the best lactate threshold booster because it improves the heart’s capacity to deliver oxygen and the muscles’ ability to use oxygen once it’s delivered When Marc Rogers travelled to St. Louis back in July, 1984 to begin post-graduate research in exercise physiology at Washington University, he also commenced training for the St.... MORE
Cross-country skiers should opt for intensity over volume Top-level cross-country skiers and their coaches tend to embrace a high-volume, low-intensity training paradigm. Training programmes unveiled at international cross-country skiing coaches’ seminars reveal that ³lite and very good skiers usually spend less than 20% – and sometimes as little as 10% – of training time at... MORE
You can vary the intensity, the work period and the rest period but which combination is most effective? Interval training is a well-known method for improving fitness. Technically, it is defined as high-intensity intermittent exercise. In an interval session, high-intensity periods of work are interspersed with rest intervals. In this way athletes can cover more... MORE
Athletes use short intervals to increase speed, add variety to their workouts, and improve anaerobic power and lactic-acid tolerance, but short-interval sessions aren’t without problems One of the key short-interval puzzlers is finding the combination of intensity, work-interval length and recovery-interval duration which will have the greatest impact on fitness. Fortunately, scientists at the University... MORE
If you need to get into competitive shape fast, follow the example of these South African cyclists Most athletes have a ‘base-building’ period during their training year, during which their intensity of exercise is kept fairly moderate while their volume (number of minutes or miles per week of training) is gradually increased. The purpose of... MORE
If you want to win, train at a high percentage of VO2max The world’s leading work physiologists agree that about one-third of the total weekly mileage should be devoted to work between 80 and 100 per cent of V02max. All this is very well, but supposing the athlete has never raced many of these distances... MORE
The latest triathlon research and best practice findings, covering improving technique, strength and conditioning, and endurance nutrition
The latest findings from running science with practical advice showing you how you can run further and faster whilst staying in peak health
