Building a weeklong hypertrophy work out day 1.

     I'm going to begin this article on my soap box. When looking at new workout plans on the internet you come across a few decent ones then the more serious one's cost money. I get the monetizing of a skill set. If you're a bodybuilder, you can capitalize on your popularity to build a passive income stream. An ecosystem of your brand if you will. Besides the cost of the program very rarely do they explain how they came up with sets, reps, and rest. This post will be free.... well, you do have to read it so in terms of cost it will cost time. Anyway, rant over. Back to business.

    The following plan will super deep dive into one day of a plan to build muscle (Hypertrophy). It will be three days a week with day one being chest and back, day two being legs and shoulders then day three being shoulders and arms.

Day 1 (Chest and Back)

    In order to build this particular program, we must first look at exercise selection and where to place them in order of operations. This is where you have leeway in terms of picking exercises. For chest you got your barbell bench, barbell incline, barbell decline, etc... additionally, you got your dumbbell variations (flat, incline, decline), plus your machine variants. Back exercises have the same process for selection, barbell, dumbbell, machine. Kettle bell can be used for either chest or back however sine the goal is to get swole kettle bells may be the best option for progressive overload. For selection you have to consider the gym you're going to use and what equipment is available to use, how much time do you have to work out and will you be working out solo or with a partner. These things matter in terms of which exercises to select. For example, if I am working out alone in the morning then dumbbells and machines will be your best bet. In this example I have everything at my disposal (including spotters). Chest exercises will be kept simple: Flat barbell bench, Incline dumbbell bench and pushups. Back will consist of Barbell row, low row and pull ups. 

Chest	Back
Flat Barbell	Barbell Row
Incline Barbell bench.	Low Row machine
Pushups	Pull ups.

 

    Realistically you would have prepped ahead of time and know your 1 Rep Max (RM) for the "core" lifts of the plan. Those could be bench, squat, deadlift, clean, snatch. 1 RM are used to determine how much weight is going to be lifted throughout the program. If you're not sure how to perform a 1RM check out this link. Once you have your 1RM or estimated 1RM then you can build your workout plan off that number. For example, I benched 250 pounds for 1RM. I would take 250 and multiply is by a percentage allocated to the desired reps. Since I am lifting for size, I would stick in the 6 to 12 rep range with each rep inversely determined by weight lifted-meaning that lifting for 6 reps I could lift more weight than if I were to life in the 12-rep range. 6 reps are 85% of 1RM, 7 reps are 83%, 8 reps are 80%, 9 reps is 77% and 10 is 75%. For this routine I'll go with the 8-rep range. 250 x.80 is 200. Incline bench can be found the same way. Back is a little tougher since barbell rows could be used for 1RM since the back is a large muscle, but with a row grip strength will fail before the muscle. We can estimate the 1RM max. We can use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to determine weight used for barbell row. Since I want to use the same rep range of flat bench (8). I'll load up a weight that I struggle with on the 7th, and 8th rep. Thats when I know I have the correct weight. Same with low rows. Bodyweight exercises are going to be done with a maximum number in mind, so they do not require load percentages.

Chest	Back
Flat Barbell 8 Reps at 80% 1RM	Barbell Row 8 Reps at 1RM
Incline Barbell bench 10 Reps at 75% 1RM	Low Row machine 10 Reps at 75% 1RM
Pushups Max reps	Pull ups Max Reps

     

       Now that we know our exercises, rep range and load lifted it is now time to talk about sets and rest. We know that volume is key for muscle growth. It is recommended to stay within the 3-6 set range for muscle growth. Set variation is dictated on time allocated for the gym and level of training. More time can equal more sets; a veteran at the gym could handle more sets as well. For this example, we will use for for the two big lifts in the series (bench and row) then use 3 sets for the intermediate exercises (incline and low row) then two sets for pushups and pull ups. 

Chest	Back
Flat Barbell 8 Reps at 80% 1RM for 4 sets	Barbell Row 8 Reps at 1RM for 4 sets
Incline Barbell bench 10 Reps at 75% 1RM for 3 sets	Low Row machine 10 Reps at 75% 1RM for 3 sets
Pushups Max reps. Two sets	Pull ups Max Reps. Two sets

      For rest cycles we would stick in the 30 seconds to 90 seconds. Additionally, resting between exercises is key as well. 

Chest	Back
Flat Barbell 8 Reps at 80% 1RM for 4 sets. W:R of 90 seconds	Barbell Row 8 Reps at 1RM for 4 sets. W:R of 90 seconds
90 seconds	90 Seconds
Incline Barbell bench 10 Reps at 75% 1RM for 3 sets W:R of 75 seconds	Low Row machine 10 Reps at 75% 1RM for 3 sets. W:R of 75 seconds
90 seconds	90 Seconds
Pushups Max reps. Two sets. W:R of 60 seconds	Pull ups Max Reps. Two sets. W:R of 60 seconds

    The goal of the post is to empower you to build your own plan. Fitness professionals have a tendency to hoard information. If the goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle, then why charge money?

Everything you wanted to know about Vitamins and why you shouldn't buy them

     Yep, Thats right. Don't buy vitamins at the store.

 I have spoken.

    Oh, you want proof? Always a catch.

    I have to preface this article by saying that I am not a registered dietician. It is not in my scope of practice to tell you what to eat. I can make recommendations and offer education pertaining towards nutrition, but no meal prep plans. 

    Cool, now that's out of the way I can begin to explain what Vitamins are. Vitamins are naturally occurring elements within the foods we eat and are needed for specific metabolic functions within the body. Vitamins are broken down into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble are stored in fat cells and carried by fat cells. A super deep dive into fat can be found here. Vitamins A/D/E/K are examples of your fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin A is necessary for vision, healthy skin, teeth, body tissues. Vitamin D assists with calcium absorption, building bones mass and helps with loss of bone mineral density. If you know about the Sliding Filament theory, then you know that role that calcium plays within muscle movement. Having a vitamin that helps with the absorption of calcium is key for muscle movement. Vitamin E is used for immune function and metabolism. Vitamin K is used for blood clotting and supports tissue and bone health. There is however a catch with fat soluble vitamins in excessive amounts they are dangerous to the body. By dangerous I mean death. This is where supplements come into play. Ingesting supplements at an excessive rate or consuming supplements in light of eating foods is a recipe for disaster.

    Water soluble vitamins on the other hand are dissolved in water and carried by the bloodstream. The only exception is your B12 vitamins that are stored in the liver for years. Water soluble Vitamins include Beta-Carotene, Vitamin C, Folate, Biotin, and of course your B Vitamins like B1, B2, B6 and B12.Much like their fat-soluble counterparts' water-soluble Vitamins have an upper limit for intake. Meaning that ingesting massive amounts of Vitamin C will not prevent you from being sick. Water soluble vitamins use what is needed the excrete the rest through urine. Hence why consuming Vitamin supplements are basically expensive urine.  

    Given that Vitamins in general come from the foods we eat eating a well-balanced diet that includes all colors of Vegetables is needed to ensure all the vitamins are hit within the day. This means eating your green leafy vegetables, and your various pepper varieties. Cooking these vegetables in a certain way (boiling) will minimize the vitamin content. Baking or grilling veggies tend to keep the most vitamin content.

What kind of feedback you should give at the gym.....

     In our loosely tied together coaching series we have went over goals, reinforcement, and how to teach new lifters techniques in the gym. Now we can cover how feedback can be expressed when working with someone. Since, I'm using this blog to study for a test there is going to be book definitions. Bear with me for a bit as typing these out actually helps me studying, and since this is my blog I get to do what I want! (sarcasm). After the book definitions I'll break it down barney style.

    Intrinsic feedback is sensory feedback from the lifter themselves. How did that feel? How did your body react? I've had moments in the gym where I really do not want to be there. When you go at 5am.....some mornings are rougher than others. Last Thursday for example I was supposed to back squat four sets of five at roughly 87% of my 1RM. Since I do not have a 1RM since I don't have any spotters I estimated, but for practice building a plan I input the percentages. Anyway, I loaded up the bar, lifted the weight, went down for the first rep and didn't have it in me. Just had that blah feeling. Due to Intrinsic feedback, I cut down on the weight and lifted four sets of three. Did I maximize my time at the gym? nope. Did I get some work in? Yes. Veteran gym goers call this Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). RPE refers in how did that lift feel? Most of the time it can be applied to aerobic training, but the principles apply.

    Augmented feedback is feedback from a coach, video or a gym partner. Recording your squat to check technique and bar path are good examples of augmented feedback. Those who record for social media purposes are kind of using augmented feedback unintentionally. Programs such as dartfish can be used on a smart phone to really analyze movement patterns. Mirrors can also be used for augmented feedback as well. When you're lifting with another person, and you ask them to check squat depth that is augmented feedback.

    When feedback is presented immediately the performance tends to increase and learning tends to go down. If I may tie this to a previous post that is an example of positive reinforcement. In-between reps with a compliment are immediate feedback. On the other hand, feedback after the set increases learning while performance is halted (to a degree). This tool can be used when beginner lifters are learning a new movement or skill. 

    Two other vocabulary terms that are associated with feedback are knowledge of the result, and knowledge of performance. Knowledge of the result are the results themselves. Completing a set of 315 is knowledge of the result. Comparing that number with other lifters also applies to knowledge of the result. Knowledge of performance is more movement/body position based. Applying the same example of squatting 315 knowledge of the performance would be hitting the desired squat depth. Or if I'm using video then ensuring the bar path is correct is another example of knowledge of the performance.             

How the gym can apply to parenting

 The gym can apply to parenting??

    YES! absolutely

    We talked about coaching lifters in the weight room and how various instructions can apply. Now, we apply coaching principles into parenting. As any parent will tell you rewards, and punishment are implemented in a way to either reinforce "good" behavior or to deter "bad" behavior.... how do you do that? Glad you asked. I'll break it down.

Positive Reinforcement

    This is an easy one for the parents to implement (along with gym behavior). Positive reinforcement is a certain behavior that is followed by a positive action. The kiddos were good at the store? Giving them a candy bar reinforces that behavior. An action that you as the parent deemed good is reinforced by a candy bar. In gym life putting the weights back after using them is a "good behavior" reinforcing that behavior with a high five is an example of positive reinforcement. Often times in sports coaches use decals or stickers (The Ohio State football program is an excellent example).

Negative reinforcement

    Negative reinforcement on the other hand is the removal of an act that is unpleasant. Kids don't like vegetables? eat one bit then you don't have to eat them anymore. (Kind of ironic that a fitness article uses not eating vegetables as an example). In the gym environment if you train hard in the gym then no cardio after. Not only do I use this with my kiddo's I use it in the Army as well. If my students do something well then, I remove something bad. If the class participates in a discussion, then I'll omit the PowerPoint slides.

Positive Punishment

    If we have tools in our toolbox that use reinforcement, then on the opposite end of the spectrum is punishment. Positive Punishment is the use of an act, or object following the "bad" behavior. Kid talks back then do pushups. For the gym if someone forgets to clean the equipment after usage then having them clean the entire gym is an example of positive punishment. In my classroom is a student uses a swear word then they have to perform pushups.

Negative Punishment  

    Negative reinforcement is the removal of something valued from a "bad" behavior. With parenting this is one of the more translatable examples, "Do your homework, or no video games", "If you don't wear a helmet then I'm taking away your bike. "The removal of something valued (video games/bike) makes it negative punishment. You see this all the time in sports as well, take basketball for example. I player continuously takes bad shots then the coach reduces their playing time. For the weight room removing weight room privileges is a prime example.

    I'm not expert on parenting or coaching athletes, but I do apply these to Instructing. In the military it is very easy to fall into the trap of taking away things or punishing "bad" behavior. Leave your equipment out? do pushups (positive punishment). Come to formation late? great we will stay late (removal of free time.... negative punishment). As a former Drill Sergeant, I used punishment quite extensively. What I have found out is that reinforcing behavior yields better results. Do something well? I'll write up an award for you (Positive Reinforcement), sound off during the prep drill? sweet we will only perform five repetitions of each exercise (negative reinforcement).   

Goal setting and the gym

Losers have goals; Winners have systems.

    The quote listed above outlines a method in which to obtain goals. The act of setting goals is as old as time.

 What is your goal?

 Money?

 Job?

 New car?

 New house?

 Fitness?

 Goals can apply to any situation in life. Buying a house is a goal, making a million dollars is a goal, getting promoted is a goal, fitness is a goal. Since my scope of practice is fitness, I’ll be more focused around those goals.

        Goals can be separated into two umbrella like terms: Process and Outcome.

Process goals

    Process goals are things that you can control. Your attitude, actions, and effort reflect on process goals. Sucess in these goals are mostly derived from effort. Effort could also imply skills or technique involved in the particular sport. A sprinter focusing on knee drive or a basketball player focusing on dribbling with their non-dominate hand are examples of process goals. If you're a fan of college football, then you can remember Nick Saben talk about the "Process" while coaching at the University of Alabama. He routinely mentioned the day-to-day effort needed by his players to play at the highest level, The daily effort associated with practice, lifting, nutrition, and recovery in order to become better. Saban was the master of treating five-star athletes (five star is a rating system associated with high school football players. The more stars then typically the better the player) to work like a two- or three-star recruit. The results speak for themselves with seven championships during his coaching career.   

Outcome goals

    Outcome goals pertain towards goals that are typically out of the athletes' hands. Winning for example is an example of an outcome goals. Even in one-on-one sports like boxing outcome goals are more geared towards winning. Too many variables can be included that is out of the boxers' hands to affect the outcome. The opponent, the referee, the judges, the corner men all play a factor into winning that are out of the athletes' hands. Forced movements, playing tight, overthinking the outcome are all results on focusing purely on the outcome. A weight room example is simply completing the set instead of focusing on the technique associated with the lift. 

    

How to coach a newbie at the gym

     It never fails. 

    I'll be at the gym working out and noticed two folks working out together with one being a seasoned gym veteran and a new guy. The gym bro talks through a lift with the new guy critiquing lifting techniques. This behavior in itself is outstanding the gym can be an intimidating place, and learning how to lift before lifting on your own is imperative for overall success. The question remains in how to teach someone how to lift weights? Generally speaking, there are three overall ways to teach someone how to lift weights.

Explicit Instructions:

       Explicit Instructions are just that explicit, detailed instructions that give the new guy the rules for effectively performing that particular lift. Body position, joint movement, breathing, etc. are all explained in great detail. Take the back squat for example, an example of explicit instruction would be to grasp the bar with a closed pronated grip, feet parrel to each other roughly shoulder width apart, with toes pointed slightly outward. Place the bar at either the low bar position (across the delts) with a handgrip wider than should width apart or the high bar position with bar position above the delts with hand grip shoulder width apart. Lift the elbows to create a "shelf" for the bar, chest is up and out (may have heard "proud" chest), head up to align head with spine. Lower the weight (inhale) until the thighs are parrel to the floor. On the upward movement exhale and push through the heels. Those are pretty intricate instructions. With that level of detail part practice introducing the entire movement into smaller tasks until the movement is complete. Another way would be to use simplification or using a PVP pipe to introduce the movement before adding weight. As you can imagine utilizing the explicit instruction technique is for new lifters. 

Guided Discovery:

    Guided Discovery is a method of teaching where you give the individual instructions about the overall movement of the exercise with blanket statements about specific techniques. For the squat guided discovery would be grip the bar, unrack the weight, take two steps back, position yourself and squat until parrel. See how those instructions are clear, but not overbearing in terms of detail. The personal lifting has the opportunity to implement what is comfortable. Some folks are not comfortable holding their breath performing the lift (Valsalva maneuver) or if they have high blood pressure than the Valsalva maneuver is not ideal since is does raise blood pressure during the lift. This technique would be ideal for experienced lifters that are new to the movement. 

Discovery:  

    Discovery is simply telling someone the goal of the task with very little direction. Take the squat for example; all that is required for discovery is to tell them to go squat at parrel depth. During the set up and movement the lifter has an opportunity to explore their own routines associated with squatting. Perhaps they place the bar on the traps first then fix stance or vice versa.

    So, which one is best?

    It matters to the individual. I beginner may function better with explicit directions while a veteran lifter will be best suited for discovery. Discovery initially slows learning while explicit directions impair performance during a stressful environment. Outside of the weight room imagine a basketball player shooting a free throw. First few days of practice explicit instructions work best while game on the line with little time left on the clock then discovery will be the best option for advice.   

Why circuit training is overrated part two

    In part one I deep dived circuit training and how it does not elicit the intended strength adaptations. In today's post I'll deep dive how the circuit training aerobic adaptations do not meet the intended aerobic adaptations. 

    We covered neural adaptations, muscle tissue adaptations, and connective tissue adaptations. Now, it is time for the aerobic adaptations. To start we have to go over some vocabulary; heart rate is how many times you heart beats in a minute. Stroke volume is how much blood is pumped per beat. Cardiac Output is the product of heart rate and stroke volume. Blood pressure is the amount of force is produced by the heart. That was a break it down barney style definitions. A more detailed account of the heart pertaining towards exercise can be found here. During the concentric phase (when your muscles contract....i.e. during a bicep curl) your blood pressure increases. Now when the eccentric portion is performed (i.e. lower the weight during a bicep curl) your stroke volume and cardiac output increases. When the Valsalva maneuver is used (process of "holding" your breath to build intra domanial pressure in the abdomen for bracing) your stroke volume and stroke volume will increase at a faster rate. The nonlinear aspect of blood flow is dependent on how many muscles are being activated during the lift. A smaller muscle will not illicit a significant change in blood pressure. On the other hand, a larger muscle will. Due to the eccentric phase (more difficult phase of lifting) the venous return (blood flow returning back to the heart) is initially limited. This is why your heart rate is higher after completion of the set then during the set. During heavy resistance training (20% of maximal voluntary contraction) blood flow is limited to the active muscle due to the contraction of the muscle restricting capillaries. After the completion of the set (rest periods) blood flow is increased resulting in reactive hyperemia. This is a stimulate for muscle growth. 

    The amount of blood flow during a training session is dictated on a few factors: 1) The intensity of the resistance (how much weight are you lifting), 2) Length of time of the effort (how many repetitions) and 3) Size of the muscle activated (Chest vs calf raises). Lifting heavy weights for multiple repetitions generally gives the best results in terms of aerobic response to resistance training. Key word in this style of training is heavy. Performing light bicep curls at the gym in order to get "toned" isn't a thing. Circuit training with lighter weights with the expectations of improving is not the most idea training. Only lifting heavy weights results in the aerobic improvement sought out by circuit training. Aerobic wise the improvements seen aren't as much as strictly performing aerobic exercises.      

Why Circuit training is overrated, and what you should do instead.

        Circuit training is overrated.

Thats right I said it.

Completely and utterly overrated.

    I'm in the military and nine times out of ten when workouts are prepared for the day it is undoubtably going to be circuit training (the lone exception being when I was in Master Fitness Trainer). I should preface this article with the fact that I have a Masters in Exercised Science and Certified Personal Trainer, so my education more often than not trumps who they put in charge. This is not from an egotistical point of view, but a general lack of education. You might ask why don't you design the workouts? Excellent question. The answer is in two parts: 1. When the bosses say do this.... you do it (as long as its not unethical, immoral or illegal) and 2. Develpment is a huge part of the military and you got to see how your subordinates perform in front of a crowd. Typically, whomever is in charge puts together a random assortment of exercises. Assigns a random collection of reps and rest cycles then implements that idea. In a vacuum they do have benefits when conducting physical training with a large crowd (command a control for whomever is in charge, and for the most part the exercises are simple). With the next paragraph, I'll attempt to explain why circuit training is not the most ideal training.

    Combining resistance training and aerobic training detracts from the adaptations from either exercise. We have beat a dead horse in some of the adaptions surrounding aerobic training and anaerobic training. In order to elicit the adaptations needed you must focus on one or the other. Take neural for example, as you progress in resistance training your mind becomes better at sending powerful and repetitive signals (rate coding and recruitment) to the muscle fibers to lift heavier and heavier weight. Those adaptations do not take place in circuit training. Now if your goal is to build muscular endurance then sure, but do the rest cycles of thirty seconds or less take place? doubtful. Resistance training recruits more type 2x fibers that aren't reached in circuit training. Speaking of muscle fibers another example is when your resistance trains your muscles become more forceful and contract all at once; aerobic training does the opposite by enabling muscle fibers to contract in an offsetting way. Circuit training does not quite enhance fibers in the same way and may cause adverse adaptions to power and overall strength. It has been proven that overall peak sprint speed and jump power will decrease due to circuit training. A Circuit training based around aerobic principles has been proven to deter strength gains, peak speed and peak jumping power. Improvement for aerobic adaptations have been shown to be minimal; the better way to go would be to singularly focus on aerobic style training. 

    A circuit training that will enhance strength, jump and speed is High Intensity Resistance Training (HIRT). HIRT couples' heavy resistance training with circuit training. Meaning that you have a round of bench, squat, pullups, straight leg deadlift, kettle bell swings all in that 8-12 rep range. As you progress through the circuit you allow your body the ninety second rest periods allocated for hypertrophy style workouts. The downside is the equipment and weights needed for each lift to be effective. This is one of those workouts that is conducted early in the morning or late in the evening...don't be that gym bro that takes up all the weights.    

    

     

The weirdest running workout you're not doing.

  Yes, that's right weird.

Ever heard of Fartlek training? 

    You haven't?

    No worries. I got you. 

    Fartlek is a Swedish term that means speed play. Basically, it entails changing speeds while performing aerobic exercise. It mostly applies to running but can be applied to swimming and biking as well. As your running you speed up the pace then slow down the pace accordingly. Fartlek is a combination of pace/tempo and LSD runs. It can be random which is unstructured Fartlek. Unstructured is exactly how it sounds. I run for 5 minutes then sprint for 30 seconds then lightly jog for two then run for another 4 minutes. It is completely random. Landmarks can also dictate changing speeds. I'll sprint for two mailboxes then jog for four then sprint again. Structured fartlek's have guidelines. They could be 5 minutes of tempo running then 6 minutes of LSD running then another round of tempo then rinses wash repeat. Fartlek's are a great way to change up the training and breakup longer runs into blocks to stay mentally engaged. For the workout as a whole it is recommended to perform these once a week with a 20-60 min duration that vary between LSD pace and tempo pace.

    I'm a big fan of these types of runs as they do breakup the monotony of running; plus, you never know how you're going to feel once you start running. It could be one of those runs where you feel every step and go slower, or it could be that you feel great and run at a faster rate. Additionally, I live in the northeast with very cold temperatures, snow, wind for nearly half the year, so treadmill is the way to go. Running on a treadmill can be really boring. Anything to break up the terribleness of the treadmill I am all for it.      

The running workout if you hate running

     I have a love/hate relationship with running. I like to run, but I dislike long distance running. A nice 3-to-4-mile run is my sweet spot in terms of distance. Since, I dislike long distance running, I rely more on short, more intense runs with breaks intertwined. Hence my sheer belief that shorter more intense runs are the way to train. Why do I believe this? because A) It works and B) The science also proves it.

    Interval training is defined as exercising at an intensity that is close to Vo2 max with predetermined work to rest intervals. The work portion of the exercise is recommended to be as low as 30 seconds to 3-5 min blocks with rest of the same ratio (1:1) meaning I would run 3 min hard coupled with 3 min of "rest" or in this case 3 min of light jogging. Another example is 30 seconds of hard running with 30 seconds of light jogging. Intervals at that low time is difficult to perform running since after a few rounds it is hard to get up to speed in time to qualify for the requirements listed. If you're going to perform low time ratios with intervals try an assault bike instead of running. Intervals are a great way to maximize your training window. Short on time? Intervals are the way to go. A really good interval training can take 30 min or less. Intervals are a great way to increase your Vo2 max and to build anaerobic metabolism. In general Intervals are really taxing on the body and is recommended to have only 1-2 sessions per week. 

    The bastard stepchild of Intervals is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT is repeated high intensity exercise bouts coupled with brief recovery periods. The high stress (Greater than Vo2 max) coupled with shorter recovery periods (1:5 work to rest ratio. Meaning for every 1 second of work rest 5 seconds. For example, 20 seconds of hard work means 100 seconds of recovery) ensure the body will not be operating at a fully recovered place. This style of training can be extremely taxing on the body and should only be performed once a week. HIIT can provide runners with that extra "kick" at the end of a race. If you really hate yourself, try Tabata training. Tabata is HIIT on steroids. The workout calls for 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 5 min. Sounds easy right? yea right. Try it and get back to me.

    Intervals, HIIT and Tabata can all be performed in shorter amount of time and should be used sparingly within the training week. The high stress can not only fry your muscles but your CNS as well. Depending on the flavor rest intervals can be a 1:1 ratio (intervals), 1:5 (HIIT) or 2:1 (Tabata)

How to train for a 5K

 I lied.

I did the famous bait and switch technique on you. 

Call it clickbait. 

    Let the record reflect that used a clickbait article title in order to get you to view on the article. At least I'm honest.

    There is no singular method to train for a 5K. It encompasses multiply training methods blended together to make aerobic gains while providing the body "lighter" days to recover from hard training. LSD runs are your lighter days to build a base. Pace/Tempo runs are you "harder" runs. Pace/Tempo runs are typically conducted 1 to 2 days a week for 20-30 minutes at your lactate threshold. Lactate threshold is that fine area where your body accumulates lactate and can clear it. Under that threshold and you're not giving enough effort, too much effort and your body accumulates lactate preventing you from sustaining the predetermined time or distance. Don't know your lactate threshold? No worries: outside of a lab with experts none of us do. A simpler way to know intensity is to take your goal of the race and run at that pace. For example, if my goal is to run a 24 min 5K. Then I need to run at 8 min miles for 20-30 min. For Pace/Tempo runs I would recommend running at least 25 min at 8 min miles. That is called steady pace. Another way is to break it down into Indvidual miles and run at that pace then take a short break then run another 8 min mile. The break is just enough to bring the lactate production down; give the body a chance to recover before running hard again. That is called intermediate style pace runs.    

    Pace/Tempo runs acclimate the body to race pace, and to develop sustainment at that pace. Ever hear the quote, "The body must be exposed to such fatigue in order to learn how to deal with it"? Yep, Pace/Tempo runs are those types of workouts. It will be a challenging run, hence why it is one of the harder runs to sustain. In basic training we did these types of runs, but we called them ability group runs and they were the worst. It was an effort that was very difficult but able to accomplish. With these types of runs your lactate threshold will increase. Your running economy will also improve. Not only will your technique get better your adaptations will allow you run faster next Pace/Tempo run. The downside to these runs is that they are taxing on the body. After a pace/tempo run an LSD run is highly recommended.    

How to build an aerobic base for a 5K

     Before building a house, you lay a solid foundation, before learning calculus you lay a foundation with basic math, before entering in your first 5k race (or any race for that matter) you lay a foundation or aerobic base.

     I am a big believer in building training plans around a goal. That goal can be a Spartan Race, Powerlifting competition or in this case a 5K. For those unfamiliar a 5K is 3.10 miles. On a side note, we are back-to-back World War champions.... why use the metric system?? Anyway...focus...back to building an aerobic base for a 5K.

    When runners talk about building an aerobic base, they are more likely referring to a style of running called LSD runs (not the Beatles reference in Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds) but Long Slow Distance. LSD runs are performed at race distance or longer. In our case it is at least 3.10 miles with a goal of running at a longer distance. If we were training for a 10K then it would be at least 10K distance. For intensity we would train at 70% of your Vo2 max or 80% of your Maximum heart rate. Not sure of your Vo2 max? Some smart watches have Vo2 max tracker, however, to get a true Vo2 max you would need to be analyzed in a lab. Don't have either? not an issue. Maximum heart rate is easier to figure out. It is just 220-age times .80. An example would be a 37-year old's maximum heart rate would be 220-37=183. 183x.80 is 146.4. Since you can't have .4 of heart rate 146 to 147 would be acceptable. Still too complicated? I'll break it down even simpler. Run at a pace that you can have a conversation with someone. These are the runs where you bring a buddy and go for a run. The super scientific name for this is talk test. If you can maintain a conversation with out straining, then you're at the right pace. As you can imagine this pace is well below your "race pace" since the idea is to build a base. How many times should I conduct this style of running? Great question. 1 to 2 times a week is sufficient enough to build a base.

    So now we know how many times a week, pace and distance let's talk about the benefits of LSD running. Benefits of LSD runs are the same as any aerobic training. Increased mitochondria's deep within muscle cells to ensure the body can perform the Krebs cycle efficiently. Muscle fibers start a transition from Type 2x fibers to more aerobic Type 1's thus making them more oxidative. LSD runs help increase the lactate threshold (body's ability to handle lactate).

    As with any pro's there are cons to this style of training. Since this training is at a lower intensity it may not be the best method to post PR's (Personal Record). LSD runs are a part of training but not the entire puzzle piece. Additionally, muscle fiber recruitment that is performed during LSD runs may not be the best at preparing the body for a race.

    In summary LSD runs are best used to build an aerobic base by acclimating the body to the distance covered for a race. LSD runs do have merits towards aerobic adaptations and should be incorporated into any training plan.