Part #3 – Anaerobic Capacity

C) Assault bike – Max ALL OUT 1-minute effort for average watts

After you finish the 1-minute:
1. Record your results (take a photo of your AB screen, make sure it’s displaying the avg. watts when taking the photo + Check your HR to see your end HR), you might need someone to help you with this.
2. Walk around for 2 to 5-minutes to recover (Check your HR @ 1-minute for your HRR)
3. Pedal @ easy pace for 3 to 5-minutes
4. You’re done! Congrats!!!

Brief. Your goal is to test your MAXIMAL output for a 1-minute effort. You MUST go hard from the beginning and then hold on (whatever you do, DO NOT STOP! This will kill your average watt output and invalidate the test)

Setup. Set your Assault bike to “Target time” of 1:00, the test starts when you press “ENTER”

Strategy. 1) Sprint, 2) Don’t die, 3) Die a little, 4) it’s ok JUST DON’T STOP!!!!!. See checkpoints for details.

Checkpoints.
@ 0:00 – 0:20: HARD EFFORT, PUSH (You might start standing to ramp the bike up, then shift to sitting @ 0:15 – 0:20)
@ 0:20 – 0:40: It’ll start to really suck, FIGHT to keep as high a pace as possible!!!
@ 0:40 – 1:00: You’ll feel like running through mud, YOU MUST KEEP PUSHING AS HARD AS YOU CAN!!!! Whatever you do, DO NOT STOP!!!! Show what you’re made off and FINISH STRONG!!!!

SESSION NOTES

Today, we will test your grit, your conditioning and your ability to suffer (productively) on the Assault bike. We have three tests (5-minutes, 20-minutes and 1-minute), each done for max average watts. We use the watts as they allow for an athlete to athlete comparison (both absolute and adjusted to bodyweight) and % based prescriptions for conditioning (unlike calories and RPMs which don’t work so well).

Your goal is to give your BEST effort in each one of the tests, independent of the others = Focus on one thing at a time, you’ll have some time to recover between each test.

HR (heart rate) measures. You will need an HR monitor for the below data points. This is a useful tool you might want to consider investing in. (A simple Polar H10 strap works well and can connect directly to your phone via Bluetooth).

HERE ARE THE HEART RATE METRICS YOU CAN TRACK FOR EACH TEST
Avg. HR. This is more useful for 5-minutes and 20-minutes. 98% of your 20-minute avg. HR is a close estimate of your Lactate Threshold (LT) above which you will start to “redline”.
HRR (HR recovery) @ 1-minute. This is your HR 1-minute after each test (stay standing)
HRRD (HRR differential). This is your HR at the end of each test – your HRR @ 1-minute and is an indication of aerobic systems contribution to exercise (higher HRRD = more aerobically you worked, lower HRRD = more anaerobically you worked). Tracking your HRRD is an interesting way to keep a track of your aerobic conditioning (if you do it consistently in your training). A higher HRRD differential tends to indicate better cardiovascular conditioning.

E.g HR at end of a test, 175bpm, HRR @ 1-minute (HR 1- minute after workout) 147bpm, HRRD = 175bpm – 147bpm = 28bpm

SESSION #2 – WEIGHTLIFTING / CONDITIONING (PREP/OPTIONAL)

PRE-SESSION MOBILITY PREP
A. Squat Flow (5-minute VIDEO)
B. Hip – Extension (VIDEO)
C. 3D Calf Stretch (VIDEO)

#1 – WEIGHTLIFTING

Warm-up

A) Suggested snatch warm-up (VIDEO):
A1. 3 Romanian deadlifts
A2. 3 snatch high pulls
A3. 3 muscle snatches
A4. 3 tempo overhead squats (OHS), tempo 23X1
A5. 3 snatch balances
A6. 3 power snatches to OHS (receive each rep a little deeper, pause 2 seconds in receiving position)
A7. 3 snatch pull unders
A8. 3 hang (squat) snatches

– You can break it into sets as needed. Complete the whole thing 1 to 3 times, starting with an empty barbell and adding load on each round if moving well
– Tempo 23X1 = 2 seconds down, 3 second hold at bottom, explode up, 1 second hold at top

Main set

A) Snatch – 7 to 10 x 1 @ 70 – 85%, Go every 60 to 90-seconds

B) Clean and jerk – 7 to 10 x 1 @ 70 – 85%, Go every 60 to 90-seconds

Intent. This is prep for the 1RM Snatch + Clean and jerk on Thursday. Focus on GREAT mechanics on every lift to set the scene for Thursday.

#2 – CONDITIONING (PREP/OPTIONAL)

A) 4 Intervals
1000m Row @ Rate 18-20*
* Focus on powerful pulls while rowing at a slow (stroke) rate

Rest 3-minutes

800m Run @ increase pace every 200m*
* Start at 10km pace, then build so that the final 200m is at the pace you’re planning for your 3km run on Thursday.

Rest 3-minutes

500m Row @ increase pace every 100m*
* Start at 5km pace, then build so that the final 100m is at the pace you’re planning for your 1km Row on Saturday. Make sure your pulls are long and strong, driving through the legs.

Rest 3-minutes

400m Run @ increase pace every 100m*
* Start at 5km pace, then build so that the final 100m is at the pace you’re planning for your 3km run on Thursday.

Cool Down

A) Lunge Flow (2-minute VIDEO) and/or Thoracic Flow (4-minute VIDEO)

SESSION NOTES

This session is intended as a prep session for the rest of the weeks testing. Go by feel and prioritise recovery as needed.

REST

Take a rest day. Sleep in if you can, eat well, get some sunlight and prepare for the rest of the week.

OR

ACTIVE RECOVERY

A) Breath work
A1. Diaphragm release (VIDEO), 3 repetitions of each variation
A2. Box Breathing – 10-20 breaths @ 1-1-1-1 ratio, ie. equal time for inhale – hold – exhale – hold. Start with 3 sec of each for a few reps, and then increase as able. This should be easy, don’t force the times.

B) Kettlebell Flow (5-minute VIDEO)
Two to three times through this flow, focusing on smooth, relaxed movement.

C) 3 rounds – nasal breathing only
4-minute Assault bike or run @ RPE 3-4
10 Thoracic bridge (VIDEO)
4-minute Ski erg or row @ RPE 3-4
10 Cossack squats

D) 3 rounds, nasal breathing only
10 KB front rack get-up, alternating sides (VIDEO)
20 Handstand Shoulder Taps, alternating
10m e/side KB Front rack Duck walk (VIDEO)
20 Hip Thrust w/ KB (VIDEO)
10 e/side Side plank raise (VIDEO)