For new readers

To get an idea of what I'm trying to do and why I think it's possible, check out the following entries, they'll help get you up to speed.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Breathe - an excerpt from my journal

Dec 18th - I sent in a pitch to Breathe magazine regarding the 2 Hrs/week training philosophy.  We'll see what happens. Not expecting anything, but pretty sure it wouldn't happen on its own.  Still mulling over/fleshing out my theories - reading, thinking about what works and what doesn't.  Read a study claiming that athletes put on a 2.5 hours per week high intensity training regimen showed improvement comparable to a control group on a more 'standard' endurance training schedule of 10.5 hours per week.  So essentially what i'm suggesting [in two hours per week] isn't too crazy after all - just that someone in the physical shape made possible by a typical training regimen of an endurance athlete (using conventional wisdom) of 10+ weekly hours can - if mentally fit (confidence and suffering!) - accomplish pretty much any physical, non-skilled effort.  With adequate will, one can reach a similar physical condition in 2+ hours (2 hours a week!) of higher intensity training.

I've also been thinking more concisely about the overall format for being successful at a low volume approach.  Train Hard.  Use methods that ensure physically consistent and intense workouts (treadmills, power meters/wattage, etc).  Minimize time spent in training zones 2, maximize that spent in 3, 4, and 5.  Stretch regularly.  Vary workouts routinely, but in ways that allow for the consistency in effort mentioned above.  Choose an objective metric (doesn't really matter what - note - heart rate is not objective) and use it to increase the intensity of each workout, every week.  Think of this steady increase in intensity/fitness as your build phase.  There is no base phase.  Every 8-16 weeks (I prefer 12 for multi discipline events, 8-10 for single discipline) do something BIG.  A race or some other ridiculous effort.  This is what you are training for.  This is where your efforts go.  Do it.  Suffer. Develop your mental strength.  Develop your confidence.  Recover for one week (you've just hit the reset button).  Week 2 after the something BIG is your chance to establish your new baseline for building from.  These baselines will and should vary.  Your peak fitness will vary too.  Note - you are not training to win.  You won't win following these methods - probably not ever.  But you can happily enjoy 'success' - age group placements, top 10% finishes, etc, in a HUGE variety of very difficult endeavors.  And on only two hours a week of training - thats pretty damn cool, and pretty much exactly what i'm after.

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