After reading more of Ross’ Full Throttle Conditioning book I now understand the difference between Integrated Circuit Training and Enhanced Interval Training.

It also highlights the importance of RTFM – because the books generally answer my questions about 1hr after I’ve asked them on the Ross Training message board!!

So anyway – onto the workout.  I went for something a bit different today and opted for some Tabata intervals after a density drill:

  • 50 Burpees – As fast as possible (Took 4:54)
  • Tabata Squats – 4 mins (20 secs on / 10 secs off)
  • Tabata Push Ups – 4 mins (20 secs on / 10 secs off)

Predictably the burpees at the start almost killed me and they degenerated into pitiful arse-dragging messes.  The squats didn’t go too badly but the quads were seriously wrecked afterwards!!  The push ups I could only do full ones for one round – had to drop to halves after that.  I can’t wait for my body to get better cos its miserable dropping to weaker exercises just to keep going.

Time and patience though.

Heart Rate

I’ve not mentioned before but I have a heart rate monitor that I sometimes wear for workouts.  I’ve noticed it doesn’t stay high for long periods but it does spike hard intermittently.  I guess thats the point of circuits as opposed to lonf endurance work.  Endurance work isn’t good for strength…

Interesting Fact

Marathon runners have notoriously bad vertical jump ability.  This is because they’ve adapted fewer fast twitch muscle fibres in the legs and so have little explosive power to jump.