CARDIO PROGRAMMING
add description for why cardio programming....
aerobic system
anaerobic lactic system
anaerobic alactic system
ENERGY SYSTEMS
zone 1
zone 2
zone 3
>140 bpm
140 - 170 bpm
zone 3
<170 bpm
zone 2
zone 1
Heart rate zones are very unique to each person. The numbers above are average representations.
aerobic system
In sustained activities over three minutes the aerobic system begins to work. In longer duration, low to moderate intensity work it becomes the primary energy system at play. Notice that this is the foundation of the pyramid. The more developed the aerobic zone is, the more efficiently the cardiovascular system works as a whole. Without developing the aerobic zone, all other systems will be limited in their maximum potential and will gas out much quicker!
primary fuel source: fat
heart rate zone 1: below 65% of max heart rate
heart rate zones are very unique to each person, but on average this system is dominant below 140 beats per minute (bpm)
endurance sports such as marathons, triathlons, soccer, and rowing require great development of the aerobic system
anaerobic lactic system
Longer sustained intervals lasting between 30 seconds and three minutes require the anaerobic lactic system to work hard. These types of intervals take a toll on the body and exhaust the nervous system, therefore, adequate rest is required between workouts to avoid overtraining. It is important that the aerobic and alactic system have been conditioned prior to maximizing the lactic system, hence why we will wait until month four to push its limits!
primary fuel source: carbohydrates
heart rate zone 2: between 65% and 85% of max heart rate
heart rate zones are very unique to each person, but on average this system is dominant between 140 and 175 bpm
high intensity sports such as MMA boxing and hockey require great
development of this energy system
anaerobic alactic system
The fuel required for this system is found within the muscles because it needs to be accessed quickly, but this means there is a very limited supply. The alactic system burns out after just 15 seconds on average when the body is working at true maximum effort. After that point the intensity will drop and the body will tap into other energy systems. As a result, training this system looks like short pushes to absolute max intensity, followed by longer recovery periods!
primary fuel source: carbohydrates
heart rate zone 3: above 85% of max heart rate
heart rate zones are very unique to each person, but on average this system is dominant above 175 bpm
sports where athletes push at absolute maximum for a very short period of time, such as sprinting, powerlifting and football require great development of this system
At any given time all three of these systems will be working simultaneously, but a specific energy system will be dominant depending on the intensity and duration of the activity.
Every month of your RMS BODY program, you are given the option to commit to additional cardio training. These supplemental programs are developed to maximize your results. Enhancing the cardiovascular system will increase your body's ability to burn fat, recover, and perform at its best. Day one programming will be consistent from month to month, whereas, day two is uniquely designed to compliment your strength program and adapts with you each month. It is your choice to engage in Day One, Day Two, or to just focus your attention on strength training!
MONTH 1 / DAY 2
30 - 60 minutes of long, slow duration steady-state
Goal: build aerobic base and enhance the body’s ability to utilize fat as primary fuel source
Primary energy system: aerobic
Heart rate zone: 1
Aim to maintain this zone throughout the workout
Steady state work is endurance based repetitive movement that is continuous for the given duration. The primary focus is that the heart rate stays fairly consistent and relatively low throughout the workout. Ideally, this would be tracked with a heart rate monitor, but a good gauge is that you should be able to speak without being totally winded, yet not able to sing a song. If you are new to endurance based work, this might look like a brisk walk. If you are an endurance athlete, your pace may be someone else’s sprint. For aerobic work, faster is not necessarily better. Low to moderate intensity for this type of work is going to be the most effective.
What we are looking for over the course of the month is for your pace to increase, but your heart rate to remain the same. There are many options for heart rate tracking, but if you are looking to purchase a monitor we recommend a chest strap as it tends to be the most accurate reading. We are not officially endorsing any products, but this is one we recommend [click here]
METHOD
walk / jog / run
biking
stair mill
elliptical
arc trainer
rowing erg - slow pace
nonstop dancing
Note: If possible, aim for longer durations of steady state work one to two days per week, versus shorter durations three to four days per week. This will be more beneficial in developing the aerobic base and teaching the body to burn fat.
MONTHLY BREAKDOWN
DAY 1
30 - 60 minutes of movement you love !
Our number one goal for the RMS BODY program is that you fall in love with MOVEMENT. Specific purposeful programming is essential to maximizing results, but exploring to discover what type of movement you genuinely enjoy will transform your body, mind and spirit. It will keep you from burning out and infuse joy into your system.
Every month we encourage one cardio day to be centered around movement you love! There are no limitations to this: take a dance class, try boxing, go with a friend to yoga, experience a tennis lesson, go surfing, take a walk in a gorgeous place. The possibilities are endless, just make sure the idea of it excites you. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes of activity. This time should definitely fly by!
MONTH 2 / DAY 2
Beginner & Intermediate: 45 - 60 minutes of long, slow duration steady state
GOAL: continue building aerobic base
See month one for full explanation
Advanced: 35 - 45 minutes of high intensity continuous training
Goal: Expand aerobic and anaerobic endurance
Primary energy system: aerobic
Heart rate zone: 1 & 2
Recover fully to zone one during rest
Set duration: 10-15 minute sets
High resistance, slow speed work that maintains a consistent pace
Number of sets: 2
Rest between sets: 5-10 minutes
METHOD
high resistance biking: 20-30 rpm
uphill lunges
box step up & down
double stair climb
high resistance rowing / ski erg
PROTOCOL
5 minute warmup
set 1: 10 - 15 minutes
rest: 5 minutes
set 2: 10 - 15 minutes
recovery: 5 minutes
Note: Going full throttle out of the gate will cause the system to gas out in the first few minutes. It will take some experimenting to find what your maintainable pace is, but once you find it aim to increase that pace slowly from week to week
MONTH 3 / DAY 2
28 - 36 minutes of maximum sprint interval method
Goal: build aerobic ability of fast twitch muscle fibers while increasing speed
and power
Primary energy system: anaerobic alactic
Heart rate zone: 3
Push all the way to max and then allow for recovery to zone 1 during rest
Set duration: 10 - 15 second sprints
Absolute max intensity and speed maintained throughout interval - timer begins when that intensity or speed are reached
Number of sets: 15
Rest between sets: 60 - 90 seconds
Monitor that breath has returned to normal or heart rate has dropped to zone 1 before resuming
METHOD
[ choose 1 or 2 ]
running
rowing erg
ski erg
assault bike
uphill sprint
kettlebell swings
tuck jumps
sled drag / push
battle ropes
PROTOCOL
warmup: 5 minutes
set 1: 10 - 15 second sprint
rest: 60 - 90 seconds
repeat x15 sets total
recovery: 5 minutes
Note: If these sets are not performed at your max intensity, they will have little affect. This short sprint is not enough to condition the system without being performed at max. If your body is not ready to push to that intensity just yet, continue the previous months ‘steady state aerobic work’ at a higher level or work ‘high intensity continuous training’ from month two.
MONTH 4 / DAY 2
28 minutes of lactic power interval method
Goal: Get the body good at eliminating anaerobic byproducts (i.e. lactic acid, carbon dioxide) to increase endurance and avoid central nervous system fatigue
Primary energy system: anaerobic lactic
Heart rate: zone 2
Push to the upper limits of zone 2 and allow for recovery to
zone 1 during rest interval
Set duration: 60 seconds - two movements for 30 seconds each
Max effort push for 30 seconds of each movement
Pair two movements back to back without a break
*The 60 seconds should be almost impossible to complete
Number of sets: 3
Rest between sets: 90 seconds
Decrease rest time incrementally as the body begins to recover faster
Number of series: 2
All of the above is considered one series
Repeat a second series with two new movements
Rest between series: 6 minutes
Allow your body to completely recover in order to give max effort in series 2
Spend your time doing CARS, breath work, or resting
METHOD
sprinting
rowing erg
ski erg
assault bike
battle ropes
jump squats
jump lunges
explosive pushups
burpees
*any total body explosive movement
that can be performed nonstop
PROTOCOL
warmup: 5 minutes
SERIES 1
set 1: 30 seconds each x movements a & b
rest: 90 seconds
set 2: 30 seconds each x movements a & b
rest: 90 seconds
set 3 : 30 seconds each x movements a & b
rest: 6 minutes
SERIES 2
set 1: 30 seconds each x movements c & d
rest: 90 seconds
set 2: 30 seconds each x movements c & d
rest: 90 seconds
set 3 : 30 seconds each x movements c & d
recovery: 5 minutes
Note: Overtraining during the Power Endurance program is highly likely if you do not listen to your body! If you are feeling very fatigued following resistance training days, there is no need to push through an additional high intensity cardio day. Take an active recovery day instead and just move in a way that feels good!