Gentle intervals

The workout I did yesterday was sort of VO2 Max style. Not exactly, of course, because the original method as developed by Kenneth Jay calls for maximum intensity during lifting interval. In fact, the method I used yesterday is quite the opposite. The idea behind interval training is to increase the average intensity of the exercise, while doing intervals "soft"style - at moderate pace and using GS technique - helps to increase the volume and the duration of elevated heart rate.

One of the maketing points for kettlebells that Pavel Tsatsouline used was the mention that snatches were popular in the Soviet Navy as the substitute for jogging and running. Not surprising, of course, we al know how snatches tax cardiovascular system. The problem for those who are not very fit is the duration of working out: how long can you snatch without stopping? Advanced trainees can do long timed sets, and some Russian gireviks dump running in favor of snatching with frequent arm switches. But even when switching hands snatches are hard for many average trainees and are hardly comparable to jogging in their intensity.

The solution? Break one long set into many short ones. I was thinking about it and remembered a program from the book Lore of Running which gets you to run a marathon in under a year. Interestingly, the program does not start from jogging, it starts from walking. Then walking is alternated with short jogs, then replaced with jogs completely. Later on fartleks are added. Cardio kettlebell way can be done in the same way, alternating short sets and short rest intervals. My average heart rate was around 14-0-150 per minute. Is it better than doing ten minutes non-stop and getting the pulse to 170? No, it is simply different, similar to a light jog. It odes not exhaust you but keeps your heart rate reasonably elevated for the reasonable duration.

This workout also reminded me of other ways of EDT. On his forum Wild Bill mentioned the method of getting 100 reps in jerk. You start with 10 sets of 10 reps and rest of 1 minute. Gradually you reduce the rest interval by 10 seconds until you can do it non-stop. Varations are endless. You can first decrease rest between the first and second set until they fuse together, then the second rest interval and so on. Or you can decrease every alternative rest period: between the first and the second, third and fourth, fifth and sixth and so on, then fuse these longer sets together. Or you can work on reps: 10 sets of 10 reps first, then 9 sets of 11 reps, then 8 sets of 12 reps and so on, all with the rest of one minute in between. Eventually you will get to 2 sets of 50 reps, and it is up to you how to proceed from there. One of the ways is to increase the first and decrease the second set: 55-45, 60-40, 65-35 etc. Obviously, when using heavy bells - "heavy" as determined by how you feel - you can set the goal at lower number, say 50 reps, or 30, or whatever. It is easier to follow small goals than keeping your sights at MS.

Just another method in the arsenal.