This guide outlines a three-pronged strategy to significantly and rapidly improve your V2 max, a key indicator of running performance. It combines specific workout types, appropriate training volume, and a data-driven approach to timing your sessions for maximum effectiveness.
How to Train: High-Intensity Intervals
The most effective training method for boosting V2 max is High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which surpasses traditional endurance running in its results. The video specifically recommends the “4×4 method”:
- Warm-up: 10 minutes of easy, progressive jogging.
- Intervals: Four sets of 4-minute runs at a very hard effort (90-95% of max).
- Recovery: 3 minutes of slow jogging or walking between each hard interval.
- Cool-down: 5 to 10 minutes of easy jogging.
How Much to Train: Volume and Intensity Distribution
Your total training volume dictates the best approach:
- Low Volume (2-3 sessions/week): You can perform the 4×4 interval workout up to three times per week for 8-10 weeks to see significant improvement.
- High Volume (4+ sessions/week): It’s crucial to balance intensity. The recommended approach is polarized or “80/20” training, where 80% of your training is easy and only 20% is hard. Trying to do three HIIT sessions alongside other runs can lead to burnout.
When to Train: HRV-Guided Training
This is presented as the key to accelerating progress, potentially doubling the rate of V2 max improvement. The strategy involves using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) to time your hard workouts.
- What is HRV? The natural variation in time between heartbeats. A high HRV indicates your body is recovered and ready for stress, while a low HRV suggests it’s under stress and needs an easier day.
- How to Use It: After establishing a 4-week baseline by tracking your HRV daily, you can adjust your plan. On days your HRV is normal or high, proceed with your hard interval session. If it’s low, swap your hard workout with a planned easy day to train when your body is most primed to adapt.
- Important Caveats: HRV is a guide, not a strict rule. Beginners should focus on consistency first. It’s crucial to avoid “data-driven stress” by not becoming obsessed with the numbers and balancing the data with how you physically feel.
Mentoring question
Considering the video’s emphasis on data, how do you currently balance objective metrics like heart rate or HRV with your own subjective feelings of fatigue and motivation when deciding the intensity of your workouts?
Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=das0CZjmASU&si=uecCi9_AhIY9wjj3
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