Just reread CrossFit Journal on Metabolic Conditioning...

[Andrew Wilson]

[Andrew Wilson]

[Shane Skowron]

Originally Posted by Arien Malec

If the quote were "intense efforts over shorter (3-12 minute) durations can develop cardiovascular capacity as well or better than longer slower distance events" would you disagree?

No...because it doesn't...

[Arien Malec]

Originally Posted by Shane Skowron

No...because it doesn't...

How do you explain the 2000m rowers with massive hearts and absolute VO2Max higher than anyone else?

[James Evans]

Because they don't exclusively operate over 2000m.

Sample training from Tuesday night at the club:

6 x 6 mins

or

2 x 7km

Don't know what rate or with what recovery periods these were done.

The year builds through longer races (heads - the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race is an example) and 5km is the bench mark and then into the regattas, closer to the 2km mark.

These guys are banging out long ergs and water sessions throughout the winter.

[James Evans]

It's not just Glassman who has argued the primacy of metabolic conditioning over all other means although we can safely say that CrossFit are the most zealous proponents of this ideology.

Going balls to the wall is everywhere these days. Look at all the trendy MMA training out there. This is the stuff that Joel Jamieson has tried to address.

[Shane Skowron]

Originally Posted by Arien Malec

How do you explain the 2000m rowers with massive hearts and absolute VO2Max higher than anyone else?

I'm not a rower, but I used to train when the rowing team at my college did. They would row for an hour at a time. Just because they compete at the 2k doesn't mean they stay in the 3-12 minute time frame.

I also watched the swim team. They spent over an hour of swimming.


Any any cross country team in the world trains more than 12 minutes...

[Andrew Wilson]

[Arien Malec]

Originally Posted by Shane Skowron

I'm not a rower, but I used to train when the rowing team at my college did. They would row for an hour at a time. Just because they compete at the 2k doesn't mean they stay in the 3-12 minute time frame.

Super useful. It seems to me, just on the General Adaptation Syndrome principle, stresses that leave me gasping for air and have my heart racing are going to trigger an adaptation. That stress can be an short duration but more acute stress (500K row generating massive anaerobic stresses above VO2 max with recovery) and can be a long duration, less acute stress (5-10K hard row).

Andrew's answer seems the best one to me: yes, balls to the walls 2000k rows will produce a VO2 Max adaptations, but recovery is going to be difficult, and better to build a base with longer duration rows.

Which would seem to be the answer to the @F article: yes, short-duration intense work will create a CV adaptation, but just try doing that as your main program.

http://board.crossfit.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12

[Donald Lee]

Originally Posted by Arien Malec

Super useful. It seems to me, just on the General Adaptation Syndrome principle, stresses that leave me gasping for air and have my heart racing are going to trigger an adaptation. That stress can be an short duration but more acute stress (500K row generating massive anaerobic stresses above VO2 max with recovery) and can be a long duration, less acute stress (5-10K hard row).

Andrew's answer seems the best one to me: yes, balls to the walls 2000k rows will produce a VO2 Max adaptations, but recovery is going to be difficult, and better to build a base with longer duration rows.

Which would seem to be the answer to the @F article: yes, short-duration intense work will create a CV adaptation, but just try doing that as your main program.

http://board.crossfit.com/forumdisplay.php?f=12

Arien,

Read Lyle's series on intervals vs. steady state.

HIIT type stuff does increase VO2 Max, but it doesn't create all the aerobic adaptations necessary for longer events. For example, it doesn't sufficiently increase left ventricular volume because left ventricular volume tops out at intensities of about 65-75% of MHR (I just guessed this percentage b/c I forget the exact percentage). It also doesn't sufficiently increase mitochondrial density. It also doesn't sufficiently increase capillary density. It also doesn't sufficiently hypetrophy the slow twitch fibers. It also doesn't sufficiently upregulate the concentration of aerobic enzymes.