High-Intensity training without burning out and getting the munchies 😴 🍔

Happy Thursday Three!

Here are this week's coaching tip, exercise tutorial and question to ponder for the week.

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I. Coaching tip

The downside to HIIT training.

After an intense gym session, do you ever feel so exhausted that later you crave sugar and a nap?

These "munch & snooze" feelings are common after high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts & classes, which are popular for their effectiveness in burning fat, building endurance, and maintaining muscle while being time-efficient.

​However, HIIT workouts, while initially effective, can leave you feeling drained, adding additional stress to our already busy lives. Not only that, they heavily rely on glucose (sugar) for energy. Once the glucose in our body is used up, we tend to crave sugar to replace it.

Tired, cranky and craving sugar - This could be problematic if you're trying to keep fit but also still function day-to-day.

However, a training method that delivers similar results without sugar cravings and post-gym fatigue: Anti-Glycolic Training (ATG).

Unlike traditional HIIT training, ATG aims to avoid the burn while still providing similar results, such as improving work capacity, developing endurance, maintaining and developing muscle, and being time-efficient (up to 30 minutes).

ATG will not leave you too spent to live your normal day or turn you into the sugar monster. It’s no magic fix, though; it still requires hard work & consistency.

II. Exercise Tutorial

How to perform a ATG session

Choose a high-intensity exercise, such as AirBike, SkiErg, Watt bike, or kettlebell swings that is simple and repeatable.

Perform the chosen exercise with maximum effort for 6-15 seconds, and then rest as long as needed to repeat the same level of effort. The rest time could range from 45 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on the exercise and fitness level.

For example, kettlebell swings work well with 15-second intervals (8-10 swings) and only a 45-second rest, while the assault bike is better suited for shorter work intervals of 10 seconds or less with longer recovery time.

Remember to focus on short, high-power intervals with enough recovery time to repeat the effort. We want to avoid building up lactic acid and experiencing "the burn".

Example program...

Before starting, ensure you perform a suitable warm-up. Then, set up a timer for 10 seconds of work and 50 seconds of rest.

Using the SkiErg.

• 10 seconds at a hard but repeatable pace. You don't want to make these a maximum effort, nor should it be easy. Aim for hard but repeatable.

• 50 seconds rest - walk around, shake out the tension, and control your breathing.

Note - You should not fully recover by the end of the 50 seconds, but you should not be smoked either.

• Repeat...

How many rounds should you do? Well, it depends. To start, aim for 10 rounds. This should not be crazily difficult, but it sets a good starting point.

You can add 1-2 rounds each week while keeping the effort consistent for each round. For example, if you row 75m in the first round, you should still be able to row 75m in the last round too.

Build up to a maximum of 25 rounds, but do not rush it. Only add rounds when it feels good, and take rounds off if it feels harder that day. The goal is to avoid burning out, so even though each session is a hard effort, it shouldn't be leaving you smoked.

III. Question to Ponder

What if it was easy?

Changing your habits & routines can be difficult, messy and uncertain, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming.

Instead of complex and inflexible plans, what if we kept things simple? What would it look like if it was easy?

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P.S. If you enjoyed this week's Thursday Three, share it with a friend.

Thanks,

Jamie