Tempo Training as alternative to HIIT

Azdak

High Intensity Interval Training is a very popular form of training right now. Like anything trendy, the term is loosely applied to different types of training-- sometimes accurately, sometimes not. For my purposes, I am defining HIIT as a short duration workout, alternating near maximal effort work intervals with very low effort recovery intervals--eg "tabata"-type protocols.

There are a number of metabolic and fat burning benefits claimed for HIIT workouts. These benefits have been documented for the short term duration of most studies, but I think we still need to investigate what happens long term and if those advantages persist. To me the main practical benefit is time efficiency, meaning you can accomplish a lot in a short period of time.

High(er) intensity exercise is a powerful stimulus. I think one of the reasons why the average person sees so much benefit from taking up "tabatas" or other such workouts is because so many people get into a habit of doing nothing but low-level endurance cardio. I see it all the time at our gym-- people doing the same cardio routines at the same workloads literally for years.

So the introduction of higher intensity can bring about dramatic change. The question is: does it have to be all-out intensity? To so HIIT the way it is supposed to be done requires an effort level that can be very uncomfortable and a level of commitment that historically only a minority of exercisers are willing to make. At my age (62), I am willing, but increasingly less able to push myself to that level. It's not worth the injury risk, and it's even more true for most of my clients who are much less conditioned.

Tempo training is something that I think provides a compromise that may be more approachable to a larger number of people, esp those less fit. Basically, tempo training (as I define it) is working longer intervals at greater than steady state intensity, but lower that max effort HIIT--eg 80%-85% vs 95%-100%.

A common protocol is to alternate 60sec work intervals @ 80% effort with 60 sec recovery @ 50% effort, for 10-20 intervals.

Another is 4 min work @ 75%-85% with 1min @ 50% for 4-10 intervals.

Yet another is a time trial, where you work 15-20 min continuously @ 80%-90% effort.

With these workouts, you can achieve a good volume of training, burn a substantial number of calories (esp the 4x1), and maybe even get a little EPOC as well.

They can be scaled to fit those in the early stages of training or lower fitness levels and are tolerated well.

A recent study found that a 60s/60s X 10 workout with an 80%/50% split achieved comparable results compared to a 100%/0% routine

Acute Cardiopulmonary And Metabolic Responses To High-Intensity Interval Training (Hiit) Protocols Using 60s Of Work And 60s Recovery.
Rozenek, Ralph; Salassi, James W. III; Mier, Nicole M.; Fleming, John

The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research
Post Acceptance: March 18, 2016

Something to consider if you are looking to up your game, but don't want to do all-out efforts.

NorthCascades

Tempo ride = zone 3, eg 76 to 90 % of threshold power. Not the same thing as interval training, should be done more often.

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/power-training-levels

d_nadal

You could do something simple like do your normal workout routine, BUT do 100 reps of each exercise with light weight. This is something I do once a month to get my muscle fibers confused and gain strength and stamina. I dunno what your looking to do but it's def high intensity. If you can only do 30 reps you rest for 70 seconds and continue until a hundred. If you do 60 more you rest 10 seconds and finish

filovirus76

Most shorter race training programs incorporate tempo runs regularly. It may be 5 min intervals, 15-30 min threshold, or a combination of the two. I would recommend to all runners to follow a program as opposed to just going out and running, although there is plenty of benefit to doing just that.

ilex70

Kind of sounds like working to cadence to me...faster music > go faster/harder, slower music > go slower/easier. Just need songs that mix it up. Easier than fiddling around with a timer too, though maybe less effective.

filovirus76

ilex70 wrote: »

Kind of sounds like working to cadence to me...faster music > go faster/harder, slower music > go slower/easier. Just need songs that mix it up. Easier than fiddling around with a timer too, though maybe less effective.

Many running apps do the timer part for you. Just need to hit start.

I use Adidas micoach app. It tells you what "zone" (blue, green, yellow, red - blue is very slow, red is sprint) to run in and for how long. It even tells you to speed up or slow down according to pace. Listen to rockmyrun app at the same time and you get a great beat to a great workout.

kcjchang

The Tabata regimen (the IE1 protocol) is at 170% of VO2Max (~75% higher than one's functional threshold power for cycling, VO2Max = ~105% of functional threshold power) for 20 seconds followed by a 10 seconds of rest repeated 8 times (total duration of 4 minutes), 4 times a week for six weeks.

I'll be hard pressed to believe that many people on this board are actually are hitting their functional threshold intensity or higher regularly (e.g. ~20% of their training load), and surprised if there's more than a handful here who had actually performed "Tabata" or other regimen of HIIT for more than a few times.

GreenIceFloes

My mom's unwittingly modified her HIIT workouts to tempo training, apparently. I should tell her there's a name for it.

rileyes

I find it very slow to fully recover from max. I think you have to be very conditioned to pull true HIT off. Timed circuits can help with faster recovery.

hill8570

kcjchang wrote: »

The Tabata regimen (the IE1 protocol) is at 170% of VO2Max (~75% higher than one's functional threshold power for cycling, VO2Max = ~105% of functional threshold power) for 20 seconds followed by a 10 seconds of rest repeated 8 times (total duration of 4 minutes), 4 times a week for six weeks.

I'll be hard pressed to believe that many people on this board are actually are hitting their functional threshold intensity or higher regularly (e.g. ~20% of their training load), and surprised if there's more than a handful here who had actually performed "Tabata" or other regimen of HIIT for more than a few times.

Yup, my hat's off to anyone who can do the original unmodified Tabata protocol (not surprising, considering the caliber of athletes Dr. Tabata used for his original study). I generally have to recover for 90+ seconds before I can do another 20 seconds of full-on effort, and even with the extended recovery the last couple of pushes are pretty shaky.

Always good to mix it up -- all paces have their place in training, and it helps keep things fresh.

filovirus76

kcjchang wrote: »

The Tabata regimen (the IE1 protocol) is at 170% of VO2Max (~75% higher than one's functional threshold power for cycling, VO2Max = ~105% of functional threshold power) for 20 seconds followed by a 10 seconds of rest repeated 8 times (total duration of 4 minutes), 4 times a week for six weeks.

I'll be hard pressed to believe that many people on this board are actually are hitting their functional threshold intensity or higher regularly (e.g. ~20% of their training load), and surprised if there's more than a handful here who had actually performed "Tabata" or other regimen of HIIT for more than a few times.

Question: Would you consider this workout as HIIT? Here is my upcoming workout for Friday - Warm-up 10 min, speed intervals (X8) of 30 sec sprints (hard) 1 minute cool down, Cool-down 10 minutes. The last 2 intervals are always very challenging.

kcjchang

filovirus76 wrote: »

Question: Would you consider this workout as HIIT? Here is my upcoming workout for Friday - Warm-up 10 min, speed intervals (X8) of 30 sec sprints (hard) 1 minute cool down, Cool-down 10 minutes. The last 2 intervals are always very challenging.

It's kind of hard without a power meter since one had to default to RPE which is very subjective. If you have a HRM and know your LTHR (and good at gauging), it's roughly 50%-75% additional effort. And, HRM will be useless in tracking the intervals.

1:1 ratio is more typically. And don't ignore cadence work.

But, first ask yourself why are you doing HIIT. Is it to improve your threshold power? Increase max speed and/or a faster acceleration (high max power, ability to sustain higher % of it longer, and able to maintain high cadence)? Is it to move your VO2Max to your genetic limits? Is it to improve your ability to maintain intensity at high % of VO2Max for longer duration? Or something else? And, how much time do you have for that "A" event (race)?

6-8 weeks of HIIT twice a week is the typical limit before accumulate fatigue will force one to back off for 4+ weeks. (Tabata worked with Olympic speed skaters in his study.) During the rest period, most of the fitness gain would be lost. 2 week tapering after HIIT is typical for that "A" race. (It's a very advanced and blunt sharpening tool).

If the long termed goal is improved fitness, why do something that will force one off that projectory? IMO, a balanced of lower intensity at 90%-120% of threshold combined with endurance training (with at least one long duration ride, 2.5+ hours at 55%-70% of threshold, per week), the classic 20/80 split, would be much more effective.

DavPul

filovirus76 wrote: »

ilex70 wrote: »

Kind of sounds like working to cadence to me...faster music > go faster/harder, slower music > go slower/easier. Just need songs that mix it up. Easier than fiddling around with a timer too, though maybe less effective.

Many running apps do the timer part for you. Just need to hit start.

I use Adidas micoach app. It tells you what "zone" (blue, green, yellow, red - blue is very slow, red is sprint) to run in and for how long. It even tells you to speed up or slow down according to pace. Listen to rockmyrun app at the same time and you get a great beat to a great workout.

Are you me?