Factoring in cross training with an 80/20 split
- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 9 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Hello – I’m new to trail running and I’ve recently been learning all about aerobic base training. Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 concept makes sense to me so I’m trying to follow that. (For those who are unfamiliar: spend 80% of your training at low intensity, in “Zone 2” or “below the first ventilatory threshold”, and 20% at moderate to high intensity.)
My question is, should I factor all exercise into the 80/20 split? For instance, I go to a functional strength class at a local gym once a week. I have a hard time doing strength training myself, and I enjoy the social component of group exercise. However, the class is pretty intense, and I spend quite a bit of time above zone 2. Should I count this towards my 20% “high intensity” time? (If so, I probably wouldn’t end up doing any running at moderate or high intensity; the class is an hour long, and I’m not currently running more than 4 hours a week).
thanks all.
If I’m spending a lot of time with a high heartrate, I would include it in my 80/20 volume. It’s hard to say without knowing exactly what your workout entails, but I know Scott tells an anecdote about a crossfit gym owner having a very poor aerobic base due to all the high intensity work. If it’s more like lifting heavy things for a few reps with lots of long recoveries in between sets, then I personally would treat it like a strength workout and not include it.
Your body doesn’t know if you’re doing high intensity in a group session or by yourself on the track in perfectly prescribed intervals – it’s fatigue. I think the general advice is, cross training will fatigue you but not provide you with sport-specific stimulus and thus it is not optimal for training purposes. From p. 99-100 of TftUA, there’s a role for low impact cross training as recovery work like swimming or cycling to give your joints a break from the pounding, but in general its better to be sport specific.
That being said, (my personal perspective), if you are willing to sacrifice optimal, I think there’s a lot to be said for doing things you love, whether it’s for the social aspect or simply for fun. If it makes you happy and keeps the stoke high, it might be more sustainable in the long term to sacrifice optimal. I like playing rec soccer – same deal, it’s social and high intensity (and higher injury risk). I gave it up for a flat marathon training cycle, but now I’m back at it (after easing sloooooowly back in). If and when I pick another race or goal that I really wanted to put all of my energy into, I’ll likely have to give it up again. But I’d be a bit resentful of running if it meant I couldn’t play another team sport ever again.
If your heart rate is getting elevated above your aerobic threshold for the majority of that 60 mins, it strikes me that that is an anaerobic training stimulus that should be tracked and counted as a Z3/Z4 effort (although I’ll defer to any of the coaches on this). Is it HIIT/Crossfit/circuit training-style stuff that you’re doing?
What are your current training goals? If you’re aerobically deficient and are looking to build aerobic base, then you shouldn’t be doing any moderate/high intensity running anyway.
Thank you, that’s helpful. The classes are mainly kettlebell/bodyweight type training – low weight / high reps. I feel like they keep me mobile and make strength training fun.
I appreciate your comment about allowing some things to not be “optimal.” This type of workout is perhaps not the absolute best thing for peak performance, but I don’t care too much about that. My goals with strength training are injury prevention and the general health benefits.
I think I’ll keep going to the classes but budget them as “high intensity” time.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
