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Saturday 6 May 2017

Must read: the one minute workout by Martin Gibala!

Finally one compelling book, backed by science and research and personal experiments, which explains why HIIT is so potent.
More interestingly, Martin Gibala gives examples of HIIT training, with clear explanations.
For people who are looking for time efficiency for their training, proven results and easy to follow protocols, this is a must read!


https://www.amazon.com/One-Minute-Workout-Science-Smarter-Shorter/dp/0399183663



Wednesday 26 April 2017

Back to VO2MAX:60 thanks to Tabata!

Vo2Max is "the maximum or optimum rate at which the heart, lungs, and muscles can effectively use oxygen during exercise, used as a way of measuring a person's individual aerobic capacity."

"VO2max is a valid index measuring the limits of the cardiorespiratory systems' ability to transport oxygen from the air to the tissues at a given level of physical conditioning and oxygen availability." (link

It is an important indicator of your level of fitness and expected level of performance, albeit not the only one of course and more or less important depending on your favorite sport and distance.

Your VO2max decreases when you are aging, but if you train regularly and with intensity (think Tabata and HIIT) you can slow down the process.

Here is an example of ratings (link):



Age (years)
rating 18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65 65+
excellent > 60 > 56 > 51 > 45 > 41 > 37
good 52-60 49-56 43-51 39-45 36-41 33-37
above average 47-51 43-48 39-42 36-38 32-35 29-32
average 42-46 40-42 35-38 32-35 30-31 26-28
below average 37-41 35-39 31-34 29-31 26-29 22-25
poor 30-36 30-34 26-30 25-28 22-25 20-21
very poor < 30 < 30 < 26 < 25 < 22 < 20

To measure my VO2max, I'm testing myself regularly with Cooper test (12mn running) or using my cardio Polar. Results work well for me. At least it gives you a trend (eg you can compare the numbers).

When I was training for Triathlon and 70.3 distance Ironman, I could have a regimen of swimming / cycling / running up to 12-14h per week. During this period, my VO2Max was always between 58-60.
Whilst changing job, traveling a lot, and most importantly becoming a father of a wonderful little boy, time for training has shortened dramatically. 
I've also give up on the bike for a while, thus making harder to build the "base" endurance. My VO2max went south in the 55 area (which is still considered a good level for >40 years old).
Recently, I've increased intensity to my regimen, I've added frequency of Tabata training and incorporated back to back sessions (eg 1 Tabata 4 minutes, 1 minute rest, 1 other Tabata 4 minutes).
After a couple of (intense) weeks of training, coupled with a diet (aging process has also its effects!), I'm back now to a VO2 max of 60 at 42 years old next month. More details later :-) 








Thursday 19 January 2017

Actor Pierre Png loves ballet and unicycling

Real people are using Tabata for real results!

Extract:
"Q What do you do to keep fit?
A I go for two-hour ballet classes twice a week, do tabata workouts and swim. Tabata training is a high-intensity interval training workout that features four- minute-long exercises.
When I swim, I usually do a few sets, starting with six laps and finishing with a set of 10 laps. Between the sets, I will do 20 push-ups. Due to my working hours, I usually exercise at night. I do it to burn excess energy and also because I feel it completes my day."

Full article : link 

 

Need for speed: can you get fit in 15 minutes?

Link:

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/need-speed-can-get-fit-15-minutes/



Super-quick fitness classes are all the rage among the time-poor, but it’s not an easy short cut – every second counts if you want to see results

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/need-speed-can-get-fit-15-minutes/

Super-quick fitness classes are all the rage among the time-poor, but it’s not an easy short cut – every second counts if you want to see results “I don’t have time” is one of the top excuses for not exercising, and usually why fitness-related new-year resolutions fail before the month is out. But with more gyms introducing super-short lunchtime classes and apps such as The 7-Minute Workout, it seems that this excuse is no longer valid. The idea of getting fit in less time than it takes to shower is certainly an attractive one, but how valid is it? And if seven-minute sessions are all we need, what the hell are all those marathon gym-goers up to? It turns out that even seven minutes may be a bit too generous. A study published last year in the journal PLOS One found that 60 seconds of all-out exercise may have the same health benefits for your heart, muscles and respiratory system as 45 minutes of more typical, continuous exercise over three months. The catch? All out really means all out: you have to push yourself to your limits for that one minute. Tabata This isn’t the first study to alight on the notion of super-charging your workout. Tabata training is the concept of training at different levels of intensity to maximise results. Developed by Professor Izumi Tabata as part of a Japanese study of speed-skaters in 1996, the regime involves 20 seconds of ultra-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest over eight cycles (four minutes). It is just one type of “high-intensity interval training”, or HIIT. These intervals of high-octane anaerobic exercise with recovery in between typically bring about faster glucose metabolism (calorie burning), and improved fitness levels. HIIT’s time-intensive nature has made it popular with fitness gurus like the Body Coach, Joe Wicks, whose HIIT home workout has had more than two million views on YouTube. “The key to having an effective workout in a short space of time is all about getting the intensity, exercise selection and the programming right,” says Matt Bolam, a personal trainer at the gym chain Speedflex

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/need-speed-can-get-fit-15-minutes/
Super-quick fitness classes are all the rage among the time-poor, but it’s not an easy short cut – every second counts if you want to see results “I don’t have time” is one of the top excuses for not exercising, and usually why fitness-related new-year resolutions fail before the month is out. But with more gyms introducing super-short lunchtime classes and apps such as The 7-Minute Workout, it seems that this excuse is no longer valid. The idea of getting fit in less time than it takes to shower is certainly an attractive one, but how valid is it? And if seven-minute sessions are all we need, what the hell are all those marathon gym-goers up to? It turns out that even seven minutes may be a bit too generous. A study published last year in the journal PLOS One found that 60 seconds of all-out exercise may have the same health benefits for your heart, muscles and respiratory system as 45 minutes of more typical, continuous exercise over three months. The catch? All out really means all out: you have to push yourself to your limits for that one minute. Tabata This isn’t the first study to alight on the notion of super-charging your workout. Tabata training is the concept of training at different levels of intensity to maximise results. Developed by Professor Izumi Tabata as part of a Japanese study of speed-skaters in 1996, the regime involves 20 seconds of ultra-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest over eight cycles (four minutes). It is just one type of “high-intensity interval training”, or HIIT. These intervals of high-octane anaerobic exercise with recovery in between typically bring about faster glucose metabolism (calorie burning), and improved fitness levels. HIIT’s time-intensive nature has made it popular with fitness gurus like the Body Coach, Joe Wicks, whose HIIT home workout has had more than two million views on YouTube. “The key to having an effective workout in a short space of time is all about getting the intensity, exercise selection and the programming right,” says Matt Bolam, a personal trainer at the gym chain Speedflex

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/need-speed-can-get-fit-15-minutes/
Super-quick fitness classes are all the rage among the time-poor, but it’s not an easy short cut – every second counts if you want to see results “I don’t have time” is one of the top excuses for not exercising, and usually why fitness-related new-year resolutions fail before the month is out. But with more gyms introducing super-short lunchtime classes and apps such as The 7-Minute Workout, it seems that this excuse is no longer valid. The idea of getting fit in less time than it takes to shower is certainly an attractive one, but how valid is it? And if seven-minute sessions are all we need, what the hell are all those marathon gym-goers up to? It turns out that even seven minutes may be a bit too generous. A study published last year in the journal PLOS One found that 60 seconds of all-out exercise may have the same health benefits for your heart, muscles and respiratory system as 45 minutes of more typical, continuous exercise over three months. The catch? All out really means all out: you have to push yourself to your limits for that one minute. Tabata This isn’t the first study to alight on the notion of super-charging your workout. Tabata training is the concept of training at different levels of intensity to maximise results. Developed by Professor Izumi Tabata as part of a Japanese study of speed-skaters in 1996, the regime involves 20 seconds of ultra-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest over eight cycles (four minutes). It is just one type of “high-intensity interval training”, or HIIT. These intervals of high-octane anaerobic exercise with recovery in between typically bring about faster glucose metabolism (calorie burning), and improved fitness levels. HIIT’s time-intensive nature has made it popular with fitness gurus like the Body Coach, Joe Wicks, whose HIIT home workout has had more than two million views on YouTube. “The key to having an effective workout in a short space of time is all about getting the intensity, exercise selection and the programming right,” says Matt Bolam, a personal trainer at the gym chain Speedflex

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/need-speed-can-get-fit-15-minutes/
Super-quick fitness classes are all the rage among the time-poor, but it’s not an easy short cut – every second counts if you want to see results “I don’t have time” is one of the top excuses for not exercising, and usually why fitness-related new-year resolutions fail before the month is out. But with more gyms introducing super-short lunchtime classes and apps such as The 7-Minute Workout, it seems that this excuse is no longer valid. The idea of getting fit in less time than it takes to shower is certainly an attractive one, but how valid is it? And if seven-minute sessions are all we need, what the hell are all those marathon gym-goers up to? It turns out that even seven minutes may be a bit too generous. A study published last year in the journal PLOS One found that 60 seconds of all-out exercise may have the same health benefits for your heart, muscles and respiratory system as 45 minutes of more typical, continuous exercise over three months. The catch? All out really means all out: you have to push yourself to your limits for that one minute. Tabata This isn’t the first study to alight on the notion of super-charging your workout. Tabata training is the concept of training at different levels of intensity to maximise results. Developed by Professor Izumi Tabata as part of a Japanese study of speed-skaters in 1996, the regime involves 20 seconds of ultra-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest over eight cycles (four minutes). It is just one type of “high-intensity interval training”, or HIIT. These intervals of high-octane anaerobic exercise with recovery in between typically bring about faster glucose metabolism (calorie burning), and improved fitness levels. HIIT’s time-intensive nature has made it popular with fitness gurus like the Body Coach, Joe Wicks, whose HIIT home workout has had more than two million views on YouTube. “The key to having an effective workout in a short space of time is all about getting the intensity, exercise selection and the programming right,” says Matt Bolam, a personal trainer at the gym chain Speedflex

Read more at: https://inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/need-speed-can-get-fit-15-minutes/