 |
||
 |
|
|
This week's tip:
The 30-30 Skate Workout
A workout that will make you stronger, fitter and faster
By Amanda Russell
The 30-30 workout is perfect when you want quick results and that euphoric endorphin rush.
Like any interval workout, it can be intense. But the level of intensity is up to you.
If nothing is stopping you, give it everything you’ve got. It will make you stronger, fitter and faster.
And it will pay dividends no matter what your level of fitness. In fact, I learned it from a world-class Ironman.
As the name suggests, the workout is basically 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, repeated 30 times.
The great thing about it is that it requires only 15 minutes of “all-out” effort.
But that doesn’t mean it's easy. The limited recovery time and high intensity will push you to your limit.
If 30 repeats are too many, do fewer. But don’t let off on the intensity. It’s better to do fewer reps than to make them sluggish and lazy.
If you are starting out, do three to five intervals, followed by five minutes of easy skating. Then do another set of three to five.
Increase the number of reps when you are ready.
Here’s the full workout:
- 5-7 minute warm up
- 30 seconds ON (effort: hard moderate to hard)
- 30 seconds OFF (recovery)
- x 30 repeats
- 5-10 minutes cool down
Exertion
Hard moderate effort means you are sprinting at 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. You should be a bit uncomfortable and your breathing forceful.
Hard effort means you are sprinting at 90 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate. Your breathing should be labored.
During recovery, your heart rate and breathing slow down and you get to relax a bit. But keep skating.
If you are on a bike trail, time your sprints so they aren’t interrupted by intersections.
And if you can't skate, do your 30-30 workout on a bike, moving or stationary, or an elliptical trainer. This workout goes wherever you go!
...
Amanda Russell was training to compete in the 10,000 meters at the Beijing Olympics when she suffered a career-ending leg injury. Doctors told her she would never run again. But after two years of intense rehabilitation, she was winning triathlons. Since then, she has devoted herself to training and fitness and created the AR Program, a holistic mind and body system combining dynamic workouts with a healthy diet. “Skating is a tool that can change your life,” she says. “I use my skates for a multitude of reasons: to get around the city, for workouts and even for dates with friends. You can roll along and chat, or you can power through a session and get one hell of a workout. It all depends on what you want to get out of it.”
|
|