Interval Training for SUP Smarter Not Harder
Interval Training for SUP Smarter Not Harder
By Garrett McCoy
CSCS, PES, CPT, Yoga-fit 1, PT Manager at Harbour Island Athletic Club
Support: YOLO board, Stand Up Fitness, Victory Kore Dry, Revitalabs
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/SUPracetraining
Interval training is a hot topic in the SUP community and there are several different theories out there. My aim is to simplify the topic and give you an applicable plan a beginning paddler or an elite racer can benefit from.
What is Interval Training
Interval training is a combination of high energy expenditure with planned periods of slower speeds and or rest. This training style has been scientifically proven to increase speed due to it’s effectiveness in training the body to buffer lactic acid. Lactic acid is an exercise waste product that causes the “burning feeling” or fatigue. The more efficient your body becomes at working near your lactate threshold the longer and harder you can perform before fatigue. Although often viewed as “speed training” or anaerobic, interval training is also very effective in increasing aerobic capacity and overall endurance. Interval training produces a chart of hills and valleys like the picture below. Imagine how your heart rate will rise with the work portion and crash with the rest period. Your heart rate will follow a similar pattern. The fitter you become the more quickly your heart rate will return to a more manageable heart rate. The peaks and valley effect keeps your body “guessing” so that it will burn more calories and your cardiovascular system will become more efficient. Overall this will burn more calories, increase speed, and increase endurance all with less total time on the water.
Smarter Not Harder
I have to chuckle when I hear about runners who run five to 6 days a week. Think about the constant pounding to their joints. It’s only a matter of time before overuse injuries kick in. Guess what? The same thing happens with SUP. I understand the stoke, but it’s just as silly to SUP that often. Especially if you are in “training” mode on all of your paddles. Paddle muscles and more importantly paddle muscle patterns need to rest to come back stronger. If you go out and paddle the same speed or distance all the time guess what the training effect will be? You will become really efficient at that speed or distance and not progress. You will be in a constant plateau. You are ignoring the most important rules of training.
Training Rules
S.A.I.D. Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands- You have to train fast to be fast.
Progression- using the training variables of time, intensity, volume, and duration to continually improve performance.
Periodization- Being planned and specific with your workouts and phases so that you may peak at your most important races and prevent plateaus.
Sample Interval Plan and Definitions
Below is a sample 4 week interval plan applying the concepts from above. I never do training paddles two days in a row. I follow a schedule of Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I do plenty of other cross training, but I believe in letting SUP muscles and patterns recover so that I may maximize each training session. Smarter not harder. The goal is a balanced routine so that I may continue to progress.
HIT Interval Explanation (HIT High Intensity Training) 10X 1:1 Means performing 10 sets of a 1 minute sprint followed by 1 minute of a leisurely pace.
Fartlek- is not just fun to say, but means speed play in Swedish. 5X 5:1 Means 5 sets of paddling 5 minutes near tempo and then sprinting for 1 minute. It’s not quite as intense as HIT intervals, but is a great way to break up a paddle and still gain the endurance benefits of intervals.
LSD (Long Slow Distance) - These are mileage days. I still would perform these close to race speeds, but the goal is the training variable of duration in the form of distance. It is important to progress and latter down when building up mileage)
1 Mile Sprints AFAP (As Fast As Possible) - Many of the top riders use this interval to gauge their speed. I recommend adding a 3 minute rest after each mile to gain complete rest and allow your heart rate to become more manageable. Remember the point is to train fast to be fast so adding in the break actually helps you perform at higher speeds).
Tempo- Is a fast yet comfortable pace that you can maintain ideal form. I use temp paddling to warm up and cool down. This is a perfect speed to think about "stroke" thoughts and form.
Week 1
Paddle 1 Intervals- 5 min tempo warm up -> 10 X 1:1 intervals-> 10 min tempo
Paddle 2 Fartlek - 5 min tempo warm up-> 5 X 5:1 fartlek intervals -> 10 mins at tempo
Paddle 3 LSD- 6 miles AFAP
Week 2
Paddle 1 Intervals- 5 min tempo warm up-> 8 X 2:1 intervals-> 10 min tempo paddle
Paddle 2 1 Mile Sprints- 1 Mile AFAP-> 3min recovery (repeat for 4 miles)
Paddle 3 LSD- 7 Miles
Week 3
Paddle 1 Intervals- 5 min tempo warm up -> 6 X 3:1 intervals-> 10 min tempo paddle
Paddle 2 Fartlek intervals- 6 X 4:1 fartlek intervals -> 10 min tempo
Paddle 3 LSD- 6 miles AFAP
Week 4
Paddle 1 Intervals- 5 min tempo warm up-> 12 X 1:1 intervals-> 10 min tempo paddle
Paddle 2 1 Mile Sprints- 1 Mile AFAP-> 3min recovery (repeat for 4 miles)
Paddle 3 LSD- 8 Miles
Resources and other links
About.com does a wonderful job simplifying the science and giving some advanced interval info
Karen Mirlenbrink the bay area SUPilates expert organized a lot of the great info on intervals in her blog.
Please direct questions to
or supracetraining@gmail.com
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