20/08/2024
🌟 New class: 🌟
One of the fastest ways to increase Vo2 max is the Norwegian 4x4.
🌟This is something I have been doing with the men's group on a Sunday. But I’m opening up some slots on Sunday morning/ afternoon. For anyone if it’s safe for you to train hard. Drop a message if this is for you.
🌟With warm up and cool down you’ll be in and out in 45mins.
Info dump⬇️
The 4x4 is simply, after a warm-up do 4mins hard effort followed by 4 mins rest 4 times. In an indoor bike. We have the awesome c2 bike erg.
This is one of the most effective ways of increasing your VO2 max, which is the single biggest marker of longevity. Moreover, it’s also a marker of quality of life.
✅VO2 max is like how much energy your body's engine can produce when you're running or playing. Imagine your body is a car, and VO2 max is how powerful its engine is. The stronger the engine (or VO2 max), the more energy you have to run and play for a long time without getting tired. Higher Vo2 max also correlates with lower body fat levels.
How to do a 4x4.
You can get into details about what heart rate, what RPE or watts you should be aiming for. But for most people just go hard AF. Log down your average watts for each interval or distance and try and beat it the following week. You can also record the session with the erg data app, which is free.
My system is using the concept 2 bike which is linked to the erg data app. This pairs beautifully with the Apple Watch for heart rate. Some other apps will give you your peak VO2 max for the session.
Your heart rate should get up to at least 80%+ of max.
How often should you do a 4x4?
If your resting heart is below 60bpm then twice a week as your exclusive high intensity. If your resting heart is above 60 then once per week could be enough.
Data to track.
✅track watts, these should improve over time.
✅ heart rate, Is it possible to get a new max heart rate
✅ HRV and RHR the next few mornings, these will let you know how you’ve recovered
✅You want to check your 2-minute HRR (heart rate recovery)on the last interval.
HRR is a great metric to see how your body recovers post-training.
It’s you vs you.
One last thing, it sucks, it’s hard to do. But that’s good. Every second you push it, you are creating new adaptations.
