Time efficiency and maximising impact is at the heart of my training regime.
It’s better to get something done, no matter how small than making an excuse and doing nothing.
Sometimes getting a full session (30 minutes) is too tight. Maybe I’m travelling or just having a busy day.
That’s where Max Out sessions come in. It’s basically my shorter version of a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session.
Max Out Training Session
My Max Out session is super straight forward.
- I choose an exercise. Running is the most common one, but it could be burpees or on equipment like a rowing machine.
- I go as hard as I can for as long as I can until I start to fail. E.g. if running I would sprint as hard as I can until I start to run out of energy and slow down. There is no precise time this takes but it’s typically anything between 30 seconds and 60 seconds. Once I feel like I’ve run out of steam, I slow down to a stop. But I go by ‘feel’, not time.
- I then rest for a minute or so (if running, basically as long as it takes for me to jog back to the start line). I’m fairly relaxed about this. I don’t want too long a break, but I do want a decent breather so that I feel ready for what comes next…
- Then I go again. I repeat the sprint (or whatever exercise I’m doing) and go again for as long as I can. Often on the second set I start to slow down slightly sooner than on the first set. But that’s fine.
- That’s it. The session is complete.
All in, this takes no more than five minutes to complete. But once done I feel like I’ve done a heavy workout.
The physical impact of maxing out on two sets of an exercise means my lungs are burning and my body feels exhausted and filled with lactate.
I find several benefits of this:
- It’s a great session where I am very tight on time.
- I feel like I’ve done a proper session. I have that nice feeling of having done exercise for the rest of the day.
- It’s fun. Going as hard and fast as I can for as long as I can is enjoyable.
- It clears my head like nothing else. If I’m stressed out it’s a great way of clearing my mind. It’s impossible to think about anything else when I’m maxing out.
- It stretches me physically. Much of my training is low intensity and a Max Out session feels like I’m pushing myself and building out my cardiovascular and physical strength.
Being careful
Max out training is a short, sharp session. I am not subjecting my body to prolonged stress, but I am exerting myself hard for a short burst.
So I try to warm up for a minute or so before I do the first Max Out set. This normally just means jogging to where I start the first set. I will probably also do some gentle stretching just to loosen up before I start.
I also take care when I’m doing the session. I go as hard as I can but I’m probably at about 95% max effort. Essentially flat out but keeping my form so that I’ not throwing myself around.
This is to reduce the likelihood of injuring myself. I will also be cautious if I feel any twinges and take it easy. That day might not be the day for a Max Out session.
But if I’m feeling good, it’s a great session to tick off.
Frequency
I’d normally not do more than one Max Out session per week. But it just depends. If I am tight on time, I might do up to three in one week.
At the same time, I might go for weeks without doing a Max Out session. If I have the time and I can fit in a 30 minute session that would normally be my starting point.
But sometimes I throw one in. It just a bit of fun. The best thing about a Max Out session is that they ELIMINATE ALL EXCUSES. There is always time to do a Max Out session.
