On the continuum of training, the fastest way to get a beginner to respond is to gradually add volume the you start to add intensity.There’s no hard-and-fast line of when this switch from adding intensity to adding volume begins but it’s probably around the time sessions start to edge beyond ninety minutes or two hours. Because at some point “just adding more” isn’t actually going to make you anything other than too exhausted to recover before the next session.
Lets start with intensity ! Intensity can come in a variety of forms, but is most likely to mean lift more weight and moving more pounds. In this instance we will use intensity as a measure of lifting what you are capable of for one rep. Intensity can also come in the form of doing something faster, though, such as running at higher speeds because running intensity is either a measure of pace or heart rate.While increased intensity is ultimately what you might add as you become more advanced, the problem is that everyone thinks they’re advanced and might add in too much. So you end up with beginners coming in the gym trying to lift more, lift more, lift more, and wondering why they can’t handle it. The reason is that just like it takes a long time to get faster at running, it takes a long time for the body to get used to lifting heavy more often. In this case, a beginner doesn’t have the CNS capacity to handle the heavy loads for multiple training sessions.
So let’s propose the question that you are already an advanced lifter, now what do you do? You already lift more and with intensity so what creates the change to increase the stimulus? Believe it or not the next step is not to add more hard work, but to add more easy work. The reason is simple ,if you’re already maxed out for hard work, the only way to add more work in your week is to add easy work that has either no recovery cost or is actually a recovery benefit. That means the training needs to have no associated muscle soreness and no metabolic cost in terms of recovery such as muscle soreness that needs repairing. Foam rolling and mobility are great tools for this along with restorative yoga.
This is a surprise to many but when you are sore, you need aerobic work.The aerobic system is what’s responsible for recovery in your body. It is responsible for your recovery between sets and body repair between sessions. Most people, however, have a severely impaired aerobic system so their recovery is never optimal, even at one session most days. Do you want to get better at met-cons? Add in some aerobic work to your training. That’s the key to keeping up with the elite athletes. Learning how to add in cardio such as running, rowing, swimming and cross-training will only enhance your ability to maintain a faster pace in WODs. Did you ever notice the difference in people who can lift a 1 rep max with ease but then can’t complete a met-con ?? The aerobic system is the key to adding in success to your training for maximal results !
There is no secret shortcut or hack to get to that point, though – just a lot of hard work and discipline !!! However, if you truly want a freaky level of strength and fitness, this is how you get there.