The Principles of High Intensity Interval Training

Max Wettstein: Today we’re going to do a little bit of high intensity interval training. We are going to run the stairs at Swami’s surf break, right here in Encinitas where I am from. We don’t need to go to St. Monica, we got our own stairs here. And what’s so great about high intensity interval training, it is time saving, you can get a workout within 15 minutes. Not only that, you’re touching the aerobic and anaerobic zones. So, you’re burning glycogen and fat and you’re doing it in a very little time period. Now, take a look at where we’re working out where we’re going to workout today with my wife Donna and tell me this doesn’t look fun. Donna is going to be my guinea pig today and I’m going to talk you through it. The stairs rough and they wine, all the way down. We may not have 300 stairs but we have close but we’re about to count them. And then, I’ll do a little workout after that. This is a great surf spot, Swami’s legendary. Not a lot of surf today but may be he is a living legend, if you get a – who is out there? Yeah, I think this is the swami, this is the swami, absolutely, yeah. Yeah, some glassy waist high peelers out there, we’re not going to surf today, we’re going to run some stairs. And maybe next time I’ll bring you back for some surf. This is why I don’t live in Hollywood. Okay, this is my guinea pig today, my wife Donna, golden surfer, mount biker, trail runner, adventure girl, part granola , part Orange County. Donna Wettstein: Okay. Max Wettstein: And her task is to count the stairs as she runs past me and she is going to run from top to bottom and then recover on the way down. We’re just happily going on a ski trip to Mammoth in two days. The downhill portion of this workout is the eccentric contraction, which is just like downhill skiing, alpine skiing, so that’s important too. That’s also where she is going to let her heart rate recover, get it back down below 90, 95%, which is where she’ll be at the top, back down to under 70% in the low intensity aerobic zone so she can recycle all that lactic acid that she produced while she was running up. Hi, Donna. Donna Wettstein: Now this is one of my favorite places to workout because not only is it on the beach but you’ve got gorgeous views and you got a great surf break right here and it’s very quiet. Max Wettstein: Are you counting the stairs? Donna Wettstein: Yes. Max Wettstein: You got any lactic acid burn yet? Donna Wettstein: Not right now. Max Wettstein: See, what’s happening here is Donna starts off at the bottom, fully aerobic low intensity, able to get all her energy through an oxidative process in some muscle glycogen. Then as her heart rate gets up, she transitions into the anaerobic zone, still mostly glycolytic, accessing muscle glycogen for energy and some creating phosphate. As she gets up to the top, her heart rate is going to be pushing over 90%. Then now, she’s going to come down slowly jogging and let her heart rate recover and start recycling some of that lactic acid she produced on the way up, so, tapping into all your energy production zones, which what makes it such a powerful workout. Donna Wettstein: Do whatever I can do without a collapse and my legs are puttied. Max Wettstein: Looking good. Now why is it so important to lean body mass when you’re not really burning fat directly? That’s a common question. Because this workout is so intense, you’re burning so many calories and you’re boosting your metabolism for almost the rest of the day. I caught her slacking down there. Now this kind of training also raises your lactate threshold, so your body can remain aerobic longer during other types of high intensity workouts. She doesn’t have her heart rate monitor on, but when I do it, I’ll have my heart rate monitor on, so I’ll be able to see exactly what aerobic energy zone I am in. Nobody has time for the long distance or two hour long intense workouts these days, we’re also busy. So this is how you do it folks, 15 minutes and you’re done for the day. Donna is doing some crunches down there while she recovers her heart rate. Other people can just walk down the stairs instead of jog down the stairs or you can just relax for a couple of minutes down there and let your heart rate come down to where you want it to before you start again. Donna thinks she can go ahead and recover by still doing crunches. She is not wearing her heart rate monitor so she doesn’t know but I’m going to put mine on and do a few intervals myself, I’ll see exactly what’s going on. Donna Wettstein: Water? Max Wettstein: Yeah, oh yeah, keep going man, you’re not done. This is why she doesn’t always workout with me. It’s easy to sit here and hold the camera. Donna Wettstein: I am replenishing myself with some water and an apple, trying to get some good nutrients in my body and to replenish my tener tissues. Max Wettstein: Yeah, glycogen stores. Donna Wettstein: And my glycogen stores and I did – when up the stairs, probably about a quarter way up, I could feel my muscles doing heavier and heavier, my legs feel might as weights. Max Wettstein: Is that be lactic acid? Donna Wettstein: Yes, lactic acid build up, but on the way down, I may be able to do lactate removal and -- Max Wettstein: Recycle it. Donna Wettstein: And recycle it, thank you Max and -- Max Wettstein: Get your heart rate down. Donna Wettstein: Trying to get my heart rate down but up to the very top, you know, you’re just so tired and winded, you can’t even get your oxygen to your muscle. So, you definitely are depleting. Max Wettstein: So, okay now it’s my turn to get tortured. Donna Wettstein: Alright, torture. Max Wettstein: I am going to be using my heart rate monitor. This guy is going forward and we’ll get some direct feedback as to what kind of training zone I am in. Okay, I’m going to take a turn here, I got the heart rate monitor on, puller is in direct feedback. I am currently at 43% of my maximum, which is rough – a rough lag there, I think it’s 220 minus my age so. But that’s my resting heart rate right now, not my true resting heart rate, and I’m going to go ahead and let you know where I stand. Taking the stairs two at a time. Okay, I’m currently -- I got to 92% at the top, clearly in the anaerobic zone. Glycogen is the main fuel that store carbohydrates. Also I got to give shirt off to my boy Rob Richards, who introduced me to the St. Monica stair workout. Two days after Christmas folks, no extra fat gain here. I just wanted to add that by taking two, three, or even four steps at a time, you can go ahead and make it a strength resistance type workout. So, you don’t have to go to the gym definitely. This is as good as a set of squat, pretty much. Okay, so I’m getting up to 95% at the top now and I’m only recovering to 80% of my maximum heart rate. I am also by jumping three or four stairs at a time, engaging my type two fast twitch muscle fibers. This looks which is still in there, helping up low down. You may get little bit of a plyometric workout now. Donna Wettstein: How you feeling? Max Wettstein: Alright man, 100% max at that time. Donna Wettstein: But it’s not always going to be distributed at a 100%, right? Max Wettstein: Oh, no, I am recovering on the way down. Donna Wettstein: Yeah, but it’s not always the best to be kick that 100% now? Max Wettstein: No, I mean if you’re feeling sick that day. Donna Wettstein: But some people -- 80% is feel like some body is 100%. Max Wettstein: Remember you max heart rate is a sliding scale depending on your VO2 max, your age, whatever you have programmed into this little receiver monitor so make sure this is accurate, do a --. Know what’s your resting heart rate is in the morning when you first wake up, program it in, your age, your fit condition is just -- Donna Wettstein: Is there a formula to have the exact resting heart rate? Max Wettstein: Yes, there is a formula. So, now we’re going to do is, take a little cool down run along the beach, real slow jog to recover. Donna Wettstein: How long -- how many miles you’re going to go? Max Wettstein: You and me are going to go for about 20 minute. Donna Wettstein: We are? Max Wettstein: Yeah, we’re going to get all cool down. Donna Wettstein: Okay. Max Wettstein: Recycle all that lactic acid and now we’re definitely more likely to burn fat so that we used up all our – used up a lot of our glycogen source and used up some of our blood glucose, we’re more likely -- once you get into that lower aerobic zone to burn some fat during that slow jog. And we can talk and catch up and bond. Donna Wettstein: Oh wonderful. Max Wettstein: So, that’s it for now from Encinitas, happy holidays to you and don’t be worried if you eat a lot of food on holidays because -- Donna Wettstein: You had enough peanut butter balls. Max Wettstein: Yeah, most of it’s just glycogen storage, water retention sodium, not really fat so.