VO2 Max Intervals: Push Your Aerobic Limits
Reap the rewards from building your foundation and take yourself to the next level.
This article is to serve as an example of another conditioning method I have used in my own military preparation. For anyone reading the previous articles and thinking I wasn’t being hardcore enough, or pushing people hard enough, this should satisfy you.
Here is an example of a conditioning method you can work yourself up to AFTER you spent the time doing the foundational work I have previously outlined. Please do not jump into something like this. This is from the third phase (3-4 months in) of the “Day to Day” physical training of a Police Officer. Build to this.
Below is an excerpt from future book: Answering the Call: Proper Physical Training for Police and Military in the 21st Century.
Day 6: “Litvinov” Variation (VO2 Max/Cardiac Power Intervals)
Another variation of a Dan John workout. This also oddly mirrors a method Joel Jamieson outlines in his book called “Cardiac Power Intervals.” Craig Weller programmed cardiac power intervals into my preparation prior to starting Ranger Assessment and Selection. For those of you looking to feel like you have finally destroyed yourself, here is your time to shine.
The idea of Cardiac Power Intervals is to push to the ends of your aerobic system and hang out around your VO2 Max. As written these are typically intervals that last around 2-4 minutes, depending on your level of conditioning. Push these as hard as you can. Follow up with full recovery between reps. That means 130 bpm or at LEAST 5 minutes between reps. The reason these intervals are so long is because it can take ninety seconds to two minute to even get close to your max heart rate. When doing these you are literally pushing your heart’s capacity to deliver your body oxygen.
From what I have read Dan has used mostly large, total body barbell lifts and KB swings in most of his Litvinov workouts. I will program kettlebell lifts just because they are easy to transport and for our application as cops we will use lighter loads and push these intervals a bit longer. You can run, ride an assault or ECHO bike for time, hit a heavy bag/mitts, or use a moderately loaded sled and push for longer distances. If you have a good training partner live grappling while you are fatigued while your partner is fresh would probably work well, assuming he/she doesn’t let up and keeps pushing you through the interval. Your partner can’t allow you to try and rest.
This workout is simple, effective, and doesn’t require a lot of equipment (unless you want it to). I also think these somewhat emulate a potential interaction a police officer can have when things go south. Typically, these interactions start calm with some kind of interaction and then a fight. Or the guy runs, then fights. Or there is a fight, the guy gets away after a short run, then another fight. Fight or run, run or fight... you all get the point or experienced it yourself.
I know this doesn’t look like much, but keep in mind these are max effort intervals done for at least 2 minutes, followed by full recovery and repeating. If you started in better shape, you can go as high as 3-4 minutes, but still take the time for full recovery between reps.
KB Swings- 15-25 reps
400-800m Track Repeats immediately after the completion of the above movement, or whatever distance allows you to hit the 2-4 minutes.
KB Cleans-10-12 Reps
Sled Push/Pull- 2-4 minutes
Goblet Squats or Double KB Front Squats- 10-12 Reps
Assault or ECHO Bike- 2-4 minutes
KB Thrusters- 10-12 Reps
Heavy Bag- 2-4 minutes
Single Arm KB Clean and Press- 5 Right, 5 Left
Max effort Grappling (Your partner should be relentless)- 2-4 minutes
Any combination above works. Have your training partner attack you as you complete an 400m sprint...maybe don’t do that...OK well if you do don’t attribute that workout to me. If you started this program with a higher conditioning level, cover more distance to hit that general interval time of 2-4 minutes, and strive to get closer to 4 minutes. Heart rate monitors are very helpful with intervals like these. They will give you an idea of where your max heart rate is and will also let you know when you need to rest more or less depending on how you are recovering between reps. It also let's you measure your heart rate recovery, which is a great indicator of fitness and something you should have measured before starting this journey.
Final note on these. When Dan wrote his original article he was describing a workout done by an elite Olympic thrower named Sergey Litvinov. This 196lb beast would front squat 405x8 and then run a 400m in 75 seconds...then repeat this three times. A display of absurd levels of anaerobic power and from the tone of the article probably used to assist with an improvement in body composition for this monster. Now even if there is a cop out there that could complete that workout as described (which in that case you don’t need to read this keep doing whatever it is you are doing) that is not what we are going for here.
I just like the set up for it's simplicity. For us, I would keep the weights challenging, but light enough that you can move with some power, and then take off on whatever modality of your choosing for the second part. The difference with what that cyborg did and what we are doing here is I want you to go longer.
This will be a gut check. This will also be a great place to see all your hard work pay off. In fact, it might not be bad before you start Phase one to do maybe 3 reps of this workout. I wouldn’t go all out as it might be too much, but doing these at 90% effort and then coming back a couple months later and seeing where you are at during this phase will be eye opening for most.
These are the workouts to visualize you doing the right thing. Push yourself but stay calm. Run through your radio traffic on what you would say during the foot pursuit. Are you still present? Still thinking? After the interval work on slowing your breathing down and recovering. Let these workouts support your tactical training. Don’t training yourself to panic when fatigue sets in.
