Can my clients do short burst training two or three days in a row?
There’s a new heart rate monitor out that measures heart rate variability during an exerciser’s recovery from high intensity exercise (lowering heart rate variability is correlated with recovery). I haven’t had the opportunity to play with one, but one of my clients has one and uses it to tell when his body is ready for another cycle trip into the hills. Something might help your individual clients learn their recov
ery rates after different types and intensities of exercise.
As long as there is sufficient recovery, it is possible. Recovery dictates timing and frequency. Monitoring for signs of insufficient recovery is the most important aspect of high frequency training. You can modify by reducing frequency or modulating intensity. Or you can extend recovery either between bouts or between several bouts. This is where the science of exercise comes into the equation. If you understand the science, you will be able to adjust accordingly for every client.
Hi Larry,
Joshua’s answer brings the point home.
a) This is an ‘it depends’ situation. Since the condition of your clients is not available, it’s hard to say if 3 days-in-a row bursts are a great idea.
b) High intensity training can stress the body a lot! An extra rest day (or 2) can allow the body enough time to recover.
Kepp in mind that your clients ‘may feel O.K.’ the first time they do these bursts but…can they do it on a regular basis?
Good points to consider.
Like many of the others, I try to break up HITT training and have a day or two of other types of exercise between sessions. I like to change the medium and intensity of the workouts I do with my client throughout the week. For example, if we do HITT one day, we may do pilates/yoga and stability exercises the next. Then we may do a pyramid or endurance exercise. It depends on their goal and what their current level of conditioning is.
