TEMPO
TRAINING
Up till this point, you can now appreciate the fact that high intensity training methods are absolutely fundamental and critical to the speed development process.
However, there are certain periods of time throughout the training week where
“slow and low” effort training is mandatory and very beneficial to the athlete or training client who desires to get faster. You are probably confused and thinking to yourself that this is crazy, illogical, and violates every principle and ounce of
research to this point. The fact is that 90% of what you will do in this program will comply with everything discussed before, and about 10% of the training will have to occur at a much lower intensity. In the speed culture this type of training is referred to as “Tempo Training.” Basically, Tempo Training is a slower based training style designed to facilitate the recovery of the athlete or client from the more intense workouts, and to promote relaxation. Below is a chart from a brilliant PDF called
“Kinetics Manual” that provides specific classifications for Tempo Training. 132 Please note that our Tempo training program is very simplistic and designed for the needs of a team sport athlete and not a sprinter. With that being said we will only perform the “Extensive Tempo” work category on this program.
(Courtesy of the Kinetics Manual)
This type of exercise really just serves as a “filler” to keep you busy on your off days, and also provides numerous indirect benefits than can and will improve speed if implemented correctly. Below is the list of benefits.
#1‐Accelerates Overall Neuromuscular Recovery from High Intensity Training Sessions
#2‐Removes harmful metabolic waste products that result from High Intensity Training and helps deliver energy to our muscles
#3‐Increases Capillarization to increase blood flow to local musculature
#4‐Increases Body Heat to improve performance
#5‐Helps maintain an optimal body composition
#6‐Improves Aerobic Conditioning levels
#7‐Helps Prevent Injuries
#8‐Helps promote focus, relaxation, and less inhibition of the neuromuscular system
When we practice Tempo Work on the days that follow hard training there is a series of things that occur internally that facilitate faster recovery throughout our entire system. For example, there is increased circulation throughout our entire body. This results in anabolic hormones that help repair muscle tissue and re‐
synthesize various proteins to arrive at the damaged area much faster than without it. Moreover, the tempo work will help maintain some level of neuromuscular activity that helps our body maintain its performance in between high intensity workouts. The author of the “Kinetics Manual” also makes mention that there is contradictory evidence supporting the active recovery role of Tempo Work, however, he does make mention that emerging evidence supports it due to
hormonal adaptations and activation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System. This is the second part of our nervous system that is responsible for rest, repair and digestion, among other things. Tempo training also helps keep us loose and more mobile which can have good ramifications on speed and other skills.
Next, as everything I mentioned is occurring, our body is also removing unwanted waste products from local muscle cells that can wreak havoc on our ability to recover and build muscle and perform better, among other things.
Alongside waste removal, important energy types are being delivered so that we can restore important energy stores such as liver and muscle glycogen which will help performance in the next hard workout.
Another added benefit of tempo training is the unique effect they have on the tiny vessels that are responsible for delivering blood throughout our muscle sites.
During tempo training our body adapts itself and increases the number of red
capillaries at the muscle. This increases the amount of blood flow being flushed into the muscle, much like opening a water dam. This blood flow could also work to directly improve recovery from high intensity intervals. According to Tudor Bompa in his book Periodization Training For Sports, this effect is known as “Alactaid Oxygen Debt.” In other words, we have to operate aerobically while we recover from intense efforts. Here is a study from The Journal of Gerontology in 2012 from
Murias. 133 This study examined the various physical changes and adaptations that occurred in the cardiovascular system with a standard endurance training protocol.
Subjects performed 3 workouts per week for 45 minutes at 70% of their maximum heart rate. Capillarization or proliferation of the capillaries in the body increased by 20‐30%, along with a host of other changes to the system.
Continuing on, another underrated feature of low intensity exercise on our off days is the increase in body heat, skin heat, and core temperature that arises. A study in 2004 from The European Journal of Applied Physiology reported that subjects were not capable of producing as much force if their skin temperature decreased. 134 So our body’s “battery,” which is the Central Nervous System, starts to turn on more with this type of training, along with the attached muscles.
Arguably the greatest Speed Coach ever, Charlie Francis, was onto this notion several years ago: “Along with increased macro‐capillarization from tempo, concentrates more heat within muscle fibers. Greater heat and proximity of fluid around MM neurons lowers electrical resistance allowing the intermediate fibers to take on FT characteristics.” 13 Put differently, our body’s muscle fibers that
generally behave slower start to respond faster. This type of muscle is normally conditioned to involve itself in activities like tempo work, or longer distance, steady‐
state work, but science has discovered that they will also increase their production during high intensity efforts as well. The more muscles working harder the merrier!
Moving on, most trainees will generally always have a weight or body
composition goal at the same time they are trying to improve areas of performance.
You will see later on that this helps improve performance further, and tempo work assists in either creating a better looking physique, or at the least maintaining it.
For fat loss, the extra volume of low intensity training will increase your weekly calorie burn and promote fat and weight loss, along with everything else you are doing in the program from a nutritional and training perspective. On the other hand, the extra calories can prevent any undue fat gain that commonly occurs when building more muscle mass.
The last two things that tempo training accomplishes are injury prevention and improved aerobic conditioning levels. The first results from the other factors that were just discussed, (i.e. circulation, hormonal delivery, energy delivery, waste removal, etc.) and the second is a by‐product of the general approach to tempo work. All of the changes associated with improving aerobic conditioning will occur during these sessions. This is important in the context of developing speed, because the majority of your recovery before, during, and after high intensity training will take place in the aerobic zones. This means that between every sprint, your body has to function aerobically while the rest of the body responsible for high intensity function recovers back to pre‐sprint form. An inability to operate better aerobically will definitely have an impact in recovery from high intensity training, and you will be at a disadvantage when the time comes to sprint or lift. So how do we properly
incorporate tempo work into a comprehensive speed training program? I will remove all guesswork and show you how next.
I’ve found and utilized a very effective conditioning principle with my athletes to appropriately integrate tempo work into the program. This principle is known as F.I.T.T. It stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. By assigning specific guidelines for each letter we can safely and effectively incorporate tempo work with no concern or worry. Here is the specific outline of the principle on this program. For specific tempo runs, 10 100 meter or yard runs performed 3x per week is recommended.
Frequency=2‐3x per week
Intensity=.65‐.75 THR (Target Heart Rate) Time=30‐45 minutes
Type=TBA
All of these I would imagine are straightforward and easy to understand for anyone except for perhaps the intensity factor and type. For intensity, you need to be in the “Aerobic Training Zone,” which is based according to heart rate. A heart rate monitor is recommended and extremely useful here. I suggest you get one if you do not have one already. To calculate your THR just take 220, subtract your age, and multiply that figure by the .65 or .75. That will yield a customized number for you and ensure you are tempo training. If you choose not to use a heart rate monitor, then a RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) Scale is the next best option.
With this just make sure that your physical and mental exertion levels do not exceed a 5‐7, where the higher number equals the higher the exertion, and vice versa. I will now provide you with our “Active Recovery‐Aerobic Conditioning” exercise menu.
ACTIVE RECOVERY WORK/AEROBIC CONDITIONING EXERCISES:
Conventional Cardio:
Treadmill Eliptical Stairclimber Swimming Bicycling Hiking
Snowshoeing Tempo Runs Racquetball Basketball games
Recreational sports Complexes
Light sled work
Light Sport and Position Specific Skill Training (Lineman drills for football lineman, etc.)
To conclude this portion of the manual I just wanted to explain to unaware readers what Complexes are. This particular conditioning technique was first introduced years ago as a unique way to mix universal compound movements in an efficient circuit fashion. According to my research, Istvan “Steve” Javorek was the innovator of this training method. 155 Essentially, you select a series of movements in succession, and perform every movement for the desired reps and do not stop the complex or set the bar down until the complex is completely finished. These can be pretty brutal. The rules are that you complete all of the reps of one exercise before proceeding onto the next exercise. Also, be sure to select and base the load or weight being lifted off of the weakest movement in the series. For example, you would not base the weight off of the RDL since you are able to lift at least double what you could in this exercise compared to an overhead press movement. If you do not base the weight you train with off of the weakest movement then you will not be able to perform all of the reps of each exercise which defeats the purpose and dulls the training effect. Also, make sure that the movements really flow well together.
Another rule, complements of Dan John, is to make sure that the bar does not pass back and forth over your head more than once or twice. This kills efficiency.
GET
SHREDDED
If you have for some reason failed to notice, most fast individuals are very lean and “shredded.” This is an arguable fundamental to speed for two reasons.
First, removing unnecessary layers of fat tissue automatically decreases the amount of work you have to do to move your body faster since you are lighter. Secondly, the fat is no longer occupying space that could be replaced with functional and
potentially powerful skeletal muscle, which would enable greater strength and speed potential. Both of these factors could be overcome with really high strength and power output, but this is definitely much harder than getting and staying lean.
Obvious exceptions would be linemen and other beasts who rely on the added mass to dissipate heavy impacts and large forces from contact in sport. For everyone else, there is literally zero reason why you cannot get leaner to help speed performance.
Now we will look at the actual collective system that I utilize with all athletes and clients in need of getting shredded and maximizing their physique.
Amateur bodybuilder and boxer Jesse Carstairs @ sub 10% bodyfat here. Jesse has used our system for years now.
ENERGY BALANCE:
Since I can remember, there has always been unnecessary debate over
whether calories count or not. Hopefully by the end of this chapter, I will be able to show you just how important calories really are in weight management, and specific to this section, fat loss! Before I can go into any detail about any of this, we have to