Meredith shirk’s one and done workout will change the way you think about the conventional workout. Only 7 minutes workout plan will help you to achieve your dream body. She designs this workout plan in the very easiest way so that all ages people can try this.
Finding a training program that helps you progress in the running is quite an art! There is an endless number of workouts that one can do. And I’m sure you’ve already been a bit lost in the face of all these possibilities? The split short as 30/30, the allure 10km, the anaerobic threshold, and aerobic! Today, I’m helping you understand the different sessions and how to choose which workouts to put in your program! First, we are going over a few basics and then show you how to simplify the planning of the different sessions.
One and done workout: The most effective training program
First, I must clarify one important thing: there isn’t necessarily one training program that is more effective than another. The choice of which sessions you put in your training depends on what you want to improve. So ask yourself, what do you most want to achieve? Is it a marathon, or is it breaking a 10km time barrier, for example? Because the answer to this question will help you define which workouts will be the most effective in progressing towards your goal.
But there are also other essential factors: for example, how many workouts can you fit into your week? As I explained to you in the article on the typical week of training (available here), you should not be too greedy with interval training, for example! One to two good interval training sessions per week, which you recover well, are often more than enough to make good progress. With the fractional, it is better not enough than too much. Because too much can quickly lead to injuries or even overtraining if you cannot recover properly between the different sessions.
Each workout advances a different quality
The basic principle of running is that you progress specifically according to what you are doing. If you put many short sessions into a training program, you will increase your maximum aerobic speed. On the contrary, if we do many sessions based on the 10km pace or even the half-marathon pace, we will instead work on our ability to hold relatively high speeds for longer. Finally, with slower tempos such as the aerobic threshold or the marathon pace, we work on our ability to run for a very long time while generating as little fatigue as possible.
You will tell me that it all makes sense and doesn’t tell you how to choose your workouts. Especially if you train three times a week. In this case, with just one big interval training session every week, it isn’t straightforward. Be patient. We’ll tell you how to organize your workout schedule with the proper sessions right away.
Regularity is more important than the type of training carried out!
But first, I would like to recall one fundamental thing. The type of training performed is essential, yes. But there is even more important than that: consistency. There, we touch the key to people who progress over the long term. Any quality that one works in training, whether you must nurture speed, resistance, or essential endurance to last over time. If you do a short interval training session today but don’t do it again in the next few weeks, You will gradually lose the gain you made on this session!
It is, therefore, necessary to repeat a type of training so that there can be a natural progression associated with it. Without going into considerable detail, we can say that to develop quality. It would be necessary to train it once a week for a minimum of a month. You can focus longer on quality if you want to work on it. But with a work cycle of one month, we usually already have an exciting result. Then, to maintain this quality at its level, it would be necessary to train it once every two or three weeks. That is what I explained to you in the article on the development and maintenance split sessions.
Have a consistent interval training program to progress well!
Now that I have clarified the basics, we can move on to concrete action. You will see that it will be straightforward to follow what I have just told you. Therefore, the principle focuses on one quality as a priority and tries to maintain the rest.
I have given you a panel of the main qualities or gaits that we will work on in any training program on the graph below. It goes from less intense at the bottom with fundamental endurance to more intense at the top with speed. For the reinforcement, it is a bit special. But I wanted to put it in this graphic because it is too often forgotten. In short, reinforcement is not the subject today, but it is that of the video that I have put here for you.
The different qualities/gaits to work on: One and done workout
Which running training program is the most effective for progress?
What is evident when we look at this graph is the number of qualities that are represented. How do you want to develop or even maintain all of these qualities with just 1 or 2 interval training sessions? It takes a little thought. But before thinking, I’ll simplify it all a bit. While remaining consistent in terms of training, we can indeed afford to do a little regrouping. The goal is to put together the gaits that will have a common goal. We will thus work on these objectives, and the pace used will not be as important. And this is what it gives concretely.
Endurance block
Which running training program is the most effective for progress? First, the most logical, we combine fundamental endurance, the aerobic threshold, and the marathon pace. It is the endurance block. In proportion to training, we will spend the most time developing this type of quality. 75 to 80% of total training time in general. There are several reasons for this. First of all, whether you want to progress in the 5 km or the marathon, all events require a high level of essential endurance as a priority. Then, these are the gaits that allow (in particular the fundamental endurance)to chain the kilometers while generating little fatigue. Little or no fractionation here. We often work continuously or with very long fractions.
The Resistance block
Which running training program is the most effective for progress?
Then we have the block that I call resistance that revolves around the anaerobic threshold. It is an essential block, and it is there where we can go to seek the most progress. If you don’t know this concept, remember that it is between the 10km pace and the half-marathon pace for most people.
Knowing these two gaits is already an excellent basis for training resistance. They are the ones that we will use the most in the training plans that I am going to suggest to you. And for more info on the anaerobic threshold, have a look here).
The Power block
A fundamental block that runners sometimes overwork: the power block. Running at speeds between VMA (a pace that we can hold between 4 and 8 ‘approximately depending on the runners) and 5km pace, we will work what I like to call its engine.
We will push the limits of our cardio-respiratory system and increase the speed of this MAS. Thus, we will have more margin than this maximum and be more comfortable on all the other gaits.
The Force block
Which running training program is the most effective for progress?
Finally, the last block is a bit special. It includes speed and capacity and can commonly be called “Force.” When I talk about strengthening, I’m mainly talking about the legs, so specific strengthening for running. And when I speak of speed or hills, it is at speeds much higher than the MAS.
We want to work with these workouts to improve our ability to recruit as many muscle fibers as possible and make them stronger. As with the power unit for the cardio-respiratory system, here we will give ourselves some margin compared to our maximum muscle potential. This margin allows muscle fatigue to occur later during a long effort.
4 groups of qualities rather than 10
In the end, we end up with four many qualities to work on instead of 10. Which significantly simplifies the equation in terms of training. It is much easier to organize a schedule where we regularly work on four qualities rather than ten! And if you want to know how it can be organized, read on. I will explain it to you with this example.
A good training plan base that you train 3, 4, 5, or 6 times a week!
Workout 1: Fundamental Endurance + Strength
Tuesday is an entire endurance session, so we work based on the ENDURANCE block. However, end of the session, there are six straight lines. That is not pure FORCE bloc work. However, these straights run loosely but still fast will help maintain the neuro-muscular reactivity necessary to run fast.
It’s a typical week, so I’m not talking about muscle building that can be done as a supplement. But the bulk of the strengthening work is usually at the start of the season and will then be done as the main objective, replacing the Thursday session.
Workout 2: Power OR Resistance
On Thursday we’re going to have the big interval training session. That is where the choice is most complicated when you train 3 times a week because there is only one interval. Depending on the priority we set, we will work here with an interval session of the POWER block or an interval session of the RESISTANCE block.
If you are in a transition period without a specific objective or want to work both blocks, you can also plan a session mixing a 5km pace and 10km pace.
FAQ on One and done workout
- When is an exercise most effective?
It is always recommended to do physical exercise away from mealtimes. That is why morning is the best time, in this sense. The morning is the best time to do joint flexibility and aerobic resistance work, but always after a good warm-up and a correct breakfast.
- What is the best time to exercise?
Consider that the morning hours are ideal for sports or physical exercise. The reasons are the higher level of energy that the body has after a rest, that natural light favors the activation of circadian rhythms and that it is more likely to do it outdoors.
- When is it better to exercise in the morning or at night?
According to this analysis, strength, speed, and technique training are most appropriate between 10 and noon, from 4 to 6 in the afternoon. Or between 8 and 9 at night. Simultaneously, those exercises that have a medium-low intensity are activities such as walking and cycling without.
- What is better to eat before or after exercising?
The best advice is to snack in greater quantity and dine lightly. About two hours before exercising, eat a meal rich in protein and carbohydrates. However, at dinner after training, reduce the amounts a lot, avoiding fat.
Conclusion on One and done workout
Let’s go back to the typical week of training I told you about. You will see that it is possible to train effectively even with 3 workouts per week. I deliberately take this example because it is the most complex. Knowing how to build a workout program like one and done workout will have the solutions for the rest. The goal is for each session to have a specific objective. And since we don’t have enough training to review the 4 prominent qualities that I mentioned, we will combine several specific sessions.
