Quote:
Don't overdo it, though. I see lot's of people who seem to be training at that upper, or even anaerobic, point all the time. They're the ones who leave the cardio machines looking like someone just hosed them down. I often only see them at the gym for a while and then they disappear. You just can't keep up that kind of workout day in and day out. Even if you can do it physically, it is mentally tiring, too. Like I mentioned, your mind gets rather stressed at that intensity level. It's not really a fun or peaceful place to be. Slow and easy is the base, but periodically pushing the envelope a bit is good, too.


As a matter of fact you CAN train that way over a longer time and it works. Works really well!

High intensity training is very effective stuff if you're serious about it and train smart. When I was into boxing and later MMA I gradually progressed to 6 workouts per week (about 2 hrs daily). I did a lot of anaerobic training. Looking back, I made amazing progress from the couch potato that I used to be and I've been able to maintain that kind of intensity for several years.

It is a very tiring way to work out, physically and mentally, probably too hard for most people. If you want your workouts to be easy and pleasant then it's not for you. But it can be done as long as you've developed a solid foundation first and follow a sound training regimen that you adapt yourself over time as you get a better understanding of your body. Working out every day is totally possible. For example, you can rotate hard and easy days so you go nearly all out on one day and easy on the other (which incidentally assists recovery a lot better than just resting).

Different strokes for different folks but I disagree about long, slow distance training. It does have its place but it develops just one attribute. If all you do is run long distance (perhaps without even really breaking a sweat) you will only develop aerobic endurance. But your strength will actually diminish, you'll lose fat as well as muscle. If you think that kind of training translates well into real life long range endurance, you're wrong. Give a casual jogger/marathon runner a 50lb pack and see how he struggles after a couple of hours in the field. I talked to several experienced people, including a veteran Ranger (for those guys long hikes and forced marches literally come with the job) and none of them saw much value in long, slow distance running. If anything, the consensus was that one should focus on 2 or 3 mile runs at a 6-7 minute mile.

Also, you need to understand that different athletes specialize in different areas. Sure, if you're a competitive marathon runner you'll be able to run many more laps than a weight lifter or sprinter. So what? A weight lifter can easily lift several times the bodyweight of a marathon runner and a sprinter can run a lot faster than either of them. That's the whole point, right? What would you rather be? Your call, but if you want to be in good shape throughout you'll need a little bit of everything: endurance, speed, power, strength...