I?m often asked if it?s possible to increase aerobic and anaerobic capacities at the same time. This article shows that you can, using a very brief training programme.

Dr Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of health and nutrition in Tokyo set out in 1996 to find the most effective and efficient aerobic training method - this they defined as one that would boost cardiovascular fitness and speed up the fat burning process.

They compared a brief, high intensity program with the more commonly advocated moderate, sustained effort method.

The moderate effort group were asked to ride an exercise cycle at 70 % of VO2 peak for an hour a day, 5 days a week.

The high intensity group were asked to do a brief warm up (4 minutes) and then made to do 8 sets of 20 second maximum intensity sprints on an exercise cycle at 170% VO2 peak with only 10 seconds rest between each repetition.

Result.

The moderate intensity exercisers increased their VO2 max by 10%. Unsurprisingly, they showed no effect on their anabolic capacity. The high intensity group increased their VO2 max by 14% and showed a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity. So a single cardiovascular programme significantly improved both aerobic and anaerobic capacities!

The programme

3 days a week for 8 weeks:

Minutes 1-4 warm up at 50% of perceived maximum effort followed by

Minutes 5-8 inclusive sprint for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds

Minutes 9-12 inclusive warm down at 50% of perceived maximum effort.

If running gets boring, the same programme can be done swimming, skipping, on a road bike or a static bike. It could even be done on a treadmill, jumping to the sides for 10 second rest if you?re mad enough!

The first time through the cycle, it?s a good idea to build up the sprints gradually i.e 75% max first week, 85% max the second, 90-95% max the third or your lungs/heart/legs will find it very hard.

References

Tabata et al, ?The effects of Moderate-Intensity Endurance and High Intensity Intermittent Training on Anaerobic Capacity and VO2 Max.? Reported in Med Sci Sports Exercise 28.10 (1996): 1327-1330

Tabata et al, ?Metabolic Profile of High-Intensity Intermittent Exercises,? Med. Sci Sports Exercise. 29.3(1997): 390-395