Extensive Tempo Running for Tactical Athletes
By now, everyone is familiar with the acronym “HIIT” but very few people understand what HIIT means and most people who think they use some form of HIIT are probably missing the mark. High intensity interval training isn’t just max effort work intervals followed by insufficient rest; it’s actually a range of specific protocols based on heart rate zones with varying work:rest ratios. Tempo running is a highly effective form of HIIT that helps build aerobic capacity without having to spend hours a week pounding pavement.
Extensive tempo running emphasizes finding a fluid and efficient running speed and maintaining that speed for a period of time, followed by incomplete rest and repeated for a number of sets and reps that won’t leave you dragging through the rest of your day. The key to tempo running - not to be confused with tempo pace - is fluidity: strides should feel longer than your easy runs, but you should not be sprinting. Tempos should be run at a pace that you could maintain for 3-6 minutes.
Here are a few examples of tempo running workouts:
Extensive tempos:
2x6-8x30s/60s @ 70-80% effort
2 sets of 8 reps of 30 seconds running followed by 60 seconds of walking recovery
3 minutes of recovery between sets
70-80% effort is a pace you can maintain for 5-6 minutes
Progress by adding one repetition per set per week for 3 weeks
HIIT tempos:
4x8-10x30s/30s @ 80-90% effort
4 sets of 8 reps of 30 seconds running followed by 30 seconds of total recovery
2-3 minutes of recovery between sets
80-90% effort is a pace you can maintain for 2-3 minutes
Progress by adding one repetition per set per week for 3 weeks
Long interval tempos:
4-6x4:00/1:00 @ 70-80% effort
4-6 sets of 4:00 of running followed by 1:00 of walking recovery
70-80% effort is a pace you can maintain for 5-6 minutes
Progress by adding one repetition per week for 3 weeks
Ideally, tempos should be done 1-2 times per week and can be done with a consistent emphasis - i.e. extensive tempos for 3 weeks. Tempos can also be done with a rotating emphasis - extensive tempos week 1 day 1; HIIT tempos week 1 day 2; long intervals week 2 day 1; extensive tempos week 2 day 2.
The key to successful implementation of tempo running is planning.