In today’s hectic world it seems we are all continually struggling to fit more and more into less and less time. Whether it’s squeezing more work into a 9 to 5 day, cramming more activities into a 2-day weekend, or condensing a week’s worth of email posts into a digestible digest version, it seems we are all trying to become more dense. In that spirit, I’d like to offer the option of Density Training. This is by no means the only way to train, nor is it recommended to use it as your sole form of conditioning, but when you are short on time and are looking for ways to do more with less, Density Training is definitely a viable option.
Density Training Concept
The concept of Density Training is pretty simple. Do more work in the same amount of time or do the same amount of work in less time. So, for example if you were using push-ups as the exercise and the last time you used this protocol you managed to do 100 push-ups in 10 minutes, then this session you would either try to increase the number of push-ups you can do in 10 minutes or strive to do 100 push-ups in under 10 minutes. Not rocket science, right? What if this is your first time attempting this type of training? Pick your exercise, let’s stick with push-ups for continuity’s sake, and pick an amount of time, say 10 minutes. Then try to do as many push-ups as you possibly can in that 10 minutes. Crank them out. Push yourself (pun intended). Remember the time limit used and amount of reps achieved, or preferably write it down, and the next time do more. Simple as that.
More Options
Density Training can be used with almost any exercise. Here are some additional examples:
- Sprints – pick a relatively short distance, maybe 30 to 50 yards, and see how many sprints you can complete in 10 minutes
- Rope Skipping – not my thing really, but hey, who’s discriminating?
- Heavy Bag punching, kicking, elbowing, kneeing, or any combination – how many strikes can you throw in 10 minutes (Yes I know I keep using 10 minutes, but you don’t have to. Find something that works for you.)
- Any Bodyweight exercise – Burpees are great for this!
- Make it martial arts specific and see how many sword cuts you can do in 10 minutes. Just remember to keep the technique level high or you’re wasting your time!!
Remember, this is not the only option out there for those short on time, but it is a good one. Give it a try and let me know how it works out for you. Try it with different exercises. Experiment. Have fun!
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