the workouta you liated are probably bothe good for the amount you are running. I would suggest an extra rep of each tho like 6x 3mins or 4x5min. Another way to get fast quickly is to race. Racing a week before your race may help.
The best workout I have done for the 3k, but would probably be good (or modifiable for the 5k), is 5 x 600m with 200m jog recovery. At the time I was training to break 9:00 for 3k and I averaged 1:42 (68 pace) for 600m, followed by a pretty brisk jog (around 53-55 seconds for 200m), then right into the next one.
I took my 3k PR from 9:13 to 9:09, then to 8:58 in a span of a few weeks. In the 8:58 race I was comfortably through 70, 2:19, 3:29, then eased off a bit because I thought it was a bit too fast.
What this workout did for me was make me comfortable with an uncomfortable pace. Something like this might work for you, adjusted of course to o
Currently I run every day and have 1 long run per week. I'd like to add one workout. I may alternate types of workouts for each week, but I was curious about VO2 max. Is that the fastest way to get to fitness short term? I know VO2 max training needs to be periodized and conventionally you wouldn't only do that, but if I'm trying to get into the best 5k shape I can within a month is VO2 the way to go or threshold?
If you could suggest one workout per week for a guy who run 25 mpw easy, what would it be? Keep in mind I don't care how to "correctly" train, I want to know what people speculate as the quickest way to improve a 5k.
A lot of people aren't accepting the constraints of the question!
If you're only doing one workout per week, I would do a hybrid workout, where you can touch on a few different systems. 2k threshold, jog a lap, 4 x 600 @ 3k pace (basically Vo2 Max) w/ a 200 meter jog, jog a lap; 2 x 200 @ mile pace w/ a 200m jog.
Repeat that twice.
Ten days out, do 7 x 800 @ 5k pace or slightly faster.
Repeat the hybrid workout 4 days before your race, but only do 2 of the 600s @ 3k pace, instead of 4.
Do strides a few times a week, including the day before workouts and the day before your race.
Currently I run every day and have 1 long run per week. I'd like to add one workout. I may alternate types of workouts for each week, but I was curious about VO2 max. Is that the fastest way to get to fitness short term? I know VO2 max training needs to be periodized and conventionally you wouldn't only do that, but if I'm trying to get into the best 5k shape I can within a month is VO2 the way to go or threshold?
If you could suggest one workout per week for a guy who run 25 mpw easy, what would it be? Keep in mind I don't care how to "correctly" train, I want to know what people speculate as the quickest way to improve a 5k.
A lot of people aren't accepting the constraints of the question!
If you're only doing one workout per week, I would do a hybrid workout, where you can touch on a few different systems. 2k threshold, jog a lap, 4 x 600 @ 3k pace (basically Vo2 Max) w/ a 200 meter jog, jog a lap; 2 x 200 @ mile pace w/ a 200m jog.
Repeat that twice.
Ten days out, do 7 x 800 @ 5k pace or slightly faster.
Repeat the hybrid workout 4 days before your race, but only do 2 of the 600s @ 3k pace, instead of 4.
Do strides a few times a week, including the day before workouts and the day before your race.
Good luck!
Thank you for adhering to the posed question. I actually like the hybrid workout. What I'm mostly worried about is recovery. 4 days before a race at my age could be tough, but maybe not an abd after 3 weeks of workouts.
But is this just for 5k and under? Not for 1/2 to full...
This was prescribed specifically for the conditions and desires defined by the OP. I think it will result in a short-term improvement in aerobic capacity, evidenced by a bit easier breathing (getting an extra air gulp) in normal activities over the following couple of days, more-so than a ‘VO2max workout’ like 4x4min w/3min recovery.
Is there research to support this specific workout’s benefits for short-term improvements in aerobic capacity, or is this based on personal experience?
Looks like you have to learn to read. )) " What's the fastest way to get fit in short term? " . LoL 😂
Looks like you have to learn to read more than a title, Jan. "If you could suggest one workout per week" is what the OP wrote. Lol all you want like the clown you are.
LoL, when a real pro coach answer the title question with his very long experience the answer can't be " Go with the VO2 workouts" . A real top pro coach knows getting in top shape short term is a question of not only VO2 workouts but a magic mix of the 3 main factors for the end result. That's e.g why it was possible for my back then aged 43 coached master runner O'Brien to better his 5 k time from 16:30 to 15:37 in just 2 months. 😎🤣🤣🤣🧙🏼♂️
This was prescribed specifically for the conditions and desires defined by the OP. I think it will result in a short-term improvement in aerobic capacity, evidenced by a bit easier breathing (getting an extra air gulp) in normal activities over the following couple of days, more-so than a ‘VO2max workout’ like 4x4min w/3min recovery.
Is there research to support this specific workout’s benefits for short-term improvements in aerobic capacity, or is this based on personal experience?
The workout that will raise your aerobic capacity the quickest is HARD 200m reps.
^Just try it. Blast a 200m rep, then walk/stumble/jog around the track back to the start-point. Perform 12 reps.
^Over the following couple of days afterward, you will notice an improvement in aerobic capacity during your normal activities (e.g. while walking, climbing a flight of stairs, etc.)
I think you are confusing the lactic effect with an aerobic increase. Can you site any studies to back up your claim? People usually feel great a day or two after a lactic workout.
Currently I run every day and have 1 long run per week. I'd like to add one workout. I may alternate types of workouts for each week, but I was curious about VO2 max. Is that the fastest way to get to fitness short term? I know VO2 max training needs to be periodized and conventionally you wouldn't only do that, but if I'm trying to get into the best 5k shape I can within a month is VO2 the way to go or threshold?
If you could suggest one workout per week for a guy who run 25 mpw easy, what would it be? Keep in mind I don't care how to "correctly" train, I want to know what people speculate as the quickest way to improve a 5k.
Since you have a month, try doing an intense interval workout one day per week. Not so intense to the point it will trash you. Also, you don't need to run 7 days/week you can take 1 or 2 days off where you do some active recovery (vibrating massage gun, an actual massage, easy session on a stationary cycle, etc.) The day following the interval workout should be either active recovery or just relax. You can also substitute the interval workout with a fartlek where you put in some really intense effort.
Is there research to support this specific workout’s benefits for short-term improvements in aerobic capacity, or is this based on personal experience?
Personal experience.
So that one workout provides immediate short-term gains for a guy just running easy. Regarding his desire to train one workout per week for a 5k in a month, assuming he will perform only four workouts (one per week) before his race, then I would have him do two 200m rep sessions, to boost aerobic capacity, and two 4x4min sessions. One purpose of the 4x4min session is to practice 5k pacing.
The workout that will raise your aerobic capacity the quickest is HARD 200m reps.
^Just try it. Blast a 200m rep, then walk/stumble/jog around the track back to the start-point. Perform 12 reps.
^Over the following couple of days afterward, you will notice an improvement in aerobic capacity during your normal activities (e.g. while walking, climbing a flight of stairs, etc.)
I think you are confusing the lactic effect with an aerobic increase. Can you site any studies to back up your claim? People usually feel great a day or two after a lactic workout.
Try it. Just jog (or walk) for several weeks (no workouts), then blast a 200m rep workout.
So that one workout provides immediate short-term gains for a guy just running easy. Regarding his desire to train one workout per week for a 5k in a month, assuming he will perform only four workouts (one per week) before his race, then I would have him do two 200m rep sessions, to boost aerobic capacity, and two 4x4min sessions. One purpose of the 4x4min session is to practice 5k pacing.
Therefore, the sessions would be:
Wk (1) 200m reps
Wk (2) 4x4min w/3min recovery (hard session)
Wk (3) 4x4min w/3min recovery (hard session)
Wk (4) 200m reps
RACE.
There’s a lot of training ideas that would work in prepping for a 5k in a month.
If you have a solid background in running, you can bounce back to decent fitness pretty quickly, especially if you've been running easy a few times per week and a casual workout here and there.
If I had to get someone as fast as possible in a month, staying within 25 mpw, I would have them do 3 workouts per week: 2 threshold/cruise interval workouts paired with 8-10x200m at mile pace with the last 2 at 95% max effort and 1 VO2max track workout (1k intervals or mile intervals w/ 1:1 work:rest).
After 2.5 weeks, I would also have them do a 1600m time trial all-out, jog around for 10 mins, and then do a 400 all-out.
2 days before the 5k, I would have them do 1x1600 at 3200m race pace, rest for 5 mins, and then do 1x800 at 1600m race pace.
And they'll be injured and hobbling on race day. Good show Jerry!!
So that one workout provides immediate short-term gains for a guy just running easy. Regarding his desire to train one workout per week for a 5k in a month, assuming he will perform only four workouts (one per week) before his race, then I would have him do two 200m rep sessions, to boost aerobic capacity, and two 4x4min sessions. One purpose of the 4x4min session is to practice 5k pacing.
Therefore, the sessions would be:
Wk (1) 200m reps
Wk (2) 4x4min w/3min recovery (hard session)
Wk (3) 4x4min w/3min recovery (hard session)
Wk (4) 200m reps
RACE.
There’s a lot of training ideas that would work in prepping for a 5k in a month.
Another example, is:
Wk (1) run a 12min TT.
Wk (2) run a 12min TT.
Wk (3) 4x4min w/3min recovery.
Wk (4) 200m reps.
RACE.
Or some sequence variation of those three workouts: 12min TT, 4x4min, and 200m reps. Etc.
Of course, one could get there by just running 800m sessions, or 400m sessions, etc. I was originally drawn into the thread to answer the question regarding what would quickly boost his aerobic capacity.
But if 200m reps work, then why not perform weeks of 200m reps, multiple times per week, for longer term 5k training? The short answer to that is that type of training was what Gerschler and Reindell came up with decades ago: “Interval Training”.
Or some sequence variation of those three workouts: 12min TT, 4x4min, and 200m reps. Etc.
Of course, one could get there by just running 800m sessions, or 400m sessions, etc. I was originally drawn into the thread to answer the question regarding what would quickly boost his aerobic capacity.
But if 200m reps work, then why not perform weeks of 200m reps, multiple times per week, for longer term 5k training? The short answer to that is that type of training was what Gerschler and Reindell came up with decades ago: “Interval Training”.
“Gerschler and Reindell initially carried out experiments with 3000 subjects, each of whom completed a 21-day period of precise heart rate controlled training. They found an increase in the heart volume by one-fifth after this short time period and significant improvements in performance.”
Even better: run 3 days/week (one of them intense/hard) with 4 days/week recovery. This will be your best bet to avoid burnout and injury and you will get great adaptation. All these people posting here forget some basic laws of physiology - the body adapts during recovery, not during work; and - your body will not lose the adaptation after taking 2 days off. You are not Jakob preparing for his Diamond League opener.
Currently I run every day and have 1 long run per week. I'd like to add one workout. I may alternate types of workouts for each week, but I was curious about VO2 max. Is that the fastest way to get to fitness short term? I know VO2 max training needs to be periodized and conventionally you wouldn't only do that, but if I'm trying to get into the best 5k shape I can within a month is VO2 the way to go or threshold?
If you could suggest one workout per week for a guy who run 25 mpw easy, what would it be? Keep in mind I don't care how to "correctly" train, I want to know what people speculate as the quickest way to improve a 5k.
Best get in shape workout
800/200. 800 at 5k pace, rest/jog 30 seconds, 200 fast, then rest for as long as it took to do the 800’s or a bit longer if needed. 3-6 times
So that one workout provides immediate short-term gains for a guy just running easy. Regarding his desire to train one workout per week for a 5k in a month, assuming he will perform only four workouts (one per week) before his race, then I would have him do two 200m rep sessions, to boost aerobic capacity, and two 4x4min sessions. One purpose of the 4x4min session is to practice 5k pacing.
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