✅ Download and print your Accountability Calendar to help you stay on track and complete all the workouts.
It’s a character-building type of day
Today’s workout is the hardest of the 5 Day Challenge. It will be tough, but the workout is short and will leave you with a great sense of accomplishment and well being. This workout can make you faster.
QUICK WORKOUT OVERVIEW:
Warm Up: 15 – 30 minutes
Work: 4 x 1 minute Zone 4 intervals, with 2 minutes active rest in between.
Cool Down: 10 minutes, more or less as you wish.
About Zone 4
Zone 4 is HARD INTENSITY. You will push above and beyond “race pace” (you should only be able to hold this effort for 5 minutes maximum if you had to).
You’re in Zone 4 when:
- Your breathing is heavy and rapid, and you are becoming short of breath.
- Speaking even single words is difficult.
- Watch my Zone 4 demo video [1 min]
Why Zone 4? Zone 4 training increases VO2 max via heart adaptations by challenging the heart to pump more blood at a higher rate.
Workout Instructions
DAY 3: Zone 4 Intervals: 4 x 1 min hard, 2 min recovery
❤️ Zone 4 (Hard Intensity)
⭐️ Goal:
1) Develop VO2 max via heart adaptations by challenging the heart to pump more blood via a higher heart rate.
2) Practice pushing above and beyond race pace (you should only be able to hold this effort for 5 minutes maximum if you had to)
✅ Instructions:
*Note: Suitable session for a weight bearing mode (like running, ski walking, roller skiing). If cycling, choose climbing terrain to ensure you stay in zone (avoid long downhills within intervals).
🔷 Warm-up: 15-30 minutes (personalize this to your time availability and needs; you are looking for an elevated heart rate, warm muscles, and sweating).
🔷 Main Set:
4 reps of 1 min hard, 2 min active recovery.
1) 1 minute hard
1) 2 minutes recovery
2) 1 minutes hard
2) 2 minutes recovery
3) 1 minutes hard
3) 2 minutes recovery
4) 1 minutes hard
4) 2 minutes recovery
🔷 Cool-Down: 10 minutes very light exercise as needed to return to pre exercise baseline (gradually reduce pace to walking speed).
Workout Resources:
Zone 4 intensity effort demo video from Coach Dasha
Zone 4 Guidelines
