Once you have reached “The Golden Window” of aerobic base training it is time to include high intensity exercise into your program. Begin with 1-2 sessions per week where your workout is high intensity.
Depending upon your sport and available time, the frequency of these high caliber workouts can increase to 3-4 times per week. Use other workout periods to maintain and develop the large aerobic envelope you now have from the “Fat-Adapted” Metabolic State and The Golden Window.
Using periodization you can increase duration of the high intensity portion of these workouts by 15-20% each week.
Be sure to include one high intensity workout per week which pushes your HR as high as possible for 15-20 minutes of sustained activity. Other high intensity workouts can be tempo
ALWAYS start the activity with a Long Slow Warmup (LSW) to allow for optimal fat utilization. This is key to achieving OFM performance. We recommend no less than 30 minutes of warmup. For some ultra-endurance athletes the LSW may take 40-60 minutes!