Fatigue is a bad thing. Or it is when you’re trying to maximise performance.
Fatigue is the recoverable reduction in the maximum force generating capacity regardless of the type of work being done. Basically, getting tired so you can’t keep going.
So how can we use this knowledge to increase our performance in a workout?
Let’s use a simple example. 100 pull-ups for time, ie: complete 100 pull-ups as fast as possible. Come off the bar as much as is needed, but just get the work done.
We have two scenarios.
SCENARIO ONE:
Go to failure, rest, go to failure, rest etc.
If we graph muscle activity (EMG) and force production, it would look something like the following:
As the graph demonstrates, maxing out the force causes a slight drop in muscle action, and a large drop in force. This is a bad thing. Although you will start fast, you will fatigue quickly, and your final time for the 100 pull-ups will be slow.
SCENARIO TWO:
Stop before failure on multiple sets.
If we graph muscle activity (EMG) and force production, it would look something like the following:
So even though the initial speed would be slower, your final time would be much faster, due the ability to generate higher force for longer.
The same applies for metcon based workouts. Although the workout contains multiple elements, the energy systems used (phosphagenic, glycolytic and oxidative) are the same as for a run of the same time domain. Yet people will start a 15 minute workout flat out, akin to sprinting the start of a 3km run. Exhaust the energy system and the run becomes much harder. Treat the workout as you would a run of the same length. Start at the same intensity (think of it in percentage terms) and maintain pace, sprinting the finish. The prize doesn’t go to the person who finishes the first round first, it goes to the first across the line.
Next time you attempt a high rep workout, or a longer metcon, try gaming it, and stopping a few reps before you normally would. This isn’t to say that going to failure may have a better training effect (on occasion it would), but if you’re trying to get the best possible time, it might just be the way to go.
