Workouts - Fast, Slow, Fast!

Hey everyone,

Yesterday, we decided to try a different style of workout.  Thus, we created a fast, slow, fast workout!

The 'fast' portions were two tabata exercises (see visual below), while the 'slow' portion was two strength-focused exercises, allowing more rest time in between the sets.

For those unfamiliar with Tabata training, it was invented to assist Japanese olympic athletes in their training and is very intense and challenging.  In between your Tabata sets (which take 4 minutes), you take a 2 minute rest period.  You have to be selective about your exercises and have the stamina/capacity to persevere through it.  That said, if you are looking for a great challenge in your workouts and a stimulating change of pace, then try it out!

Our workout included the following exercises:

Fast (Tabata-style):

• Front squats (135lbs barbell for Alex, 16kg racked kettlebell for Tannys)
• Pushups

Slow (strength-focus) - three sets per exercise:

• Deadlifts (275lbs rack deadlifts for Alex, 40kg kettlebell deadlifts for Tannys)
• Pullups (24kg weighted for Alex, bodyweight + band-assisted for Tannys)

Fast (Tabata-style):

• Overheard lunges (24kg kettlebell for Alex, 12kg for Tannys)
• Kettlebell snatches (12kg for Tannys) - Alex substituted a combination of tabata-style bodyweight dips and bodyweight chin-ups after injuring himself during the final deadlift set

Tannys doing pushups

Alex doing weighted pullups (24kg kettlebell)

Tannys doing band-assisted pullups

Alex doing rack deadlifts

The fast, slow, fast workout was definitely challenging for both of us.  Unfortunately, Alex injured his lower back on the final set of the rack deadlifts (a re-occurring injury).  Noting the pain, he immediately stopped the movement to assess the injury and then modified the subsequent portions of the workout which may have exacerbated the injury.  By stopping immediately, assessing it and adapting the workout, he was able to finish it with little-to-no lasting effects the following day.

This workout certainly reminded us of the intensity and sheer willpower that go into Tabata training.  Although it's not the type of training that you can (or should) do every day, it was a welcome change to our fitness routine and one that we'll inevitably return to in the near future!

- Alex & Tannys