P-A-C-I-N-G…continued

Tips For Creating Your Pace

1. Assess the workout duration, or get a pretty good estimate.

If it’s an AMRAP, try 1 minute Rotations or Tabata. Workout duration will be pretty clear. If it’s a Rounds For Time, then you’ll be doing your best to estimate the total length of the work in front of you. If it’s anything over 2-3 minutes, pacing will help you. You can’t sprint at an all-out-effort for anything longer than that. So pacing from the beginning will help.

2. Are there any movement limitations?

Consider if any portion of the workout will slow you down. Is there a weight that’s heavy for you? If so, your cycle time will be slower. Is there a skill which will be better to break up? Or, is it all bodyweight, a light and low-skill, with no particular movement or amount of reps that will give you built-in rest? This will help you understand the overall “speed” of the workout, or the movements involved. The more “built-in” rest you have in a workout, the more chance you’ll have to breathe or slow down.

3. Assess opportunities to practice.

What movement would be beneficial for you to practice in the upcoming workout?  Think through what you want to work on that would be beneficial for you. Is this an opportunity to try for bigger sets, and hold yourself to 10 second breaks? Always consider what strategy, technique or practice would be helpful for you (individually) to practice, regardless of what others are doing or suggesting.

4. Consider the 80% rule.

For any workout longer than 5 minutes, you’ll want to be moving at 80% of your max speed, for 80% of the workout. So, if the workout is a 10 min AMRAP, you’re moving at 80% for the first 8 minutes, and then going all-out, with whatever you’ve got left for the last 2 minutes.

5. Aim for negative-splits.

Consider trying to increase your pace each set or each round so that your fastest one is your last one.  Think of it as building your pace. So, while others begin to fall off, you’re just picking up steam.

6. Consider only doing 40% of your max set.

Example: If your max set of unbroken push-ups is 20, and you’re asked to do sets of 20 in a workout, you’re better off doing sets of ~8, ESPECIALLY if there are multiple sets of that movement or anything else that will interfere. Just because you CAN do 20 push-ups, doesn’t mean it’s best to. In fact, it’s really not a good idea to do a max unbroken set in a workout unless it’s the only portion of the workout.

TAKE THIS MENTALITY OFF THE MAT!

IT’S CALLED MARGIN.

BREAKS.

DO YOU HAVE MARGIN IN YOUR LIFE OR DO YOU HAVE 6AM-10PM STACKED SUNDAY TO SUNDAY?