Welcome to Invictus Engine! – You’ll see below that the format of our program provides you with 10 different training options categorized by modality and energy system and puts the power in your hands to structure your training schedule around your priorities. For example, a three-day/week training schedule might look like this:
- Monday – Running Session – VO2 Max Priority
- Wednesday – Rowing Session – Lactate Threshold Priority
- Saturday – Running Session – Aerobic Threshold Priority
Or if you want to train just 3x/week but really focus on an energy system instead of a modality, you may choose to do just the VO2 Max, Lactate or Aerobic Threshold sessions – one each from the running, rowing and mixed-modal options.
Alternatively, if you would like to train 6 days/week, your training schedule might look something like this:
- Monday – Running Session – VO2 Max Priority
- Tuesday – Mixed-Modal Session – Aerobic Threshold Priority
- Wednesday – Rowing Session – Lactate Threshold Priority
- Thursday – Swimming Technique Session
- Friday – Mixed-Modal Session – VO2 Max Priority
- Saturday – Running Session – Aerobic Threshold Priority
The power to choose is yours, but your coaches are here to help! Please let us know how we can best guide you in the comments, and via the private Facebook page – which is titled “Invictus Engine.” Please also continue to post workout results to comments, simply noting the sessions as “VO2 Max Running Session” or “Lactate Threshold Mixed-Modal Session” followed by your results (times or distances). We look forward to following your progress and helping you get the most benefit from this program!
Running Sessions
Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
Twelve sets for max distances of:
45 Seconds of Running @ 85-90% of 400m PR pace
Rest 90 seconds
This session will take 27 minutes. Note the total distance achieved over the course of the 12 sets.
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Ten sets for times of:
Run 400 Meters
Rest 60 seconds
Run these 400s as quickly as possible, but without a drop off of more than 5 seconds between your fastest and slowest intervals. That means you’ll need to increase your perceived rate of exertion over the course of the 10 sets.
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
“20-Minute Time Trial”
For distance:
20 Minutes of Running
Walk or jog at a recovery pace for 4-5 minutes, then try to resume your time trial pace for an additional 6-10 minutes.
Compare results to the week of September 7, 2020.
Rowing Sessions
Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
Every 4 minutes, for 40 minutes (10 sets) for times of:
Row 500 Meters
Your goal should be to maintain consistent pacing across all sets – at the same or faster paces you held for last week’s 8 sets. If possible, wear a heart-rate monitor and note how your heart rate follows your perceived rate of exertion over the course of your workout.
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Every 8 minutes, for 40 minutes (5 sets) for distances of:
6 Minutes of Rowing @ 90-95% of your 2k PR Pace
Walk, jog or row lightly during the 2 minute rest intervals. Track your heart rate and note where it was at the beginning and end of each 2-minute rest period for all 5 sets.
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
Row 5000 meters @ 10 seconds slower than your desired 5000 meter PR Pace
Cyclical & Mixed-Modal Sessions
Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
Every 90 seconds, for 30 minutes (20 sets):
30 seconds of Assault Bike
Please note Calories for each of the 20 sets. The goal of this session is to understand pacing. You need to keep this session aerobic; if you go lactic early in this session, you’ll have a very hard time keeping your paces. Push hard, but feather the redline so that you can maintain consistency across the 20 sets.
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Two sets of:
Against a 3-minute running clock…
30/22 Calorie Row or Ski-Erg
Max Calorie Assault Bike or Bike Erg in remaining time
Rest 2 minutes
Immediately followed by. . .
Four sets of:
Against a 2-minute running clock…
20/15 Calorie Row or Ski-Erg
Max Calorie Assault Bike or Bike Erg in remaining time
Rest 90 seconds
Immediately followed by. . .
Six sets of:
Against a 90-second running clock…
15/10 Calorie Row or Ski-Erg
Max Calorie Assault Bike or Bike Erg in remaining time
Rest 60 seconds
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
Complete rounds of 40, 30, 20 and 10 reps/calories of:
Assault Bike or Bike Erg
Air Squats
Rest 2 minutes, and then. . .
Complete rounds of 40, 30, 20 and 10 reps/calories of:
Row or Ski-Erg
Air Squats
Rest 2 minutes, and then. . .
Complete rounds of 40, 30, 20 and 10 reps/calories of:
Machine of choice
Air Squats
If you want to add a little ? perform wearing a weighted vest.
Swimming Technique Session
Before today’s session, check out this link for a good tutorial regarding body position and this link on common swimming errors.
Warm-Up Technique Drills
Four sets of:
25 Meter Finger Tip Drag
(FTD: Drag your fingertips along the surface of the water as you recover. This drill encourages high elbows.)
Rest 20 seconds between each 25 Meter efforts
Followed by…
Four sets of:
25 Meter Kick For Count of 3 and then take 3 arm strokes; repeat for the whole 25. Count of 3 is 1, 1000, 2, 1000, 3, 1000.
Rest 30 seconds between 25 Meter efforts
Followed by…
Four sets of:
25 Meter Catch Up – use fins if necessary
Rest 20 seconds
Main Set
One set of:
25 Meter Stroke Count of 70%
Rest 15 seconds
50 Meter Maintain Stroke Count of 70%
Rest 30 seconds
100 Meter Maintain Stroke Count of 70%
Rest 30 seconds
50 Meter Maintain Stroke Count of 70%
Rest 30 seconds
25 Meter Maintain Stroke Count of 70%
Followed by…
Four sets of:
50 Meter Swim @ 70% effort
60 seconds rest
(try to come in at the same time each set)
(take note of your times)
Followed by…
Every Minute on the Minute for 8 Minutes:
25 Meter Swim
(The focus of these 25 meters is to tucked your chin and rotate your head to breath; one goggle in the water, one goggle out.)
Optional Warm-Down
100 Meters – Drill of Your Choice