Best Damn Cardio for Natural (Rest Periods)

Bigger Stronger Leaner Christian Thibaudeau Coaching
1

In the Best Damn Cardio for Natural article you say to do 30 seconds all out and rest almost completely (3 min) to keep adrenaline/ cortisol low.

In Sprint 8 by Phil Campbell he has 30 sec all out with 90 sec rest and says to start with 2 or 3 sprints and build up to 8.

From my experience 90 sec rest is not long enough for me to put in 8 total Max Effort sprints.

Is there any benefits to the shorter rest periods and maybe over time I will be able to go All Out after only 90 sec once my body adapts?

Thank you

2

I prefer to do it the other way around:

Start with longer rest intervals to ensure maximum quality, output and intensity and VERY gradually shorthen rest periods (if you want) as long as you can maintain performance.

It might be because the Sprint 8 protocol was initially done mostly with average folks who cannot perform at the same level as more heavily trained/powerful individuals and as such their ā€œmaximumā€ would represent a much lower stress on the body and require less recovery time.

The typical rest period for a sprinter is 5-8 minutes between very intense sprints.

1 Like
3

Thank you. That makes sense to me because even just one 30 sec all out sprint wipes me out and I definitely need 3 min before I can go again!

If benefits are about the same with a 3 min rest compared to 90 sec Iā€™ll just stay at 3.

Thanks as always for your advice!!

4

I think that it stems from Campbell putting too much importance in accumulating the largest amount of lactate possible and overestimating the importance of the GH response.

These factors pale in importance compared to the overall work output and intensity/quality of work.

1 Like
5

That makes perfect sense

6

Sprinting flat out for 30 secs will require something like 20 mins recovery in order to repeat another effort (recovery of 1 minute per 10m run) which will no longer be fully flat out anway. Since you are pretty much attempting a 200m race 8 times.
There is a tendancy to confuse sprinting with intervals. Something Christian T has identified before. I have seen several posters say they do 30 sec sprints on a treadmill. No. These are not sprints, only special treadmills allow true sprinting speed anyway.
Sprinting is say 5x50m with 5 mins recovery. Intervals say 10x100 EMOM. I aim do these at around vVO2 max.
In fairness to Phil C he recommends starting the 8 reps at a moderate pace and getting faster as you progress through the 8.
His 30 sec reps are on a bike not running.
His runs are say 8x60-80m which will be say 10-15 secs, not 30.
And he suggests bike/fast treadmill walks as a get fit method for the unfit, graduating to the 60-80m runs.

7

I was talking about air bike not actual sprinting.

And Phil C only recommends 60 meter sprints when sprinting on a track. Not 30 seconds. Only 30 seconds when on a machine ( bike, treadmill)