Metabolic Conditioning (MetCon) – You know that you have to do more than just your favorite sport to improve your overall performance and avoid injury. One way to do this is to cross-train: incorporating metabolic conditioning (also known as MetCon ) into your routine. Something you might already be doing without even realizing it.
What is Metabolic Conditioning?
Something like CrossFit probably comes to mind when you think of metabolic conditioning. And while this discipline helped popularize the term, many people have been doing the types of workouts that incorporate a combination of strength training and cardio in one session.
MetCon workouts recruit all three metabolic systems (phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative), which play a crucial role in how the body stores and uses energy. First of all, we tell you what each system consists of:
Phosphagen –
The first energy system your body immediately calls on during the first few reps of an activity, or during short, intense sets, like running, eliminating a few representatives of weight lifting, fueling muscle contractions. The phosphagen system supplies this instant energy to your body with a chemical called ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is essentially energy from food.
Glycolytic –
This dual-energy system kicks in after the phosphagen is depleted, between 1 and 30 seconds. This pathway produces ATP rapidly for more extensive and prolonged bursts of activity lasting between 30 seconds and three minutes. For example, think of long runs or more reps of weightlifting.
Oxidative (also known as aerobic) –
This energy system requires oxygen and is suitable for endurance activities such as longer workouts.
Depending on your intensity, amount of rest, and the number of repetitions of an activity you do. Determine whether or not you will use all three tracks. That is, each path dominates at different times depending on the duration of your MetCon training. As well as the cardio-strength ratio. However, you probably won’t take advantage of your body’s aerobic pathway during this type of workout. As it only kicks in during long aerobic efforts.
The work and rest links of MetCon workouts depend on the movement itself and the exerciser’s fitness level. Two popular MetCon workouts are AMRAP (as many reps/rounds as possible) and EMOM (every minute in one minute).
During an AMRAP workout, you will perform as many reps of each exercise or rounds of various exercises as possible over a predetermined period. You will rest as needed for this type of training so that the work-rest ratio will vary from person to person.
During an EMOM workout, you will perform a predetermined number of repetitions of an exercise at the beginning of each minute. Once you’re done, you can rest for the rest of the minute before starting over the next minute. Although the work-rest ratio for an EMOM workout is more structured, it still allows for variations depending on fitness level. For example, if you have to do 30 squats at the beginning of each minute, one person can do them in 20 seconds and another in 35 seconds, allowing for different rest periods.
What are the benefits of MetCon training?
MetCon workouts are beneficial because they help build strength with lateral and dynamic movements. You move in multiple directions, which stresses your tissue and prevents injury.
In addition, they are efficient: you are working your upper and lower body simultaneously. And improving your aerobic efficiency in all parts of your body. For example, riders with stronger hamstrings and glutes will go faster and more efficiently.
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