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01Chapter 1 · The engine and the erg

Your engine has four parts

  1. Slide 1: Your engine has four parts. When you're gassed, one ran out first.. One engine, explained.

    Slide 1 of 6

    • Your engine has four parts
    • When you're gassed, one ran out first.
    • One engine, explained.
    • Aerobic base
    • Threshold
    • Repeat efforts
    • Sprint power
  2. Slide 2: Fig. 02 · Part 1 of 4. 1. Aerobic base. The output you can hold for half an hour. Built with easy, steady time. Most of your weekly time goes here.

    Slide 2 of 6

    • Fig. 02 · Part 1 of 4
    • 1. Aerobic base
    • The output you can hold for half an hour. Built with easy, steady time. Most of your weekly time goes here.
    • Half an hour
    • what you can hold

    SourceOur test protocol: the four engine tests; our coaching line

  3. Slide 3: Fig. 03 · Part 2 of 4. 2. Threshold. How long you can hold a hard effort. Go out too hard and the back half falls apart.

    Slide 3 of 6

    • Fig. 03 · Part 2 of 4
    • 2. Threshold
    • How long you can hold a hard effort. Go out too hard and the back half falls apart.
    • 10-minute max
    • measures it
  4. Slide 4: Fig. 04 · Part 3 of 4. 3. Repeat efforts. How well you recover between repeated sprints.

    Slide 4 of 6

    • Fig. 04 · Part 3 of 4
    • 3. Repeat efforts
    • How well you recover between repeated sprints.
    • Tabata
    • round 1 against round 8
  5. Slide 5: Fig. 05 · Part 4 of 4. 4. Sprint power. The most you can produce when duration doesn't matter. Seconds 30 to 60 are where it fades.

    Slide 5 of 6

    • Fig. 05 · Part 4 of 4
    • 4. Sprint power
    • The most you can produce when duration doesn't matter. Seconds 30 to 60 are where it fades.
    • 60-second sprint
    • measures it
  6. Slide 6: Fig. 06 · 180 days · six chapters. The next 180 days. 1 - Days 1–30 - The engine and the erg

    Slide 6 of 6

    • Fig. 06 · 180 days · six chapters
    • The next 180 days
    • 1 - Days 1–30 - The engine and the erg
    • 2 - 31–60 - Measuring the engine
    • 3 - 61–90 - The rules, and why
    • 4 - 91–120 - Every machine
    • 5 - 121–150 - Race and retest
    • 6 - 151–180 - Keep the engine

    SourceOur series plan: six chapters of 30 days

In short

Your engine has four parts. When you're gassed, one of them ran out first.

Aerobic base: the output you can hold for half an hour.

Threshold: how long you can hold a hard effort. The 10-minute max measures it.

Repeat efforts: how well you recover between repeated sprints.

Sprint power: the most you can produce when duration doesn't matter.

For the next 180 days we explain the engine, one piece at a time. Every claim gets a source, every rule is labelled as ours, and every made-up number is marked EXAMPLE.

How to run and pace each test, and how to read the result.

See the four engine tests

Or start in Telegram.

Sources

  • Ours

    Our coaching line, not a paper: 'Built with easy, steady time. Most of your weekly time goes here'

  • Ours

    Our test protocol: the four engine tests as set out on the Engine tests page.

    Open the page

Nothing here is medical advice. The tests are maximal efforts: if you have a health condition or any doubt about training this hard, check with a doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.