BUILDING AN ENGINE FOR CROSSFIT: Peripheral Heart Training

By: Regan Quaal

• In CrossFit, the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM is stressed in a variety of different ways.  One of these ways that is unique to the sport of CrossFit is the regular utilization of peripheral heart training

• PERIPHERAL HEART TRAINING (PHT): circuit type training that alternates between lower and upper body exercises.
• -These types of workouts force the heart and circulatory system to work harder because blood must be pumped all over or back and forth within the body constantly
  -Individuals who tend to struggle with PHT workouts are those who carry a lot of tension in their muscles (bodybuilding history) and tend to get “pumped up” during WODS.
  -This is because 1) they can’t redirect blood flow efficiently to different body parts and 2) they utilize oxygen in the muscle at a much faster rate than their heart can deliver it
   
  
• PHT CrossFit workouts:
• -DIANE or OPEN 20.3: Deadlifts & Handstand Pushups
  -FRAN or OPEN 19.5 (video above): Light Thrusters & Pull Ups
   
  
• HOW TO IMPROVE AT THESE TYPE OF WORKOUTS
  
• 1.HIGH INTENSITY ROUTE: perform short intervals durations with low rep schemes for multiple sets, to accumulate adequate training volume.
• -Reasoning: keeping duration & rep scheme low will teach the body how to redirect blood flow efficiently, while limiting vasoconstriction and deoxygenation
  -Example training stimulus I programmed for @cflakeeffect: SLIDE 2, 3, 4
  2.LOW INTENSITY ROUTE: perform medium duration work intervals with short rest intervals while performing cyclical work for an extended period of time
  -Reasoning: the submaximal intensity of the cyclical work will limit vasoconstriction from taking places and alternating lower & upper body will train the ability to redirect blood flow
  -Example training stimulus: SLIDE 5