Metabolic Conditioning: How it works and why it’s effective by Aaron Porter

Metabolic Conditioning (MetCon) is a term that has been loosely used for some time now. Produced in the age of High Intensity Interval Training and CrossFit style workouts, it is easy to see why some athletes and exercise enthusiasts would be confused as to the difference between the three styles. The secret to understanding true Metabolic Conditioning and its benefits is found in the formatting of the workout itself. The format of each consists of little details in types of movements, rest intervals, and targeted energy systems that sets each apart from the rest.

For the purpose of this article we will focus solely on MetCon. MetCon is a set of conditioning exercises designed for the purpose of enhancing energy storage and delivery for any activity. Consider that MetCon brings circuit training to a higher level. The beauty of this style of training is that it is designed to provide a faster more efficient way to produce desired results without sacrificing any of the quality. The object of MetCon is to alter and manipulate specific variables that affect the body’s adaptation to exercise stimulus. These variables include intensity, exercise selection, sets, reps, rest intervals and time under tension. By simply changing one or two of the variables, one can target different metabolic pathways in order to prevent adaption and increase metabolic capacity.(2) Simply decreasing the rest intervals would increase the intensity of the movement. The fact of the matter is that Metabolic Conditioning is just that. It is targeting a specific metabolic pathway and increasing metabolic demand in order to quickly and efficiently increase energy expenditure and overall metabolic efficacy.

There are many benefits to MetCon training as with most training regimens, however there are a few specific benefits that are prevalent in metabolic training. First, MetCon gives an athlete the ability increase performance directly(1). If an athlete primarily uses the anaerobic glycolytic (intermediate) system then they are able to tailor a specific workout to meet the needs of the Phosphocreatine and the Anaerobic Glycolytic systems by decreasing rest intervals and integrating more power movements. This provides the ideal specificity and functional strength required to increase performance and excel on the field.

Another benefit of MetCon is that it does not have to interfere with your lifting schedule. Metabolic Conditioning is extremely straightforward. Many individuals equate a MetCon to a CrossFit WOD which is not the case. Especially in people knew to the MetCon world, there need be no 9-12 minute circuits. Depending on how advanced you are in a fitness sense should be the primary basis on how long your MetCon is. There is a “beat down” mentality that has been inherited by the HIIT and MetCon society in which soreness and extreme fatigue are a measure of workout quality. This should not be the case. Remember, specificity. If a MetCon only takes 3-4 minutes then what are you supposed to do to fill in the time? Lift and get stronger. Stronger makes things easier. The only real measure of a workout goes beyond today’s workout and into the question, “Am I making any progress?”.

Metabolic Conditioning should be a staple in every athletes training regimen and if done properly it opens a world of progress in a very short period of time.

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‘What Is Metabolic Conditioning, And How Can It Improve YOUR Athletic Performance?'
 

Improve Freestyle Swimming: 10 Minute Strength Workout (Part 2 of 2)

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4 Exercises to Increase Your Vertical Jump

 

Anyone who plays basketball, volleyball, or other sports that require vertical leaping is almost certainly interested in increasing the height of their vertical jump. After all, dunking, spiking, and general dominance in these sports depends heavily on how high off the ground you’re able to get. Many people attribute the ability to jump high to genetics, and while genetics can be partially responsible for gifted athletes who can seemingly fly through the air with little effort, every athlete can significantly increase their vertical “hops” through a proper workout routine.
A common myth in the fitness industry is that calf strength is the primary factor determining one’s jumping power, but this is not true. The vast majority of the power of a jump is generated in the thighs (hamstrings in particular) and hips (gluteus maximus in particular), thus creating a training regimen that focuses primarily on improving the strength of these muscle groups makes the most sense. Below, I’ve outlined my favorite 4 exercises that I use with my personal training clients (and myself) to help them achieve an increased vertical.

Top Vertical Jump Exercise #1: Squats

No doubt, to many people’s dismay, the squat reigns absolute king when it comes to jump development! Sorry guys and girls… it’s time to sack up, get under that barbell and push some heavy weight! The barbell squat targets a huge number of muscles and primarily focuses on the areas we’re mainly concerned with—the gluteals and hamstrings (along with the core for stability). It’s imperative that you use proper form when performing the squat, not only for safety reasons, but also because incorrect form can result in involuntary compensations, meaning you won’t actually be working the gluteals and hamstrings properly. Pushing through the heels, keeping your core tight, pushing the chest out and leading the movement by “sitting” the waist back before bending the knees will help ensure you’re getting the most out of this exercise.

Top Vertical Jump Exercise #2: Deadlifts

Are you starting to see a pattern here? Heavy-weighted, basic compound exercises should be the meat of your program if you’re looking for optimal results. After all, the physical equation for power (in this case, your vertical jump performance) = force (strength) x velocity (speed), so focusing on increasing the strength of the prime movers is 50% of the equation. Deadlifts, like squats, allow the trainee to move heavy weights and incorporate the use of the entire body’s musculature to perform. Again, proper form is imperative, so keeping the chest up, shoulders back, core tightened and originating the movement from the hips by bringing them forward before straightening the knees is going to ensure that you get the most out of this exercise.
As I stated earlier, power = strength x speed, so working on the speed of muscle contraction (also known as “rate of force production”) is critical to increasing your jumping power. The following plyometric exercises are extremely effective in this regard, due to the explosive timing of the movement, along with something called the stretch shortening cycle, which basically states that when stretched, our muscles can store energy similar to a spring, allowing our subsequent muscle contractions to have a greater force output than they would otherwise. By choosing exercises that center around this principle, we can actually train our muscles to optimize this increased force output. Thus, plyometrics not only increase the SPEED at which our muscles contract, but, when exercises are progressed steadily, will ALSO increase our STRENGTH in those movements, effectively addressing BOTH factors in the power equation.

Top Vertical Jump Exercise #3: Split Squat Jumps

Split squat jumps are great for targeting the leg musculature while simultaneously reaping the benefits of plyometric training. Like all training, form is important, meaning you will want to keep your torso upright (a common compensation is to lean forward as you bend your knees—this needs to be avoided), core tight and push through the front heel rather than the toes.

Top Vertical Jump Exercise #4: Depth Jumps

Depth jumps are probably my favorite exercise of all, but are listed last because they are an advanced movement that should only be performed once your squat, deadlift and split squat form has been perfected. Improper squatting form and unaddressed muscular imbalanced can cause you to injure yourself if you perform this exercise because it is very high impact. That being said, when performed with proper form and a gradual progression, this exercise is quite safe and extremely effective at increasing vertical jump height. To perform correctly, ensure that feet are pointed straight forward upon landing and that the knees follow the toes as they bend forward in preparation for the jump. Speed of contraction is crucial here—you want to jump as SOON as you can after the initial landing—the sooner you make the jump, the more benefit you will achieve from this exercise.
If you are looking to greatly increase your athletic ability in this regard, you will want to incorporate these exercises into your training program on a regular basis. After a couple of months of consistent training, you should see a big improvement in your vertical jumping capabilities. Remember, safe progression is key, so it’s important to increase the intensity of the exercises (via increased volume, adding resistance, increasing rate of force production, etc), but do so in a gradual, controlled fashion to avoid injury.

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