No Shortcuts

“A shortcut is the longest distance between two points”

LONDON — People who complain they have no time to exercise may soon need another excuse.

And so opens another Friday article (from the Seattle Times) under the category, "Things we already know, but need constant reminding."

The jury has pretty much returned on this one, voting 11-1 in favor. The lone party voting against the myriad benefits of high intensity interval sessions being a plastic surgeon with a specialized practice in liposuction.

I have got to share with you, loyal VBAers, the dot path I have been following of late. It seems that EVERY coach, doctor, exercise physiologist, professional athlete, author, teacher, researcher, scientist or serious amateur athlete I have interviewed in the last few months, has this to say:

IT'S ABOUT POWER.

Not cardio, not speed, not endurance, not diet, not carbon-fiber, not growth hormones, but power. Like a steam locomotive pourin' down the track.

Specifically the core power created as a result of high intensity intervals.

The quicker the better. The harder the better. The more intense the better. Explosive power. NOW. ON DEMAND.

As runners and bikers we have all heard about the dreaded junk miles. The bang for the buck they provide is like a ladyfinger firecracker to a half stick of TNT. Now, hear me on this, I am not saying that you don't need some LSD miles, because you do if your goals entail a century ride or a mary, or if you have unlimited time to train, but the biggest bang for your training buck is in HIT (high intensity training). Go hard, recover, repeat. POW!

You cannot hide from power or the lack thereof. When the game is on the line, you either have it or you don't. You execute or you are. There are no shortcuts. It hurts a little. You gotta commit.

It is the secret weapon in your fitness, training and racing arsenal. And there are no shortcuts in the proliferation.

Pix: Dialing up the CT power at Cadence Cycling. At the National Railroad Museum in York, England. All aboard!