Welcome to Invictus Engine! You’ll see below the new format of our program puts the power in your hands to structure your training schedule around your priorities. You can now choose from multiple training modalities; you still have three running sessions per week, but also have the option of mixing in other lower impact training modalities to supplement or replace your running sessions. For example, a three-day/week training schedule might look like this:
- Monday – Running Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
- Wednesday – Rowing Session 2 – Lactate Threshold Priority
- Saturday – Running Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold Priority
Alternatively, if you would like to train 6 days/week, your training schedule might look something like this:
- Monday – Running Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
- Tuesday – Mixed-Modal Session 1 – Lactic Endurance Priority
- Wednesday – Rowing Session 2 – Lactate Threshold Priority
- Thursday – Swimming Technique Session
- Friday – Cyclical Session 2 – VO2 Max Priority
- Saturday – Running Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold Priority
The power to choose is yours, but your coaches are here to help! Please let us know how we can best guide you in the comments, and via the private Facebook page – which is now titled “Invictus Engine.” Please also continue to post workout results to comments, simply noting the sessions as “Running Session 2” or “Mixed-Modal Session 1” followed by your results (times or distances). We look forward to following your progress and helping you get the most benefit from this program!
Running Sessions
Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
Six sets for times of:
Run 800 Meters @ 100% of 1-Mile Pace
Rest 2-3 minutes
Your rest period should be sufficient enough to keep your paces, so take your full three minutes of rest unless you know you’re capable of maintaining your paces.
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Three sets for times of:
Run 1600 Meters @ 90% of 1-Mile Pace
Run 800 Meters @ 95% of 1-Mile Pace
Rest 3-4 minutes
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
For time:
Run 4 Miles @ 80-85% of 5k PR Pace
This effort should be sub-maximal, so take your 5k PR pace and divide it by .85, and perform this at that pace. For example, if your 5k PR pace is 6:30/mile, your pace for this effort would be 7:30/mile.
Rowing Sessions
Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
Every 5 minutes, for 40 minutes (8 sets) for times of:
Row 750 Meters
Push your paces hard. See if you can hold your pace from last week. You have a little extra rest time this week, so trust your conditioning and be aggressive with your pacing.
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Four sets for times of:
Row 1850 Meters
Rest 4 minutes
Your goal should be to maintain consistent pacing across the four sets – and ideally, holding the same pace/500m you held last week. If you’ve been wearing a heart-rate monitor, you should also be noticing that your heart rate is remaining lower at the same or faster paces during these intervals, and hopefully dropping back to a bit lower beats per minute during your rest intervals.
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
Four sets for times of:
Row 2500 Meters @ 80-85% of 2k PR
Rest 3 minutes
Your goal should be to maintain consistent pacing across all sets. If possible, wear a heart-rate monitor and track your heart rate at the conclusion of each interval, as well as at the end of your rest interval. Please post your heart rate numbers to comments, as well as your times.
Cyclical & Mixed-Modal Sessions
Session 1 – Lactic Endurance Priority
Every 4 minutes, for 32 minutes (8 sets) for times:
15/10 Calories of Assault Bike
10 Burpees
15/10 Calories of Assault Bike
Note times for all eight sets. Allow bike monitor to roll while you do burpees, but don’t pedal for longer than the initial 15/10…you’re finished when you hit 30/20 calories.
Session 2 – VO2 Max Priority
Eight sets of:
60 seconds Max Calorie Assault Bike
Rest 4 minutes
If you feel fully recovered after 4 minutes, you might not have gone hard enough on the sprints. You should need every second of those four minutes to get yourself physically and mentally prepared for your next set.
Swimming Technique Session
Warm-Up Technique Drills
Four sets of:
25 Meters Using Only One Arm
Rest 15 seconds
followed by…
Four sets of:
50 Meter Kick (with zoomers if possible)
Rest 20 seconds
followed by…
Four sets of:
25 Meter 1/2 Length with Closed Fist + 1/2 Regular
Rest 15 seconds
“The Meat”
Four sets of:
25 Meter Stroke Count – note your number of strokes for each set
Rest 15 seconds
followed by…
Two sets of:
50 Meter with Same Stroke Count per 25 Meters as above – note number of strokes
Rest 20 seconds
followed by…
One set of:
100 Meter with Same Stroke Count per 25 Meters as above
Optional Warm-Down
Four sets of:
25 Meters @ 70% effort
(focus on chin tuck and one goggle in, and one goggle out breathing)