Welcome to Invictus Engine! – You’ll see below that the format of our program puts the power in your hands to structure your training schedule around your priorities. 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 2 – Lactic Endurance Priority
- Wednesday – Rowing Session 2 – Lactate Threshold Priority
- Thursday – Swimming Technique Session
- Friday – Mixed-Modal 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 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
Every 4 minutes, for 32 minutes (8 sets) for times:
Run 500 Meters @ 85-95% of your 400m PR pace
For the sake of clarity, if your 400m PR was 70 seconds, 90% is 78 seconds (70/.9).
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Three sets for times of:
Run 400 Meters @ 85% of 400m PR pace
Run 400 Meters @ 70%
Run 400 Meters @ 90%
Run 400 Meters @ 75%
Rest 3-4 minutes
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
For distance:
12 Minutes of Running @ 70-75% effort
12 Minutes of Running @ 80-85% effort
12 Minutes of Running @ 75-80% effort
If you have a heart-rate monitor, start to note heart-rates at your various effort levels to ensure that your perceived rate of exertion is aligned with your physiological exertion. This can be a great learning tool for athletes with a little bit of awareness and note-taking.
Rowing Sessions
Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
For warm-up:
Row 500 Meters @ 60-65%
Row 500 Meters @ 65-70%
Row 500 Meters @ 70-75%
Rest as needed, and then…
For time:
Row 500 Meters @ 100%
This should be treated as a maximal effort test. We will come back to this effort in future weeks to monitor progress.
Rest 60-90 seconds, and then…
For cool down:
Row 500 Meters @ 65-70%
Row 500 Meters @ 70-75%
Row 500 Meters @ 70-75%
Row 500 Meters @ 65-70%
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Three sets for times of:
Row 500 Meters @ 85% of 500m PR pace
Row 500 Meters @ 70%
Row 500 Meters @ 90%
Row 500 Meters @ 75%
Rest 3-4 minutes
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
For distance:
12 Minutes of Rowing @ 70-75% effort
12 Minutes of Rowing @ 80-85% effort
12 Minutes of Rowing @ 75-80% effort
Cyclical & Mixed-Modal Sessions
Session 1 – VO2 Max Priority
Every 90 seconds, for 30 minutes (20 sets):
30 seconds of Assault Bike
Please note Calories for each of the 20 sets. The goal of this session is to understand pacing. You need to keep this session aerobic; if you go lactic early in this session, you’ll have a very hard time keeping your paces. Push hard, but feather the redline so that you can maintain consistency across the 20 sets.
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Two sets of:
Against a 3-minute running clock…
30/22 Calorie Row or Ski-Erg
Max Calorie Assault Bike or Bike Erg in remaining time
Rest 2 minutes
followed by. . .
Three sets of:
Against a 2-minute running clock…
20/15 Calorie Row or Ski-Erg
Max Calorie Assault Bike or Bike Erg in remaining time
Rest 90 seconds
followed by. . .
Four sets of:
Against a 3 minute running clock…
15/10 Calorie Row or Ski-Erg
Max Calorie Assault Bike or Bike Erg in remaining time
Rest 60 seconds
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
Every minute, on the minute, for 25 minutes (5 sets of each):
Minute 1 – 20/15 Calories of Rowing
Minute 2 – 40 Double-Unders
Minute 3 – 15/10 Calories of Assault Bike
Minute 4 – 12 Burpees
Minute 5 – 20 Russian Kettlebell Swings
When the running clock reaches 25:00…
Three rounds for time of:
20/15 Calories of Rowing
40 Double-Unders
15/10 Calories of Assault Bike
12 Burpees
20 Russian Kettlebell Swings
Swimming Technique Session
Warm-Up Technique Drills
Two sets of:
100 Meter Finger Tip Drag (with Finis Snorkel if possible*)
Stop every 25 meters and rest 10 seconds
(FTD: Drag your fingertips along the surface of the water as you recover. This drill encourages high elbows.)
Rest as needed
200 Meter Breathe Every 3rd Stroke (with Zoomers if possible*)
Stop every 50 meters and rest 20 seconds
Rest as needed
Main Set
Four sets of:
100 Meters @ 70% effort
Rest 15 seconds
Practice flip turns on each end, and try to breathe every 3rd stroke throughout the effort.
Followed by…
One set of:
100 Meter Kick – try butterfly on your back or use a kickboard if less advanced
Optional Finisher
100 Meter Warm Down