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
Four sets for times of:
Run 1200 Meters @ 100% of 1-Mile Pace
Rest 3-4 minutes
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes (3 sets) for distances of:
6 Minutes of Running @ 1-Mile PR Pace
(walk or jog during the 4-minute rest period)
Session 3 – Aerobic Threshold
For time:
Run 4.5 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 4 minutes, for 40 minutes (10 sets) for times of:
Row 650 Meters
Your goal should be to maintain consistent pacing across all sets – all sets as fast or faster than your 600m pace from the week of July 29-August 4.
Session 2 – Lactate Threshold
Four sets for times of:
Row 1750 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
Two sets for times of:
Row 3000 Meters
Rest 90 seconds
Your goal should be to go slightly faster than your 5k PR pace – assuming you were able to match your 5k PR pace last week. If you fell off pace in your second set last week, just try to hold your 5k PR pace throughout both sets this week.
Cyclical & Mixed-Modal Sessions
Session 1 – Lactic Endurance Priority
Three sets of:
30/20 Calorie Assault Bike
Rest 20 seconds
55/35 lb Dumbbell Thrusters x Max Unbroken Reps
Rest 4 minutes
Please record seperate scores each set.
1. Time to complete 30/20 Calorie Assault Bike
2. Total Unbroken Thrusters
Unbroken means one continuous movement. The set ends if there is any pause longer than a single breath at any point during the repetition.
Session 2 – VO2 Max Priority
Eight sets of:
45 seconds Max Calorie Assault Bike
Rest 3 minutes
These should be sprints! Try to go out hard and hold 90+% effort. You’ll have 3 minutes of rest so be sure to test your limits and mental fortitude.
Swimming Technique Session
Warm-Up Technique Drills
Two sets of:
25 Meter – Count Your Strokes (use Finis snorkel if possible)
Rest 10 seconds
Two sets of:
50 Meter Drill of Your Choice
Rest 15 seconds
Two sets of:
25 Meter Kick Only (with zoomers if possible)
Rest 10 seconds
One set of:
100 Meter Easy Swim – count your strokes and stretch it out
“The Meat”
Two sets of:
100 Meter Time Trial – 100% effort
Rest 4 minutes
Post time to comments.
If you’d like, do one time trial with zoomers and one without.
Two rounds for time of:
50 Meter Swim
50 Meter Pull
50 Meter Kick
50 Meter Swim
Optional Warm-Down
100 Meter Drill of Choice