The harder you train, the more fat you burn, and the fitter you get! This is the philosophy behind high intensity training, and one form of this is know as AMRAP (as many reps as possible).
The beneficial effects of high intensity training, in which high intensity exercises are done for relatively shorter periods of time, have been known for many decades. In 2001, a new high intensity workout program, Crossfit was introduced by Greg Glassman. This program presents high intensity training as the optimal workout strategy for improving fitness and is one of the most famous fitness programs in the U.S. and Europe today. Among the high intensity exercise strategies included in this program, one of the most beneficial is AMRAP. In this strategy, a person attempts to perform as many repetitions of high intensity exercises as he/she possibly can (without injuring himself/herself) within a given period of time (e.g. 20 minutes). This article analyzes the beneficial effects of this kind of high intensity training, especially in females.
Doing as many reps as possible stresses the body maximally. Ordinary endurance programs typically incorporate low intensity exercises that, even though performed for longer periods of time, do not put as much stress on the body. The lungs and heart are thus more challenged to meet the demands of the body, in cases of high intensity exercises when compared to ordinary fitness exercises. This forms the basis of all benefits derived from doing as many reps as possible. There are numerous advantages for women who incorporate this type of training; some of which are outlined below:
Increased Respiratory Capacity – Boosting The Lungs
High intensity exercises, such as doing as many reps as possible, cause sudden increased demands for oxygen in many tissues of the body, especially the skeletal muscles. In order to meet these demands, the lungs in particular, and the whole respiratory system in general, work harder than normal. When continued over a period of time, this type of increased loading causes positive changes in the work capacity of the lungs.
Researchers at Ohio University took a group of 23 males and 20 females. These individuals were all subjected to high intensity training. Their progress was monitored over a period of ten weeks. At the end of the 10-week period, researchers found that VO2 max, which is a marker of respiratory capacity, had significantly increased. The study noted the following:
“Again, men and women attained similar improvements in relative VO2 max, 13.6% and 11.8% respectively” (Michael Smith, Stephen Drevor et al.: Crossfit based high intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition1)
Increased respiratory capacity not only increases the amount of work women can perform daily, but also is a great help in certain diseases such as asthma.
Decreased Body Fat–Fighting Against Obesity
Doing as many reps as possible causes increased demands on the body for energy. Initially, the skeletal muscles try to meet this demand by breaking down a substance called glycogen. However, with further increased demand, which occurs in cases of high intensity training (that takes a person to his/her limits); the skeletal muscles can no longer continue to meet the increased energy demand. At this stage, the fat stores of the body are called upon. Fat is then used up while doing as many reps as possible, resulting in the reduction of body fat, particularly the subcutaneous fat.
In a study, Tremblay et al. analyzed the effect of endurance training (spanning 20 weeks) vs. high intensity training (spanning 15 weeks) on body fat in 5 men and 5 women. They wrote their conclusions as follows:
“…. results showed that decrease in subcutaneous adiposity, relative to energy cost of training was nine fold greater in high intensity interval training program than in endurance training program…..” (Tremblay et al.: Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism2)
The study at Ohio University mentioned above1 also showed that doing as many reps as possible decreased body fat composition:
“Following the high intensity power training, body fat percentage dropped by 3.7%, across all individuals, in absolute terms”1
Hence, obesity, which poses a particular problem for women, can be reduced to a great extent by undergoing as many reps as possible.
Improved Cardiovascular Capacity
The increased demand for oxygen and nutrition that occurs when performing high intensity exercises causes an increased load on the heart. This results not only in the increased pumping capacity of the heart, but also in the increased development of capillaries supplying both the heart and the skeletal muscles. Both these effects together contribute to increased cardiovascular capacity in the females performing as many reps as possible regularly. This increased cardiovascular capacity and decreased fat (discussed above) protects them from the risk of many heart diseases such as atherosclerosis and heart attacks.
Increased Muscle Strength –Stronger Than Before
High intensity training puts greater loads on the skeletal muscles as compared to conventional training. This increases the inherent tone of the muscles as well as the maximum strength that the muscles can produce by contracting.
Better Time Management – Nobody’s Got All Day
Performing as many reps as possible puts an immense load on the whole body in shorter periods of time. In endurance exercises, lower loading occurs for longer periods of time. In today’s fast paced world, this is the major benefit of high intensity training: it can save a lot of precious time. So instead of putting in hours of training, a person can obtain even better results in lesser time. It’s a win-win situation.
In conclusion, the AMRAP program by Crossfit is an embodiment of a high intensity exercise method, which is clearly better than conventional training. It should be noted, however, that for women who are starting exercise for the first time or are obese, directly starting high intensity training may actually result in injuries. The best course of action, in such cases, is to start at a lower intensity and work up to higher intensities. However, once higher intensities are achieved, the benefits that women can obtain are numerous, including increased work capacity and decreased obesity. Furthermore, this program doesn’t punch a hole in their routine, so they will have more than enough time, for instance, to manage their home and kids, or to grab that cup of coffee at the beginning of the day.
References:
- Michael Smith, Stephen Drevor et al.: Crossfit based high intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition (http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_Devor_CrossFit_Publication_1.pdf
- Angelo Tremblay et. al: Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism (http://www.colorado.edu/intphys/Class/IPHY3700_Greene/TIPS/exIntesity/Tremblay.pdf)