Wondering why some Freeletics workouts and exercises require you to complete them at a certain speed? Slow, moderate, fast, maximum…what’s the reason behind it? Why can’t I just go all out, all the time?
Doing an exercise at different paces changes the effect of the exercise entirely. In the original God workouts like Aphrodite or Helios, you will of course always try to go as fast as possible to beat your Personal Best. However, in the interval trainings and technique exercises, the Coach will specify how fast you should go. Remember, #CoachKnows. Therefore it’s very important to adhere to the instructions from the Coach to maximise the training effect.
With Freeletics, there are four different speeds: Slow, moderate, fast and maximum. Here is the intended effect for each pace, and tips on how to perform it correctly.
Slow
This pace is used to increase the time-under-tension and learn new exercises.
When the Coach tells you to go “slow”, you are required to perform the exercises as slowly as you can. That way you can safely get used to a new movement pattern and learn the movement correctly from the very beginning.
However, even exercises you know well can be challenging when you perform them as slow as possible. Take for example a pushup: if you slow the movement right down, taking 10 seconds on the way down and 10 seconds on the way up, even one pushup becomes a real challenge. So whenever the Coach tells you to go slow, go as slow as you can to improve your form and maximise the time-under-tension of your muscles.
Moderate
Moderate pace is there to maximise your movement quality. It’s a comfortable, controlled pace. Focus on your technique and execute the movements as precisely as you can. Don’t rush. Hit the brakes a little to really feel the movement of the exercises more. This is how you can continuously improve your form.
Fast
While slowing down helps you to improve your technique and learn an exercise, going faster is more demanding for your cardiovascular system, as your heart rate will rise significantly. Try to perform all the exercises at a fast pace, and try to keep this pace up – without slowing down during the workout. This will help you to decrease the switch time between individual exercises and get used to a higher workout speed. It’s very important to maintain a high movement quality even though the workout will feel a lot more demanding.
Maximum
Maximum really means all-out, going as fast as you possibly can. But never sacrifice movement quality for speed. As you progress through a workout you will get fatigued, making it harder to focus on precise execution. We know it’s hard but try to push through and keep up the speed. Go as fast as you can, using the breaks in between to recover. This pace will help you to get to know your real maximum pace and maintain higher speeds for longer.
Fast or slow, give it your all, and you will progress. The more you train at different speeds, the more you will value the diversity of the training. You will get stronger, your maximum speed will increase and you will beat your PBs. The Coach offers you the most efficient way to progress and get the most out of your training. #CoachKnows, so follow his guidance and keep achieving.
