Train like a pro.
A series on how professionals actually train — the tests, the zones, the methods — and how to run all of it yourself. No club, no lab, no roster spot required. New to the series? Start with Part 1.
Train like a pro: what actually separates elite training from yours
Pros don't just work harder — they train differently. The series intro: testing, zones, structure, and why the gap is access, not effort.
MethodPart 2 of 96 min readHIIT 20/20: the interval that builds engines
20 seconds hard, 20 seconds easy. Why the 20/20 interval is a staple of pro conditioning, the physiology behind it, and how to run it properly.
MethodPart 3 of 96 min readZone 2: the slow running that makes you fast
Elite endurance athletes do most of their volume at conversational pace. What Zone 2 is, the physiology, and why amateurs skip the step that matters most.
MethodPart 4 of 95 min readZone 5: controlled visits to your red line
Zone 5 is where VO2 max gets raised — in small, precise doses. How pros program the red zone, and how to use it without burning out.
MethodPart 5 of 96 min readLactate threshold: the line between sustainable and not
The lactate threshold predicts endurance performance better than almost anything. What it is, how pros test and train it, and how to find yours without a lab.
TestingPart 6 of 95 min readVO2 max: the size of your engine
VO2 max is the classic measure of aerobic capacity. What it actually measures, how it's tested, how to estimate yours, and how training moves it.
TestingPart 7 of 96 min readYo-Yo IR1: football's fitness exam
The Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 is the standard fitness exam of team sport. How it works, what your level means, and how to run it yourself.
TestingPart 8 of 95 min readVertical jump: power, measured in centimetres
The vertical jump is sport's simplest power test. What it measures, why explosiveness matters in every sport, and how to test yours reliably at home.
TestingPart 9 of 95 min readLinear sprints: how fast are you, actually?
10, 20 and 40 metres against the clock: what sprint splits reveal about acceleration and top speed, and how to time yours without lab gates.