Glycolic Energy - A vital force you need to build

I have spoken at length about training over long periods at a slow and steady pace. Today, I turn to training at high intensity and the reason why. Lean in.

Your body uses different energy systems, depending on the load. Today, we are speaking about the glycotic system.

Don't worry if you don't know what that is; my goal is to make it simple to understand.

Your glycolic system uses carbohydrates. It is used when your body is unable to provide adequate oxygen to power your body. By definition, this can only last from a few seconds to a minute or two.

That is the magic we are after—the ability to power your body for a longer duration, even in the absence of oxygen. The goal here is to train your glycotic system.

So, how would you do that?

The short answer is to do those things that make you breathless and strain your body. Short, fast sprints of running or cycling, explosive weight lifting, or power lifting, for example. Things that make you tired easily.

There are a wide variety of ways in which you can train your body to draw on its glycotic system. So how would you choose?

Well, the best way is to do all of them. Rapid movements, where you are lifting something heavy and moving explosively, work on both your muscles and your ability to produce energy without oxygen.

Running or sprinting in short bursts improves your ability to power your body without oxygen and your breathing in the long run.

Here is the good news. You do not need much. Fifteen to twenty minutes, maybe twice a week, is enough. Personally, I just built this into my walk. I do long, sustained walks with short bursts of running in between. That is it.

I have seen my breathing improve, my VO2Max (the ability to deliver oxygen) improve, and my ability to do short sprints improve.

Reach out to me on twitter @rbawri Instagram @riteshbawriofficial and YouTube at www.youtube.com/breatheagain