Interval Weight Training (IWT)

A standard IWT comes in three phases.

Part 1 begins with an athletic lift. This should be an explosive lift such as a power clean, hang clean, snatch high pull etc. for 8-12 reps. O’Shea originally prescribed that this should be around 70% of your 3 Rep Max for the lift, but different loads and reps can be used to achieve different outcomes.

This is then chased with 2-4 minutes of free aerobic exercise at 90-95% Maximum Heart Rate, meaning this effort should be intense. This is then followed by a two-minute rest period, and repeated for three rounds.

*You then should have earned yourself a needed five-minute intermission.

Part 2 follows a similar structure to part 1, but the athletic lift this time is a less technical, more slow and grinding lift such as a front or back squat, still 8-12 reps for three rounds with two minutes of rest between.

*You then get a second five-minute intermission.

Part 3 is then usually a complementary circuit to round off the workout. These are often bodyweight movements, for 6-12 reps, and 3-5 sets with minimal rest between reps, no more than one minute. You have many options for part 3; it can be anything supplementary you want to do to round off the workout.

The Workout:

Standard IWT:

Part 1 

10x clean high pull @70% 1RM +

2 min Row @90-95% MAX HR

3 rounds, rest 2 min between

– 5 min intermission (including 3rd 2 min rest period above) -

Part 2

10x front squat @60% 1RM +

2 min SkiErg @90-95% MHR

3 rounds, rest 2 min between

– 5 min intermission (including 3rd 2 min rest period above) –

Part 3 

8x pull up +

8x dip +

8x sit up +

8x push up +

8x KB swing

3 rounds, rest 1 min between

Give this Interval Weight Training session a try and record your time - give the workout a go again in a week or so..

Good luck.