Updated: Sep 17, 2021 9:12 AM EDT performance, land a PR, and prevent injury, you need to do more than just run. You also need to hit the gym, which for many of us during the coronavirus pandemic means the living room. Still, you can build strength and endurance even at home with metabolic conditioning (also known as MetCon).
We talked to Tempo Workouts That Build Both Speed and Stamina, Interval Workouts to Help You Run a Faster 5K Kenny Santucci, NASM- and CrossFit-certified personal trainer in New York City who works with runners regularly, to explain what MetCon actually is and how it can help you become an all-around stronger runner.
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What Is Metabolic Conditioning?
When you think of metabolic conditioning (MetCon), options like a HIIT workout or bootcamp class probably come to mind. Though group fitness classes may have made the term more popular, McCall and Santucci say people have been doing the types of workouts that incorporate metabolic conditioning—a mix of strength training and cardio in one session—for ages.
MetCon workouts recruit your body’s three metabolic systems (or pathways)—phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative, says McCall—which all play a key role in how your body stores and uses up energy. First, a quick refresher on these energy systems:
Phosphagen: This is the first energy system your body turns to immediately during the first few reps of an activity, or during short, intense bursts such as sprinting or busting out a few heavyweight lifting reps, which fuels muscle contractions, McCall says. The phosphagen system supplies this instant energy to your body with a chemical called ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is essentially energy that is converted from food.
Glycolytic: This second energy system kicks in after the phosphagen system tires out—anywhere from one to 30 seconds, according to the American Council on Exercise. This system produces ATP quickly for larger, longer bursts of activities that last anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes. (Think: longer sprints.)
Oxidative (a.k.a aerobic): HIIT is a form of MetCon, but not all MetCon is HIIT long runs or marathons.
“Depending on your intensity, amount of rest, and how many reps of an activity you do determines whether or not you’ll use all three pathways,” McCall says. In other words, each pathway dominates at different times depending on the length of your workout as well as the cardio-to-strength ratio of the programming.
Oxidative a.k.a aerobic fitness level. Two popular types of MetCon workouts are AMRAPs (as many reps/rounds as possible) and EMOMs (every minute on the minute).
During an AMRAP workout, you perform as many reps of each exercise or rounds of several exercises as you can during a predetermined amount of time. You’d rest as needed for this type of workout, so the work-to-rest ratio varies from person to person.
During an EMOM workout, you perform a predetermined amount of reps of an exercise at the start of every minute. Once you’re done, you get the rest of the minute to rest before starting up again on the next minute. While the work-to-rest ratio for an EMOM workout is a bit more structured, it still allows for some variation depending on your fitness level. For example, if you have to do 30 air squats in 20 seconds, you’ll get 40 seconds of rest. But if 30 reps takes your workout buddy 35 seconds, s/he will only get 25 seconds of rest.
According to Santucci, MetCon is similar to HIIT training. “It depends on where recovery comes in and how the intervals are broken up,” he says. But while HIIT is typically done at 80 Give A Gift, MetCon workouts can be, but they don’t necessarily have MetCon workouts can be, but they dont necessarily, The 6 Beginner Exercises for Runners.
What Are the Benefits of MetCon?
MetCon workouts are beneficial for runners because they help us build strength with lateral and dynamic movement, McCall says. “Running is linear. But with MetCon, you’re moving in multiple directions, which stress your tissue and prevent injury.”
Plus, these workouts are efficient: You’re working your upper and lower body at the same time and improving your aerobic efficiency in all parts of your body. “Runners with stronger hamstrings and glutes will run a lot faster and more efficiently,” Santucci says. “Strengthening your upper body also makes you a better runner since it helps you stay upright running—your body won’t fold over.”
Metabolic conditioning work can especially help distance runners avoid the dreaded long-run wall. “A lot of people start to complain that miles 17 or 18 [of a marathon] start to feel bad,” Santucci says. “You want your body used to plyometrics at a higher rate, and you want to work on the structural strength of your legs, knees, and ankles.” MetCon will do all that.
How to Incorporate MetCon into Your Training
Below, McCall provides a 10-minute AMRAP workout you can try. Simply perform the recommended reps of each exercise below, demonstrated by certified personal trainers so you can learn the proper form. Then repeat the entire circuit for as many rounds as possible for 10 minutes, resting as needed.
AMRAP MetCon Workout
1. Bodyweight Squat
Start standing with feet just wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly out, clasp hands at chest for balance. Send hips back and bend at knees to lower down as far as possible with chest lifted. Press through heels to stand back up to starting position. Repeat for 20 reps.
2. Push-Up
3. Ice Skater
4. Jump Squat
EMOM MetCon Workout
Santucci gives the following EMOM workout as another example. Alternate each exercise every minute on the minute for 6 to 10 rounds.
- 20 Tempo Workouts That Build Both Speed and Stamina rower
- 15 kettlebell swings
McCall cautions you to pay attention to your overall training load when incorporating these types of workouts in with your running. You might not want to do two days of MetCon on top of running because it could lead to overtraining, he says. However, you can replace one long run or track workout with a MetCon workout.
The Bottom Line
Incorporating MetCon workouts into your regular routine will boost your overall fitness and performance when it comes to being able to run longer and stronger. Interval Workouts to Help You Run a Faster 5K prevent injury, but make sure to balance your run training and cross-training so you don’t overdo it.
