Today, we are kicking off “Arc-tober” with this longer cardio workout that is sure to build speed and endurance. This is a great workout for anyone, as you are able to scale it to your ability level using the guidelines below. This workout is also especially effective for runners who want to do hill training and improve speed at the same time.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS WORKOUT

This workout takes about 40 minutes to complete, including both warmup and cooldown. Start by setting the Arc Trainer to Adaptive Power mode and choose a level between 2 and 6, depending on your experience and ability level. If you aren’t sure what settings you should choose, or want further explanation of them, click here for our Arc Trainer tutorial or try our Arc Trainer Baseline workout to do a full assessment.
WHAT TO DO
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Speed (SPM) |
Inclines |
10:00 warm up |
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24:00 main set |
4 x 0:10 (:50) |
190* |
1, 2, 3, 4 |
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1:00 rest |
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4 x 0:10 (:50) |
190* |
5, 6, 7, 8 |
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1:00 rest |
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4 x 0:10 (:50) |
190* |
9, 10, 11, 12 |
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1:00 rest |
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4 x 0:10 (:50) |
190* |
13, 14, 15, 16 |
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1:00 rest |
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4 x 0:10 (:50) |
190* |
17, 18, 19, 20 |
5:00 cool down |
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A FEW THINGS TO NOTE
For the warmup and cooldown: Start off easy, but keep the wattage above 75.
For the workout itself: The main set consists of 20 total repetitions broken down into 5 sets of 4 reps, followed by a 0:50 second rest after each interval. The rest periods are noted in the parenthesis above.
Each working interval is performed at a higher incline, so it will work your glutes early on and gradually shift to your quads later in the workout.
*As for speed, just move as fast as you can. This will be different for everyone. Only do what you are comfortable with and can sustain over the course of the workout. If you reach a speed greater than 190 SPM, then you should increase your level.
Bonus: Because the incline increases by 1 each time, this helps you keep track of how many intervals you have completed over the course of the workout.
Double bonus: There is an extra minute of rest after every 4 reps to give you adequate recovery and to break up the workout into more manageable chunks.
We hope you enjoy this challenging, yet fun workout.