Maintaining Explosive Power After HIIT
Combining high-intensity interval training with explosive strength work raises a classic concurrent-training question: does a hard HIIT session leave you too fatigued to produce power afterward? In this episode, the coaches break down a study measuring explosive strength performance immediately after concurrent interval cycling and bench-press loading, and share their takeaways on how to keep your power intact.
Key Takeaways
- This episode examines the "interference effect" — how conditioning like HIIT can acutely affect explosive strength.
- The featured study looks at upper- and lower-body explosive strength performance right after concurrent high-intensity interval cycling and bench-press loading.
- How you sequence and recover between conditioning and power work influences how much explosive output you keep.
- The coaches translate the research into practical takeaways for athletes who train strength and conditioning together.
Episode 155 of The Garage Gym Athlete Podcast is up!
Maintaining Explosive Power After HIIT
This week the guys are breaking down a study that looks at power right after a HIIT session. They dive right in and give their takeaways and overall thoughts on this one. This week's Meet Yourself Saturday workout is called Clean Breathing. It's a breathing ladder that will definitely make you meet yourself!
What the research says
The study featured this week looks at the acute effects of concurrent high-intensity interval cycling and bench-press loading on upper- and lower-body explosive strength performance. In plain terms, the researchers wanted to know what happens to your ability to produce explosive force shortly after pairing demanding interval conditioning with heavy pressing. This speaks directly to the concurrent-training "interference effect" — the idea that endurance or high-intensity conditioning can temporarily reduce strength and power output. For athletes who blend conditioning with lifting in the same session (the norm for concurrent and hybrid training), how you order the work and how much you recover between pieces can make a real difference in the quality of your explosive efforts.
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IN THIS 55-MINUTE EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
- HIIT
- Maintaining Explosive Power
- Explosive Strength
- Clean Breathing
- Breathing Ladder
- Tips For MYS
- Updates and Announcements
- And A LOT MORE!!
Diving Deeper…
If you want to go a little bit deeper on this episode, here are some links for you:
Study of the Week
Garage Gym Athlete Workout of the Week
Be sure to listen to this week’s episode:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the interference effect?
The interference effect describes how combining endurance or high-intensity conditioning with strength training can temporarily reduce strength and power output, especially when both are done in the same session.
Does HIIT hurt your explosive power?
Hard interval work can acutely fatigue you, which is why this episode reviews a study measuring explosive strength right after concurrent interval cycling and pressing. The practical answer depends on sequencing and recovery.
How should I order conditioning and power work?
If explosive output is the priority for a session, athletes often place power and strength work before heavy conditioning, or allow recovery between them, so fatigue doesn't blunt force production.
Related reading from Garage Gym Athlete
- A Beginner's Guide to Concurrent Training
- Does Conditioning Really Affect Strength?
- Get Stronger & More Explosive with Glute Practice
Want strength and conditioning programmed to work together instead of against each other? Become a Garage Gym Athlete.
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Thanks for listening to the podcast, and if you have any questions be sure to add it to the comments below!
To becoming better!
Jerred
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