Tag: Slantboard

This weekend was a textbook example of how a properly executed recovery day can set you up for success in a tough session the following day. Yesterday, the goal was simple: easy active recovery. Today, the plan was to hit a time-crunched but intense quad-focused endurance workout. Let’s break down how the two days complemented each other.

Part 1: Saturday’s Active Recovery Run (June 14)

After a big week of training, Saturday’s goal was easy active recovery. I headed out for a 6km run with the sole intention of maintaining a steady 6:02/km pace. There was no other agenda than to get the blood flowing, flush out any lingering soreness, and prepare my body for Sunday’s planned workout. This type of low-intensity session is crucial for long-term progress, as it aids recovery without adding significant training stress, allowing you to hit your harder sessions with better quality and reduced injury risk.

My Experience: The run felt good! Holding the target pace was comfortable, and it did exactly what it was supposed to do – left me feeling refreshed and ready for what was to come.

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Part 2: Sunday’s Quad Endurance Workout (June 15)

This session was all about building quad endurance under time constraints. I had about 40 minutes to get it done, so the structure involved high-rep supersets with strictly timed rest periods to keep the intensity up.

The Workout Blueprint:

• Warmup Block (3 sets):
  • Back Squat x 20 reps @ 135 lbs
  (Rest 2:00 between sets)
• Superset 1 (3 sets):
  • A: Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat x 10 reps/leg @ 95 lbs
  • B: Air Squats x 30 reps
  (Rest 2:00 between supersets)
• Superset 2 (3 sets):
  • A: Slantboard Goblet Squat x 20 reps @ 54 lbs
  • B: Barbell Reverse Lunge x 10 reps/leg @ 95 lbs
  (Rest 2:00 between supersets)

Movement Breakdown & Rationale:

Back Squats (High Reps): Used here as a potent warmup to thoroughly prime the quads, glutes, and hamstrings for the work to come, while also building muscular endurance.
My Experience: I’m getting pretty comfortable with 135lbs for 20 reps now, so these felt like a good, solid warmup to the session.

Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat & Air Squats: This superset pairs a heavy, unilateral strength movement with a high-rep, bodyweight plyometric-style movement. This is a fantastic way to build single-leg strength and stability and then immediately flush the legs with blood and spike the heart rate.
Rationale: This combination builds strength and conditioning simultaneously, a key aspect of Hyrox training.

Slantboard Goblet Squat & Barbell Reverse Lunge: Another tough superset. The slant board goblet squats emphasize the quads and allow for a deep range of motion. The barbell reverse lunges are another great unilateral movement that challenges balance and strength under fatigue.
Rationale: To completely tax the quads and glutes with different movement patterns and loading styles, building serious endurance under tension.

My Experience (Main Workout): This one burned! The supersets had my legs screaming pretty quickly. By the time I got to the final block of goblet squats and reverse lunges, it was a real mental grind, and my legs couldn’t have been over the workout soon enough. I also have to admit, I got distracted by my phone during one of the later sets of reverse lunges, and you can see in the data log that the set duration jumped by a couple of minutes – a good reminder to stay focused and present during tough workouts!

Scaled Options for Quad Endurance:

• Squats / Lunges: Use a lighter barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, or perform bodyweight versions. Focus on quality movement over load.
• Bulgarian Split Squats: Perform with bodyweight only, or with lighter dumbbells. Reduce reps if needed.
• Slantboard Squats: If you don’t have a slant board, you can use regular goblet squats or elevate your heels on small plates.
• General: Reduce the number of sets for each block from 3 to 2.

Overall Reflections:

This weekend was a perfect illustration of a smart training approach. The easy active recovery run on Saturday allowed me to come into Sunday’s session feeling refreshed and ready to hit it hard. That preparation enabled a high-quality, high-intensity quad endurance workout, even though it was time-constrained. It’s a reminder that what you do on your “easy” days has a direct impact on what you can achieve on your “hard” days.

What’s your favorite way to use active recovery? Share your go-to sessions in the comments!

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Workout Summaries (June 14-15, 2025)

Active Recovery Run (June 14):

• Activity Name: Georgina Running
• Duration: 36m 12s
• Distance: 6.01 km
• Avg Pace: 6:02 min/km
• Avg HR: 144 bpm
• Max HR: 158 bpm
• Calories: 491 C
• Training Effect: Aerobic Base (2.9)

Quad Endurance Workout (June 15):

• Activity Name: Quads Endurance
• Duration: 35m 21s (Moving Time: 19m 21s)
• Calories: 357 C
• Avg HR: 130 bpm
• Max HR: 169 bpm
• Training Effect: Aerobic Base (2.2)

Detailed Quad Workout Log

Superset	Exercise	Set	Time (s)
Warmup	Back Squat	1	60.5
Warmup	Back Squat	2	69.1
Warmup	Back Squat	3	75.7
1	Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat	1	61.0
1	Air Squats	1	48.6
1	Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat	2	79.9
1	Air Squats	2	51.7
1	Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat	3	47.2
1	Air Squats	3	59.3
2	Slantboard Goblet Squat	1	54.9
2	Barbell Reverse Lunge	1	92.6
2	Slantboard Goblet Squat	2	59.0
2	Barbell Reverse Lunge	2	230.1
2	Slantboard Goblet Squat	3	49.9
2	Barbell Reverse Lunge	3	121.7