Norwegian 4×4
Four four-minute efforts at 85–95% of max heart rate, with three minutes easy jogging between. From NTNU's fitness research (Helgerud, 2007), built to raise your VO₂max. Hard enough that you can only say a few words. On a treadmill, a 5–8% incline gets you there at a gentler speed.
- Time
- 43 min
- Main set
- 4 × 4:00 hard
- Good for
- Run, Treadmill, Bike
Warm-up4 × 4:00 hardCool-down
The session
- 10:00Warm-upStart easy, finish a little quickerEasy
- 4 ×
- 4:00WorkHard. A few words, not sentencesHard
- 3:00RecoveryEasy jog, shake it outEasy
- 5:00Cool-downEasy
How to pace it
Aim for the effort, not a pace. By the end of each interval you should only manage a few words at a time. With a heart-rate strap the target is 85–95% of your max, and it usually takes a minute or two of each interval to climb there. The most common mistake is a first interval that is too fast: the fourth should be the hardest to hold, not impossible.
Who it’s for
Anyone with some running behind them who wants to raise their aerobic ceiling. Once a week alongside easy running is plenty. If four intervals is too much at first, start with three.
Running it as a group
Effort is personal, so a mixed group can run the 4×4 together. Everyone works at their own hard pace, and the whole group starts and stops on the same second. On a track, the faster runners simply cover more ground before the recovery call.
Source
Helgerud J, et al. Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO₂max more than moderate training. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007; 39(4): 665–671.
Host the Norwegian 4×4 in PacePack
Pick it from the program library, share the code, and every phone in the group runs it on the same second, with a voice calling every interval and its effort.
The program library is part of Pro, with a 7-day free trial on the yearly plan. On Free, host the same timing as a Quick session: 4 × 4:00 with 3:00 recovery, a 10:00 warm-up and a 5:00 cool-down, for up to three runners.
iPhone only for now. Android is coming soon.
