All Out

Going all-out generally refers to trying your absolute hardest for a given effort. Since this puts the athlete in the maximum threshold territory, going all-out usually last for only a short period of time.

All-out efforts can leave you breathless, exhausted and are frequently associated with a high release of lactic acid. However, these intense bursts do work and are commonly incorporated into training sessions to increase physical power, speed, and Vo2 Max, the capacity to work in the absence of oxygen.

When an athlete goes all-out, the ATP-PC and glycolytic systems provide the primary source of energy. Because these efforts cannot be maintained for long, they are typically performed with ample rest in between during training.

Training all-out efforts primarily engages the athlete’s fast-twitch muscles. Over time, this can result in a VO₂ Max boost while improving how the body processes and eliminates lactate, thereby potentially raising the athlete’s LT2 level. Coaches commonly use all-out efforts at the end of an exercise routine to replicate race fatigue or at the beginning of an exercise routine in preparation for high-level intensity. While these efforts are very effective for developing speed as well as anaerobic power, they do increase the athlete’s risk of injury. As a results, all-out efforts should be carefully structured, only be performed after a proper warm up, and with proper recovery in mind.