Ask Martin Vol. 25: The Tortoise and the Hare

Do you get the same benefit of exercising for 30 minutes a day if that exercise is broken down into shorter segments — for instance, three 10-minute sessions? –New York Times Reader

This question was not directed to me, but it is just as applicable to track and field athletes and throwers as it is to readers of the New York Times health blog. Volume is of the main components of any training plan. But not all volume is created equal. For example, if a thrower takes 180 throws per week, that could be divided up in a number of ways, including three sessions of 60 throws, six sessions of 30 throws, or even twelve sessions of 15 throws. Each option will have a different impact on the body and end up with different results. It is therefore important to know if one way is better than the other when putting together a training plan, even if all the options end up with the same volume in the end.

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