0136 Fartlek Training Method

After finishing the first human anatomy class, Chen Jue once again lit up the ??? annotations related to the [Appendix] within the human structure model on his interface.

However, he noticed that these annotations were still incomplete, clearly indicating that there were still many blind spots in his knowledge regarding the appendix.

Much like the gallbladder and heart he had unlocked previously, most organs had similar gaps in knowledge—aside from the gallbladder, which was already 100% unlocked—meaning the progress bars were not yet full and required further in-depth study.

After packing up his textbooks, he headed to another classroom for his second period: a sports training course taught by Li Rui.

Having not seen him for a few days, Chen Jue noticed that Li Rui’s demeanor had improved significantly, likely due to the positive recovery of his son, Haohao. Seeing Chen Jue appear in the back of the classroom, Li Rui gave him a nod of acknowledgement.

"Senior, the basketball team asked me to get your contact info. Should I give it to them?" Ma Qiang leaned over and whispered.

"The basketball team? Are they still thinking about my dunk from earlier?" Chen Jue was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head, politely declining the request. He wasn't an official student at Jiang University, and he had no current interest in joining a basketball team.

Seeing Chen Jue’s lack of interest, Ma Qiang didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned to chat excitedly with the students around him about the "Pro-Gamer" who had broken the world grip strength record that morning. Being a class of sports majors, they were naturally more attentive to trending topics related to athletics.

"That Pro-Gamer really brought glory to China this time!"

"A 117-kilogram grip strength—he instantly jumped to become the world's number one. I heard the international grip strength and strongman circles are in an uproar."

"The grip strength community is niche, but setting a world record is truly impressive."

"117 kilograms! I tested my own grip earlier, and it was only around 60 kilograms. Many weightlifters don't even have that kind of grip strength. I have no idea how that guy trained for it."

"And that 120-pound recurve bow is insane, too! I saw the comments section; even the professional archers are worshipping him. They say he fired so many shots without his hands getting tired—it's like he’s cheating."

As the students gossiped, Chen Jue pulled out his grip strengthener, which had a maximum capacity of 165 kg, and placed it on the desk.

His conspicuous action caught Ma Qiang’s attention. "Senior, I remember you can crush over 100 kilograms. That’s already amazing for our school!"

"Me?" Chen Jue smiled faintly, hiding his true prowess. "My grip strength is just average; it can't compare to a world number one like that Pro-Gamer." With that, he adjusted the device to 140 kg and began squeezing slowly.

"That Pro-Gamer is an exception. Grip strength is also a matter of talent," Ma Qiang said, flattering Chen Jue. He had no idea that the legendary "Pro-Gamer" he was discussing was sitting right next to him.

...

As the class bell rang, Li Rui opened his presentation and began, "Students, today we are going to learn about the key points of muscle density."

Before starting, Li Rui played an interesting short video. It featured three athletes of different ethnicities, all with similar height and weight, wearing the same swimming gear. When they curled up in the water, the results were vastly different: the Caucasian athlete floated to the surface, with most of his back above water; the Asian athlete also floated but remained suspended just below the surface; while the African athlete sank like a stone to the bottom of the pool.

The stark contrast left Chen Jue curious. *So that’s why you rarely see Black swimmers!* he thought.

Seeing the class's attention captured, Li Rui began his lecture: "As we can see from the video, there are significant differences in muscle density among different races."

"The muscle density of Black individuals is approximately 11.3 grams per cubic centimeter. Their muscles are mostly long and thin, with highly developed fast-twitch fibers and strong anaerobic capacity. With training, these fast-twitch fibers can account for 90% of their muscle mass. Furthermore, Black individuals have high arches and long tendons, making them better suited for explosive sports among the three major races. That is why we see them dominating track and field events."

"Caucasian muscle density is about 4.5 grams per cubic centimeter, the lowest of the three. However, they possess larger thoracic cavities, higher lung capacity, and higher body fat percentages, making them better suited for swimming and ice sports."

"We Asians fall in the middle, with muscle density fluctuating between 4.6 and 10.8 grams per cubic centimeter. While we may lag behind in explosive power, speed, jumping ability, raw strength, and muscular endurance, we have our own advantages: the greatest core strength in the torso, along with superior flexibility and balance."

Li Rui cited several sports—weightlifting, table tennis, and diving—where Chinese athletes dominated. He explained that the occasional outliers in swimming or track simply proved that the physical constitution of Asians occupied a middle ground between Black and White individuals.

*Muscle density, huh?* Chen Jue thought, taking notes while squeezing his grip strengthener, which earned him a +0.01 boost to his Strength attribute. *I wonder what my muscle density is now? Probably on the higher end for an Asian, right?*

...

After the class, Chen Jue had lunch at the cafeteria and strolled back to his apartment, planning to take a nap to recharge.

To break the world grip record that morning, he had taken a pre-workout supplement, burning through some of his energy reserves. Once the effects of the stimulant and adrenaline wore off, he felt a wave of exhaustion, though the interface triggered no [Fatigue] warning.

He slept until 3:00 PM. Upon waking, he noticed an alert on his interface: [Deep Sleep] had been triggered. Under the restorative power of [Deep Sleep], his energy had been fully replenished.

Glancing at his training schedule, he adjusted the plates in his weighted vest, increasing the load to 28 kg in one go. Including the weights on his limbs, his total load now reached 35 kg.

He packed his supplements, took his pre-workout, and spent 15 minutes jogging 2.5 kilometers to the Jiang University track.

Today’s training focused on jumping power, with an added component for endurance. The jumping training consisted of the usual high-intensity routine—vertical jumps, lunge-to-knee-raises, and touch-the-ground jumps. However, the endurance portion introduced a new method: Fartlek training.

According to Li Rui’s materials, Fartlek—a Swedish term meaning "speed play"—was a method developed to improve endurance by utilizing changes in terrain or setting artificial intervals of acceleration and deceleration. It was a unique form of variable-speed running. Its benefits included increased fatigue resistance and significant improvements in cardiovascular function.

Li Rui had set two sets for Chen Jue: the first consisted of 20 x 400-meter sprints, each under 75 seconds; the second was 20 x 400-meter sprints under 70 seconds, with 200-meter 60-second recovery jogs in between. It was a grueling, self-monitored regimen.

To track his progress scientifically, Chen Jue had purchased a smart fitness band to monitor his heart rate and estimate his metabolic burn.

It was Friday, and there were several other sports students on the track. Chen Jue took off his weighted gear and dropped the backpack at the starting line, drawing shocked stares.

"Holy crap! Senior, you usually warm up with this stuff?" The students nearby were curious, eyeing the heavy gear. The weighted vest, which hit the track with a heavy *thud*, left them wide-eyed.

"Just practicing, adding a bit of difficulty," Chen Jue said with a smile. He spotted Zhang Xuete, the student who had helped him test his sprinting earlier.

"Damn! This must be tens of kilograms, right?" Zhang Xuete greeted him, then curiously tried to lift the vest. He was shocked to find he could barely pick it up with one hand. The other students followed suit, each one stunned.

This wasn't just "a bit" of difficulty—it was a massive amount!

...

After chatting with the students, Chen Jue started his grueling Fartlek run. The first few rounds went well, but by the 15th lap, his legs felt like lead, and his arm movements became labored. His breathing grew heavy, and his mind drifted into a blank state.

The interface pinged:

[Ding!]

[You have completed an aerobic exercise beyond your limits. Your lower limb muscle groups were effectively stimulated, muscle strength and endurance have increased, and your cardiovascular function has been strengthened.]

[Your mind has entered a special low-frequency state, creating a subtle synergy with the [Meditation] skill.]

[Strength +0.01]
[Physique +0.01]
[Spirit +0.01]