Welcome to Your Fun Run Training Plan
Welcome to an 8-week journey towards improved fitness and better health. Our goal is that you can achieve a 3k or 5k run without problems!
Our 4x4 Training 8-week fitness program is a research-based and time-efficient way to boost your health, and it fits both those who love exercise and those who don’t.
Endurance activities are described as walking or running, but you can just as well swim, cycle, row, or perform any other activity that involves dynamic work with large muscle groups. If you prefer running or walking, we recommend doing the intervals on a hill or treadmill with some inclination.
We also refer to % of maximum heart rate, but you don’t have to use a heart rate monitor. Many people find motivation in measuring their heart rate during exercise, but the program is equally effective if you don’t. If the progression feels a little too tough, you can add an extra week at your own pace. The key is to complete the full 8 weeks!
Each session represents a day of training. We have deliberately included rest days so that you can recover or do some mobility exercises. If you find the training workload too much or too little, you can adjust the individual days to suit your own schedule and tick the session in the checkboxes to see your progress!
Disclaimer
If you are not capable of any of the strength exercises due to a recent port placement or previous operations, adapt the exercise so it fits your needs and is doable for you!
Training Plan
Session 1 - Day 1
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Slow jog or brisk walk to get you sweating a little, preferably on an incline or hill to get your heart rate up more quickly, and to limit the stress on your knees.
MAIN WORKOUT | 4 MIN. RPE 6–8 | RUN OR WALK
Walk or run uphill at a higher intensity for 4 minutes. You should feel tired and winded by the end of the 4 minutes. If using a heart rate monitor, aim for 75–90% of your maximum heart rate. To estimate max HR: 211 – (0.64 × age).
COOL DOWN | 6 MIN.
Easy walking or jogging to bring your heart rate down. Take a moment to appreciate the effort you just put in — small steps add up, and you’ve already started building a stronger you.
KEY TIP
Push yourself so that you’re breathing hard and conversation is difficult, but not impossible. It’s about finding a steady challenge you can maintain for the full 4 minutes.
Session 2 - Day 2
Break / Mobility
Session 3 - Day 3
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Move at a comfortable pace with an easy jog or brisk walk to get your body ready.
MAIN WORKOUT | 4 MIN. RPE 6–8 | RUN OR WALK
Run or walk continuously for 20 minutes. Aim for a pace that feels comfortable but a little faster than your warm-up speed — steady effort without stopping.
COOL DOWN | 6 MIN.
Slow down to an easy walk or jog to bring your breathing back under control. Give yourself credit: consistent work like this builds your endurance step by step.
| STRENGTH TRAINING | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| EXERCISES | SETS | REPS | INFORMATION |
| Push Ups | 3 | 10 |
|
| Squats | 3 | 15 |
|
| Calve Raises | 3 | 10 |
|
| Tib Raises | 3 | 10 |
|
Session 4 - Day 4
Break / Mobility
Session 5 - Day 5
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Move at a comfortable pace with a light jog or brisk walk to get your body warmed up and lightly sweating.
MAIN WORKOUT | 4 MIN. RPE 6–8 | INTERVAL TRAINING
- Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walk or run at a challenging pace so you’re breathing hard, and conversation is difficult. Aim for 80–90% of your maximum heart rate (use 211 – 0.64 × age to estimate) at the end of the 4th minute. - Active recovery (3 Min.)
Slow down to relaxed walking to catch your breath. - Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Repeat the same interval as mentioned above.
COOL DOWN | 6 MIN.
Finish with calm walking. Take a moment to appreciate your week’s efforts — you’ve completed your first week of your preparation for the Fun Run!
Session 1 - Day 1
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Slow jog or brisk walk to get you sweating a little, preferably on an incline or hill to get your heart rate up more quickly, and to limit the stress on your knees.
MAIN WORKOUT | 4 MIN. RPE 6–8 | RUN OR WALK
Walking or running uphill so you feel tired and winded. If you have a heart rate monitor, you should be at around 80-95% of your maximum heart rate towards the end of the 4-minute period.
COOL DOWN | 6 MIN.
Easy walking or jogging. Finally, you’ll be back home, ready for a refreshing shower, and can enjoy the rest of your day knowing you’ve taken a meaningful step toward better fitness!
KEY TIP
Keep the pace challenging so conversation is difficult, but manageable for the full 4 minutes. If it’s too hard, slow down a bit next time.
Session 2 - Day 2
Break / Mobility
Session 3 - Day 3
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Move at a comfortable pace with a light jog or brisk walk to get your body warmed up and lightly sweating.
MAIN WORKOUT | 4 MIN. RPE 6–8 | INTERVAL TRAINING
- Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walk or run at a challenging pace so you’re breathing hard, and conversation is difficult. Aim for 80–90% of your maximum heart rate (use 211 – 0.64 . age to estimate) at the end of the 4th minute. - Active recovery (3 Min.)
Slow down to relaxed walking to catch your breath. - Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walking or running at higher intensity.
COOL DOWN | 6 MIN.
Finish with calm walking and you’re done for the day!
Session 4 - Day 4
Break / Mobility
Session 5 - Day 5
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Move freely and dynamically for five minutes. Combine movements like squats, crawling, lunges, and gentle spinal movements such as rotating, flexing, and extending in a natural, flowing way. There are no strict rules – explore what feels right and engage your whole body.
| Strength Training | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Perform 5 - 10 repetitions of all three exercises (depending on your fitness level). Rest 30 seconds between exercises and 1 min. after completing 1 set of each of the exercises. |
|||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Information |
| Squats | 3 | 10 |
|
| Rowing | 3 | 7 |
|
| Calve Raises | 3 | 10 |
|
| Tib Raises | 3 | 10 |
|
Session 1 - Day 1
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Usual warm-up routine.
MAIN WORKOUT I 18 MIN. RPE 7-8 I INTERVAL TRAINING
- Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walk or run at a challenging pace so you’re breathing hard, and conversation is difficult. Aim for 80–90% of your maximum heart rate (use 211 – 0.64 . age to estimate) at the end of the 4th minute.. - Active recovery (3 Min.)
Slow down to relaxed walking to catch your breath. - Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walking or running at higher intensity. - Active recovery (3 Min.)
Slow down to relaxed walking to catch your breath. - Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walking or running at higher intensity.
COOL DOWN | 6 MIN.
Finish with calm walking and you’re done for the day!
Session 2 - Day 2
Break / Mobility
Session 3 - Day 3
ACTIVE SESSION 60 MIN. +
Choose an activity involving large muscle groups and dynamic movements (walking, jogging, swimming, squash, etc.) and be active for more than 60 minutes. Bring a friend or family member so it becomes easier to get off the couch. For extra fun try something new, walk a different route than usual, and practice mindful walking by focusing on your breath, steps, and the sounds around you.
Session 4 - Day 4
Break / Mobility
Session 5 - Day 5
WARM UP I 6 MIN.
Slow jog or brisk walk to get you sweating a little, preferably on an incline or hill to get your heart rate up more quickly and to reduce stress on your knees.
MAIN WORKOUT I 4 MIN. RPE 6-8 I RUN OR WALK
Walking or running uphill so you feel tired and winded. If you have a heart rate monitor, aim for 80 - 90% of your maximum heart rate for the 4 Minutes.
COOL DOWN I 6 MIN.
Easy walking - Enjoy two days off – next week is going to be more intense!
Session 1 - Day 1
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Move freely and dynamically for five minutes. Combine movements like squats, crawling, lunges, and gentle spinal movements such as rotating, flexing, and extending in a natural, flowing way. There are no strict rules – explore what feels right and engage your whole body.
MAIN WORKOUT I 25 MIN. RPE 7-8 I INTERVAL TRAINING
- Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walk or run at a challenging pace so you’re breathing hard, and conversation is difficult. Aim for 80–90% of your maximum heart rate (use 211 – 0.64 . age to estimate) at the end of the 4th minute.. - Active recovery (3 Min.)
Slow down to relaxed walking to catch your breath. - Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walking or running at higher intensity. - Active recovery (3 Min.)
Slow down to relaxed walking to catch your breath. - Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walking or running at higher intensity. - Active recovery (3 Min.)
Slow down to relaxed walking to catch your breath. - Higher intensity interval (4 Min.)
Walking or running at higher intensity.
COOL DOWN I 6 MIN.
Finish with calm walking and you’re done for the day!
Session 2 - Day 2
Break / Mobility
Session 3 - Day 3
ENDURANCE PROGRAMM 4x4 HEALTH BOOSTER
Repeat the first session from this week – a real booster for your health! You’re well on your way to improved fitness and a younger fitness age.
Session 4 - Day 4
Break / Mobility
You’ll feel this week of training in your body and mind - and you’ll like it! Take two days off: If you choose to be active, keep exercises at low-tomoderate intensity for recovery.
Session 5 - Day 5
WARM UP | 6 MIN.
Move freely and dynamically for five minutes. Combine movements like squats, crawling, lunges, and gentle spinal movements such as rotating, flexing, and extending in a natural, flowing way. There are no strict rules – explore what feels right and engage your whole body.
| Strength Training | EMOM 5 minutes - 3 rounds | |||
|---|---|---|---|
EMOM = EVERY MINUTE ON THE MINUTEYou start the movement at the top of the minute, and any remaining time after completing the reps is your rest before the next minute begins. |
|||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Information |
| Squats | 3 | 15 |
|
| Split Squats | 3 | 8 per leg |
|
| Push Ups | 3 | 12 |
|
FAQ
WHAT IF I MISSED ONE OR TWO TRAINING SESSIONS?
Missing a session is not a problem. Simply continue with the next planned session. If you miss an entire week, repeat the previous week before moving on. The program is designed to be flexible and to support gradual progress.
WHAT IS RPE?
RPE means Rate if Perceived Exertion. It is a subjective 1–10 scale used to measure how hard your body is working during physical activity based on breathing, heart rate, and fatigue.
| RPE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| 1 – 2 | Very light effort, such as easy walking or warming up. |
| 3 – 4 | Light effort, comfortable pace, light sweat, can hold a conversation. |
| 5 – 6 | Moderate effort; breathing is heavier but still sustainable. |
| 7 – 8 | Hard effort; challenging, labored breathing, short phrases. |
| 9 – 10 | Maximum, all‑out effort; impossible to do more reps. |
DO I NEED TO CONSIDER MY MEDICATION?
Yes. Some medications can affect heart rate, blood pressure, or how your body responds to physical activity. If you take medication regularly, it is recommended to speak with your physician before starting the program. They can advise you on any precautions you should consider during training.
DO I NEED MEDICAL CLEARANCE
Yes. It is recommended to talk to your physician before starting this program. They can assess your current health status and confirm whether participating in the running program is appropriate and safe for you.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I EXPERIENCE PAIN WHILE RUNNING?
Stop or reduce the intensity if you experience pain. Try slowing down, shortening the session, or switching temporarily to walking. Persistent or sharp pain should be evaluated by a healthcare professional before continuing training.
WHAT IF I CANNOT MANAGE THE INTENSITY OR DISTANCE?
Adjust the training to your current capacity. Slow down your pace, shorten the distance, or include additional walking breaks. The goal is consistent participation, not pushing beyond your limits.