The Pace Problem: Why Some People Struggle to Get Fitter (Even When They Train Hard)

One of the most common things when it comes to conditioning isn’t a lack of effort—it’s pacing.

Most people show up, work hard, get sweaty, and leave feeling like they’ve done a good session.

But over time, some people don’t actually feel much fitter.

A big reason for that is simple:they train in the same gear, no matter what the workout demands.

One Gear, Every Session

A lot of conditioning ends up sitting in the same place:

• Slightly uncomfortable

• Breathing hard

• But still manageable

  
  

That “middle gear” feels productive, and sometimes it is.

But if every session lives there, you miss out on what actually drives progress:

• Higher intensity efforts where output really matters

• Lower, controlled efforts where you build endurance

  
  

Both require different pacing—and both feel very different.

Conditioning Is About Output, Not Just Effort

It’s easy to judge a session by how tired you feel.

But conditioning is really about what you can produce and sustain.

That’s where pacing comes in.

In repeat mixed efforts (rower, bike, running, or hybrid exercise combinations), you’ve got clear performance

markers to use as reference points:

• Row pace (e.g. 500m split)

• Bike output (cadence)

• Run times or distances

• Ski output (e.g cal/hr)

  
  

If those numbers drop off each round, it usually means you started too hard.

It feels like you’re pushing, but output is declining—so the whole session becomes less effective.

On the other hand, if you can:

• Hold a consistent pace

• Or even slightly build across rounds

  
  

You’re in a much better position to improve.

What Good Pacing Feels Like

In longer efforts:

• You feel controlled early

• Like you’re holding a little in reserve

• You finish strong rather than hanging on

  
  

In shorter efforts:

• You push closer to your limit

• But accept you’ll need proper recovery

  
  

The key is that your effort matches the goal of the session.

A Simple Way to Improve It

Next time you train, focus on one thing:

Pick a pace you can repeat.

Aim to:

• Hold similar numbers each round

• Avoid big drop-offs

• Adjust early rather than late

  
  

It might feel slightly easier at the start—but the back half of the session is where the adaptation happens.

Insight 💡

Training hard is important.

But learning how to distribute effort across a session is what actually makes you fitter.

And it helps to zoom out on what conditioning really is.

Conditioning isn’t just cardio, and it’s not just how out of breath you get.

It’s your ability to use all qualities of fitness—strength, speed, power, endurance—in a repeatable way over time.

In simple terms:

can you keep producing output, round after round, without falling apart?

That’s the real marker.

Not just going hard once.

Not just surviving the session.

But maintaining quality, output, and intent across the whole workout.

When you start thinking like that, pacing stops being guesswork—and becomes a skill you can actually train.