Polarized training refers to alternating between doing training at high intensity and doing training at low intensity, without doing much or any medium intensity work. Here is a link to a summary of a study where they had different groups of athletes doing different types of training, low-intensity, high-intensity, anaerobic-threshhold training, and polarized training:
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2014/10/polarized-training-update.html
Part of the reason that the polarized training works well is that you are fresher for the high intensity sessions. The low intensity sessions work essentially as active recovery so you recover from the high intensity work and are fresh and able to go fast at the high-intensity sessions.
However, for slalom racing, I do not advocate doing low-intensity sessions on gates, such as doing slow loops. It's better in my opinion to do straight-ahead paddling for low-intensity sessions, since if you do gate, you might be learning the wrong techniques. There are techniques for going fast and techniques for going slow, and the slow paddling might interfere with your gate technique.
I prefer doing the low-intensity work out of the boat, such as slow jogging. Running or cycling or swimming use larger muscles groups in the legs and buttocks and entire body and therefore do more in terms of getting the blood circulating. Also, it's a real rest from paddling so you are fresh and ready to go for the next hard session.
But the mistake most people make is to go too hard on the low-intensity days. They make it into a medium-intensity workout. Then, they don't get adequate rest and they aren't as fresh for the next high-intensity workout.
Not many people train using polarized training. Some do all high volume, low intensity training. Others do lots of medium-intensity training. Some do all fast training. It may vary depending upon each individual. But there is some research to support the concept of alternating between doing high-intensity training and low-intensity training and avoiding medium-intensity workouts.
Here is a link to the article about polarized training:
http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2014/10/polarized-training-update.html
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