Fitness Fact Sheet - Interval Training
Fitness Fact Sheet - Interval Training
Interval training involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with less-intense forms of active recovery.
Interval training involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with less-intense forms of active recovery.
The Swedes named this type of training Fartlek, which means speed play. Not only an efficient training method, Fartlek training can help to avoid injuries that often accompany non-stop, repetitive activity. It also provides the opportunity to increase your intensity without burning yourself out in a matter of minutes. Unlike traditional interval training, Fartlek training does not involve specifically or accurately measured intervals. Instead, intervals are based according to the needs and perceptions of the participant. In other words, how you feel determines the length and speed of each interval.
The advantages of interval training are that it utilizes the body’s aerobic and anaerobic energy-producing systems. The aerobic system allows you to work out for several minutes / hours using oxygen to convert carbohydrates / fats into energy. While, the anaerobic system draws energy from carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) stored in the muscles for short bursts of activity such as sprinting, jumping or lifting heavy objects.
How to
Interval training allows you to enjoy the benefits of aerobic activities without having to endure those burning muscles. In its most basic form, interval training might involve walking for two minutes, running for two, and alternating this pattern throughout the duration of a workout. The intensity (or lack thereof) of each interval is up to how you feel and what you are trying to achieve. The same is true for the length of each interval.
For example, if it is your habit to walk 2 miles per day in 30 minutes, you can easily increase the intensity of your walk, as well as its calorie-burning potential, by picking up the pace every few minutes and then returning to your usual speed.
Another great trick is to tell yourself that you’ll run a particular distance. For example, run from the blue car to the green house on the corner, and then walk from the green house to the next telephone pole. Each interval can be a negotiation with yourself depending on how strong or energetic you happen to feel during that particular workout. This helps to break up the boredom and drudgery that often comes from doing the same thing day after day. A more advanced approach it to record distance and time for both the work and recovery intervals you complete.
Try interval training. Get a personal trainer to implement interval training into your fitness program today!
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