A2 Get Fit
Want to get more out of your workouts?
There's a little secret in the fitness world called interval training.
What is interval training? Rather than doing the same cardio exercise
your entire workout, interval training alternates short, high-intensity
bursts of exercise with slower, low-intensity periods of recovery.
Research has shown that such intervals of high and low-intensity
activity burn more calories and build fitness quicker in a shorter
amount of time.
Once designed for elite athletes, interval
training is now something the average fit person can try. You don't need
fancy equipment or special training to rev up your routine with
interval training.
Read on to learn more about this fast, slow, fast, slow method of training and weight loss.
Theory Behind Interval Training
By alternating high-intensity movements with low-intensity movements,
you're working both your aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without
oxygen) systems. High-intensity exercise causes your muscles to produce
lactic acid (waste products), which lead to muscle soreness. Too much
lactic acid build up causes exercise to become exhausting and painful.
Alternating hard and easy exercise will reduce the amount of lactic
acid that accumulates, thereby making exercise more comfortable,
improving your endurance and increasing your speed.
Interval Length
So how long should intervals be?
The answer is, it doesn't matter.
There are no real hard-and-fast rules about interval length. Varying
lengths bring varying benefits. So how fast and how often you pick up
the pace depends on you.
Beginners should aim for no longer
than 30 seconds of high-intensity bursts. If you're feeling strong and
are in good shape, go ahead and push yourself a bit longer.
Know the Risks
While a no-rules approach may sound appealing, interval training isn't
for the beginner. If you're new in the land of fitness, take your time
as you increase the intensity of your workouts.
Rushing into
high-intensity exercise may lead to injury. Start out slowly. Add one or
two high-intensity intervals each workout. Slow down if you feel you're
overdoing it. As your stamina increases, feel free to challenge
yourself.
Sample Workouts
Remember, there's no set rule about how to do interval training. It can
be tailored to your fitness level and type of exercise.
An
interval-training workout involves four variables that can be changed to
meet your goals: intensity of intervals, duration of intervals,
duration of recovery intervals, and the number of interval repetitions.
Interval training can be casual, spur of the moment bursts of activity
depending on how you're feeling that day or if you're working towards a
more specific sports or fitness goal you can take a more sophisticated,
scientific approach.
Interval training workouts have been
designed for plyometrics, sprints, stair running, jump rope, speed
drills, and agility drills.
A simple example of interval
training for walking would be to add short bursts of jogging or
alternate slower walking with brisk walking. If you walk outdoors, you
could jog or walk faster between certain landmarks such as mailboxes or
street signs, then slow down for a short distance.
A second
example that really gets your heart pumping and improves fitness in a
short amount of time includes running, rowing, or cycling. Warm up for
about 15 minutes, then run, row, or cycle as hard as you can (at 90
percent of your maximum heart rate) for three minutes. Then go easy for
three minutes, allowing your body to recover. Repeat these three-minute
intervals of high- and low-intensity exercise three or four times. Then
cool down for 10 minutes.
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Increase Your Intensity
To get the most out of your interval training try the following:
- Add Resistance. Between sets of cardio do a set with dumbbells, resistance bands or with your body weight.
- Increase Speed. Really push yourself during the sprinting intervals. Remember, it's only a handful of seconds.
- Lengthen Intervals. Add a few seconds to your intense intervals.
- Change Exercises. If you've been sprinting then switch to burpees or high knees.