Fitness Tip Tuesdays: How To Properly Do Interval Training

Fitness Tip Tuesdays: Interval Training
 ** image courtesy of Wikipedia

I have not done any type of interval training since high school when I ran cross-country and track. I remember that it benefited me greatly with improving my running form, endurance, motivation, and mind-body coordination. I did a little online research on interval training to find out new techniques that might aid me in becoming a better, faster runner.

Runner'sWorld.com describes interval training as this:

"Interval training, also known as interval workouts or interval runs, are short, intense efforts followed by equal or slightly longer recovery time. For example, after a warmup, run two minutes at a hard effort, followed by two to three minutes of easy jogging or walking to catch your breath. Unlike tempo workouts, you’re running above your red line and at an effort where you are reaching hard for air and counting the seconds until you can stop—a controlled fast effort followed by a truly easy jog. The secret is in the recovery as patience and discipline while you’re running easy allows you to run the next interval strong and finish the entire workout fatigued but not completely spent. Just like rest, your body adapts and gets stronger in the recovery mode."

I found an article from Active.com titled "3 Interval Training Plans To Build Fitness Fast" (Originally from Shape.com titled "Interval Training: Short Workouts That Really Pay Off" by Jason R. Karp). Here are the three interval training plans:


1) Cardio Blaster:

This is one of the best interval training workouts you can do to improve fitness. It burns lots of calories in a short amount of time.

How to do it:

• Warm up for 15 minutes.
• Then run, bike, or row for 3 minutes at 90 to 95 percent of your maximum heart rate (should feel like 8.5 or 9 on a scale of one to 10). Take three minutes active recovery (you're still moving, but at an easy pace) and repeat the 3 on/3 off pattern three to four more times.
• Finish with a 10-minute cooldown.

Bonus benefit: This workout is like weight training for your heart—it strengthens your cardiovascular system, which improves your overall health. 


2) Speedplay:

Sprinting is great for tightening and toning your legs, glutes, and core. It increases your muscle power, which helps you push harder and makes your non-interval training workouts feel easier so you can challenge yourself and burn even more calories. 
 
How to do it:

• Warm up for 15 minutes, adding a few 20-second bursts at the end to prepare for the workout.
• Run, bike, or row for 30 seconds at a nearly all-out effort. Take three minutes active recovery and repeat the 30 on/3 off pattern five or six more times.
• Finish with a 10-minute cool down.

3) Cardio-Sprint Pyramid:

This adds sprint interval training for a fast and fun workout. Here, after each burst of hard work, you'll recover for the same amount of time. 
 
How to do it:

• Warm up for 15 minutes, adding a few 20-second bursts at the end to prepare for the workout.
• Run, bike, or row: During the work periods, you should have a rate of perceived exertion (RPE of 8 to 10, followed by 30 seconds of active recovery.

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** Build and Taper the Workout Like This:

- 30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover
- 1 minute sprint/1 minute recover
- 2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover
- 4 minutes sprint/4 minutes recover
- 2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover
- 1 minute sprint/1 minute recover
- 30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover
* Finish with a 10 minute cool down

Bonus benefit: This major calorie-burning interval training plan gives you the best of both worlds—high-octane cardio and muscle-sculpting sprints. 



** To see the full definition of interval training,  please visit Runner'sWorld.com.
** To see the full article "3 Interval Training Plans To Build Fitness Fast", please visit Active.com.
** To see the original full article "Interval Training: Short Workouts That Really Pay Off", please visit Shape.com.



Tune in next Tuesday for more running, fitness and exercise tips on Fitness Tips Tuesdays!

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