Interval training is a powerful fitness strategy for new exercisers and hardcore athletes alike.
Your workout routine is getting stale (again) and the dreaded plateau is setting in. What can you do to burn more calories without spending hours and hours of grueling hours of cardio at the gym? The answer is boot camp style aerobic interval training. Once the go-to fitness program of choice for hardcore athletes, interval training has become a powerful ally for the average boot camper.
So, just what is interval training?
First of all, calm down, this is not brain surgery. Interval training is a simple way of alternating intense bursts of activity (sprinting, jumping, etc.) with intervals of light activity (walking, jogging, etc.).
For instance, let’s say walking is your exercise of choice. If you’re a novice exerciser, you should incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular vigorous walks. If you are not as fit, you should alternate easy walking with intervals of quicker walking. As an example, if you are walking outside, you should try to walk quicker between regularly spaced trees, city blocks or street lights.
So, what can interval training do for my love handles?
Whether you are a hardcore elite athlete or beginning exerciser, interval training can help you supercharge your fitness program. The health benefits speak for themselves:
- You will burn many more calories in a given amount of time as you would steady state exercise (walking, slow jogging). The more intensive your exercise program, the more calories you will burn — even if your intensity is increased for just a few minutes at a time.
- You will improve your overall aerobic fitness. As your overall cardiovascular capability improves, you will be able to workout longer and with more stamina and intensity. You could finish your 1-hour walk in 40 minutes — or you could stick with the full 60 minutes and burn tons of extra calories.
- You will keep your motivation on high. Adding variety by increasing your intensity in short intervals can add a needed shot in the arm to a stale exercise routine.
- You do not need any special fitness equipment. Just modify your current fitness program.
How will my body adjust to an interval training program?
During intense exercise programs, your muscles create waste products (lactic acid) that can lead to sore muscles. A large accumulation of waste products can make continuing your fitness program a painful, tiring experience. However, by alternating bouts of intensive exercise with less challenging intervals, you will help decrease the buildup of waste products in your muscle fibers. More comfortable exercise should be your result.
Do the principles of interval training work similarly for everybody?
In a word yes. But interval training can be taken to many levels. If simply want to shake up your exercise routine, you can decide the speed and length of each high-intensity interval based on how you are responding to the exercise, This fitness approach to interval training is known by the Swedish term fartlek, which translates to “speed play.”
After your warm up, you could increase your intensity for one-half minute and then go back to your regular pace. The next period of more intensive exercise may last one to four minutes. The intervals can be varied throughout your workout, how much you increase your pace, how often and for how long is entirely up to you.
If you have a specific fitness goal in mind, you should take a more scientific approach. A fitness boot camp instructor or certified personal trainer can help you time your intensity and duration of your interval periods — which could include similar movements to those you will use during your chosen sport or activity — based on your target heart rate, the proficiency of your lungs and heart to bring oxygen to your muscles (VO2 max) as well as other metabolic factors.
You will add huge amounts of variety to your fitness program with this type of interval training program, but you should know that it requires more structure and focus, so be sure to plan shorter periods of intense activity as well as shorter recovery periods.
Are there any risks associated with interval training?
Interval training is not right for everybody. People with chronic health conditions or have not been exercising regularly, should consult their doctor before trying any type of fitness program.
Like any fitness program, keep the risk of overuse injury in mind. By rushing into a strenuous workout before your body has had a chance to adapt, you could hurt your tendons, ligaments, muscles or bones. Be sure to start any new fitness program slowly. Start out with just two or three higher intensity periods during each workout at first. If you think you are overdoing it, slow yourself down. When your stamina improves, try challenging yourself to vary the speed. You will be surprised how quickly you maximize your fat burn with the addition of interval training.
Fitness Tip: Weight Loss Real Facts – To lose weight you should cut out 500 calories per day. All you have to do is bump up your activity and shave off a few calories. To increase activity* every day: jog for 25 minutes (225 cal.), swim for 30 minutes (230 cal.) or bike for 45 minutes (233 cal.) To lose calories, cut out: 1 small order of French fries (210-290 cal.), 1 individual size bag of chips (304 cal.) or 1 medium (24 fl. oz.) soda (291 cal.) *Calorie burning estimates are based on a 170 pound person.
