This article will help you understand why you should try interval training to improve your performance.
If you’re looking for a new way to kick your fitness up a notch, interval training could be the way to go. In a nutshell, interval training involves short bursts of high-intensity exercise that alternate with lower-intensity activity. Suppose you’re still unsure whether interval training is right for you and whether you can fit it into your schedule. In that case, this article will outline the basics of what it is and why it’s beneficial so that you can make an informed decision before diving in.
What is interval training?
Interval training is a type of physical exercise in which you cycle through high and low-intensity exercise periods. For instance, a single interval workout might involve sprinting for a minute, jogging for a minute, and walking for a minute. The intervals are usually set at a length that you can sustain for a set amount of time, such as a set of six minutes with two minutes of fast-paced sprinting and a two-minute cooldown. The burn you get from using short bursts is crucial to the success of interval training.
Incorporate interval training into your fitness routine
Because of this, many gym chains have incorporated the idea (ex. National Strength and Conditioning Association) into their weight rooms into workout programs. While some studies have found that higher exercise intensities benefit cardio-vascular health (an essential component of cardiovascular health), this is often not the case. In other words, it doesn’t necessarily mean that moderate-intensity workouts are wrong if done infrequently. It could simply mean that longer workouts with higher intensity aren’t helpful for cardiovascular health. Interval training has been found to have various health benefits. There could be several ways to incorporate it into your fitness routine.
This is a significant first step if you’re new to interval training or looking for a new way to put on some speed. Before you fly out the door for a one-hour sprint session, aim to hold it for around four minutes. So, if you want to make your next run or easy walk a little more exciting, you could try implementing a cool down along with your sprint cut. It may seem harsh to include it in your routine. However, we’ve all done workouts that just wiped us out after only 20 seconds. So, mix it up. Although it won’t be as fast or as intense as your typical pilates, yoga, or martial arts routine, add a few sprints here and there in your routine to add variety.
How does interval training work?
Interval training is a form of exercise where you alternate between periods of high-intensity exercise and low-intensity exercise. Interval training helps you get the most out of your workouts. It’s a great way to burn fat, and it increases your overall fitness. If I cannot burn as many calories during a single workout, what good is the session, right? Yes. You can burn fewer calories during an exercise session if it is longer than a one-hour session.
You will most likely burn fewer calories during interval training than a cardio routine. This is because there is less of a specific time allotted for the two different workout periods. For example, you can do two 45-minute sessions per week or do five 30-minute workouts per week. Remember, you can’t burn the same weight in less time, or you’re going to have less overall fitness. Intervals have a reputation of being grueling.
Short and sweet
Many of us are accustomed to doing cardio every day, only getting discouraged if we cannot hit the numbers we set for ourselves during exercise. Our bodies take a lot to digest food. According to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “Your stomach cramps up. Your heart rate goes up. You fall off the wagon. You’re like, ‘Man, what do I have to do today to change this?’ That’s not gonna happen.” Short and sweet, which you will do in an interval, should not burn more calories than cardio. Therefore, if you can burn the same weight in less time, you’re doing just fine.
Interval training is also a quick workout. So you can respond to an emergency, leave your house without breaking a sweat and get back to work fast. If you only have 15–30 minutes to burn, that’s less time you’re going to waste. An excellent running plan will have you running on the longest overall distance with short sprints in between. This is what interval training is all about.
Benefits of interval training
Interval training is your best bet for getting the most bang for your buck in the gym. It’s a basic notion, but one that may make a tremendous impact on the way you appear and feel. Interval training involves pushing yourself very hard for a short period. Then backing off to rest for a little while. You tend to use the interval much more in the running than in weightlifting. You should see different results with it depending on the other muscle groups you’re working with.
Here are a few suggestions to get the most out of interval training
- Always warm up adequately for your workout. If you’re doing interval training, the recovery periods should also be long enough to warm your body up before engaging in your interval training.
- Make sure you’re working fast enough for the workout to be a good fit for your body.
- Use a heart rate monitor or have someone else keep you accountable.
- Try to work as fast as possible during each interval.
- Stick to short, high-intensity intervals.
- Try to pick a timeframe that is shorter than the average workout. You’ll likely benefit more by sticking to a shorter period during the workout designed for endurance exercises (i.e., 30 seconds to 1 minute).
- Start with the end in mind. Before you decide on a specific workout to do, answer the following question: “Do I have the time, energy and flexibility to complete this workout with the current time and resources available?”
Cooldown period
Many people extend the cooldown period long after they’ve started their workout. For example, let’s say you pick an interval session that calls for 30 seconds to work at 50% effort for 30 seconds and rest for 60 seconds. Since you’ve worked hard for 40 seconds and might continue to work hard for another 30 seconds, you should probably end your interval session at 90 seconds. Session design: You can use as little as 10 minutes (increments of 5 minutes work/rest are typical) or as long as 20 minutes (30 seconds work/five minutes of rest).
Types of interval training
Interval training is a super effective way to burn fat and get your heart rate up. But not all types are the same. Here are some of the most common types:
1) Speed intervals.
This type involves short bursts of sprinting with a slower pace in between.
2) Hill intervals.
Hill intervals are very similar to speed intervals. They both feature short bursts of very intense exercise at varying paces. However, hill intervals can involve hill sprints that range from 0 to 15 seconds instead of short sprints.
3) Linear form workouts.
Linear workouts are high-volume workouts that feature high-intensity work done at low or moderate paces. Seemingly the opposite of growth and metabolism training.
4) Time trials.
Time trials are high-intensity workouts that are performed in a time trial frame. You perform the same movement exercise at different paces and recover equally recreationally between workouts. It is usually done to measure fitness and fitness improvement.
Interval training isn’t just for athletes. If you’re a weekend warrior or you’re more of a couch potato, then skipping this type of training isn’t going to make you any fitter. A study has found that people who increase their weekly volume of endurance training (e.g., hill sprints, weights) experienced adverse consequences for their body composition (6). That being said, if you’ve been putting off building a good fitness base because it’s too cold or rainy outside, then interval training could be a great option to add to your routine.
Most people don’t realize that interval training is a great tool to build health and cardiovascular fitness. Interval training is key to your health and fitness. So if you’re not in the best shape in the past. It’s no wonder that you’re not in the best shape now. By incorporating intervals into your fitness routine, you’re getting stronger in the shorter term and are making continuous progress towards improving your health and fitness over time. Don’t forget to check out our guide on how to implement it into your fitness plan too.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a form of interval training
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a form of interval training virtually any successful endurance athlete will tell you about. It’s been shown repeatedly to provide superior adaptations in cardiorespiratory fitness, leading to improved endurance and an increased ability to work hard.
If you’re looking for a way to get in shape fast and reach new fitness goals, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) might be the best course for you. As it’s more commonly known, HIIT is a form of interval training. Athletes and athletes’ teams widely use HIIT. It helps to improve an athlete’s ability to perform at peak capacity in as little as three minutes. HIIT allows your body to hit top speed much more quickly than other forms of exercise, including restorative or endurance exercise.
It’s all about short, intense bursts of strenuous exercise followed by a shorter, easier recovery period. One example is “hard sprinting.” HIIT has been a top-performing form of cardio exercise for years due to its eliciting huge physiological responses. During a HIIT session, your heart rate can double within just a couple of minutes, and your blood pressure can go up by as much as 75 percent within the first minute.
How to get started with interval training
How to get started with interval training? You want to give it a go – but what should you do to get started? There are many popular programs, and you need to make sure that the program that works for you is right for you. Interval training is a form of training that consists of short intervals that are several minutes long.
This means that you are trying to match your heart rate to your breathing rate during each interval and, for example, try to stay at a moderate pace for three minutes, lower for two minutes, and then increase again. The goal of interval training is to increase your comfort level with exercise and practice various weights and movement patterns without exceeding your ability to go through a set amount of time without falling over.
Additionally, they’re lower body muscles that strengthen more than upper body strength so you can handle more weight during HIIT sessions. One of the biggest benefits of performing interval training is that its low-tread ground. This means that it doesn’t require any equipment and can be performed anywhere in the house. You could go for a long walk during the lunch hour or even take a brisk bubble bath to hydrate and reset your body. This makes interval training a versatile form of cardio that anyone can perform without any equipment other than air.
Perform a HIIT workout
Furthermore, HIIT is characterized as short intervals that involve short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by short recovery periods. Intervals can take the form of a full-body circuit training routine that continues for five minutes. Alternatively, you can perform a circuit comprised of 2–4 exercises with different recovery periods. You could incorporate bicep curls with a minute recovery (where you’re supposed to let go with one press and brace yourself with a reverse row) and then complete two minutes of lunges with a 45-second jog back, for example.
The most popular form of circuit training in the fitness industry is the HIIT workout. The two-minute interval is often referred to as the gold standard for cardiovascular endurance and burns an average of 147 calories. HIIT workouts, on the other hand, will require 35–45 minutes to complete.
FAQ
What is interval training?
The hallmark of HIIT is repeated, tough bouts of work interspersed with periods of recovery.
What are the Benefits of interval training?
Interval training increases endorphin production, so you’ll experience a true “runner’s high” and will feel happy and rejuvenated after your workout.
What are the benefits of interval training?
Your body can produce up to 450 percent more human growth hormone after 24 hours of high-intensity interval training.
What are the health benefits of exercise?
Interval training lowers the risk of arthritis and other inflammatory problems by increasing cardiovascular benefits.
How Long Can You Train?
A study shows that two weeks of high-intensity intervals can improve your aerobic capacity by as much as six to eight weeks.
What are the benefits of high-intensity intervals?
High-intensity intervals may increase your heart rate, but they can decrease strain on your heart.
What are the benefits of exercise?
The benefits of cardiovascular exercise include decreasing your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
How long is a jog?
After your warm-up and a few minutes at 6 mph, you run for one minute at 7.5 mph and jog for three minutes at 6 mph, which is a 3:1 ratio.
What are the benefits of interval training?
Indeed, research demonstrates that you may enhance your endurance and recovery from intensive bouts of exercise with only one hour per week of interval training compared with five hours per week of typical endurance training!
What is the aerobic threshold?
The aerobic threshold is the intensity where your body switches from burning a greater percentage of fat to a greater ratio of carbohydrate and are generally 85 percent of your maximum heart rate (train below 85 percent and it’s considered aerobic exercise; train above 85 percent and it is considered anaerobic exercise).
Alex is a passionate fitness enthusiast dedicated to helping people lead healthier, more active lifestyles. He encourages small – sustainable changes over drastic transformations and works with people to create customized wellness plans. His mission is to help others benefit from the most effective methods available, sharing tips, strategies, and health & fitness tools on Gearuptofit.com to inspire people to live their best lives.