Interval Training: This Type of Training Makes You Fit
We will tell you how interval training works, what advantages it offers and what you should pay attention to with this training method.
What is interval training?
Interval training is a type of training in which phases of high stress alternate with recovery phases. The training is mainly done by joggers who incorporate sprints into their runs. A well-known example of this is the Cooper test. However, interval training can also be used for cycling, swimming or strength training. Tabata is very popular in weight training, for example.
What advantages does interval training offer?
The advantages of interval training are that you can increase your endurance and become faster, while at the same time fat burning is stimulated and your body uses more energy. Interval training is therefore good for losing weight.
In addition, the training is very intensive, so you can achieve great effects in a relatively short time. In addition, the afterburning effect of interval training is very high because the body has to expend a lot of energy to get back to normal.
How does interval training work?
As described above, interval training alternates fast periods of stress with slower passages in which the heart rate calms down again somewhat. The length of each interval depends on the type of sport, the training plan and the total distance to be covered. There is a difference between being a recreational runner and planning to run a marathon or half-marathon.
For example, if you run 10 kilometres, you can include sprints at 800-metre intervals and also do the recovery phase over the same distance. In the course of training, the walking breaks can then be shortened.
What is extensive and intensive interval training?
The extensive interval method trains basic endurance by using longer intervals, which are less intensive at 75 percent of the maximum heart rate. At three to five minutes, the exercise period is just as long as the recovery phase, and the number of repetitions is eight to ten.
In contrast, the intensive interval training has intervals of only 30 to 90 seconds and the trotting pauses are about three minutes long. However, the pace is higher and the intensity is 90 percent of the maximum pulse. For this reason, only six to eight repetitions are performed here.
What should you pay attention to during interval training?
In general you should already have a certain basic condition before you start interval training. For untrained or overweight people this type of training is therefore not recommended at the beginning. In addition, regular running training is important, two to three sessions per week are recommended.
However, you should take at least two rest days between training so that your body can regenerate. It is also a good idea to do at least ten minutes of warm-up exercises before you start running, and then continue running for a while after the last pace run.