Have You Tried Interval Training?

Go fast. Slow down. Rest. Repeat. This is the basic pace of interval training, a form of exercise that uses the changes your body undergoes during intervals of high intensity movement and then moments of recovery to ramp up your workout results. There are multiple methods and interval training regimens, but let’s start with the basics.

What Is It?
Interval training is a fitness routine in which you alternate between different levels of activity, moving through a short period of high-intensity activity followed by lower intensity, easier activity or complete rest. Example: You may do a burst of 50 jumping jacks as quickly as you can and then simply walk in place for a few minutes before repeating the process. Or you might add 30 seconds of fast jogging in between two minutes of walking for total of 30 minutes.

How Does It Work?
Interval training takes full advantage of your body’s energy systems: the aerobic and the anaerobic. When you’re in the burst, you’re using your anaerobic system, which metabolizes energy in your muscles, which creates lactic acid, which in turn depletes your oxygen. During the time of recovery and rest, as you breathe in oxygen that gets delivered to your heart, your aerobic system kicks in and begins to turn stored carbohydrates into energy.

What Are Its Benefits?
Interval training has several proven positives:

• Better endurance. Interval training actually increases the efficiency and effectiveness of your cardiovascular system, giving you the ability to work out longer and harder with less fatigue. The more you do it, the better and stronger you get, and the cycle keeps going. This affects more than your weight and shape. Better hearth health decreases your risk for heart disease and other issues like diabetes.
• Bigger burn. Thanks to the high-intensity periods, interval training can burn some serious calories. But it also puts your body in a state to burn more calories than is normally would in the hours after your workout is done.
• Working smarter, not harder. Interval training packs more fitness into a shorter time, meaning you can spend less time completing it compared to a standard workout.
• More fun. There is a wide range of interval training routines out there, and they all give your workout variety, meaning you’re less likely to get bored.

Is It For Me?
No matter your current fitness level, you should consider interval training. To ensure safety, follow the same guidelines advised for any new physical activity: Check with your doctor if you have any concerns or a chronic health condition, and start slowly with a routine designed for beginners. You can pick up the pace as you get used to it.