Friday, September 17, 2010

Interval training to get fit fast

Interval training can be used in any training you do to increase your level of fitness, increase your metabolism and burn more fat. Interval training is increasing the intensity of your exercise with quick burst of exercise, followed with a recovery period. Everybody can do it, and the benifit are great.

There is 4 ways to affect your interval training. In that example sprint is when you go faster and the recovery period is the less intense part.
  1. Intesity of sprint
  2. Duration  of sprint
  3. Intensity of recovery
  4. Duration of recovery
Depending on what type of exercise you practice, there is different way you will do your interval training. A sprinter will do short sprint to increase his anaerobic system. The middle distance runner and the soccer or tennis player for example will have a less intense sprint but longer than the sprinter, to develop both his aerobic and anaerobic system. The marathoner, will have the longest sprint but the less intense. And if you are really out of shape, it may mean, if you walk, just to walk faster, but it will help you produce more fat burning enzyme. The interval training should not be used more than once or twice a week, because your body will get use to it and you will not get the benefit from it, the rest of the week you train regularly.

Here is a table of the different type of interval training, from the book Smart Exercise from Covert Bailey.

Sprint training: Intensity of sprint: High 95-100% of maximum heart rate
                      Duration of sprint: 10-20 sec.
                      Intensity of recovery: Rest recovery
                      Duration of recovery: 3 time as long as sprint
                      Sets/Repetitions: 5 sets/10 reps each set

Middle distance/: Intensity of sprint: Moderately high 85-90% of maximum heart rate
Stop and go:       Duration of sprint: 1-2 min.
                          Intensity of recovery: Work recovery
                          Duration of recovery: 2 time as long as sprint
                          Sets/Repetitions: 2-4 sets/ 4 reps each set

Long distance: Intensity of sprint: Moderate 80-85% of maximum heart rate
                       Duration of sprint: 3-5 min.
                       Intensity of recovery: Rest recovery
                       Duration of recovery: 1/2 as long as sprint
                       Sets/Repetitions: 1 sets/3 reps

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