Are you ready to rev up your workout ?! Do you wish you could burn more calories while spending less time at the gym? Try aerobic interval training ! Once the main source of elite athletes, interval training has become a powerful tool for the average exerciser as well.
What is interval training?
It’s not as complicated as you may think. Interval training is alternating bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity.
Take walking for example. If you’re in good shape, you might incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular slower paced walks. If you’re less fit, you might alternate a more at ease paced walking with periods of faster walking.
What can interval training do for me?
– Whether you’re an amateur exerciser or you’ve been exercising for years, interval training can help you jazz up your workout routine!
Consider the benefits:
– You’ll burn more calories. The more vigorously you exercise, the more calories you’ll burn — even if you increase intensity for just a few minutes at a time.
– You’ll improve your aerobic capacity. As your cardiovascular fitness improves, you’ll be able to exercise longer or with more intensity. Imagine finishing your 60-minute walk in 45 minutes — or the additional calories you’ll burn by keeping up the pace for the full 60 minutes.
– You’ll keep boredom at a minimum. Turning up your intensity in short intervals can add variety to your exercise routine.
– The great thing is you don’t need special equipment, you can simply modify your current routine using the treadmill, olyptical, stair master and bike.
Are the principles of interval training the same for everyone?
Yes — but you can take interval training to many levels. If you want to vary your exercise routine, you can determine the length and speed of each high-intensity interval based on how you feel that day.
After warming up, you might increase the intensity for 30 seconds and then resume your normal pace. The next burst of more intense activity may last two to three minutes. How much you pick up the pace, how often and for how long is up to you.
One of the most common mistakes people make with interval training is not taking long enough rest time. Rest time in between bursts should at minimum be 1 minute duration. Below is an example of interval training to help you get started !! Good luck and let us know how interval training has helped by commenting below 🙂
Gravity Training Zone – Get In The Zone
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