By April Conard
All the snow has melted and the sun is trying to show it’s lovely rays. But, all you can think is; “Why didn’t I start working out in January?” Don’t let the fear of the coming warm seasons have you retreating into a moo moo just yet. Don’t give up before you even start, there is still time! I know how to help you see results soon.
I am referring to interval training. Interval training is an excellent way to burn more calories, build endurance quickly and add interest to your workouts. Interval training involves alternating high-intensity exercise with recovery periods. There are a variety of ways to set up interval workouts. One option is timed periods of work followed by timed periods of rest. An example would be one minute of high-intensity work (such as a sprint), followed by two minutes of low-intensity exercise (walking) and alternating that several times for 15 to 30 minutes.
Another option is instead of using time for measurement, use objects. You might power walk or run to the stop sign and recover walk or jog to the mailbox.
Interval training can be done with just about any exercise, not just running. If you are exercising on an Elliptical machine, raise the level of intensity for a short amount of time and then lower the intensity until you “recover” and repeat this process.
Your recovery time should only be a few minutes. You should be able to breathe easily, however; if it takes you 10 minutes to speak, dial back the intensity.
You are in charge of the intervals and how hard you push. This method of training is more effective at inducing fat loss than simply training at a moderate intensity level for the same duration. This is due to the metabolism boosting effects of high-intensity intervals. The idea is to work harder than usual in your “work” sets and to fully recover during the low intensity intervals.
Interval training is a great way to increase results and burn more calories. So, don’t throw in the beach towel just yet. Give interval training a try and not only be ready for summer but look forward to it!