Interval Training - Crank Up Your Caloric Furnace!
Are you familiar with interval training as a way to crank up your caloric furnace? Let me ask you something.
What if you could find�exercise that:
1) challenges your cardiovascular fitness (of course!)
2) builds muscle (anabolic activity)
3) invigorates and provides stress reduction at the same time
4) can be finished in 20 minutes 2-3 times per week.
Well, it exists! And it's right here at your fingertips and footprints. And it's been here all along, it just got buried under all the "long, s-l-o-w" cardio information we've been presented with for the last few years.
The good news is, you needn't do long, s-l-o-w to get the best benefits from cardio exercise, quite to the contrary! If you are willing to put a little more muscle and mind into the equation, you can slice your cardio time by huge chunks and come out ahead as well.
Interested? Here's more....
What Exactly IS Interval Training?
Interval Training (IT) involves changing speed or resistance - and thus intensity - within the course of a cardiovascular workout. Thus, instead of a slow, long distance - or long, slow time - within your aerobic intensity aerobic training "zone", you intersperse short, intense periods into otherwise more moderate minutes.
This approach - intermittent bouts of intensity systematically built in - works better - in terms of your time investment -� for fat loss and muscle building than long and slow does.
Bottom line, what I best like about IT is that it aligns beautifully with my preference for "short and to the point" fitness. Bang for your buck is essential with my busy life, and IT fits the bill.
AND (there's more!) IT creates a huge "after burn" effect, in terms of elevated metabolic advantage. I'm talking for HOURS after the exercise itself...not to mention that which comes along with the added muscle from this type of exercise. Now THAT is what I call great ROI! (return on investment!)
How Do You DO Interval Training?
Simply put, the easiest way to do interval training is to start off at a good pace for about 5 minutes. A variety of modalities can be utilized: stationary bicycle, elliptical trainer, jogging/walking, for example.
Then, you pick up the intensity and go hard and as fast for a minute and then bring it back down for a minute or two - however long it takes for you to recover enough to do it again. Then you repeat the process for a total of only 15-20 minutes, including warm-up and cool down. It is advisable to start with one interval a session, then progress to two, and so on.
The intervals can feel more intense than you might imagine. Jack LaLanne refers to it as imagining "you are running for your life" -that's tough stuff! And also not for the foolhardy who may have been out of condition for a long time. Doctor's clearance is always recommended. (I always think it's funny that a doctor's clearance isn't required for laying around on the couch for years at a time! )
Another way to practice interval training is simply to keep changing your speed and intensity level every two minutes or so - go up and down - challenge yourself.
First, more of the rationale behind interval training. Oh, and for the record, many activities lend themselves easily to interval training of excellent intensity: stationary bicycle, running/jogging, treadmill, stair stepping, and elliptical training. You can utilize resistance on stationary machines to create the variations of intensity that interval training demands.
Other workout activities have inherent interval qualities: Weight Training (particularly in SuperSets) and T-Tapp come to mind. For today's purposes, we're looking at familiar "cardio" activities that you can easily transform into interval bursts.
The kind of burst that, as my hero Jack Lalanne says, really gives you kind of benefit we are talking about. You know what Jack says about cardio intervals? The "push" intervals should be the intensity of "As if you were running for your life!" Just to give you an idea!
But Doesn't Low Intensity Burn More Fat?
Remember, all exercise utilizes glycogen as fuel. There is a complex cascade of events that ensues as the body manufactures additional resources for immediate energy utilization, but for the purposes of this article, it isn't necessary to deeply investigate the entire flow. Suffice it to say that the argument for "long, slow distance" to burn a "higher percentage of body fat" is really a misnomer, though it has been promoted in the fitness industry and gyms for years. Yes, the higher the intensity of exercise, the greater draw on glycogen reserves immediately, as compared to less intense exercise. But this is just a piece of the puzzle that when looked at in isolation is misleading.
When you exert with intermittent intensity, as you do with interval training, you create a deeper overall caloric demand, which then draws from your fuel reserves - both fat and glycogen (to put it simply). And when training for fat loss and improving body composition, this is exactly what you want!
There's More!
The intensity of interval training challenges the muscles more - you create the stress to build muscle (remember how your legs feel the day after an all-out sprint or bike ride? That muscle soreness indicates muscle growth stimulation in response to the new power and strength demands). That new muscle you are building in recovery is your new handy-dandy caloric furnace!
In short, interval training will result in:
1) a greater overall caloric deficit than lower intensity of less duration
2) a longer metabolic effect during recovery
3) enhanced muscle mass and density due to the rebuilding of muscle in response to the new stress.
And all in a fraction of the time of long, low intensity workouts! That's money in the metabolic bank in my book.
What My Interval Training Looks Like
Currently, when practicing interval training, generally here is what I am am doing.
For ease of instruction, I've included intensity levels on a scale of one (low intensity) to 10 (impossible to maintain) to give you a frame of reference. This is called the "perceived exertion" scale that is an excellent way to measure intensity.
1) Warmup, 4 minutes; Intensity Level: 3
2) 60 seconds high intensity; Intensity Level: 8
3) 120 seconds recovery: Level 3
4) Repeat steps 2-3 up to 3 more times.
5) Reduce intensity/cool down, 4 minutes, to recovery at Level 3 down to 2.
This can be mixed up for more variety. For example, today I shortened one of the higher intensity levels and shortened a recovery section as well, before resuming the regular rhythm.
There are many models out there, this is just a simple formula to take a look at and either expand or maintain the rest intervals, depending.
It is also important to note that there are precautionary notes in the literature about maximum exertion and the potential dangers of "maximum" intensity without appropriate clearance from your health care provider. However, intervals can be done without the extreme measures of "maximum" output.
2-3 times a week is usually the schedule.
It also depends on your goals. Why are you doing this, anyway? To train the cardiovascular system in as little time as possible? To maintain lean body mass while burning calories? To train for a sprinting race? Because it feels good? These things all matter.
Myself? I'm after most of these benefits. Again, those with orthopedic challenges or medical counter-indications will experience limitations on this style of training, but for most of us, it's a great technique to play around with for metabolic benefit and a body-shaping boost!
� Lani Muelrath, M.A.
Go to the truth about fat loss for women for more expert advice on how to master your fitness by breaking through fitness myths to lose weight and stay trim, energetic.
Lani Muelrath, M.A. Physical Education, award winning holistic fitness coach and expert trainer, is a Credentialed University Instructor with Certifications and Credentials in multiple fitness and behavioral disciplines. Her copyrighted Woman's Fitness Blueprint An Action Plan For Success has generated volumes of success testimonials for weight loss, energy, and positive change for women. She is also managing editor at Healthy Woman Guide.
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