What if you could burn 75% of the calories but only do 25% of the work?
Let's say that differently:
What if you could do a workout that burned almost as many calories as some killer all-out sprint that makes you feel like you are going to die, but this workout was only 1/3 as hard? Wouldn't that be something to get excited about? You bet! What is this metabolic freebie? Interval training.
Interval training is exercise done at very high intensity for brief "sprints" with longer recovery periods of easier exercise in between the sprints. Although it can be done for both cardiovascular and strength training, it's the cardiovascular workouts I'd like you to think about right now: You might be walking on the treadmill for 4 minutes, then run for the fifth minute, then back to walking. That brief interval of running will spike your heart rate, calorie burning, and conditioning much more than a longer, slower, easier segment will.
So wouldn't it be better if you just did the all-out sprint for 30 minutes? Not really. The intensity you jump into for 1 minute is likely much harder than the intensity you would select if you knew you were going to have to sustain it for 30 minutes. And that very challenging intensity imparts amazing improvements to your fitness, substantial calorie burning, and extended "after-burn" even if the intervals are only done for 1 minutes.
In fact, if you do your intervals in ratios something like 1:4 (1 minute hard : 4 minutes easy) or 1:3 (1 minute hard : 3 minutes easy) you are only working hard 20% or 25% of the time, depending upon which ratio you choose. However, you are not just standing around in between those 1 minute sprints, right? You are still working, albeit easy. You are still cooking calories while recovering from your sprints. This combination of active recovery and high intensity brief sprints and lower intensity recovery phases burns about 75% of the calories you would have burned had you done the entire workout at the sprint level.
Think about that! Work hard 25% of the time, or even 20% of the time, and burn 3/4 of the calories you would have burned if you had done the killer all-out sprint workout for the entire time. Talk about a free lunch! Plus, your workout "after-burn" lasts much longer and is significantly higher than if had just done a long-slow-easy cardio workout.
Common Questions About Intervals:
Can I do intervals for longer than 30 minutes? Sure, but this is about getting more results in less time, so why not take the freebie!
Can I do the high intensity segment for longer than a minute? Sure, but you lose some of the benefit if you drop things down so that you can go "high intensity" for 2-5 minutes. Keep the intense phases short and hard.
If I'm just starting, can I do shorter sprints? Sure, try 20-30 seconds.
Can I make my recovery phases longer than 3-4 minutes? Yes, but if you keep your intense phases short and sweet (for your fitness level) you will proabably be ready to go hard again after 3-4 minutes of recovery. If not, try making the recovery easier rather than longer.
Do intervals have to be done on the treadmill? No, be sure to try them on bikes, ellipticals, rowers, stairclimbers, or even out on the pavement!
Do I just go faster during the high intensity phase? You can add speed, incline, and/or resistance to increase the intensity during the high intensity portion of your intervals. It partially depends on the type of aerobic machine you are using, as well as your own capabilities and preferences. People who always hold onto the treadmill while walking uphill might even notice a significant spike in intensity simply by taking their hands off the rails during their high intensity interval.
InfoGraphic Courtesy of Greatist.com
In fact, if you do your intervals in ratios something like 1:4 (1 minute hard : 4 minutes easy) or 1:3 (1 minute hard : 3 minutes easy) you are only working hard 20% or 25% of the time, depending upon which ratio you choose. However, you are not just standing around in between those 1 minute sprints, right? You are still working, albeit easy. You are still cooking calories while recovering from your sprints. This combination of active recovery and high intensity brief sprints and lower intensity recovery phases burns about 75% of the calories you would have burned had you done the entire workout at the sprint level.
Think about that! Work hard 25% of the time, or even 20% of the time, and burn 3/4 of the calories you would have burned if you had done the killer all-out sprint workout for the entire time. Talk about a free lunch! Plus, your workout "after-burn" lasts much longer and is significantly higher than if had just done a long-slow-easy cardio workout.
Common Questions About Intervals:
Can I do intervals for longer than 30 minutes? Sure, but this is about getting more results in less time, so why not take the freebie!
Can I do the high intensity segment for longer than a minute? Sure, but you lose some of the benefit if you drop things down so that you can go "high intensity" for 2-5 minutes. Keep the intense phases short and hard.
If I'm just starting, can I do shorter sprints? Sure, try 20-30 seconds.
Can I make my recovery phases longer than 3-4 minutes? Yes, but if you keep your intense phases short and sweet (for your fitness level) you will proabably be ready to go hard again after 3-4 minutes of recovery. If not, try making the recovery easier rather than longer.
Do intervals have to be done on the treadmill? No, be sure to try them on bikes, ellipticals, rowers, stairclimbers, or even out on the pavement!
Do I just go faster during the high intensity phase? You can add speed, incline, and/or resistance to increase the intensity during the high intensity portion of your intervals. It partially depends on the type of aerobic machine you are using, as well as your own capabilities and preferences. People who always hold onto the treadmill while walking uphill might even notice a significant spike in intensity simply by taking their hands off the rails during their high intensity interval.
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