Interval Training workout plans

Have you found yourself pounding the treadmill for what seems like an hour, only to check your watch to find it’s only been 10 minutes?

At HealthifyMe, it’s Interval Training Week where we hope to make your exercise regimen more interesting. By mixing up your workouts, and alternating high intensities with bouts of recovery, you’ll also burn more calories as well. If you’re at an advanced level of exercise already, then a high intensity interval training workout can help take things up a notch.

How interval training workout plans help:

• Build enduranceIt increases your heart rate and trains your muscles to use oxygen more effectively, making workouts easier to handle
• Great time-saver
• Best way to burn and use fats and carbs
• Reduces risk of injury
• Less tedious
• Boosts weight lossResearch shows that even moderate interval training will burn more fat and increase after-burn

Different kinds of interval training

Aerobic or fitness interval training, is great for exercise beginners as it offers a comfortable way to push out of the comfort zone.

It involves alternating moderate-to-high intensity exercise (like brisk running, cycling, elliptical) with a recovery period (walking). Once you choose the length of your workout (10-20 minutes ideal for beginners, 30 for those who regularly exercise), you can create any work/recovery ratio you like. For instance, an interval training runningprogramme can alternate 1-2 minutes hard with 5 or more minutes easy. As you progress, make your work intervals longer (like 10 minutes) and recovery shorter (2 minutes). Always remember to warm-up and cool down.

Anaerobic or High Intensity Interval Training workouts

This is a more intense, challenging form of workout not recommended for beginners. Choose a cardio activity, either machine or activity, and length of workout (20-30 minutes recommended). The ratio of work to recovery suggested by experts is 1:2 since this is a hard workout. You could, for instance, sprint for 30 seconds and walk for one minute. Again, make sure you warm up and cool down, and do it no more than one or two times a week.

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