Interval training is a form of exercise where you perform bursts of intense exercise interspersed with intervals of lighter exercise or rest. Research is discovering more and more benefits of interval training over steady-state aerobic exercise.
Benefits of interval training
Doing intervals at a higher intensity produces more adrenaline which releases fat cells from storage. In addition, getting your heart rate up to a certain point will help your body burn calories for the next 24 or even 48 hours! Elevating your heart rate and releasing adrenaline into your system will cause your body to burn more calories overall than it burns with steady-state aerobic exercise.
Training tips
The BIGGEST problem people encounter doing intervals is that the work interval is not done hard enough and the rest interval is done too hard... or both. You want to make sure you are completely recovered so you can expend the most energy during the work interval. This will ensure you are burning the maximum amount of calories and getting the full benefit of interval training.
Interval Training Tips:
- Do exercises with a low risk of injury or pain such as biking, rowing, resistance runs, etc.
- Keep track of your heart rate at the end of the work interval and the end of the rest interval of each round in order to track progression. (Click here to purchase a Levo-approved heart rate monitor.)
Here is an example of an interval program:
Round One:
- 30 seconds of HARD exercise (completely out of breath or > 85% of max heart rate)
- 2 minutes of rest (close to normal breathing or < 65% of max heart rate)
- Repeat for 6-10 rounds
Decrease the EASY interval by 15 seconds every 4 weeks.
