Interval trainingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Interval training is a type of physical training that involves bursts of high intensity work. This high intensity work is alternated with periods of rest or low activity, the eponymous intervals.

The term can refer to any cardiovascular workout (e.g. cycling, running, rowing, etc.) that involves brief bouts at near-maximum exertion interspersed with periods of lower-intensity activity.

Interval training is often practiced by long distance runners (800 metres and above). Sprinters and footballers have also been known to use this type of training.

Distance runners often practice interval training on tracks, running hard at a certain pace for a specified distance (or, less often, time) and jogging, walking, or resting for a set distance or time before the next speed burst. Distances can also vary; one example would be a "ladder" workout consisting of a 1600-meter, two 1200-meter, three 800-meter, and four 400-meter repetitions, each at an appropriate speed and with an appropriate amount of recovery.

Effectiveness

Interval training is a favorite of coaches because of its effectiveness in cardiovascular build-up and also its ability to make more well-rounded runners. However, it is also applicable to exercisers as it helps improve exercisers’ aerobic capacity to exercise longer at varying intensities (Mayo Clinic, 2009).

This method of training may be more effective at inducing fat loss than simply training at a moderate intensity level for the same duration[1][2][3].

Examples

Provided below are three examples of the most common interval workouts completed by exercisers and athletes alike[4].

Interval Variation I: Standard

3 - 5 minutes warm-up (light jog, low intensity, gradually increasing at the end of the warm up period)

1 minute moderate or high intensity followed by 1 minute low intensity (repeat 6-8 times)

3 - 5 minutes cool down (light jog, low intensity, gradually decreasing by the end of the cool down period)

Interval Variation II: Pyramid

3 - 5 minutes warmup 30 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 90 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 60 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 45 seconds high intensity, 1 minute low intensity 30 seconds high intensity 3 - 5 minutes cooldown

Interval Variation III: Sports Conditioning

3 - 5 minutes warmup

2 minutes moderate or high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity (repeat once)

30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity (repeat four times)

60-yard sprints (or 10 seconds if not running) followed by 90 seconds rest (repeat 6 - 10 times)

Variations

"Walk-back sprinting" is another example of interval training for runners, in which one sprints a short distance (anywhere from 100 to 800 meters), then walks back to the starting point (the recovery period) to repeat the sprint a certain number of times. To add challenge to the workout, each of these sprints may start at a predetermined time interval, e.g. 200 meter sprint, walk back, and sprint again every 3 minutes. The time interval provides just enough recovery.

Fartlek training, named and developed by Swedes, is intermediate between true interval training and regular distance training. The name means 'speed play', and consists of distance running "anywhere", with bursts of harder running at more irregular points, lengths, and speeds compared with interval training. Not only is it an efficient training method, fartlek training can help one avoid injuries that often accompany non-stop, repetitive activity, and provides the opportunity to increase one's intensity without burning oneself out in a matter of minutes.[citation needed]

References

1. ̂ Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar initial adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance

2. ̂ Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women

3. ̂ NYTimes Article on Interval Training "A Healthy Mix of Rest and Motion"4. ̂ Men's Health, 2009

High-intensity interval trainingFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) or sprint interval training is an exercise strategy that is intended to improve performance with short training sessions. HIIT is a form of cardio which is beneficial to burning fat in a short and intense workout. Usual HIIT sessions may vary from 9–20 minutes. The original protocol set a 2:1 ratio for work to recovery periods. For example, a runner would alternate 15-20 seconds of hard sprinting with 10 seconds of jogging or walking.

Procedure

A HIIT session consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by six to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise. The goal is to do at least six cycles, and to have the entire HIIT session last at least fifteen minutes and not more than twenty.

HIIT is considered to be an excellent way to maximize a workout that is limited on time. Many fitness experts such as Jeff Halevy, a major proponent of HIIT, have made this methodology a cornerstone of their routines for these reasons.[1]

Tabata Method

A popular regimen based on a 1996 study[2] uses 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise (at 170% of VO2max) followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for 4 minutes (8 cycles). In the original study, athletes using this method trained 4 times per week, plus another day of steady-state training, and obtained gains similar to a group of athletes who did steady state (70% VO2max) training 5 times per week. The steady state group had a higher VO2max at the end (from 52 to 57 ml/kg/min), but the Tabata group had started lower and gained more overall (from 48 to 55 ml/kg/min). Also, only the Tabata group had gained anaerobic capacity benefits.

Little Method

An alternate regimen based on a 2009 study[3] uses 60 seconds of intense exercise (at 95% of VO2max) followed by 75 seconds of rest, repeated for 8-12 cycles. Subjects using this method trained 3 times per week, and obtained gains similar to what would be expected from subjects who who did steady state (50-70% VO2max) training for five hours per week. While still a demanding form of training, this exercise protocol could be used by the general public with nothing more than an average exercise bike.

Benefits

Studies by Tabata[2], Tremblay[4] and others have explored the effectiveness of this method compared to traditional endurance training methods. A study by Gibala et al.[5] demonstrated

2.5 hours of sprint interval training produced similar biochemical muscle changes to 10.5 hours of endurance training and similar endurance performance benefits. According to a study by King [6] , HIIT increases the resting metabolic rate (RMR) for the following 24 hours due to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, and may improve maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) more effectively than doing only traditional, long aerobic workouts.[7][8][9][10]

Long aerobic workouts have been promoted as the best method to reduce fat, as fatty acid utilization usually occurs after at least 30 minutes of training.[citation needed] HIIT is somewhat counterintuitive in this regard, but has nonetheless been shown to burn fat more effectively.[citation needed] There may be a number of factors that contribute to this, including an increase in RMR, and possibly other physiological effects.[citation needed]

High-intensity interval training has also been shown to improve athletic performance. For already well-trained athletes, improvements in performance become difficult to attain and increases in training volume can potentially yield no improvements. Previous research would suggest that, for athletes who are already trained, improvements in endurance performance can be achieved through high-intensity interval training. A recent study by Driller[11] showed an 8.2 second improvement in 2000m rowing time following 4 weeks of HIIT in well-trained rowers. This equates to a significant 2% improvement after just 7 interval training sessions. The interval training used by Driller and colleagues involved 8 x 2.5 minute work bouts at 90% of vVO2max, with individualized recovery intervals between each work bout.

Recently it has been shown that two weeks of HIIT can substantially improve insulin action in young healthy men.[12] HIIT may therefore represent a viable method for prevention of type-2 diabetes.

References

1. ̂ Van Dusen, Allison (October 20, 2008). "Ten ways to get more from your workout". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/20/exercise-workout-shorter-forbeslife-cx_avd_1020health.html. Retrieved December 14, 2008.

2. ^ a b Tabata I, Nishimura K, Kouzaki M, et al. (1996). "Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max". Med Sci Sports Exerc 28 (10): 1327–30. PMID 8897392.

3. ̂ Little, Jonathan P; Adeel S. Safdar, Geoffrey P. Wilkin, Mark A. Tarnopolsky, and Martin J. Gibala (2009). "A practical model of low-volume high-intensity interval training induces mitochondrial biogenesis in human skeletal muscle: potential mechanisms". J Physiol 588 (Pt 6): 1011–22. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2009.181743. PMID 20100740. PMC 2849965. http://jp.physoc.org/content/early/2010/01/20/jphysiol.2009.181743.abstract.

4. ̂ Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C (1994). "Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism". Metab. Clin. Exp. 43 (7): 814–8. PMID 8028502.

5. ̂ Gibala, Martin J; Jonathan P. Little, Martin van Essen, Geoffrey P. Wilkin, Kirsten A. Burgomaster, Adeel Safdar, Sandeep Raha and Mark A. Tarnopolsky (September 15 2006). "Short-term sprint interval versus traditional endurance training: similar initial adaptations in human skeletal muscle and exercise performance". J Physiol 575 (3): 901–911. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2006.112094. PMID 16825308. PMC 1995688. http://jp.physoc.org/cgi/content/short/575/3/901. Retrieved 2008-07-23.

6. ̂ East Tennessee State University Thesis7. ̂ Smith TP, Coombes JS, Geraghty DP (2003). "Optimising high-intensity treadmill

training using the running speed at maximal O(2) uptake and the time for which this can be maintained". Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 89 (3-4): 337–43. doi:10.1007/s00421-003-0806-6. PMID 12736843.

8. ̂ Rozenek R, Funato K, Kubo J, Hoshikawa M, Matsuo A (2007). "Physiological responses to interval training sessions at velocities associated with VO2max". J Strength Cond Res 21 (1): 188–92. doi:10.1519/R-19325.1. PMID 17313282.

9. ̂ Helgerud J, Høydal K, Wang E, et al. (2007). "Aerobic high-intensity intervals improve VO2max more than moderate training". Med Sci Sports Exerc 39 (4): 665–71. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e3180304570. PMID 17414804.

10. ̂ Esfarjani F, Laursen PB (2007). "Manipulating high-intensity interval training: effects on VO2max, the lactate threshold and 3000 m running performance in moderately trained males". J Sci Med Sport 10 (1): 27–35. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2006.05.014. PMID 16876479.

11. ̂ Driller, Matthew; Fell, James; Gregory, John; Shing, Cecilia and Williams, Andrew. (2009). The effects of high-intensity interval training in well-trained rowers. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 4(1)IJSPP

12. ̂ Babraj J, Vollaard N, Keast C, Guppy F, Cottrell G, Timmons J (2009). "Extremely short duration high intensity interval training substantially improves insulin action in young healthy males". BMC Endocrine Disorders 9 (3): 3. doi:10.1186/1472-6823-9-3. PMID 19175906.

FartlekFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search "Speedplay" redirects here. For the bicycle pedal, see Speedplay (bicycle pedal).

Fartlek, which means "speed play" in Swedish, is a form of conditioning which puts stress the whole on the aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. Most fartlek sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes and can vary from aerobic walking to anaerobic sprinting. Fartlek training is generally associated with running, but can include almost any kind of exercise.

Gösta Holmér

Fartlek training was developed in 1937 by Swedish coach Gösta Holmér (1891–1983) and has been adopted by many physiologists since. It was designed for the downtrodden Swedish cross-country teams that had been thrashed throughout the 1920s by Paavo Nurmi and the Finns. Holmér's plan used a faster-than-race pace and concentrated on both speed and endurance training.

Fartlek sessions

This is the first session that was designed by Gösta Holmér for a cross-country runner. This is also an example of what a fartlek session might look like, but fartlek sessions should be designed for an athlete's own event or sport, as well as catering to their individual needs. Sessions should be at an intensity that causes the athlete to work at 60% to 80% of his or her maximum heart rate (estimated at 220 minus age), as outlined by the Karvonen Method. This should mean that the body will not experience too much discomfort while exercising. An athlete should also include a good warm up at the beginning of the session, and a cool down at the end of the session, to improve performance, minimize post-workout muscle soreness, to decrease the chances of injury and for other reasons.

Warm up: easy running for 5 to 10 minutes. Steady, hard speed for 1.5–2.5 km; like a long repetition. Recovery: rapid walking for about 5 minutes. Start of speed work: easy running interspersed with sprints of about 50–60 m,

repeated until a little tired. Easy running with three or four "quick steps" now and then (simulating suddenly

speeding up to avoid being overtaken by another runner). Full speed uphill for 175–200 m. Fast pace for 1 minute. The whole routine is then repeated until the total time prescribed on the training

schedule has elapsed.

Advantages of fartlek

Fitness benefits

One of the main reasons for the success of fartlek training is that it can be adapted to the needs of the individual. Unlike continuous training, fartlek training can benefit participants of field games such as football, field hockey, ultimate frisbee, lacrosse, basketball and rugby, as it develops aerobic and anaerobic capacities which are both used in these sports. To take this a step further, athletes can make the most of the flexibility of fartlek training by mimicking the activities which would take place during their chosen sport or event. It improves aerobic capacity.

Fartlek in American Culture

Fartlek Hill in Quantico, Virginia, on the grounds of United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School, is named after Fartlek training, as the hill is the central part of Fartlek-type physical training evolutions regularly throughout the training cycle. The Fartleks done at Officer Candidate School differ from traditional Fartleks, however, by incorporating a number of calisthenic exercises at various intervals.

What is Fartlek?by: Ian Kemp

Fartlek is a form of road running or cross country running in which the runner, usually solo, varies the pace significantly during the run. It is usually regarded as an advanced training technique, for the experienced runner who has been using interval training to develop speed and to raise the anaerobic threshold. However, the 'average' runner can also benefit from a simplified form of Fartlek training, to develop self-awareness and to introduce variety into the training program.

For the advanced runner, the aim in Fartlek can be best decribed by relating it to interval training. The purpose of interval training is to develop speed by running for short distances at a speed significantly higher than the normal strong race pace, with these short runs separated by intervals of easy running or jogging. Intervals are normally run over predetermined distances, and usually on the track.

Fartlek is similar to interval training in that short fast runs alternate with slow running or jogging recovery intervals. However, in Fartlek the running is done on the road or on parkland or bush tracks. There is no predetermined schedule to follow, but instead the athlete will set her/his own interval lengths and pace in response to their own feeling of the workload. An advantage of Fartlek is that the athlete can concentrate on feeling the pace and their physical response to it, thereby developing self awareness and pace judgement skills. Also the athlete is free to experiment with pace and endurance, and to experience changes of pace.

It is primarily a technique for advanced runners because it requires 'honesty' to put in a demanding workload, and also 'maturity' to not overdo the pace or length of the intervals. With these qualities, Fartlek makes for an excellent component of a distance runners training programme.

A 'mild' form of Fartlek can also be of benefit for the 'average runner'. Here I am thinking of the road runner who normally trains over a variety of distance, at a fairly constant pace, and who may have done no or little specific speed training.

The technique here is to introduce into your normal runs some short periods of slightly higher pace. Maintain these for a short period, say 200-400m (aim for a bend in the road, power pole or some other landmark up ahead). Then drop your pace back below your normal running pace, or slow to a jog, until you have fully recovered and your breathing has returned to normal. Then return to running at your normal pace, and put in another slightly fast interval later in the run. In this way you are putting a slight extra stress on your system which will, in time, lead to an improvement in your speed and in your anaerobic threshold.

You can use this approach to develop more self-awareness, by concentrating on what you are feeling while running at the different paces. How fast a pace can you attain before your regular, easy breathing begins to be laboured? After slowing down, how long before your breathing & other responses return to normal? What happens to your stride length as you increase speed?

Give it a try next time you run, and if you enjoy it, then you have discovered the true meaning of Fartlek, without resorting to a dictionary..!

Ian Kemp, Cool Running Australia, 22.06.97

The Fartlek or "Speed Play" Workout

The word Fartlek means "speed play" in Swedish. Naturally then, this classic workout originated in Sweden. It calls for runners to switch the pace from slow to fast often during a training run. The benefits of doing this is you build endurance and speed during the same workout.

The way you incorporate speed into your training is really up to you during this workout. A simple way that I use this is I will add five, one minute surges during a regular distance run. I wait until about ten minutes into the run before I start mixing them in, and try to finish all my surges before there is five minutes left of running.

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The speed on each surge is dictated by feel. I try to make my faster parts at or quicker than race pace. This is how a Fartlek builds endurance or aerobic capacity, and speed or anaerobic capacity.

A more structured workout that I make my cross country runners do involves running hard for one minute, easy for the next, and then repeating this up to ten times. Some of my younger runners don't grasp the concept of running quick. They will an all out sprint right away. Once they see the older runners running fast, but in control, they understand how to run this workout much better.

Here is an example 50 minute Fartlek workout for my cross country team.

1. 15 minutes of easy running. (The warm up run)2. 1 minute hard, one minute easy x 5.3. 5 minutes of easy running.4. 1 minute hard, one minute easy x 5.5. 10 minutes of easy running. (The cool down)

Remember, incorporating "speed play" into your run is easy and really up to how you feel. You kind of run like a kid again during this workout. Run slow when you are tired, and pick it up when you feel good. If you don't think you can handle the freedom of running like this, just follow the workout my high school runners do. Now your ready to play with speed.

Still looking for more to help you run a fantastic race? For a complete workout program designed to help you run your best marathon, I recommend The 100 Day Marathon Plan. It is a wonderful resource if you are serious about improving your time, or you are training for your first marathon. Marius Bakken, the creator of this plan, is a two time Olympic Distance Runner.

- Written by David Tiefenthaler

May 3, 2007Fitness

A Healthy Mix of Rest and Motion By PETER JARET

SOME gymgoers are tortoises. They prefer to take their sweet time, leisurely pedaling or ambling along on a treadmill. Others are hares, impatiently racing through miles at high intensity.

Each approach offers similar health benefits: lower risk of heart disease, protection against Type 2 diabetes, and weight loss.

But new findings suggest that for at least one workout a week it pays to be both tortoise and hare — alternating short bursts of high-intensity exercise with easy-does-it recovery.

Weight watchers, prediabetics and those who simply want to increase their fitness all stand to gain.

This alternating fast-slow technique, called interval training, is hardly new. For decades, serious athletes have used it to improve performance.

But new evidence suggests that a workout with steep peaks and valleys can dramatically improve cardiovascular fitness and raise the body’s potential to burn fat.

Best of all, the benefits become evident in a matter of weeks.

“There’s definitely renewed interest in interval training,” said Ed Coyle, the director of the human performance laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin.

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that after just two weeks of interval training, six of the eight college-age men and women doubled their endurance, or the amount of time they could ride a bicycle at moderate intensity before exhaustion.

Eight volunteers in a control group, who did not do any interval training, showed no improvement in endurance.

Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, had the exercisers sprint for 30 seconds, then either stop or pedal gently for four minutes.

Such a stark improvement in endurance after 15 minutes of intense cycling spread over two weeks was all the more surprising because the volunteers were already reasonably fit. They jogged, biked or did aerobic exercise two to three times a week.

Doing bursts of hard exercise not only improves cardiovascular fitness but also the body’s ability to burn fat, even during low- or moderate-intensity workouts, according to a study published this month, also in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Eight women in their early 20s cycled for 10 sets of four minutes of hard riding, followed by two minutes of rest. Over two weeks, they completed seven interval workouts.

After interval training, the amount of fat burned in an hour of continuous moderate cycling increased by 36 percent, said Jason L. Talanian, the lead author of the study and an exercise scientist at the University of Guelph in Ontario. Cardiovascular fitness — the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to working muscles — improved by 13 percent.

It didn’t matter how fit the subjects were before. Borderline sedentary subjects and the college athletes had similar increases in fitness and fat burning. “Even when interval training was added on top of other exercise they were doing, they still saw a significant improvement,” Mr. Talanian said.

That said, this was a small study that lacked a control group, so more research would be needed to confirm that interval training was responsible.

Interval training isn’t for everyone. “Pushing your heart rate up very high with intensive interval training can put a strain on the cardiovascular system, provoking a heart attack or stroke in people at risk,” said Walter R. Thompson, professor of exercise science at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

For anyone with heart disease or high blood pressure — or who has joint problems such as arthritis or is older than 60 — experts say to consult a doctor before starting interval training.

Still, anyone in good health might consider doing interval training once or twice a week. Joggers can alternate walking and sprints. Swimmers can complete a couple of fast laps, then four more slowly.

There is no single accepted formula for the ratio between hard work and a moderate pace or resting. In fact, many coaches recommend varying the duration of activity and rest.

But some guidelines apply. The high-intensity phase should be long and strenuous enough that a person is out of breath — typically one to four minutes of exercise at 80 to 85 percent

of their maximum heart rate. Recovery periods should not last long enough for their pulse to return to its resting rate.

Also people should remember to adequately warm up before the first interval. Coaches advise that, ideally, people should not do interval work on consecutive days. More than 24 hours between such taxing sessions will allow the body to recover and help them avoid burnout.

What is so special about interval training? One advantage is that it allows exercisers to spend more time doing high-intensity activity than they could in a single sustained effort. “The rest period in interval training gives the body time to remove some of the waste products of working muscles,” said Barry A. Franklin, the director of the cardiac rehabilitation and exercise laboratories at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

To go hard, the body must use new muscle fibers. Once these recent recruits are trained, they are available to burn fuel even during easy-does-it workouts. “Any form of exercise that recruits new muscle fibers is going to enhance the body’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates and fat,” Dr. Coyle said.

Interval training also stimulates change in mitochondria, where fuel is converted to energy, causing them to burn fat first — even during low- and moderate-intensity workouts, Mr. Talanian said.

Improved fat burning means endurance athletes can go further before tapping into carbohydrate stores. It is also welcome news to anyone trying to lose weight or avoid gaining it.

Unfortunately, many people aren’t active enough to keep muscles healthy. At the sedentary extreme, one result can be what Dr. Coyle calls “metabolic stalling” — carbohydrates in the form of blood glucose and fat particles in the form of triglycerides sit in the blood. That, he suspects, could be a contributing factor to metabolic syndrome, the combination of obesity, insulin resistance, high cholesterol and elevated triglycerides that increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

By recruiting new muscle fibers and increasing the body’s ability to use fuel, interval training could potentially lower the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Interval training does amount to hard work, but the sessions can be short. Best of all, a workout that combines tortoise and hare leaves little time for boredom.

Interval Training Builds Fitness Fast

Vary Your Training Intensity to Boost Your PerformanceBy Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated April 19, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Interval training has been the basis for athletic training routines for years. The first forms of interval training, called "fartlek" involved alternating short, fast bursts of intensive exercise with slow, easy activity. Fartlek was casual, unstructured training that perfectly fit its English translation: "speed play."

What is Interval Training?

The interval programs of today have become highly sophisticated methods of structured training for athletic performance enhancement. Physiologists and trainers have designed interval programs that are specifically suited to individual athletes. These sessions include precisely measured intervals that match the athlete's sport, event and current level of conditioning. Often the appropriate intensity and duration of the intervals is determined by the results of anaerobic threshold testing (AT) that includes measuring the blood-lactate of an athlete during intense exercise.

How Interval Training Works

Interval training works both the aerobic and the anaerobic system. During the high intensity effort, the anaerobic system uses the energy stored in the muscles (glycogen) for short bursts of activity. Anaerobic metabolism works without oxygen. The by-product is lactic acid, which is related to the burning sensation felt in the muscles during high intensity efforts. During the high intensity interval, lactic acid builds and the athlete enters oxygen debt. During the recovery phase the heart and lungs work together to "pay back" this oxygen debt and break down the lactic acid. It is in this phase that the aerobic system is in control, using oxygen to convert stored carbohydrates into energy.

The Benefits of Interval Training

This repetitive form of training leads to the adaptation response. The body begins to build new capillaries, and is better able to take in and deliver oxygen to the working muscles. Muscles develop a higher tolerance to the build-up of lactate, and the heart muscle is strengthened. These changes result in improved performance particularly within the cardiovascular system.

Interval training also helps prevent the injuries often associated with repetitive endurance exercise, and they allow you to increase your training intensity without overtraining or burn-out. In this way, adding intervals to your workout routine is a good way to cross train.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short, high intensity exercise. If you are counting calories burned, high intensity exercise such as intervals are better than long, slow endurance exercise, but you may pay a price. Read more about the benefits and dangers of high intensity exercise.

You don't need to be a world-class athlete and have sophisticated blood analysis to take advantage of the benefits of interval training. The standard "speed play" training of fartlek works well for the rest of us. This type of interval work is based upon your subjective needs. Simply pay attention to how you feel and set your intensity and duration accordingly.

Interval Training Safety Tips

Warm Up before starting intervals Assess current conditioning and set training goals that are within your ability Start slowly. (for example: walk 2 minutes/ run 2 minutes) In general, longer intervals

provide better results Keep a steady, but challenging pace throughout the interval Build the number of repetitions over time Bring your heart rate down to 100-110 bpm during the rest interval To improve, increase intensity or duration, but not both at the same time Make any changes slowly over a period of time Train on a smooth, flat surface to ensure even effort You can also use circuit training as a form of interval training

Advanced Interval Training WorkoutsYou can take a more scientific approach to interval training by varying your work and recovery intervals based on your pre-determined goals. Here are the four variables you can manipulate when designing your interval training program:

Intensity (speed) of work interval Duration (distance or time) of work interval Duration of rest or recovery interval Number of repetitions of each interval

Effects of Moderate-Intensity Endurance and High-Intensity Intermittent Training on Anaerobic Capacity and VO2 Max

Title and Abstract Tabata I. et. al.  Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity

intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. (1996) 28(10):1327-30.

This study consists of two training experiments using a mechanically braked cycle ergometer. First, the effect of 6 wk of moderate-intensity endurance training (intensity: 70% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), 60 min.d-1, 5 d.wk-1) on the anaerobic capacity (the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit) and VO2max was evaluated. After the training, the anaerobic capacity did not increase significantly (P > 0.10), while VO2max increased from 53 +/- 5 ml.kg-1 min-1 to 58 +/- 3 ml.kg-1.min-1 (P < 0.01) (mean +/- SD). Second, to quantify the effect of high-intensity intermittent training on energy release, seven subjects performed an intermittent training exercise 5 d.wk-1 for 6 wk. The exhaustive intermittent training consisted of seven to eight sets of 20-s exercise at an intensity of about 170% of VO2max with a 10-s rest between each bout. After the training period, VO2max increased by 7 ml.kg-1.min-1, while the anaerobic capacity increased by 28%. In conclusion, this study showed that moderate-intensity aerobic training that improves the maximal aerobic power does not change anaerobic capacity and that adequate high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly, probably through imposing intensive stimuli on both systems.

Background In recent years, training and the Internets have become interval crazy.  Everybody

wants to do nothing but interval training all the damn time (with some even proclaiming that any non-interval training is not only useless but downright detrimental).

Now, I’ve written extensively about this in what must be about a 12 part series on Steady State vs. Interval Training here on the site.  I’m not going to rehash the entirety of that series, mind you; go read it.  But simply, both intervals and steady state have their place in training.  Arguments that one is inherently or always superior to the other has more to do with marketing than reality.

But among other aspects of this particular meme, the idea of the Tabata protocol (often abbreviated Tabatas) gets bandied about all the time.  And the problem is that people are using the term to describe something that they don’t really understand.  What has happened is that a bunch of people who don’t really know what they are talking about have written so much about the protocol that what it actually is or accomplishes has been completely diluted.

So I figured I’d undilute it by actually examining the study that the whole set of claims and supposed ‘protocols’ are based on.  Because, as is so often the case, what people think they are doing as ‘Tabatas’ are nothing like what the actual study did. 

And most people who think they are doing the Tabata protocol are doing absolutely nothing of the sort.

As a bit of history, the protocol was actually originally developed by a Japanese speed skating coach and later studied by researchers; I bring this up because speed skating is actually a very peculiar sport in a lot of ways (something that I have insight into as I’ve spent the last 5 years training full time as a skater).  But I’m not going to get that into detail here; I simply mention it for completeness.

The Study The study set out to compare both the anaerobic and aerobic adaptations (in terms of

one parameter only, VO2 max) to two different protocols of training.  The study recruited 14 active male students who were, at best moderately trained (VO2 max was roughly 50 ml/kg/min which is average at best; elite endurance athletes have values in the 70-80 range).

All work including the pre- and post tests were done on a mechanically braked bicycle ergometer; this is an important point that is often ignored and I’ll come back to in the discussion.  Every test or high-intensity workout was proceeded by a 10 minute warm-up at 50% of VO2 max (This is maybe 60-65% maximum heart rate).

The two primary tests were VO2 max and the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit (this is a test of anaerobic capacity, basically people with higher anaerobic capacity can generate a larger oxygen deficit) and then subjected to one of two training programs.

The first program was a fairly standard aerobic training program, subjects exercised 5 days/week at 70% of VO2 max for 60 minutes at a cadence of 70 RPMs for 6 straight weeks.  The intensity of exercise was raised as VO2 max increased with training to maintain the proper percentage.  VO2 max was tested weekly in this group and the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit was measured before, at 4 weeks and after training.

The second group performed the Tabata protocol.  For four days per week they performed 7-8 sets of 20 seconds at 170% of VO2 max with 10 seconds rest between bouts, again this was done after a 10 minute warm-up.  When more than 9 sets could be completed, the wattage was increased by 11 watts.  If the subjects could not maintain a cadence of 85RPM, the workout was ended.

On the fifth day of training, they performed 30 minutes of exercise at 70% of VO2 max followed by 4 sets of the intermittent protocol and this session was designed to NOT be exhaustive.  The anaerobic capacity test was performed at the beginning, week 2, week 4 and the end of the 6 week period; VO2 max was tested at the beginning and at week 3, 5 and the end of training.

Results For group 1, the standard aerobic training group, while there was no increase in

anaerobic capacity, VO2 max increased significantly from roughly 52 to 57 ml/kg/min (I say roughly because the paper failed to provide vaules, I’m going by what’s in the graphic below).  Frankly, given the lack of anaerobic contribution to steady state training, the lack of improvement in this parameter is absolutely no surprise.

For group 2, both the anaerobic capacity and VO2 max showed improvements.  VO2 max improved in the interval group from 48 ml/kg/min to roughly 55 ml/kg/min (see graphic below).  It is worth noting that the interval group was starting with a lower

value and may have had more room for improvement.  Also note that they still ended up with a lower Vo2 max than the steady state group.

I’ve put Figure 2 from the paper (showing improvements in VO2 max) below

As I noted, pay attention to the fact that the Tabata group (black line, filled circles) started lower than the steady state group, they also still ended up lower than the steady state group.  As well, note that pattern of improvement, the Tabata group got most of their improvement in the first 3 weeks and far less in the second three weeks.  The steady state group showed more gradual improvement across the entire 6 week period but it was more consistent.  As the researchers state regarding the Tabata group

After 3 wk of training, the VO2 max had increased significantly by 5+-3ml.kg/min.  It tended to increase in the last part of the training period but no significant changes [emphasis mine] were observed.

Basically, the Tabata group improved for 3 weeks and then plateaued despite a continuingly increasing workload.  I’d note that anaerobic capacity did improve over the length of the study although most of the benefit came in the first 4 weeks of the study (with far less over the last 2 weeks).

My Comments First and foremost, there’s no doubt that while the steady state group only improved

VO2 max, it did not improve anaerobic capacity; this is no shock based on the training effect to be expected.  And while the Tabata protocol certainly improved both, not only did the Tabata group still end up with a lower VO2 at the end of the study, they only made progress for 3 weeks before plateauing on VO2 max and 4 weeks for anaerobic capacity.

Interestingly, the running coach Arthur Lydiard made this observation half a century ago; after months of base training, he found that only 3 weeks of interval work were necessary to sharpen his athletes.  More than that was neither necessary nor desirable.  Other studies using cycling have found similar results: intervals improve certain parameters of athletic performance for about 3 weeks or 6 sessions and then they stop having any further benefit.

I’ve asked this question before but for all of the ‘All interval all the time’ folks, if intervals stop working after 3-4 weeks, what are people supposed to do for the other 48-49 weeks of the year.  Should they keep busting their nuts with supra-maximal interval training for no meaningful results?

On that note, it’s worth mentioning that the Tabata group actually did a single steady state workout per week.  Is it at all possible that this contributed to the overall training effect (given that 70% VO2 max training improved VO2 max in the steady state only

group)?  Does anybody else find it weird that the Tabata promoters ignore the fact that the Tabata group was doing steady state work too?

It’s also relevant to note that the study used a bike for training.  This is important and here’s why: on a stationary bike, when you start to get exhausted and fall apart from fatigue, the worst that happens is that you stop pedalling.  You don’t fall off, you don’t get hurt, nothing bad happens.  The folks suggesting high skill movements for a ‘Tabata’ workout might want to consider that.  Because when form goes bad on cleans near the end of the ‘Tabata’ workout, some really bad things can happen.  Things that don’t happen on a stationary bike.

As well, I want to make a related comment: as you can see above the protocol used was VERY specific. The interval group used 170% of VO2 max for the high intensity bits and the wattage was increased by a specific amount when the workout was completed.  Let me put this into real world perspective.

My VO2 max occurs somewhere between 300-330watts on my power bike, I can usually handle that for repeat sets of 3 minutes and maybe 1 all out-set of 5-8 minutes if I’m willing to really suffer.  That’s how hard it is, it’s a maximal effort across that time span.

For a proper Tabata workout, 170% of that wattage would be 510 watts (for perspective, Tour De France cyclists may maintain 400 watts for an hour).  This is an absolutely grueling workload.  I suspect that most reading this, unless they are a trained cyclist, couldn’t turn the pedals at that wattage, that’s how much resistance there is.

If you don’t believe me, find someone with a bike with a powermeter and see how much effort it takes to generate that kind of power output.  Now do it for 20 seconds.  Now repeat that 8 times with a 10 second break.  You might learn something about what a Tabata workout actually is.

My point is that to get the benefits of the Tabata protocol, the workload has to be that supra-maximal for it to be effective.  Doing thrusters or KB swings or front squats with 65 lbs fo 20 seconds doesn’t generate nearly the workload that was used during the actual study.  Nor will it generate the benefits (which I’d note again stop accruing after a mere 3 weeks).  You can call them Tabatas all you want but they assuredly aren’t.

Finally, I’d note that, as I discussed in Predictors of Endurance Performance VO2 max is only one of many components of overall performance, and it’s not even the most important one.  Of more relevance here, VO2 max and aerobic endurance are not at all synonymous, many people confuse the two because they don’t understand the difference between aerobic power (VO2 max) and aerobic capacity (determined primarily by enzyme activity and mitochondrial density within the muscle).  Other studies have shown clearly that interval work and steady state work generate different results in this regards, intervals improve VO2 max but can actually decrease aerobic enzyme activity (citrate synthase) within skeletal muscle.

The basic point being that even if the Tabata group improved VO2 max and anaerobic capacity to a greater degree than the steady state group, those are not the only parameters of relevance for overall performance.

Summing Up First, here’s what I’m not saying.  I’m not anti-interval training, I’m not anti-high

intensity training.  I am anti-this stupid-assed idea that the only type of training anyone should ever do is interval training, based on people’s mis-understanding and mis-extrapolation of papers like this.

High-intensity interval training and the Tabata protocol specifically are one tool in the toolbox but anybody proclaiming that intervals can do everything that anyone ever needs to do is cracked. That’s on top of the fact that 99% of people who claim to be doing ‘Tabatas’ aren’t doing anything of the sort.

Because 8 sets of 20″ hard/10″ easy is NOT the Tabata protocol and body-weight stuff or the other stuff that is often suggested simply cannot achieve the workload of 170% VO2 max that this study used.  It may be challenging and such but the Tabata protocol it ain’t.

Interval Training Builds Fitness Fast

Vary Your Training Intensity to Boost Your PerformanceBy Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated April 19, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Interval training has been the basis for athletic training routines for years. The first forms of interval training, called "fartlek" involved alternating short, fast bursts of intensive exercise with slow, easy activity. Fartlek was casual, unstructured training that perfectly fit its English translation: "speed play."

What is Interval Training?

The interval programs of today have become highly sophisticated methods of structured training for athletic performance enhancement. Physiologists and trainers have designed interval programs that are specifically suited to individual athletes. These sessions include precisely measured intervals that match the athlete's sport, event and current level of conditioning. Often the appropriate intensity and duration of the intervals is determined by the results of anaerobic threshold testing (AT) that includes measuring the blood-lactate of an athlete during intense exercise.

How Interval Training Works

Interval training works both the aerobic and the anaerobic system. During the high intensity effort, the anaerobic system uses the energy stored in the muscles (glycogen) for short bursts of activity. Anaerobic metabolism works without oxygen. The by-product is lactic acid, which is related to the burning sensation felt in the muscles during high intensity efforts. During the high intensity interval, lactic acid builds and the athlete enters oxygen debt. During the recovery phase the heart and lungs work together to "pay back" this oxygen debt and break down the lactic acid. It is in this phase that the aerobic system is in control, using oxygen to convert stored carbohydrates into energy.

The Benefits of Interval Training

This repetitive form of training leads to the adaptation response. The body begins to build new capillaries, and is better able to take in and deliver oxygen to the working muscles. Muscles develop a higher tolerance to the build-up of lactate, and the heart muscle is strengthened. These changes result in improved performance particularly within the cardiovascular system.

Interval training also helps prevent the injuries often associated with repetitive endurance exercise, and they allow you to increase your training intensity without overtraining or burn-out. In this way, adding intervals to your workout routine is a good way to cross train.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short, high intensity exercise. If you are counting calories burned, high intensity exercise such as intervals are better than long, slow endurance exercise, but you may pay a price. Read more about the benefits and dangers of high intensity exercise.

You don't need to be a world-class athlete and have sophisticated blood analysis to take advantage of the benefits of interval training. The standard "speed play" training of fartlek works well for the rest of us. This type of interval work is based upon your subjective needs. Simply pay attention to how you feel and set your intensity and duration accordingly.

Interval Training Safety Tips

Warm Up before starting intervals Assess current conditioning and set training goals that are within your ability Start slowly. (for example: walk 2 minutes/ run 2 minutes) In general, longer intervals

provide better results Keep a steady, but challenging pace throughout the interval Build the number of repetitions over time Bring your heart rate down to 100-110 bpm during the rest interval To improve, increase intensity or duration, but not both at the same time Make any changes slowly over a period of time Train on a smooth, flat surface to ensure even effort You can also use circuit training as a form of interval training

Advanced Interval Training WorkoutsYou can take a more scientific approach to interval training by varying your work and recovery intervals based on your pre-determined goals. Here are the four variables you can manipulate when designing your interval training program:

Intensity (speed) of work interval Duration (distance or time) of work interval Duration of rest or recovery interval Number of repetitions of each interva

Circuit Training for Sports Performance

Circuit training provides an efficient and challenging workout for all athletesBy Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated October 28, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Circuit training is an efficient and challenging form of conditioning that develops strength, endurance (both aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility and coordination all in one exercise session. It is one of the few forms of fitness training that has been shown to effectively develop both strength and cardiovascular fitness in the same exercise session.

The term "circuit training" describes the way a workout is structured rather than the type of exercise performed. It typically consists of a series of exercises or stations completed in succession with minimal rest in between. Circuit routines allow the athlete or coach to create an endless number of workouts and add variety to routine training programs.

While circuit routines are similar to interval training routines, there are some major differences. Circuits incorporate a large variety of exercises of shorter duration in one session. Interval training tends to focus on one single exercise (typically an endurance exercise, such as running, cycling, swimming, rowing, etc.) during a session and then vary the intensity of that exercise during the workout session.

A well-designed circuit provides a balanced workout that targets all the muscle groups and builds cardiovascular endurance. Circuit routines can also be designed to correct the muscle imbalance that often occurs in one-sport athletes who specialize in one type of exercise day after day. It can also provide a high-intensity, skills training session or a high calorie-burning workout in a short amount of time. Circuits also provide the perfect cross training for any athlete.

Circuit training is ideal for both advanced athletes and beginners because it can be scaled to the ability of the athlete. Circuit routines are fast, effective and fun.

How to Design a Circuit Training RoutineCircuit routines typically consist of about ten exercises performed for 60 seconds each with 15 seconds of rest between stations. Athletes perform 1, 2 or 3 sets of the circuit based on their fitness levels and goals.

Circuit Training GuidelinesCompleting a variety of resistance exercises and high-intensity cardiovascular exercises in

quick succession can improve both strength and endurance. For those short on time, completing three to four 20-minute sessions per week is an effective way to develop and maintain all-around fitness.

Create your circuit with 8 to 12 exercises or stations that target the entire body. Perform each exercise for 30 to 90 seconds, allowing yourself 15 to 30 seconds of rest

between each station. Circuit training can be completed 2 to 4 times per week. Because it incorporates

strength training exercises, allow at least 48 hours between sessions that work the same muscle groups.

Select weights/resistance that will allow you to perform the exercise for the entire period of time while still providing a challenge.

As your fitness improves, increase the difficulty of the exercise by either increasing the exercise time, increasing the weights or resistance used, adding more difficult exercises, or decreasing the amount of time you rest between stations.

To focus more on muscular strength, increase the intensity (resistance) of the exercise at each station and the rest time between stations to allow full muscular recovery between each exercise.

To focus more on cardiovascular endurance, decrease the intensity of the exercise at each station, increase the length of time spent at each station, and shorten the rest between stations to keep your heart rate continuously elevated.

The Limitations of Circuit TrainingWhile circuit training has many benefits for most athletes, it is not the solution to all training needs. Circuit training can improve cardiovascular fitness and strength, particularly in beginning exercisers. It isn't, however, a substitute for aerobic endurance training or improving aerobic capacity.

Endurance training programs are still more effective at developing aerobic fitness than circuit training programs. Clearly, elite endurance athletes, such as cyclists or runners, still need to train specifically for their sport in order to achieve maximal endurance and aerobic capacity.

Sources:

Chtara M, Chamari K, Chaouachi M, Chaouachi A, Koubaa D, Feki Y, Millet GP, Amri M. Effects of intra-session concurrent endurance and strength training

sequence on aerobic performance and capacity. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2005 Aug; 39 (8):555-60.

Fleck SJ and Kraemer WJ. (2004) Designing Resistance Training Programs: 3rd Edition. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

Gettman LR, Pollock ML. Circuit weight training: a critical review of its physiological benefits. The Physician and Sports Medicine. 1981 9:44-60

Glowacki SP, Martin SE, Maurer A, Baek W, Green JS, Crouse SF. Effects of resistance, endurance, and concurrent exercise on training outcomes in men.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2004 Dec; 36 (12):2119-27.

Stair Running - Build Speed and Power Quickly with Stair Running Workouts

Stair Running Workouts - Advanced Training for Speed and PowerBy Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated April 04, 2009

Stair running workout

Inti St. Clair / Getty ImagesStair running is a great, high-intensity workout that helps build speed, power and cardiovascular fitness. Stair running is also a great addition to any agility training program because it builds quickness and foot speed while getting an excellent sprint workout.

Running stairs provides a cardiovascular benefit similar to that of running and is a great way to build sprint power. Many athletes run stairs at a stadium, but you can also look for a local outdoor stairway or a stairwell in a building with about a hundred steps.

If you haven't done stair workouts before, you should plan to start slowly and gradually build up your time and intensity. Stair running uses muscles you may not have used before and overdoing your first workout will result in unnecessary muscle soreness.

Stair Running Guidelines

Make sure you warm up prior to your stair running workout. Begin by walking one step at a time. Avoid running stairs on your first few workouts.

Do no more than two stair workouts a week. By week three you can begin running, perhaps two steps at a time. Use the return to the bottom as your rest interval, and then do another set. Work up to about ten sets per workout. Add stair running into you workout routine on your high-intensity training days or as

part of an interval training workout

Always stop your workout if you notice any injury warning signs.