Exercising at a constant rate simply doesn’t produce the same results as interval training. Many people work out for an hour or more every day, several days a week, with little to show for it.
While interval training has been around for a while, it has recently received a lot of attention for its ability to increase fat loss.
Do you want to better understand what interval training is, why it works, and how you can incorporate it into your favorite exercise routine? To learn more, keep reading and contact Motive Sports & Physical Therapy in Chadds Ford, PA today so we can schedule an appointment for you!
How does interval training work?
Interval training is also known as HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). This type of training requires you to perform short bursts of intense exercise followed by short rest periods.
By alternating between intense bursts of activity and more moderate activity, you can keep your heart rate elevated while increasing your need for oxygen.
A basic interval routine might consist of 2 or 3 minutes of moderate walking followed by 30 to 60 seconds of running or sprinting.
Weight loss and interval training
Interval training is effective because it burns more calories during the workout while increasing overall fat burning throughout the day.
The “afterburn effect” is caused by a post-exercise consumption of oxygen, which increases fat burning more than steady workouts.
Interval training is also effective because it only takes 20 or 30 minutes per workout, is appropriate for all fitness levels, and can be done almost anywhere.
Interval training for different exercises
Swimming
Swimming workouts may be easier to divide into laps rather than timing your intense portions of the workout. For example, you could swim a 25-meter freestyle as quickly as possible, followed by a leisurely 25-meter backstroke.
Swimming is an excellent way to get a good workout while putting little strain on your bones, joints, and tendons. Incorporating physical therapy into your exercises can help you improve your muscle strength and flexibility while also promoting healing.
Biking
Before you begin, make sure the resistance on the bike is high enough to keep your legs from spinning out of control during the intense phase of the workout.
Begin your workout with a 5 minute moderate-paced warm-up. Then, do 30 seconds of hard pedaling followed by 30 seconds of easy pedaling.
This should be done four or five times. Then, for each rep, increase the intensity to 1 minute, followed by 1 minute of easy pedaling.
Jump roping
The most basic jump rope interval workout is to simply select a number of reps. You could jump 100 times and then take a one-minute break.
Continue until you reach 1,000. Timed reps are another option. Jump as many times as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 60 seconds. A fairly intense workout could be completed in as little as 20 minutes.
Finally, consider using sliding scale intervals. This would include reps of 300, 200, 100, and 50. You would rest for 60 to 90 seconds between each set.
Running
Interval training is great because you can make it as easy or difficult as your fitness level allows. Interval training can be as simple as walking for 2 minutes and then running for 1 minute.
Your total workout time would be 20 to 30 minutes. A more difficult interval routine would be to jog slowly for 2 minutes and then run for 4 minutes. For a 30-minute workout, you could complete five cycles.
I’m living with a painful condition– how can interval training help?
Interval training will most likely benefit you if you have a painful or uncomfortable condition. In fact, according to a National Institutes of Health study, interval training can benefit many patients with chronic conditions, including those with COPD.
According to the research,
“Physical training is beneficial and should be included in the comprehensive management of all patients with COPD independently of disease severity. Different rehabilitative strategies and training modalities have been proposed to optimize exercise tolerance. Interval exercise training has been used as an effective alternative modality to continuous exercise in patients with moderate and severe COPD.”
The study concludes that interval training can be beneficial for COPD patients:
“The main purpose of this review is to summarize previous studies of the effectiveness of interval training in COPD and also to provide arguments in support of the application of interval training to overcome the respiratory and peripheral muscle limiting factors of exercise capacity. To this end we make recommendations on how best to implement interval training in the COPD population in the rehabilitation setting so as to maximize training effects.”
COPD is not the only condition that can benefit from interval training. We can assist you in determining the best training plan for your needs and specific condition, so you can get back to moving comfortably.
Get moving with Motive Sports & Physical Therapy !
Are you ready to start interval training and take back control of your life? Contact us right away to set up an appointment and get started.
It’s okay if you’ve never heard of interval training before! By providing information about how interval training works, our clinic can help you get well on your way to feeling your best.
