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Interval Training
By Joy DuMay, Certified Fitness Trainer

Stuck in an exercise slump? Try Interval Training, a tried and true way to revitalize your tired aerobic workouts. Interval Training is a way to improve your aerobic capacity, the ability of the body to remove oxygen from the air and transfer it through the lungs and blood to the working muscles. You'll raise your anaerobic threshold, the point at which the body can no longer meet its demand for oxygen and anaerobic metabolism is accelerated. Thus, you'll be able to work out harder and longer. You'll burn more calories, thereby improving your physique, plus you'll add more challenge and interest to your workouts - keeping you on the road to fitness.

Simply put, Interval Training means varying the intensity within a workout. The Swedes call this "Fartlek", or speed play. You add intensity in short bouts that you could not sustain throughout the session. If you consistently keep a moderate intensity during your cardiovascular conditioning, your body adapts over time, and you'll find yourself on a plateau. To improve your fitness level, add some intense intervals.

Here are some ways to incorporate Interval Training into your routine. Remember to always warm up thoroughly before trying any of these techniques.

Outdoors, walking: walk easy for two blocks, then speed walk for one block, repeating throughout the workout.

Outdoors, running: run for five minutes, then add a sprint for one minute, repeat. Outdoors, at a track: run or walk around the track once, then walk or run up and down the stadium stairs, and repeat.

Treadmill: alternate walking or running flats and hills in five minute intervals. treadmills

Stationary Cycling: if you don't have access to a Spinning class, try the techniques on your own bike, by adding standing flat (running), seated and standing hills, and jumps (standing and sitting in 8, 4 and 2 count musical beats). exercise cycles

During your speed intervals, listen to your body. You want to increase you respiration and perspiration, but not to the point of injury. The key is to go past your comfort zone, pushing yourself a little farther each time. A heart rate monitor is a good tool to use to make sure that you stay in your target heart rate zone.  heart rate monitors

I find that many of my clients will work out harder when they know the end is in sight. By timing your intervals, or even picking a visual goal, say "I'll run to the third telephone pole on the right", you'll find that the workout will fly by. So get going, challenge your body and mind, and you'll see the results you want.



Bio
Joy DuMay
(805) 687-8215
email: sbworkout@hotmail.com

Joy has worked as a Personal Fitness Trainer for over 18 years, incorporating her background in Physical Therapy, dance and sports training into workouts that work for her clients. She has won national awards as an aerobics competitor, produced and starred in her own fitness cable television show, The Santa Barbara Workout, and currently appears as the Fitness Expert on KEYT, an ABC affiliate. Joy's goal as a trainer is to provide intelligent, efficient fitness programs that teach others the love of movement.