Thank you for the great ideas. I read this article and immediately went to the gym. I walk on the treadmill very slowly which is boring so I did interval with upping the incline and it is less boring and feels like exercising more.
I just started interval training and I LOVE it! The time goes by so fast...but it is very intense and may not be for everyone. I'm over 300lbs but in pretty good shape otherwise and have been a regular exerciser for a while. If you're a beginner, I think you'd want to start out with very short high intensity intervals with longer recovery and slowy build up to a 1/1 ratio. I know I'll never do another regular cardio workout again! I presently do a 5 min warm-up, 20 minutes in intervals, and a 5 min cool-down. My intervals are 30 seconds high intensity and 1 minute recovery. I make sure I get my heart rate back down to 70% (I wear a monitor) during the recovery interval. I want to build up to 1 min high with 30 second recovery if I can...some day! I use an elliptical for this but was recently thinking that a Stairmaster would be awesome to try with intervals too. It's good to know that something I actually like doing is getting such good press!
ELYSE2012
2/5/2012 11:58:01 PM
I was introduced to intervals in my spinning classes. To be defined as interval the spurts have to be short. So during one 4 minute song, the instructor made us spin extra quick 20 sec, followed by a slow 10 sec X 8. I started using that type of training with running. Ir does help pass the time, when I don't have time for a long run, I warm up 5-10 minutes, then my 4 minutes of intervals and then another 5 minutes of running and cool down. I could be back in about 20 min and I still noticed an improvement in my endurance. But what really surprised me was that after the interval, for the rest of the run even the long ones, I was less tired than before the interval training. Some days, when I am really tired, my fast pace is not as fast but it changes my rhythm and feels like I worked out harder. Definitely worth a try!
Feeling a burning sensation in muscles is a sign that you have done something wrong! If you have warmed up, then exercised your muscles should only feel "warmed" - if you feel a "tingle" then the build up of lactic acid in the muscle is increased because you haven't warmed them up enough, having a "burning" sensation is when the muscles go into shock! (ie you jump into freezing water... I think there should be a little better description on what your muscles should feel like - as people feeling the "burn" are usually intense work outs - and the "feel the burn" is merely a description of the workout - not what they are actually feeling! You should feel really warmed to know you are working out correctly!
LIVINGBYGRACE
5/27/2011 5:03:03 AM
What is the difference between "use" and utilize? It is a fitness article not a a scrabble game so no extra points for extra letters!
I used to walk outside by myself and or used the treadmill (not one with a programme). I then started using the bike we got some time ago with an interval trainer built in (not a great one) But it seems to do the trick and thats all that matters to me.
I did these when running xc, but it's so hard for me to want to do them! I've got that hour in my day where I want to run, and interval training is not going to be what I choose. When I run, my mind and body want distances.
I do spin (cycle) classes, and it seems like it is interval training. There is fast pedaling, then slow down, over and over. We add higher tension for climbs, then lower it. It has been very effective for me- I have lost over 45 pounds in the last year, and I think regular spin classes have helped the most. I wonder if these classes would be considered "interval training?"
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