It wasn’t that long ago that people believed the best way to lose weight was to partake in long, slow cardio sessions. There is perhaps nothing more boring or unpleasant than an hour on the treadmill and it turns out that it isn’t all that efficient at burning calories, either.
Interval training has recently become a popular alternative that takes much less time and can help to burn fat and build lean muscle much quicker.
What Is Interval Training?
Interval training is a method of working out that requires you to change pace, increase intensity, and make use of rest time. By changing pace and taxing your aerobic system, your body will require more oxygen to be used and this also helps to increase metabolic rate.
One of the true benefits of this kind of training is that it revs up your system to the point that you will continue to burn more calories long after you have stopped working out.
Whether you are trying to lose weight, burn a lot of fat, or you want to get better at a particular sport, you might find that interval training is a great addition to your existing health program.
Depending on the particular workout you choose, you may be able to see substantial fat burning results in as little as 20 minutes per day. This certainly makes interval training the ideal choice for anyone who is short on time or simply doesn’t like working out.
What Are The Benefits Of This Type Of Training?
The benefits that you will see from interval training will depend on the type of training that you choose, the intensity that you are willing to provide, your age, gender, and other factors.
You might want to look into three of the most popular interval training methods, all of which have a lot of fans all over the world.
The Tabata Method of interval training was developed almost 20 years ago and requires the athlete to work out at approximately 170% of VO2 Max. It includes short bursts of intensity, with 20 seconds of high intensity and 10 seconds of rest, usually repeated up to 8 times.
The Little Method of interval training was developed more recently and requires high intensity workouts of 95% of VO2 Max. For this reason alone, it is easier than the Tabata Method, but the periods of high intensity are longer, often for up to 60 seconds at a time. It is recommended that in order to see the best results, this method should be done three times per week.
Turbulence Training is another method that has been getting a lot of attention lately. It includes eight rep weight training sessions that are approximately one to two minutes long. The real benefit of this kind of working out is that it can be done in just 45 minutes and in just three times per week.
Is All Interval Training Alike?
One thing that is important to make note of is that not all interval training is going to be alike. Some forms of this high intensity training are designed to increase metabolism and therefore burn more fat, while others can greatly increase stamina, endurance, and athletic performance. Therefore, it is important to choose the right kind of interval training for your particular needs.
An example of this would be a high intensity training program that is specifically designed for swimmers would be greatly different than one that is designed for someone who just needs to lose body fat.
Is Interval Training Right For Everyone?
Obviously, because of the high intensity that these exercise programs function, you need to make sure that you have some baseline level of fitness and health to start out with.
It is possible to increase your heart rate greatly and in a very short period of time, so those with pre-existing health conditions may want to get a full check-up before embarking on any kind of program.
Also, some interval training programs require particular muscle strength and can also put a great deal of stress on bones, joints, and muscles. If you have problems with your lower body in any way, it is worth checking out interval training programs that can be done indoors or in the water to prevent injury.
What Else Should You Know About Interval Training?
Perhaps the most important aspect of interval training that you need to know before you get started is that it will be tough at first. You may not have ever worked out that hard in the past. Even for experienced workout enthusiasts, interval training can be a shock to the system.
But, if your goal is to lose body fat, get ripped, increase lean muscle mass, or improve overall athleticism, interval training is still considered to be the most effective method of training.
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