Interval Training Workouts - Interval Training Exercise Programs
Why are Interval Training Workouts so effective
Steps to design your Interval Training Workouts. Discover the best training programs, work/rest ratios and sport-specific workout tips to excel in your chosen sport from speed to weight training.
In the last article I covered the basics of Interval Training, the benefits and terms used in HIIT.
This article focuses on creating your own personalized Interval Training Workout. Here the rubber meets the road.
Overview
- Crucial Tips in Interval Training Workouts
- Designing your Interval Training Workout
- Sample Interval Training Workouts
- Making Interval Training fun and play
Crucial tips in your Interval Training Workouts
- Intensity
The effectiveness of your Interval Training workout will depend upon the Intensity and duration of your exercise interval and the period of your rest intervals.
Remember you are trying to accelerate your weight loss and speed training results and therefore it is imperative that you train with high intensity.
- The Ideal work/rest ratio
The common exercise to interval ratio is 1:1,1:2 and 1:3 . i.e. a sprinter might run faster for 10s and then rest for 30s to train his high phosphate energy system.
Exercise interval followed by an equal rest interval has been found to be very effective for weight loss as it trains the aerobic system better.
But remember the very reason you started I.T. is to add variety, so use anything that sounds exciting, provided it follows the intensity principle as discussed.
- Duration and Frequency
Interval Training Workouts can be very intense and therefore performed 2-3 times per week. I have the best results training twice per week. Many people have the more-is-better-mentality. It can be devastating to your body and strength and athletic performance. Intense Exercises demands adequate rest and quality nutrition. Ensure these factors are in place first.
The overall I.T. workout duration can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour or more depending upon the trainers level of fitness.
Designing your Interval Training Workout - TipsTechniques
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HIIT training workouts can be fun and challenging but not without their risks if performed without knowledge. Using the following tips will ensure that you have a safe and efficient Interval Training Workout.
Do not take anything mentioned here lightly! I have made mistakes by being over-excited and early in my training career I did fall to some bad advice. I want to ensure that you DO NOT repeat these mistakes.
1. Proper Warm Up and Stretching Exercises are not a miss.
Any exercise requires your lungs, heart and muscles to be filled with blood and ready for the oncoming assault. This is all the more important when you train with high intensity as in HIIT. Check the Stretching Exercises Section for more details.
2. Asses your level of conditioning
As you already know by now that I.T. is subjective and highly customizable. But you should know where to start. Your level of physical conditioning will help you set a goal.
- Beginners Interval Training
Note - Aerobics may well be the starting point for HIIT. If you have not been exercising before or after a long lay off start small with 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobics for 2-3 weeks and then depending on your bodies' feel-factor jump in to Interval Training.
Set a goal for your first workout. You can start with a moderate intensity of 60-70 % of your target heart zone as your high intensity exercise interval level. The duration ratio of work/rest can be as small as 10-30s.
- Trained people - can start at a higher target zone preferably at 70-85% of your target heart zone.
3. Your first workout
Use your first workout as a means to asses your goal and adjust.
If the I.T. workout has been easy then you can up the ante either by training at higher intensity or by increasing the cycle duration or may be overall workout duration.
If you feel you have challenged yourself like never before then make sure you take quality nutrition and at least 48-72 hours of rest before your next HIIT workout.
4. Adding Intensity Techniques
Intensity training is about breaking plateaus and getting out of the comfort zone. If you keep repeating the same workouts then the very purpose of I.T. is compromised.
You can add intensity in I.T. in 3 basic ways.
- Increase the duration of workouts,
- Increase the number of cycles or
- Increase the work/rest ratio.
You can also zigzag the work and rest intervals. Example the first work interval can be 1 minute and then the next can be 30s. The first rest interval can be 1 minute and the next can be 30s. See the workouts for more.
Sample Interval Training Workouts
A typical Interval Workout using running as an example would be 5 minutes of high intensity running followed by 5 minutes of rest or low intensity running. This is the work/rest ratio of 1:1 we talked about. You can start with 1minutes work/1 minute rest duration and add up as your body adapts and improves.
In an I.T. workout you can perform 5-10 such exercise/rest cycles.
During the rest period the body recovers its high energy phosphate system and is ready for the next work interval.
Sample Workout # 1 - Here we will use running or tread milling as an example with a work/rest ratio of 1:1.
5 minutes of Warm Up
5 minutes of Stretching
5 minutes of low intensity work - example running or slow tread milling
5 minutes of high intensity work - reach your target heart zone
5 minutes of low intensity work - slow down { passive rest} or take complete rest { active rest }.
5 minutes of high intensity work - reach your target heart zone
5 minutes of low intensity work - slow down { passive rest} or take complete rest { active rest }.
5 minutes of cool downs.
Sample Workout # 2 - Here you can use running, swimming, biking or swimming with work/rest ratios of 1:2
5 minutes of Warm Up
5 minutes of Stretching
Interval 1 - 2 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest.
Interval 2 - 2 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest.
Interval 3 - 2 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest.
Interval 4 - 2 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest.
Interval 5 - 2 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest.
2 minutes of low intensity work - slow down { passive rest} or take complete rest { active rest }.
5 minutes of cool downs.
Sample Workout # 3 - Advanced I.T. Workout {Zigzag}
5 minutes of Warm Up
5 minutes of Stretching
2-3 minutes of Low intensity work.
Interval 1 - 2 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest interval.
Interval 2 - 1 minute of work followed by 30s of rest interval.
Interval 3 - 3 minutes of work followed by 45 minute of rest interval.
Interval 4 - 5 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest interval
Interval 5 - 3 minutes of work followed by 1 minute of rest interval
Interval 6 - 5 minutes of work followed by 30s of rest interval.
5 minutes of cool downs.
Making Interval Training fun and play
I promised I will make I.T. not-another-boring-workout and I remember that.
Using Sprinting for example - You can sprint from first telephone pole to the next and then walk to the third pole.
Another example using running - You can run the length of any soccer field and then walk the width of the same stadium.
When I travel and need a good I.T. kick I use the staircase. I run the flight of stairs and then walk back down. 10 such intervals and 3 such overall cycles and I sleep like a baby {after my post workout shake and shower of course}.
More workouts coming soon.
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