6 Ways to Fire Up Your Interval Training Workout
6 Ways to Fire Up Your Interval Training Workout
Coaches and athletes using interval training are always looking for ways to improve their workout and make them more effective. I have included 7 different different ways to tweak your interval training workout. These tweaks will challenge your body and keep it guessing. These changes are the key elements to breaking through plateaus and stagnant periods as you work toward your goals.
When considering changes in these factors, consider the metabolic demands that are your are placing on your body and use the variables to challenge those demands based on the energy systems that are being utilized in your sport or event. A basketball player will need to train a different energy system than a golfer or a baseball player.
1. The number of reps you perform – Adding an additional repetition or two to your workout will increase the intensity of your overall workout. And, isn’t that what makes interval training so effective?
2. Distance you cover- If you are using sprints as your primary interval training method, then consider changing the distance. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to run further. Sometimes, it may be best to actually run a shorter distance. The shorter distance will mean that you can increase the intensity of your workout.
3. Assigned work interval time – The time it takes for you to complete a repetition of your work interval will vary, depending on the distance you are going to cover and your ability. You may consider either lowering your work interval to increase the intensity or you can increase the work interval time if you are training for a longer distance event. Remember, the shorter the work interval time the higher intensity you can put out.
4. Rest interval – This is the period of time you give yourself to “rest” in between work interval bouts. Some of this may depend on what the goals of your training are. Generally, you should adapt the rest interval to most closely match that of your event or sport. If you are not training for a specific event or sport then you will have more latitude with this variable. Lowering the time of the rest interval will create a new challenge because you may not have completely recovered from the previous work interval.
5. Rest to work ratio – This is the ratio of the amount of time “resting” versus the amount of time “working.” Shorter work intervals may require a longer rest interval because they will be very intense. Remember, the higher the intensity of the work interval the shorter amount of time you will be able to sustain the intensity. In the beginning of an interval training training period you may elect to use a ration of 4:1 and gradually taper down to a 3:1 or even a 2:1 rest to work ratio. Remember to consider the energy systems at work in your sport.
6. Workout frequency – Because of the high intense nature of interval training workouts, it is advisableto give yourself plenty of time for recovery. In the beginning phases of your interval training program, the recommended frequency of workouts should not exceed 2x per week. As you progress in your program you can increase to no more than 3x per week. You should also avoid scheduling your interval training workouts on consecutive days. Interval training takes a lot out of your body. It needs time to recover.
In summary, if you are a coach, personal trainer, or athlete that needs to take your workout to the next level, here are 6 different ways to tweak your interval training workout to push yourself or your client past the plateau they may be experiencing.
