Inverval Training: How To Do It and What It Does
Interval training is advanced but it is a great type of training to incorporate into a training program. With interval training, your body won’t enter a catabolic state because you are stressing different energy systems. This means that your body will not start to burn muscle and/or bone. The biggest thing you need to understand in these intervals is the work to rest ratio. The work to rest ratio should be between 1:1 to 1:3. For example, if you were to work at a 1:1 ratio, you could run hard for 3 minutes, then walk for 3 minutes. If you were at a 1:3 ratio, for that same 3 minute period you went hard, you would walk for 9 minutes. You can even make the rest period a walk, an inclined walk, or a stop, depending on how intense the interval was.
Intervals should usually last between 3 and 5 minutes, but can be as short as 30 seconds. Don’t start interval training until a base of aerobic training has been attained. The effects of interval training will allow your body to use oxygen more efficiently and will enhance your metabolic rate during anaerobic activity.
