Interval training: what is it and what is it for?

If your goal is to have a great, toned figure, then you should definitely use interval training. This technique is especially suitable for those who need to improve their performance. It is ideal for people seeking slim body.

Interval training method - what is it?

The whole point of this training method lies in changing activities. The rhythm of movement changes from one interval to another, so the body does not have time to adapt to the loads. This method is suitable for achieving different goals, be it burning fat or building muscle mass. This is an excellent option for people who are tired of monotonous activities, as well as for those for whom ordinary training does not bring tangible results.

You can create an endless number of variations of such workouts. You can create a training schedule in such a way as to complicate the task or, conversely, to simplify your work. However, the best results are achieved at long intervals.

When creating a program for such a training, you can change the following parameters:

• Load rate during activity period.
• Duration of the load period.
• Length of rest period.
• The number of such intervals.

Any one can be used as training exercises. For example, this could be cycling, cardio exercise, running over a long distance.

High Intensity Interval Training

During high-intensity interval training, high-tempo work is used only for a short time, followed by an interval of work at a moderate pace. With this method, the time of the activity and rest phases is strictly fixed and calculated in advance for maximum efficiency.

This training method provides several benefits by increasing the intensity of the workout. During the active phase, your heart rate increases and you burn more calories. To complete an active burst, a lot of energy is also expended. And the process of transition from one phase to another teaches the body to use aerobic systems more rationally.

Rest phases are great for reducing muscle pain and spasms. At this time, the muscles are more actively freed from waste. This method of training allows the muscles to receive more oxygen, while the person practically does not feel short of breath.

During the moderate phase, the human body works in an aerobic mode. This uses oxygen as an energy source. As soon as the active phase begins, the amount of energy required increases sharply. There is no way to obtain energy from oxygen in such quantities. Therefore, the body begins to extract it from fat reserves.

This regime cannot be very long. The intensity drops again, and the body goes into aerobic mode. During this time, the body recovers and rids itself of muscle metabolic waste.

For high-intensity training, the rest phase is of great importance. During this phase, you do not stop, but continue to move, only at a more moderate pace. This keeps your heart rate high and burns extra calories. In addition, with such a rest, your body is not able to fully recover.

High-intensity interval training can be used no more than twice a week. At the same time, there should be at least one day between workouts for recovery. The load should be increased gradually, increasing the duration of the active phase. During training, it is necessary to control the number of heart contractions.

Interval training to burn fat

For burning fat at home You can use interval training broken down by month.

Dedicate the first month to practicing strength exercises. You must achieve perfect technique for performing them. On days when you don't do strength training, do some cardio. The duration of such training should be no more than twenty minutes. In this case, in the first five minutes you should increase your heart rate by 50% of your highest value. Then comes 30 seconds of working at the limit of your capabilities. Then return to a moderate pace again so that your heart rate returns to half of its maximum value. You need to move at this pace for ten minutes. Spend the last five minutes gradually slowing down.

In the second month, you need to change your strength training regimen. In this case, training should be four times a week. The work flow will be like this:

• 1 minute of strength training on a specific muscle group in an accelerated mode.
• 30 seconds of intense cardio.
• 3 minutes of quiet work.
• Then move on to training another muscle group.

In the third month, if your strength and level of training allow you, you can begin training using the Tabata system. It's a pretty simple system. You can choose any exercises for it. The main rule is that they must be very heavy. You must perform them to the best of your ability. According to this system, a strength task is performed for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. So you need to complete 8 cycles.

Tabata should not be used in conjunction with other interval training. You can alternate between the Tabata system and regular cardio training every other day.

Interval training: video

Watch a short video about the benefits and possibilities of the interval training method.