Kick up your cardio with interval training!

Interval training is best described as incorporating and alternating higher intensity exercise with lower intensity ones. This method is a great way to stimulate and speed your metabolism. This training involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with a less-intense form of the original activity.The great advantage to interval training is that you don’t have to work out for long periods of time.

Here are a couple of examples of interval training:

Treadmill
Set speed at or around 3 – 3.5 MPH

Minute 1-5 = 3% Incline
Minute 6-8 = 4% Incline
Minute 9-10 =5% Incline
Minute 11-13 =6% Incline
Minute 14-16 = 7%
Minute 17-19 = 6%
Minute 20-22 = 5%
Minute 23-25 = 4%
Minute 25-30 = 3%

Bike
Set bike intensity at level appropriate for your fitness level

Minute 1-5 = Warmup (Suggestion would be to start at 70 RPM)
Minute 6 = Start intervals, pedaling at 90-100 RPM
Minute 7 = Active recovery at 70 RPM
Minute 8 = Pedal at 90-100 RPM
Minute 9 = Pedal at 70 RPM
Minute 10-27 = Repeat the above cycle
Minute 28-30 = Cool down around 50 RPM

In these examples, you are performing cycles alternating higher intensity training with lower intensity training. If you’re at a more advanced fitness level, then you’ll need to adjust the speeds and incline accordingly to make sure the intensity is demanding for your fitness levels.

If you are designing an interval training program you need to consider the following variables:
· The duration (distance or time) of your interval
· The intensity (speed) of your interval
· The duration of your rest or recovery interval
· The amount of repetitions of each interval

Some additional benefits are:
· There is less joint impact training at an incline or cycling while burning the same or higher calories as high-impact running on a flat surface.
· Training at an incline with slower speeds can reduces the risk of injury while still offereing cardio benefits.
· Incline training recruits more muscles than training on a flat surface.