So, our article on interval training has raised some questions, so I thought I would suggest some ideas for people wanting to give it a go.
Say you are at the gym, and you want to change it up from simply walking, jogging or running on a treadmill for 20mins, or the old favourite, doing 5 mins of exercise on each “cardio” device at the gym!
Interval training is all about working at high intensity when you are working and then spending time doing active or passive recovery.
So, something you could try:
Bike intervals – why do I like the bike? I don’t but if you do not have things like battle ropes, running track, sleds or sledgehammers, then a bike can get your heart rate just as high!
Your RPM should be high, how high, this varies, but if you have good leg speed then at least 140rpm. Duration of the sprint is 30 seconds. Duration of rest cycle is between 3-4mins of active low intensity cycling between each effort.
You can decide on what level of intensity you will have the bike on, but remember that speed is the essence of getting your heart rate to 80-90% of your maximal effort.
How do you calculate maximal heart rate? Simple calculation is to take 220 – Your Age and there is your maximal heart rate. When is this no good?
1. If you are taking certain medication such as beta blockers for blood pressure. In this instance, you must have doctor’s clearance before starting this type of program.
2. Smoking or regular alcohol consumption is said to have an effect on your ability to reach maximal heart rate so you need to talk to your doctor and be checked out first before beginning!
3. If you are 40 and over, and have not had a heart health check with your doctor, I really recommend that this is the first step BEFORE you begin interval training! I personally have asked for this to happen and see 3 people been sent to cardiac specialist teams for surgery because of this check being done. Cardiac disease is silent until it becomes very serious. Sometimes you do not get any warning, so I thoroughly recommend getting checked over.
How many repetitions of this should you do? Start at 4 repetitions and build to 6 and work on 3 times a week for this sort of training for an 8 week block of training to see the best effects to start with.
As I said in the article previous, this sort of training is VERY hard. Maximal intensity work will feel different to moderate to high intensity work. Most fitter people can work at a moderate to high intensity for a decent period of time, but repeating maximal efforts can make you feel like you have been hit by a bus! But, the results are what we do the program for, so if you intend to take it on, good luck!
If you would like any help with interval based programs, please feel free to email me at glenn@vectorhealth.stagingarea.net and I will be happy to give you a call and discuss your needs and provide you a program that can be completed on an online template.