Interval training is characterized by exercising for a designated period of time at a hard level, followed by a designated period at a more moderate level. Interval training is a common training tool because of the benefits, which include: increasing the anaerobic threshold, assisting in muscle recruitment at sub-maximal and maximal exercise levels, enhancing fast-twitch muscle fibers that are rarely activated through regular endurance training, and building confidence and mental fortitude to work at higher levels.
Pre-Workout Preparation
Interval training can be difficult and so it shouldn't be incorporated into a workout schedule without sufficient preparation. Typically, this preparation requires two to three months of endurance training to prepare the body for hard intervals. If the body is not sufficiently prepared, it increases the susceptibility of injury and/or exercise program sabotage.
Intervals should be clearly defined prior to the workout with the goal of consistency or improvement from one interval to the next. Because of the increased intensity of the workout, and the required extra recovery, intervals usually provide the most benefit when performed only once or twice a week.
Warming Up
The first stage of interval training is 15-20 minutes of a lighter version of the exercise. The warm-up is the transition from a steady resting state to a steady and low-intensity work state. During the warm-up stage, the heart rate increases from the resting homeostatic rate, usually between 55 and 75, to between 115 and 125, which is usually 50-60 percent of the maximum heart rate, depending on your age.
Baseline Zone
After the initial warm-up stage, the intensity should be increased, either by speed or incline, to the point that the heart is beating at 60-70 percent of the maximal rate. This value is usually around 120-140 beats per minute. This baseline zone is where the heart rate is maintained before an interval, and during the recovery between intervals. The baseline zone is usually two to three times the duration of the interval itself. So if intervals of one minute are being performed, the baseline or recovery period should be two to three minutes. Do not start the next interval if the heart rate has not returned to baseline zone.
Interval Zone
The stage in which the workout is based around is the interval zone. For the predetermined period of time, the intensity should be increased so that your heart rate reaches zones around 85-95 percent of the maximal heart rate, which is usually between 170 and 190 beats per minute (again, depending on your age). This stage is difficult and requires a level of mental toughness to complete without giving up. The time and intensity of the interval should be hard enough that you want to stop and slow down, but also let you finish. After the warm-up and before the cool down, the majority of the workout alternates between the baseline and interval zones for the predetermined number of intervals.
Cooldown
After the intervals have been completed, do not stop abruptly. Slowly decrease the speed and/or intensity, allowing the heart rate to decrease slowly through each of the zones. Once the heart rate decreases below the warm-up level and is around 50 percent, the workout is over and heart rate, and physical and mental recovery can begin.
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