Interval training alternates between stressing the body and then allowing it to recover. This shocks the body's systems into increasing endurance, strengthening the heart and cardiovascular system in the process. Interval training can be unstructured by allowing the body to dictate the length and speed of each interval, or structured by using a heart rate monitor to measure pulse and distance.
Interval Training
Interval training is a unique form of exercise that combines anaerobic and aerobic conditioning. Interval training alternates between short bursts of intense activity and an active recovery. Usually, the active recovery is a less intense version of the original activity. There are many benefits to this type of conditioning, including increased fat-burning. Since the intensity of an interval training plan is heavily dictated by heart rate, the American Council on Exercise, or ACE, states that a heart rate monitor can be a useful tool for creating an effective workout.
Determining Heart Rate
For interval training to be successful, you must be aware of your resting, maximum and target heart rate zones. The resting pulse can be taken while sitting quietly and counting your pulse for 10 seconds, then multiplying that number by 6; the maximum heart rate -- the fastest your heart can beat in a healthy way -- can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220. For example, a 30-year-old's maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute, or bpm. With these numbers, setting the target heart rate zones is simply a matter of determining which percentile of the maximum heart rate you want to train at.
Heart Rate and Interval Training
Interval training routines are as unique as the runners running them. Typically, the high-intensity phase of interval training should last between 1 and 4 minutes and push your heart rate into the 80 to 85 percentile of the maximum heart rate. This should leave you winded. During the active recovery phase, your pulse should only drop around 20 bpm. A heart rate monitor can accurately and easily monitor your pulse throughout the entire run, ensuring that you are staying within your target heart rate zone.
Heart Rate Monitors
Unlike stopping a run to check your pulse, heart rate monitors measure your heart rate throughout the entire workout, making it easier to regulate your training. A continual awareness of your heart rate allows you to monitor which target heart rate zone you are training in, thus preventing over- and under-training. Under-training prevents improvements, since it is training below the target heart rate, and over-training increases your risk of injury, since it can push you to the point of exhaustion.
Starting a Training Program
Because interval training can increase the amount of stress you place on your body -- particularly your cardiovascular system -- do not pursue a rigorous interval training schedule until you can sustain 65 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate for at least 30 minutes. From there, consider incorporating an interval training regime that pushes your heart rate into the 80 to 85 percent zones. As a general rule, do not push for the 90 percent zone for any length of time, warns "The New York Times."
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