If you are the average person in search of a new way to spice up your workout without having to commit any extra time to the gym, interval training may be just what you are looking for. If you are an athlete who is looking to increase the distance you can run in a certain amount of time or the speed you can run, interval training may be for you as well. If the goal is to lose weight, exercise alone won't cut it. You have to eat healthy and keep track of your calories.
Basics
Interval training is a method of training that alternates between high intensity exercise and low intensity exercise, or rest. Examples of aerobic interval training would be incorporating one minute of sprinting between every two minutes of light jogging for a well-conditioned person, or alternating between five minutes of power walking and one minute of light jogging for someone less conditioned.
Benefits
Training in intervals is possibly one of the best ways to increase cardiovascular endurance and strength, reports the website Personal Training on the Net. Because of the focus on the timed intervals instead of the duration of the total aerobic activity, this form of training will keep your workout fresh and exciting, all while making it seem to go by faster than usual. Avoiding boredom and accomplishing more in a shorter amount of time may keep you from straying from your exercise routine.
Considerations
Although exercise is important for weight loss, it does nothing for your body if you are not eating healthy and nutrient-rich foods. Simply put, you need to burn more calories than you consume when you are trying to lose weight. Since 1 lb. is equal to 3,500 calories, you need to burn that many calories to lose a pound. For example, to lose 1 lb. a week, you need to shave 500 calories from the amount of calories you currently eat.
Effects
One of the major effects of interval training is that it burns more calories in a less amount of time, states MayoClinic.com. Counting and cutting calories for weight loss in addition to interval training will increase the caloric deficit and therefore result in faster weight loss. Interval training also has the ability to burn adipose tissue and build lean tissue, which will keep your metabolism working efficiently and prevent fat from being stored.
Significance
Losing or maintaining a healthy weight is important for many reasons, such as reducing your risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, diabetes and various forms of cancer. Because interval training is a great way to increase cardiovascular endurance, it will strengthen your heart and lungs, allowing you to breathe easier and lessen the chance of high blood pressure or other heart related diseases. Interval training will also keep you feeling energized throughout the day and allow you to get a restful night of sleep each night.
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