Looking to burn more calories and fat but still performing endless amounts of low intensity aerobic exercise that is not achieving the fat loss progress you had hoped for?
It’s time to abandon hours of aerobics that do nothing to help you reach your goals.
You’ll get way more out of your cardio workout when you incorporate interval training.
Rumor has it that you can actually experience three times the results in half the time.
Typical aerobics fat burning programs have you performing your exercise in a steady state manner at around 60-75 percent of your maximum heart rate for at least 30 minutes.
Interval training sessions are much shorter and harder, they are not for the fainthearted and will push you right out of your comfort zone. But, that’s why they work.
Without a doubt it is much easier to walk on a treadmill or spin a stationary bike for an hour than it is to do 10 or 15 minutes of interval training.
Interval training also continues to burn more calories and fat long after you have finished your exercise session when compared to steady-state traditional cardio training that only burns fuel (calories) while you are doing them.
No matter what kind of fitness goals you have in mind, interval training is one of the best ways of helping you achieve them. The variations are endless…you can vary training parameters (exercise to rest ratio, number of intervals) to make workouts harder or easier and you can mix it up to keep changing the workout so your body never adjusts to the same old thing and the results keep coming.
Cycling, using the treadmill, elliptical trainers, climbing, sprinting, and hill sprints are all great exercises you can use for interval training.
You can also use a stationary bike or any other cardio equipment if you are presently overweight and cannot run easily and require more comfort.
Interval training allows you to:
Burn more calories by elevating your metabolism so you lose fat faster
Increase your power
Increase your speed
Increase your endurance
Here’s an example of a great interval training session:
4 minute warm up
30-60 seconds of all out followed by easy recovery of 30-6- seconds. Start with 4-5 “sets” and work up to 8-10 then perform a 4 minuet cool down.
Another good example is this:
4 minute warm up
20 seconds all out followed by 1 minute at easy pace. Perform 8 “sets” followed by 4 minute cool down.
If you are up to the challenge, jump roping is another great interval training exercise to perform. After a brief warm-up, jump rope as fast as you can for about 10-20 seconds followed by a slower cadence for about half to one minute.
Interval training can skyrocket your metabolic fitness and help you shed more fat even while you are sleeping, resting or parked in front of the TV or computer. It helps you to burn fat much faster with much less overall training time.
If you are not in the best shape start slow and break into it lightly using more moderate or low intensity cardio. And, no matter what shape you are in, always warm up before starting.
For all the tools and resources you need to assist you in attaining your goals and achieving the success you desire in life, please visit: Carolyn Hansen Fitness. I help clients take charge of their health before circumstance removes the option. If your quest for peak performance living is a journey I’ll put you in the driver’s seat.”
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