Interval training is great, but what kind?
March 15, 2011 1:57 PM Subscribe
Interval training is great, but what kind?
I am interested in cardio (alongside some resistance training) for the purpose of fat loss (need to lose 10kg or so) + generally improved health for such things as strenuous hikes. Everywhere I look I see a recommendation for interval training as opposed to constant intensity cardio. But different people recommend quite different routines.
I am training on an elliptical machine at home and can also run / sprint outside. At the moment I am doing 20-24 minutes about 5 days a week on a program that alternates between low, medium and high resistance, one minute at each level, repeating however many times fit within the total time. I also push myself very hard in the high resistance intervals, but not in the low/medium.
This works out well, at least so far, but I want to know whether I could do better, and if there is any real risk of overtraining.. Would shorter intervals work better? Should I reduce the percentage of rest time as much as possible? Is it as effective (or more) to keep resistance the same throughout, and only alternate the speed? Is it better to have more rest days, or else alternate traditional cardio sessions with intervals? Does any of this really matter, or are all interval routines equally good, as long as they include high intensity bits?
Background: 39 years old male in good health, though about 10kg overweight.
I am interested in cardio (alongside some resistance training) for the purpose of fat loss (need to lose 10kg or so) + generally improved health for such things as strenuous hikes. Everywhere I look I see a recommendation for interval training as opposed to constant intensity cardio. But different people recommend quite different routines.
I am training on an elliptical machine at home and can also run / sprint outside. At the moment I am doing 20-24 minutes about 5 days a week on a program that alternates between low, medium and high resistance, one minute at each level, repeating however many times fit within the total time. I also push myself very hard in the high resistance intervals, but not in the low/medium.
This works out well, at least so far, but I want to know whether I could do better, and if there is any real risk of overtraining.. Would shorter intervals work better? Should I reduce the percentage of rest time as much as possible? Is it as effective (or more) to keep resistance the same throughout, and only alternate the speed? Is it better to have more rest days, or else alternate traditional cardio sessions with intervals? Does any of this really matter, or are all interval routines equally good, as long as they include high intensity bits?
Background: 39 years old male in good health, though about 10kg overweight.
The thing to keep in mind with intervals is to keep the intensity high. Don't need to get too caught up in the specifics of your routine. If you are looking to push your workout further you could try implementing a pyramid structure to your routine.
posted by axismundi at 2:29 PM on March 15, 2011
posted by axismundi at 2:29 PM on March 15, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks! I guess what really matters is that there are intervals that are really intense.
About rest days, is it best, in principle, to exercise every single day, or is it actually better to have rest days from cardio intervals?
Also, is there a reason to keep the total session length short (< 20 minutes), or were short sessions used in studies simply in order to demonstrate similar effectiveness to longer regular endurance sessions, so that a longer (e.g. 25-30 minutes) intervals session is even better?
posted by Hediot at 2:53 PM on March 15, 2011
About rest days, is it best, in principle, to exercise every single day, or is it actually better to have rest days from cardio intervals?
Also, is there a reason to keep the total session length short (< 20 minutes), or were short sessions used in studies simply in order to demonstrate similar effectiveness to longer regular endurance sessions, so that a longer (e.g. 25-30 minutes) intervals session is even better?
posted by Hediot at 2:53 PM on March 15, 2011
Response by poster: Some people write that you should never do HIIT two days in a row. Is this true?
posted by Hediot at 3:04 PM on March 15, 2011
posted by Hediot at 3:04 PM on March 15, 2011
You might find this helpful: Can You Get Fit in 6 Minutes a Week?
You don't need sessions of long duration to improve fitness, at least not according to the scientific evidence.
Also, don't do HIIT every day and don't do it more than two consecutive sessions. Two or three times a week is plenty. If you're doing HIIT, rest/slow should be rest. You should be able to carry on a conversation while in rest intervals. The classic Tabata protocol is (20sec all-out/10sec rest) x 8. All you really need is a brief (5-10 min) warm-up and an optional 5 min warm-down (there's no science behind 'warm-downs').
You might look into doing some bodyweight circuits to add to your program, especially if you're looking to increase strength for hiking. This is an example of a bodyweight circuit but there are many to choose from.
posted by grounded at 3:10 PM on March 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
You don't need sessions of long duration to improve fitness, at least not according to the scientific evidence.
Also, don't do HIIT every day and don't do it more than two consecutive sessions. Two or three times a week is plenty. If you're doing HIIT, rest/slow should be rest. You should be able to carry on a conversation while in rest intervals. The classic Tabata protocol is (20sec all-out/10sec rest) x 8. All you really need is a brief (5-10 min) warm-up and an optional 5 min warm-down (there's no science behind 'warm-downs').
You might look into doing some bodyweight circuits to add to your program, especially if you're looking to increase strength for hiking. This is an example of a bodyweight circuit but there are many to choose from.
posted by grounded at 3:10 PM on March 15, 2011 [2 favorites]
In my personal experience, I did Tabata sprints on sidewalks, every weekday for 3 weeks. At the end, I had lost over 12lbs (with caloric restriction) but also had sore shins. If I were to do it again, I'd do the sprints on grass.
Also, I did 20 seconds all-out with 15 seconds rest. About each week, I cut down a second of rest time. That's right, each second of rest is matters. The sessions are short because if you're doing it right, you'll definitely be exhausted after 15 minutes. If you can run an additional interval with any kind of intensity, you held back.
I would try to set up some kind measure of progress. For me, that meant how close I came to the end of the sidewalk at the end of my 6 intervals. Lastly, an interval timer helps make the intervals kick your butt.
posted by maulik at 3:19 PM on March 15, 2011
Also, I did 20 seconds all-out with 15 seconds rest. About each week, I cut down a second of rest time. That's right, each second of rest is matters. The sessions are short because if you're doing it right, you'll definitely be exhausted after 15 minutes. If you can run an additional interval with any kind of intensity, you held back.
I would try to set up some kind measure of progress. For me, that meant how close I came to the end of the sidewalk at the end of my 6 intervals. Lastly, an interval timer helps make the intervals kick your butt.
posted by maulik at 3:19 PM on March 15, 2011
About rest days, is it best, in principle, to exercise every single day, or is it actually better to have rest days from cardio intervals?
It depends. Rest days have a dual use. The obvious one is to keep a body from overtraining, the other is for behavioral reasons. You know your body best so you have to be the judge. 20 to 30 minutes a day of training is not that much but daily HIIT sessions may be. Unless you're a professional athlete or close to that level. Some "average" people are and can do that much training.
Behaviorally you want rest days so you don't burn out. It's the same premise as cheat days for dieting. You don't necessarilly need them, but it's nice to have off days.
A good rule of thumb for weight loss/cardio training is: work out 4 to 6 days a week.
Also, is there a reason to keep the total session length short (< 20 minutes), or were short sessions used in studies simply in order to demonstrate similar effectiveness to longer regular endurance sessions, so that a longer (e.g. 25-30 minutes) intervals session is even better?
IIRC, 20 minutes is the least amount of time to get the greatest benifit from EPOC. Again, HIIT sessions longer than 20 minutes may be a bit much. If you're interested in increasing your cardio than it is a good idea to extend out your sessions to what you desire.
posted by P.o.B. at 3:23 PM on March 15, 2011
It depends. Rest days have a dual use. The obvious one is to keep a body from overtraining, the other is for behavioral reasons. You know your body best so you have to be the judge. 20 to 30 minutes a day of training is not that much but daily HIIT sessions may be. Unless you're a professional athlete or close to that level. Some "average" people are and can do that much training.
Behaviorally you want rest days so you don't burn out. It's the same premise as cheat days for dieting. You don't necessarilly need them, but it's nice to have off days.
A good rule of thumb for weight loss/cardio training is: work out 4 to 6 days a week.
Also, is there a reason to keep the total session length short (< 20 minutes), or were short sessions used in studies simply in order to demonstrate similar effectiveness to longer regular endurance sessions, so that a longer (e.g. 25-30 minutes) intervals session is even better?
IIRC, 20 minutes is the least amount of time to get the greatest benifit from EPOC. Again, HIIT sessions longer than 20 minutes may be a bit much. If you're interested in increasing your cardio than it is a good idea to extend out your sessions to what you desire.
posted by P.o.B. at 3:23 PM on March 15, 2011
(there's no science behind 'warm-downs').
Cooling down after a workout is actually effective at removing waste product such as lactic acid from your body, which can reduce soreness post-workout. It is most important after high intensity work because your body is producing a lot of waste rather quickly.
posted by hepta at 4:23 PM on March 15, 2011
Cooling down after a workout is actually effective at removing waste product such as lactic acid from your body, which can reduce soreness post-workout. It is most important after high intensity work because your body is producing a lot of waste rather quickly.
posted by hepta at 4:23 PM on March 15, 2011
hepta, two good survey articles:
1. Lactic acid is not muscles' foe, it's fuel (this has been known since 1985, BTW, but the myth persists)
2. Is the exercise cool-down really necessary?
posted by grounded at 4:56 PM on March 15, 2011
1. Lactic acid is not muscles' foe, it's fuel (this has been known since 1985, BTW, but the myth persists)
2. Is the exercise cool-down really necessary?
posted by grounded at 4:56 PM on March 15, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Exercise always involves some risk of injury, and that risk tends to increase with greater volume and intensity of exercise, although it can often be mitigated by attention to proper mechanics. That said, I doubt you're likely to experience overtraining, which is a systemic effect that occurs through chronic lack of recovery from intense exercise.
In any case, you're generally going to need to record some data and see what works for you. Some protocols have been tested experimentally, others have not, but that doesn't mean they don't produce results. Just be aware of what you're doing and the effect it's having. Finally, realize that diet is often the single most important aspect of weightloss, and the perfect exercise regimen will be useless in the face of improper diet.
posted by Anatoly Pisarenko at 2:16 PM on March 15, 2011 [2 favorites]