Read This Before You Try Interval Training

If you read my last blog post or have followed our postings in the past, you know how big of a fan we are of high intensity workouts like interval training.  These are the best workouts for fat loss and for performance (usually), so we recommend them often.  But after making my last post which I got a great response from I almost wish I made this post first.

Interval training trumps slower, lower intensity training for fat burning, hands down.  It just isn't close.  I can list tons of research on the topic, which I have done on many blog post already.  I think most people are starting to realize how important an interval workout is for your weight management program.  But is it necessarily right for you?  You can make a ton of money investing in certain stocks.  If you don't know the right things to invest in you can lose everything.  Interval training when you aren't ready or aren't performing it properly can have a similar effect.

First, let's see if you should even be attempting interval training.  One drawback of interval training is it increases the risk of injury and it increases the risk of dropout.  As good as this type of workout is you can get hurt doing it which will most likely cause you to quit, or you will not like it because it is too hard, and quit.  Interval training is hard.  That is why it works so well.  The higher the intensity the higher the fat burning ability of the workout.  Therefore this is not a workout for beginners.  Here is a checklist to run through to see if you are ready for interval training:

1. You have no current injuries.
2. You have been consistently training for 3-6 months.
3. You have no previous medical condition that would be contraindicated for intense exercise.
4. You are properly recovering from workouts and do not constantly feel sore.
5. You have the drive and motivation to push yourself harder than you feel comfortable with.
6. You can perform cardio exercise at an intensity at or above your lactate threshold for around 5-10 minutes.

Most of this points are fairly simple to evaluate.  Just answer with an honest yes or no.  The last point may not make sense to you.  Lactate threshold is a term where lactate is accumulating in the blood.  It means you are at a high intensity and you cannot clear lactate from the blood quick enough.  You really do not need to understand this point to perform interval training but you do need to know how intense this is.  There is a simple test you can perform.  You first need to determine where you threshold is.  To do so pick a form a exercise and start at a slow pace to warm up.  We will use the talk test to determine when you have reach your approximate threshold.  Gradually increase the resistance or speed every 2 minutes.  Each time you increase try recited the alphabet, sing a song you know, or just talk to someone.  Continue to do so until you notice it is uncomfortable to talk and you cannot do so without stopping every few seconds to breath.  When you have reach this uncomfortable level of talking you are at an intensity around your threshold.  See if you can maintain this for around 5 minutes.  If you can you are conditioned enough for intervals and you are prepared to hit the intensity necessary for this type of training.  

This intensity you have found should be remembered.  Mark down what you heart rate was so you know approximately how high you have to get it for interval training.  This level must be reached and exceeded in order to successfully perform high intensity interval training.  You will notice that as you improve you will have to work harder to reach the same heart rate level first when you first started.  This means you will continue to progress and make the exercise more challenge to continue to receive benefit.  

If you ever need help finding your threshold or seeing if you are ready for interval training, just make an appointment with one of our trainers to help you out.  

You Stay Healthy San Diego,

Mike Deibler MS, CSCS

San Diego Premier Training