There are many elements of athletic training which have found their way into regular fitness programs over the years. One reason for this might be the fact that even non-athletes want to achieve really high levels of fitness nowadays. Thus, it’s no wonder that interval training has become so big in the fitness arena. Interval training is actually the basis of most athletic training programs and you too can make it a part of your exercise schedules. If you want to know more about interval training, simply read further.

The Origin

Modern day interval training evolved from ‘fartlek’ which was an unstructured training format involving alternate phases of rigorous exercise with slow and easy activity. It was aimed at helping runners achieve more stamina.

What It is Today?

Interval training has transformed itself into a detailed program aimed at athletic performance enhancement. In fact, trainers and physiotherapists design interval training programs suited for individual athletes, based on the kind of sports that they are into and their general fitness levels. An athlete is often subjected to anaerobic threshold testing in order to determine the intensity and duration of interval training that they undergo.

How Does It Work?

Interval training affects both the aerobic and anaerobic systems of your body. This is what happens when you engage in interval training:

During the high-intensity phase of workouts, the anaerobic system uses the energy stored in muscles in the form of glycogen.

This results in the creation of lactic acid which causes a burning sensation in your muscles when you train intensively.
As the lactic acid builds up, you switch to an interval of low-intensity activity.

When you do so, your heart and lungs act in tandem to break down the lactic acid with the help of oxygen. So, the aerobic system helps to convert the stored carbohydrates into energy.

How Can You Gain?

Now that you have understood how interval training works you may want to know what’s in it for you. Here are the major benefits of interval training that you should know about.

1. This is a repetitive form of training and can lead to an adaptive response from your body. So, your stamina increases when the body develops new capillaries to facilitate the delivery of oxygen to the muscles.

2. Your endurance increases because muscles develop greater tolerance to the piling up of lactic acid. This means that you can work out for longer without experiencing any discomfort in your muscles.

3. There is a marked changed in the way your cardiovascular system works and so, you can look forward to leading a healthy life.

4. Interval training also helps you to reduce the chances of injuring yourself while training hard. This is because; interval training is the one of the best ways to increase your training intensity without overtraining.

5. Short bursts of high-intensity exercises, also help you burn more calories than long sessions of steady training.
Hopefully you have understood by now that interval training can help you build fitness fast and safely. A personal trainer can really help you in getting the best out of interval training and so it is a really good idea to consult one.
All the best for your journey towards fitness!

Author Bio: The author’s Markham bootcamp uses interval training. Other additional training techniques can be found at this Washington, DC personal trainer fitness program.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: interval training, fitness training, exercise, workout, get in shape, how to exercise,how to workout