Interval training has become pretty synonymous with improving speed. Because, in truth, to run faster, you have to actually practice running faster—and intervals allow you to do that for short periods of time, before you recover and repeat.
Research shoes dr martens 1461 mono 14345001 black faster and fitter in less time than steady-state cardio. In fact, one study found that sprint interval training improves 3,000-meter time, extends time to exhaustion, and boosts power. Other research suggests quick interval workouts can improve mitochondrial function, which makes you more efficient at turning fuel into energy. And other science says that sprint training can kick up your VO2 max, or your maximum rate of oxygen consumption—a marker of your fitness level.
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Make Time for a Warmup
Your muscles aren’t ready for peak performance the second you walk out the door. “It may seem like you don’t need to, and [if it’s warm out] you may feel hot, but it’s important to increase circulation to muscles, ligaments, and tendons you’ll be stressing [via a warmup],” says Polly de Mille, exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
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De Mille adds that even though the duration of your effort may be shorter than usual, it’s important to plan for the right time of day. If it’s summer time, get up and out early in the day, or hold off until later in the evening to avoid the high heat. If it’s winter, you may want to wait until the afternoon when it’s warmer.
Also of importance: Knowing what you’re going to do before you get out there so you can get it done without delay. “You want to know exactly what’s on deck,” de Mille adds. Adjust your effort for the weather. You may not be able to hit the same paces when it’s hot as in cooler months and vice versa—but that’s okay. Have plenty of water A Closer Look At Pradas Fall 2016 Womens Shoe Collection hydrated Sandals POLLONUS 5-1317-004 Rudy Lico.
Focus on Form
Form and function take center stage when running intervals. “Due to the stress that is placed on the body, both cardiovascularly and biomechanically, mens timberland pro gridworks 8 inch waterproof soft toe work boots brown tan training base is required,” says Mindy Solkin, founder of The Running Center and USATF-certified run coach. “Learning sneakers colors of california hc pedul05 white will position the body to withstand the impact of the workout and help to prevent injuries.”
Know When to Call it
“There’s nothing to be gained by forcing yourself to complete a workout if you’re not feeling well,” says Solkin. “It’s one thing to power through it if it just feels a little tough, it’s another to feel woozy and crappy and overheated.” If your form falls apart or you don’t hit your interval paces, that’s a sign to call it a day, cool down, ankle boots gino rossi 458 black.
Take Rest
It can be tempting to keep moving once you get going, but the point of interval training is to do just that: run intervals. The recovery portions are just as important as the efforts. “The Race of time you take between intervals and what you do during that time can greatly impact the workout,” says Roberto Mandje, New York Road Runner’s senior advisor of engagement and coaching.
Equally important: Deciding if you’ll be doing active recovery or passive. With active recovery, you slow down drastically but you keep moving in the form of a walk or jog. With passive, you stop and completely rest to bring your heart rate down until the next interval is up.
4 Interval Workouts to Get Faster
10 x 400 meters
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- Repeat 10 times*
- Cool down
*If the volume of this workout is too high, don’t stress. Mandje suggests starting with 4 x 400 or 6 x 400, then gradually build up from there to 10 intervals.
Keep the recovery time the same, regardless of how many intervals you run. As you get fitter and better with pacing, you’ll be able to really improve your speed-endurance from this type of workout, which will help your overall speed at distances 5K and below. To find your current mile pace, use stats from a recent run and our pace calculator.
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- 10- to 15-minute warmup with dynamic drills
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- Cool down
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*400 meters at 15 seconds faster than goal 5K pace means if your goal 5K pace is 8:00, you’ll perform that 400 meters at a 7:45 pace for one lap.
4 x 1-mile intervals
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- Repeat 2 to 4 times
- Cool down
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Light pole pick-ups
- 10- to 15-minute warmup with dynamic drills
- Light pole pick-ups fast
- Slow running recovery
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- Cool down
This is a continuous 2- to 3-mile run with sandals fast and slow running, meant to be done in a neighborhood or park with street light poles—this is also known as a Fartlek run. Depending on the distance between the poles, Solkin recommends you run the distance from 1 to 3 poles fast, then follow that by running the next 1 to 3 poles slow. Do this for the entire run.
Solkin defines “fast” as about 85 percent to 90 percent of bally new competition panelled sneakers item—or an 8.5 to 9 on a perceived exertion scale of 1 to 10. “Slow” is 60 to 70 percent of bally new competition panelled sneakers item—or 6 to 7 on the RPE scale.
Emily Abbate is a freelance writer, certified fitness trainer, and host of the podcast Hurdle. You can find her work in GQ, Shape, Runner’s World, and other health and fitness publications.
