The Power of Interval Training

Introduction





If I could give you two words that you could use to ignite fat burning, accelerate your metabolism, and vector you towards your goals, those two words would be "interval training". To set you off on the right track your going to need knowledge; a good explanation of what interval training is, how it works, and how to perform interval workout routines.

Interval training is simply performing an exercise at a high intensity level for a specified time period, followed by a recovery period. In general, the recovery period is long enough for the heart rate to return to an almost normal rate.



What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?





High intensity interval training is interval training "on steroids". The exercise interval is at an 80-90% intensity level while the recovery interval is at a moderate level. If you can survive the intensity, you will find yourself engaged in the most efficient method to burn fat and improve your performance in your sport, regardless of what sport it might be. HIIT will definitely increase your endurance.



Burning Fat With Interval Training

What if you could burn more fat by exercising less? You can! Interval is the best workout routine out there to burn fat. Where people have been confused is that they believe that the most important thing is how much fat is burned during exercise. The effectiveness of interval training is that more fat is burned when you are NOT exercising. In fact, you can continue to burn fat up to 36 hours after exercise is over.





Making Tough Training Easier

Some people have a really tough time with this type of training because of the intensity. I'm not talking people that are so sedentary they can not tolerate intervl training. I'm talking about those who lack concentration or who are just having trouble sticking with it. Companies like Workout Muse and Cardiomixes Fitness have downloadable music specifically recorded for interval training. This music is structured for 60 second, 30 second and Tabata intervals. There are also interval timers and interval settings on watches, I use a Timex Triathlon, that will keep you on track while you supply your own music or television show to drown out your heavy breathing and groaning.





How To Start





First and foremost, if you haven't been exercising or are a novice exerciser, consult your doctor. Next you are going to need to chose an exercise that fulfills two criteria;1) it has to involve major or multiple muscle groups in order to elevate the heart rate. 2) It must be an exercise that you can physically tolerate. What I mean by this is that if you have, for example, bad knees, you may not want to choose running and opt for a elliptical trainer or an exercise bike. The sky's the limit so be creative. Now what you want to do is complete 8 exercise intervals in which your effort is an 8 out of 10 with 0 being totally at rest and 10 is exerting youself like you are being chased by Godzilla. Let your exercise interval last for 30 seconds. As a beginner, your rest period may take quite a while and should be as long as it takes your heart rate to return to almost normal. DO this routine 3 times a week. As time goes on, you will find that your exercise interval will get shorter and shorter as your recocvery time decreases. Your ultimate goal will be to get to the point that you can do a Tabata; 8 intervals of 30 seconds with a rest interval of 15 seconds!





You are now armed with the information you need to strip off all of the fat. To provide variety and to shock your system, switch exercises every few weeks. By by using this method you will be well on your way to stripping off the fat.





Get your free workout routine for fast weight loss at http://turbulencetraining4u.com



Clint Grimes, is a retired US Navy commander. He is certified by the California Interscholastic Federation and is currently the strength and conditioning coach for the boys soccer teams at El Toro High School in Lake Forest, CA.



You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.