Interval Running for All Levels: A Guide to Get Started

Cardiovascular exercise is a vital component of fitness training, and running is a great form of cardiovascular exercise. Plus, it requires relatively little equipment and can be performed almost anywherThe drawback? Traditional long distance running is incredibly time consuming and doesn’t typically involve higher intensity sprintFortunately, interval running offers a solution for busy individuals who are looking for large improvements in fitness but don’t have the time for longer runs.

Interval running also appeals to those who prefer greater intensity in their workouts than the typical long, slow jogThis article breaks down interval running as an aerobic training method and prepares you to create your own interval training program to meet your fitness and lifestyle needDrazen/Getty ImagWhat is interval runninInterval running is a method of structuring your running workouts to allow increased intensity and greater aerobic improvement with less total time spent pworkout.

Regardless of your age or specific health goals, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommend that healthy adults age 18–65 years participate in moderate aerobic exercise for 30 minutes 5 days per weeAlternatively, you can perform vigorous aerobic activity for at least 20 minutes 3 days per week to meet this recommendation (1Interval running is an efficient way to maximize aerobic improvement while minimizing the overall time spent per workout. It also fits well into the ACSM guidelines of getting at least 20 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise 3 times per week.

How do you perform interval runninWith interval running, you’ll perform a few minutes of light jogging to warm up. Afterward, the bulk of the workout revolves around brief periods of high intensity running, followed by periods of lower intensity jogging, walking, or even The high intensity pace for interval running exercise exceeds what you could physically sustain for 30 minutes, and the lower intensity pace allows you a brief recovery for the next high inEach interval period lasts 10–60 seconds at the high intensity pace, and 10–60 seconds at the lower intensity pace. In coaches’ terms, these are known as “duty cyclesThe specific duration of each duty cycle, including the ratio of high intensity to low intensity time in each cycle, varies based on your specific fitness

goaconditioning level, and time available for working outThis ratio of high intensity to low intensity is called the work-rest ratio, and it’s a key variable in designing interval running programOverall, the structure of interval running programs allows far more time spent at higher intensities compared to a traditional runninThe higher intensity results in greater improvements in your maximum aerobic capacity and works more muscle fibers overall compared to longer, slower jogs.