How Do You Integrate Intervals Into Your Training Plan?
Interval training is a very important aspect of any workout schedule.
Without interval training, competitive runners would hit a plateau and stop getting any faster, and people trying to lose weight would reach their own plateau where no more pounds will be willing to come off.
How do you integrate intervals into your training plan? Intervals need to be approached with caution when you are first adding them to your workout schedule, especially if you have never done them before.
You should always give yourself an adequate warm up and cool down before and after each interval workout.
Treat interval training like you would a race, because you can easily pull a cold muscle and injure yourself.
It is far better to get in an adequate warmup, especially since this type of workout is designed to simulate race conditions and get your body accustomed to running at race pace or even faster.
You also want to make sure that you run a decent cool down, which will help you relax your muscles gradually and will prevent cramping and soreness in the hours and days following your interval workout.
If you are new to interval training, then start slowly.
Do not rush into high repetition workouts at a pace that is faster than your race pace.
Working your way up to progressively more difficult workouts will help get your body used to the high intensity workload without causing an injury.
You will still realize great gains in your races from any sort of interval training, no matter what duration or pace you run them at.
I recommend that you start by running fartleks; they are much easier to reign yourself in from advancing too fast and are just fun workouts in general.
Each season and every few month or so throughout a season, remember to cut back a little.
Do half the number of intervals that you are used to.
You will still get some training in at race pace, but you will give your body a chance to recover from the previous weeks stresses.
Go back to your normal intensity and number of repetitions in the next week.
If you have not done interval training for a few months, then work your way back up from a lower number of repeats.
When you get close to your goal race, don't abandon your repeats right away, but cut back on the number of repetitions you do in each workout.
Your taper should be cutting back on mileage first, and then on the duration and intensity of your speed work.
By leaving a little speed work in even as close as 5 days before your race, you'll keep your legs feeling light and ready to go.
Without interval training, competitive runners would hit a plateau and stop getting any faster, and people trying to lose weight would reach their own plateau where no more pounds will be willing to come off.
How do you integrate intervals into your training plan? Intervals need to be approached with caution when you are first adding them to your workout schedule, especially if you have never done them before.
You should always give yourself an adequate warm up and cool down before and after each interval workout.
Treat interval training like you would a race, because you can easily pull a cold muscle and injure yourself.
It is far better to get in an adequate warmup, especially since this type of workout is designed to simulate race conditions and get your body accustomed to running at race pace or even faster.
You also want to make sure that you run a decent cool down, which will help you relax your muscles gradually and will prevent cramping and soreness in the hours and days following your interval workout.
If you are new to interval training, then start slowly.
Do not rush into high repetition workouts at a pace that is faster than your race pace.
Working your way up to progressively more difficult workouts will help get your body used to the high intensity workload without causing an injury.
You will still realize great gains in your races from any sort of interval training, no matter what duration or pace you run them at.
I recommend that you start by running fartleks; they are much easier to reign yourself in from advancing too fast and are just fun workouts in general.
Each season and every few month or so throughout a season, remember to cut back a little.
Do half the number of intervals that you are used to.
You will still get some training in at race pace, but you will give your body a chance to recover from the previous weeks stresses.
Go back to your normal intensity and number of repetitions in the next week.
If you have not done interval training for a few months, then work your way back up from a lower number of repeats.
When you get close to your goal race, don't abandon your repeats right away, but cut back on the number of repetitions you do in each workout.
Your taper should be cutting back on mileage first, and then on the duration and intensity of your speed work.
By leaving a little speed work in even as close as 5 days before your race, you'll keep your legs feeling light and ready to go.
