By Ian Williamson
When it comes to exercise, the
word 'intervals' puts fear in many peoples' minds. Intervals are
sometimes misunderstood, but adding them to your exercise program can
help you burn fat and get in shape quicker.
Intervals are not for everyone.
To begin performing intervals, you should be in good condition, and a
physical from your doctor is highly recommended.
What are intervals? The easiest
definition would be periods of high intensity exercise followed by
recovery periods of low intensity exercise.
Here's an example. You are
following a walking program and have been walking briskly for thirty
minutes a day, four days a week. You feel pretty good but would like to
lose weight a little quicker.
Intervals might be perfect for
you. Begin your regular walking program and after five minutes, jog for
ten, twenty, thirty seconds or more. Your heart rate will begin to
increase and your breathing will pick up. After this period, return to
walking briskly until you have completely recovered. Then, begin to jog
again.
In the beginning, you may only
want to perform two or three of these short jogs. That's fine. Do what's
comfortable for you. Later, as you become more accustomed to this
routine, you can add more jogs or increase the length of time you jog.
During each period of jogging,
your heart rate has increased. When you stop jogging and continue
walking, your heart rate will be at an increased rate for a minute or
so. This is an added benefit. During aerobic exercise you want your
heart rate to increase, which makes it stronger and makes you healthier.
Intervals work great on a
treadmill. You can increase the speed for however long you want, or you
can increase the height for added difficulty.
This is interval training at a
low level but you still get benefits from it. You can follow a similar
routine in your other aerobic exercise, as well. For instance, if you
are riding a bike for exercise, every so often pedal faster until you
begin breathing heavier, and then return to riding as before.
You can see that interval
training is not only for athletes. It's one of the fastest and most
effective means of reaching a top level of fitness and decreasing body
fat. Do these routines three or four days a week and watch your fitness
level go up while your pounds begin to disappear.
Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net
