How to create an interval training program for running?

Running just for the sake of running is not always relevant. Beginners set themselves the goal of quickly achieving significant results, professionals want to reduce training time while maintaining a high intensity of training. In both cases, interval running is what you need to lose weight.

• What is interval running and what is it for?
• Who is suitable for interval running, what are the contraindications?
• The effectiveness of walking and interval running for losing weight and burning fat
• What is the best way to run to lose weight more effectively? Speed, time and distance
• Pace and load distribution during a fat burning workout
• Optimal training frequency
• Proper nutrition
• Interval running programs
• For beginners
• Table: training program for beginners
• Video: interval running for beginners
• For experienced
• Table: training program for experienced athletes
• Recommendations for performing interval running
• Video: interval running as a way to get fit

What is interval running and what is it for?

Cardio training is the easiest and fastest way to slimness and health. Running is accessible to everyone without exception due to the fact that it does not require a gym or special equipment.

The only disadvantage of leisurely jogging is the relatively small load and, accordingly, not such a large energy expenditure per unit of time. This is perfect for beginners, but advanced runners need something more effective. For example, interval running.

Cardio training is the most effective way to increase endurance and normalize weight.

Interval running is a type of physical activity that involves alternating loads of different intensity. In fact, it is alternating between brisk walking or jogging at low speeds and running as fast as possible, when the athlete is moving to the limit of his capabilities.

There are four main types of interval running:

• repeated running: used to cover long distances, involves alternating running at any pace with rest periods during which the human body is fully restored;
• interval sprint: running at an accelerated pace at the limit of your capabilities is replaced by a light jog, the cycle is repeated several times;
• tempo running is intended for short distances and consists of increasing the pace: each subsequent section must be overcome faster than the previous one;
• Fartlek, which is intended for amateurs and does not imply any system or training program: a person can run at any pace and speed up or rest at will.

Periodic accelerations, which can be made more frequent and intense as you progress in exercise, allow you to:

• remove the boredom of daily activities, load your head with useful and creative thoughts, replacing with them unnecessary and tedious “mental chewing gum”, shift the focus of attention from daily problems to training techniques;
• increase calorie consumption for those trying to lose weight;
• increase the intensity of training for those who are interested in increasing endurance and physical strength;
• reduce the time for cardio training for those who want to include additional types of activity in their sports activities without losing efficiency;
• prepare for competitions of any level from sprint to marathon;
• This type of workout can help get rid of cellulite and significantly improve your complexion.

All these problems can be solved by replacing regular jogging with interval running. The only difficulty here is to overcome yourself, since a constant increase in the intensity of exercise will cause noticeable discomfort. You will have to overcome internal resistance every time you need to add speed or increase the distance of fast running, but the results are worth it.

What do those who lose weight say?

As you already understand, the results of interval running and reviews from real people fully confirm this and exceed any expectations. With regular training, in a very short period of time you can not only increase your endurance, but also lose a lot of weight and improve your own well-being. After just a few sessions, you will notice a noticeable surge of strength and vigor in the morning. And in combination with other types of exercises, such as push-ups and abdominal crunches, you can make your body perfect without any equipment or exercise equipment. The only thing you will need is comfortable shoes.

Who is suitable for interval running, what are the contraindications?

Interval running is suitable for people with sufficient physical fitness. The criteria here are quite clear: in an hour you need to run 9–10 km. This is a relatively slow running speed, but many beginners need to train regularly for 6-9 months to achieve these results.

It is important to adhere to the above fitness criterion in order to maintain health and well-being, as well as in order not to lose motivation to play sports. Excessive loads are harmful to the body because:

• disrupt the normal functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
• lead to loss of strength and decreased mood, as they require a long recovery period;
• can cause pain in the legs as a result of the formation of microfractures in the bones;
• damage unprepared joints and ligaments.

If your endurance still leaves much to be desired, it is advisable to focus on correct running technique, choosing the right sports shoes and routes with suitable track surfaces.

More space, more oxygen, more freedom.

There are quite a few contraindications for training under stress. This is due to the high intensity of training, which can lead to aggravation of existing problems and the emergence of new ones. The cardiovascular system, spine and joints of the lower extremities are primarily at risk.

In particular, interval running is contraindicated in the following cases:

• the presence of significant excess weight (only 7 kg above normal is enough to overload the back and knees);
• a number of diseases of the heart and blood vessels (mitral valve prolapse, functioning oval window, rhythm and conduction disturbances, tendency to thrombosis and thromboembolism, etc.);
• problems with the spine (disc herniation, curvature of the spine, consequences of injuries, osteochondrosis, etc.);
• diseases of the joints and ligaments (arthritis and arthrosis, sprains, tears and ruptures of ligaments, flat feet);
• muscle damage;
• recovery period after serious illnesses, operations and injuries.

When planning your workouts, it is important to remember that you are alone, and if you don’t take care of yourself, no one will. If in doubt, it is better to undergo an examination and seek advice from a sports doctor.

The effectiveness of walking and interval running for losing weight and burning fat

When and how do we lose weight? The best results come from workouts during which fat reserves are used to ensure the body's energy expenditure. Interval running is great for fat burning.

As is known, the first to be consumed is glycogen stored in the liver and skeletal muscles. These reserves are enough for an hour of jogging at a comfortable speed and even more. How many of us are able to spend more than an hour a day running? Hardly.

In order to quickly use up glycogen and start using fat reserves, you need to significantly increase the intensity of your workout or significantly increase its duration.

During acceleration, when a person runs at the limit of his capabilities, energy consumption increases significantly. During periods of quiet running or fast walking, the metabolic rate remains high for a long time.

A large load on the muscles leads to their fatigue, which requires the body to spend more energy on recovery. Thus, by increasing the intensity of training, we increase energy expenditure both during the session and for several hours after its completion.

What is the best way to run to lose weight more effectively? Speed, time and distance

Depending on where you choose to train, you can use different benchmarks to determine the intensity of your workout. It could be:

• distance, if you run around the stadium and know at least approximately the length of one circle;
• time if you do not have clear guidelines for estimating distance.

In this article we will provide training programs for both of these situations, so that you do not have to change anything in your usual exercise routine, except, perhaps, the intensity of your running.

For experienced athletes, the fartlek training system may be suitable, when the length of periods of acceleration and deceleration is determined by sensations in the body. We will also provide the main guidelines for sensations in the analysis of training programs.

The only one worth competing with is yourself.

Pace and load distribution during a fat burning workout

The basic principle of the interval running program is to gradually increase the intensity (the length of the running sections to the maximum possible) towards the middle of the session, and then the same gradual decrease. At the first stage, you can limit yourself to alternating periods of acceleration and deceleration, depending on how much strength you have. But then it is better to start observing the above “pyramid principle”.

If you focus on distance, then the pyramid principle assumes the following distribution of load during training:

• warm-up, acceleration 1 lap;
• calm running 1 lap, acceleration 1 lap;
• calm running 2 laps, acceleration 1 lap;
• calm running 1 lap, acceleration 2 laps;
• calm running 2 laps, acceleration 2 laps;
• calm running 2 laps, acceleration 1 lap;
• a calm run, smoothly turning into a cool-down.

Owners of GPS navigators and heart rate monitors with the option to determine the distance traveled can recalculate laps into meters and kilometers, given that the standard length of a school stadium is from 250 to 400 meters.

If you focus on time, you can break down your workout by minute:

• warm-up 5–7 minutes, acceleration 1 minute;
• measured run 1 minute, acceleration 1 minute;
• calm run 2 minutes, acceleration 1 minute;
• calm run 1 minute, acceleration 2 minutes;
• calm run for 2 minutes, acceleration for 2 minutes, etc.

We finish the workout with a cool down.

We have described the general principle of training. The number of laps or minutes of acceleration can be increased to 3 or 4. In this case, it is important to follow the general principle of distributing the load during the lesson, without limiting its intensity.

Training intensity

If you seriously decide to take care of your body, then you should start by drawing up an interval running scheme. One of its most important aspects is the intensity of training. Without it, even with long-term training, fat burning will be practically zero at best. It is very important to constantly alternate between slow and fast pace. Research has shown that thanks to this approach, running will be 300 percent more effective than exercise.

Proper nutrition

Those who are interested in losing weight and gaining muscle definition are also advised to reconsider their diet. If you previously sharply limited your diet, then the body can switch to strict conservation of energy reserves, preserving fat deposits at any cost. The result of this may be a long plateau in weight loss despite diet and physical activity. It's very demotivating.

A small calorie deficit and a significant increase in protein content can help you avoid a plateau. The optimal amount of protein is determined by a person’s weight: per 1 kg of body weight, 1.8-2 g of protein per day is needed.

It can be difficult to determine the optimal calorie content only using average tables from manuals. If you have reached a long plateau with the lowest possible caloric intake, do not rush to cut your daily diet again. It is possible that further fat burning will become possible with increased caloric intake.

It’s easy to check: you increase your calorie intake by 200 calories per day and observe your weight dynamics over the course of a week. If there are no results, then increase the calorie content by another 200 calories. Over the next seven days, the weight should move off the ground.

If the caloric content of the diet is 1200 kcal or less, then you may not see any dynamics in response to an increase in the intensity of exercise. The body has nothing to build muscle tissue from and replenish energy losses. It is in a state of austerity, so there is no time for relief and reduction in volumes.

Also, remember that the same amount of muscle and fat weighs differently: muscle is heavier. Therefore, if you accompany your weight loss with training, when the volume decreases, the number on the scale may remain the same or even increase slightly. Don't worry, fat is burned, this is absolutely normal.

How much time should you devote daily to study?

This aspect deserves special attention. This question interests many people who want to take their figure and health seriously. It all depends entirely on you. If you have a lot of free time, you can run every day. Positive changes will become noticeable after just a few weeks of intense training. If you are very busy at work, you need to set aside at least 2-3 days for training. Surely there will be those who consider this insufficient. But according to scientists, in 14 days, doing just 3 times a week, excellent results were achieved. People experienced an average 36 percent increase in body fat burning. If you give specific numbers, then during this time those losing weight lost approximately 2.3-2.6 kilograms. And this is without taking any medications, exhausting diets or exhausting physical exercises in the gym. Thus, it is not difficult to draw a conclusion about the relevance and effectiveness of this sport.

Interval running programs

Depending on the athlete's starting level, you can choose a suitable training program, and then change it as your endurance increases.

For beginners

We recommend that beginners focus not so much on speed, but on the parameters of the cardiovascular system and sensations in the body. This will allow you to distribute the load optimally instead of giving 100% in the first minutes of training.

A heart rate monitor can provide invaluable assistance in gradually increasing the load. For those who have not yet acquired this useful gadget, you can focus on your own sensations: for example, the ability to talk while running.

Table: training program for beginners

It is not at all necessary to do interval running training for the same duration as a regular run. If you usually spend 60 minutes on a workout, then 30-40 minutes will be enough for interval running. The distance will also be shorter in the initial stages. This is fine.

Video: interval running for beginners

If you can’t immediately withstand the increased load, you can act gently and gradually, training according to one of the schemes proposed below:

• fast walking - calm running - acceleration in cycles of 150–200 meters;
• jogging - running at an average pace - acceleration in cycles of 150-200 meters.

One or more of these cycles can be inserted into your daily runs, gradually increasing the number of “inserts”.

For experienced

We recommend starting your training with a total route length of 6 km, of which 3 km will need to be covered at an accelerated pace. Having a heart rate monitor will be a significant plus.

Table: training program for experienced athletes

The total duration of the workout is no more than 60 minutes. If after training you still have the strength and desire to do more, it is better to increase the intensity next time, but not increase the duration of the session.

Advanced Runner Program

Let's look at what makes it special? If you want to get rid of excess weight, then during training you should gradually increase the load. In this case, we are talking not only about the duration of the periods, but also about their ratio.

An example diagram looks like this:

• sprint 30 seconds, recovery 1.5 minutes;
• sprint 30 seconds, recovery 1 minute;
• sprint 30 seconds, recovery 30 seconds;
• sprint 30 seconds, rest 15 seconds;
• sprint 45 seconds, rest 15 seconds.

But you must understand that the above version of interval running for women and men requires good physical fitness. Therefore, starting with it is not recommended. Without a habit, you simply will not be able to withstand such loads, and you may even discourage yourself from exercising further.

Recommendations for performing interval running

There are a number of prerequisites that are necessary in order to get the expected effect and maintain health:

• correct selection of sports shoes: running sneakers or off-road sneakers designed for moving over rough terrain;
• choosing the optimal place for training: ideally outdoors, but it can also be a treadmill in the gym or at home;
• compliance with the location and characteristics of the training: running along uneven paths in a park or in the forest is much harder than running on a treadmill;
• diet: eat one and a half hours before training and two hours after its completion;
• adequate sleep: training at the expense of a full night's sleep is stress for the body, which can do more harm than good.

Video: interval running as a way to get fit

Interval running burns fat well, so it is ideal for those who want to get in shape.

Also, do not forget about the right attitude. There is no need to run around focusing on how hard the workout is. Can't change your attitude towards what is happening? Reduce the load to a comfortable level, dilute the run with exercises or overcoming simple obstacles, take a friend for a run. In general, try new things and observe how you feel.

If you're looking for an affordable and effective way to get sculpted, lose weight, or increase endurance, try adding interval running to your training schedule. Regular exercise with the right intensity level will certainly give results.

How many intervals should there be?

So what do you need to know about this? It all depends on several factors that should be taken into account when drawing up a training plan and planning a running route. Among the main ones, experts identify the following:

• level of physical development;
• amount of free time.

It is very difficult to calculate everything on your own, so when doing interval running it is best to stick to already developed training programs. Below are two examples designed for beginners and advanced runners. They were developed by professional trainers, so they will allow you to achieve the best results in the fight against obesity.