It is extremely important to vary your workout routines. In anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks, your body will adapt to the demands you put on it. It’s a simple concept known as S.A.I.D. (Specific Adaption Imposed Demand).
After doing about 2-4 weeks of long, slow distance jogging, your body adapts to the stress you put on it and will not make the types of gains you are looking for. If your goal is to run a marathon, then that’s fine. But if your goal is physique augmentation, you have to keep your body guessing.
The best way to do this is interval training, which can be done in a number of ways. Kettlbell clean and press 15/15, battling ropes/jumping rope 30/30, treadmill sprints, and so on. My trainers are great at explaining this style of training.
Interval training has been the standard for athletic routines for years. First forms of interval training, called ‘fartlek’, involved alternating short, fast bursts of intense exercise with slow, easy activity (i.e. treadmill sprints for a bit then back to jogging). It is not really monitored for time. Fartlek is casual, unstructured training.
Interval programs of today are highly sophisticated methods of structured training for athletic performance enhancement. Physiologists and trainers design interval training programs that are specifically suited to individual athletes. These sessions include precisely measured intervals that match the athletes’ sport, event and current level of conditioning.
Interval training works both the aerobic and anaerobic systems. During the high intensity effort, the anaerobic system uses energy stored in the muscles (glycogen) for short bursts of activity. Anaerobic metabolism works without oxygen. The byproduct is lactic-acid, which is related to the burning sensation felt in the muscles during high intensity efforts. During the high intensity interval, lactic acid builds up and the athlete enters oxygen debt. During the recovery phase the heart and the lungs work together to “pay back” this oxygen debt and break down the lactic acid. It is in this phase that the aerobic system is in control, using oxygen to convert stored carbohydrates into energy.
This repetitive form of training also leads to S.A.I.D. The body adapts, begins to build new capillaries, and is better able to take in and deliver oxygen to the working muscle. Muscles develop a higher tolerance to the build-up of lactate and the heart muscle is strengthened. These changes result in improved performance.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short, high intensity exercise. If you are counting calories burned, high intensity exercises, such as intervals, are better than long, slow endurance exercises.
Depending on your fitness level and health, this is how you should start:
Weeks 1 and 2, start with a warm up of 5-7 min then increase your speed to a comfortable level; if you can talk, it’s too easy so go just above that.
Use all the equipment; treadmill, bike, elliptical and, my favorite, the rowing machine. Work up to about 20 min then cool down.
If you feel comfortable with this, you can go to the next level:
Weeks 3 and 4, go to the ‘fartlek’ training-same 5-7min warm up, then sprint for a comfortable amount of time, say 20-40sec, and then go back to a jog. Try to get in 3-5 sprints within a 20min period followed by a cool down.
Weeks 5 and on, start to step it up (if you have been doing similar training you may be able to start here). Warm up for 5-7min, start with 3 sprints, 30sec each, followed by a 90-120sec jog and work up to 5 or 6 sprints. When you get to 5, start cutting the resting time down to 60sec and begin increasing the length of the sprints. You want to get up to 5 70sec sprint with a 240sec rest. Remember to keep these times tight!
Start slow and work your way up. If you have any pain, STOP ASAP.
Larry Betz, CSCS
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