Interval Training: Helping You Push Past Your Limits

Finding ways to maximize your time at the gym is a great practice that will not only allow you to burn more calories in a shorter period of time, it will also force your body to work harder which will have big pay-offs in terms of your strength and endurance.

Thirteen-time World Health Club Calgary Personal Trainer of the Year Paul Anthony recommends to his in-gym and online personal training clients that a combination of strength training, cardio training and Metcon (metabolic conditioning, a combo of weights and cardio) are the three keys to achieving top-tier fitness. When it comes to your cardio routine, one way to really push your limits is through interval training.

What is interval training?

Basically, it means alternating extremely hard activity with lighter activity. If you’re a runner, that could mean doing a one-minute sprint at 90% effort level, followed by two minutes of jogging at 50-60% effort level.

Why is interval training good for the body?

By boosting the intensity of your workout, even for short periods of time, you’re able to push your maximum limits. In the running example, your first interval workout might have you maxing out at 6.5 miles per hour, but after a week or so, you might find yourself pushing it to 7.2 or 7.5. In addition, as your cardiovascular abilities improve, your pace during the “resting” portion of the interval workout might increase as well.

In an earlier blog, we talked about Paul’s tips for getting stronger when weight training. Interval training is a similar idea for cardio training. You might not be advancing in your cardio training because a static workout routine doesn’t force you to push your limits. Interval training does.

As a result, interval training keeps you from getting bored, because you’re constantly switching up the pace and testing your limits. And the advantage of that is you’ll be burning more calories by consistently pushing what you thought was your 100% to the next level.

Ready to try interval training?

Working with a personal trainer is always the best way to get the most out of your workout. If you have questions about how to get started on interval training or strength training, contact Paul Anthony for tips from one of Calgary’s best personal trainers.