Benefits of Interval Training (Weight Loss and Running)

Benefits of Interval Training To Aid with Weight Loss:

To maximize weight loss, you need to exercise for a long enough amount of time. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity performed five days a week. Instead of attempting to do this all at once, you have two options. Either do two or three interval sessions throughout the day to accumulate your time, or mix 10-minute interval bouts into your long training sessions. After you get into better cardiovascular shape, you will be able to do the full 60 to 90 minutes.

Effects:
Even though interval training burns a high amount of calories while you do it, you also reap the effects of the after burn. This is known in the fitness industry as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. Simply put, after you get done with your workout, your body burns excess calories for several hours trying to get back to pre-exercise oxygen levels.

The Tool:
When you pedal an indoor cycle, you work multiple major muscles in the lower body, such as the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calves and tibialis anterior.  The added benefit on the Realryder bike is the ability to incorporate your upper body into the ride.  First the lean and then the turn, moving side to side integrates your whole body into the ride burning as many as 900 calories per 50 minute ride.
Any time you build muscle, you raise your resting metabolic rate, which promotes faster weight loss. During the class your instructor will want you to work your leg muscles harder, increase the resistance on the bike and stand up while pedaling during your high-intensity bouts.

What are Benefits of Interval Training:
Promotes post-exercise fat oxidation
Increases metabolic rate
Maintains stable Insulin levels
Reduces blood pressure and Body Mass Index 

There appears to be very little controversy regarding the multitude of benefits associated with interval training. For individuals who have limited time for exercise, interval routines may be a safe and effective method to achieve benefits comparable to long duration, moderate, continuous exercise.


Benefit of Interval Training to Aid the Runner:

"For the athlete who's already doing intervals," says Martin Gibala, Ph.D., a McMaster University researcher, "upping the intensity with short bursts of speed may provide new benefits." Your cardiovascular system gets stronger and pushes more oxygen-rich blood through your body. Muscles get better at using that oxygenated blood. Your stride becomes more efficient as coordination between the muscles and nervous system improves. The perks may even extend to reducing your risk for chronic diseases by improving blood sugar control.

Running superfast does increase the risk of injury, however. You need to be strong and flexible and have a solid base of both mileage and speedwork to safely do this training, says Joe McConkey, M.S., an exercise physiologist and coach at the Boston Running Center. Another proven method to achieve the same result is to incorporate an indoor cycling routine into your workout this choice of training will decrease the risk of injury caused by high impact training.

When you're ready for HIIT workouts (High Intensity Interval Training), find a studio that know hows to envelope interval training within a regular class.  A good instructor will know how to incorporate intervals for multiple levels within the class while still keeping the class fun and invigorating.