Why You Should Be Interval Training

Here’s the heart rate data from session I did on Tuesday.

Somehow, my heart rate didn’t flatline even though I thought it was going to after rep number 3!

So without complicating things too much like us sport scientists and S&C coaches do a lot of the time. Here’s what you are seeing:

My warm-up was the squiggly line at the beginning (no I didn’t stop and walk to be lazy, I had to cross a road at a roundabout where the traffic is currently being diverted due to the world’s most annoying roadworks ever in Dorking!) This warm-up was a gentle jog for 8 mins after performing some dynamic stretches specific to me before I set off.
The five big lumpy blocks in the middle were my 5x1200m runs with a 90sec walk in between. I’m training for a marathon so I’m focusing on keeping these runs fast, but enduring. So they were all between 6.25-6.30 min/mile pace.
Finally, the last chunk was my nice warm-down jog back home (with no need to wait to cross the road this time!). This was another 8 min gentle jog.

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I’m not expecting you to all understand the science and physiology behind the fancy little graph that I’ve put up. But, I’m sure you’ll all understand this.

I ran a total of 3.73 miles (or 6km for you Europeans) at 6.25-6.30 min/mile pace.
This is a faster pace than what I would be able to comfortably be able to run 3.73 or 6km non-stop at.
This is how I have applied the principle of overload to my training session. I have run faster for a give distance (6km) by breaking up the session into achievable chunks (5x1200m).
Finally, I have pushed my cardiovascular system harder by keeping my heart rate between 88-95% of it’s age-predicted maximum. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do this if I ran at this pace for 6km!

Apart from allowing yourself to training harder by breaking a training run into intervals you are also allowing yourself to train your speed and mechanics.

Generally, if you train fast, you get faster. If you train slow, you get slow.

Additionally, when you run faster your mechanics work more efficiently. Everything feels more streamline and tighter. You lift your knees higher. You drive with your arms more. You extend your stride-length and you run off of the forefoot rather than the heel.

This more efficient way of running can be a little bit less stressful for the body in terms of how impact and ground reaction forces are dispersed. I’ve had clients in the past who’ve not been comfortable running due to knee pain. I’ve broken up their sessions into intervals and due to the change in mechanics and the duration of each interval, they’ve been able to run without experiencing knee pain.

A final point, training for endurance events using interval training is really beneficial because it allows you to overload without increasing the miles. Think about this. If you want to overload something, you usually do more. You perform more sets or more reps of an exercise or skill. (Think about hitting a golf ball or serving in tennis).

In running, generally you’ll run a longer distance than your race/event so when you next compete it’ll be easier. But, in realistic terms this isn’t always possible. If you’re training for a marathon you can’t (unless your a superhuman) go out for 30 mile runs every session. If you did, you wouldn’t be able to run fast, you’ll probably get some overuse injuries and because you’ll be training slow you’ll subsequently get slow.

Running intervals will allow you to run faster than your race pace and do so consistently. This can also be applied to endurance training for cycling, rowing, swimming etc…

If you want some advice on how you can improve yourself and get some intervals into your training send me an e-mail.

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Until next time,

Joe Bullen MSc ASCC CSCS