Interval or endurance training?

swimmermama

I am 30, female, and just trying to lose the last five pounds of baby weight. I am already at a healthy weight for my height and am MUCH more interested in boosting/maintaining my metabolim and getting fit than losing weight. I would love to go jogging with my husband this summer, for example, but now can only do a couple of miles at a 12-minute pace before I am exhausted. (I can totally out-swim him, though!)

I try my very best to do weight training at the gym twice a week, plus abdominal exercises, squats, push-ups, etc at home another two days. Yay for muscles!

I keep reading about how good interval training is. My question is whether I should be focusing on interval training, working on longer sprints, or endurance running, focusing on keeping a steady pace for longer distances? Is interval training just better for burning calories or really better all-around?

I would love to hear people's opinions on this. Thanks!

erickirb

Interval, specifically HIIT, is the best to lose fat without losing muscle. Steady state cardio, does have its place but too much of it and you will burn off valuable muscle, not just fat. You can work both types of training into your routine to get the benefits of both.

RMinVA

BOTH! Doesn't have to be either or.

LMac423

I think you should do all! In a normal week I do a day of speed work, a really long run, an easier mid-distance run and a harder mid-distance run with some hills in it! I'm all about mixing it up!

backinthenines

If you want to get into running and want to get better at that, then I would suggest you carry on building going steady for a little bit longer before you consider running intervals or other drills.

There are two factors determining good running... one is simple cardiovascular fitness (which builds deceivingly quickly), and the other is muscular-skeletal strength & bone density (which builds deceivingly slowly)!!

The reason so many novice runners get injured is because they are trying to do advance stuff like hill reps and fartlek intervals, before they can even run 5k steady. They think because they have the cardiovascular fitness that that's all they need and it's wrong. Running is a high impact sport and sprinting even more so.

Go steady for a bit longer. Build your distance by no more than 10% each week. No need to push pace at this stage. Pace will come on it's own to some extend. When you're comfortable running 5k at conversational pace, then start looking at developing pace a bit.

Welcome to running. :flowerforyou:

swimmermama

If you want to get into running and want to get better at that, then I would suggest you carry on building going steady for a little bit longer before you consider running intervals or other drills.

There are two factors determining good running... one is simple cardiovascular fitness (which builds deceivingly quickly), and the other is muscular-skeletal strength & bone density (which builds deceivingly slowly)!!

The reason so many novice runners get injured is because they are trying to do advance stuff like hill reps and fartlek intervals, before they can even run 5k steady. They think because they have the cardiovascular fitness that that's all they need and it's wrong. Running is a high impact sport and sprinting even more so.

Go steady for a bit longer. Build your distance by no more than 10% each week. No need to push pace at this stage. Pace will come on it's own to some extend. When you're comfortable running 5k at conversational pace, then start looking at developing pace a bit.

Welcome to running. :flowerforyou:

Thanks! I think I will follow your advice and once I can do a 5k at conversational pace, I will start to work in HIIT. I have no trouble swimming hard for an hour or more but running is so much harder for me! You are right that I need to build those muscles!

backinthenines

And when you get a bike join us on the triathlon thread. :drinker: :bigsmile:

RMinVA

And when you get a bike join us on the triathlon thread. :drinker: :bigsmile:

Where is the triathlon thread? I have entered my first sprint (it's in September) and have been looking for a thread, but can't seem to find one.

swimmermama

And when you get a bike join us on the triathlon thread. :drinker: :bigsmile:

I would LOVE to do a triathlon! I did a lot of biking in grad school and adored it.

backinthenines

Then why not sign up for a little sprint somewhere? It's great fun!! :bigsmile:

You're a more than competent swimmer so 500m will not bother you in the slightest, 20km bike ride and a little 5k run and arms in the air for the finish line. You'll love it.

backinthenines

And when you get a bike join us on the triathlon thread. :drinker: :bigsmile:

Where is the triathlon thread? I have entered my first sprint (it's in September) and have been looking for a thread, but can't seem to find one.

There have been a couple recently. I'll try to find them for you.

Edit: here is one:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/157770-any-triathletes?page=2#posts-2321313

and here is the other:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/133559-2011-triathlon?hl=sprint+triathlon#posts-2028108

RMinVA

And when you get a bike join us on the triathlon thread. :drinker: :bigsmile:

Where is the triathlon thread? I have entered my first sprint (it's in September) and have been looking for a thread, but can't seem to find one.

There have been a couple recently. I'll try to find them for you.

Edit: here is one:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/157770-any-triathletes?page=2#posts-2321313

and here is the other:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/133559-2011-triathlon?hl=sprint+triathlon#posts-2028108

Thanks!! I had found a few, but they didn't look particularly active.