Running intervals

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katybecker
katybecker Posts: 18
in Fitness and Exercise
I tried running intervals today for the first time. Walk fast 2 mins, run 2 mins then walk slow 1 min for a total of 20 mins. I have read this burns more calories than just running alone. Anyone know if this is true?

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  • tanyaMax
    tanyaMax Posts: 524 Member
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    Bump! i want to knwo what others are saying.. i usually walk fast for 4 minutes and run for 1 minute (for one hour) so i would like to know if this is true too :0)
  • coppercurlz
    coppercurlz Posts: 65
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    I'm not an expert :) But I know when I do intervals, my calorie burn (on my HRM) is higher than if I'd have just done a long run.

    You are basically training your heart (to speed up and recover faster making it more efficient), and training your muscles differently than if you just run one speed (firing your "sprinting" muscles as well as the main running muscles). Again, not an expert nor do I have the correct terminology, but interval training can be HUGE to someone just starting, or if you are trying to get an edge to your existing running program. It also changes things up and helps it not be so monotonous. Good job!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    The calorie burn should not be the goal of running intervals. Interval training is a great way to improve fitness which will allow you to work harder overall -- and that will help burn more calories. For the average exerciser, that should be the primary reason.

    Intervals can be done for a number of reasons. They can be used to help build endurance. By that I mean if you can't run 20 min continuously, it is quite possible you might be able to run 6 or 7 3 min intervals with walking breaks. "Capturing the distance" through intervals is a good way to increase your mileage until you can do it continuously.

    Intervals can also be used to increase speed. Even doing something basic --like throwing in 4 or 5 60 sec intervals that are .3 or mph faster than your "cruising" speed in a 20 min run can have a noticeable effect.

    Intervals don't always have to be "hard".

    In any case, intervals should be just one thing in your "fitness toolbox". Slower endurance runs are also very important, as are "tempo" runs--long intervals or medium runs done at a challenging speed (but not as hard as intervals). Endurance training will enhance your ability to sustain and recover from interval training.

    It' all works together, and the smart runner will utilize all 3 styles of training.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    I would say running intervals burns more than WALKING, not necessarily running.
  • Jjames1978
    Jjames1978 Posts: 39 Member
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    I have been doing a tour de pain program on the treadmill that changes the incline from 1 to 7 through out the workout, my speed stays consistent through out though. I just tried a rolling hills program the other day where the incline stays at 0 and the speed changes .5 mph every 30 sec for 5 speeds up and 5 speeds down, I was thinking about rotating these every other work out or would it be good to do one for a while then switch or neither?
  • katybecker
    katybecker Posts: 18
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    I would try doing one or the other for about 2 weeks or so then maybe switch it up. Good luck!
  • Chiqui74
    Chiqui74 Posts: 72 Member
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    OP, how long have you been running? If you are farily new, I'd stay away from speed-work and work on increasing mileage and endurance. Also, as a previous poster commented, calorie burn is not/should not be the point of intervals.
  • tmd01029
    tmd01029 Posts: 12
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    Google Tabata training. That will give you lots of the science behind it.
    Killer stuff. The thing with tabata training you can do it with anything.

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