"interval training"

Sabine_Stroehm
Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm having a discussion with a friend about what qualifies "interval training".

Would you say running outside, up and down HILLS qualifies?

Replies

  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    I'm having a discussion with a friend about what qualifies "interval training".

    Would you say running outside, up and down HILLS qualifies?

    That is called hill training.

    Interval training is any series of work-bouts separated by either active or static recovery periods. Technically, it could be considered an interval type of workout if you take the downhills slowly enough. Technically, but not typically.
  • 987Runner
    987Runner Posts: 209 Member
    Interval running is high intensity paired with low intensity. If you're running down a hill slowly then speeding quickly up the hill, that could be intervals. But if you're just trotting slowly up a hill, that wouldn't count. My interval running for five miles would be five minutes slow, ten minutes fast, five minutes slow, etc., There is no standard speed or length so long as you have a high and low intensity.
  • creature275
    creature275 Posts: 348 Member
    hell yea thats interval training, just sprint up and walk down
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
    Interval training is where your heart rate varies. So you would go normal, fast, faster, and then back down. So if you're doing hills, I would say don't do it all in one pace. Maybe walk up (don't try sprinting a hill, it HURTS, lol), then run down, then sprint some flat ground, and then back up?
  • jenalderman
    jenalderman Posts: 411 Member
    hell yea thats interval training, just sprint up and walk down

    I agree just as long as you are pushing yourself to the MAX on the uphill and then slowing your heart rate back down on the downhill. My understanding of High Intensity Interval Training is that one of the keys is "maxing out" which trains your body to effeciently release energy. I know that it has helped me not only lose weight but to increase both my speed and endurance levels.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    hell yea thats interval training, just sprint up and walk down

    I agree just as long as you are pushing yourself to the MAX on the uphill and then slowing your heart rate back down on the downhill. My understanding of High Intensity Interval Training is that one of the keys is "maxing out" which trains your body to effeciently release energy. I know that it has helped me not only lose weight but to increase both my speed and endurance levels.

    All interval training is not High Intensity Interval Training. I perform many interval sessions that I don't come close to maxing out. It all depends upon what the focus of the workout is.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
    Thanks for the replies. This was my basic feeling: if you worked MUCH harder going up the hill, and even tried to push to a faster speed, then slowed way down on the way back down, it could be considered "interval training". We have a lot of hills here, and I run them, regularly, but I've never considered them anything other than "ugh". :happy: Perhaps I'll take a different perspective on them.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I dunno but your profile pic is SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,979 Member
    Would you say running outside, up and down HILLS qualifies?

    yep.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    My opinion is that your Heart Rate really defines interval training. If going up the hill raises your heart rate to a higher zone, and then you recover and bring your heart rate back down, then it counts.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    hell yea thats interval training, just sprint up and walk down

    I agree just as long as you are pushing yourself to the MAX on the uphill and then slowing your heart rate back down on the downhill. My understanding of High Intensity Interval Training is that one of the keys is "maxing out" which trains your body to effeciently release energy. I know that it has helped me not only lose weight but to increase both my speed and endurance levels.

    All interval training is not High Intensity Interval Training. I perform many interval sessions that I don't come close to maxing out. It all depends upon what the focus of the workout is.

    Big time. Most distance running focused interval training is NOT HIIT. On these boards most people think HIIT when you say intervals.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Interval training in it's most basic definition is just alternating work periods and recovery periods. There is no intensity threshold for the work intervals. In other words, someone just starting out who did 5 min on a treadmill, took 2 min to walk to a bike, did 5 min on the bike, walked over to an elliptical, and did 5 min on an elliptical--for them that is "interval training".

    There are different kinds of interval training, designed to achieve different training/performance results. So, for example, while All HIIT training is "interval training", not all interval training has to be HIIT.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,251 Member
    Interval training in it's most basic definition is just alternating work periods and recovery periods. There is no intensity threshold for the work intervals. In other words, someone just starting out who did 5 min on a treadmill, took 2 min to walk to a bike, did 5 min on the bike, walked over to an elliptical, and did 5 min on an elliptical--for them that is "interval training".

    There are different kinds of interval training, designed to achieve different training/performance results. So, for example, while All HIIT training is "interval training", not all interval training has to be HIIT.
    I've done HiiT training for many months and this is how I understand the two as well. Thanks.
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