WHAT IS INTERVAL TRAINING?
Simply put, interval training is a type of workout that alternates between periods of higher-intensity exercise, and a period of low-intensity/recovery periods. There are so many benefits to including intervals in your training, that’s why we’ve teamed up with training partners at Coopah to help you!
WHY DO I NEED TO DO INTERVAL TRAINING?
- It can help to improve your cardiovascular health by increasing your heart rate and oxygen consumption (this is what gets you fitter!)
- It helps to improve your endurance (meaning you can run for longer before you get fatigued)
- It’s a great way to mix up your training and most of all it’s fun!
- It allows you to push yourself out of your comfort zone for short bursts.
- It may surprise you what you are actually capable of!
HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK SHOULD I BE DOING INTERVALS?
This answer will vary from runner to runner, but if you are new to interval training we would suggest including one workout per week to begin with, and ensuring that you have plenty of recovery time and easy runs alongside it.
Once you have built up your confidence and your running experience, you could then look to add a second session to your week, however, it’s important to gradually increase the intensity and duration of your intervals to avoid injury and ensure proper recovery. You definitely don’t want to be doing back-to-back hard runs as this can end up causing you to burn out, lose motivation or even pick up an injury.
I’VE NEVER DONE INTERVAL TRAINING BEFORE, HOW CAN I START?
We know it can feel daunting to start with, but this is one reason why we teamed up with Coopah, so they can support and guide runners through their running journey – including introducing them to new types of workouts!
A Coopah Coach favourite is a session we call The Antwerp. It is a really basic interval session but one we think is perfect if you are just getting started.
The workout is simple, it is 8 x 1 minute on/1 minute off, with the idea being that you run hard for one minute, and then you have a minute walk/jog recovery. We also always recommend doing a 10-minute easy run to start with to warm up, and the same at the end to cool down.
DOWNLOAD COOPAH TODAY!
Start your training journey with us and download your FREE 2 week trial at Coopah today and get…
- A fully personalised training plan built around your availability and goals
- Unlimited coaching support 24/7
- Streaks and incentives to keep you motivated
- Access to our community of other runners, physios and mental health experts to give you support and advice up to the day.
- Track your progress and your weekly/monthly mileage.
To get your 2 weeks FREE just enter “GREATWELSH2” when registering.