(ThyBlackMan.com) High-intensity exercise is not for everyone, but the benefits can indeed be quite beneficial. High-intensity exercise, or interval training, is a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods. Interval training keeps your heart-rate up and burns more fat in less time. There are several benefits of interval training, three of which I will discuss here.
Whatever you age and fitness level, short burst of exercise followed by short recovery periods can lead to some fantastic results. Keep in mind your fitness level and fitness goal and always – always – check with your doctor before implementing such a program.
The key to success with interval training is heart rate. Try to keep it constant while giving yourself short periods of recovery.
Burn More Calories in a Shorter Time
This is perhaps the biggest benefit: you burn twice as many calories with a short burst of exercise than you would if you were to stay in the gym two hours lifting weights. These days, going to the gym can be a chore in and of itself; especially is you have children or you tend to work long hours.
That’s the beauty of interval training and the biggest reason it’s my go-to training regimen not just for me, but my clientele as well.
It’s twenty minutes of alternating between exercises such as squats, planks and pushups and sprints – whether on the tread or down the street at the park.
Increases Your Endurance
Endurance is much needed in our hyper-active world of work and family demands. But endurance is needed in many other areas of our lives as well, from the boardroom to the bedroom. Cardio endurance is simply the ability of the heart, lungs and blood vessels to deliver oxygen to body tissues.
If you tend to become winded after a climbing a couple of flight of stairs, your body is ‘deconditioned’ or your body is not efficiently delivering oxygen.
Endurance is crucial for all age-groups and for all activities – from playing with grandchildren to tending to your garden to sight-seeing. It’s important because it also increases your energy level, leaving you with a feel good feeling!
Great Way to Manage Stress
Closely related to the second point is the fact that interval training is a great way to reduce and manage stress. Stress is an everyday fact of living in America.
There’s nothing like putting in an effective and efficient high-intensity workout to break up the stress of a long day at the office.
You come away feeling light, energetic and ready to tackle a new challenge.
Depending on your age and fitness level, too much interval training can be counterproductive. That’s because interval training can be ultimately be hard on joints and can deplete crucial minerals, too.
That’s why keeping your regimen to thirty minutes or less is a good barometer for the 40-50 something age group.
Interval training is a great way to lose the weight, build endurance and manage stress. Start off with something simple, such as natural body weight exercises followed by a power-walk, and then graduate to a more robust regimen.
The key is to keep your heart-rate elevated for at least twenty minutes – even if in alternate spurts – and work in adequate but short recovery periods.
The results are awesome!
Staff Writer; W. Eric Croomes
This talented brother is a holistic lifestyle exercise expert and founder and executive coach of Infinite Strategies LLC, a multi-level coaching firm that develops and executes strategies for fitness training, youth achievement and lifestyle management. Eric is an author, fitness professional, holistic life coach and motivational speaker.
In October 2015, Eric released Life’s A Gym: Seven Fitness Principles to Get the Best of Both, which shows readers how to use exercise to attract a feeling of wellness, success and freedom (Infinite Strategies Coaching LLC, 2015) – http://www.infinitestrategiescoaching.com.