3 interval training plans to build fitness fast

Less time in the gym doesn't mean you have to sacrifice fitness if you know this secret: Interval training. Research shows that interval training—workouts in which you alternate periods of high-intensity exercise with low-intensity recovery period—increases fitness and burns more calories over a short period of time than steady-state cardio (you know: just doing the same thing for your whole workout time).

So how do you get the most out of interval training, and how long should each push and recovery be? One of the many great things about intervals is that there's no single hard-and-fast rule. Different lengths of work and recovery bring different benefits—and they're all good.
Start with these three interval training plans. Just know this: Interval training is tough, so if you're just starting to work out, spend a few weeks to a month building your stamina with cardio workouts before adding interval training to your routine. Add these interval training plans to your gym routine once a week to burn more calories, build more fitness, and get out of the gym faster.

1. Cardio Blaster
This is one of the best interval training workouts you can do to improve fitness. It burns lots of calories in a short amount of time.

How to do it:
Warm up for 15 minutes.
Then run, bike, or row for 3 minutes at 90 to 95 percent of your maximum heart rate (should feel like 8.5 or 9 on a scale of one to 10). Take three minutes active recovery (you're still moving, but at an easy pace) and repeat the 3 on/3 off pattern three to four more times.
Finish with a 10-minute cooldown.
Bonus benefit: This workout is like weight training for your heart—it strengthens your cardiovascular system, which improves your overall health.

2. Speedplay
Sprinting is great for tightening and toning your legs, glutes, and core. It increases your muscle power, which helps you push harder and makes your non-interval training workouts feel easier so you can challenge yourself and burn even more calories.

How to do it:
Warm up for 15 minutes, adding a few 20-second bursts at the end to prepare for the workout.
Run, bike, or row for 30 seconds at a nearly all-out effort. Take three minutes active recovery and repeat the 30 on/3 off pattern five or six more times.
Finish with a 10-minute cooldown.

3. Cardio-Sprint Pyramid
This adds sprint interval training for a fast and fun workout. Here, after each burst of hard work, you'll recover for the same amount of time.

How to do it:
Warm up for 15 minutes, adding a few 20-second bursts at the end to prepare for the workout.
Run, bike, or row: During the work periods, you should have a rate of perceived exertion (RPE of 8 to 10, followed by 30 seconds of active recovery.
Build and taper the workout like this:

30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover
1 minute sprint/1 minute recover
2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover
4 minutes sprint/4 minutes recover
2 minutes sprint/2 minutes recover
1 minute sprint/1 minute recover
30 seconds sprint/30 seconds recover
Finish with a 10-minute cooldown.

Bonus benefit: This major calorie-burning interval training plan gives you the best of both worlds—high-octane cardio and muscle-sculpting sprints.

Train Short, Go Long... Training for endurance events doesn't have to be as hard as you would think

If a typical week of exercise for you involves 60 minutes of perspiration every other day, pat yourself on the back. Why? Because that level of commitment puts you well on the way to running a marathon, biking a hundred miles, even taking part in a triathlon. You just need to step things up a notch and you'll discover an amazing little secret: Training for long-distance endurance events needn't be torture. The next level is within your reach, and getting there is easier than you think.

Ramp Up To A Marathon

There's no reason completing 26.2 miles on foot has to be brutal: The average time for San Diego's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in 2000 was a safe and sane four hours, 30 minutes for men and five hours, ten minutes for women—enough time to hit the john at mile six, walk through every water station, and hug your loved ones at mile 20. To get you to a triumphant finish, distance-running expert Jenny Hadfield, co-author of Marathoning for Mortals, has come up with an 18-week program that "allows you to finish with dignity." Hadfield has good reason for her regimen of short workouts. "It takes time to adapt your body to a marathon's high mileage," she says. "Push it and you risk hurting yourself." Apart from long runs every Saturday, you'll spend only two to three hours a week in your running shoes. Hadfield's plan assumes you've been logging five miles, three times a week, for at least three months. Now, on Mondays and Thursdays, run at a pace that makes it a little too hard to talk at the same time. On Tuesdays, cross-train with yoga, swimming, weight lifting, or biking to keep your whole body fit. Go for an easy run on Wednesdays or complete one of the following, as noted on the chart: (A) Run hard for five minutes; walk briskly for one minute; repeat sequence three times; (B) run hard for ten minutes; walk briskly for two minutes; run hard for ten minutes; walk again for two minutes; or (C) run hard for 20 minutes. For Saturday's longer runs, your pace should allow you to have a conversation.

Reach 100 Miles on your bike

Unless you just biked the Tour de France, few cycling experiences inflate an ego like watching a bike's odometer hit triple digits on the same day it registered zero. And cycling into shape for those 100 miles takes less time than you think. Try two months.  30 miles a week for at least two months before starting the regimen. That breaks down to slightly less than 20 minutes a day. Once you begin, a little math will make your workouts sharper: On Tuesdays, concentrate on maintaining a high cadence for 30 minutes; calculate yours by multiplying by four the number of times one foot goes around in 15 seconds.Aim for 80 rpm or higher,. When you can, increase ride time to an hour. With Thursday's ride, you're going to build leg strength on climbs that take at least five minutes to complete. No steep hills? Then find inclines too long to sprint all the way up and sprint up them as far as you can. If you're feeling strong, go for 90 minutes. On Saturdays, stick to a pace that will guarantee you finish the ride.

Saturday of week eight is century day: Carry enough food and liquid to last for three hours and cruise through the first 50 miles without stopping. That way, your century will probably take around seven hours instead of ten

Spring Training tips

After a long winter of reduced activity or inactivity you might be tempted to get outside and train as soon as the weather improves. You may also be tempted to exercise at the same level you did at the end of the last season. But such enthusiasm often leads to early season injuries. If you changed your routine for the winter, you need to get back into shape slowly. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you head out the door this spring.

Slow but Steady. Don’t succumb to the weekend warrior syndrome. Try to get some exercise 3-4 times per week on alternate days. One of the best ways to get injured or sore is to go hard all weekend and do nothing during the week.

Monitor Your Level of Exertion. Use the perceived exertion scale, the talk test, or the heart rate range to help you determine an appropriate intensity level. Stay at the lower end of the scale (11-13) and build up over several weeks.

Increase Your Training Slowly. Increasing training (mileage, time or amount of weight lifted) more than 10 percent per week increases your risk of injury. To avoid this, increase your training gradually over the weeks.

Avoid All-Out Efforts Until You Build a Solid Base of Fitness. Depending upon how much inactivity you had over the winter, it could take as long as 6 weeks to re-establish a solid fitness base. Start your exercise program with slow, steady aerobic sessions. When you add intervals or all-out efforts, make sure you allow enough rest and recovery (at least 48 hours) between those hard effort training days.

Follow a Training Program and Keep Records. If you really want to build back up to optimal fitness, it helps to establish a training plan and stick with it. There are many training programs for all types of sports and having one is not only good motivation, but it helps keep you from doing too much too soon.

Cut Yourself Some Slack. If you took the winter off, don't expect to be back to peak fitness in a week or two. It's ok to go slow and just enjoy being outside again. There's plenty of summer left, so don't worry about going a bit slower in the beginning.

Train With Others at Your Fitness Level. If you can find a few people with the same fitness level and goals as you it can help kept you progressing at a good pace. Training with those who are farther along will only encourage you to overdo it, get injured or feel ‘behind’ in your training. Workouts with more fit people can be motivating and help you improve, but only after you have a good solid base to work with. Otherwise they can be harmful.

Remember to Have Fun. Keep in mind that this is Spring Training which is a time for fun, light-hearted exercise. You aren't competing and you aren't burnt out yet. So just relax and
enjoy your activity.

Getting back into things... Slowly

It's been a long , cold, snowy winter. It's hard to keep up with your normal training schedule when it's miserable out, it's easy to just stay inside and relax in the warmth of your own house.. We know we've all been there.
Here's the good news.. It's March and things are warming up. After such a long hiatus we are dying to get back out there and go..go..go.
It's important to ease your way back into shape. Most people start training at the same levels they left off at once it started getting cold, but your body needs a few weeks to get back into shape.
The first few weeks of getting back into your fitness routine, try cutting your intensity by about half to three-quarters. Keep in mind that this is just for the first few weeks, so don’t feel like you’re backtracking.
The main reason for starting off slowly is to limit the chances of becoming sore, so that you can complete the first few weeks of training easily.
It takes a little bit more to refresh your cardio fitness than your muscular fitness. Get into it slowly. You can start out slower, or alternate your harder workouts with easier ones more often for a few weeks. The best way to judge is by listening to your body, don't be afraid to take a day off if you need too.
Don't forget to stretch !!!
Our last post talked about stretching and it's importance. Once your body is warmed up, make sure you stretch out, but there is no need to over do it. Stretching will help reduce soreness as well.
Nutrition:
We all know a well balanced meal not only is good for our bodies, but it makes us feel better as well.

Let's welcome spring with open arms and get out there slowly, but surely.

Quick and easy stretches to make you faster

We all know stretching is good for us, but do we always stretch before an activity? What about after?

Believe it or not its just as important, if not more important to stretch after your workout.
Here are some stretches to get your body moving..


Note: All running stretches should be performed for about 10 seconds or so.

Arm Stretches

• Stand upright and try to reach the back of your left shoulder with your right hand. Use your left hand to help push your right hand farther back. Do the same with your other hand/arm.
• Put your right arm in the air and bend it so that your elbow is behind your head. With your left hand behind your head, grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull left. Switch.
  

  Hamstrings Stretch

We call this stretch “hang”. Standing upright, simply bend over forward and let your arms hang down. Your knees do not have to lock, but make sure to keep your legs straight. If you have never done this stretch before, you probably won’t get close enough to touch your toes. But if you hang long enough, you will get closer (and by doing this stretch more often, you will become a lot more flexible). Repeat with your right leg over your left leg and then with your left leg over your right leg.

Quad Stretches

We call these stretches “Flamingos”. Standing upright, bend your right leg back and hold your right ankle with your hand. To help maintain your balance, find a nearby wall or a running partner, or grab your ear with your free hand to counterbalance. Repeat with your other leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL2kRGab

•  We call this stretch “hang”. Standing upright, simply bend over forward and let your arms hang down. Your knees do not have to lock, but make sure to keep your legs straight. If you have never done this stretch before, you probably won’t get close enough to touch your toes. But if you hang long enough, you will get closer (and by doing this stretch more often, you will become a lot more flexible). Repeat with your right leg over your left leg and then with your left leg over your right leg.
  
  
  

  Quad Stretches

• Standing upright, bend your right leg back and hold your right ankle with your hand. To help maintain your balance, find a nearby wall or a running partner, or grab your ear with your free hand to counterbalance. Repeat with your other leg.
•  Stand with your legs apart and bend down, as if you were performing a squat. Place both palms down on the floor and use your elbows to stretch your legs outward. You will definitely feel the burn.
  
  

  Groin Stretch

•  Sit on your butt and place the soles of your feet together, so that they are touching and stick your knees out to the sides. Try to move your feet as close to your groin. Initially, you will not be able to get as close, but will with time. It will also help to try and bend down to touch your nose to your feet too, but definitely more advanced.

Hip & Lower Back Stretches

• Position so that you are going to do a butterfly stretch,            except  straighten your left leg and using both hands, try and touch your left toe. Do the same with your right leg.

• Sit on the ground with your right leg crossed over the left. Grab and hug your right knee, so that you feel the back of your leg (lower butt) stretch. You can also put your left arm over the right knee and twist your body clockwise. While stretching your lower back, you can crack your back as well. Switch to stretch your left leg.

• Calf/Achilies Stretch

• Get in a push-up position, but place your right foot over your left foot and stick your butt up in the air and flatten your left foot. Depending on how high in the air you stick your butt and how flat your make your foot, you will feel your calf muscle stretch. Make sure you don’t pull your calf muscle this way, but also be sure that you do feel a burn in the first place. Do the same with your left calf.

If you follow these  stretches (more or less in that order), you will help lengthen and strengthen your muscles, allowing a better range of motion for your arms and legs. All this, in turn, helps you perform better and run faster at runs and races, without doing much else.

 

We call these stretches “Hurdles”. Position so that you are going to do a butterfly stretch, except straighten your left leg and using both hands, try and touch your left toe. Do the same with your right leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL4EVkSN

 

We call these stretches “Hurdles”. Position so that you are going to do a butterfly stretch, except straighten your left leg and using both hands, try and touch your left toe. Do the same with your right leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL4EVkSN

     

 

 

We call these stretches “Hurdles”. Position so that you are going to do a butterfly stretch, except straighten your left leg and using both hands, try and touch your left toe. Do the same with your right leg.

Sit on the ground with your right leg crossed over the left. Grab and hug your right knee, so that you feel the back of your leg (lower butt) stretch. You can also put your left arm over the right knee and twist your body clockwise. While stretching your lower back, you can crack your back as well. Switch to stretch your left leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL3oB5Y2

We call these stretches “Hurdles”. Position so that you are going to do a butterfly stretch, except straighten your left leg and using both hands, try and touch your left toe. Do the same with your right leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL3b3NlY

We call these stretches “Hurdles”. Position so that you are going to do a butterfly stretch, except straighten your left leg and using both hands, try and touch your left toe. Do the same with your right leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL3b3NlY

Put your right arm in the air and bend it so that your elbow is behind your head. With your left hand behind your head, grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull left. Switch.

Hamstrings Stretch

We call this stretch “hang”. Standing upright, simply bend over forward and let your arms hang down. Your knees do not have to lock, but make sure to keep your legs straight. If you have never done this stretch before, you probably won’t get close enough to touch your toes. But if you hang long enough, you will get closer (and by doing this stretch more often, you will become a lot more flexible). Repeat with your right leg over your left leg and then with your left leg over your right leg.

Quad Stretches

We call these stretches “Flamingos”. Standing upright, bend your right leg back and hold your right ankle with your hand. To help maintain your balance, find a nearby wall or a running partner, or grab your ear with your free hand to counterbalance. Repeat with your other leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL2kRGab

Put your right arm in the air and bend it so that your elbow is behind your head. With your left hand behind your head, grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull left. Switch.

Hamstrings Stretch

We call this stretch “hang”. Standing upright, simply bend over forward and let your arms hang down. Your knees do not have to lock, but make sure to keep your legs straight. If you have never done this stretch before, you probably won’t get close enough to touch your toes. But if you hang long enough, you will get closer (and by doing this stretch more often, you will become a lot more flexible). Repeat with your right leg over your left leg and then with your left leg over your right leg.

Quad Stretches

We call these stretches “Flamingos”. Standing upright, bend your right leg back and hold your right ankle with your hand. To help maintain your balance, find a nearby wall or a running partner, or grab your ear with your free hand to counterbalance. Repeat with your other leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL2kRGab

Put your right arm in the air and bend it so that your elbow is behind your head. With your left hand behind your head, grab your right elbow with your left hand and pull left. Switch.

Hamstrings Stretch

We call this stretch “hang”. Standing upright, simply bend over forward and let your arms hang down. Your knees do not have to lock, but make sure to keep your legs straight. If you have never done this stretch before, you probably won’t get close enough to touch your toes. But if you hang long enough, you will get closer (and by doing this stretch more often, you will become a lot more flexible). Repeat with your right leg over your left leg and then with your left leg over your right leg.

Quad Stretches

We call these stretches “Flamingos”. Standing upright, bend your right leg back and hold your right ankle with your hand. To help maintain your balance, find a nearby wall or a running partner, or grab your ear with your free hand to counterbalance. Repeat with your other leg.

Read more: http://www.trail-running-blog.com/training/9-running-stretches-to-help-run-faster/#ixzz1FL2kRGab