Dr.
Martin Gibala, PhD, chairman of the Department of Kinesiology at
McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, is researching the astounding
effect of interval training. His studies suggest that “six
minutes or
so a week of hard exercise (plus the time spent warming up, cooling
down, and resting between the bouts of intense work) had proven to be
as good as multiple hours of working out for achieving fitness.”
This
research challenges the longstanding idea that hours of exercise are
required to achieve fitness. Even more impressive is the theory that
intense interval training helps with weight loss.
Dr.
Gibala’s findings have been confirmed by other researchers
who found that intense, short exercise sessions improved heart
health, even among individuals with heart disease.
But
to realize the benefits, the six minutes of interval training need to
be intense—demandingly intense, even uncomfortably strenuous.
Exercisers must exert themselves flat out for six minutes with
nothing held back.
Still,
the idea of achieving fitness with a minimal expenditure of time has
enormous appeal. So when I read the latest research praising the
benefits of interval training, I thought I’d consult John
Hendrickson, a local expert.
John is a certified member of the National Academy of Sports
Medicine, a certified personal trainer and a certified post rehab
conditioning specialist through the American Academy of Health,
Fitness and Rehabilitation Professionals.
I
wanted to see if John’s real-world experience made him similarly
enthusiastic and also to learn how to add interval training into
ongoing exercise routines.
John
surprised me by reporting that long before interval training was
popular, he incorporated the concept into his tennis clinics and
personal training sessions because of the benefits his clients
reported. (His clients, by the way, range in age from 15 to 75.)
Here
are my questions and John’s answers:
Q.
What is interval training?
A.
Interval training refers to exercise at a very high intensity
followed by exercise at a lower intensity in repeated patterns or
sets.
Q.
What are the benefits?
A.
Interval training improves fitness and balance, increases speed and
stamina and reduces recovery time.
Q.
How can interval training facilitate weight loss?
A.
When you follow high-intensity exercise with low-intensity exercise
in repeated patterns, you increase metabolism, thereby increasing the
calories that are burned during and after the exercise period.
Q.
Is interval training an efficient way to exercise?
A.
Structured correctly, interval training can blend strength, cardio,
agility, flexibility and speed exercises into one 20- to 30-minute
workout. The routines I’ve developed are both fun and challenging.
Best of all, they pack a great punch in a short period.
Q.
Is tennis an interval sport?
A.
Yes, especially when played as a singles player. When I teach tennis,
I structure the clinics as interval-training workouts. I introduce
controlled, balanced drills followed by higher-intensity drills that
focus on balance, cardio, agility and speed.
Q.
Before we undertake interval training, are there any safety issues
that we should be aware of?
A.
It’s prudent to warm up before starting, set realistic goals and
make sure the program matches your abilities. Start slowly and build
up to the maximum intensity and duration. Monitor your heart rate
during the intense drills and bring your heart rate back to normal
during rest periods.
If
you are pressed for time, you might want to press yourself as hard as
you can for six minutes at least once a week. This way, you can
achieve the same level of fitness that others take hours to achieve.
Which style of exercising will you
choose?
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