Can anyone tell me about interval training ?

[frumpet]

I have heard this is a really good way to do exercise and wondered if anyone has any experience ?

Its when you work out at varying intensities eg on the treadmill:

Slow jog at 9km/h for 2 minutes and then go for it at 14km/h for 1 minute, repeat several times over course of 15 minute workout.

Gradually over time can change to 1.5 mins / 1.5 mins etc, really improves fitness as you push yourself very hard but for short periods of time.

Interval training is the main way I work out. Because the intense cardio intervals get your heartrate up and it stays up even when you ease off or switch to resistance, so you burn more calories. It also keeps your body guessing which is no bad thing.

Lots of running programmes start with interval training and dvds like Davina or Jillian Michaels are based on the basic principle.

I used to do this when I ran. Doesn't have to be anything formal or fancy at all.

Sometimes I would count in my head, say, 100 or 200 paces at slow speed and then the same again at fast speed, alternating for the whole run (can adjust the lengths/ratio as you get more knackered!).

Other times I would go steady speed most of the time, then once in a while decide I was going to sprint to the next lamppost say, then slow jog till the next side road to recover, then a bit more steady run and then randomly bit faster till the big tree... etc etc.

Guess you could do the same thing with cycling, swimming, walking...