Blog Post #5 Intervals: Where to Start

Many of us do not currently have access to treadmills, stair climbers, stationary bikes, or elliptical equipment, but that need not keep us from burning calories, building an aerobic base, or developing our energy systems.  Whether you are a tactical athlete or not, this blog will help you!

Recognizing that different sports and professions have different energy system requirements, I’ve crafted this post to paint some important considerations in broad strokes; my hope is to give you some tools that you can begin implementing right away.

First two things to consider:

When considering crafting your own energy system work or reviewing what you have done, begin by looking at two variables: intensity and the duration.  Intensity is a measure of how aggressively you are working, while duration measures how long you are working. 

Ideally, you want to work out using either short bursts of high intensity or extended periods of moderate intensity.

How will you measure your intervals?

With the use of modern wearable technology, there are a number of ways to measure your intervals. 

Remember, what isn’t measured, isn’t managed, and our goal is to progress or build our ability to do work. 

You can use heart rate zones that most wearable devices will have already programed.  You can use a subjective RPE (rating of perceived exertion) scale, with “1” being at rest and “10” being maximal effort. In that case, your work periods might feel like an “8” and your rest will feel like a “2.”  You can also just use a timer to progress either rounds or time worked.

What is it that you are training for?

Are you preparing for a marathon or a field sport?  Are you preparing for a mixed martial arts fight, or are you working out to improve your tactical performance and overall quality of life?  All of these have different needs and requirements. 

If you are preparing for quick and explosive acceleration, you want to your work intervals to last for, say, 10 seconds, and then you want to give yourself ample rest (at least 50 seconds). 

If you are working on lowering body composition, you want to work out for a longer duration but with much lower intensity.  The actual times are going to depend on each person’s prior level of conditioning.  You might try steady state cardiovascular exercise for 20 to 60 minutes, or you can try intervals of 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off. 

Remember: it all comes down to how intense is the work you are doing and how long is it realistically sustainable.  Energy system work shouldn’t be something you dread, but neither should it be something that you are guessing at.

Reach out to us with any questions or challenges you face with interval work!

Best wishes from the team at Franz Fitness.