Continuous And Interval Training For Greater EnduranceContinuous and interval training are great ways to improve your aerobic endurance. This article explains how often you should perform endurance training and at what intensity. Use the general guidelines to develop your own sport-specific continuous and interval training sessions. But first...
Continuous Endurance TrainingAs its name suggests this type of endurance training involves exercising continuously for 30-45 minutes. The intensity must be light enough to allow for a 30-45 minute duration without being so light that it fails to overload the cardio-respiratory system.
As with any component of fitness you must first lay down the foundations... in this case a solid aerobic base on which to build more specific, more intense forms of endurance training.
Starting off with light, continuous type exercise is something most professional athletes do at the start of each season, before they begin interval training. Continuous endurance training can take many forms... swimming, cycling, running etc.
The intensity should be 75-80% maximum heart rate or about 70% VO2max. (See below for determining heart rate intensity)
If you can't afford a heart rate monitor, don't sweat (no pun intended!). Stop a couple of times during the session, take your pulse for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Better still...
Use the "talk test" -- if you can just about hold a conversation while you exercise, then the intensity is about right.
Fartlek training is a variation of continuous endurance training. It consists of running, jogging and walking. For example an athlete might cruise for 30 seconds followed by a steady jog for 60 seconds. This is repeated for the duration of the session.
There is any number of combinations for fartlek training. It's a good introduction to the training season and adds variety to the often monotonous, continuous endurance training.
Interval Endurance TrainingInterval training is simply bouts of intense activity separated with short rest periods. Using this approach you can exercise at a higher intensity without fatiguing. Here's a quick example...
John can run 2 miles continuously in 12 minutes... if he pushes himself! Using interval training he breaks the distance up into half-mile sections -- 4 in total. He knows he can maintain a faster pace if he's only running half a mile so his target time is 2.5 minutes for each half-mile section. His interval training session looks like this...
If he completes this session John will have run 2 miles in 10 minutes, something he wouldn't have been able to achieve running continuously for 2 miles.
The intensity of interval training is higher -- around 85-90% maximum heart rate (80-85% VO2max) but resting between each repetition allows your body to recover and lactic acid to disperse. Rest between each repetition should take the form of active recovery -- rather than standing still, walk or jog very slowly for up to a minute.
Determining Exercise Intensity For Endurance TrainingThere are several ways to measure your exercise intensity...
Most coaches and athletes use heart rate because it is by far the most practical and easy to measure. In order for you to get the most out of your endurance training a heart rate monitor is essential. In fact...
A heart rate monitor is one of the best investments you can make! The first step you must take is to establish your maximum heart rate. The simplest way to do this is to use the following simple equation...
Maximum heart rate = 220 - Age
So for example if a 25 year old wanted to train at 70% of their maximum heart rate...
HRmax = 220 - 25
70% HRmax = 195 x 0.7
With both continuous and interval training your body will begin to adapt after several weeks. In order to continue exercising at 70% of your maximum heart rate, you must increase the exercise intensity (the speed you are running or cycling etc).
Another method to calculate your training threshold is the Karvonen equation. It's a bit more complicated but offers a more specific training zone. The equation takes into account your working heart rate (calculated as the difference between maximum heart rate and resting heart rate).
To calculate a training zone at 70% for a 50 year old with a resting heart rate of 70 bpm...
Target HR zone = (Maximum HR - Resting HR) x
70% + Resting HR
I can't emphasise enough the importance of monitoring your training intensity with a heart rate monitor. Whether you are training for weightloss or as a serious endurance athlete it is essential. A great monitor to start with is the Polar
Beat. It is inexpensive and easy to use... Make Endurance Training Sport-SpecificThink about your sport or event for a moment. What type of movement patterns does it involve?
If you are a triathlete for example, you swim, run and cycle continuously for prolonged periods of time. If you play tennis...
The short bouts of intense activity, interspersed with rest periods continue over an hour or two. Good aerobic endurance dictates your ability to repeat intense rallies for the duration of the match.
Continuous endurance training is a good introduction to pre-season training for most sports. Before you begin interval training build a solid endurance base with continuous training.
If you are a long distance athlete, like a triathlete then continuous endurance training should predominate in your program.
If you play a multi sprint sport like soccer for example, interval training should make up the bulk of your endurance training, especially as the start of the season draws closer.
When you plan a continuous or interval training session be creative. Stick to the basic guidelines above and use the expertise you have of your sport to make sessions even more specific. Here are two sport-specific examples for interval training...
Soccer Interval Training
-- Penalty area run
Continue this sequence for 60 seconds then rest for 60 seconds. Perform a total of 5 runs to complete 1 set. Rest for 3 minutes and repeat for 2-3 sets.
Tennis Interval Training
-- Cross drill
Continue this sequence for 60 seconds then rest for 60 seconds. Perform a total of 5 runs to complete 1 set. Rest for 3 minutes and repeat for 2-3 sets.
To train an entire team, split the group into two and use both sides of the court. Have the athletes perform the drill in a single file line. Leave the tennis rackets out of this one!
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