Day 234 - Interval Training

Many of you may have heard of interval training before, and if you have played sports or have exercised in the past, there is a high probability you have used interval training whether you knew it or not.

So what exactly is interval training? Well ultimately, you are performing intervals whenever you do something for a set period of time that pushes you to your max energy expenditure (high heart rate) followed by a rest or lower-intensity exercise for a set period of time. Intervals come in many shapes and sizes and can include resistance training, dancing, or running. Whatever will get your heart rate soaring within a set period of time in considered an interval.

Keep in mind that not all interval workouts are the same. For example, running to catch a bus would be considered an interval as you are sprinting at a high pace to catch the bus, then once on it, you are resting. The problem is, that is only 1 interval and definitely not enough to be considered a 'workout'. The duration and intensity of each interval is what defines it as a great workout, good workout, or no workout at all!

On the flip side, aerobic training - such as jogging - is a great way to improve your aerobic capacity, but does little to improve your body.

At this point, some of you may be thinking the same thing, what about the "fat-burning zone"? These posters are plastered in virtually every gym. They show a graph that indicates your theoretical fat-burning zone based on age and heart rate. Many trainers may even tell you to reduce the intensity of your workout so that you stay within your zone so that you burn more fat.

On paper this makes sense and sounds good, and here is the science behind it. When you eat too much or take in too many calories (including sugar), your body makes stores of energy throughout your body called adipose tissue, or fat. This is an evolutionary thing that your body does for a multitude of reasons like insulating your body, protecting organs, energy storage, etc. Adipose is like diesel fuel for your body. It is used as your primary fuel source during low-intensity activities such as breathing, digestion, walking, etc. The problem is, fat (diesel fuel) burns at a very slow rate. That is why diesel fuel is not used in race cars.

So, staying within a certain (low) heart rate means I burn more fat right? Well, that is only part of the equation. Yes, your body burns a higher ratio of fat during low-level activity as another product of evolution. It is trying to conserve your blood glycogen (sugar) that is stored mainly in your muscles and liver for high-intense activity, such as running from a predator. Your glycogen is your jet fuel and is used for things like lifting weights, jumping up and down, sprinting, and pushing your body to maximum energy expenditure, say, when you're doing intervals!

Ok, so this still doesn't explain why intervals are better, but I am getting there. Our bodies are always adapting, for good or for bad. For example, sitting on the couch all day is sending a message to your brain and body that your muscles are not needed, so if they're not needed, then dispose of them and remove them. This is called atrophy. How do we combat this? You have to push your body to a level of exhaustion. When you do so, your are damaging body tissues. Yes, in this case, damaging your tissues is a good thing.

By pushing your body to exhaustion, you are damaging tissues and telling your brain and body that not only are you using your body, but you need a better body. By tearing down the walls of your muscles and other tissues in your body your brain releases waves of hormones in order to rebuild your better body. The process of reconstructing your body tissues requires a lot of energy so your metabolism is naturally increased.

This is known as progressive overload. Your body has to adapt to the damages you created so that the intense exercise you just did won't be as difficult next time. But, if you keep returning and pushing yourself a little further each time, then you will continue to create dramatic change in your body, constantly bumping up your resting metabolism, or the amount of energy your body needs daily to repair damaged tissues as it continues to adapt in a positive way. All of this positive adaptation is causing your body to burn fat at a faster, more efficient rate!

The thing about intervals is that most people like to exercise in their comfort zone. As long as they go to the gym and do their 30mins on a treadmill, they feel good about themselves for exercising, but also feel fine because they didn't push themselves too far. That is fine and dandy, but it does not dramatically change your body. Yes, people that run or cycle great distances have lean bodies, but that is because they exercise for very long periods of time covering great distances.

Resistance training can technically be considered interval training, but generally you see body builders doing intense sets followed by long rest periods. Circuit training, on the other hand, is a highly effective form of resistance training, especially for the recreational exerciser, because you can train alternating body parts with little rest in between to keep your heart rate peaking up and down with short breaks in between sets.

Interval training should be a mainstay in everyone's workout program, not just for athletes. You need to push yourself to your limits, allow your body to spend all day burning fat like crazy repairing your tissues, then come back and do it all again next time by pushing yourself a little further. That is how you create dramatic change in your body!
Quote of the day:
"The finish line is just the beginning of a whole new race."

~ Unknown

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Day 44 - Exercise...but not too much!

I came across this story in the news this morning. It details a research study that was done regarding long bouts of exercise, most notably, marathon running.

Marathon runners, triathletes and long-distance cyclists could be doing harm to their hearts in the long term, cardiologists say.

The June issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings includes a review of how excessive endurance exercise is thought to cause damage to the heart.

The study's authors say that based on both animal and human data, the cardiovascular benefits of vigorous aerobic exercise build up over about one hour, "beyond which further exertion produces diminishing returns and may even cause adverse cardiovascular event effects in some individuals."

I have discussed a similar topic in the past, detailing a "more is better" feeling many humans carry. Whenever a topic such as exercise, or a specific dietary item, comes along, many people feel as though, "If a little bit is good for me, then a lot must be better!"

I have participated in half-marathons, myself, and although I enjoyed the journey to a new fitness goal, it should be noted that these types of long-duration exercise bouts can be extremely taxing on the body.

I know some people, however, can withstand the rigors of long-duration exercise, but most people can and should not partake in bouts of exercise that last so long.

I think if you are an individual who has grown up performing well in long-duration aerobic exercise, and has no ill-effects, then more power to you! I think there are individuals who crave, want, and need to run, bike, and/or swim tons of miles a week to feel like they have accomplished something.

On the other hand, if you are an individual who is looking to 'get in shape' and lose a few pounds, do not feel as though hours and hours of exercise is the way to go.

Instead, look into short-duration, intense exercise (High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT), as interval training has been shown to mimic the benefits of aerobic exercise in half the time!

This is also a classic example of sport-specificity training. If you are wishing to run (bike or swim) a 5, 10, 21, or 42km race, long bouts of exercise are needed to meet your goal. On the other hand, if you are just looking to get in shape, then keep things short but intense!

O'Keefe wants people to understand that the lion's share of benefits come at a relatively modest level. No further benefits are obtained beyond 30 to 60 minutes a day of vigorous activity. 

Quote of the day:

"All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them."
~Walt Disney

Day 36 - Go Fast and then Go Home

 

I probably sound like a broken record here, but unfortunately some people just don't get it. I see and get asked by people all the time why they are not getting/seeing results from working out an hour or more at a time. I then see them slowly jogging on a treadmill or elliptical.

Instead, why not try HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and cut your workout times in half? Chronic cardio should only be used if you are training for...wait for it...a cardio event such as a marathon or triathlon, etc.

Instead, most people can get into their gym, exercise using HIIT principles for 20-30mins and then be done with an even better workout than something that takes twice the time. A study done by McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada found that men who performed sprint intervaltraining for a total of 2.5 hours (including recovery) over the course of 2weeks has the same results as the group who performed endurance training for atotal of 10.5 hours over the same time period.

Yes, its alright to go back and read that again. 1/5th of the time for the same results! Another study following a group of 15 women found that high-intensity exercise (40 to 45 minutes approximately four times weekly at a mean HR of 163 bpm) reduced body fat by about 5 percent over the course of 15 weeks versus a virtually unchanged percentage in the group that performed exercise at a lower heart rate (132 beats per minute).

I am generalizing in a very drastic way here, but think of the differences in body composition between an Olympic sprinter and an Olympic marathon runner. Both are 'thin' and very 'fit', however it is the sprinters that spend majority of their time doing, fast, maximum-effort exercise for shorter periods of time.

Quote of the day:

"It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.

 -Babe Ruth

Strength and Conditioning Tips

I have compiled a helpful list of training tips below that I am sure everyone can learn something from, enjoy!

Training Time

This tip is actually a twofer (broken into 2 parts). Men and women alike are always asking when the best time of the day is to work out, so that is why this is broken into two. For men (generalizing here), they want to know when the best time of day is to work out to grow big, strong muscles. Many people will tell you that working out in the afternoon or evening is the best time for muscle growth for a number of reasons, but simply is not true. The Journal for Strength and Conditioning Research has said that consistency is the key here. If you only have time to hit the weights in the morning, do that! The study showed that men made equal strength gains regardless of what time of day they worked out.

Similarly, women (again, generalizing) want to know when the best time of day is to exercise to burn fat. Again, consistency is the key. There are pros and cons to exercising either morning or night. For example, exercising in the morning can rev your metabolism for the rest of the day, whereas exercising in the evening has the potential to burn more calories as your body's metabolism is potentially at its highest. As I have said before, doing something is always better than doing nothing, so if you only have time in the morning to exercise, do that! I personally exercise in the morning because that's what fits my schedule, but if it doesn't suit you, then fine!

Pack on the Protein

I see this one time and time again. People think that in order to grow big, strong muscles, they need to cram as much protein into each meal as possible. Studies have shown that eating 30 grams of protein in a meal yields the same benefits of eating 90 grams does. This is a perfect example of "more isn't necessarily better". Instead, you should aim to have protein in small doses throughout the day. Keep one thing in mind, however. Protein seems to have this aura attached to it now that it is this wonderful "weight-loss" food. Protein still has calories, and ingesting too much protein can still result in unwanted body fat if unused, so make sure your diet is properly proportioned. Not only that, but if all you are doing is eating protein all day, you will likely be missing out on important vitamins and nutrients that can only be found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables!

Muscle Loss

For the longest time, there was this belief that as people age, their muscle tissue decreases. This is in fact true, but this is a sort of chicken-and-egg problem. Does your muscle tissue disappear because you age, or because you stop using your muscles as you age? Studies are now showing that it is in fact possible to continue muscle growth with strength improvements later in life. Yes, men have lowered testosterone as they age, but there is more to it than that. Once you hit the age of 65, sure, you may not be making major muscle gains, but you can still use resistance training to reduce the loss of muscle. Not only that, men and women can greatly benefit from resistance training throughout life to help strengthen bones, muscles and connective tissues!

Do It For Your Brain

Sure, many people like to exercise to try and look a certain way. Unfortunately, many personal trainers will market these types of things to you as well. I have a swift kick of reality for you though. Unless you have tremendous genetics, or photoshop (or a combination of the two), you are never going to look like some of those models or Hollywood celebrities. Not only that, but chasing "the perfect image" will only end in disappointment and despair. Instead, you should exercise to feel better about yourself in your own skin, not to mention the mental and body benefits that comes along with it. Think of how great you feel after a good workout. Wouldn't that be great to bottle that up and take a swig of that every day for the rest of your life?

Go Fast and then Go Home

I probably sound like a broken record here, but unfortunately some people just don't get it. I see and get asked by people all the time why they are not getting/seeing results from working out an hour or more at a time. I then see them slowing jogging on a treadmill or elliptical. Instead, why not try HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and cut your workout times in half? Chronic cardio should only be used if you are training for...wait for it...a cardio event such as a marathon or triathlon, etc. Instead, most people can get into their gym, exercise using HIIT principles for 20-30mins and then be done with an even better workout than something that takes twice the time.

A study done by McMaster University in Hamilton found that men who performed sprint interval training for a total of 2.5 hours (including recovery) over the course of 2 weeks has the same results as the group who performed endurance training for a total of 10.5 hours over the same time period. Yes, its alright to go back and read that again. 1/5th of the time for the same results! Another study following a group of 15 women found that high-intensity exercise (40 to 45 minutes approximately four times weekly at a mean HR of 163 bpm) reduced body fat by about 5 percent over the course of 15 weeks versus a virtually unchanged percentage in the group that performed exercise at a lower heart rate (132 beats per minute).

-Tyler Robbins
B.Sc. PTS