Interval training workout routines for hiking, running, rowing, and more

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Track your way to weight loss success Manage your family's vaccinations Join the conversation See more benefits Sign Up Why WebMD? My WebMD Show Menu My Tools My WebMD Pages My Account Sign Out FacebookTwitterPinterest WebMD Home Fitness & Exercise Center Fitness & Exercise Feature Stories Email a Friend Print Article if (pf_param == "true") {printElements();} Fitness & Exercise Fitness 411Exercise Myths Your Exercise Personality Best Teen Workout Shoes Exercises for Sore Knees Cheap Home Gym 5-Minute Desk Workout webmd.m.share.init(); Font Size A A A webmd.m.fontSizer.init(); Interval Training: How to Get Started ByAnnabelle Robertson
WebMD Feature Reviewed byBrunilda Nazario, MD

Looking for a way to drop extra pounds and get in shape ASAP? Then it may be time for you to start interval training. 

Interval training combines short bursts of intense activity, called intervals, with periods of lower intensity, or rest periods. Switching between the two makes your body work harder, burning more calories faster than it would at a steady, moderate pace. 

"You’ve got to be disciplined with it, but you don’t have to do it much, or for too long," says Doug Katona, a strength and conditioning coach who trains world-class athletes at his CrossFit Endurance gym in Newport Beach, Calif. 

"Instead of 45 minutes on a recumbent bike, reading a magazine, give me 15 minutes of interval work," Katona says. "It will be more challenging, but the workout will go by a lot faster and you’ll really like what your body starts to look like. After a few sessions, you’ll actually enjoy the workouts."

How to Start Interval Training

In some sports, including swimming, you’ll stop between intervals. In others, such as running, you may keep running, only at a more relaxed pace. Or you may walk. It depends on your level of conditioning and what you hope to accomplish.

It's not just about how fast your heart is beating.

"The important thing about interval training is not the rate of activity; it’s the rate of recovery," Scott Nohejl, a champion rowing coach and founder of the Chatham Area Rowing Association in Savannah, Ga.

If you're not active now, talk to your doctor before you start an intense exercise program.

Walking or running: Warm up first, then mix short bursts of speed of varying lengths, or sprints, into your walk, run, or jog. Those bursts of speed may last 30 seconds to a minute. After each interval, slow down and let your heart rate come back down. Swimming: Swim a length, rest for 30 seconds, swim another length, and repeat until you've swum six lengths, suggests Guy Edson, technical director of the American Swimming Coaches Association. Two days later, aim for seven lengths with 30 seconds of rest, and so on. Then begin shortening your rest. Eventually, you'll do 10 lengths with 15 seconds of rest between lengths. Rowing: Row hard for two minutes, then rest for one minute, and repeat that cycle 10 times, Nohejl suggests.  After two weeks, move up to three-minute intervals with one minute of rest.

You can also do intervals on a stationary bike or with a jump rope.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

Doug Katona, certified personal trainer and founder and co-owner, CrossFit Endurance, Newport Beach, Calif.

Michael Banks, certified personal trainer and founder/owner, Body by Banks Corporation, Salt Lake City.

American College of Sports Medicine.

Guy Edson, technical director, American Swimming Coaches Association, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Scott Nohejl, founder/president, Chatham Area Rowing Association, Savannah, Ga.

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Your workout options: Choosing the best exercise program for you

AppId is over the quota
Ready to get moving? Here's expert advice on finding a fitness routine you'll want to do.By Annabelle Robertson
WebMD feature

Want to start exercising but hate the gym? Short on time or motivation? Or maybe you're feeling so out of shape that you don't know where to start?

There is hope, experts say. All you have to do is focus on exercising in a way that suits your personality, lifestyle, and fitness level.

Never fear. You can still get in shape because movement - the very thing needed for increased fitness - can take place anywhere.

"Take a walk, ride a bike, or go for a hike," says Scott Lucett, director of education for the National Academy of sports medicine. "Or perform outdoors to exercise routine at a park using your own body weight." Ideas include pushups, squats, squat jumps, crunches and planks.

So consider outdoor group classes. They're taking place at parks all over the country, even during winter, and many invite children and babies to join in. If classes aren't your style, look into to adult recreational league. They're in every city and covers sports from soccer to ultimate frisbee.

Take it slow and look for activities that will give you a more active lifestyle, says Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on exercise.

"Physical like Wii Fit are a good way to take someone who's a couch potato and give them a little exercise," Bryant says. "By doing something that be a bit more fun, you might be able to sneak in a little dose of exercise. And the intensity tends to be low or moderate."

Look for simple opportunities to move during your daily routine. "Wear a pedometer and make it a goal to take more and more steps each day with the ultimate goal of getting up to 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day," Bryant says.

Lucett suggests beginners start with 10 minute walks - 5 minutes out and 5 minutes back - then gradually increase that by 2 or 3 minutes each week. "The next thing you know," Lucett says, "you'll be walking 30 minutes a day." So says, though, that people who are seriously out of shape should get approval from their doctor before beginning any exercise program.

Group activities may be your best way to get in shape. Groups allow social butterflies to be around lots of people and enjoy camaraderie while so getting fit. Dancing is one of the most popular group activities.

If you like the gym, consider Zumba, the newest group exercise craze. That will get you moving and burning calories to Latin dance rhythms. Other choices include country line dancing, swing, salsa, hip hop, or ballroom dancing. If you have two left feet - and no intention of reforming - consider a running, walking, cycling, or hiking club. You'll share a common theme for your exercise, and you'll enjoy so the social networking that takes place outside the workouts.