Physical Education

Unit - 3

3.2.9.Interval Training
Interval training is basically exercise which consists of activity at high intensity for a period of time, followed by low intensity exercise for a period of time. These 'sets' are repeated.

Sprint Intervals
The high intensity portion are called Sprint Intervals. Sprint intervals are measured either by time or distance. They can be as short as 15 seconds in activities like HIIT or as long as 20 minutes for aerobic interval training.
An example of a Sprint Intervals would be running at full pace along a stretch of field for 30 seconds, another would be an indoor cyclist spending 15 minutes simulating a climb on the bike.

Rest Intervals
The periods of recovery are called Rest Intervals. During an rest interval athletes do not stop the activity but generally exercise at a low intensity which allows the body to recover from the sprint interval. The length of these rest intervals are determined primarily by your fitness levels and the type of the sprint interval.
The intervals are important; the basis of the interval training is to ensure that your sprints are done at an optimal intensity, without sufficient rest your interval training will resort back to an aerobic type of activity.