| If you are used to traditional cardio labelled LSD | | | | amount of time, you will have bursted into |
| (long slow distance), chances are you have heard | | | | 80-90% of your max five times. You burst until |
| of but may never have tried techniques such as | | | | you can't keep the intensity up, you may even |
| Fartlek and interval training. Cardiovascular | | | | set a time or a distance and then you recover. |
| exercise in all its forms are indeed great for | | | | Recovery for running would be a jog or a walk |
| building endurance and to burn off energy and | | | | and for cycling it would be slower pedal at less |
| calories, but once you stop, so does the burn. | | | | resistance. |
| There is no additional effect to keep your system | | | | Interval training obviously has an even greater |
| blast through its fat stores while you are standing | | | | effect on the energy spent and the fat burning |
| still. Now wouldn't it be better if we could burn the | | | | effects after your workout, but it makes sense |
| energy right there and the spot AND increase our | | | | to progress into it and not step in there straight |
| fat burning abilities for up to 36h? Indeed it would, | | | | away depending on what your fitness background |
| and it is possible - this is how. | | | | is. For intervals an easy way to get started is to |
| Fartlek and interval training is essentially the same | | | | do 30 seconds hard and 30 seconds slow - work |
| thing; burst training. It means that you go hard, I | | | | towards a total of 10-20 minutes of total work. |
| mean flat out (80-90% of max) for a short burst | | | | This burst training creates something called an |
| and then you go slowly again. Most often you | | | | oxygen deficit demand in your body, which will |
| don't stop, you just go considerably slower, | | | | boost your fat burning abilities for up to 36 h. |
| allowing your body to relax. In Fartlek you burst | | | | Yes, that's while you are resting but also while |
| when you feel like it, and when you feel like | | | | you are doing other kinds of activities. I wouldn't |
| recovery, you recover until you are ready to go | | | | recommend more than 2-3 sessions like these |
| again. Interval training is a step up and you will | | | | spread out over the weak, and probably 1-2if you |
| have set work and rest ratios to work with. | | | | are a beginner. But hey, that's what I call |
| Needless to say, Fartlek is the introductory level | | | | effective fat burning exercise. |
| to burst training and here is how to implement it. | | | | And remember, if you want to decrease the |
| Choose your cardio activity, pick a distance or a | | | | impact due to join problems or what not, choose |
| time and decide on how many burst you will | | | | equipment with minimal impact like a stationary |
| complete in your session. The rest is easy, let's | | | | bike, cross-trainer or a rowing machine. Good luck |
| say you decided on five bursts, before you've | | | | and enjoy shorter workouts and much greater |
| finished your distance or worked for the set | | | | rewards! |