Interval Training program



R

Robert Sumca

Guest
Hi,

I wanted some input in designing a High intensity interval training program. Some
background info:

I run 5 times a week. 4 runs of 5 miles and one run of 10 miles. I run around 6.0 MPH (10min
miles). My primary goal is to lose fat. I am not looking for a competitive racing program, I just
want to incorporate High intensity interval training, begining with 1 day a week and go up to 2
days a week.

The highest intensity that I can run is around 8.5 MPH for about 5 minutes. I was thinking of
incorporating this into my HIIT program, something like

6-8 minutes of warm up HIIT Part: 2 minutues of 8.0 MPH run 2 minutes of 5.0 MPH run repeat HIIT
part anywhere from 4-10 times depending upon how fit I am.

6-8 minutes of cool down stretching exercises for 10 minutes

Would this be a good program to start with or is there a good book which will tell me more about
different parameters that I need to incorporate into my program (like 2x minutes of HIIT run
followed by 1x minutes of low speed jog and so on). All ideas/suggestions/critques welcome.

Bob
 
In article <[email protected]>, Robert Sumca
wrote:
> Would this be a good program to start with or is there a good book which will tell me more
> about different parameters that I need to incorporate into my program (like 2x minutes of HIIT
> run followed by 1x minutes of low speed jog and so on). All ideas/suggestions/critques
> welcome.]

If you're really concerned about this, read the parameters that were used for the original Tremblay
study that inspired using HIIT as a fat loss technique and do something similar. You're not going to
find a good book on it.

My thoughts however are that it really doesn't matter, and a typical distance running program will
not only help you lose weight, it will also be better tuned to the unique demands of distance
running (the Tremblay subjects used stationary bikes IIRC)

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/
 
Robert Sumca <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi,

> I wanted some input in designing a High intensity interval training program. Some background
> info:
....

search the rec.running archives for HIIT with "lyndon." lyndon does HIIT in his sprint training.

hopefully, you'll find something useful. or maybe he'll just come along.

jobs
 
>Hi,
>
> I wanted some input in designing a High intensity interval training program. Some
> background info:
>
> I run 5 times a week. 4 runs of 5 miles and one run of 10 miles. I run around 6.0 MPH (10min
> miles). My primary goal is to lose fat. I am not looking for a competitive racing program, I just
> want to incorporate High intensity interval training, begining with 1 day a week and go up to 2
> days a week.
>
>The highest intensity that I can run is around 8.5 MPH for about 5 minutes. I was thinking of
>incorporating this into my HIIT program, something like
>
>6-8 minutes of warm up HIIT Part: 2 minutues of 8.0 MPH run 2 minutes of 5.0 MPH run repeat HIIT
>part anywhere from 4-10 times depending upon how fit I am.
>
>6-8 minutes of cool down stretching exercises for 10 minutes
>
> Would this be a good program to start with or is there a good book which will tell me more about
> different parameters that I need to incorporate into my program (like 2x minutes of HIIT run
> followed by 1x minutes of low speed jog and so on). All ideas/suggestions/critques welcome.
>

Since I got mentioned, I'll respond, although I'm not sure you're ready for this.

A couple of references for you:

http://www.sportsci.org/index.html?jour/03/03.htm&1

http://www.wsu.edu/~strength/hiit.htm

Also see "Lore of Running" under high intensity training in the index.

HIIT is basically sprint training applied to distance events. Tremblay and Bouchard used interval
periods of 15 seconds (increasing to 30) and 60 seconds (increasing to 90) at HIGH INTENSITY. For
fat loss, the intensity is key, as according to theory, it works by being intense enough to keep
your heart rate elevated for a long time after the exercise. This also means that you probably don't
want to do this too close to bed time.

I can speak to the performance side more than the fat loss side (not in it to lose weight). I use
generally two types of HIIT for both my own training and high school athletes--both sprinters and
distance runners:

(1) Glycolytic speed endurance, usually 8 X 100 all-out with 45-60 sec rest.

(2) Vvo2 max (look up the name Veronique Billat) intervals of 30-60 seconds, with equal time rest,
at a pace you can maintain for 6 minutes (time trial). If you can get in 15-20 minutes of these
intervals (not everyone can handle this), this is a very powerful workout.

From the performance standpoint, these workouts work and they work very quickly. They are also HARD
workouts--don't try more than once per week unless you know you can handle them. They seem also to
work well for weight control, but I don't have any statistics I can cite.

Lyndon

"Speed Kills...It kills those that don't have it!" --US Olympic Track Coach Brooks Johnson
 
"Robert Sumca" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I wanted some input in designing a High intensity interval training program. Some background
> info:
>
> I run 5 times a week. 4 runs of 5 miles and one run of 10 miles. I run around 6.0 MPH (10min
> miles). My primary goal is to lose fat. I am not looking for a competitive racing program, I
> just want to incorporate High intensity interval training, begining with 1 day a week and go up
> to 2 days a week.
>
> The highest intensity that I can run is around 8.5 MPH for about 5 minutes. I was thinking of
> incorporating this into my HIIT program, something like
>
> 6-8 minutes of warm up HIIT Part: 2 minutues of 8.0 MPH run 2 minutes of 5.0 MPH run repeat HIIT
> part anywhere from 4-10 times depending upon how fit I am.
>
> 6-8 minutes of cool down stretching exercises for 10 minutes
>
> Would this be a good program to start with or is there a good book which will tell me more
> about different parameters that I need to incorporate into my program (like 2x minutes of HIIT
> run followed by 1x minutes of low speed jog and so on). All ideas/suggestions/critques welcome.
>
> Bob

So it looks like you are just trying to increase some intensity to expend more energy during a
workout? If so, that will do it. You might also just run 3 miles of the 5 miles at a faster than
usual pace.
 
Sam wrote:

>So it looks like you are just trying to increase some intensity to expend more energy during a
>workout? If so, that will do it. You might also just run 3 miles of the 5 miles at a faster than
>usual pace.
>
Yes, I'd a agree with that. If YOU'RE COMPETING and you want to raise your lactate turnpoint
(Noakes' Terminology) quickly, or you want to get into shape for 100-1500 racing, the HIIT routines
work great. But if you're not competing and you just want to burn some extra energy, there are
safer, easier--and less painful--ways of doing that.

Lyndon "Speed Kills...It kills those that don't have it!" --US Olympic Track Coach Brooks Johnson
 
Thanks to everyone for posting info about HIIT. I am not interested in race/competitive running. I
just wanted to change my running routine to burn more calories and take off excess fat.

I think I will follow SAM's advice of running at slightly higher intensity but a shorter distance to
vary my weekly routine.

thanks once again for all the info.

- Bob [email protected] (Lyndon) wrote in message news:<20040226113923.28509.00000337@mb-
m29.aol.com>...
> Sam wrote:
>
> >So it looks like you are just trying to increase some intensity to expend more energy during a
> >workout? If so, that will do it. You might also just run 3 miles of the 5 miles at a faster than
> >usual pace.
> >
> Yes, I'd a agree with that. If YOU'RE COMPETING and you want to raise your lactate turnpoint
> (Noakes' Terminology) quickly, or you want to get into shape for 100-1500 racing, the HIIT
> routines work great. But if you're not competing and you just want to burn some extra energy,
> there are safer, easier--and less painful--ways of doing that.
>
> Lyndon "Speed Kills...It kills those that don't have it!" --US Olympic Track Coach Brooks Johnson
 
Lyndon:

I don't know if this is good advise for a newbie at speedwork. It's very easy to get injured.

I like the 60 second workout at 6 minute pace -- it's basically like doing quarters at near LT, but
most people when doing intervals do them too hard, and tie up in the second half, hate them, get
injured, etc.

I usually council distance runners to run intervals at 90-95 % effort, by feel. No all out stuff,
don't worry about the time, just go for an even pace as fast as you can just below the point where
your legs load up. They will improve and feel better and smoother week by week.

As an actual coach (I'm just a self-coached guy), does this make sense for distance types? I suspect
that for sprint training, it's a different story--you must learn to love the burn.

--Dan

"Lyndon" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:20040226113923.28509.00000337@mb-
m29.aol.com...
> Sam wrote:
>
> >So it looks like you are just trying to increase some intensity to expend more energy during a
> >workout? If so, that will do it. You might also
just
> >run 3 miles of the 5 miles at a faster than usual pace.
> >
> Yes, I'd a agree with that. If YOU'RE COMPETING and you want to raise
your
> lactate turnpoint (Noakes' Terminology) quickly, or you want to get into
shape
> for 100-1500 racing, the HIIT routines work great. But if you're not
competing
> and you just want to burn some extra energy, there are safer, easier--and
less
> painful--ways of doing that.
>
> Lyndon "Speed Kills...It kills those that don't have it!" --US Olympic Track
Coach
> Brooks Johnson