If you want to get fitter and faster, you don’t need to sprint, a new study finds. A specific type of interval training (10-20-30 interval training) can lower blood pressure and cholesterol and help you reach peak performance. And you don’t even need to exceed 80% of your max pace. What’s more, it’s a relatively quick workout.
In 10-20-30 interval training, runners first jog at a slow pace for 30 seconds, then speed up to a moderate pace for 20 seconds, and finally sprint for 10 seconds before repeating the cycle.
for study, researchers at the University of Copenhagen took experienced runners and replaced their regular training with 10-20-30 interval training for six weeks. In each training session, he would perform three or four of his five-minute blocks of interval training, with a breather break between each block. During his 10-second sprint portion of the training, half of the participants were instructed to sprint as hard as they could, and the other half were instructed to sprint only at their 80%.
Surprisingly, those who ran at 80% during sprints made as much progress in their training as those who ran as fast as they could. “We think this has something to do with the fact that even training at 80% of max raises your heart rate significantly more than a runner’s normal training. Your heart function and circulation will improve, as indicated by your fitness level.” Dr. Jens Bangsbosaid the study leader, professor of nutrition, exercise and sport at the University of Copenhagen. press release.
Runners who persevered during the sprint improved their 5K time by 42 seconds compared to their time at the start of the six-week trial. A runner who tried his best in a 10-second sprint only improved his time by 24 seconds.
However, both groups were comparable in terms of health benefits. They improved their maximum oxygen uptake, a measure of overall fitness, by 7%.
The researchers found that the single major benefit of sprinting at full speed was that runners produced more mitochondria. Mitochondria are “important for muscular endurance and the ability of muscles to engage in long-term exercise,” Bangsbo said. “So if he plans to run a half or full marathon, he needs to sprint at 100% to get the most benefit.”
Previous research In general, 10-20-30 interval training was shown to be good for lowering blood sugar levels and reducing dangerous fat around organs in diabetics after 10 weeks. It is also effective for blood pressure and cholesterol.
“Like any other high-intensity exercise that increases your heart rate, working out 10, 20, or 30 reps can have a positive impact on your health,” says Bangsbo. “At the same time, interval training is more effective. It improves your health in a shorter amount of time than running at a steady pace.”
Interval training can be more fun than just going for a run, and I encourage people to stick with it. “Many people find interval running more enjoyable because the pace changes,” Bangsbo says.
10-20-30 Interval training for beginners
- First, warm up thoroughly with 3 minutes of front lunges and side lunges to avoid injury.
- Start your stopwatch, jog lightly for 30 seconds, then pick up your pace for 20 seconds. Next, if you’re running for health or to train for a sprint, do a 10-second sprint at 80%. However, if you’re training for an endurance event, run that guy as fast as you can for 10 seconds.
- Do 3 to 5 repetitions in a row, depending on your fitness level (how many reps you can do without feeling like you can’t do any more).
- Take a 1-4 minute break, depending on how long it takes you to catch your breath. Even the average runner probably needs a 3-4 minute break when starting interval training.
If you’re a beginner, you should probably call your workouts there. If you have more experience, you can repeat it up to 3 times. However, even for regular runners, it may be best to limit the intervals to two or so until you get used to them.
As you begin to improve, you can increase the number of intervals you do within a block, decrease the rest time between blocks, and increase your speed during 20- and 10-second intervals.
To reap the benefits of 10-20-30 interval training, perform it at least twice a week. However, if you are a beginner, do not go beyond that at first.
