Interval Training Workouts For Maximum Fitness and Fat Loss Results

Interval training has been shown to be the most effective cardiovascular training method for improving cardiovascular endurance, sport-specific performance, boosting metabolic rate, and burning fat!

With such amazing accolades to its name, interval training should be used by anyone and everyone interested in any of the aforementioned benefits.

But how do you start interval training? What cardio machines do you use? And what type of interval training protocol do you follow?

To make your life much easier, I've taken the time to answer these questions by providing you with some tried, tested, and true interval cardio programs that will spice up your workouts - and in less time!

Throw these interval workouts alongside your resistance training 2-3 times per week and just watch how you're going to look and feel. Ensure that you get a good 5-10 minute warm-up before beginning your interval workouts.

TRAINING PROGRAM #1

Cardio equipment: stationary or spinning bike

Purpose: burning fat

Interval protocol: 10 sec @ 100%: 30 sec @ 60% x 18 = 12 minutes

Ensure that you use a flywheel resistance that prevents you from bouncing up and down on the seat. Thus, you should feel a good amount of resistance during the 10-second work period. You can lower the resistance if you like during the 30-second recovery.

TRAINING PROGRAM #2

Cardio equipment: treadmill (running)

Purpose: speed/anaerobic running endurance (great for 5k runners)

Interval training protocol: 1 minute @ 85%: 2 minutes @ 60% x 5 = 15 minutes

Be sure to allow a few seconds for the treadmill to change speeds.

TRAINING PROGRAM #3

Cardio equipment: rower

Purpose: aerobic power endurance and metabolism boost for maximum post-workout calorie "afterburn".

Interval protocol: 2 minutes @ 90%: 1 minute @ 60% x 4 = 12 minutes

For most fit individuals a rowing pace of 2:00/500m is a challenging pace for the 2-minute interval. This will obviously vary depending on your fitness level. The 1-minute rest will surely seem too short as this workout will burn your arms, heart, and most importantly fat!

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