Turn Your Body into a Fat Burning Furnace

Everyone today is looking for that one magic pill or star studded workout that will make them have their dream body. I think that at one time in everyone’s life they have looked into the mirror and said “I wish I were in better shape”. A lot of folks will go to the gym week in and week out and never see results. Interval training will help you cut your workout time down to around 30 min. and help you achieve better results. This workout will not only take your body to the next level but will also make you feel better and have more energy.

Interval training is a system that uses a period of intense work followed by a rest period. Don’t be scared off by the term intense work. Intense work is only as hard as the exerciser can handle or is used to at this point in their training. It is important to always train only as hard as you can handle the old saying you have to walk before you can run applies here. One great thing that I would like to point out is that you do not need any special equipment or a gym membership to train, just go out for a run or walk.

Interval training has many benefits compared to traditional slow paced training:

• Interval training will elevate your metabolism for the entire day!
• Burn more calories in a single workout!
• Use more fat as energy

Here is how you get started:

1. Choose you training method. For example you can run walk on a treadmill or ride a bike outside or at the gym. For this article I will use a treadmill.
2. Do a 10 min warm up to get your heart rate up and your body ready for exercise. Exercise at a light pace, you should be moving briskly enough to break a sweat.
3. After warming up we will move into a basic interval, jog/run for 1min followed by 2min of rest. For beginners that have not run in a while, you can walk/walk faster for the interval. The key here is to work harder for 1min.
4. Do the entire 3 min interval 4 times. (1min work followed by 2min rest).
5. After completing the intervals we will cool down. Cooling down is just as if not more important then warming up. We need to return the body to where it was prior to training. To accomplish this we will walk at a nice slow pace for 10min. Make sure to breathe deeply and try to relax, this will help your heart rate return to normal.
6. Finally, make sure to stretch after your workout, and drink plenty of water. This will help alleviate some of the soreness that you may experience.

This is a great workout to get you started with interval training. As you progress and get in better shape you can alter the workout to meet your needs. Remember to work at your own pace, if you do not have the cardiovascular endurance to run/walk, than walk/walk faster. Take small steps at first and work your way up to a more intense training session when your body is ready. Good Luck!
Derek DePaolis, NSCA-CPT
Chief Instructorr
Synergy Martial Arts Inc.
www.synergykarate.com