Bust Your Ass (and Belly) with Interval Training!

Running his way into my heart.

One of my favorite training techniques is interval training. I love interval training because it burns 30% more calories than exercising at one pace and it boosts your metabolism like none other - for up to 12 hours after exercise. It’s great for losing weight, toning, definition (hello, six pack), injury prevention, burn-out reduction and performance.

Want to give it a shot? Set aside 40 minutes and grab a sweat towel:

  1. Warm up with five minutes of low-intensity jogging.
  2. Stop and stretch for a good three minutes. Stretching will improve your performance and reduce the risk of injury.
  3. Start cycle 1: Pick up your pace to a medium-intensity speed and hold it for three minutes. This is a pace that you’d be able to maintain for the entire workout.
  4. No, go full out. Run hard for 1 minute. Really burn yourself out at a speed that pushes you to your limits. After the one minute, drop back down to your medium-intensity speed.
  5. Each subsequent cycle will follow this same pattern. 3 minutes of aerobic/recovery and 1 minute of anaerobic/sprinting. Do four more cycles (five cycles in total).
  6. Cool down with five minutes of low-intensity jogging.
  7. Stretch again.

I usually do my interval training (and running, in general) on a treadmill; it’s easier to set a speed and monitor the time. But, you can certainly perform interval training outside with the help of a watch or stopwatch.

Running not your thing? Try this same program on a bicycle. Or, modify it slightly to try in the pool (2 laps recover, 1 lap sprinting).

And, feel free to change the numbers. You may want to shorten recover time or do more cycles. Make it your own and have fun with it. It will kick your ass, but the results speak for themselves. Enjoy!

About Davey Wavey

Davey Wavey is a certified personal trainer and YouTube sensation with more than 250 million video views. For Davey's fitness tips and secrets, sign up for his free monthly newsletter - or download any of his affordable and effective workout programs.

Comments

  1. “Do five more cycles (four cycles in total)” numbers a little mixed up today Dave?

    Luv you from Canada

    p.s thanks for the tips!

  2. My main goal at the gym this year was to start running on the treadmill. After a few months I am finally able to run 40 minutes at 9 km per hour without stopping. It was hard to get there but I did it. Now I am going to start this interval training. It´s a great tip. Thanks a lot, Davey.

    Love from Brazil,

    Marcos

  3. Can you make a post about a good stretch regimen? Perhaps one for regular exercise (i.e. the stretching you mention here), and one to increase flexibility? Is there a different? It would be much appreciated!
    -A

  4. Okay, Davey, but suppose you’re, ahem, older with a bit of a knee area problem and you have reluctantly giving up running on the advice of trainers, chiros, etc. How would you apply this routine to, say, a spinning bike?

  5. Davey, I think I’m doing the interval thing on the elliptical, but maybe you can comment on it just to make sure. For a 35-minute workout, here’s what I’m currently doing.

    Stretching before hand [because someone will grab my machine if I get off of it…. 🙁 - bad gym etiquette]

    5 minute warm-up approx 120 strides per minute

    1 minute intervals at 136-140 strides per minute alternated with 1 minute intervals of higher intensity (around 196-220 strides per minute). Do this for 50% of workout time, then

    Alternate either 1 minute at moderate and 2 minutes at high, or 2 minutes moderate / 2 minutes high.

    Cool down for 5 minutes

    Stretching post workout.

    During the workout I sweat unlike anything I’ve experienced by just maintaining the same rate over the 35 minutes; even the “preprogrammed” workouts don’t produce the same results.

    I’m interested in what you have to say about this. It seems to be working for me.

  6. I just tried this for the first time on an exercise bike, and boy am I tired! Thanks Davey!

  7. How often should I train using HIIT and how long before I should expect to see significant results?

  8. I know this site is mainly for men but is it possible to get a video up of how to get a bigger but or overall just that coke bottle body for women?

  9. Just tried this out as a change from basic jogging…Oh my God, this is a tough one! Absolutely wrecked after it but feel great all the same. Makes a great change from basic training, might start doing this all the time (if my legs ever work that is!).

  10. hi Dave
    just lurking trough your posts, as i have a plan to gain some (lean) body mass (i am 178cm and near 70kg).
    i was doing Insanity workout for a bit more than a month, but now i see i got too much cardio in there, and no weight lifting at all.
    and that is in contradiction with my wishes. 🙂

    so my question is - do you think i could, instead of this HIIT running sessions, incorporate one of the insanity workouts (pretty intensive, last for about 30-45 mins) as my cardio?
    and how often should i do cardio?

    thanks, and greets from Croatia!
    Damir

  11. I do 40 minutes of this but in an indoor-bicicle or spinning bike (don’t know exactly how to call it), 3 to 4 times a week, 1 minute i go in a medium/low speed and the next one i go as fast as i can, and so on and it’s nice. I guess a treadmill might be more challenging but i don’t own one XD

  12. Hi Dave,
    Is it good when I do this daily?

    p.s. I’m 172 cm, 62 kg

    Thanks

  13. Call me 5613024266
    davey Wavey

  14. Good day! This is kind of offf topic but I need some guidance from an established blog.
    Is it toigh to set up your own blog? I’m nnot very techincal but I can figure things oout pretty fast.
    I’m thinking aboyt mmaking my own but I’m not sure where to begin. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
    Thanks

  15. 没有监督的时候也要严格要求自己。

  16. hey all, The best results that I have ever had was with Red hot slim (i found it on google) Without a doubt the most useful diet that I have ever tried.

Trackbacks

  1. […] making it a whole lot harder. For me, that meant ditching the elliptical or long distance jogs for interval training. It feels like twice the exercise in half the time. Instead of being leisurely about your cardio, […]

  2. […] make it a point to sweat. A lot. By the time I’m done with a set of intervals or a 5k, I’ve really pushed my body to its limits. I’m drenched in sweat. I run fast […]

  3. […] dread my cardio routine. It’s grueling. I want to get it done early, so that it’s not hanging over my head […]

  4. […] Interval train. Interval training is incredibly effective at helping people lose weight. It boosts the metabolism for hours and is several times more effective than running at a constant pace. Learn how to do it. […]

  5. […] tell the full story. Runners can enjoy significant benefits after exercise is complete - like the huge metabolic increases associated with interval training. Plus, sweat is good for your body - and really great for your […]

  6. […] Interval training. I keep my cardio sessions relatively short - but extremely effective - by using interval training. In a nutshell, it’s all about varying between intensities on cardio machines - from medium intensity to high intensity. I jog for 90 seconds and then sprint for 60. After 15 minutes, I’m totally beat! It burns more calories than long cardio sessions, and has a huge positive effect on metabolism. […]

  7. […] with is an incineration of calories. Running, swimming, biking, jogging, etc., all count as cardio. Interval training - that is, alternating between medium and high levels of cardio intensity - seems to yield the best […]

  8. […] Mix it up. Every now and then, switch up your distance-based cardio workout with something different - like interval training. […]

  9. […] need to add some gusto to your workout. Instead of doing conventional cardio workouts, for example, try some gut-busting interval training. For strength training, adjust your rest times so that you are taking shorter breaks. Increase the […]

  10. […] low to moderate form of aerobic training. In other words, traditional cardio workouts - like interval training on a treadmill - yield much greater results. To maximize cardiovascular benefits from circuit training, […]

  11. […] Also keep in mind that, contrary to popular belief, the best way to improve abdominal definition is not with crunches or sit-ups. Any layer of fat (even a very thin one) will hide your six pack, and so it’s crucially important to engage in frequent and effective cardiovascular training (I recommend metabolism-boosting intervals). […]

  12. […] for the 27.5 pound pair. Or maybe it’s time to trade in that same old cardio routine for some high-intensity interval training. Whatever it takes, force your body to make the changes that you seek through progressing your […]

  13. […] wiser to engage in shorter, high intensity workouts. Specifically, the study mentions the effectiveness of interval training (alternating high and low intensity cardio) as a quick way to improve overall […]

  14. […] to reduce fat, it’s best to alternate between a medium and high intensity pace using a strategy called interval training. If you’re just looking to maintain general health, it’s fine to keep at a steady pace […]

  15. […] intervals. Running at one pace isn’t nearly as effective or challenging as intervals. To perform intervals, jog at a steady pace for a set amount of time (say, 90 seconds). Then, […]