In today's world, a healthy lifestyle is no longer perceived simply as one of the methods to become better and healthier, but as a religion that many worship. However, one often has to wonder: “I eat right, run in the mornings, but I’m not losing weight, what’s wrong?” This can be answered in different ways, the same "losing weight" as you, from the forum will say that you do not do it hard enough or dissolve yourself too much in food. Is that familiar? But experts will say that what matters here is not how much you eat and how fast you do the exercises, but whether you have the right running technique. This will be discussed in this article.
What does running mean for a person?
Interval running, which is often used for weight loss, is a special technique in which the load is distributed to all muscle groups. With proper running, blood accelerates throughout the body and causes metabolism to accelerate, and fat to be burned.
Running like this has many advantages:
- strengthening all muscle groups in the body;
- active saturation of blood with oxygen;
- increase in vital volume in the lungs;
- trains bones, making them stronger and more durable;
- positively affects the blood vessels of the heart and the heart itself.
This is by no means the entire list of the benefits of regular interval running, it can also help you burn unnecessary fat if you wish. This is where the question becomes: how to run to lose weight?
The right technique
Most often, after trying to run, many people abandon this business for lack of the desired result. However, running right means a little more than just 20 minutes in the morning.
Before you start running, you need to figure out how we achieve the result of burning fat. In our liver there is glycogen, that is, a certain amount of sugar, "hidden" by the body for physical exertion. This glycogen is enough for about 30-40 minutes of training, depending on the intensity. Therefore, it is very important to understand that running 15-20 minutes every morning, we no more than do morning workouts, while fat is not burned.
To increase the effectiveness of interval running, it must be distributed for a conditional 40 minutes - until glycogen depletes its sugar reserves and the body goes into the phase of burning fat. In total, to achieve the desired result, you need to run for about an hour. How to do this, you ask, if a beginner cannot just take and run for an hour without stopping? Here we stop and recall what is discussed in this article. Namely - about interval running.
It means running in periods: a period of maximum load, the highest speed that you are capable of, then a period of rest, and so on for an hour. Important! You can’t run for more than 75 minutes, because fat is the building material of our body, which is difficult to burn, and exceeding the running time can lead to protein breakdown. And this, in turn, means that you will lose your muscle mass.
Running plan
Before any kind of activity, you need to stretch your joints and stretch your muscles. With interval running, it will be enough to walk 100-200 meters with a quick step. The next 100-200 meters you need to jog to finally prepare the muscles for work, and the next distance to run at full speed, at maximum speed for you. After this, the cycle is repeated in the reverse order - jogging and 100-200 meters on foot, resting. And so in a circle.
What happens in the body when you run
What happens with such a run in the body? When you run at full speed, a lot of calories and sugar stores in the liver are spent. However, when you go jogging and then relax, the body needs to prepare for the next period and replenish supplies urgently. And since there is no food at hand, as the main source of energy, glycogen will replenish supplies by burning fat.
There is one more feature. Following the rules and methods of training interval running, you can achieve the result not in the agreed 60 minutes, but in 20-30 minutes of work in this mode. In this case, fats will still be burned, even after 6 hours after training.
How to make a training program?
The program of interval running for weight loss is compiled individually, depending on your performance and the desired result. We will analyze for the beginning of contraindications:
- Excess weight. Holders of a high percentage of excess fat must first adhere to a certain diet, training in such cases is dangerous and can lead to various consequences, such as a hernia.
- The cardiovascular system, or rather the diseases associated with it. Training in this situation is dangerous and can lead to serious consequences.
- Various injuries. Everything is very clear here, especially if it is a leg injury.
- Flat feet.
- Cold or infectious diseases. For any type of such diseases, it is contraindicated to exercise physical activity, the body is weakened, and any training can lead to muscle destruction.
If you do not have the above problems that prevent you from running, then feel free to start compiling a program of your training. You can choose your type of program: you will compose it, distributing periods in minutes, or in meters.
An interval run program might look something like this:
1. Jogging - acceleration.
Cycle 1: 1 min - 2 min.
2. Jogging - acceleration.
1: 1 min - 2 min cycle
Cycle 2: 2 min - 3 min
Cycle 3: 3 min - 3 min
Cycle 4: 2 min - 1 min
5: 1 min - 1 min cycle
3. Brisk walking - jogging - acceleration.
Cycle 1: 150 m - 150 m - 150 m.
Interval Run Rules
Let's decide what everyone needs to do before starting workouts. In addition to taking into account your evidence and, most importantly, contraindications, you need to perform a number of actions:
- first consult with your doctor to determine whether there are contraindications or their absence;
- regularly change the training program, distances, time, number of periods so that your body does not get used to it and continues to burn fat;
- perform at least a small stretching complex before each run to avoid unwanted injuries;
- observe the regime of day and night - training will not give any results if you sleep before this 3-4 hours instead of the required 8;
- eat right and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration (at the same time, do not forget that you should not eat 2 hours before training and immediately after it).
Treadmill Workout Efficiency
Technology is gradually replacing the usual things, instead of walking with friends we communicate with them on the Internet, and instead of morning jogging in the fresh air, we prefer to use treadmills. Are they as effective as outdoor training?
Yes, interval running on a treadmill is almost as effective, it differs, perhaps, by the lack of fresh air and oxygen. The programs are identical, as when running on the street.
There are also many reviews of interval running on the track. Almost all trainers say that such a training takes only 25-30 minutes, and the intensity is about 15 minutes.
Key recommendations
For more effective training, as well as for a good mood after the run itself, there are several rules and recommendations. They will help you to be always in good shape and do it right:
- The frequency of running should be determined by you depending on your abilities and desires, however, as mentioned above, processing leads to muscle destruction and poor health. It is best to train 3-4 times a week and give rest to the body.
- Based on your condition, sleep and diet, make up programs individually. At first, you can use ready-made programs, and then feel what you need specifically.
- Always listen to yourself and your body. If you’re not ready today or feel tired (this happens, especially in the morning), reschedule your workout for tomorrow. However, do not abuse it.
- Always wear comfortable shoes. This guarantees a lower percentage of injuries and comfort when running.
- To avoid a hungry faint, you need to eat 2 hours before a workout (if this is not a morning workout).
- Despite the convenience of treadmills, it’s better to train in the fresh air, then you can get enough oxygen into your body.
Following these simple rules, you can effectively train, burn fat, develop your stamina and improve health.
What is the IPC level?
During interval running, MP (or maximum oxygen consumption) is produced . The IPC takes effect after approximately two minutes of running or other physical work, so it is very important to plan running periods of more than two minutes. The level of maximum oxygen consumption is very important for further recovery of the body after a workout, and if you train for less than two minutes, your strength will recover slowly and you will not be ready for a further period of interval running.
It is also not worth it to overdo it with training at the IPC level, because, after training for more than 4-5 minutes (on average), the body goes into the phase of anaerobic work, and the MPC stops its work. This, in turn, means that you will consume much less oxygen needed and your muscles will not recover at the right pace.
Also, to maintain the proper functioning of the IPC level, you need to combine periods of activity, that is, rest should not be walking, but, say, a quick step or jogging at low speed. This is the most effective interval running method for burning fat.
Fartlek in weight loss
This method is very applicable to many to reduce the percentage of fat, that is, losing weight. Interval running training of this kind is not very different from the principles of ordinary running, but you need to alternate a slightly larger number of periods. Example: you do one approach at the maximum level of your heart rate, that is, on the IPC, and then, as usual, relax, do an easy run. There may be more such cycles than in a simple interval run, but the principles of operation are similar.
How to include interval training in your life?
Such types of activity are quite complex, and without proper treatment and observance of all the rules and recommendations, they can even harm your body and physical condition.
However, with proper treatment of your body, you will make it sturdy, healthy and fit. To do this, you must follow the technique, diet and sleep, breathe and warm up properly.
To include training in your life is not for everyone. However, it is not necessary to have willpower, which does not exist at all according to some scientific studies. It is enough just to have a desire to improve your health and appearance.
What time of year can I run?
You can go jogging freely at any time of the year. Of course, it is much more convenient if this summer - fewer clothes, the water is not as cold as in winter, and less likely to catch respiratory diseases. But at the same time, interval running on the track remains valid, in winter it is very convenient and practical. If you don’t have a track, then experts advise either to replace the run with other cardio exercises, or to choose the cardlet described above.
Benefit
Considering this type of running from the useful side, we can say with perfect accuracy that this sport gives high results, positively affects the activity of your body, makes you feel your body, adapt to the load and learn endurance. But, on the other hand, interval running is not suitable for everyone. However, this does not mean at all that everything is lost and there is nothing to strive for. You just need to choose for yourself those types of workouts that are right for you, give you a feeling of comfort and pleasure. If you like to walk - do it with pleasure, many, tens of thousands of steps a day - this is wonderful!
It is not necessary to follow the trends of modern fashion, which says that a person is beautiful if he is thin / athletic / eats little. If you are comfortable in your body, just find something to your liking and, perhaps, this activity will become one of the sports.
The purpose of this article is not to teach people how to create interval training programs, although this is not impossible. The goal is to show that what matters is not what you do at all, but whether you like it and whether it benefits your body.
Do your workouts bring you feelings of pleasure? Do you feel comfortable after the distance? Then go ahead - interval running or normal - just for you.