from charles poliquin's bog
Perform sprint intervals instead of aerobic exercise for a superior conditioning workout and get better results. Sprint intervals using various intensities and volumes have proven to be much more effective than aerobic training at inducing fat loss and muscle gain. Intervals also improve health markers such as insulin action and blood pressure. Intervals will train both the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems, while improving the body’s muscle buffering capacity and energy use, and increasing antioxidant levels. Plus, they take less total time than aerobic-type training.
You can easily fit a fifteen-minute interval conditioning session in at the end of your lift, or better yet, perform it as a short second workout to maximize fat burning, insulin sensitivity, and protein synthesis (performing your sprint workout separately will ensure you don’t hold back from fully exhausting your muscles during your strength workout for maximal tissue remodeling). Although all-out prints can be extremely mentally and physically challenging, maximal intensity intervals are not the only option to get results. A new study in theJournal of Sports Science and Medicine compared the effect of a slightly higher volume of less intense intervals with a low-volume all-out interval program on work capacity, blood lactate recovery, maximal oxygen uptake, and power output to determine if less difficult anaerobic protocols can induce worthwhile results in a very short time.
The following two protocols were tested on the cycle ergometer: a sprint protocol (SIT) at an all-out intensity for 30 seconds with five intervals per session and four minutes rest in between; and a high-intensity protocol (HIT) at an intensity of 125 percent of maximal oxygen uptake for 30 seconds with ten intervals per session and two minutes rest between intervals. The participants were physically active college men and they performed their sprint workout three times a week for four weeks.
Results showed that for recreational trainees both protocols are equally effective at inducing physiological improvements, improving aerobic and anaerobic energy use, support fat loss. For elite athletes who need to be fast and produce maximal power for a short period of time, all-out sprints are preferable because the SIT protocol group had significantly greater improvements in power output.
Both groups had equal improvement in maximal oxygen uptake, muscle buffering capacity, and energy substrate use. They also both improved antioxidant biomarkers substantially, and had improved mitochondrial enzyme content, which is associated with increased rate of fat burning once glycogen is depleted. Greater fat burning and a boost in antioxidant levels are both benefits of interval training that aren’t available in aerobic training, making intense interval training highly preferred. Additionally, these protocols took about 25 minutes total to complete, shorter than would be required for an effective aerobic training session in a recreationally trained individual.
Equal positive physiological adaptations could be induced with shorter workouts if the protocol was modified—for example, shorter rest intervals would likely be just as effective, although, more challenging from a motivational standpoint. Take note that a previous study tested using a very short, very hard sprint interval program that included six 35-meter sprints at maximum effort with 10-seconds rest. Participants improved conditioning, while eliciting a significant anabolic response. In this study performed by competitive wrestlers, the four-week training period resulted in a major boost to total testosterone and to the testosterone to cortisol ratio at rest.
Take away from this research an understanding that high-intensity intervals are ALWAYS superior to aerobic training—you’ll get the benefits of better conditioning plus burn fat, elicit an anabolic response, raise your antioxidant levels, and improve physiological health. Plus, you’ll save time that can be devoted to your strength training workout. And interval training is an ideal solution to lack of time during the holiday season.
The choice to perform all-out sprints over high-intensity intervals is individual and based on personal motivation and training style—do you prefer short and super hard, or a little longer and less difficult? Also, consider getting a training partner who is equally matched or a little faster and in slightly better shape—you can push each other, and having someone to train with will improve motivation on days when a mentally challenging workout seems too much. Remember, you will feel better afterwards and the benefits are enormous.
Reference:
Bayati, M., Farzad, B., et al. A Practical Model of Low-Volume, High-Intensity Interval Training Induces Performance and Metabolic Adaptations that Resemble “All-Out” Sprint Interval Training. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2011. 10, 571-576.
Farzad, B., Gharakhanlou, R., Agha-Alinejad, H., Curby, D., et al. Physiological and Performance Changes from the Addition of a Sprint Interval Program to Wrestling Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. August 2011. Published Ahead of Print.
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