FITNESS
Could mixing things up with more high-intensity running take you to the next level? Quite possibly, says a new study
NO TWO RUNNERS ARE THE SAME: one man’s Maurten is another man’s poison. The same is true of training, where some runners will respond better than others to different stimuli. A new study looked into whether a high-intensity programme worked better for some – and found it did. Subjects began with 10 weeks of typical, moderate aerobic exercise. About 52% responded well. Then the group was split in two, with half continuing to follow the moderate plan and half doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT). All workouts were equal in energy expenditure and both programmes lasted 16 weeks. After the HIIT, the response rate jumped to 87%. Conclusion: ‘Maintaining moderate endurance training intensities might not be the best choice to optimise training gains.’ Sometimes, you have to run hard, too.
Get quick on the quick
Short on time but still want to fit in some faster running? Try this quick workout from interval-training expert Paul Laursen, which refreshes your system without taxing you. In other words, you get a fitness boost without the DOMS. Sounds good, right? Here’s the format: it’s a 10/20 workout, with 10 secs of hard
