Head for the Hills – Interval Training

Hill repeats are a great way to structure interval training into you cardiovascular workouts.  Push the uphill portions of any given course, then, rest and recover on the flats and downhills.  You can also stick to one hill and run/walk/cycle hard up, descend, then repeat.  The key to any great interval workout is to push above your normal intensity so that your body adapts with improvement to your cardiovascular system.  As you adapt with each workout, it will become progressively more difficult to elevate your heart rate and challenge your body… don’t worry, this just means your are getting in shape.  To keep progressing, increase the number or duration of intervals that you do each time.  Intervals, like resistance training, is partially anaerobic and your body needs recovery from them afterward.  Be sure that you don’t do intervals, such as hill repeats, on back to back days so that you can recover.  One to three interval workouts per week is plenty.