20/365 Interval vs. Distance Training

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Recently at the gym where I am interning, a former football player asked for some advice about exercising on the treadmill. He was debating whether to train using intervals or going for distance.

Interval training means that you are exercising at a high intensity then recovering with a lower intensity bout. Rinse and repeat. This style of exercising is great for those of you who are trying to increase performance (I'll go over this later). It is also good for people trying to lose weight who are accustomed to training. If you are new to exercise, you may not be so keen on intervals. You will fatigue faster and will most likely not complete 30 minutes of intervals because of it. Instead, try distance training.

Distance training will ensure that you get your 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. By keeping your heart rate up to at least 120 BPM (assuming you're the age of the average college student; it'll be lower if you're older), you'll get your metabolism burning fat at a nice pace. Set a distance goal that could be completed in 30 minutes. Make that distance farther every week. Push yourself to pump those legs and meet your goal. Aim for 3.1 miles (that's a 5k) and compete in a race!!

What is it with this 30 minute thing? According to the American College of Sports Medicine, we are to complete 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least 5 days/wk to get cardiovascular health benefits. The Institute of Medicine suggests 60 minutes on most days of the week. Clearly, we can't get away with sprinting on the treadmill for 10 minutes and calling it a day.

In health,

Lauren