Diet & Fitness 

Advertisement

Walking workout series, week 2: Interval training

So, you’ve got through the first week of our four-part plan. Now, take your workout to the next level

There are several benefits of walking, but if you incorporate interval training – or varying your pace – into your fitness routine, you’ll reap even more rewards. Interval training will help you burn a greater number of calories and raise your heart rate more than strolling along at a constant pace. It will also make you work harder and you should notice an improvement in muscle tone as well, Josh Salzmann, iVillage’s fitness expert says.

Interval training will break up the monotony of each workout and – if you do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for 30 minutes – jumpstart your metabolism for the entire day. You’ll also burn fat more quickly, as the calories stored from the night before will be used up soon after you begin exercising. And even though walking is easier on your joints than high-impact sport, you’ll still enjoy some of the benefits of workouts like running and aerobics because interval training will also raise your heart rate.

The guidelines of our interval workout are exactly that – a general guide – so be sure to listen to your body and use common sense when exercising. If something doesn’t feel right, stop doing it, and don’t forget that rest and proper nutrition are essential for a successful fitness routine. If you don’t allow your tired muscles to recover, no amount of exercise will give you the results you want.

Try our sample workout plan below, but take it easy this week, especially if you are still getting used to a regular fitness regime. Salzmann suggests starting slowly and increasing your intensity to a maximum of level six no matter how fit you are. For those of you who are active but trying to get in better shape, hold your higher intensity levels for longer, assuming it doesn’t hurt your joints. Good luck.

Delicious     Digg     reddit     Facebook     StumbleUpon

  Get the latest iVillage news on your desktop    Sign up for more iVillage RSS feeds

© iVillage Limited 2000-2008. All rights reserved. | © iVillage inc. 1995-2008. All rights reserved.
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB