Continuing from Interval Training: Part 1, I now want to look at three distinct “Types” of intervals. Each type tend to have a fairly specific goal and this will be reflected in its loading parameters.
The Three “Types” of Interval Training
As I discussed in Interval Training: Part 1, early ideas about interval training was that the heart was the primary site of adaptation. Also, the focus was more on the recovery interval than the work interval. I doubt many had much of an idea physiologically what was being targeted beyond that. As much as anything HIIT allowed athletes to accumulate volumes at higher paces than they could perform continuously.
In more modern times, the focus of interval training tends to be on improving fairly specific physiologically based performance measures. Of course, allowing the athlete to accumulate volume at a higher than steady state pace is still important.
This is especially true for extremely time based sport such as track and field, track cycling, swimming, ice speed skating and others. … Keep Reading