question about interval training

[SheRa329]

Hi Cathe and others more educated than me!! I was just wondering, what is the specific purpose of interval cardio workouts, such as IMAX? I am currently doing the body blast rotation and it does not include an interval workout and I was wondering if I should add one in somewhere. I'm assuming that it gives the metabolism an extra boost or something like that. Also, what is does the term "circuit training" refer to? Is it cardio or strength, or a combo of both.
Thanks alot!!!!

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Ashley! Interval workouts help boost your metabolism and increase your overall cardio capacity. For example, if you struggled cardiovascularly during Step Fit, then including a weekly interval workout in your rotation would make it so that the next time (after a few weeks) you pull out Step Fit it would actually be easier to do. I like to use interval workouts to break through plateaus when my body is stuck at a certain performance level and doesn't want to increase. Interval workouts can be done/created with any cardio activity. Step, running, hi/lo, biking, spinning, etc.

Circuit workouts are usually a mixture of cardio and strength, or a mixture of all strength activities. You usually do your exercises in a cyclical format. Examples of the two: Supersets is a cyclical circuit workout that is all weights. Circuit Max is a cyclical workout that mixes weights and cardio.

 

[trevor]

I want to second what Cathe said about intervals improving your cardiovascular ability. I do intervals almost exclusively and my spin classes have become a walk in the park. My heart really doesn't seem to want to beat alot during spin anymore!! LOL! Look out Lance Armstrong!! LOL!!
T.