Interval training

Interval training is a training method that alternates periods of high intensity with short recovery phases. The goal is to repeatedly push the body to its performance limits without permanently overloading it. The intense phases can consist of sprints, squat jumps, or burpees, while recovery can occur either passively or actively with light movement.

A particularly well-known form is HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), which combines very short but extremely intense exercise intervals with equally short recovery periods. HIIT is particularly time-efficient and can be used in both endurance and strength training.

Interval training has been proven to improve oxygen uptake, cardiovascular health, and reaction ability. In strength training, this method can be used to combine complex basic exercises, such as the Big 5, into effective circuits. This way, large muscle groups such as the leg muscles, back muscles, and core muscles are repeatedly and intensively engaged.

Whether to promote fat burning, increase performance, or supplement traditional strength training, interval training is flexible, challenging, and effective. Nevertheless, it requires sufficient recovery to avoid overtraining and performance declines.