Interval training is a phenomenal weapon in your fat loss arsenal. But there is one big mistake I see a lot of people making…

Interval training workouts should go something like this:

HARD, rest, HARD, rest, HARD, rest, HARD, rest, HARD, rest, and so on

But most people are doing this:

Hard, kinda hard, hard, kinda hard, hard, kinda hard…

Which will lower the quality of your intervals and turn your workout into this:

Medium, medium, medium, medium, medium, medium…

So by not taking it easy during prescribed rest periods, you are actually turning your interval training workout into a standard cardio workout. No bueno.

The key to getting results from your interval training is to do MORE during the work part and LESS during the rest periods.

For running intervals outside, just walk slowly to keep your blood moving.  Intervals on the treadmill, hop off and walk in a circle.

Spin bike sprints, turn the resistance almost off and pedal very slowly.  Sit up tall so you can fill your lungs with air before hunching over on your next sprint.

And with bodyweight, kettlebell, or dumbbell intervals, there are two things I recommend:

a) Walk in a circle (if it feels like you’re wasting time, you need to push harder during the intervals… then you’ll be glad of the rest!)

b) Do some sort of EASY rehab/prehab exercise

If you choose to do the rehab exercise, make sure it is super easy for you, otherwise you’ll lose the benefits of resting and it won’t be interval training any more.

Light band pull aparts are one of my favorites:

Neck circles, ankle circles, and wrist stretches are all fine options if they won’t interfere with your next exercise.

But if you’re ever in any doubt of what to do during your interval training rest periods, just walk

So, how to succeed with intervals: Word HARDER on the hard stuff, and go EASIER on the easy stuff!

For a complete Carson City Personal Training interval plan, check out this link:

Interval Training For Extreme Fat Loss

Here is a study that showed intervals are better than long duration training for improving anaerobic endurance:

Endurance vs Intervals, Effect On Anaerobic Endurance

And finally, a study that showed 90 minutes of interval training provided the same fat loss benefits as 270 minutes of aerobic training:

Metabolic Adaptations In Low Volume Sprints vs High Volume Endurance