Research from our lab used LES MILLS GRIT™ to demonstrate the superior effects of a combined approach. Sprint intervals are great … Endurance sessions are also great … But really a combination of sprint intervals and endurance sessions is best. But really a combination of sprint intervals and endurance sessions is best. If you’re happy to do longer sessions with less intensity, endurance sessions are also great. If you like the idea of short sharp workouts and exercising at an intensity that can be compared to being chased by a bear, sprint intervals are great. Also (and this is important) the observed improvements in glucose tolerance were better on the days either group exercised. Only the endurance approach, however, decreased blood pressure, abdominal fat and something called ‘post prandial lipid tolerance’ (the amount of blood fat that accumulates after a meal). Both increased fitness and glucose tolerance. What I found most interesting about the findings of this study was that both approaches generated positive benefits, but the benefits differed between the two groups.
The endurance group did five biking sessions per week of 30 – 40 mins duration, each at 60 percent of their maximum intensity. They performed this exercise session three times per week. The sprint group did four to six intervals of 30 seconds duration at maximum intensity on a stationary bike with two minutes recovery between each set. Twenty-three participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Canadian researchers compared sprint interval workouts to endurance sessions over a period of six weeks in a group of overweight / obese males. Well, luckily, we have research that might help. So where does this leave us? Should we go with four-second sprint intervals or the more traditional longer sessions? Jinger Gottschall says: “We have decades of research demonstrating the effectiveness of longer duration workouts – why would we suddenly think they have no benefit?” The tendency when something new and sparkly comes along is to throw out the old approach – because it’s just old, and newer must be better. In fact, the latest idea is that intervals just four seconds long are enough to change your fitness and muscular output! Jinger Gottschallįast forward another few years, and now we have what researchers are terming ‘sprint intervals’ – short bursts of very high intensity with the claim that even four-minute sessions can change your life. “We have decades of research demonstrating the effectiveness of longer duration workouts – why would we suddenly think they have no benefit?” Dr. No more reading magazines … Have you ever tried to read a magazine while you’re doing a burpee with a tuck jump? Suddenly, fitness gurus everywhere were competing to see who had the toughest workout.
The problem is you don’t actually burn much of anything – because the intensity is so low.Īs a response to the lack of effectiveness from exercise at a sleepwalking pace, high-intensity workouts appeared. We burn mostly fat during low-intensity activities (you’re probably burning mostly fat while you’re reading this). Heaven forbid you broke into a jog – then you’d be burning carbs!
Endurance fitness full#
Gyms everywhere were full of people walking slowly on a treadmill while reading a magazine. Well, guess what? I remember when we were all obsessed with low-intensity, long-duration workouts because they got us into the ‘fat burning’ zone. You know you’re getting old when you begin statements with: “I remember when…”
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