High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Methodology 5 of 16
Key Highlights
- •You switch between short bursts of hard work and easy breaks.
- •During the hard parts, you go as fast as you can.
- •The workouts are very short, often under twenty minutes long.
- •It helps your heart and lungs get stronger very quickly.
- •Perfect for busy people who only have a little free time.
- •You only need to do it once or twice a week.
- •Your body keeps burning extra energy even after you finish.
Overview
High-Intensity Interval Training involves repeated bouts of very intense exercise interspersed with recovery periods. In endurance sports, HIIT sessions typically feature efforts near or at maximal aerobic capacity – for example, intervals of 3–5 minutes at ~VO₂max intensity with equal or slightly shorter rest, or shorter sprints (30s–1min all-out) with longer recovery. These workouts stress the upper limits of the aerobic and anaerobic systems in a time-efficient manner.
Key Focus
The primary focus of HIIT is to boost VO₂max and anaerobic capacity by recruiting nearly all muscle fibers and maximizing cardiovascular strain. HIIT drives rapid improvements in oxygen uptake; studies show high-intensity intervals can increase VO₂max more effectively than traditional moderate training. It also improves lactate tolerance and neuromuscular power (speed), which helps athletes handle surges and high-intensity efforts during competition. Essentially, HIIT provides a potent stimulus for both aerobic and anaerobic improvements.
Best Suited For
HIIT is well-suited for experienced athletes seeking performance gains such as a higher VO₂max, faster race times, or the ability to handle bursts (e.g., hills, attacks) in races. It is also popular for time-limited athletes because it yields significant benefits with shorter workouts. However, it’s very demanding: beginners or those without an aerobic base should introduce HIIT cautiously (after some base training), as the injury and fatigue risk is higher at extreme intensities. Typically, competitive runners, cyclists, and triathletes integrate HIIT in the latter part of training cycles to break plateaus and sharpen for races.
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Block Periodization
The focus is to concentrate training stress on one adaptation while maintaining others at minimal levels, thereby inducing greater improvement in that area than if all qualities are trained simultaneously. For instance, in an accumulation block an athlete might focus on high-volume low-intensity work to boost aerobic base, then in the next (transmutation) block focus intensely on lactate threshold or anaerobic capacity with many interval sessions. Because each block is short and specific, the body is continuously challenged with a new stimulus every few weeks, helping to avoid stagnation. Block periodization thus aims to combine the advantages of both polarized approaches and pyramidal approaches by sequencing them in time – research suggests a dynamic, phased combination can be very effective.
Fartlek Training
The focus of fartlek is to improve both aerobic endurance and speed endurance by blending intensities in one session. Hard segments (e.g. around 85–90% effort) push the aerobic system and improve the ability to surge, while the easy segments (jog or float recoveries) allow partial recovery and adaptation to changing paces. This trains the body and mind to handle pace fluctuations – useful for tactics like surge-and-recover in races – and can help an athlete finish strong with a fast end spurt. Additionally, the varied nature of fartlek can reduce monotony and improve overall fitness similarly to structured intervals, but with more flexibility.
Galloway Run-Walk Method
Build endurance and minimize fatigue/injury by using walking intervals as a form of active recovery. The goal is to prevent the cumulative fatigue that normally occurs in continuous running, thus allowing the athlete to maintain a stronger pace over the long haul. Walking breaks allow the muscles, joints, and energy systems brief recovery, which reduces muscle damage and "erases" some fatigue so the runner can keep going longer. The approach also aims to lower the stress hormone response (cortisol) and impact forces, thereby lowering injury risk. In essence, the focus is conservation of resources: by never going until complete exhaustion, you preserve your ability to continue and enjoy the endorphins of running without the deep aches of nonstop running. This method also has a psychological goal – breaking a marathon or long run into manageable segments (run a few minutes, then you know a walk is coming) can make the distance mentally easier.
Hansons Marathon Method (Cumulative Fatigue Training)
Develop fatigue resistance and the ability to maintain pace in the later miles of the marathon. The key goal is to adapt the body and mind to running strong even when legs are already fatigued. By spreading out the weekly mileage and not relying on a single massive long run, the Hansons method avoids overemphasizing any one workout. Instead, the entire week’s training load collectively simulates marathon stress. Another focus is consistency and relatively high mileage (for amateurs) – running six days a week builds cumulative endurance. The method also aims to improve specific marathon physiology with weekly tempo runs at goal marathon pace, so an athlete gets very familiar with their target pace. In summary, the Hansons approach focuses on making the marathon “the sum of its parts,” preparing an athlete through cumulative fatigue rather than one huge long run, ultimately to avoid the infamous late-race breakdown.