Drop the Boring Workout - Dr. Eric S. Curley, DC

Are you ready to change up your workout routine? Do you wish you could burn more calories
without spending more time at the gym? Interval training takes the boredom out of a usual
workout and bumps up the calorie burn.

What is interval training?

It's not as complicated as you might think. Interval training is simply alternating bursts of
intense activity with intervals of lighter activity.

Examples of interval training:

Take walking. If you're in good shape, you might incorporate short bursts of jogging into your
regular brisk walks. If you're less fit, you might alternate leisurely walking with periods of faster
walking. For example, if you're walking outdoors, you could walk faster between certain mailboxes,
trees or other landmarks.

For joggers – add a series of sprints, jog for 3 minutes and sprint for 30 seconds. Do at least 3
sprints in a 3 mile run to start. Increase the time of your sprints as your fitness improves. You
can also add 10 push-ups instead of the sprints.

For gym training - add 1 minute of jumping jacks between your usual stations. Add mountain
climbers between the next set.

Benefits

You'll burn more calories. The more vigorously you exercise, the more calories you'll burn —
even if you increase intensity for just a few minutes at a time.

You'll improve your aerobic capacity. As your cardiovascular fitness improves, you'll be able
to exercise longer or with more intensity. Imagine finishing your 60-minute walk in 45 minutes —
or the additional calories you'll burn by keeping up the pace for the full 60 minutes.

You'll keep boredom at bay. Turning up your intensity in short intervals can add variety to
your exercise routine.

You don't need special equipment. You can simply modify your current routine.