Interval training on the treadmill - or is it better to just go straight ahead?

Interval training on the treadmill - or is it better to just go straight ahead?

The big discussion between short and long, intensive and moderate. Everyone does it differently and everyone knows better. Interval training is better for burning fat. Moderate endurance training is aerobic. There is still this afterburn effect somewhere. Lots of words and little order. We clear things up. 

Interval training 

Interval training refers to training units that involve repeated alternation between intensive, strenuous phases and recovery phases. From strenuous to leisurely, then strenuous and then leisurely again. The phases are defined either by time or distance. Interval training is much shorter than moderate endurance training, but is correspondingly more strenuous. Interval training involves a lot of training in the anaerobic* range.

What science says

Even though interval training is anaerobic, the maximum oxygen uptake is increased, which in turn leads to an improvement in aerobic* endurance and this in turn means that we can push our bodies harder and longer without training anaerobically*. Put simply, interval training improves moderate endurance training. Intensive training also creates the so-called afterburn effect. This means that the body has an increased energy turnover long after strenuous exercise. An increased energy metabolism means that we burn more calories and - if we are in a calorie deficit - lose weight more quickly thanks to the afterburn effect. But beware: if you do interval training too often, you will overtax your body: your performance will decrease. 

Moderate endurance training

This form of training is defined by the fact that we train in the aerobic* zone. For optimal fat burning, moderate endurance training is performed at a heart rate of 60 - 70% of the maximum heart rate. The exact figures depend on age and can be found on the internet.

What science says

Moderate endurance training is particularly suitable for fat loss when there is already a calorie deficit. Not only because additional training burns even more calories, but also because this form of training optimizes the body's metabolic processes. Furthermore, regeneration after training is improved, which enables greater training intensity or a higher training frequency. And finally, almost the most important point: moderate endurance training improves the cardiovascular system and thus prevents popular diseases such as heart attacks or strokes. 

So which is the better workout?

As you might expect, this cannot be said across the board. Basically, as with any other training, it's about staying motivated and disciplined. So if you like interval training better, stick with it! What is definitely recommended is a combination of both training variations. For example, you could do intensive interval training once a week and moderate endurance training twice a week. As the two variations complement each other, you can expect greater success with a combination. In addition to the right training, endurance equipment is just as important. If you don't want to go to the gym, you can also buy one for home use. Rowing machines, cross trainers, treadmills and spinning bikes are just some of the machines that are suitable for home use and can now be bought for little money.

*Aerobic and anaerobic explained: Aerobic is exercised when the intensity is not yet so high, so that carbohydrates and fats are converted into energy in the body with the help of oxygen. This type of energy supply can be maintained over a longer period of time. When anaerobic Training requires a lot of energy in a short time due to the high intensity, which takes place without oxygen in the body. As a result, lactic acid (lactate) is produced, which ensures that physical exertion cannot take place over a longer period of time. However, it is not possible to make a clear distinction between the two areas during training. During interval training, however, we train significantly more in the anaerobic range, while moderate endurance training is mostly in the aerobic range.