Interval training in the gym.

[TTDKing]

Just joined a gym mainly for weight but as i'm shelling out £30 odd a month thought i might as well do some of my cardio there too, anybody got any good cardio sessions to do on gym kit. I'm pretty interested in interval stuff.

They also have this cool rope climbing machine which is damn hard, i climbed 100 metres after my weight session and couldnt lift my arms after!

Cheers guys

[Jamie Taylor]

Create your own, its not hard. The equipments there and as long as you understand the basic principles of interval training you're good to go. Rower, stepper, treadmill etc.. all good for interval training. Most decent cardio machines have interval programmes built into them you just have to select them on screen.

I love the grappler, a nice interval session I do on it is set it to max level ( 8 I think ) and do a minute as hard and fast as you can, then drop it to 1 and coast for 1 min. Repeat until death ( usually 10 mins is enough for me as my forearms get super pumped off it ). Of course you dont have to do 1min work 1min rest on it though.

[stapes360]

A simple interval session on the rower, only takes 22 minutes:-

Firstly you need to work out your "optimal workrate", an easy way to do this is as follows:-
Get on rower, set the timer for 1 minute, sprint flat out for 1 minute and record how many meters you clock up.(this sprint must be at 100% max effort or else all your workings out will be wrong)

Take the number of meters and "TIMES" it by 0.9
EXAMPLE-300 metres in a minute would be 300m x 0.9 = 270m

This now leaves you with a number which is roughly 90% max

Now look through the menu on the rower, find 'new workout', select 'intervals:time' set the the interval timer to 1min work 30secs rest.

Complete 10 to 15 intervals ensuring that you hit your target work rate (270m in the example) in every minute.

If you cannot hit your target work rate, simply adjust it by timesing the origional number by 0.8 or 0.85, Example 300m x 0.8 = 240m, 300m x 0.85 =255m

Enjoy...........

[Jay]

A simple interval session on the rower, only takes 22 minutes:-

Firstly you need to work out your "optimal workrate", an easy way to do this is as follows:-
Get on rower, set the timer for 1 minute, sprint flat out for 1 minute and record how many meters you clock up.(this sprint must be at 100% max effort or else all your workings out will be wrong)

Take the number of meters and "TIMES" it by 0.9
EXAMPLE-300 metres in a minute would be 300m x 0.9 = 270m

This now leaves you with a number which is roughly 90% max

Now look through the menu on the rower, find 'new workout', select 'intervals:time' set the the interval timer to 1min work 30secs rest.

Complete 10 to 15 intervals ensuring that you hit your target work rate (270m in the example) in every minute.

If you cannot hit your target work rate, simply adjust it by timesing the origional number by 0.8 or 0.85, Example 300m x 0.8 = 240m, 300m x 0.85 =255m

Enjoy...........

awesome mate, cheers. look forward to giving that a go (or trying at least)!

[matt@westfightcompany]

That sounds evil, good luck Jay..

[stapes360]

First get a Dumbell (between 20kg and 30kg), and a barbell (between 30kg and 40kg)

Use the same method as above to work out your 'MAX workrate' however this time you will be aiming to hit your max every time.

Get on rower, go into menu, find new workout, intervals, single time.
set the time to 1min.

Perform:-
1 min max effort on rower
10 x Dumbell snatch
10 x explosive burpees
10 x barbell thrusters

Complete 6 to 10 intervals

Ensure you hit your max work rate on every rower interval, complete all snatches and thrusters with good technique making every rep explosive, on burpees do a press up at the bottom of the movement and a jump at the top.

Rest in between intervals until your Heart rate has come right back down, this will allow you make the next interval just as intense as the previous.

The weights suggested are only a 'Ball park' idea, adjust them accordingly ensuing good form.

[TTDKing]

First get a Dumbell (between 20kg and 30kg), and a barbell (between 30kg and 40kg)

Use the same method as above to work out your 'MAX workrate' however this time you will be aiming to hit your max every time.

Get on rower, go into menu, find new workout, intervals, single time.
set the time to 1min.

Perform:-
1 min max effort on rower
10 x Dumbell snatch
10 x explosive burpees
10 x barbell thrusters

Complete 6 to 10 intervals

Ensure you hit your max work rate on every rower interval, complete all snatches and thrusters with good technique making every rep explosive, on burpees do a press up at the bottom of the movement and a jump at the top.

Rest in between intervals until your Heart rate has come right back down, this will allow you make the next interval just as intense as the previous.

The weights suggested are only a 'Ball park' idea, adjust them accordingly ensuing good form.

YOU EVIL F*****!! haha. Sounds vile but good at the same time.
Gonna try the rower one tonight and that one in a few weeks.
Cheers for the advise guys.

[Jay]

i did the rower one with 12 intervals, yeah, embarassing.

[stapesmk1]

What distances did you get?

First time I did it I got 326m with my 100% interval. Didnt realise that was quite far until I had to get 277m for 10 straight intervals!!!

Yeah cheers bruv!

I've got one based on a circuit Stapes360 had me do a few months back. When not injured, I was getting it in 2 and 3 mornings a week.

Try this guys...

8 x Pull Ups
8 x Bench Press
8 x Deadlift
8 x Hanging Clean to Shoulders
8 X Barbell Thrusters
8 x Dumb Bell Snatch
8 x Box Jump with Tuck Jump at bottom

All reps done explosively with 70% 1RM
3 mins rest then repaet
5 circuits

And spew.

Once again, cheers bruv.

Stapes

[Badnews]

A simple interval session on the rower, only takes 22 minutes:-

Firstly you need to work out your "optimal workrate", an easy way to do this is as follows:-
Get on rower, set the timer for 1 minute, sprint flat out for 1 minute and record how many meters you clock up.(this sprint must be at 100% max effort or else all your workings out will be wrong)

Take the number of meters and "TIMES" it by 0.9
EXAMPLE-300 metres in a minute would be 300m x 0.9 = 270m

This now leaves you with a number which is roughly 90% max

Now look through the menu on the rower, find 'new workout', select 'intervals:time' set the the interval timer to 1min work 30secs rest.

Complete 10 to 15 intervals ensuring that you hit your target work rate (270m in the example) in every minute.

If you cannot hit your target work rate, simply adjust it by timesing the origional number by 0.8 or 0.85, Example 300m x 0.8 = 240m, 300m x 0.85 =255m

Enjoy...........

I used to tabatas on the rower, but that sounds pretty disgusting... i can feel the bile rising!
A real hard workout i came across uses a pack of cards. You can substitute any exercise for the ones I list below
Red cards = press ups (eg 5 diamonds = 5 press ups)
Black cards = burpees
Red face cards = 10 sit outs
Black face cards = tuck jumps or squat and jump
Ace of spades = 10 burpee bounds (on the jump phase of the burpee leap forward as you land go straight into next burpee)
Joker = 10 seconds rest.

Split cards in 2 piles (or as many as you like really, not necessarily the same number of cards even) turn the top card do that exercise. next card and so on. V hard psychologically as you dont know whats coming, feasibly you could get several cards the same colour in sequence.
I once did it and had all black 8s 9s and 10s very close together, not nice.

Rest between piles. Make your own intervals! Do it at the gym or home.