If you are a busy parent with limited opportunities to exercise on your own then you know how important it is to make the most of each and every workout session. Prior to having my daughter I worked out at least two hours a day roughly six days a week. These days I am lucky if I can get in my marathon training four to five days a week.
Knowing that I have to make the most of every limited opportunity I’m given I’ve had to crank up the intensity of my runs. A few of the running club members I trained with while preparing for my first marathon suggested I add a few higher-intensity running segments to my workouts.
I was hesitant at first since I am a terrible sprinter, but after a couple of weeks completing the following high intensity running segments my overall times have improved. What’s more, by picking up the pace I am burning extra calories and shedding body fat faster.
If you want to boost your calorie burn, consider adding a couple of these higher-intensity running segments to your workout. Try one or two per week, and include a five-minute warm-up and cool-down with each session.
HILL SPRINTS
Running hills burns more calories at a higher rate than running on flat terrain. This session combines hill sprints with 10K-pace mile intervals.
Run for 20 seconds up part of a steep hill at maximum speed. Jog slowly for two minutes to recover. Do a total of five hill sprints.
Estimated Burn 450 calories.
FARTLEK
Four-time Olympic marathon runner, Steve Moneghetti, developed this unique fartlek session that alternates short bursts of fast and slow running to boost overall calorie burn.
Run two sets of 90 seconds hard (five to 10 seconds per mile faster your race pace), 90 seconds easy (45 to 50 seconds per mile slower than the hard segments).
Run four sets of 60 seconds hard, 60 seconds easy.
Run four sets of 30 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy.
Run four sets of 15 seconds hard, 15 seconds easy.
Estimated Burn 400 calories.
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