Centurion Blog

If you are short on time then interval training can be an effective to maximise calorie burning, cardio conditioning and fat loss in a lunchtime or time crunched workout.

Research in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" found that 45 minute bouts of intense exercise such as the workout samples below will increase your metabolc rate (rate at which you burn calories) for more than 14 hours which can burn up to 190 more calories long after you have left the gym!

Another study from the University of Nebraska found that athletes performing 30 second intervals at 90% of max effort last 20% longer than when performing 3 minute intervals even though their heart rates were higher! Basically less lactic acid accumulates in your muscles which means you reduce workout pain whilst still reaping the physique and performance rewards.

Workout  1 - Treadmill
Estimated Calories Burned - 705
Total Time - 43 minutes

1 - 5 minutes ... Warm up
5 - 10 minutes ... 5mph jog
10 - 15 minutes ... 7mph sprint
15 - 20 minutes ... 5mph jog
20 - 23 minutes ... Rest (walk)
23 - 28 minutes ... 8 mph sprint
28 - 33 minutes ... 6 mph jog
33 - 38 minutes ... 7 mph sprint
38 - 43 minutes ... 5 mph jog

Workout 2 - Run Steps or Stepper
Estimated Calories Burned - 643
Total Time - 43 minutes

1 - 5 minutes ... Warm up
5 - 10 minutes ... Step run or stepper
10 - 15 minutes ... Jog
15 - 17 minutes ... Mountain climbers
17 - 19 minutes ... Rest
19 - 24 minutes ... Step run or stepper
24 - 29 minutes ... Jog
29 - 31 minutes ... Mountain climbers
31 - 33 minutes ... Rest
33 - 38 minutes ... Step run or stepper
38 - 43 minutes ... Jog

Workout 3 - Run Steps or Stepper
Estimated Calories Burned - 597
Total Time - 20-25 minutes

5-10 minutes ... Warm up
30 seconds ... Step run or stepper
30 seconds ... Slow walk
30 seconds ... Skip
30 seconds ... Slow walk
30 seconds ... Step ups
1 - 2 minutes ... Rest
30 seconds ... Step run or stepper
30 seconds ... Slow walk
30 seconds ... Skip
30 seconds ... Slow walk
30 seconds ... Step ups
1 - 2 minutes ... Rest
30 seconds ... Step run or stepper
30 seconds ... Slow walk
30 seconds ... Skip
30 seconds ... Slow walk
30 seconds ... Step Ups
1 - 2 minutes ... Rest


I hope that once again my blog has been useful, if you have any questions then please email me on josh@centuriontraining.com and feel free to leave a comment!

Joshua Mullin - Master Trainer