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Cardio interval training is defined by short bursts of energy followed by more moderate aerobic or cardiovascular activity. There are many ways to incorporate interval training into just about any aerobic workout. If you jog, you can run in short bursts. If you walk, you can jog. If you use an exercise bike, speed up the pace for a while, throw punches and kick faster when kickboxing… the list is almost endless. You can even do intervals with free weights! If you are just learning about cardio interval training, you are probably asking WHY it is necessary. It all boils down to getting fit faster.

1. Increased fat burning. Training in intervals increases the heart rate for a short period and then forces the body to recover from that short burst. It is in both the increase in heart rate and the recovery that the metabolism speeds up and actual fat is burned faster. When you do cardio interval training for half an hour or more, you will burn more fat than by doing a sustained cardio routine.

2. Increased muscle building. The same concept for fat burning works for muscle building, but it is the recovery period that is most beneficial for building muscle. One way building muscle through doing intervals might be running up and down stairs and then stopping to do some weighted squats. Another way to experience the benefits of cardio interval training for muscle building includes doing several push-ups at a rapid pace and then forcing yourself to do a few very slowly. Raise and lower your body with measured slowness and you will feel ?the burn?.

3. No matter what type of workout you do or what type of sport you are involved with, you can increase fitness by doing cardio interval training. Long-term fitness goals such as running in a marathon or even completing the iron man can be reached faster with aerobic interval training.

Interval workouts are beneficial to anyone who wishes to get in shape fast or burn fat in a shorter amount of time, but it is especially useful for women who have to eat much less and work out much longer than men in order to lose the same amount of weight. Cardio interval training causes an increase in calorie burning both during and after the workout and muscle mass gain ensures that more calories are burned even while you are at rest. Whether you are a man or a woman, a cardio interval workout can give you the boost your daily exercise routine needs.

If you want more information on cardio interval training. Visit Karla Whitmore’s Hub on cardio workouts.

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