Tried High Intensity Intervals on the Treadmill Today

[Chuvalo]

Just a progress update...

upped the rest/run speed to 3.7/10..7

and my overall 3 mile times are down to 24 min from 27-28 min.

What is the incline on the treadmill set at when you do your speed interval ?

 

[state 08]

What is the incline on the treadmill set at when you do your speed interval ?

No incline. I know some people bump up the incline a smidge to simulate real world terrain, but I'm already cautious enough mentally when cranking it to 12+ mph on the treadmill - no need to factor in something else to make me feel less safe/confident while pushin it to the limit.

 

[Chuvalo]

No incline. I know some people bump up the incline a smidge to simulate real world terrain, but I'm already cautious enough mentally when cranking it to 12+ mph on the treadmill - no need to factor in something else to make me feel less safe/confident while pushin it to the limit.

Actually, my thought wasn't to bump the incline a smidge, but to bump it to the max.....12 mph combined with a level 12 ( or the highest level ) incline.

If you feel adventurous, here is a HIIT routine I used to do and I make my hockey team do during off season training ( it's important make sure you do a proper warm up first before trying this )......

After a warm up, stand beside the treadmill. Set the treadmill mph at 12 mph. Set the incline at 12 ( or the highest incline you can ) Get on the treadmill, straddle the treadmill as it is running, then jump on it as it is going at the 12/12 setting - essentially you are running " flat out ' at this point in time. Do the 12/12 run for a minute or so , or until your legs have some lactic acid ( burning ) feel and you can't run anymore ( or you can't breath anymore ) - then quickly hop off. You should be gasping for air at this point and be at about 95%+ of your max heart rate.

After you hop off the treadmill ( it is still running at 12/12 by the way ) walk around it and recover and check your pulse all the while. When your pulse rate drops to about 65% of your max +/- heart rate ( this could take anywhere from 1 - 4 minutes ) - hop back on the treadmill for your 12/12 run for a minute interval as before.

I'd do a total of 12 or 15 of the 12/12 1 minute runs as a good workout to both burn calories and for a cardio conditioning workout.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Actually, my thought wasn't to bump the incline a smidge, but to bump it to the max.....12 mph combined with a level 12 ( or the highest level ) incline.

If you feel adventurous, here is a HIIT routine I used to do and I make my hockey team do during off season training ( it's important make sure you do a proper warm up first before trying this )......

After a warm up, stand beside the treadmill. Set the treadmill mph at 12 mph. Set the incline at 12 ( or the highest incline you can ) Get on the treadmill, straddle the treadmill as it is running, then jump on it as it is going at the 12/12 setting - essentially you are running " flat out ' at this point in time. Do the 12/12 run for a minute or so , or until your legs have some lactic acid ( burning ) feel and you can't run anymore ( or you can't breath anymore ) - then quickly hop off. You should be gasping for air at this point and be at about 95%+ of your max heart rate.

After you hop off the treadmill ( it is still running at 12/12 by the way ) walk around it and recover and check your pulse all the while. When your pulse rate drops to about 65% of your max +/- heart rate ( this could take anywhere from 1 - 4 minutes ) - hop back on the treadmill for your 12/12 run for a minute interval as before.

I'd do a total of 12 or 15 of the 12/12 1 minute runs as a good workout to both burn calories and for a cardio conditioning workout.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

A much safer and more practical way to do the same thing would be hill sprints. Find the biggest hill and sprint up it. Rest three times the amount of time you ran up.

Also, just to make a not, lactic acid isn't what generates the muscle "burn." Lactate is actually a fuel that is used for gluconeogenesis in more oxidative muscle fibers, such as the heart. It is believes that potassium dysregulation (high extracellular levels) is the cause. Lactate is a good indicator of failure only because the lactate threshold can demonstrate when lactate is being made quicker than it is being used. Essentially, it gives us info on how much out mitochondria can do. When the amount of lactate produced is greater than that used, it indicates failure of one's oxidative ability to continue doing more work.

 

[Chuvalo]

A much safer and more practical way to do the same thing would be hill sprints. Find the biggest hill and sprint up it. Rest three times the amount of time you ran up. .

Well, I'd disagree.

We found that multiple seasons of doing intervals on treadmills was - if anything - perfectly safe.

And using a treadmill was eminently practical in terms of being able to adjust mph, incline, interval duration as we saw fit in accordance with heart rate and recovery times we were trying to manipulate.

Also, just to make a not, lactic acid isn't what generates the muscle "burn." Lactate is actually a fuel that is used for gluconeogenesis in more oxidative muscle fibers, such as the heart. It is believes that potassium dysregulation (high extracellular levels) is the cause. Lactate is a good indicator of failure only because the lactate threshold can demonstrate when lactate is being made quicker than it is being used. Essentially, it gives us info on how much out mitochondria can do. When the amount of lactate produced is greater than that used, it indicates failure of one's oxidative ability to continue doing more work.

Then I'll rephrase it.

Do the work interval until you are physically unable - burning or otherwise - to continue safely.

 

[state 08]

update 9/24/10

WOW! Broke... wait, no - SHATTERED the record I set 13 days ago. Ran 3 miles in 19 min and 10 Seconds!!!

BUT, I feel like I may have cheated. I've very recently started supplementing with JACK3D on mon-wed-fri. The days I take it, I get withing 15-20 seconds of my previous record of 19 min and 55 seconds. This was unusual since me setting records usually happens once every so often as evidenced by my previous updates. But today, I don't know what happened - my body was just ready to go into hyperdrive!

Even though I probably wouldn't have been able to set this record any time soon w/o the pre-workout NO supplement, I'll still take it. I love knowing the fact that my body is capable of such a time. Besides, it's not like I'm in some kind of official tournament/race.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Don't convince yourself it was the supplement. It's all you, man. The NO supplement is great for getting a pump while lifting, but not that good for endurance stuff because a lot blood just pools in the muscles and doesn't get sent back to the heart. That PR was you, friend.

 

[state 08]

update 11/1/10

Not to significant, but a new record none-the-less: 3 miles in 19 min and 3 seconds.

Since last time, this is the first time I've been even close to my previous record. Usually, average is anywhere between 20-21 min. On a GOOD day, anywhere between 19:30-20:00.

 

[state 08]

update 1/5/2011

Managed to slice of a little bit off of my 3 mile time today: 18 minutes and 45 seconds. Nice to way to start 2011.

I think I'll set a New Years resolution right now. Let's see if I can't dip below 18 minutes this year...

 

[state 08]

update 1/24/2011

Got a new best time today: 18 minutes and 37 seconds.

Revelation: New playlist with hype music helps!

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Nice job, man. That's quite good It's pretty neat to see what you started with and where you are now. Way to keep with it.

 

[state 08]

update 3/21/2011

New 3 mile record: 18 minutes and 13 seconds.

That new years res is in my sights!