1. 4 minutes warmup
75 watts resistance
2. 8 minutes higher effort
125 watts resistance
3. 4 minutes recovery
4. 8 minutes higher effort
5. 4 minutes cooldown
28 minutes total training time
Another means for enhancing the exercise effort within a similar half-hour time frame is to perform more intervals. Because each interval is relatively brief, the training intensity can be increased for the harder workout segments. For example, an interval treadmill running session could be programmed as follows for people with relatively high levels of fitness:
1. 3 minutes warmup
5.0 mph
2. 4 minutes higher effort
7.0 mph
3. 2 minutes recovery
4. 4 minutes higher effort
5. 2 minutes recovery
6. 4 minutes higher effort
7. 2 minutes recovery
8. 4 minutes higher effort
9. 3 minutes recovery
If exercise time is a concern, interval training can provide a pretty challenging workout in a rather brief duration. Shortening the hard intervals to 2 minutes each increases the anaerobic energy component and requires less total workout time to experience an excellent training effect. The following sample exercise program for stationary cycling intersperses 2-minute intervals of high and low training effort.
2. 2 minutes higher effort
175 watts resistance
100 watts resistance
4. 2 minutes higher effort