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Hurry Up, Slow Down:
A Guide to Interval Training

By Greg Major
April 27, 2007

Slow and steady might win the day in a running race. But in an inline marathon, it won't get you much more than a finishers t-shirt.

Why? Because long-distance skate races are roller coaster rides. You coast for a while. Then you sprint furiously to keep up with the latest surge in your paceline. Slow down for a second, and you get left behind.

Interval training is the best way to prepare for this kind of racing. More than other workouts, it increases your ability to perform at the upper reaches of your maximum heart rate — which is where you'll be on every surge.

Intervals Explained

Coaches and athletes have devised all kinds of interval workouts. But let's keep it simple. For starters, here are some things to remember:

1. Interval training has two basic components: the high-intensity "on" phase and the active-recovery "off" stage.
2. On a scale of 1 to 10, your effort during the "on" phase should be in the 8-9 range. (At the end of each "on" phase, you should feel like you want to stop.)
3. During the "off" phase, your effort should be low enough to allow you to recover.
4. For best results, do your interval workouts two or three times a week.
5. Don't stop skating until your interval workout is over.

Workout No. 1

Here's a good interval workout to start with:

First skate at your "on" pace for one minute. Then skate at your "off" pace for two minutes. Repeat three times. Then rest for five minutes by skating at an easy pace. This workout can be described like this: 1-on, 2-off x 3.

When you are ready for your next interval workout a few days later, add one more repetition. (1-on, 2-off x 4)

Add another repetition each successive workout, until you reach 6 repetitions. (1-on, 2-off x 6)

Workout No. 2

Now it's time to stretch out the "on" phase of your workout. This will condition you for longer attacks. On the first day, do three sets of 2-minutes on, 2-minutes off. Then rest.

Add another repetition to each successive workout until you again reach six repetitions. (2-on, 2-off x 6)

Workout No. 3 (Mix it up)

To prepare for the endless variety of racing, vary the time of each interval:

Day 1

• 1 minute on, 1 minute off,
• 2 on, 2 off
• 3 on, 3 off
• 2 on, 2 off
• 1 on, 1 off
• rest: 5 minutes
• Repeat

Day 2:

• 1 minute on, 1 minute off
• 2 on, 2 off
• 3 on, 3 off
• 4 on, 4 off
• 3 on, 3 off
• 2 on, 2 off
• 1 on, 1 off

On each subsequent day, add another minute.

Just Do It!

I've outlined a very specific set of workouts. But don't sweat the details. The important thing is to vary the intensity of your workouts. If you don't have a lot of time, remember that you'll reap more benefits from short interval workouts than from long distance sessions.

...

Greg Major is a veteran racer, a certified personal trainer and the president of Bulldog Bootcamp Co. A lifelong athlete, he played semi-pro football in the 1980s and won the Chicagoland Natural Bodybuilding title in 1992. He started skating in the 1980s on a pair of $19 Rollerblade knockoffs. Today, he is a member of Team Rainbo and Tru-Rev's masters racing team. He holds the course record for his age division at the Northshore Inline Marathon (1 hour, 6 minutes and 24 seconds). He and his wife, Michelle, founded Bulldog Bootcamp in 1999.

Related links:

• Bulldog web site
• Team Rainbo
• Skate Tip of the Week Archive