• It is important to maintain mobility, endurance, and strength as we age to stay healthy. 
• It is recommended that older adults participate in 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise, such as low-impact cardio workout and strength training, per week. 
• Benefits of working out for older adults include fall prevention, improved quality of life, better mental health, and increased independence. 

Especially with all the stigma about aging and exercise, starting an exercise routine as an adult in your 60s or later may feel intimidating or downright impossible. But in reality, exercising as an older adult is not only doable—it’s critical to maintain a high quality of life and independence. 

In this guide to exercise for seniors, you’ll learn about the many benefits of physical activity for older adults, find a 20-minute workout with modification ideas, and hear from a certified personal trainer and a physical therapist about how to create safe and effective exercise protocols.

Benefits of Exercise for Seniors

The health benefits of exercise for older adults are profound. Here’s a look at what you can expect when you start exercising later in life. (It’s never too late!)

It Improves Cardiovascular Health 

Cardio exercise, such as brisk walking, improves the health of your heart and blood vessels. Regular physical activity is linked to improved markers of cardiovascular health, such as lower blood pressure, resting heart rate, increased heart rate variability, and VO2 max. (1)(2)(3)

It Improves Bone Health 

Weight-bearing exercise, including walking and resistance training, can slow the loss of bone mineral density. As people age, they typically lose bone mass, which ultimately can lead to osteoporosis and an increased risk of bone fractures. Research shows that weight-bearing exercise is one of the best ways to slow or reduce this bone mineral loss. (4)

It Increases Strength and Muscular Endurance 

Resistance training increases muscular strength and muscular endurance—and yes, that’s true in older adults, too. For example, for seniors with sarcopenia (typically age-related muscle loss), strength training programs can improve strength and physical performance, although training may not have an effect on muscle mass. (5, 6)

It Helps With Fall Prevention and Functional Independence 

Part of retaining functional independence later in life includes preventing falls. Luckily, exercise can help with that. 

Physical activity strengthens the muscles and joints, improves balance and coordination, and increases proprioception (the knowledge of where one’s body is in space). All of these things help prevent falls and injuries, thus helping older adults remain able to take care of themselves and generally enjoy themselves. (7)

It Improves Mental Health and Quality of Life 

A growing body of scientific evidence shows us that exercise may be just as effective, if not more so, than medical intervention for certain mental health conditions, including depression. In fact, exercise has been called a “first-choice treatment” for depressive disorders.

With regard to older adults specifically, researchers point to exercise as a “top theoretical treatment” for Alzheimer’s disease. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis calls exercise “conducive to mental health, preventing cognitive decline, depression, and anxiety symptoms” in older adults. (8)(9)(10)(11)

Exercise routines can encourage older people to participate in social groups, too, which may have a significant positive impact on daily life. In fact, “social fitness” is on the rise for this very reason: Exercising in groups adds to the already-profound benefits of physical activity. Its surge in popularity is a clear response to the growing loneliness epidemic in the U.S. 

[Read More: How to Get Into CrossFit as an Older Adult]

Indeed, a 2023 study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that running clubs may be as effective at treating depression as therapy. In older people, having social support—i.e., exercising in groups—can increase motivation and adherence to exercise, according to a 2022 study in the International Journal of Environmental and Public Health. (12)(13)

And while water aerobics classes remain popular among older adults for their low-impact nature, there are certainly other options: Your local community center may offer other classes, like strength training, Tai Chi, yoga, Pilates, or dance fitness. Joining a neighborhood walking group is another way to get social and keep fit. 

20-Minute Workout for Seniors

Looking for workout ideas as an older adult? This 20-minute workout covers all of the bases: cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility. 

What You’ll Need

• An exercise mat, yoga mat, or cushion to place your hands and knees on
• A wall to press against for wall push-ups 
• A light weight, such as a dumbbell or a full 16-ounce water bottle 

The Workout

Complete the entire series three to five times. Rest as needed between movements. 

• Bird Dog: 10 repetitions (5 per side)
• Lying Leg Raise: 10 reps (5 per side) 
• Single-Arm Shoulder Press: 10 reps (5 per side) 
• Air Squat: 10 reps
• Push-Up: 10 reps 
• Standing Knee-to-Chest: 10 reps (5 per side)

Don’t Forget to Warm Up

Before beginning the workout, make sure to warm up. Spend about five minutes doing a general warm-up to get your heart rate up and increase blood flow: Walk around your house or march in place. 

After five minutes, perform this series of warm-up exercises three times: 

• Arm Circles Forward: 15 seconds
• Arm Circles Backward: 15 seconds
• Seated Marching: 30 seconds
• Seated Calf Raise: 30 seconds

Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat and knees bent; lift one leg upward while keeping your knees bent and alternate.

Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat and knees bent; press your toes into the ground and lift your heels up while remaining seated.

Now you’re ready for the workout.

Bird Dog

The bird dog is an ideal exercise for developing core stability and strength while also promoting balance and coordination. It’s a great strengthening exercise for the glutes, too. 

How to Do It: 

1. Start on all fours on your exercise mat, with your hips stacked above your knees and shoulders stacked above your wrists. Keep your neck straight and your gaze down: Don’t crane your neck. Maintain a flat spine. 
2. Slowly lift your right leg and your left arm simultaneously until they form straight lines outward from your torso. 
3. Gently lower your arm and leg back to the mat, then lift your left leg and right arm. 
4. Alternate until you complete the rep count. 

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Instead of lifting your arm and leg simultaneously, keep both arms planted and lift just your leg.
• Make it Harder: Hold the position at the top for a count of three before lowering your arm and leg back to the mat.

Lying Leg Raise

This simple exercise packs a strengthening punch for the lower body. It targets the hip abductors, muscles that play a big role in balance and healthy hips. 

How to Do It: 

1. Lie on your right side on your exercise mat, with your hips stacked above one another. (Don’t twist your spine.) You may use your right arm to support your neck and head. 
2. Lift your left leg straight upward as high as you can, noticing your glutes working. 
3. Lower your leg back down. Complete the rep count, and then switch sides. 

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Reduce the range of motion (i.e., don’t force yourself to lift your leg higher) until you gain more strength and flexibility.
• Make it Harder: Add an element of resistance, such as a small dumbbell held at your hip or a light resistance band around the knees. 

Single-Arm Shoulder Press

[Read More: The Best Adjustable Dumbbells for Your Home Gym]

Our shoulders do so much for us: They help us pick things up, move objects around, place items on shelves, open doors, and so much more. The single-arm shoulder press not only strengthens your shoulder muscles but also promotes core stability and balance. 

How to Do It: 

1. Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart, holding your dumbbell at your side. 
2. Bring the dumbbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbow bent. 
3. Press the weight overhead until your elbow is almost fully extended (careful not to overextend). 
4. Lower the weight back to shoulder height carefully. 
5. Repeat until you complete the rep count, and then switch sides. 

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Try the seated version of this exercise. In a chair with your feet flat on the ground and knees bent, practice the single-arm press until you develop the required core stability and balance to perform it standing up.
• Make it Harder: Increase the weight or rep count as you get stronger. 

Air Squat

Squats are one of the most functional exercises you can do. We utilize this movement pattern when sitting down for dinner, getting into our cars, picking things up (properly) from the ground, and in many other scenarios. It strengthens the lower body and promotes a strong core. 

How to Do It: 

1. Stand up with your feet about hip-width apart and your feet planted firmly. 
2. Hinge backward at the hips and bend your knees to begin lowering yourself into a squat. 
3. Descend until you reach the lowest point you can without raising your heels up from the ground or dropping your chest toward the floor.
4. Ascend to the starting position. Repeat until you complete all reps. 

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Squat to a chair for guidance, or use an apparatus for assistance, such as a post/pole, suspension system (like a TRX), or a very sturdy piece of furniture (e.g., the back of your sofa). 
• Make it Harder: Challenge yourself to deepen your squat if the mobility is there. You can also add weight. 

Push-Up

An effective bodyweight exercise, push-ups strengthen the chest and shoulders while challenging the core. 

How to Do It: 

1. Get on all fours on your exercise mat. Stack your hips above your knees and your shoulders above your wrists. 
2. Extend your knees so that you are balanced on your hands and toes (plank position). 
3. Bend your elbows to lower your body toward the ground. Your chest and hips should move together in one clean line. 
4. Press back up to the plank position. 
5. Repeat until you complete the rep count. 

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Perform push-ups on your knees to offset the resistance, or use an elevated surface to make them easier. Wall push-ups are a great beginner option. 
• Make it Harder: Take it slow. Instead of rushing through the reps, slow down the descent and pause in the bottom and top positions for one second. 

Standing Knee-to-Chest

This exercise promotes balance and flexibility while strengthening the quadriceps and hip flexors, and it’s easy to modify to make it easier or more challenging.

How to Do It: 

1. Stand up tall with your feet about hip-width apart, with your feet planted firmly. 
2. Keeping your knee bent, lift your left leg up as high as you can without losing your balance. 
3. Pause for one second; then gently lower your left leg back to the ground. 
4. Repeat with your right leg. Continue alternating until you complete all reps. 

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Perform this move seated in a chair if you do not yet have the balance to perform it standing. You can also hold onto furniture, a wall, or a post for help with balance while standing. 
• Make it Harder: Hug your knee to your chest for a deeper stretch and a bigger challenge to your balance. 

How to Program Exercises for Seniors

Whether you are a personal trainer searching for ideas about how to program effective exercise for older adults or an older person learning how to program for yourself, these tips from a fitness trainer and physical therapist can help. 

Integrate Medical Requirements 

Certified personal trainer James Cunningham, BSc in Sport and Exercise Science, says it’s critical to gather a complete medical history before beginning an exercise protocol—for anyone, not just seniors. 

“I always encourage participants to consult with their doctors before starting any new fitness regimen, and I make a point of staying informed about their medical history, including any medications or treatments they may be undergoing,” he says. “This allows me to tailor workouts to accommodate any specific limitations or contraindications while still providing effective and safe exercise options.”

For example, individuals with age-related conditions such as arthritis, may need specific customizations to achieve the intended stimulus of the workout without undue pain. Plans for those with osteoporosis should include an emphasis on weight-bearing exercise, which is proven to slow down bone mineral loss.

[Read More: The Benefits of CrossFit for People Age 60 and Above]

For people who have heart disease, including high blood pressure, precautions should be taken as directed by the medical advice of the client’s provider. 

“By working collaboratively with healthcare providers and prioritizing participant safety and well-being, participants receive the most beneficial and appropriate workouts for their individual needs,” Cunningham says. 

Strength Training is Key—And So Are Modifications 

Strength training exercises, whether performed with one’s body weight, dumbbells, or resistance bands, are beneficial for older adults. The research is clear: Resistance training is key to healthy aging, with studies suggesting it can help combat sarcopenia, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. (14)(15)(16)

That said, trainers should take caution and make modifications where necessary. Physical therapist Renee Roth Powers says that “protecting joints is a first-line concern.” 

“Overly repetitive strength or weightlifting exercises can create too much compression in aging joints,” she explains. “The key to adapting is to not overload with resistance and not overdo it with multi-joint exercises like squats, lunges, or overhead press if someone has a cranky hip, knee, shoulder, back, or neck.”

[Read More: The Best Rowing Machines for Seniors]

Powers encourages trainers to help older adults build strength gradually as the tendons, ligaments, and other tissues adjust to new movements and new loads. She points out that, “Older patients heal much more slowly, no matter how amazingly fit they are. It’s much better to go very slowly than to have to recover from an injury due to exercising.”

For older adults with mobility limitations, lower back pain, or balance that needs improving, chair exercises may come into play. Seated exercises allow athletes to work on building up their strength while minimizing the risk of pain, injury, or a fall. 

Integrate Low-Impact Cardio 

Cunningham says he typically opts for low-impact cardio exercises with older clients. “Low-impact exercises, such as swimming, cycling, or using elliptical machines, reduce stress on the joints while still providing effective cardiovascular workouts,” he says. The idea is to get the heart rate up and exercise at a moderate intensity without placing undue stress on the joints.

A Focus on Flexibility 

“All older adult activity should be monitored for relative flexibility,” says Powers. “That means if one joint or muscle group is stiff, [find out] what region gives too much to compensate for that stiffness.”

“For instance, if the hips don’t bend well, which is very common, often the upper back will bend far too much and will experience strain trying to reach the toes,” she explains. Customizations and modifications are critical here, she says, and in this case, “The key is to bend the knees a little, let the hips bend if possible, and keep the upper back flat.”

[Read More: Chinese Seniors Are Throwing Stones Around Like Kettlebells to Stay In Shape]

In addition to knowing the cause of any stiffness, it’s important to “know if an older person is stretching tight muscle tissue or forcing a resistant joint to a position that it will no longer move into,” Powers says. 

For example, “If a 70-year-old person has a stiff hip due to osteoarthritis, ‘stretching’ that hip in certain ways could further grind and degenerate the bones, increasing pain and mobility challenges.” In this case, a knee-to-chest stretch (single plane of motion) is preferred over a figure-four stretch, “which twists and pulls the hip in multiple planes,” Powers explains. 

Include Balance Exercises 

Fall prevention is a cornerstone of exercise programming for older adults. Examples of balance exercises include: marching in place, single-leg stands, and heel-to-toe walks. Tai Chi, yoga, Qigong, and Pilates, are all forms of exercise that encourage balance. 

[Read More: Get a Leg Up On Your Training With These Exercises for Balance & Stability]

One way to remember to incorporate balance exercises is to include them in your cool-down after every training session. Just five or 10 minutes of balance training a few times per week can make a significant difference in how your body moves in daily life—making everyday chores and activities safer and more enjoyable. 

(Safely) Prioritize Progressive Overload

Progressive overload is a foundational principle of fitness training. It refers to the process of continually increasing the challenge placed on your musculoskeletal or cardiovascular system in order to promote continued adaptation—AKA increased fitness. 

This foundational concept doesn’t go away with age. Even later in life, it’s important to continue to improve one’s fitness. However, additional precautions may be necessary. 

[Read More: How to Start Olympic Weightlifting After 50]

While young fitness enthusiasts may be quick to hop on the latest functional fitness trend, Powers says, “The older population is generally not a group to try the latest dynamic exercise circulating on TikTok—tried-and-true exercises are typically best. That means there may be two or three standard exercises for someone who has a knee or hip issue, and that’s OK.”

CPT Cunningham echoes this sentiment, saying it’s important to “prioritize proper form and technique over heavy weights or high-intensity trainings, ensuring that each movement is performed correctly to reduce the likelihood of injury.”

Assess and Track

Any good exercise program begins with a series of assessments. An experienced and knowledgeable personal trainer will assess your strength, balance, flexibility, mobility, and cardiovascular fitness to understand where you’re starting from. 

“When someone begins training with me, I conduct a thorough initial assessment that includes measurements, range of motion tests, balance assessments, and discussions about their health history, goals, and any limitations or concerns they may have,” Cunningham says. “This provides me with a baseline understanding of their current fitness level and helps me tailor a program that meets their individual needs.” 

The initial battery of tests is also important for tracking purposes—it helps you see how far you’ve come over a period of weeks, months, or years. 

[Read More: The Best Treadmills for Seniors]

To track progress over time, Cunningham says he uses a combination of objective measurements, such as strength gains or improvements in flexibility, and subjective feedback from participants about how they’re feeling and what changes they’ve noticed in their overall health and well-being. 

“Regular check-ins and reassessments allow me to adjust their workouts as needed and ensure they continue to make progress towards their goals,” he explains.

Frequently Asked Questions

It’s natural to have a lot of questions about exercising as an older adult. Here are the ones we hear most often.

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

 References

1. Sant’Ana LO, Machado S, Ribeiro AAS, et al. Effects of Cardiovascular Interval Training in Healthy Elderly Subjects: A Systematic Review. Front Physiol. 2020;11:739.
2. Liew JM, Teo SP. Physical activity in older people with cardiac co-morbidities. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2018;15(8):557-558.
3. Ciumărnean L, Milaciu MV, Negrean V, et al. Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Physical Activity for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in the Elderly. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;19(1):207.
4. Zhang L, Zheng YL, Wang R, Wang XQ, Zhang H. Exercise for osteoporosis: A literature review of pathology and mechanism. Front Immunol. 2022;13:1005665. 
5. Bao W, Sun Y, Zhang T, et al. Exercise Programs for Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Aging Dis. 2020;11(4):863-873.
6. Wang H, Huang WY, Zhao Y. Efficacy of Exercise on Muscle Function and Physical Performance in Older Adults with Sarcopenia: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(13):8212.
7. Shin S, Wuensche B. What type of exercises should older adults engage in to improve fall efficacy and physical fitness related to falling?. J Exerc Rehabil. 2023;19(4):198-207. 
8. Heissel A, Heinen D, Brokmeier LL, et alExercise as medicine for depressive symptoms? A systematic review and meta-analysis with meta-regressionBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2023;57:1049-1057.
9. Singh B, Olds T, Curtis R, et alEffectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviewsBritish Journal of Sports Medicine 2023;57:1203-1209.
10. Hill, M.A., Gammie, S.C. Alzheimer’s disease large-scale gene expression portrait identifies exercise as the top theoretical treatment. Sci Rep 12, 17189 (2022).
11. Xu L, Gu H, Cai X, et al. The Effects of Exercise for Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(2):1088. 
12. Verhoeven JE, Han LKM, Lever-van Milligen BA, et al. Antidepressants or running therapy: Comparing effects on mental and physical health in patients with depression and anxiety disorders. J Affect Disord. 2023;329:19-29. 
13. Huang WY, Huang H, Wu CE. Physical Activity and Social Support to Promote a Health-Promoting Lifestyle in Older Adults: An Intervention Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(21):14382.
14. Zhao H, Cheng R, Song G, et al. The Effect of Resistance Training on the Rehabilitation of Elderly Patients with Sarcopenia: A Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(23):15491.
15. Latham N, Liu CJ. Strength training in older adults: the benefits for osteoarthritis. Clin Geriatr Med. 2010;26(3):445-459.
16. Holubiac IȘ, Leuciuc FV, Crăciun DM, Dobrescu T. Effect of Strength Training Protocol on Bone Mineral Density for Postmenopausal Women with Osteopenia/Osteoporosis Assessed by Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). Sensors (Basel). 2022;22(5):1904.

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If you’ve ever felt like you were sucking wind for far too long between lifts, interval training is a great prescription. You’ll use short bursts of high-intensity exercise and minimal rest periods. The goal is to crank your heart rate and condense as much work as possible into a short amount of time. Here’s how to arrange all that into the best interval training workouts.

The Best Interval Training Workouts

• Air Bike Intervals
• Treadmill Running
• Functional Implement Circuit
• Full-Body Resistance
• Hybrid Circuits

Air Bike Intervals

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is perhaps the most popular type of interval training—and you can’t get a much higher intensity than you can on the air bike. Sometimes referred to as an assault bike, the air bike is a huge challenge for athletes at every fitness level. (There’s a reason these bikes pop up so much at the CrossFit Games.) Even used slowly, the air bike is bound to give you a truly heart-pumping ride.

The Workout

The air bike produces wind resistance via a fan blade (similar to a rowing ergometer) so that you’re not just pedaling with your legs, but also cranking your arms. This makes the air bike a scalable full-body workout where the more you exert yourself, the more resistance you create. If you’re trying to challenge your cardiovascular system as fast as possible, air bike intervals are for you.

It’ll give you all the benefits of HIIT training, cram in an intense cardio workout into just a few minutes, and will help you burn calories at a high rate if that’s something you’re after.

• 5-minute warm-up at an easy pace
• 10 seconds of maximal effort air bike sprinting
• 50 seconds of recovery at an easy pace
• 5-minute cool down at an easy pace

Note: Repeat this work cycle 5-10 times, starting with fewer interval repeats and building up throughout several workouts.

Coach’s Tip: This is an extremely challenging workout. Make sure you are going all-out during the intervals and recovering as much as possible in between. Breathe!

How Often to Do This Workout: This exercise routine is extremely intense. I recommend that clients only perform air bike intervals 1-2 times per week at most.

Modifications

• Make it Easier: The main way to make the air bike easier is to extend your interval time and use a slower pace. Aim for 15-20 seconds of work and 60-90 seconds of rest.
• Make it Harder: Try alternating how much you emphasize the pedals or arm resistance per interval. Go primarily lower body on one followed by primarily upper body effort on the next.

Treadmill Running

Sure, you can hit the track and run with no equipment but your running shoes. But if you want to stay indoors, treadmill running is another style of cardio that you can use for lower-intensity training and higher-intensity interval training. If you’ve historically erred on the side of moderate-intensity or steady-state jogging, you might be be surprised what breathtaking anaerobic and aerobic exercise the treadmill can offer.

The Workout

Treadmill sprints are designed to be short bursts of high-intensity effort followed by short periods of recovery. There are certain treadmills that make performing your sprints a lot easier, such as the arc style of a manual treadmill. These are completely manually driven and react to your sprinting pace almost instantly instead of a motor needing to ramp up.

• 5-minute warm-up jog
• 15 seconds of hard running
• 45 seconds of recovery using an easy jog or walking pace
• 10-minute cool down at an easy pace

Note: Repeat this working cycle 5-10 times. Starting with fewer interval repeats and building up over the course of several workouts.

Coach’s Tip: Try setting a timer on your watch or smartphone and setting up your intervals outside!

How Often to Do This Workout: Treadmill running (especially using intervals) is another potentially taxing workout. This is not a low-impact workout. Instead, the repeated impacts from your strides may cause some soreness the next day. Try adding just 1-2 of these per week.

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Instead of five to 10 consistent max effort sprints, change things up with various work to rest ratios throughout the workout.
• Make it Harder: One of the easiest but most challenging ways to make treadmill sprints harder is to add an incline to your run. Be careful of your footing!

Functional Implement Circuit

You don’t need cardio machines to put your aerobic system on full alert. Using anaerobic styles of resistance training in combination with weighted cardio tools like a sled is a great way to change things up. The health benefits of these kinds of workouts can include increased motivation, too—if you have more fun mixing up your workout styles and not just keeping things static, this will boost your overall wellness by giving you that extra burst of fun.

The Workout

Combining different explosive and strength moves with a cardiovascular style of exercise within the same workout is a fantastic way to interval train. Using medicine balls, sled pushes, and lunges is a highly effective way to revamp more traditional workouts. You may well find yourself farther along in your mission to build muscle or drive weight loss after integrating this one into your program.

• Medicine Ball Slam: 1 x 10 repetitions
• Sled Push: 1 x 20 total steps
• Goblet Reverse Lunge: 1 x 10 repetitions per leg
• Sled Push: 1 x 20 total steps
• Medicine Ball Slam: 1 x 10 repetitions

Note: Perform this circuit 5 times, resting as needed between completed rounds.

Coach’s Tip: This workout is extremely scalable. I often push clients to load up the sled or reverse lunge progressively over time to keep the workout challenging.

How Often to Do This Workout: Like many interval workouts, this one is high intensity. It also employs many resistance training aspects too, meaning you’ll likely be sore. Try completing it twice per week.

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Change up the sled push to a reverse sled drag—it may make breathing easier during the exercise compared to the sled push counterpart.
• Make it Harder: This one is about as blunt as they come: load up the sled push and goblet reverse lunge and the workout never gets “easier.”

Full-Body Resistance

Circuit training is where you string together several resistance exercises in a row to maximize the work you perform in a short amount of time. This may be a combination of upper or lower-body exercises. Whatever your emphasis, the more seamlessly you can string them together the better. Minimal rest and transition time between exercises keeps your heart rate high.

The Workout

Full-body resistance exercises are a massive challenge to your heart and skeletal muscles. Exercises that involve a strong core brace restrict deep breathing and challenge your cardiovascular system that much more. The squat, lunge, pressing, and pulling patterns are amazing tools here.

• Thruster: 1 x 10 repetitions
• Walking Lunge: 1 x 10 repetitions per leg
• Push-Up: 1 x 10 repetitions
• Bent-Over Dumbbell Row: 1 x 10 repetitions
• Bear Crawl: 1 x 20 total strides

Note: Perform as many circuits as possible within 30 minutes.

Coach’s Tip: Make sure to set up your dumbbells or appropriate resistance in advance for easy transitions between exercises. Also, clear your workout area to be mindful of other trainees or your space required to safely execute certain moves.

How Often to Do This Workout: Resistance training intervals such as circuit training is a double-edged sword because you should expect soreness after the fact. Aim for 2-3 circuit-style interval training workouts per week if it’s your main focus.

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Any exercise has a convenient swap to help scale the challenge. For example, perform goblet squats instead of thrusters, push-ups from the knee, or loaded carries for the bear crawl.
• Make it Harder: Try performing your walking lunges with a double kettlebell rack position style. This immediately increases core engagement and makes breathing more difficult as well.

Hybrid Circuits

Hybrid circuits intentionally combine resistance training and traditional cardio moves into one workout. Stringing together a few key resistance training movements helps directly stimulate key muscles; then the end-of-circuit cardio finishes off each circuit. 

The Workout

Get creative with your hybrid circuits, as they have a great capacity for variation. The aim should be full-body movements that involve a ton of muscle and core engagement followed by some high-effort cardio for calorie burn and heart rate management.

• Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatch: 1 x 5 repetitions per side
• Alternating Dumbbell Z-Press: 1 x 10 repetitions per arm
• Dumbbell Russian Twist: 1 x 20 total repetitions
• Burpee: 1 x 10 repetitions
• Rower Sprint: 1 x 30 seconds

Note: Repeat this circuit as many times as possible within 20-30 minutes.

Coach’s Tip: Be sure to have solid technique on all of your movements, particularly the dumbbell snatch. This means allowing a good amount of recovery between rounds. Consider having a personal trainer check your form if possible.

How Often to Do This Workout: Do this workout 1-2 times per week and test yourself against your previous performances.

Modifications

• Make it Easier: This circuit is scalable by removing some of the more explosive aspects and choosing moves that give you more control. Try changing the single-arm snatch into an upright row-squat combination instead.
• Make it Harder: Modifications are your friend here, too. Add a push-up to each burpee and do one side at a time on your Z-press instead of alternating it.

What Is Interval Training?

Interval training is the combination of structured high-intensity effort with intentional recovery time between bursts. This means performing 10 to 30 seconds of hard cardio followed by a minute of rest or a full series of three to five resistance exercises without rest. Do that all before taking a minute off.

Interval training is designed to harness as much muscle as possible and use high-intensity or explosive movements to crank your heart rate. 

Another way to think of interval training is using your anaerobic system to train your aerobic system. How hard are you able to work, and how quickly are you able to recover?

What Are the Benefits of Interval Training?

Interval training is an extremely efficient way of exercising, some of the core benefits include:

• Improved anaerobic conditioning
• Improved aerobic recovery
• Improved blood pressure
• Build full-body strength and conditioning
• Build full-body muscular endurance
• Fun alternative to traditional cardiovascular training
• High calorie burn

Interval Training Vs. HIIT

Interval training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are close neighbors and often used interchangeably; however, they are unique. Interval training is the simple structuring of work versus rest windows during a workout and fits any combination of intensity levels. 

HIIT, on the other hand, is designed to produce maximum heart rates with minimal recovery periods. Good examples of HIIT are sprint interval training or Tabata training, which are typically much shorter bursts of the highest intensity activity possible.

Can Beginners Do Interval Training?

The beauty of interval training is that it’s completely scalable to your individual workout needs, goals, available equipment, or capabilities. Here’s how you can get into it as a newbie.

Start Slow

Interval training doesn’t always need to look like HIIT or sprint interval training. Sure, you’re going to aim for structured work and rest periods, but you are certainly able to choose more moderate-intensity intervals to start. Ease in with one to two sessions per week using more modest intensity or duration workouts to get the hang of it.

Get Creative

One of the biggest assets of interval training is that you can use whatever equipment (or lack thereof) that you have at your disposal. From cardiovascular machine work to highly variable calisthenic or free-weight circuits, no two interval training sessions need to look the same. 

Either find new and engaging ways to challenge yourself or create a few personal benchmark workouts to test your improvements over time.

Build Over Time

The frequency, duration, or even length of each circuit that you perform during an interval workout should also build over time. If you’re a beginner, simply test the waters. As you establish a base, you’ll then be able to build in either more exercises, more rounds, or increased frequency per week until you find your sweet spot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Interval training is an extremely popular form of workout. Here are some frequently asked questions on the training style.

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

The post The Best Interval Training Workouts to Level Up Your Cardio appeared first on BarBend.

One popular fitness metric is VO2 max, which, in simplest terms, is a measure of cardiovascular fitness (how efficiently your heart, lungs, and blood vessels work during exercise). To break down what that all means, I connected with clinical exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning specialist Alexander Rothstein. Here’s what you’ve got to know.

Key Takeaways

• VO2 max is an indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness. 
• It is a measure of oxygen consumption; specifically, the maximum amount of oxygen your body can intake and utilize during exercise.
• VO2 max can be used as a predictor of race/event performance for multiple types of athletes.
• It’s best measured in a lab, but there are ways you can estimate it at home, such as with the Cooper exercise test.
• It’s normal for VO2 max to decline with age, and it gets harder (but not impossible) to improve it as you get older. 
• Sex assigned at birth and corresponding hormone levels, as well as body size and composition, also play a role in VO2 max.
• Improving VO2 max value requires training at very high intensities, often reaching and surpassing your lactate threshold and getting close to your maximum heart rate.
• High VO2 max is not associated just with physical fitness, but also health: It is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

What Is VO2 Max?

VO2 max refers to maximal oxygen consumption, measured in volume. 

“VO2 max represents our body’s physiological capacity to intake oxygen, deliver it to working cells, and use it at the cellular level to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the body,” Rothstein tells BarBend. 

“It is not a direct measure of respiratory function or cardiac function, but instead represents the interaction between many body systems in order to produce energy as rapidly and efficiently as possible when the body is in need (when performing large amounts of movement such as high-intensity exercise),” he explains.

[Read More: The Best HIIT Cardio Workout for Beginners (+ Customizations for Every Fitness Level)]

The volume of oxygen you can consume is represented in milliliters of oxygen consumed per kilogram of body weight per minute (mL/kg/min). 

In other words, it’s a good indicator of maximal aerobic capacity, and finding it gives you a picture of your baseline aerobic fitness. “We can use VO2max values as a representative of cardiovascular health and it can help identify potential cardiorespiratory concerns and limitations individuals may have,” Rothstein says. “For individuals who are either high-performance athletes, or train recreationally and want to maximize their workout program, a VO2 max test can help do that.”

With that said, Rothstein says that VO2 max is a nice-to-have metric and not required. Most individuals can use submaximal testing and some non-exercise equations to estimate their VO2max, he says, which would suffice for most recreational athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

VO2 Max Chart

Typical, healthy VO2 max scores vary with age, sex, body size, body composition, and training history. The following are average values by age and sex assigned at birth (we need more research on nonbinary and trans people) provided by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). All values are reflective of mL/kg/min. (1)

VO2 Max Averages for Women

[Read More: The Best 30-Minute HIIT Workouts for a Quick Sweat Session]

Data was not collected as to whether trans women were included in these statistics. More data is also needed for nonbinary people.

VO2 Max Averages for Men

[Read More: The Best HIIT Workouts for Any Fitness Goal]

Data was not collected as to whether trans men were included in these statistics. More data is also needed for nonbinary people.

“Many of the components that make up VO2max are impacted by body size, and because of this it is common that men will have higher values than women,” Rothstein says. However, that isn’t necessarily representative of higher performance, because a larger body will also require more ATP. 

“This is partially accounted for in that relative VO2max values include a measure of body mass,” Rothstein explains, “although they don’t adjust for lung and heart size or blood volume, which all tend to be smaller in women, lowering their VO2 values.”

VO2 Max by Age

It’s normal for VO2 max to decrease as we age, Rothstein says, and the normative data reflects that. “It is also harder to improve as we get older, but it is not impossible,” Rothstein points out, adding that “it is never too late to improve cardiorespiratory health and function.”

• According to some research, VO2 max drops off significantly around middle age when comparing 41–50 and 50+ age group data to after age 41 to 21–30 and 31–40 age groups. (2)
• VO2 max is generally said to decrease by 10 percent each decade, but newer research suggests that figure may be oversimplified. Nonetheless, it remains true that it’s more difficult to improve VO2 max later in life. (3)(4)

How To Measure VO2 Max

The gold standard is lab testing. 

VO2 max is measured using a metabolic cart that simultaneously measures heart rate (cardiac output) and inspired and expired air (how much oxygen you breathe in and how much carbon dioxide you breathe out). These tests are also called cardio-pulmonary exercise tests (CPET) and are the most accurate way to measure VO2 max, according to Rothstein.

[Read More: The Best Cardiovascular Exercises, Plus Cardio Workouts From a CPT]

Alternatively, because lab testing isn’t readily available to everyone, you can do a field test. This method involves using a submaximal protocol, which can use workload and heart rate to estimate VO2 max. You’ll wear a heart rate monitor and use a stopwatch to do this. Some tests, like the INSCYD running protocol, also use GPS data for greater accuracy.

There are dozens of ways to do this, from outdoor run tests to treadmill tests to walking tests. You can even find sport-specific protocols. A cyclist, for example, would get more value from a bike VO2 max test than a run test on a track. One example for runners is the Bruce Protocol test. 

How To Improve VO2 Max

Improving VO2 max requires high-intensity efforts in training. It often looks like what you may know as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). 

“The most important consideration when trying to improve VO2max is that for any sex, age, or athlete, the training intensity needs to be high enough to stimulate the body to adapt,” Rothstein says. “If the training stimulus is not large enough to signal the need to use resources to improve oxygen-consuming capacity, then the body will not adapt and maximal oxygen uptake will not improve.”

Another important note, Rothstein says, is that beginners will experience an increase in VO2 max very quickly: sometimes as quickly as within a week, as their cardiovascular system rapidly becomes more efficient and their blood plasma increases. 

[Read More: Try These Intensity Training Techniques For Bodybuilding ]

For more elite athletes, however, adaptations can take years, and it requires consistent training of sufficient intensity to signal the body that there needs to be an improvement in oxygen delivery and utilization.

VO2 max workouts involve short bursts of high-effort exercise. An example for running looks like: 

• 1-mile easy dynamic warm-up 
• 8x400m at 90% of HRmax 
• 3-minute rest or walk interval between sets 
• 10-minute easy cool-down 

Other types of training work as well, Rothstein says, “but the key is that the individual is training at a high enough intensity to signal the need for improvement.”

Fully aerobic exercise, like low-intensity, long jogs will not necessarily help improve VO2 max because you are not signaling the body that you need more ATP quickly—just that you need the same amount of ATP for a long period of time. 

“When jogging, you are performing long, steady-state exercise, so once the body has sufficiently reached the level to do that, it will not necessarily improve further [without high-intensity efforts],” Rothstein says.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. ACSM’s Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessment Manual, 5th edition. 2019. 
2. Xiang L, Deng K, Mei Q, et al. Population and Age-Based Cardiorespiratory Fitness Level Investigation and Automatic Prediction. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022;8:758589. 
3. Kim CH, Wheatley CM, Behnia M, Johnson BD. The Effect of Aging on Relationships between Lean Body Mass and VO2max in Rowers. PLoS One. 2016;11(8):e0160275
4. Letnes JM, Nes BM, Wisløff U. Age-related decline in peak oxygen uptake: Cross-sectional vs. longitudinal findings. A review. Int J Cardiol Cardiovasc Risk Prev. 2023;16:200171.

Featured Image: Jacob Lund / Shutterstock

The post What VO2 Max Really Says About Your Fitness Level appeared first on BarBend.

Or maybe you’re coming from the CrossFit world instead of boxing. Or…you just want a way to train at home without a whole bunch of heavy, expensive equipment clogging your entryway and bank account. 

No matter the reason you’re turning to jump ropes, they’re an unbeatable tool for cardio training. To help you jump into your training feet first, I sat down for a discussion with NCSF-certified personal trainer John Holt (who also happens to be one of the best Muay Thai fighters on the planet). He gave me three of the best jump rope workouts out there.

Try These 3 Best Jump Rope Workouts

In addition to being a CPT, Holt is also a certified instructor of several forms of unarmed combat, and was once one of the top-ranked Muay Thai fighters in the world. Without a doubt, Holt has spent plenty of time spinning jump ropes underneath his feet. Here are his recommendations.

• 10-Minute Beginner Jump Rope Workout
• Jump Rope HIIT Workout
• Jump Rope Cardio Workout

10-Minute Beginner Jump Rope Workout

There are several ways to be a beginner at jumping rope. You might be aiming to do a couch-to-jump-rope program of sorts if you generally haven’t been a cardio person yet. Or you might be a strength athlete or even a runner who just hasn’t picked up a jump rope since the playground days.

“Before we worry about conditioning or intensity, I would focus on technique and rhythm,” says Holt. “The easiest way to teach this is to start with the crossover. It requires no leg coordination and just a very simple movement of making an X with your jump rope in front of your body and letting it pass to your right or left.”

The Workout

For a beginner workout that can help you develop all three facets of jumping rope—the cardiovascular, coordination, and endurance elements—Holt recommends incorporating the crossover rope pattern. This method familiarizes you with the movements of jumping rope, and it can also serve as an effective warm up or cool down.

[Read More: How to Measure a Jump Rope: Easy Steps To Find The Right Length]

“The crossover is a simple, whole beat movement,” adds Holt. “Once you can do the basic X-pattern, you can add in a single jump over the rope on the third beat. So you can go crossover left, crossover right, then jump over the rope with both feet. An excellent beginner 10-minute routine would be five two-minute rounds practicing this pattern.” 

• Five minutes: Crossover left, Crossover right, Jump
• Two minutes: Rest
• Five minutes: Crossover left, Crossover right, Jump

How Often to Do This Workout: Every day

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Reduce the number of jumps in between X-pattern swings to one jump every second or third cycle.
• Make it Harder: Increase the number of jumps in between each set of X-pattern swings to two or more jumps.

Jump Rope HIIT Workout

With a jump rope in your hand, your rate of exertion is entirely self-governed, meaning that you can deliver an all-out effort in a confined space. Even if you have limited time to spare, you can still reap the benefits of a physically challenging workout. What’s more, you can develop substantial jumping power while strengthening the muscles of your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves.

[Read More: The Best HIIT Cardio Workout for Beginners (+ Customizations for Every Fitness Level)]

“The jump rope is a unique tool that allows for simultaneous training of speed and intensity,” explains Holt. “These are vital traits for any athlete, and were especially useful to me during my pro fight career.”

The Workout

This high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout will boost your endurance and jumping power. You will be giving it everything you have in 20-second bursts of speed and power with limited recovery time. Completing this collection of movements will make you fast and agile, with legs that are suitably conditioned for making jumps of all kinds.

“I have seen excellent progress with Tabata intervals to help athletes simultaneously develop endurance and power,” says Holt. “So 20 seconds of intense work, followed by a 10-second rest, which is an excellent opportunity to work on breath control and lowering the heart rate quickly. For combat athletes, I would also use this as time to work on keeping the hands up while fatigued.” 

Complete three full rounds of the following routine:

• 20 seconds: Boxer shuffle 
• 10 seconds: Rest
• 20 seconds: Two foot sprin g jumping
• 10 seconds: Rest
• 20 seconds: High knees
• 10 seconds: Rest 
• 20 seconds: Double-unders
• 10 seconds: Rest
• 20 seconds: Alternate running forward five steps and backward five steps
• 10 seconds: Rest
• 20 seconds: Jumping jacks crossing ankles on the inward skip 

How Often to Do This Workout: Every other day

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Complete only one set of the workout, or replace the double-unders and spring jumps with regular fast-paced rope skipping.
• Make it Harder: Complete five full rounds of the series.

Jump Rope Cardio Workout

For an all-purpose cardiovascular jump rope workout, you have to pace yourself carefully, and you’ll also want to vary your fundamental movement pattern to keep yourself from getting bored. Because of his extensive background as a fighter, Holt recommends that you include a lot of different movements in your jump rope cardio, and also several different rope speeds.

“I was always taught to make your prep work more difficult than the actual fight, so by contrast the challenge of fighting is lessened,” says Holt. “For a scenario like this, I would coach athletes to work both high- and low-intensity variables in a freeform style to mimic the ever changing pace of a ring fight.”

[Read More: The Best Cardiovascular Exercises, Plus Cardio Workouts From a CPT]

This isn’t just for fighters, though: the same challenges will improve everything from power and stamina to coordination and breath control for any athlete.

The Workout

In keeping with his fighting background, Holt suggests structuring your training around a series of rounds, with plenty of rest, and plenty of variations in the way you move. This way, you train all of your energy systems while establishing a durable aerobic base.

“In the beginning, the goal isn’t to reach a high level of fatigue or increase your cardio, but to do each movement as perfectly as possible,” advises Holt. “It’s far better to take your time and eliminate bad habits before you try to push yourself. I would structure longer cardio routines based on the intervals of fight rounds, with the same rest times in between. For fighters, I would include maybe two to five extra rounds beyond the length of whatever fight they’re preparing for.” 

Complete the following in two minute 10 rounds, with one minute of rest between rounds:

• Round One: Regular rope skips
• Round Two: Boxer shuffles
• Round Three: Alternating feet every four skips
• Round Four: High knees
• Round Five: Feet moving in and out in a jumping jack pattern
• Round Six: Regular rope kips
• Round Seven: Boxer shuffles
• Round Eight: Alternating feet every four skips
• Round Nine: High knees
• Round 10: Feet moving in and out in a jumping jack pattern

How Often to Do This Workout: Every other day

Modifications

• Make it Easier: Decrease the number of rounds to five, or limit the jumping variety to regular skips and boxer shuffles.
• Make it Harder: Increase the duration of each round to three minutes, limit the rest to 30 seconds, and do double-unders for the final 10 seconds of each round.

How to Jump Rope Properly

Citing his time spent training as a professional fighter, Holt encourages you to ditch the weighted jump rope and exclusively train with traditional lightweight skipping ropes. He also encourages you to jump on surfaces conducive to continual jump rope training like wood floors, outdoor tracks, tennis courts, and even boxing rings. Finally, Holt insists that you start with the proper length of rope.

[Read More: The Best Jump Rope Workout for Beginners, Catered to Your Goals]

“Most places like Amazon carry nine-foot ropes, which work well for people under six feet tall,” suggests Holt. “Taller folks might need a 10-foot rope. An ideal rope should reach your armpit when you stand in the middle. You can also tie knots to shorten the rope as a reversible option; you could trim the rope, but you can’t add that length back.” 

The Jump Rope Process

1. Hold the handles of the rope down at your sides in a relaxed, but firm grip.
2. Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart.
3. Rotate from your wrists with minimal arm movement between your armpits and your elbows to raise the rope over your head and in front of your body.
4. Jump over the rope and allow it to pass beneath your feet.
5. Repeat the process as long as necessary.

Holt also wants you to make sure you retain the correct posture throughout the duration of your jump rope training.

“Keep your spine straight, your shoulders down, and your elbows close to your body,” instructs Holt. “Once you start jumping, regardless of variation, stay on the balls of your feet for the duration of the round.” 

Benefits of Jump Rope Workouts

The low-impact nature of jump rope workouts makes them a tremendous tool to have in your arsenal. They are a safe means of achieving a host of highly sought-after physical benefits within a confined space. In fact, the unique all-in-one assortment of jump rope benefits might quickly make it your preferred means of cardiovascular training, over and above all others.

You’ll Get Stronger 

Studies have demonstrated that jumping rope—especially when using a weighted rope—has been linked to strength gains in both the upper body and lower body. (1) You won’t receive the same gains you’d expect from consistent strength training, but jumping rope can be a solid contributor to that plan. It also pairs very easily with exercises like bodyweight squats and push-ups.

You’ll Improve Your Coordination

More than one study has linked jumping rope to improved coordination. (2) This should come as no surprise; an average routine will have you mastering single-leg jumps on your right foot, then have you transfer over to your alternate foot.

[Read More: The Best Battle Rope Workouts to Make Waves in Your Training]

All of these complex movements take increasing levels of coordination and control to perform well.

Endurance

If you want to build up your cardiorespiratory endurance, the right jump rope routine can help to boost your endurance level as reliably as running outside or on a treadmill. One particular study showcased how jump rope training improved the three-kilometer running performance of amateur endurance runners. (3)

Weight Loss

Jumping rope can cause the exact sort of caloric burn that contributes to a calorie deficit, and ultimately results in fat loss. A 150-pound person who jumps rope at a pace of 100 to 120 skips per minute can expect to burn about 140 calories in 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. Ozer D, Duzgun I, Baltaci G, Karacan S, Colakoglu F. The effects of rope or weighted rope jump training on strength, coordination and proprioception in adolescent female volleyball players. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2011 Jun;51(2):211-9.
2. Trecroci A, Cavaggioni L, Caccia R, Alberti G. Jump Rope Training: Balance and Motor Coordination in Preadolescent Soccer Players. J Sports Sci Med. 2015 Nov 24;14(4):792-8. 
3. García-Pinillos F, Lago-Fuentes C, Latorre-Román PA, Pantoja-Vallejo A, Ramirez-Campillo R. Jump-Rope Training: Improved 3-km Time-Trial Performance in Endurance Runners via Enhanced Lower-Limb Reactivity and Foot-Arch Stiffness. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2020 Mar 12;15(7):927-933.

Featured Image: bbernard / Shutterstock

The post The 3 Best Jump Rope Workouts, From a Personal Trainer and World-Class Fighter appeared first on BarBend.

If the terminology is confusing (we get a little lost in the mix sometimes, too), I’ve put together this guide to threshold runs. To give you as much guidance as possible, I tapped experts Will Baldwin, a USATF- and VDOT-certified run coach, and James Rodgers, an endurance coach and competitive runner. 

What Is a Threshold Run?

Brace yourself for a little (or a lot) of science. When defining a “threshold run,” we need to understand the various processes that occur in the body while running and how they relate to perceived effort levels. 

Defining Threshold: Aerobic, Anaerobic, and Functional, Oh My! 

If you’ve been researching threshold running, you’ve probably come across many different terms that include the word “threshold.” Here are common terms used in the running world: 

• Aerobic Threshold (AeT)
• Anaerobic Threshold (AnT) and Lactate Threshold (LT)
• Ventilatory Threshold I (VT1) and Ventilatory Threshold II (VT2)
• Functional Threshold (FT or FTP)

Aerobic Threshold

Your aerobic threshold represents an effort level that you can maintain comfortably for hours. It’s a light- to low-moderate effort. Scientifically speaking, the aerobic threshold is the point at which the level of lactate in your body first starts to rise above resting levels and anaerobic metabolism pathways begin to assist with energy production. (1)

AeT usually occurs at about 65 to 70 percent of your max heart rate, or heart rate zone 2. 

Anaerobic and Lactate Threshold

The anaerobic threshold and lactate threshold are by and large the same thing. These terms describe the point at which lactate accumulation is beyond your body’s capabilities to clear it and your body switches over to primarily anaerobic metabolism instead of aerobic metabolism. This is also when fuel sources switch: Your body begins to tap into glycogen (carbohydrate) stores rather than rely on fatty acids. (2)

[Read More: How to Build Stamina for Running]

Runners use anaerobic threshold as a predictor of race times because the pace that you can sustain at—or just below—your AnT/LT is the pace you can sustain for races. It typically occurs at about 80 to 90 percent of your max heart rate (also known as heart rate zone 4). (5)

Ventilatory Threshold I and Ventilatory Threshold II

VT is another way of measuring effort and energy metabolism. VT1 is the first point at which the athlete’s breathing becomes labored. It is associated with the aerobic threshold. (6)

VT2 is associated with the anaerobic and lactate thresholds; it refers to the point at which the athlete cannot maintain rhythmic breathing and there is a significant breakdown in controlled breathing patterns. At this point, the athlete is under significant physiological stress. (6)

Functional Threshold

Finally, your functional threshold pace (FTP) is typically defined as the maximum effort you can sustain for one hour. This is less of a scientific definition than a practical concept. To be clear, anaerobic threshold and functional threshold are not the same, though they are related. (7)

What Is Lactate and the Lactate Threshold?

When we talk about threshold running, the underlying understanding is usually that we’re talking about running at your lactate/anaerobic threshold. Let’s expand on the definition we covered above. 

That may sound like mumble-jumble (and, really, you don’t need to remember all of those words), but the important thing to know is that “when we run hard, muscles move around lactate and lactic acid to help reduce the impact of fatigue,” says Baldwin. 

This is a process known as lactate shuttling. “When we do a properly calibrated threshold run, our body can spend more time carrying out that process and eventually get more efficient at it,” he says. Importantly, “Lactate helps quell the fatiguing process, so we need just the right amount present,” Baldwin adds.

“If we run harder than our anaerobic threshold zone, there will be too much lactate present in our blood, and we won’t be able to clear out the fatigue fast enough,” he says. That’s when it starts to feel like your body is screaming at you to slow down or stop. 

But by remaining in the anaerobic threshold zone, you’re running as hard as you can while clearing out most of the fatigue-causing metabolites, Baldwin explains. Thus, training in this zone eventually lends itself to the adaptation that all runners want: running faster for longer periods of time. (9)

Aerobic Threshold Run Vs. Anaerobic Threshold Run 

So, if running at aerobic threshold and anaerobic threshold ultimately elevates performance, why would we need to do both?

Put simply, we do both because they train different energy pathways in your body, and as an athlete, it’s ideal for all energy pathways to operate at their maximum potential. That said, depending on your current fitness, your goals, and any events you may be training for, you might not need to do both. 

For instance, a new runner should develop their aerobic capacity before adding anaerobic threshold training into their programming. Similarly, an athlete who needs to substantially improve endurance for long-distance events will be well-served by a training block that focuses on developing aerobic metabolism and later adding anaerobic threshold training back into their plan. 

[Read More: The Best Sprint Workouts for Strength Athletes to Improve Conditioning and Power]

It may feel counterintuitive that you should run at the lower threshold effort to improve half-marathon and marathon race times. However, the concept is the same as that of zone 2 training: Running slower and maintaining a lower heart rate improves your body’s capability to use fats as fuel via oxidation—a critical component of long-distance racing. This is called improving your aerobic base. (10)

Utilizing higher-effort threshold work does improve your VO2 max and other markers of running performance, but lower-intensity training is important for long-term adaptation. (10)

Threshold Run Vs. Tempo Run

The terms “threshold run” and “tempo run” are sometimes used interchangeably. However, they’re not truly one and the same. Here’s an easy way to remember the difference: 

Basically, a tempo run is just one type of a threshold run. Specifically, tempo running refers to maintaining your near-threshold pace for a longer period, usually two or more miles. Or, you can go by time rather than distance. For example, a workout plan may tell you to “run at near-threshold pace for 45 minutes.” 

The key to a good tempo run is moving at a pace slightly beneath your true anaerobic threshold. For instance, if your threshold pace is 10 minutes per mile, you would perform your tempo run at a pace of 10:15 to 10:30 per mile, depending on how far you’re going. 

Other popular threshold workout formats include: 

• 3 to 5 sets: run 1 mile at threshold pace; walk or jog for 90 seconds between sets
• 2 to 3 sets: run 20 minutes at 5K pace; walk or jog for 5 minutes between sets
• 3 to 4 sets: run 2K at 10K race pace; walk or jog for 3 minutes between sets

Always warm up and cool down at a low-intensity pace when performing threshold runs. 

How to Do an Anaerobic Threshold Run

Ready to implement threshold training? Here are some tips on how to get started. 

First, Know When You’re Ready for a Threshold Run

As Baldwin explains, new runners can skip threshold running workouts for a while. Training at lower intensities for a few weeks is sufficient for improving your fitness level as a new runner. You may be ready to implement a threshold run after building an aerobic base for four to six weeks. 

[Read More: Want to Learn How to Run a Mile Without Stopping? Tips From an Elite Coach]

This also applies for distance runners who need to improve their aerobic base. They’ll want to prioritize lower-intensity training—typically in zone 2, or 60 to 70 percent of your max heart rate—to improve aerobic capacity. 

Determine Your Threshold Pace

There are a few ways to find or estimate your threshold pace.

Lab Testing

The most accurate method for determining your pace is to visit a sport science lab and undergo threshold testing, according to Rodgers. “You will then be provided with detailed information about your paces, heart rate zones, and current threshold level,” he says.

Max Heart Rate

Heading to a lab isn’t an option for everyone. It’s expensive, and such labs may not be available in your area. If you can’t get lab testing done, there are other ways to estimate your threshold pace. 

One simple way, Rodgers says, is to use a percentage of your maximum heart rate. A common method is to use the pace at which you’re reaching 80 to 90 percent of your heart rate max (HRmax). For example, a 35-year-old with a max heart rate of 185 (220 minus age) would want to keep their heart rate below 166 for threshold running (166 is about 90 percent of 185).

[Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Heart Rate Variability and Strength Training]

“However, be aware this is very much an estimate, and you are better off underestimating your threshold heart rate than overreaching and risking being above your threshold,” Rodgers says. 

Functional Threshold Pace

This is where your FTP comes in. Alternatively to the above two options, you can estimate the pace you could sustain for one hour, Rodgers says. “This is then the pace you should look to stay at or just under during your threshold running,” he says. “However, do take into account the weather and terrain you are running on. This is where another metric, such as heart rate, is useful.”

Considerations

Wind, heat, hills, and other environmental factors can affect your threshold pace for any given day. For instance, if it’s particularly hot outside, the effort required to run at the determined pace will be higher. Thus, your heart rate at that pace will be higher, pushing you out of your threshold zone. This is why using heart rate training is advantageous; we’re not performing our daily training in labs under optimal conditions, after all!

Plan Your Route and Aim for Ideal Conditions

To train at your true threshold run pace, your route should be flat and paved or hard-packed. Additionally, try to avoid running at hotter points in the day if training during the summer. If you have access to a treadmill, that can simulate ideal conditions.

[Read More: The Top Tips for Running on a Treadmill, According to Running Coaches]

Of course, it won’t always be possible to run on perfectly flat ground in perfect weather with no headwinds, so try not to stress too much if you encounter some unfavorable conditions. 

Remember That It’s Not a Time Trial

Rodgers encourages runners to lose the mindset that every threshold run is a time trial—it isn’t. 

“One of the most common mistakes that runners of all abilities make is running their threshold runs too hard, sometimes treating them as a time trial,” Rodgers says. “This defeats the purpose of the threshold run, and you no longer get the intended benefit, as you are likely to exceed your lactic threshold and the purpose of the workout is lost.”

How to Program Anaerobic Threshold Runs

The ideal frequency and volume of threshold runs depend largely on your current fitness and your primary sport. Here’s an overview of how to program threshold runs for different types of athletes.

For Beginners 

Baldwin encourages new runners to hold off on lactate threshold training until they’ve increased their running volume to a few comfortable aerobic runs per week. 

“You don’t necessarily need a lot of this type of work until you’ve been running regularly for a few weeks,” he says. “If you’re just starting up jogging, easy runs at a very low effort will be more than enough training load to improve from. I’d wait until you’ve been running for a month at least three times a week before I’d start assigning the work.”

At that point, you’d ideally start with one anaerobic threshold run per week, gradually building up volume over time. To increase volume, you can increase the length of your once-per-week LT run (e.g., do four sets intervals instead of three), add a second LT run, or both. 

For Strength Athletes

For someone who’s primarily a strength athlete, Baldwin says he would program just one threshold session a week, and prioritize it as a run alone—not a combined workout. 

“It’s really easy to run too hard and get outside our threshold zone, so we must be particular about how it’s performed,” he says. “It’s best to do it on flatter terrain where we can really monitor our effort and heart rate. Depending on the athlete, I might even use this as our longest run of the week.”

[Read More: How to Balance Running and Strength Training, No Matter Your Goals]

The reason for this, Baldwin explains, is that strength athletes receive other hard stimuli throughout the week, and overdoing threshold training could create an imbalance in their training profile. 

Additionally, strength athletes may want to perform threshold runs on a treadmill to control pacing, says Rodgers. Because they may be less experienced with maintaining pace and effort outdoors, Rodgers says that treadmill threshold runs can prevent them from creeping up above their true lactate threshold pace. 

For Hybrid Athletes

A hybrid athlete is someone who trains for both strength and endurance. Some hybrid athletes train exclusively for those two—such as powerlifting and marathon running—while others also include other elements of fitness, like calisthenics and plyometrics. Examples of hybrid fitness include CrossFit and Hyrox racing. 

[Read More: How to Run a Faster Mile, According to a Running Coach]

For these types of athletes, performing at least one threshold run per week is ideal, says Rodgers. However, hybrid athletes can include more threshold training in their weekly programming by including threshold pace runs with other training elements, he adds. 

For Endurance Athletes

Threshold runs are extremely important for endurance athletes. Baldwin says endurance athletes, particularly those following a workout program for a specific upcoming event, should be engaging in threshold interval training at least two times per week. 

“It’s a stimulus we want to touch on often,” he says. An exception to this is athletes who need to focus on improving their aerobic base, in which case they can benefit from sticking to lower-intensity work for a training block. 

At the end of the training block, the athlete would retest and recalculate their threshold pace. They’d then use the new, faster pace, beginning with three 1-kilometer reps.

Benefits of Threshold Runs

Training at anaerobic threshold paces comes with big benefits for your fitness and performance. The key purpose of a threshold run is to improve your lactate threshold, Rodgers says. 

“This, in turn, helps you to run at faster paces without experiencing excessive lactate buildup in your body,” he explains. “Lactate is produced when you exercise at high intensity, eventually slowing you down. The lactate threshold is the point at which your body starts to produce more lactate than it can clear.”

By running at or just under your lactate threshold, you can gradually increase it and run at faster paces before reaching it. The result: run faster for longer. 

Takeaways

• There are two main thresholds used in running training: aerobic and anaerobic.
• At the aerobic threshold, your body runs on fats via oxygen metabolism but is close to tipping over into anaerobic metabolism.
• At the anaerobic threshold, blood lactate accumulates faster than your body can get rid of it.
• Your body starts prioritizing carbohydrate stores as fuel at anaerobic threshold paces.
• Anaerobic threshold is a significant performance indicator.
• Your anaerobic threshold pace is what you can sustain before experiencing significant fatigue accumulation.
• Lactate threshold occurs at about 80 to 90 percent of your HRmax.
• Performing at least one threshold training session per week is recommended by most running coaches.
• Threshold training helps you run faster for longer, i.e. improves your endurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1. Ferri Marini C, Tadger P, Chávez-Guevara IA, et al. Factors Determining the Agreement between Aerobic Threshold and Point of Maximal Fat Oxidation: Follow-Up on a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Association. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;20(1):453. 
2. Poole DC, Rossiter HB, Brooks GA, Gladden LB. The anaerobic threshold: 50+ years of controversy. J Physiol. 2021;599(3):737-767.
3. Wasserman K. The anaerobic threshold: definition, physiological significance and identification. Adv Cardiol. 1986;35:1-23.
4. Wackerhage H, Gehlert S, Schulz H, Weber S, Ring-Dimitriou S, Heine O. Lactate Thresholds and the Simulation of Human Energy Metabolism: Contributions by the Cologne Sports Medicine Group in the 1970s and 1980s. Front Physiol. 2022;13:899670.
5. Casado A, Foster C, Bakken M, Tjelta LI. Does Lactate-Guided Threshold Interval Training within a High-Volume Low-Intensity Approach Represent the “Next Step” in the Evolution of Distance Running Training?. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):3782. 
6. Anselmi F, Cavigli L, Pagliaro A, et al. The importance of ventilatory thresholds to define aerobic exercise intensity in cardiac patients and healthy subjects. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021;31(9):1796-1808. 
7. McGrath E, Mahony N, Fleming N, Donne B. Is the FTP Test a Reliable, Reproducible and Functional Assessment Tool in Highly-Trained Athletes?. Int J Exerc Sci. 2019;12(4):1334-1345.
8. Melkonian EA, Schury MP. Biochemistry, Anaerobic Glycolysis. [Updated 2023 Jul 31]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan
9. Ghosh AK. Anaerobic threshold: its concept and role in endurance sport. Malays J Med Sci. 2004;11(1):24-36.
10. Seiler S. What is best practice for training intensity and duration distribution in endurance athletes?. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2010;5(3):276-291.

The post Threshold Run: What Is It, When To Do It, and How To Optimize It appeared first on BarBend.

Key Takeaways

• A half marathon is 13.1 miles (21.0975 kilometers).
• The average time for a half marathon is two hours, the world record being 57:31.
• It takes about 15 weeks to train for a half marathon. 

How Many Miles Are in a Half Marathon?

Before you take off, you’ll need to know the half-marathon distance you’re getting yourself into. A half-marathon is 13.1 miles (or 21.0975 kilometers), and a full marathon is 26.2 miles (or 42 kilometers).

[Read More: How Long Is a Marathon? Plus, How to Train for Your First Marathon]

What’s a good half-marathon time? The average time is about two hours. More specifically, RunRepeat released a state of running report in 2019 and stated the following average finish times for half-marathon runners in the United States. (1)

• Men: Two hours and two minutes (2:02:00)
• Women: Two hours and sixteen minutes (2:16:00)

We need more statistics on nonbinary runners.

The average pace varies based on fitness level and age group. 

What about the fastest half-marathon? These individuals currently hold the world record.

• Men: Jacob Kiplimo crossed the finish line in 57 minutes at 31 seconds (57:31) in Lisbon, Portugal, in November 2021. (2)
• Women: Letesenbet Gidey had a finish time of one hour, two minutes, and 52 seconds (1:02:52) in Valencia, Spain, in October 2021. (3)
• Nonbinary Athletes: Winter Parts finished a half-marathon in one hour, 12 minutes, and 48 seconds (1:12:48) in Brooklyn, New York, in April 2022, but there needs to be more research on the world record for nonbinary runners. (4)

How Many Miles Do You Run During Half-Marathon Training?

A good half-marathon workout plan will be tailored to your fitness level. New, intermediate, and advanced runners may all have different average weekly mileage. Still, everyone needs to complete the 13.1 miles on race day.

A study on half-marathon runners found that those with the fastest finish times ran an average weekly mileage of 19.8 miles (32 kilometers). A half-marathon training plan may span 10 to 16 weeks, depending on your fitness level. If you run an average of 20 miles per week for 15 weeks, you’ll be running 300 miles total. (5) 

[Read More: How Do You Stack Up? Here Are the Average Marathon Times for Different Types of Runners]

To reach that average of 20 miles, newer runners may build to 10 to 15 miles per week then continue to peak at 25 to 30 weekly miles. Experienced runners may start with 25 miles per week and build up to peak at 40 miles. (6)

Tips for Training for Your First Half Marathon

Getting ready for your first half-marathon? Working with a running coach and following a half-marathon training program is always ideal, but here are my top tips as a certified personal trainer. 

Build Up Your Weekly Mileage

You won’t want to jump into a 13.1-mile run immediately. Instead, focusing on weekly mileage and slowly building up will help you get there. Your training plan will likely include at least one longer run per week, and eventually, you want that to be at least 10 miles.

[Read More: How to Balance Running and Strength Training, No Matter Your Goals]

Following a half-marathon training plan with progression will help you get there. In the running world, some people use the “rule of thumb,” where you increase your weekly mileage by 10 percent every three weeks. Cut it down by 10 percent in the fourth week, and start again.

Vary Your Running Workouts

If it’s your first half-marathon, your goal is to finish, not necessarily go as fast as possible. Still, most training schedules include a variety of running workouts throughout the week. You might do one longer run and one day of speed work. Speed work typically involves a shorter, faster run that might be interval training, fartlek training, or tempo runs for more experienced runners.

Include Cross-Training

When you’re training for a marathon event, cross-training means any type of training that’s not running. There are two areas to focus on to keep improving your fitness without running.

• Strength Training: Include at least one day of resistance training. For newbies, strengthening your muscles can help prevent injuries. For more advanced runners, resistance training boosts power and speed, which improves running performance (and may help prevent injury, too). (7)
• Cardio Cross-Training: You can also work on increasing your cardiovascular endurance while giving your legs a break from all that high-impact. Doing something low-impact like swimming, the elliptical, or cycling helps work your heart and lungs without added stress on your muscles, tissues, and joints. 

Take Rest Days and Taper Off

You’ll need one to two rest days per week to give your body a chance to recover and adapt to the (good) stress of running. Research shows that endurance athletes who take fewer than two rest days per week have a much higher risk of injury than those who take more rest days. (8)

[Read More: Should You Be Running Every Day? A Certified Personal Trainer Gives You the Scoop]

You also want to taper off your mileage in the final weeks before race day.

Practice Good Running Nutrition

Be sure to eat well (and enough) throughout your half-marathon training. Proper running fuel can improve performance and recovery. Hydration (with or without electrolytes) and having carbohydrates before, during, and after long-distance running can help keep your energy up. (9)

[Read More: The Best Supplements for Runners]

Some runners have energy gels (a quick source of carbs) during long-distance runs. If you want to try it, experiment with it during your training to see how your body reacts. General running advice is to avoid trying something brand new on race day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s the bottom line on your most asked questions. 

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

References

1. Andersen, J. The State of Running 2019. RunRepeat. 
2. Half Marathon Men. World Athletics. 
3. Half Marathon Women. World Athletics.
4. Races Have Begun to Add Nonbinary Divisions. But Is That Enough? Runner’s World.
5. Fokkema T, van Damme AADN, Fornerod MWJ, de Vos RJ, Bierma-Zeinstra SMA, van Middelkoop M. Training for a (half-)marathon: Training volume and longest endurance run related to performance and running injuries. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2020 Sep;30(9):1692-1704. 
6. Half Marathon Training Plans for Every Level of Runner. Runner’s World.
7. Šuc A, Šarko P, Pleša J, Kozinc Ž. Resistance Exercise for Improving Running Economy and Running Biomechanics and Decreasing Running-Related Injury Risk: A Narrative Review. Sports (Basel). 2022 Jun 24;10(7):98. 
8. Ristolainen L, Kettunen JA, Waller B, Heinonen A, Kujala UM. Training-related risk factors in the etiology of overuse injuries in endurance sports. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2014 Feb;54(1):78-87. 
9. Burke, L. M., Millet, G., & Tarnopolsky, M. A. (2007). Nutrition for distance events. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(sup1), S29–S38.

Featured Image: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock

The post How Long Is a Half Marathon? Plus Tips for Your First Half Marathon appeared first on BarBend.

So, do you have proper walking form? It depends on what the best way to move for you is. But to give you some general insight into the topic, I sat down with Heather Asti, PT, MPT, who’s been a practicing physical therapist for nearly two decades, for insights into avoiding the injury bug with your walk.

Key Takeaways

• Proper walking form is different for everyone but generally involves upright posture, step rolling from heel to toe, arms swinging from your shoulders, and taking strides that fit your body.
• Proper walking form helps with injury prevention, improved balance and stability, and improved circulation, especially in older populations. (1)
• Suboptimal walking techniques can cause increased risk of falls and injuries, increased risk of arthritis, and muscle weakness. (2)
• Walking form is especially important when starting a new workout program as it helps to walk faster for longer. (3)
• Good shoes can support good walking form by allowing a generally more comfortable heel-to-toe rolling motion. (4)

How to Walk with Proper Form

Any discussion of proper walking form should begin with the disclaimer that the optimal walking form for your body type may not match that of someone else. Always strive to find the walking form that pairs optimally with your own body structure and optimizes your personal well-being. A qualified physical therapist may be able to help you do this.

[Read More: Is Walking Good Cardio? Certified Personal Trainers Explain]

While you wait to consult your own physical therapist, I chatted with one to get some general advice for you. From her multiple advanced degrees and certifications in physical therapy, Asti is also an APTA Advanced Certified Clinical Instructor. She is well-versed in spotting and correcting all of the postural issues that might cause you not to walk as well as you could.

Head to the Sky

A common sign of a suboptimal walking form is if you appear to be hunching over or slouching while you’re in motion. One of the hallmarks of good posture for most people is a straightened upper body position. This requires some involvement of your abdominal muscles and other core muscles to stabilize your frame and help you maintain proper posture.

[Read More: How Long Does it Take to Walk a 5K? (+ Tips to Walk Faster From a Walking Coach)]

“The best way to maintain proper walking posture is to imagine someone pulling up on your hair [toward the sky],” advises Asti. “This causes you to lengthen your spine and activate your core muscles.”

Mind Your Feet

People tend to place less emphasis on walking form than running form, given the comparatively low-impact nature of walking. Still, walking is a weight-bearing exercise. This means failure to maintain good form throughout a walking workout, or even during an extended walk of a casual nature, can cause pain and discomfort.

[Read More: Best Running Shoes for High Arches, Flat Feet, Cross Training, and More]

“The gait cycle starts with what we call initial contact with the ground, or heel strike,” explains Asti. “Your heel should make contact with the ground first rather than your whole foot, and with an unlocked knee. As your foot loads your body weight through the stance phase of gait, the foot should feel as though the weight rolls from the outside edge of the foot forward toward the base of the big toe in preparation for a solid push-off from the ground. Throughout that transition, the knee should continue to flex, and the hip gradually moves into extension as the heel lifts. Then the toe lifts to swing your back foot forward into the next stance cycle.”

Walking Stride

So much of walking speed is dictated by the length of your stride. This has led plenty of people to believe that they could speed up simply by lengthening their stride slightly while taking the same number of steps. Not only does this tend to lead toward overstriding—which is not an optimal solution to the perceived issue—but walking stride is so subjective that you may not even have a problem to correct.

[Read More: How Many Steps in a Mile? Calculate by Height and Pace]

“Stride length is usually a function of height, leg length relative to trunk, gait speed, and just personal comfort,” states Asti. “Your walking stride should feel comfortable for you and allow you to go through proper phases of the gait cycle without feeling the need to compensate or otherwise change your normal gait. If you are looking for a number, the average walking stride should equal about 2,000 steps per mile [when walking].”

Arm Motion

Although a pronounced arm swing is more common when it comes to your running form, you may fall into a category of people that has an atypical arm swing while walking. Usually, an arm swing is an unconscious movement that complements your foot-based motion. As long as you remain relaxed and you’re not using your arm swing to drive your walking motion, your arm swing is probably nothing to be concerned about.

“Arm swing is a wonderfully automatic rhythm for most people,” describes Asti. “Proper arm swing while walking helps the legs move more efficiently. Relaxed walking should result in relaxed shoulders, arms, and hands that move without conscious effort. Forcing additional arm swing—or otherwise trying to reduce arm swing—will alter the efficiency of your overall gait and cause more work from your legs and trunk.”

Benefits of Walking

Despite being such a basic movement for many people, the health benefits of walking are considerable. In fact, the positive outcomes of walking are so vast that pairing ordinary walking with strength training can be a perfect formula for a healthy lifestyle for most people.

[Read More: The Best Treadmill Walking Workouts From a CPT (+ Insight From a Conditioning Coach)]

Here are just a few of the benefits that you can achieve through a regular walking program:

• Low-impact exercise
• Calorie burning and weight loss (5)
• Improved blood pressure (6)
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (7)
• Lower risk of all-cause mortality (8)
• Increased bone density (9)

Frequently Asked Questions

So how do you walk, anyway? Here are some top questions we see.

References

1. Merchant RA, Banerji S, Singh G, Chew E, Poh CL, Tapawan SC, Guo YR, Pang YW, Sharma M, Kambadur R, Tay S. Is Trunk Posture in Walking a Better Marker than Gait Speed in Predicting Decline in Function and Subsequent Frailty? J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2016 Jan;17(1):65-70. 
2. MyClevelandClinic. (2023) Gait Disorders and Abnormalities.
3. Perfecting Your Walking Technique. (2020) Harvard Health Publishing.
4. America’s Walking: Picking the Right Walking Shoes. (2001) PBS.
5. La New JM, Borer KT. Effects of Walking Speed on Total and Regional Body Fat in Healthy Postmenopausal Women. Nutrients. 2022 Jan 31;14(3):627. 
6. Lee LL, Mulvaney CA, Wong YKY, Chan ES, Watson MC, Lin HH. Walking for hypertension. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Feb 24;2(2):CD008823. 
7. LaCroix AZ, Leveille SG, Hecht JA, Grothaus LC, Wagner EH. Does walking decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease hospitalizations and death in older adults? J Am Geriatr Soc. 1996 Feb;44(2):113-20. 
8. Inoue K, Tsugawa Y, Mayeda ER, Ritz B. Association of Daily Step Patterns With Mortality in US Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Mar 1;6(3):e235174. 
9. Krall EA, Dawson-Hughes B. Walking is related to bone density and rates of bone loss. Am J Med. 1994 Jan;96(1):20-6. 

The post Do You Have Proper Walking Form? Probably. A Physical Therapist Makes Sure appeared first on BarBend.

To help you on your journey, I’ll let you know just how long you’ll be running. I also caught up with elite running coach and world-class long-distance runner Lee Whitaker to get you the best marathon running tips in the business.

How Long Is a Marathon?

Let’s get right to it — 26.2 miles is the magic number here. How did that come to be? Well:

Legend dates back to Ancient Greece in 490 BC during the battle of Marathon. Once Athenian victory was assured, the Greek messenger Pheidippides is said to have run all the way from the battlefield to Athens without stopping to deliver news of the battle’s result to the masses.

[Read More: How To Build Stamina for Running]

The first modern marathon was run at the first modern Olympic Games at a distance of 25 miles—the approximate distance from Marathon to Athens. The distance of the Olympic marathon was then extended to 26.2 miles at the 1908 Olympics. This covered the distance from Windsor Castle to the front of the royal box at White City Stadium. This last requirement added a partial lap of the Olympic stadium track. 

In 1921, the IAAF (now World Athletics) cemented 26.2 miles as the official distance.

How Many Miles Do You Run in Marathon Training?

Whether you are an experienced runner or not, you should expect to run around 1,000 miles during your training to prepare to run 26.2 miles on race day. This helps build your fitness level to overcome everything it will endure during a race, from repeated foot strikes against the ground to your body’s constant cycling of energy.

Having trained everyone from sprinters to marathoners, running coach Whitaker can help you structure a workout plan to steer you from the starting line across the finish line at any running distance.

For Beginning Runners

If you’re preparing for your first marathon, you’re learning quickly that it’s almost as much about building mental endurance as it is physical workouts. Throughout the whole running event—and all your runs in the lead-up to your official marathon—you’ll need to gradually build your volume and endurance (both mental and physical).

[Read More: How Many Miles Should I Run a Day?]

“If you’re going to run a marathon for the first time, marathon training is probably going to start at around 35 miles per week, and then you’re going to build to 65 miles per week,” says Whitaker. “A lot of that depends on age, fitness, experience level, and how long you’ve been training. An experienced runner is going to get in more weekly mileage, but there is a lot of solid training that can be accomplished within that range.” 

For Experienced Runners

Experienced marathon runners who have a solid grasp on the feeling and atmosphere of a marathon race are going to be less concerned with survival, and more concerned with their finish time. This means they might structure a workout program to post a qualifying time that will get them into a major event, like the Chicago Marathon or the New York City Marathon.

[Read More: How to Run a Faster Mile]

“If you’re putting together a marathon training plan to try to get into one of the major marathons, you’re probably going to average 80 miles per week across 12 weeks [960 total miles],” says Whitaker. “Some weeks might be 65, and some might be 95, but it’s going to average around 80. At that level, you’re going through a tapering and peaking process, where your total volume will drop down at the end of the training plan.”

How to Estimate Your Marathon Pace

The real question is: When you’re running along the actual marathon course, how fast should you be moving? More importantly, how can you get an estimate of what your final time should look like?

[Read More: How Many Steps Are in a Mile?]

Take a 5K Test Early

Just because a half marathon is the closest established distance to a full marathon, it’s not the best way to gauge your eventual marathon time and establish your pace. Instead, it’s more energy-efficient to go on a 5K test run early in your training and to calculate a marathon finish time from that data point.

[Read More: 5K Training Plan]

“If you run a 5K and extrapolate that to a marathon time, that’s a good starting point to work from to establish what you need to do in your training to build toward a faster pace,” says Whitaker. “By the time you’ve completed the training cycle, chances are you’re going to be faster than that by the time you’re ready to run a marathon. Once you reach peak fitness, both your 5K and your marathon are going to be even faster than what we can predict based on that test 5K.”

Take a 5K or 10K Test Late

If you’re an inexperienced runner who is preparing to run in your first marathon, taking a test run too early in your training is not going to give you an accurate projection of what your eventual time will be. That’s because your body composition and your running efficiency are going to be totally different as you get closer to race day. In this case, you should take a test run much later in your preparation.

[Read More: How Many Miles Is a 5K?]

“I like for people to do a 5K close to the end of their training cycle,” Whitaker says. “A 10K will work too, but you would back it up a little bit further from the race date. Now that you’ve gone through the training cycle, you’ve built your aerobic base, you’ve done a lot of good training, and your 5K will be much faster than it ever would have been months ago. Everyone wants to do a marathon and qualify for the Boston Marathon, and a 5K test will let them know if that’s going to be a reasonable goal this time. For a lot of people, it can take more than three years of training to qualify for Boston, if they ever do. A test run will let them know if it’s even in the cards.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some final wrap-up questions, right from our readers.

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

Featured Image: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock

The post How Many Miles Is a Marathon? An Expert Running Coach Helps You Prepare for Every One of Them appeared first on BarBend.

But exactly how many miles is a 5K? I’ll give you all the stats, plus explanations from elite running coach Lee Whitaker.

Key Takeaways

• A 5k run is 3.1 miles.
• The average time to complete a 5k is 23:58. 
• The average runner can expect to complete a 5k in 20-25 minutes, whereas a beginner runner may expect to complete a 5k in about 30-40 minutes.
• It can take about 2 months to train for a 5k.

How Many Miles Is a 5k Run?

A 5K race is 3.1 miles long—the most frequently run distance event. The fact that it is a relatively short distance and an entry gate to competitive distance running makes it one of the most popular race distances for first-time runners who are fresh off the couch.

“Everything is relative to present fitness ability,” admits Whitaker. “However, if you are already in decent shape and have been working out, you could probably train for a 5K and do reasonably well in six weeks. Obviously the more time you have, the better your chances will be, but six weeks is enough time for you to see some solid improvement in all aspects of your performance.”

If you’re starting from a lower baseline fitness level, you might need closer to two months or perhaps longer. Listening to your body is the biggest key here.

How Many Miles Is a 10K Run?

Calculating the distance of a 10K run is a very simple mathematical exercise, as it is literally twice the distance of a 5K. As such, a 10K doubles the 3.1 miles of a 5K and offers you a distance of 6.2 miles. This comes with a few training modifications to prepare you to run the race optimally.

[Read More: 10K Training Plan From a Running Expert]

“The easiest way to ensure success in a 10K is to double the training distance and double the time spent training,” suggests Whitaker. “So you’re looking at 12 weeks of training as you work to gradually extend the distance you cover.”

How Many Miles Is a Half Marathon?

A half marathon takes the relatively well-known distance of a marathon — 26.2 miles — and chops it in half. Therefore, you’ll be running 13.1 miles, which is more than double that of a 10K. Even so, the training tweaks required to conquer this distance aren’t quite that severe.

[Read More: How to Run a Faster Mile, According to a Running Coach]

“You don’t have to double the training time again going from a 10K to a half marathon in order to perform reasonably well in it,” explains Whitaker. “I would still say at least 16 weeks is probably safe for that. You could build appropriately for that distance and also add the right amount of intensity training to adequately perform during a half marathon.”

How Many Miles Is a Marathon?

Even people who have never even dreamed of running a marathon may know that a marathon is 26.2 miles long. The doubling of the distance from a half marathon to a full marathon is not for the faint of heart. Given that, you are advised to take your preparations very seriously if you intend to run the full distance.

[Read More: How Long Is a Marathon?]

“I like to tell first-timers in particular, they probably need at least six months of training to adequately prepare for a marathon,” says Whitaker. “Could you do it in a little shorter time maybe? Yes—but I think six solid months of really good training is just a good rule of thumb for most people.”

How Many Miles Is an Ultramarathon?

While you may hear of ultramarathons that vary in distance by a wide margin, don’t fret—there’s a simple standard. An ultramarathon can refer to any running distance greater than a marathon that you’re supposed to cover during a single racing effort. Despite vast differences in the distance covered, the type of training required to run an ultramarathon won’t vary much from that required to run a marathon.

[Read More: How Many Miles Should I Run a Day?]

“The total amount of time and mileage doesn’t really change from a marathon to even a 100-mile race,” says Whitaker. “There’s a lot of structural changes that take place in the body as you train. Your heart gets bigger. Your blood flow gets more efficient, your capillaries and mitochondria increase. At some point, training at any level, we start to have diminishing returns. There’s just limits to physics, biology, and genetics. Your heart can only get so big, you can only force so much blood through your body.” 

What’s a Good 5K Time?

A good 5K time will vary from person to person and depend on a wide array of factors. For example, the average 5K time across all ages and genders is 23:58, but that exact same time is considered elite for all men aged 70 or older. Conversely, that time would be considered advanced for all women younger than 20 or older than 30.

You can estimate your general progress in relation to the average time for your gender assigned at birth, which assumes you are faster than half of all runners of that gender across all ages. For men, this average 5K time is 22:31, and for women, this time is 26:07. There is not enough data on nonbinary runners to give a number for these athletes.

Improving on these times by just one minute — or 20 seconds per mile — will place you within or very close to the advanced category for most age groups.

How to Calculate Your 5K Time

In the technologically sophisticated age we live in, some fairly reliable apps and programs can be used to extrapolate the times for long races based on shorter distances. In the case of a 5K, you can plug your one-mile run time into a program like the McMillan Running Calculator, and it will spit out a projected 5K time for you. However, even in the absence of a complex calculator, there are ways to identify a target time on your own. 

[Read More: How Long Does It Take to Run a Mile?]

“In the case of determining a 5K time based on a mile time, let’s say you run a six-minute mile,” Whitaker says. “I would triple the mile time, which gets it to 18 minutes. Then I would add about 15 percent to that. That’s 1,080 seconds that you’re adding about 160 seconds to. So I would estimate that you would probably be getting up around 21 minutes for a 5K.” 

[Read More: How to Calculate How Many Steps Are in a Mile]

Tips for Running a Faster 5K

You can make improvements to your 5K time simply by making frequent appearances at an outdoor track and haphazardly running, but a structured training plan would serve you far better. To help you run faster, here are a few valuable running tips provided by an expert-level running coach. These tips will come in handy no matter how far you intend to run, but especially if you want to run a faster 5K. 

Build Your Aerobic Base

Your running speed during a distance event has more to do with how long you can sustain your race pace than what the top speed you can achieve is. If you want to stand at the starting line with confidence on race day, you need to know that you can sustain your running pace for the entire race distance through the finish line. This is why it’s crucial for all runners to feature aerobic training in their running programs. (1)

Include Speed Work

Beyond possessing the endurance to sustain their forward progress, new runners need to work on stretching their speed limits, elevating their heart rates, and forcing their bodies to tolerate everything that comes with it.

This is why interval training should find a permanent home in your training schedule. Learning to move faster and tolerate the discomfort is essential to lowering your 5K time. (2)

Build Your Strength

What you do during your weight room workouts has a significant influence on how fast you are able to run. Most experienced runners now engage in some form of regular strength training; cross-training with weights.

[Read More: How to Strength Train for Your 5K (and Why You Should)]

This will enable you to press your feet against the ground with greater force. Strength training also directly correlates with greater speed. (3)

Train Safely

Even some advanced runners often neglect measures that are built into training plans to ensure safety and longevity, like a pre-workout warm-up, a post-workout cooldown, and rest days. Not only can partaking in these reduce your risk of injury from running, but they will also ensure that you can achieve peak workout performance, and be physically healed for subsequent training sessions. (4)

Frequently Asked Questions

References:

1. Haugen T, Sandbakk Ø, Seiler S, Tønnessen E. The Training Characteristics of World-Class Distance Runners: An Integration of Scientific Literature and Results-Proven Practice. Sports Med Open. 2022 Apr 1;8(1):46. 
2. Atakan MM, Li Y, Koşar ŞN, Turnagöl HH, Yan X. Evidence-Based Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Exercise Capacity and Health: A Review with Historical Perspective. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 5;18(13):7201. 
3. Prieto-González P, Sedlacek J. Effects of Running-Specific Strength Training, Endurance Training, and Concurrent Training on Recreational Endurance Athletes’ Performance and Selected Anthropometric Parameters. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 29;19(17):10773. 
4. Orlando C, Levitan EB, Mittleman MA, Steele RJ, Shrier I. The effect of rest days on injury rates. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2011 Dec;21(6):e64-71.

Featured Image: Hananeko_Studio / Shutterstock

The post How Many Miles Is a 5K? A Running Coach Teaches You How to Stay Efficient During All of Them appeared first on BarBend.

Crawley, a hybrid athlete who focuses on both endurance running and strength training, posted a vlog to YouTube on Jun. 3, 2024, in which he detailed how he adjusts his training plan while traveling abroad.

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We’re going to outline Crawley’s top tips for staying fit while traveling and then build on them to give you an action plan that you can take with you on the go, whether you’re heading out for the weekend or you’re Crawley himself breaking a sweat on a Spanish beachfront (consider us envious).

Staying Fit While Traveling: Fergus Crawley’s Top Tips

In case you’re not familiar, Scotland native Crawley has built a social media following around some truly insane feats of cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength. 

In 2021, Crawley achieved the self-imposed goal of completing a sub-12-hour distance triathlon and lifting a 1,200-pound powerlifting Total (the sum of his 1-rep max bench press, back squat, and deadlift) in the same day. Safe to say he knows a thing or two about staying on top of his routine no matter what life throws his way. Here are a few of his top tips for staying fit while traveling: 

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1. Reduce Intensity (as Needed)

Throughout his vlog, Crawley emphasized that he wasn’t afraid to cut back on his workout intensity while on vacation in Marbella, Spain. Due to a bout of international travel and a hotter-than-expected climate, Crawley pulled back on both his running workout and subsequent strength training session to avoid overtraining and limit his risk of injury while traveling.

We applaud his restraint, as does the scientific community — studies consistently show that you don’t need to train to failure 100% of the time to build muscle or strength. (1)

2. Modify Your Movements

Crawley’s strength training workout in Spain called for deficit deadlifts — a deadlift variation intended to increase time under tension by elongating the range of motion. However, Crawley noted that the gym he had access to wasn’t suitable for the movement he planned, so he opted to modify it.

“The weight plates are affecting my setup, so we’re going to do pause deadlifts instead,” Crawley remarked. Swapping exercises out is a sure-fire way to ensure that your workout continues to run smoothly. What’s more, some studies have shown that changing out exercises regularly can enhance strength and muscle gain. (2) 

3. Shorten Rest Periods

“When I’m short on time, I like to shorten my rest periods,” Crawley noted between sets of deadlifts. When it comes to workout duration, modifying your rest between sets is one of the most effective methods to improve the efficiency of your training sessions. 

Not only will reducing rest periods increase your workout’s density (a form of progressive overload), you’ll maintain a higher heart rate and burn more calories along the way. Win-win in our book. 

You may have heard that short rest periods diminish lifting performance and can affect hypertrophy. Let’s take a look at what the science has to say: 

• A 2005 paper in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research remarked that, over a 3-month training period, two groups each with either two or five-minute rest periods made similar gains in muscle and strength. (3)
• One study from 2014 remarked that sub-one-minute rest intervals, “can result in acute increases in serum growth hormone levels,” which may also help promote hypertrophy. (4)
• However, more contemporary data suggest a “possible advantage” of using longer rest intervals (greater than 60 seconds) to promote optimal muscle growth. (5)

[Related: The Best Supplements for Bodybuilding] 

Hydrate!

“The heat really does take it out of you,” Crawley lamented while on an outdoor walk after his morning training session. He’s right — studies show that exercising in hot conditions at or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit can have a negative impact on power output and reaction time. (6)

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A post shared by Fergus Crawley (@ferguscrawley)

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That’s why it’s extra important to stay hydrated if you’re exercising in warm weather or are traveling to a destination that’s hotter than you’re used to. Long bouts of travel mixed with inadequate fluid intake can be a double-whammy of performance detriment. (7)

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References

1. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022 Mar;11(2):202-211. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2021.01.007. Epub 2021 Jan 23. PMID: 33497853; PMCID: PMC9068575.
2. Fonseca, R. M., Roschel, H., Tricoli, V., de Souza, E. O., Wilson, J. M., Laurentino, G. C., Aihara, A. Y., de Souza Leão, A. R., & Ugrinowitsch, C. (2014). Changes in exercises are more effective than in loading schemes to improve muscle strength. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 28(11), 3085–3092.
3. Ahtiainen, J. P., Pakarinen, A., Alen, M., Kraemer, W. J., & Häkkinen, K. (2005). Short vs. long rest period between the sets in hypertrophic resistance training: influence on muscle strength, size, and hormonal adaptations in trained men. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 19(3), 572–582.
4. Henselmans, M., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2014). The effect of inter-set rest intervals on resistance exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 44(12), 1635–1643.
5. Grgic, J., Lazinica, B., Mikulic, P., Krieger, J. W., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2017). The effects of short versus long inter-set rest intervals in resistance training on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review. European journal of sport science, 17(8), 983–993.
6. Donnan K, Williams EL, Stanger N. The Effects of Heat Exposure During Intermittent Exercise on Physical and Cognitive Performance Among Team Sport Athletes. Percept Mot Skills. 2021 Feb;128(1):439-466. doi: 10.1177/0031512520966522. Epub 2020 Oct 20. PMID: 33076764; PMCID: PMC7859587.
7. Zubac D, Buoite Stella A, Morrison SA. Up in the Air: Evidence of Dehydration Risk and Long-Haul Flight on Athletic Performance. Nutrients. 2020 Aug 25;12(9):2574. doi: 10.3390/nu12092574. PMID: 32854320; PMCID: PMC7551461.

Featured Image: @ferguscrawley on Instagram

The post An Elite Ultra-Marathoner & Powerlifter Explains How To Stay Fit While Traveling appeared first on BarBend.