|
Written by Administrator
|
|
Translated from Swedish,
"Fartlek" literally means "speed play." What is it? It's simple -
Fartlek training is every type of interval rolled into one workout!
Fartlek training will allow your mind and body to be accustomed to training
at higher than normal levels. This in turn means you have the chance to
greatly improve your aerobic and anaerobic systems and, if required, lose
weight more effectively.
Fartlek training is generally
associated with running, but can include almost any kind of exercise. Most fartlek sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes and can vary from
aerobic walking to anaerobic sprinting.
Sessions should
be at an intensity that causes the athlete to work at 60% to 80% of
their maximum heart rate (220-your age. E.g 220-19=201) , as outlined
by the Karvonen Method.
This should mean that their body will not experience too much
discomfort while exercising. An athlete should also include a good warm up at the beginning of the session, and a cool down at the end of the session, to improve performance and to decrease the chances of injury and for other reasons.
This is also an example of what a fartlek session might look like,
but fartlek sessions should be designed for an athlete's own event or
sport — as well as catering for their individual needs. The idea is to train at a wide variety of
speeds, distances and times in order to hit the widest variety of
training parameters.
- Warm up – easy running for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Steady, hard speed for 1.5-2 km; like a long repetition.
- Rapid walking for about 5 minutes – recovery.
- Easy running interspersed with sprints of about 50 – 60 m, repeated until a little tired. – Start of speed work.
- Easy running with three or four "quick steps" now and then
(simulating suddenly speeding up to avoid being overtaken by another
runner).
- Full speed up hill for 175 – 200 m.
- Immediately, fast pace for 1 minute.
- The whole routine is then repeated until the total time prescribed on the training schedule has elapsed.
One of the main reasons for the success of
fartlek training is that it
can be adapted to the needs of the individual. Unlike continuous
training, fartlek training can benefit participants of field games such
as football, soccer, rugby, hockey and lacrosse as it develops aerobic
and aerobic capacities which are both used in sports such as these.
|
Fitness 
