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Fartlek run
Despite its curious name (Swedish for Speed Play) fartlek runs are one of the most effective training methods you can use, whether for overall improvements in fitness, or else for developing greater speed.
Fartlek runs are very egalitarian - they are suitable for everyone from beginners to advanced, track athletes through to sports men and women. Whether you goal is to lose a few pounds, complete a marathon, or play football better, fartlek runs can help you achieve you goal, usually in less time than other forms of training.
So what are they? In essence they are a series of unstructured, random speed intervals. Whereas a typical track athlete will have a very rigid series of intervals that they follow, speed play takes a more relaxed approach.
A typical workout would include a ten minute warm up (essential before embarking on any speed training), followed by ten minutes at a high tempo. Five minutes of easy jogging to recover might be followed by a mix of fast sprints and walking recoveries - they joy of this is that you can do it anywhere.
Possibilities include around a track, on the street, running from street light to street light, in the park (trees make great markers), or even on the beach.
Wherever you are, if you've got some imagination and some energy, you can perform a speed play workout. You'll get in shape faster, and have more fun. Why not give it a go?
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