When you’re feeling motivated to run, all you can think about is charging forward as fast as you can. You know the faster you run, the sooner you’ll get the blood flowing, cover more distance and start torching those calories.
However, if all you’re doing is charging ahead without run/walk intervals, you could be missing out on some serious benefits.
What are Run/Walk Intervals?
Run/walk is a type of interval training where you break up your run with periods of walking. For example, you might run for 1-2 minutes, then walk for that same amount of time before running again.
Breaking it up with run/walk intervals have some attractive benefits.
Benefits of including short walk breaks in your run:
1. Run/Walk Intervals Protect Your Joints
Do you want: More speed? Faster recovery? Less chance of injury? If so, it’s all possible with run/walk interval training. If you’re running and start to experience pain, you’re more likely to push through it. This is bad news for your body, though, as it may increase the risk of injury. Adding a short walk in between sprints gives your body extra recovery time and puts less wear and tear on your joints, helping ensure you’ll be in better condition to continue working out uninterrupted.
2. Interval Training is Actually More Challenging
If you’re one of those people who have to keep running or else you might give up as soon as you stop (don’t worry, we totally get it), you can already guess why run/walk intervals are more challenging than running alone. It takes motivation, willpower, and stamina to continue switching back and forth. It also challenges your body in different ways.
In addition, many who utilize run/walk intervals admit it requires more focus, which further adds to the complexity.
3. It Reduces Fatigue to Help You Push Harder
If you’re new to run/walk intervals, don’t be surprised if you notice you have the energy to exercise longer. You’re no longer running toward pure exhaustion, but rather taking short breaks throughout so that you never feel exhausted in the first place. Less fatigue helps you keep going longer and stronger!
Get Started With Run/Walk Intervals
Now that you understand the benefits of run/walk intervals, it’s time to apply these to your own training. We recommend starting with the 1:1 ratio. Walk for one minute to warm up, then alternate between running and walking for one minute each and see how many intervals you can do!
If you’re already using RockMyRun, it’s especially incredible for Walk/Run Interval training because the beat of the music adapts to your pace and heartbeat, so it’ll slow down when you’re walking and speed up when you’re running.
If you’re not using RockMyRun yet, this is a great time to start! Enjoy a playlist optimized for your workout style and designed to help you hear the difference in your pace.
Check it out for yourself: Start your two week free trial today.